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Santamaria A, Batchu KC, Fragneto G, Laux V, Haertlein M, Darwish TA, Russell RA, Zaccai NR, Guzmán E, Maestro A. Investigation on the relationship between lipid composition and structure in model membranes composed of extracted natural phospholipids. J Colloid Interface Sci 2023; 637:55-66. [PMID: 36682118 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.01.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
HYPOTHESIS Unravelling the structural diversity of cellular membranes is a paramount challenge in life sciences. In particular, lipid composition affects the membrane collective behaviour, and its interactions with other biological molecules. EXPERIMENTS Here, the relationship between membrane composition and resultant structural features was investigated by surface pressure-area isotherms, Brewster angle microscopy and neutron reflectometry on in vitro membrane models of the mammalian plasma and endoplasmic-reticulum-Golgi intermediate compartment membranes in the form of Langmuir monolayers. Natural extracted yeast lipids were used because, unlike synthetic lipids, the acyl chain saturation pattern of yeast and mammalian lipids are similar. FINDINGS The structure of the model membranes, orthogonal to the plane of the membrane, as well as their lateral packing, were found to depend strongly on their specific composition, with cholesterol having a major influence on the in-plane morphology, yielding a coexistence of liquid-order and liquid-disorder phases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Santamaria
- Institut Laue-Langevin, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38042 Grenoble, Cedex 9, France; Departamento de Química Física, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Krishna C Batchu
- Institut Laue-Langevin, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38042 Grenoble, Cedex 9, France
| | - Giovanna Fragneto
- Institut Laue-Langevin, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38042 Grenoble, Cedex 9, France; École doctorale de Physique, Université Grenoble Alpes, 38400 Saint-Martin-d'Héres, France
| | - Valérie Laux
- Institut Laue-Langevin, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38042 Grenoble, Cedex 9, France
| | - Michael Haertlein
- Institut Laue-Langevin, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38042 Grenoble, Cedex 9, France
| | - Tamim A Darwish
- National Deuteration Facility, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Lucas Heights 2232, NSW, Australia
| | - Robert A Russell
- National Deuteration Facility, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Lucas Heights 2232, NSW, Australia
| | - Nathan R Zaccai
- Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB22 7QQ, United Kingdom
| | - Eduardo Guzmán
- Departamento de Química Física, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain; Instituto Pluridisciplinar, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Paseo Juan XXIII 1, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Armando Maestro
- Centro de Fı́sica de Materiales (CSIC, UPV/EHU) - Materials Physics Center MPC, Paseo Manuel de Lardizabal 5, E-20018 San Sebastián, Spain; IKERBASQUE-Basque Foundation for Science, Plaza Euskadi 5, Bilbao 48009, Spain.
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2
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Tuerkova A, Kasson PM. Computational methods to study enveloped viral entry. Biochem Soc Trans 2021; 49:2527-2537. [PMID: 34783344 PMCID: PMC10184508 DOI: 10.1042/bst20210190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The protein-membrane interactions that mediate viral infection occur via loosely ordered, transient assemblies, creating challenges for high-resolution structure determination. Computational methods and in particular molecular dynamics simulation have thus become important adjuncts for integrating experimental data, developing mechanistic models, and suggesting testable hypotheses regarding viral function. However, the large molecular scales of virus-host interaction also create challenges for detailed molecular simulation. For this reason, continuum membrane models have played a large historical role, although they have become less favored for high-resolution models of protein assemblies and lipid organization. Here, we review recent progress in the field, with an emphasis on the insight that has been gained using a mixture of coarse-grained and atomic-resolution molecular dynamics simulations. Based on successes and challenges to date, we suggest a multiresolution strategy that should yield the best mixture of computational efficiency and physical fidelity. This strategy may facilitate further simulations of viral entry by a broader range of viruses, helping illuminate the diversity of viral entry strategies and the essential common elements that can be targeted for antiviral therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alzbeta Tuerkova
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala 75124, Sweden
| | - Peter M Kasson
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala 75124, Sweden
- Departments of Molecular Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, U.S.A
