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Gamage YI, Pan J. Elucidating the Influence of Lipid Composition on Bilayer Perturbations Induced by the N-terminal Region of the Huntingtin Protein. BIOPHYSICA 2023; 3:582-597. [PMID: 38737720 PMCID: PMC11087071 DOI: 10.3390/biophysica3040040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the membrane interactions of the N-terminal 17 residues of the huntingtin protein (HttN) is essential for unraveling its role in cellular processes and its impact on huntingtin misfolding. In this study, we used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to examine the effects of lipid specificity in mediating bilayer perturbations induced by HttN. Across various lipid environments, the peptide consistently induced bilayer disruptions in the form of holes. Notably, our results unveiled that cholesterol enhanced bilayer perturbation induced by HttN, while phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) lipids suppressed hole formation. Furthermore, anionic phosphatidylglycerol (PG) and cardiolipin lipids, along with cholesterol at high concentrations, promoted the formation of double-bilayer patches. This unique structure suggests that the synergy among HttN, anionic lipids, and cholesterol can enhance bilayer fusion, potentially by facilitating lipid intermixing between adjacent bilayers. Additionally, our AFM-based force spectroscopy revealed that HttN enhanced the mechanical stability of lipid bilayers, as evidenced by an elevated bilayer puncture force. These findings illuminate the complex interplay between HttN and lipid membranes and provide useful insights into the role of lipid composition in modulating membrane interactions with the huntingtin protein.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jianjun Pan
- Department of Physics, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620
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Adegbuyiro A, Stonebraker AR, Sedighi F, Fan CK, Hodges B, Li P, Valentine SJ, Legleiter J. Oxidation Promotes Distinct Huntingtin Aggregates in the Presence and Absence of Membranes. Biochemistry 2022; 61:1517-1530. [PMID: 35759798 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.2c00212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Expansion of a polyglutamine (polyQ) domain within the first exon of the huntingtin (htt) protein is the underlying cause of Huntington's disease, a genetic neurodegenerative disorder. PolyQ expansion triggers htt aggregation into oligomers, fibrils, and inclusions. The 17 N-terminal amino acids (Nt17) of htt-exon1, which directly precede the polyQ domain enhances polyQ fibrillization and functions as a lipid-binding domain. A variety of post-translational modifications occur within Nt17, including oxidation of two methionine residues. Here, the impact of oxidation within Nt17 on htt aggregation both in the presence and absence of lipid membranes was investigated. Treatment with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) reduced fibril formation in a dose-dependent manner, resulting in shorter fibrils and an increased oligomer population. With excessive H2O2 treatments, fibrils developed a unique morphological feature around their periphery. In the presence of total brain lipid vesicles, H2O2 impacted fibrillization in a similar manner. That is, oligomerization was promoted at the expense of fibril elongation. The interaction of unoxidized and oxidized htt with supported lipid bilayers was directly observed using in situ atomic force microscopy. Without oxidation, granular htt aggregates developed on the bilayer surface. However, in the presence of H2O2, distinct plateau-like regions initially developed on the bilayer surface that gave way to rougher patches containing granular aggregates. Collectively, these observations suggest that oxidation of methionine residues within Nt17 plays a crucial role in both the aggregation of htt and its ability to interact with lipid surfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adewale Adegbuyiro
- The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, 217 Clark Hall, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
| | - Alyssa R Stonebraker
- The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, 217 Clark Hall, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
| | - Faezeh Sedighi
- The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, 217 Clark Hall, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
| | - Caleb K Fan
- The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, 217 Clark Hall, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
| | - Breanna Hodges
- The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, 217 Clark Hall, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
| | - Peng Li
- The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, 217 Clark Hall, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
| | - Stephen J Valentine
- The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, 217 Clark Hall, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
| | - Justin Legleiter
