sHSP in the eye lens: Crystallin mutations, cataract and proteostasis

Mechanism of small heat shock protein client sequestration and induced polydispersity

Small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) act as first responders during cellular stress, sequestering destabilized proteins (clients) to prevent aggregation and facilitate refolding or degradation. This critical function, conserved across all life, is linked to proteostasis and protein misfolding diseases. However, the extreme molecular plasticity of sHSP/client complexes has limited mechanistic understanding. Here, we present high-resolution cryo-EM structures of Methanocaldococcus jannaschii sHSP (mjHSP16.5) in apo and multiple client-bound states. The ensemble reveals molecular mechanisms of client sequestration, highlighting cooperative chaperone-client interactions. Client engagement polarizes scaffold stability, promoting higher-order assembly and enhanced sequestration. Higher-order states suggest multiple sHSP/client assembly pathways, including subunit insertion at destabilized geometrical features. These findings provide critical insights into sHSP chaperone function and the interplay between polydispersity and client handling under stress.

Effect of lens crystallins aggregation on cataract formation

Cataracts represent one of the leading causes of blindness globally. The World Health Organization's 2019World Report on Vision indicates that approximately 65.2 million individuals worldwide experience varying degrees of visual impairment or blindness attributable to cataracts. The prevalence of this condition is significantly increasing, largely due to the accelerated aging of the global population. The lens of the eye is primarily composed of crystallins, which are categorized into three families: α-, β-, and γ-crystallins. The highly ordered structure and interactions among these crystallins are crucial for maintaining lens transparency. Disruptions in the interactions within or between crystallins can compromise this delicate architecture, exposing hydrophobic surfaces that lead to crystallin aggregation and subsequent cataract formation. Currently, surgical intervention is the sole treatment for cataracts, and the cataract surgery rate in China remains considerably lower than that of developed nations. Investigating the mechanisms of crystallins interaction and aggregation is essential for understanding the molecular pathogenesis of cataract formation, which may inform the development of targeted therapies and preventative strategies. This paper reviews recent scientific advancements in the research field of lens crystallins aggregation and cataract formation.

Zebrafish as a model for crystallin-associated congenital cataracts in humans

Congenital cataracts are a leading cause of vision loss in children and can be an isolated finding or associated with systemic abnormalities. Isolated congenital cataracts are most commonly associated with pathogenic variants in one of the Crystallin genes. The α-Crystallins are small heat shock proteins that act as chaperones in the lens and other organs throughout the body to prevent protein aggregation and maintain tissue function. In contrast, the ß- and γ-Crystallins are structural proteins that are predominantly expressed in the mature lens and regulate its refractive index. However, the role of the Crystallins during lens development such that pathogenic variants result in inherited cataracts is less well-defined. As zebrafish allow real-time visualization of lens development, genetic manipulation of both the endogenous Crystallin genes as well as the use of transgenic overexpression of identified pathogenic variants yields important insight into the pathogenesis of congenital cataracts. Herein, we review the similarities and differences between human and zebrafish Crystallin genes. Further, we discuss the use of zebrafish as a model for congenital cataracts and explore the mechanisms that underlie the role of Crystallins in lens development. A better understanding of the genetic causes of congenital cataracts will lead to breakthroughs in preventing blindness from congenital cataracts and associated complications.

Mechanism of small heat shock protein client sequestration and induced polydispersity

Small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) act as first responders during cellular stress by recognizing and sequestering destabilized proteins (clients), preventing their aggregation and facilitating downstream refolding or degradation1-3. This chaperone function is critically important to proteostasis, conserved across all kingdoms of life, and associated with various protein misfolding diseases in humans4,5. Mechanistic insights into how sHSPs sequester destabilized clients have been limited due to the extreme molecular plasticity and client-induced polydispersity of sHSP/client complexes6-8. Here, we present high-resolution cryo-EM structures of the sHSP from Methanocaldococcus jannaschii (mjHSP16.5) in both the apo-state and in an ensemble of client-bound states. The ensemble not only reveals key molecular mechanisms by which sHSPs respond to and sequester client proteins, but also provides insights into the cooperative nature of chaperone-client interactions. Engagement with destabilized client induces a polarization of stability across the mjHSP16.5 scaffold, proposed to facilitate higher-order assembly and enhance client sequestration capacity. Some higher-order sHSP oligomers appear to form through simple insertion of dimeric subunits into new geometrical features, while other higher-order states suggest multiple sHSP/client assembly pathways. Together, these results provide long-sought insights into the chaperone function of sHSPs and highlight the relationship between polydispersity and client sequestration under stress conditions.

