1
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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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2
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Yang H, Yang S, Jing L, Huang L, Chen L, Zhao X, Yang W, Pan Y, Yin P, Qin ZS, Tang B, Li S, Li XJ. Truncation of mutant huntingtin in knock-in mice demonstrates exon1 huntingtin is a key pathogenic form. Nat Commun 2020; 11:2582. [PMID: 32444599 PMCID: PMC7244548 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16318-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2019] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Polyglutamine expansion in proteins can cause selective neurodegeneration, although the mechanisms are not fully understood. In Huntington’s disease (HD), proteolytic processing generates toxic N-terminal huntingtin (HTT) fragments that preferentially kill striatal neurons. Here, using CRISPR/Cas9 to truncate full-length mutant HTT in HD140Q knock-in (KI) mice, we show that exon 1 HTT is stably present in the brain, regardless of truncation sites in full-length HTT. This N-terminal HTT leads to similar HD-like phenotypes and age-dependent HTT accumulation in the striatum in different KI mice. We find that exon 1 HTT is constantly generated but its selective accumulation in the striatum is associated with the age-dependent expression of striatum-enriched HspBP1, a chaperone inhibitory protein. Our findings suggest that tissue-specific chaperone function contributes to the selective neuropathology in HD, and highlight the therapeutic potential in blocking generation of exon 1 HTT. The mechanisms by which mutant Huntington protein Htt leads to selective neurodegeneration are not fully understood. Here, using gene editing in HD140Q knock-in mice, the authors show that exon1 Htt is a critical pathological form of the protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiming Yang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 510080, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, 510632, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 410008, Changsha, Hunan, China.,Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Su Yang
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, 510632, Guangzhou, China
| | - Liang Jing
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.,Department of Emergency, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430030, Wuhan, China
| | - Luoxiu Huang
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Luxiao Chen
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Xianxian Zhao
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, 510632, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weili Yang
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, 510632, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yongcheng Pan
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.,Department of Neurology & Key Laboratory of Hunan Province in Neurodegenerative Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hunan, China
| | - Peng Yin
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, 510632, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhaohui S Qin
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Beisha Tang
- Department of Neurology & Key Laboratory of Hunan Province in Neurodegenerative Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hunan, China
| | - Shihua Li
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, 510632, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Xiao-Jiang Li
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, 510632, Guangzhou, China.
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3
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Dumoulin M. Reflections on professor Sir Christopher M. Dobson (1949-2019). Biophys Rev 2020; 12:13-18. [PMID: 31981089 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-020-00612-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
I have been invited to summarize my career with an emphasis on the time I spent in the laboratory of Prof Christopher M. Dobson, who sadly passed away on September 8th 2019, and to describe his role as a mentor. I accepted this slightly unusual request as it constitutes a unique way for me to express my deep gratitude and admiration for Chris.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mireille Dumoulin
- Laboratory of Enzymology and Protein Folding, Centre for Protein Engineering, InBios, Departement of Life Sciences, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium.