- The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, 217 Clark Hall, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States.,Rockefeller Neurosciences Institutes, West Virginia University, 1 Medical Center Dr., P.O. Box 9303, Morgantown, West Virginia 26505, United States.,Department of Neuroscience, West Virginia University, 1 Medical Center Dr., P.O. Box 9303, Morgantown, West Virginia 26505, United States
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Beasley M, Frazee N, Groover S, Valentine SJ, Mertz B, Legleiter J. Physicochemical Properties Altered by the Tail Group of Lipid Membranes Influence Huntingtin Aggregation and Lipid Binding. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:3067-3081. [PMID: 35439000 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c10254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by an expanded polyglutamine (polyQ) domain within the huntingtin protein (htt) that initiates toxic protein aggregation. Htt directly interacts with membranes, influencing aggregation and spurring membrane abnormalities. These interactions are facilitated by the 17 N-terminal residues (Nt17) that form an amphipathic α-helix implicated in both lipid binding and aggregation. Here, the impact of unsaturation in phospholipid tails on htt-lipid interaction and htt aggregation was determined. There was no correlation between the degree of htt-lipid complexation and the degree of htt aggregation in the presence of each lipid system, indicating that lipid systems with different properties uniquely alter the membrane-mediated aggregation mechanisms. Also, the association between Nt17 and membrane surfaces is determined by complementarity between hydrophobic residues and membrane defects and how easily the peptide can partition into the bilayer. Our results provide critical insights into how membrane physical properties influence downstream htt aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryssa Beasley
- The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, 217 Clark Hall, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
| | - Nicolas Frazee
- The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, 217 Clark Hall, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
| | - Sharon Groover
- The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, 217 Clark Hall, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
| | - Stephen J Valentine
- The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, 217 Clark Hall, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
| | - Blake Mertz
- The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, 217 Clark Hall, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States.,WVU Cancer Institute, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
| | - Justin Legleiter
- The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, 217 Clark Hall, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States.,Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institutes, West Virginia University, 1 Medical Center Drive, P.O. Box 9303, Morgantown, West Virginia 26505, United States.,Department of Neuroscience, West Virginia University, 1 Medical Center Drive, P.O. Box 9303, Morgantown, West Virginia 26505, United States
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Marquette A, Aisenbrey C, Bechinger B. Membrane Interactions Accelerate the Self-Aggregation of Huntingtin Exon 1 Fragments in a Polyglutamine Length-Dependent Manner. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22136725. [PMID: 34201610 PMCID: PMC8268948 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22136725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The accumulation of aggregated protein is a typical hallmark of many human neurodegenerative disorders, including polyglutamine-related diseases such as chorea Huntington. Misfolding of the amyloidogenic proteins gives rise to self-assembled complexes and fibres. The huntingtin protein is characterised by a segment of consecutive glutamines which, when exceeding ~ 37 residues, results in the occurrence of the disease. Furthermore, it has also been demonstrated that the 17-residue amino-terminal domain of the protein (htt17), located upstream of this polyglutamine tract, strongly correlates with aggregate formation and pathology. Here, we demonstrate that membrane interactions strongly accelerate the oligomerisation and β-amyloid fibril formation of htt17-polyglutamine segments. By using a combination of biophysical approaches, the kinetics of fibre formation is investigated and found to be strongly dependent on the presence of lipids, the length of the polyQ expansion, and the polypeptide-to-lipid ratio. Finally, the implications for therapeutic approaches are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnaud Marquette
- Chemistry Institute UMR7177, University of Strasbourg/CNRS, 67000 Strasbourg, France; (A.M.); (C.A.)
| | - Christopher Aisenbrey
- Chemistry Institute UMR7177, University of Strasbourg/CNRS, 67000 Strasbourg, France; (A.M.); (C.A.)
| | - Burkhard Bechinger
- Chemistry Institute UMR7177, University of Strasbourg/CNRS, 67000 Strasbourg, France; (A.M.); (C.A.)