Influence of Cataract Causing Mutations on αA-Crystallin: A Computational Approach

The αA-crystallin protein plays a vital role in maintaining the refractive index and transparency of the eye lens. Significant clinical studies have emerged as the αA-crystallin is prone to aggregation, resulting in the formation of cataracts with varied etiologies due to mutations. This work aims to comprehend the structural and functional role of cataract-causing mutations in αA-crystallin, particularly at N-Terminal and α-Crystallin Domains, using in-silico approaches including molecular dynamics simulation. About 19 mutants of αA-crystallin along with native structure were simulated for 100 ns and the post-simulations analyses reveal pronounced dynamics of αA-crystallin due to the enhanced structure flexibility as its native compactness was lost and is witnessed mainly by the mutants R12L, R21L, R21Q, R54L, R65Q, R116C and R116H. It is observed that αA-crystallin discloses the NTD motions as the dominant one and the same was endorsed by the linear variation between Rg and the center-of-mass of αA-crystallin. Interestingly, such enhanced dynamics of αA-crystallin mutants associated with the structure flexibility is internally modulated by the dynamic exchange of secondary structure elements β-sheets and coils (R2 = 0.619) during simulation. Besides, the observed pronounced dynamics of dimer interface region (β3-L6-β4 segment) of ACD along with CTD dynamics also gains importance. Particularly, the highly dynamic mutants are also characterized by enhanced non-covalent and hydrophobic interactions which renders detrimental effects towards its stability, and favours possible protein unfolding mechanisms. Overall, this study highlights the mutation-mediated structural distortions in αA-crystallin and demands the need for further potential development of inhibitors against cataract formation.

Aging of the eye: Lessons from cataracts and age-related macular degeneration

Aging is the greatest risk factor for chronic human diseases, including many eye diseases. Geroscience aims to understand the effects of the aging process on these diseases, including the genetic, molecular, and cellular mechanisms that underlie the increased risk of disease over the lifetime. Understanding of the aging eye increases general knowledge of the cellular physiology impacted by aging processes at various biological extremes. Two major diseases, age-related cataract and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are caused by dysfunction of the lens and retina, respectively. Lens transparency and light refraction are mediated by lens fiber cells lacking nuclei and other organelles, which provides a unique opportunity to study a single aging hallmark, i.e., loss of proteostasis, within an environment of limited metabolism. In AMD, local dysfunction of the photoreceptors/retinal pigmented epithelium/Bruch's membrane/choriocapillaris complex in the macula leads to the loss of photoreceptors and eventually loss of central vision, and is driven by nearly all the hallmarks of aging and shares features with Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. The aging eye can function as a model for studying basic mechanisms of aging and, vice versa, well-defined hallmarks of aging can be used as tools to understand age-related eye disease.

Understanding the structural and functional changes and biochemical pathomechanism of the cardiomyopathy-associated p.R123W mutation in human αB-crystallin

αB-crystallin, a member of the small heat shock protein (sHSP) family, is expressed in diverse tissues, including the eyes, brain, muscles, and heart. This protein plays a crucial role in maintaining eye lens transparency and exhibits holdase chaperone and anti-apoptotic activities. Therefore, structural and functional changes caused by genetic mutations in this protein may contribute to the development of disorders like cataract and cardiomyopathy. Recently, the substitution of arginine 123 with tryptophan (p.R123W mutation) in human αB-crystallin has been reported to trigger cardiomyopathy. In this study, human αB-crystallin was expressed in Escherichia coli (E. coli), and the missense mutation p.R123W was created using site-directed mutagenesis. Following purification via anion exchange chromatography, the structural and functional properties of both proteins were investigated and compared using a wide range of spectroscopic and microscopic methods. The p.R123W mutation induced significant alterations in the secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structures of human αB-crystallin. This pathogenic mutation resulted in an increased β-sheet structure and formation of protein oligomers with larger sizes compared to the wild-type protein. The mutant protein also exhibited reduced chaperone activity and lower thermal stability. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) demonstrated that the p.R123W mutant protein is more prone to forming amyloid aggregates. The structural and functional changes observed in the p.R123W mutant protein, along with its increased propensity for aggregation, could impact its proper functional interaction with the target proteins in the cardiac muscle, such as calcineurin. Our results provide an explanation for the pathogenic intervention of p.R123W mutant protein in the occurrence of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).