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Lu M, Banetta L, Young LJ, Smith EJ, Bates GP, Zaccone A, Kaminski Schierle GS, Tunnacliffe A, Kaminski CF. Live-cell super-resolution microscopy reveals a primary role for diffusion in polyglutamine-driven aggresome assembly. J Biol Chem 2018; 294:257-268. [PMID: 30401748 PMCID: PMC6322900 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.003500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Revised: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms leading to self-assembly of misfolded proteins into amyloid aggregates have been studied extensively in the test tube under well-controlled conditions. However, to what extent these processes are representative of those in the cellular environment remains unclear. Using super-resolution imaging of live cells, we show here that an amyloidogenic polyglutamine-containing protein first forms small, amorphous aggregate clusters in the cytosol, chiefly by diffusion. Dynamic interactions among these clusters limited their elongation and led to structures with a branched morphology, differing from the predominantly linear fibrils observed in vitro. Some of these clusters then assembled via active transport at the microtubule-organizing center and thereby initiated the formation of perinuclear aggresomes. Although it is widely believed that aggresome formation is entirely governed by active transport along microtubules, here we demonstrate, using a combined approach of advanced imaging and mathematical modeling, that diffusion is the principal mechanism driving aggresome expansion. We found that the increasing surface area of the expanding aggresome increases the rate of accretion caused by diffusion of cytosolic aggregates and that this pathway soon dominates aggresome assembly. Our findings lead to a different view of aggresome formation than that proposed previously. We also show that aggresomes mature over time, becoming more compacted as the structure grows. The presence of large perinuclear aggregates profoundly affects the behavior and health of the cell, and our super-resolution imaging results indicate that aggresome formation and development are governed by highly dynamic processes that could be important for the design of potential therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Lu
- Cambridge Infinitus Research Center, Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0AS, United Kingdom
| | - Luca Banetta
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0AS, United Kingdom
| | - Laurence J Young
- Cambridge Infinitus Research Center, Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0AS, United Kingdom
| | - Edward J Smith
- Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience and Movement Disorders and Huntington's Disease Center, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
| | - Gillian P Bates
- Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience and Movement Disorders and Huntington's Disease Center, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
| | - Alessio Zaccone
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0AS, United Kingdom
| | - Gabriele S Kaminski Schierle
- Cambridge Infinitus Research Center, Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0AS, United Kingdom
| | - Alan Tunnacliffe
- Cambridge Infinitus Research Center, Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0AS, United Kingdom
| | - Clemens F Kaminski
- Cambridge Infinitus Research Center, Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0AS, United Kingdom.
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5
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Conformation Polymorphism of Polyglutamine Proteins. Trends Biochem Sci 2018; 43:424-435. [PMID: 29636213 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2018.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2018] [Revised: 03/05/2018] [Accepted: 03/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Expanded polyglutamine (polyQ) stretches within endogenous proteins cause at least nine human diseases. The structural basis of polyQ pathogenesis is the key to understanding fundamental mechanisms of these diseases, but it remains unclear and controversial due to a lack of polyQ protein structures at the single-atom level. Various hypotheses have been proposed to explain the structure-cytotoxicity relationship of pathogenic proteins with polyQ expansion, largely based on indirect evidence. Here we review these hypotheses and their supporting evidence, along with additional insights from recent structural biology and chemical biology studies, with a focus on Huntingtin (HTT), the most extensively studied polyQ disease protein. Lastly, we propose potential novel strategies that may further clarify the conformation-cytotoxicity relationship of polyQ proteins.
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Thorn D, Kay J, Rhazi N, Dumoulin M, Corazza A, Damblon C. 1H, 13C and 15N backbone resonance assignments of the β-lactamase BlaP from Bacillus licheniformis 749/C and two mutational variants. BIOMOLECULAR NMR ASSIGNMENTS 2018; 12:69-77. [PMID: 29030803 DOI: 10.1007/s12104-017-9782-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2017] [Accepted: 09/18/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Class A β-lactamases have been widely used as versatile scaffolds to create hybrid (or chimeric) proteins for a series of applications ranging from basic research to medicine. We have, in particular, used the β-lactamase BlaP from Bacillus licheniformis 749/C (BlaP) as a protein scaffold to create model polyglutamine (polyQ) proteins in order to better understand the mechanism(s) by which an expanded polyQ sequence triggers the formation of amyloid fibrils. The model chimeras were designed by inserting a polyQ sequence of various lengths at two different locations within BlaP (i.e. position 197 or position 216) allowing a detailed comparison of the effects of subtle differences in the environment of the polyQ sequence on its ability to trigger protein aggregation. In order to investigate the effects of the polyQ insertion at both positions on the structure, stability and dynamics of BlaP, a series of NMR experiments including H/D exchange are foreseen. Accordingly, as necessitated by these studies, here we report the NMR assignment of the wild-type BlaP (BlaP-WT) and of the two reference proteins, BlaP197Q0 and BlaP216Q0, wherein a Pro-Gly dipeptide has been introduced at position 197 and 216, respectively; this dipeptide originates from the addition of the Sma1 restriction site at the genetic level to allow further polyQ sequence insertion.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Thorn
- Laboratory of Enzymology and Protein Folding, Center for Protein Engineering, InBios, University of Liège, Allée du Six Août 13, Sart-Tilman, 4000, Liège, Belgium
- Research School of Chemistry, The Australian National University, Acton, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Jennifer Kay
- Laboratory of Enzymology and Protein Folding, Center for Protein Engineering, InBios, University of Liège, Allée du Six Août 13, Sart-Tilman, 4000, Liège, Belgium
| | - Noureddine Rhazi
- Laboratory of Enzymology and Protein Folding, Center for Protein Engineering, InBios, University of Liège, Allée du Six Août 13, Sart-Tilman, 4000, Liège, Belgium
- Molecular Biomimetic and Protein Engineering Laboratory, GIGA-Research, University of Liège, Quartier Hôpital, avenue de l'Hopital 1, Sart-Tilman, 4000, Liège, Belgium
| | - Mireille Dumoulin
- Laboratory of Enzymology and Protein Folding, Center for Protein Engineering, InBios, University of Liège, Allée du Six Août 13, Sart-Tilman, 4000, Liège, Belgium
| | - Alessandra Corazza
- Department of Medicine, University of Udine, Piazzale Kolbe, 4, 33100, Udine, Italy.