- Insitut Universitaire de France, 75005 Paris, France
- Correspondence:
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Frick M, Schwieger C, Schmidt C. Liposomes as Carriers of Membrane-Associated Proteins and Peptides for Mass Spectrometric Analysis. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021; 60:11523-11530. [PMID: 33599387 PMCID: PMC8252038 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202101242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Membrane proteins are key players of the cell. Their structure and the interactions they form with their lipid environment are required to understand their function. Here we explore liposomes as membrane mimetics for mass spectrometric analysis of peripheral membrane proteins and peptides. Liposomes are advantageous over other membrane mimetics in that they are easy to prepare, can be varied in size and composition, and are suitable for functional assays. We demonstrate that they dissociate into lipid clusters in the gas phase of a mass spectrometer while intact protein and protein–lipid complexes are retained. We exemplify this approach by employing different liposomes including proteoliposomes of two model peptides/proteins differing in size. Our results pave the way for the general application of liposomes for mass spectrometric analysis of membrane‐associated proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Frick
- Interdisciplinary Research Center HALOmem, Charles Tanford Protein Center, Institute for Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Strasse 3a, 06120, Halle, Germany
| | - Christian Schwieger
- Interdisciplinary Research Center HALOmem, Charles Tanford Protein Center, Institute for Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Strasse 3a, 06120, Halle, Germany
| | - Carla Schmidt
- Interdisciplinary Research Center HALOmem, Charles Tanford Protein Center, Institute for Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Strasse 3a, 06120, Halle, Germany
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Frick M, Schwieger C, Schmidt C. Liposomen als Überträger membranassoziierter Proteine und Peptide für die massenspektrometrische Analyse. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202101242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Frick
- Interdisziplinäre wissenschaftliche Einrichtung Charles-Tanford-Proteinzentrum Institut für Biochemie und Biotechnologie Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg Kurt-Mothes-Straße 3a 06120 Halle Deutschland
| | - Christian Schwieger
- Interdisziplinäre wissenschaftliche Einrichtung Charles-Tanford-Proteinzentrum Institut für Biochemie und Biotechnologie Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg Kurt-Mothes-Straße 3a 06120 Halle Deutschland
| | - Carla Schmidt
- Interdisziplinäre wissenschaftliche Einrichtung Charles-Tanford-Proteinzentrum Institut für Biochemie und Biotechnologie Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg Kurt-Mothes-Straße 3a 06120 Halle Deutschland
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Scratching the surface: native mass spectrometry of peripheral membrane protein complexes. Biochem Soc Trans 2021; 48:547-558. [PMID: 32129823 PMCID: PMC7192793 DOI: 10.1042/bst20190787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2020] [Revised: 02/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
A growing number of integral membrane proteins have been shown to tune their activity by selectively interacting with specific lipids. The ability to regulate biological functions via lipid interactions extends to the diverse group of proteins that associate only peripherally with the lipid bilayer. However, the structural basis of these interactions remains challenging to study due to their transient and promiscuous nature. Recently, native mass spectrometry has come into focus as a new tool to investigate lipid interactions in membrane proteins. Here, we outline how the native MS strategies developed for integral membrane proteins can be applied to generate insights into the structure and function of peripheral membrane proteins. Specifically, native MS studies of proteins in complex with detergent-solubilized lipids, bound to lipid nanodiscs, and released from native-like lipid vesicles all shed new light on the role of lipid interactions. The unique ability of native MS to capture and interrogate protein–protein, protein–ligand, and protein–lipid interactions opens exciting new avenues for the study of peripheral membrane protein biology.
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Lipid headgroups alter huntingtin aggregation on membranes. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2020; 1863:183497. [PMID: 33130095 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2020.183497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's Disease is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder caused by expansion of a glutamine repeat region (polyQ) beyond a critical threshold within exon1 of the huntingtin protein (htt). As a consequence of polyQ expansion, htt associates into a variety of aggregate species that are thought to underlie cellular toxicity. Within cells, htt associates with numerous membranous organelles and surfaces that exert influence on the aggregation process. In particular, the first 17 amino acids at the N-terminus of htt (Nt17) serve as a lipid-binding domain that is intrinsically disordered in bulk solution but adopts an amphipathic α-helical structure upon binding membranes. Beyond this, Nt17 is implicated in initiating htt fibrillization. As the interaction between Nt17 and lipid membranes is likely influenced by lipid properties, the impact of lipid headgroups on htt-exon1 aggregation, membrane activity, and the ability to form protein:lipid complexes was determined. Htt-exon1 with a disease-length polyQ domain (46Q) was exposed to lipid vesicles comprised of lipids with either zwitterionic (POPC and POPE) or anionic (POPG and POPS) headgroups. With zwitterionic head groups, large lipid to peptide ratios were required to have a statistically significant impact on htt aggregation. Anionic lipids enhanced htt fibrillization, even at low lipid:protein ratios, and this was accompanied by changes in aggregate morphology. Despite the larger impact of anionic lipids, htt-exon1(46Q) was more membrane active with zwitterionic lipid systems. The ability of Nt17 to form complexes with lipids was also mediated by lipid headgroups as zwitterionic ionic lipids more readily associated with multimeric forms of Nt17 in comparison with anionic lipids. Collectively, these results highlight the complexity of htt/membrane interactions and the resulting impact on the aggregation process.
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