Antioxidant System and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Cataracts

The primary underlying contributor for cataract, a leading cause of vision impairment and blindness worldwide, is oxidative stress. Oxidative stress triggers protein damage, cell apoptosis, and subsequent cataract formation. The nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) serves as a principal redox transcriptional factor in the lens, offering a line of defense against oxidative stress. In response to oxidative challenges, Nrf2 dissociates from its inhibitor, Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1), moves to the nucleus, and binds to the antioxidant response element (ARE) to activate the Nrf2-dependent antioxidant system. In parallel, oxidative stress also induces endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS). Reactive oxygen species (ROS), generated during oxidative stress, can directly damage proteins, causing them to misfold. Initially, the unfolded protein response (UPR) activates to mitigate excessive misfolded proteins. Yet, under persistent or severe stress, the failure to rectify protein misfolding leads to an accumulation of these aberrant proteins, pushing the UPR towards an apoptotic pathway, further contributing to cataractogenesis. Importantly, there is a dynamic interaction between the Nrf2 antioxidant system and the ERS/UPR mechanism in the lens. This interplay, where ERS/UPR can modulate Nrf2 expression and vice versa, holds potential therapeutic implications for cataract prevention and treatment. This review explores the intricate crosstalk between these systems, aiming to illuminate strategies for future advancements in cataract prevention and intervention. The Nrf2-dependent antioxidant system communicates and cross-talks with the ERS/UPR pathway. Both mechanisms are proposed to play pivotal roles in the onset of cataract formation.

Three Blind Moles: Molecular Evolutionary Insights on the Tempo and Mode of Convergent Eye Degeneration in Notoryctes typhlops (Southern Marsupial Mole) and Two Chrysochlorids (Golden Moles)

Golden moles (Chrysochloridae) and marsupial moles (Notoryctidae) are textbook examples of convergent evolution. Both taxa are highly adapted to subterranean lifestyles and have powerful limbs for digging through the soil/sand, ears that are adapted for low-frequency hearing, vestigial eyes that are covered by skin and fur, and the absence of optic nerve connections between the eyes and the brain. The eyes of marsupial moles also lack a lens as well as retinal rods and cones. Two hypotheses have been proposed to account for the greater degeneracy of the eyes of marsupial moles than golden moles. First, marsupial moles may have had more time to adapt to their underground habitat than other moles. Second, the eyes of marsupial moles may have been rapidly and recently vestigialized to (1) reduce the injurious effects of sand getting into the eyes and (2) accommodate the enlargement of lacrimal glands that keep the nasal cavity moist and prevent the entry of sand into the nasal passages during burrowing. Here, we employ molecular evolutionary methods on DNA sequences for 38 eye genes, most of which are eye-specific, to investigate the timing of relaxed selection (=neutral evolution) for different groups of eye-specific genes that serve as proxies for distinct functional components of the eye (rod phototransduction, cone phototransduction, lens/cornea). Our taxon sampling included 12 afrothere species, of which two are golden moles (Amblysomus hottentotus, Chrysochloris asiatica), and 28 marsupial species including two individuals of the southern marsupial mole (Notoryctes typhlops). Most of the sequences were mined from databases, but we also provide new genome data for A. hottentotus and one of the two N. typhlops individuals. Even though the eyes of golden moles are less degenerate than the eyes of marsupial moles, there are more inactivating mutations (e.g., frameshift indels, premature stop codons) in their cone phototransduction and lens/cornea genes than in orthologous genes of the marsupial mole. We estimate that cone phototransduction recovery genes were inactivated first in each group, followed by lens/cornea genes and then cone phototransduction activation genes. All three groups of genes were inactivated earlier in golden moles than in marsupial moles. For the latter, we estimate that lens/cornea genes were inactivated ~17.8 million years ago (MYA) when stem notoryctids were burrowing in the soft soils of Australian rainforests. Selection on phototransduction activation genes was relaxed much later (5.38 MYA), during the early stages of Australia's aridification that produced coastal sand plains and eventually sand dunes. Unlike cone phototransduction activation genes, rod phototransduction activation genes are intact in both golden moles and one of the two individuals of N. typhlops. A second marsupial mole individual has just a single inactivating mutation in one of the rod phototransduction activation genes (PDE6B). One explanation for this result is that some rod phototransduction activation genes are pleiotropic and are expressed in extraocular tissues, possibly in conjunction with sperm thermotaxis.