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3
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Thorsen MK, Lai A, Lee MW, Hoogerheide DP, Wong GCL, Freed JH, Heldwein EE. Highly Basic Clusters in the Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Nuclear Egress Complex Drive Membrane Budding by Inducing Lipid Ordering. mBio 2021; 12:e0154821. [PMID: 34425706 PMCID: PMC8406295 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01548-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
During replication of herpesviruses, capsids escape from the nucleus into the cytoplasm by budding at the inner nuclear membrane. This unusual process is mediated by the viral nuclear egress complex (NEC) that deforms the membrane around the capsid by oligomerizing into a hexagonal, membrane-bound scaffold. Here, we found that highly basic membrane-proximal regions (MPRs) of the NEC alter lipid order by inserting into the lipid headgroups and promote negative Gaussian curvature. We also find that the electrostatic interactions between the MPRs and the membranes are essential for membrane deformation. One of the MPRs is phosphorylated by a viral kinase during infection, and the corresponding phosphomimicking mutations block capsid nuclear egress. We show that the same phosphomimicking mutations disrupt the NEC-membrane interactions and inhibit NEC-mediated budding in vitro, providing a biophysical explanation for the in vivo phenomenon. Our data suggest that the NEC generates negative membrane curvature by both lipid ordering and protein scaffolding and that phosphorylation acts as an off switch that inhibits the membrane-budding activity of the NEC to prevent capsid-less budding. IMPORTANCE Herpesviruses are large viruses that infect nearly all vertebrates and some invertebrates and cause lifelong infections in most of the world's population. During replication, herpesviruses export their capsids from the nucleus into the cytoplasm by an unusual mechanism in which the viral nuclear egress complex (NEC) deforms the nuclear membrane around the capsid. However, how membrane deformation is achieved is unclear. Here, we show that the NEC from herpes simplex virus 1, a prototypical herpesvirus, uses clusters of positive charges to bind membranes and order membrane lipids. Reducing the positive charge or introducing negative charges weakens the membrane deforming ability of the NEC. We propose that the virus employs electrostatics to deform nuclear membrane around the capsid and can control this process by changing the NEC charge through phosphorylation. Blocking NEC-membrane interactions could be exploited as a therapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael K. Thorsen
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Graduate Program in Cellular, Molecular and Developmental Biology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Alex Lai
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology and National Biomedical Center for Advanced Electron Spin Resonance Technology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Michelle W. Lee
- Department of Bioengineering, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - David P. Hoogerheide
- Center for Neutron Research, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
| | - Gerard C. L. Wong
- Department of Bioengineering, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Jack H. Freed
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology and National Biomedical Center for Advanced Electron Spin Resonance Technology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Ekaterina E. Heldwein
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Graduate Program in Cellular, Molecular and Developmental Biology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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4
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Zec N, Mangiapia G, Hendry AC, Barker R, Koutsioubas A, Frielinghaus H, Campana M, Ortega-Roldan JL, Busch S, Moulin JF. Mutually Beneficial Combination of Molecular Dynamics Computer Simulations and Scattering Experiments. MEMBRANES 2021; 11:507. [PMID: 34357157 PMCID: PMC8304056 DOI: 10.3390/membranes11070507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
We showcase the combination of experimental neutron scattering data and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations for exemplary phospholipid membrane systems. Neutron and X-ray reflectometry and small-angle scattering measurements are determined by the scattering length density profile in real space, but it is not usually possible to retrieve this profile unambiguously from the data alone. MD simulations predict these density profiles, but they require experimental control. Both issues can be addressed simultaneously by cross-validating scattering data and MD results. The strengths and weaknesses of each technique are discussed in detail with the aim of optimizing the opportunities provided by this combination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nebojša Zec
- German Engineering Materials Science Centre (GEMS) at Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ), Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Lichtenbergstr. 1, 85748 Garching bei München, Germany; (N.Z.); (G.M.)