| | - Christian Damblon
- Laboratory of Biological Structural Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Liège, Allée du Six Août 13, Sart-Tilman, 4000, Liège, Belgium.
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Van Assche R, Borghgraef C, Vaneyck J, Dumoulin M, Schoofs L, Temmerman L. In vitro aggregating β-lactamase-polyQ chimeras do not induce toxic effects in an in vivo Caenorhabditis elegans model. J Negat Results Biomed 2017; 16:14. [PMID: 28830560 PMCID: PMC5568214 DOI: 10.1186/s12952-017-0080-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2016] [Accepted: 08/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A series of human diseases are caused by the misfolding and aggregation of specific proteins or peptides into amyloid fibrils; nine of these diseases, referred to as polyglutamine diseases, are associated with proteins carrying an expanded polyglutamine (polyQ) region. While the presence of this latter is thought to be the determinant factor for the development of polyQ diseases, the non-polyQ regions of the host proteins are thought to play a significant modulating role. METHOD In order to better understand the role of non-polyQ regions, the toxic effects of model proteins bearing different polyQ regions (containing up to 79 residues) embedded at two distinct locations within the β-lactamase (BlaP) host enzyme were evaluated in Caenorhabditis elegans. This small organism can be advantageous for the validation of in vitro findings, as it provides a multicellular context yet avoids the typical complexity of common studies relying on vertebrate models. Several phenotypic assays were performed in order to screen for potential toxic effects of the different BlaP-polyQ proteins. RESULTS Despite the significant in vitro aggregation of BlaP-polyQ proteins with long polyQ regions, none of the BlaP-polyQ chimeras aggregated in the generated transgenic in vivo models. CONCLUSION The absence of a toxic effect of the expression of BlaP-polyQ chimeras may find its cause in biochemical mechanisms present in vivo to cope with protein aggregation (e.g. presence of chaperones) or in C. elegans' limitations such as its short lifespan. It is plausible that the aggregation propensities of the different BlaP chimeras containing embedded polyQ sequences are too low in this in vivo environment to permit their aggregation. These experiments emphasize the need for several comparative and in vivo verification studies of biologically relevant in vitro findings, which reveal both the strengths and limitations of widely used model systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roel Van Assche
- Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Department of Biology, KU Leuven (University of Leuven), Zoological Institute, Naamsestraat 59, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Charline Borghgraef
- Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Department of Biology, KU Leuven (University of Leuven), Zoological Institute, Naamsestraat 59, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jonathan Vaneyck
- Enzymology and Protein Folding, Center for Protein Engineering, InBioS, Institute of Chemistry, University of Liège, Sart-Tilman, 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Mireille Dumoulin
- Enzymology and Protein Folding, Center for Protein Engineering, InBioS, Institute of Chemistry, University of Liège, Sart-Tilman, 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Liliane Schoofs
- Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Department of Biology, KU Leuven (University of Leuven), Zoological Institute, Naamsestraat 59, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Liesbet Temmerman
- Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Department of Biology, KU Leuven (University of Leuven), Zoological Institute, Naamsestraat 59, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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