Eye Lens Organoids Made Simple: Characterization of a New Three-Dimensional Organoid Model for Lens Development and Pathology

Cataract, the opacification of the lens, is the leading cause of blindness worldwide. Although effective, cataract surgery is costly and can lead to complications. Toward identifying alternate treatments, it is imperative to develop organoid models relevant for lens studies and drug screening. Here, we demonstrate that by culturing mouse lens epithelial cells under defined three-dimensional (3D) culture conditions, it is possible to generate organoids that display optical properties and recapitulate many aspects of lens organization and biology. These organoids can be rapidly produced in large amounts. High-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) on specific organoid regions isolated via laser capture microdissection (LCM) and immunofluorescence assays demonstrate that these lens organoids display a spatiotemporal expression of key lens genes, e.g., Jag1, Pax6, Prox1, Hsf4 and Cryab. Further, these lens organoids are amenable to the induction of opacities. Finally, the knockdown of a cataract-linked RNA-binding protein encoding gene, Celf1, induces opacities in these organoids, indicating their use in rapidly screening for genes that are functionally relevant to lens biology and cataract. In sum, this lens organoid model represents a compelling new tool to advance the understanding of lens biology and pathology and can find future use in the rapid screening of compounds aimed at preventing and/or treating cataracts.

Functional Diversity of Mammalian Small Heat Shock Proteins: A Review

The small heat shock proteins (sHSPs), whose molecular weight ranges from 12∼43 kDa, are members of the heat shock protein (HSP) family that are widely found in all organisms. As intracellular stress resistance molecules, sHSPs play an important role in maintaining the homeostasis of the intracellular environment under various stressful conditions. A total of 10 sHSPs have been identified in mammals, sharing conserved α-crystal domains combined with variable N-terminal and C-terminal regions. Unlike large-molecular-weight HSP, sHSPs prevent substrate protein aggregation through an ATP-independent mechanism. In addition to chaperone activity, sHSPs were also shown to suppress apoptosis, ferroptosis, and senescence, promote autophagy, regulate cytoskeletal dynamics, maintain membrane stability, control the direction of cellular differentiation, modulate angiogenesis, and spermatogenesis, as well as attenuate the inflammatory response and reduce oxidative damage. Phosphorylation is the most significant post-translational modification of sHSPs and is usually an indicator of their activation. Furthermore, abnormalities in sHSPs often lead to aggregation of substrate proteins and dysfunction of client proteins, resulting in disease. This paper reviews the various biological functions of sHSPs in mammals, emphasizing the roles of different sHSPs in specific cellular activities. In addition, we discuss the effect of phosphorylation on the function of sHSPs and the association between sHSPs and disease.

Effects of Molecular Crowding and Betaine on HSPB5 Interactions, with Target Proteins Differing in the Quaternary Structure and Aggregation Mechanism

The aggregation of intracellular proteins may be enhanced under stress. The expression of heat-shock proteins (HSPs) and the accumulation of osmolytes are among the cellular protective mechanisms in these conditions. In addition, one should remember that the cell environment is highly crowded. The antiaggregation activity of HSPB5 and the effect on it of either a crowding agent (polyethylene glycol (PEG)) or an osmolyte (betaine), or their mixture, were tested on the aggregation of two target proteins that differ in the order of aggregation with respect to the protein: thermal aggregation of glutamate dehydrogenase and DTT-induced aggregation of lysozyme. The kinetic analysis of the dynamic light-scattering data indicates that crowding can decrease the chaperone-like activity of HSPB5. Nonetheless, the analytical ultracentrifugation shows the protective effect of HSPB5, which retains protein aggregates in a soluble state. Overall, various additives may either improve or impair the antiaggregation activity of HSPB5 against different protein targets. The mixed crowding arising from the presence of PEG and 1 M betaine demonstrates an extraordinary effect on the oligomeric state of protein aggregates. The shift in the equilibrium of HSPB5 dynamic ensembles allows for the regulation of its antiaggregation activity. Crowding can modulate HSPB5 activity by affecting protein-protein interactions.