| | - Gaetano Mangiapia
- German Engineering Materials Science Centre (GEMS) at Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ), Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Lichtenbergstr. 1, 85748 Garching bei München, Germany; (N.Z.); (G.M.)
| | - Alex C. Hendry
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NJ, UK; (A.C.H.); (J.L.O.-R.)
| | - Robert Barker
- School of Physical Sciences, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NH, UK;
| | - Alexandros Koutsioubas
- Jülich Centre for Neutron Science (JCNS) at Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Lichtenbergstr. 1, 85748 Garching bei München, Germany; (A.K.); (H.F.)
| | - Henrich Frielinghaus
- Jülich Centre for Neutron Science (JCNS) at Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Lichtenbergstr. 1, 85748 Garching bei München, Germany; (A.K.); (H.F.)
| | - Mario Campana
- ISIS Neutron and Muon Facility, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Science & Technology Facilities Council, Didcot OX11 0QX, UK;
| | | | - Sebastian Busch
- German Engineering Materials Science Centre (GEMS) at Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ), Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Lichtenbergstr. 1, 85748 Garching bei München, Germany; (N.Z.); (G.M.)
| | - Jean-François Moulin
- German Engineering Materials Science Centre (GEMS) at Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ), Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Lichtenbergstr. 1, 85748 Garching bei München, Germany; (N.Z.); (G.M.)
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5
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Correa Y, Waldie S, Thépaut M, Micciulla S, Moulin M, Fieschi F, Pichler H, Trevor Forsyth V, Haertlein M, Cárdenas M. SARS-CoV-2 spike protein removes lipids from model membranes and interferes with the capacity of high density lipoprotein to exchange lipids. J Colloid Interface Sci 2021; 602:732-739. [PMID: 34157514 PMCID: PMC8195693 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.06.056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Cholesterol has been shown to affect the extent of coronavirus binding and fusion to cellular membranes. The severity of Covid-19 infection is also known to be correlated with lipid disorders. Furthermore, the levels of both serum cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) decrease with Covid-19 severity, with normal levels resuming once the infection has passed. Here we demonstrate that the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein interferes with the function of lipoproteins, and that this is dependent on cholesterol. In particular, the ability of HDL to exchange lipids from model cellular membranes is altered when co-incubated with the spike protein. Additionally, the S protein removes lipids and cholesterol from model membranes. We propose that the S protein affects HDL function by removing lipids from it and remodelling its composition/structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yubexi Correa
- Biofilms - Research Center for Biointerfaces and Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, 20506 Malmö, Sweden
| | - Sarah Waldie
- Biofilms - Research Center for Biointerfaces and Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, 20506 Malmö, Sweden; Life Sciences Group, Institut Laue Langevin, Grenoble F-38042, France; Partnership for Structural Biology, Grenoble F-38042, France
| | - Michel Thépaut
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, IBS, 71 avenue des Martyrs, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Samantha Micciulla
- Large Scale Structures, Institut Laue Langevin (ILL), Grenoble F-38042, France
| | - Martine Moulin
- Life Sciences Group, Institut Laue Langevin, Grenoble F-38042, France; Partnership for Structural Biology, Grenoble F-38042, France
| | - Franck Fieschi
- Partnership for Structural Biology, Grenoble F-38042, France; Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, IBS, 71 avenue des Martyrs, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Harald Pichler
- Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology, Petersgasse 14, 8010 Graz, Austria; Graz University of Technology, Institute of Molecular Biotechnology, NAWI Graz, BioTechMed Graz, Petersgasse 14, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - V Trevor Forsyth
- Life Sciences Group, Institut Laue Langevin, Grenoble F-38042, France; Partnership for Structural Biology, Grenoble F-38042, France; Faculty of Natural Sciences, Keele University, Staffordshire ST5 5BG, UK.
| | - Michael Haertlein
- Life Sciences Group, Institut Laue Langevin, Grenoble F-38042, France; Partnership for Structural Biology, Grenoble F-38042, France.
| | - Marité Cárdenas
- Biofilms - Research Center for Biointerfaces and Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, 20506 Malmö, Sweden.
