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Singh A, Burns D, Sedinkin SL, Van Veller B, Potoyan DA, Venditti V. Protein Conformational Dynamics Underlie Selective Recognition of Thermophilic over Mesophilic Enzyme I by a Substrate Analogue. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13010160. [PMID: 36671545 PMCID: PMC9856155 DOI: 10.3390/biom13010160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Substrate selectivity is an important preventive measure to decrease the possibility of cross interactions between enzymes and metabolites that share structural similarities. In addition, understanding the mechanisms that determine selectivity towards a particular substrate increases the knowledge base for designing specific inhibitors for target enzymes. Here, we combine NMR, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and protein engineering to investigate how two substrate analogues, allylicphosphonate (cPEP) and sulfoenolpyruvate (SEP), recognize the mesophilic (eEIC) and thermophilic (tEIC) homologues of the receptor domain of bacterial Enzyme I, which has been proposed as a target for antimicrobial research. Chemical Shift Perturbation (CSP) experiments show that cPEP and SEP recognize tEIC over the mesophilic homologue. Combined Principal Component Analysis of half-microsecond-long MD simulations reveals that incomplete quenching of a breathing motion in the eEIC-ligand complex destabilizes the interaction and makes the investigated substrate analogues selective toward the thermophilic enzyme. Our results indicate that residual protein motions need to be considered carefully when optimizing small molecule inhibitors of EI. In general, our work demonstrates that protein conformational dynamics can be exploited in the rational design and optimization of inhibitors with subfamily selectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aayushi Singh
- Department of Chemistry, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Daniel Burns
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | | | - Brett Van Veller
- Department of Chemistry, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Davit A. Potoyan
- Department of Chemistry, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
- Correspondence: (D.A.P.); (V.V.); Tel.: +515-294-9971 (D.A.P.); +515-294-1044 (V.V.); Fax: +515-294-7550 (D.A.P. & V.V.)
| | - Vincenzo Venditti
- Department of Chemistry, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
- Correspondence: (D.A.P.); (V.V.); Tel.: +515-294-9971 (D.A.P.); +515-294-1044 (V.V.); Fax: +515-294-7550 (D.A.P. & V.V.)
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Dotas RR, Nguyen TT, Stewart CE, Ghirlando R, Potoyan DA, Venditti V. Hybrid Thermophilic/Mesophilic Enzymes Reveal a Role for Conformational Disorder in Regulation of Bacterial Enzyme I. J Mol Biol 2020; 432:4481-4498. [PMID: 32504625 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2020.05.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Revised: 05/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Conformational disorder is emerging as an important feature of biopolymers, regulating a vast array of cellular functions, including signaling, phase separation, and enzyme catalysis. Here we combine NMR, crystallography, computer simulations, protein engineering, and functional assays to investigate the role played by conformational heterogeneity in determining the activity of the C-terminal domain of bacterial Enzyme I (EIC). In particular, we design chimeric proteins by hybridizing EIC from thermophilic and mesophilic organisms, and we characterize the resulting constructs for structure, dynamics, and biological function. We show that EIC exists as a mixture of active and inactive conformations and that functional regulation is achieved by tuning the thermodynamic balance between active and inactive states. Interestingly, we also present a hybrid thermophilic/mesophilic enzyme that is thermostable and more active than the wild-type thermophilic enzyme, suggesting that hybridizing thermophilic and mesophilic proteins is a valid strategy to engineer thermostable enzymes with significant low-temperature activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rochelle R Dotas
- Department of Chemistry, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Trang T Nguyen
- Department of Chemistry, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Charles E Stewart
- Macromolecular X-ray Crystallography Facility, Office of Biotechnology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Rodolfo Ghirlando
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, NIDDK, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Davit A Potoyan
- Department of Chemistry, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA; Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
| | - Vincenzo Venditti
- Department of Chemistry, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA; Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
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Khatiwada B, Purslow JA, Underbakke ES, Venditti V. N-terminal fusion of the N-terminal domain of bacterial enzyme I facilitates recombinant expression and purification of the human RNA demethylases FTO and Alkbh5. Protein Expr Purif 2019; 167:105540. [PMID: 31740367 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2019.105540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Revised: 11/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Various fusion tags are commonly employed to increase the heterologous expression and solubility of aggregation-prone proteins within Escherichia coli. Herein, we present a protocol for efficient recombinant expression and purification of the human RNA demethylases Alkbh5 and FTO. Our method incorporates a novel fusion tag (the N-terminal domain of bacterial enzyme I, EIN) that dramatically increases the solubility of its fusion partner and is promptly removed upon digestion with a protease. The presented protocol allows for the production of mg amounts of Alkbh5 and FTO in 1L of both rich and minimal media. We developed a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based assay to confirm that both proteins are enzymatically active. Furthermore, the LC-MS method developed here is applicable to other members of the AlkB family of Fe(II)/α-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenases. The superior protein yield, afforded by our expression and purification method, will facilitate biochemical investigations into the biological function of the human RNA demethylases and endorse employment of EIN as a broadly applicable fusion tag for recombinant expression projects.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jeffrey A Purslow
- Department of Chemistry, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
| | - Eric S Underbakke
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
| | - Vincenzo Venditti
- Department of Chemistry, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA; Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA.
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Dotas RR, Venditti V. Resonance assignment of the 128 kDa enzyme I dimer from Thermoanaerobacter tengcongensis. BIOMOLECULAR NMR ASSIGNMENTS 2019; 13:287-293. [PMID: 31025174 DOI: 10.1007/s12104-019-09893-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2019] [Accepted: 04/20/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Enzyme I (EI) of the bacterial phosphotransferase system (PTS) utilizes phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) as a source of energy in order to transport sugars across the cellular membrane. PEP binding to EI initiates a phosphorylation cascade that regulates a variety of essential pathways in the metabolism of bacterial cells. Given its central role in controlling bacterial metabolism, EI has been often suggested as a good target for antimicrobial research. Here, we report the 1HN, 15N, 13C', 1Hmethyl, and 13Cmethyl chemical shifts of the 128 kDa homodimer EI from the thermophile Thermoanaerobacter tengcongensis. In total 79% of the expected backbone amide correlations and 80% of the expected methyl TROSY peaks from U-[2H, 13C, 15N], Ileδ1-[13CH3], Val-Leu-[13CH3/12CD3] labeled EI were assigned. The reported assignments will enable future structural studies aimed at illuminating the fundamental mechanisms governing long-range interdomain communication in EI and at indicating new therapeutic strategies to combat bacterial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rochelle Rea Dotas
- Department of Chemistry, Iowa State University, Hach Hall, 2438 Pammel Drive, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
| | - Vincenzo Venditti
- Department of Chemistry, Iowa State University, Hach Hall, 2438 Pammel Drive, Ames, IA, 50011, USA.
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA.
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