Insights into the biochemical and biophysical mechanisms mediating the longevity of the transparent optics of the eye lens

In the human eye, a transparent cornea and lens combine to form the "refracton" to focus images on the retina. This requires the refracton to have a high refractive index "n," mediated largely by extracellular collagen fibrils in the corneal stroma and the highly concentrated crystallin proteins in the cytoplasm of the lens fiber cells. Transparency is a result of short-range order in the spatial arrangement of corneal collagen fibrils and lens crystallins, generated in part by post-translational modifications (PTMs). However, while corneal collagen is remodeled continuously and replaced, lens crystallins are very long-lived and are not replaced and so accumulate PTMs over a lifetime. Eventually, a tipping point is reached when protein aggregation results in increased light scatter, inevitably leading to the iconic protein condensation-based disease, age-related cataract (ARC). Cataracts account for 50% of vision impairment worldwide, affecting far more people than other well-known protein aggregation-based diseases. However, because accumulation of crystallin PTMs begins before birth and long before ARC presents, we postulate that the lens protein PTMs contribute to a "cataractogenic load" that not only increases with age but also has protective effects on optical function by stabilizing lens crystallins until a tipping point is reached. In this review, we highlight decades of experimental findings that support the potential for PTMs to be protective during normal development. We hypothesize that ARC is preventable by protecting the biochemical and biophysical properties of lens proteins needed to maintain transparency, refraction, and optical function.

Oxidative stress, aging, antioxidant supplementation and their impact on human health: An overview

Aging is characterized by a progressive loss of tissue and organ function due to genetic and environmental factors, nutrition, and lifestyle. Oxidative stress is one the most important mechanisms of cellular senescence and increased frailty, resulting in several age-linked, noncommunicable diseases. Contributing events include genomic instability, telomere shortening, epigenetic mechanisms, reduced proteome homeostasis, altered stem-cell function, defective intercellular communication, progressive deregulation of nutrient sensing, mitochondrial dysfunction, and metabolic unbalance. These complex events and their interplay can be modulated by dietary habits and the ageing process, acting as potential measures of primary and secondary prevention. Promising nutritional approaches include the Mediterranean diet, the intake of dietary antioxidants, and the restriction of caloric intake. A comprehensive understanding of the ageing processes should promote new biomarkers of risk or diagnosis, but also beneficial treatments oriented to increase lifespan.

Myopathy-associated G154S mutation causes important changes in the conformational stability, amyloidogenic properties, and chaperone-like activity of human αB-crystallin

Glycine to serine substitution at position 154 of human αB-crystallin (αB-Cry) is behind the development of cardiomyopathy and late-onset distal myopathy. The current study was conducted with the aim to investigate the structural and functional features of the G154S mutant αB-Cry using various spectroscopic techniques and microscopic analyses. The secondary and tertiary structures of human αB-Cry were preserved mainly in the presence of G154S mutation, but the mutant protein indicated a reduced chaperone-like activity when γ-Cry as its natural partner in eye lenses was the substrate protein. Moreover, a significant reduction in the enzyme refolding ability and in vivo chaperone activity of the mutant protein were observed. Also, the mutant protein displayed reduced conformational stability upon urea-induced denaturation. Both fluorescence and electron microscopic analyses suggested that G154S mutant protein has an increased susceptibility for amyloid fibril formation. Therefore, the pathomechanism of G154S mutation can be explained by its attenuated chaperone function, decreased conformational stability, and increased amyloidogenic propensity. Some of these important changes may also alter the correct interaction of the mutated αB-Cry with its target proteins in myopathy.

Protein Aggregation and Cataract: Role of Age-Related Modifications and Mutations in α-Crystallins

* The article is published as a part of the Special Issue "Protein Misfolding and Aggregation in Cataract Disorders" (Vol. 87, No. 2). ** To whom correspondence should be addressed. Cataract is a major cause of blindness. Due to the lack of protein turnover, lens proteins accumulate age-related and environmental modifications that alter their native conformation, leading to the formation of aggregation-prone intermediates, as well as insoluble and light-scattering aggregates, thus compromising lens transparency. The lens protein, α-crystallin, is a molecular chaperone that prevents protein aggregation, thereby maintaining lens transparency. However, mutations or post-translational modifications, such as oxidation, deamidation, truncation and crosslinking, can render α-crystallins ineffective and lead to the disease exacerbation. Here, we describe such mutations and alterations, as well as their consequences. Age-related modifications in α-crystallins affect their structure, oligomerization, and chaperone function. Mutations in α-crystallins can lead to the aggregation/intracellular inclusions attributable to the perturbation of structure and oligomeric assembly and resulting in the rearrangement of aggregation-prone regions. Such rearrangements can lead to the exposure of hitherto buried aggregation-prone regions, thereby populating aggregation-prone state(s) and facilitating amorphous/amyloid aggregation and/or inappropriate interactions with cellular components. Investigations of the mutation-induced changes in the structure, oligomer assembly, aggregation mechanisms, and interactomes of α-crystallins will be useful in fighting protein aggregation-related diseases.