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6
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Huber RG, Marzinek JK, Boon PLS, Yue W, Bond PJ. Computational modelling of flavivirus dynamics: The ins and outs. Methods 2021; 185:28-38. [PMID: 32526282 PMCID: PMC7278654 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2020.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Revised: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Enveloped viruses such as the flaviviruses represent a significant burden to human health around the world, with hundreds of millions of people each year affected by dengue alone. In an effort to improve our understanding of the molecular basis for the infective mechanisms of these viruses, extensive computational modelling approaches have been applied to elucidate their conformational dynamics. Multiscale protocols have been developed to simulate flavivirus envelopes in close accordance with biophysical data, in particular derived from cryo-electron microscopy, enabling high-resolution refinement of their structures and elucidation of the conformational changes associated with adaptation both to host environments and to immunological factors such as antibodies. Likewise, integrative modelling efforts combining data from biophysical experiments and from genome sequencing with chemical modification are providing unparalleled insights into the architecture of the previously unresolved nucleocapsid complex. Collectively, this work provides the basis for the future rational design of new antiviral therapeutics and vaccine development strategies targeting enveloped viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roland G Huber
- Bioinformatics Institute (BII), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 30 Biopolis Street, Matrix #07-01, 138671, Singapore
| | - Jan K Marzinek
- Bioinformatics Institute (BII), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 30 Biopolis Street, Matrix #07-01, 138671, Singapore
| | - Priscilla L S Boon
- Bioinformatics Institute (BII), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 30 Biopolis Street, Matrix #07-01, 138671, Singapore; NUS Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering, National University of Singapore (NUS), University Hall, Tan Chin Tuan Wing #04-02, 119077, Singapore; Department of Biological Sciences (DBS), National University of Singapore (NUS), 16 Science Drive 4, Building S3, Singapore
| | - Wan Yue
- Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 60 Biopolis Street, Genome #02-01, 138672, Singapore
| | - Peter J Bond
- Bioinformatics Institute (BII), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 30 Biopolis Street, Matrix #07-01, 138671, Singapore; Department of Biological Sciences (DBS), National University of Singapore (NUS), 16 Science Drive 4, Building S3, Singapore.
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7
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Multiscale modelling and simulation of viruses. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2020; 61:146-152. [PMID: 31991326 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2019.12.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2019] [Revised: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, advances in structural biology, integrative modelling, and simulation approaches have allowed us to gain unprecedented insights into viral structure and dynamics. In this article we survey recent studies utilizing this wealth of structural information to build computational models of partial or complete viruses and to elucidate mechanisms of viral function. Additionally, the close interplay of viral pathogens with host factors - such as cellular and intracellular membranes, receptors, antibodies, and other host proteins - makes accurate models of viral interactions and dynamics essential. As viruses continue to pose severe challenges in prevention and treatment, enhancing our mechanistic understanding of viral infection is vital to enable the development of novel therapeutic strategies.
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8
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Corradi V, Sejdiu BI, Mesa-Galloso H, Abdizadeh H, Noskov SY, Marrink SJ, Tieleman DP. Emerging Diversity in Lipid-Protein Interactions. Chem Rev 2019; 119:5775-5848. [PMID: 30758191 PMCID: PMC6509647 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.8b00451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 244] [Impact Index Per Article: 48.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
![]()
Membrane
lipids interact with proteins in a variety of ways, ranging
from providing a stable membrane environment for proteins to being
embedded in to detailed roles in complicated and well-regulated protein
functions. Experimental and computational advances are converging
in a rapidly expanding research area of lipid–protein interactions.