Crystallins as Important Pathogenic Targets for Accumulation of Structural Damages Resulting in Protein Aggregation and Cataract Development: Introduction to This Special Issue of Biochemistry (Moscow)

This issue of Biochemistry (Moscow) is dedicated to the role of protein misfolding and aggregation in cataract development. In fact, many genetic mutations or chemical and physical deleterious factors can initiate alterations in the macrostructural order and proper folding of eye lens proteins, which in some cases result in the formation of large light-scattering aggregates, affecting the quality of vision and making lens more prone to cataract development. Diabetes mellitus, which is associated with oxidative stress and mass production of highly reactive compounds, can accelerate unfolding and aggregation of eye lens proteins. This journal issue contains reviews and research articles that describe the destructive effects of mutations and highly reactive metabolites on the structure and function of lens crystallin proteins, as well important molecules in the lens's natural defense system involved in protection against deleterious effects of the physical and chemical factors.

Effect of Trehalose on Oligomeric State and Anti-Aggregation Activity of αB-Crystallin

αB-Crystallin (αB-Cr), one of the main crystalline lens proteins, along with other crystallins maintains lens transparency suppressing protein aggregation and thus preventing cataractogenesis. αB-Cr belongs to the class of molecular chaperones; being expressed in many tissues it has a dynamic quaternary structure, which is essential for its chaperone-like activity. Shift in the equilibrium between ensembles of oligomers of different size allows regulating the chaperone activity. Trehalose is known to inhibit protein aggregation in vivo and in vitro, and it is widely used in biotechnology. The results of studying the effect of trehalose on the chaperone-like activity of crystallins can serve as a basis for the design of drugs delaying cataractogenesis. We have studied the trehalose effect on the quaternary structure and anti-aggregation activity of αB-Cr using muscle glycogen phosphorylase b (Phb) as a target protein. According to the dynamic light scattering data, trehalose affects the nucleation stage of Phb thermal aggregation at 48°C, and an increase in the αB-Cr adsorption capacity (AC₀) is the main effect of trehalose on the aggregation process in the presence of the protein chaperone (AC₀ increases 1.5-fold in the presence of 66 mM trehalose). According to the sedimentation analysis data, trehalose stabilizes the dimeric form of Phb at the stages of denaturation and dissociation and enhances the interaction of αB-Cr with the target protein. Moreover, trehalose shifts the equilibrium between the αB-Cr oligomers towards the smaller forms. Thus, trehalose affects the quaternary structure of αB-Cr and increases its anti-aggregation activity at the nucleation stage.

H101G Mutation in Rat Lens αB-Crystallin Alters Chaperone Activity and Divalent Metal Ion Binding

BACKGROUND

The molecular chaperone function of αB-crystallins is heavily involved in maintaining lens transparency and the development of cataracts.

OBJECTIVE

To study whether divalent metal ion binding improves the stability and αB-crystallin chaperone activity.

METHOD

In this study, we have developed an H101G αB-crystallin mutant and compared the surface hydrophobicity, chaperone activity, and secondary and tertiary structure with the wild type in the presence and absence of metal ions.

RESULTS

Substitution of His101 with glycine resulted in structural and functional changes. Spectral analysis and chaperone-like activity assays showed that substitution of glycine resulted in a higher percentage of random coils, increased hydrophobicity, and 22±2% higher chaperone-like activity. Whereas in the presence of the Cu²⁺ ion, H101G exhibited 32±1% less chaperone-like activity compared to the wild type.

CONCLUSION

Cu²⁺ has been reported to enhance the chaperone-like activity of lens α-crystallin. Our results indicate that H101 is the predominant Cu²⁺binding site, and the mutation resulted in a partial unfolding that impaired the binding of Cu²⁺ to H101 residue. In conclusion, this study further helps to understand the important binding site for Cu²⁺ to αB-crystallin.