Experimentally, the database of high-resolution membrane protein structures
is growing, as are capabilities to identify the complex lipid composition
of different membranes, to probe the challenging time and length scales
of lipid–protein interactions, and to link lipid–protein
interactions to protein function in a variety of proteins. Computationally,
more accurate membrane models and more powerful computers now enable
a detailed look at lipid–protein interactions and increasing
overlap with experimental observations for validation and joint interpretation
of simulation and experiment. Here we review papers that use computational
approaches to study detailed lipid–protein interactions, together
with brief experimental and physiological contexts, aiming at comprehensive
coverage of simulation papers in the last five years. Overall, a complex
picture of lipid–protein interactions emerges, through a range
of mechanisms including modulation of the physical properties of the
lipid environment, detailed chemical interactions between lipids and
proteins, and key functional roles of very specific lipids binding
to well-defined binding sites on proteins. Computationally, despite
important limitations, molecular dynamics simulations with current
computer power and theoretical models are now in an excellent position
to answer detailed questions about lipid–protein interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Corradi
- Centre for Molecular Simulation and Department of Biological Sciences , University of Calgary , 2500 University Drive NW , Calgary , Alberta T2N 1N4 , Canada
| | - Besian I Sejdiu
- Centre for Molecular Simulation and Department of Biological Sciences , University of Calgary , 2500 University Drive NW , Calgary , Alberta T2N 1N4 , Canada
| | - Haydee Mesa-Galloso
- Centre for Molecular Simulation and Department of Biological Sciences , University of Calgary , 2500 University Drive NW , Calgary , Alberta T2N 1N4 , Canada
| | - Haleh Abdizadeh
- Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute and Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials , University of Groningen , Nijenborgh 7 , 9747 AG Groningen , The Netherlands
| | - Sergei Yu Noskov
- Centre for Molecular Simulation and Department of Biological Sciences , University of Calgary , 2500 University Drive NW , Calgary , Alberta T2N 1N4 , Canada
| | - Siewert J Marrink
- Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute and Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials , University of Groningen , Nijenborgh 7 , 9747 AG Groningen , The Netherlands
| | - D Peter Tieleman
- Centre for Molecular Simulation and Department of Biological Sciences , University of Calgary , 2500 University Drive NW , Calgary , Alberta T2N 1N4 , Canada
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9
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Sharma KK, Marzinek JK, Tantirimudalige SN, Bond PJ, Wohland T. Single-molecule studies of flavivirus envelope dynamics: Experiment and computation. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2018; 143:38-51. [PMID: 30223001 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2018.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Revised: 09/06/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Flaviviruses are simple enveloped viruses exhibiting complex structural and functional heterogeneities. Decades of research have provided crucial basic insights, antiviral medication and moderately successful gene therapy trials. The most infectious particle is, however, not always the most abundant one in a population, questioning the utility of classic ensemble-averaging virology approaches. Indeed, viral replication is often not particularly efficient, prone to errors or containing parallel routes. Here, we review different single-molecule sensitive fluorescence methods that are employed to investigate flaviviruses. In particular, we review how (i) time-resolved Förster resonance energy transfer (trFRET) was applied to probe dengue envelope conformations; (ii) FRET-fluorescence correlation spectroscopy to investigate dengue envelope intrinsic dynamics and (iii) single particle tracking to follow the path of dengue viruses in cells. We also discuss how such methods may be supported by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations over a range of spatio-temporal scales, to provide complementary data on the structure and dynamics of flaviviral systems. We describe recent improvements in multiscale MD approaches that allowed the simulation of dengue particle envelopes in near-atomic resolution. We hope this review is an incentive for setting up and applying similar single-molecule studies and combine them with MD simulations to investigate structural dynamics of entire flavivirus particles over the nanosecond-to-millisecond time-scale and follow viruses during infection in cells over milliseconds to minutes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamal Kant Sharma
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543, Singapore
| | - Jan K Marzinek
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543, Singapore; Bioinformatics Institute (A*STAR), 30 Biopolis Street, #07-01 Matrix, Singapore 138671, Singapore
| | - Sarala Neomi Tantirimudalige
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543, Singapore
| | - Peter J Bond
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543, Singapore; Bioinformatics Institute (A*STAR), 30 Biopolis Street, #07-01 Matrix, Singapore 138671, Singapore.
| | - Thorsten Wohland
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543, Singapore; Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543, Singapore; Centre for Bioimaging Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117557, Singapore.
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