Integrated Transcriptomic and Proteomic Analysis Reveals Up-Regulation of Apoptosis and Small Heat Shock Proteins in Lens of Rats Under Low Temperature

Cold cataract is the reversible opacification of the lens when the temperature decreases. However, we observed that when temperature of the rats’ lens was maintained at a lower temperature for a prolonged time, the opacification of lens was only partly reversible. To review the potential molecular mechanism of the irreversible part of opacification under cold stimulation, we applied comparative transcriptomic and proteomic analysis to systematically investigate the molecular changes that occurred in the lens capsules of rats under low temperature treatments. The RNA sequencing based transcriptomic analysis showed a significant up-regulation of genes related to the lens structure and development in the Hypothermia Group. Hub genes were small heat shock proteins (sHSPs). Besides the same findings as the transcriptomic results, the liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry based proteomic analysis also revealed the up-regulation of the apoptotic process. To further analyze the regulatory mechanism in this process, we subsequently performed integrated analysis and identified the down-regulation of Notch3/Hes1 and PI3K/Akt/Xiap signaling axis. Our research revealed the activation of the apoptotic process in rats’ lens under cold stimulation, and the sHSP related heat shock response as a potential protective factor through our transcriptomic and proteomic data.

Imbalances in the eye lens proteome are linked to cataract formation

The prevalent model for cataract formation in the eye lens posits that damaged crystallin proteins form light-scattering aggregates. The α-crystallins are thought to counteract this process as chaperones by sequestering misfolded crystallin proteins. In this scenario, chaperone pool depletion would result in lens opacification. Here we analyze lenses from different mouse strains that develop early-onset cataract due to point mutations in α-, β-, or γ-crystallin proteins. We find that these mutant crystallins are unstable in vitro; in the lens, their levels are substantially reduced, and they do not accumulate in the water-insoluble fraction. Instead, all the other crystallin proteins, including the α-crystallins, are found to precipitate. The changes in protein composition and spatial organization of the crystallins observed in the mutant lenses suggest that the imbalance in the lenticular proteome and altered crystallin interactions are the bases for cataract formation, rather than the aggregation propensity of the mutant crystallins.

The Aggregation of αB-Crystallin under Crowding Conditions Is Prevented by αA-Crystallin: Implications for α-Crystallin Stability and Lens Transparency

One of the most crowded biological environments is the eye lens which contains a high concentration of crystallin proteins. The molecular chaperones αB-crystallin (αBc) with its lens partner αA-crystallin (αAc) prevent deleterious crystallin aggregation and cataract formation. However, some forms of cataract are associated with structural alteration and dysfunction of αBc. While many studies have investigated the structure and function of αBc under dilute in vitro conditions, the effect of crowding on these aspects is not well understood despite its in vivo relevance. The structure and chaperone ability of αBc under conditions that mimic the crowded lens environment were investigated using the polysaccharide Ficoll 400 and bovine γ-crystallin as crowding agents and a variety of biophysical methods, principally contrast variation small-angle neutron scattering. Under crowding conditions, αBc unfolds, increases its size/oligomeric state, decreases its thermal stability and chaperone ability, and forms kinetically distinct amorphous and fibrillar aggregates. However, the presence of αAc stabilizes αBc against aggregation. These observations provide a rationale, at the molecular level, for the aggregation of αBc in the crowded lens, a process that exhibits structural and functional similarities to the aggregation of cataract-associated αBc mutants R120G and D109A under dilute conditions. Strategies that maintain or restore αBc stability, as αAc does, may provide therapeutic avenues for the treatment of cataract.

Moonlighting Proteins

The single gene, single protein, single function hypothesis is increasingly becoming obsolete. Numerous studies have demonstrated that individual proteins can moonlight, meaning they can have multiple functions based on their cellular or developmental context. In this review, we discuss moonlighting proteins, highlighting the biological pathways where this phenomenon may be particularly relevant. In addition, we combine genetic, cell biological, and evolutionary perspectives so that we can better understand how, when, and why moonlighting proteins may take on multiple roles.

A novel CRYGC E128* mutation underlying an autosomal dominant nuclear cataract in a south Indian kindred

PURPOSE

To identify the mutation causing an autosomal dominant congenital nuclear cataract in a south Indian family by whole exome sequencing and to characterize further phenotypically the same in a zebra fish model.

METHODS

A six-generation family (DKEC1) with several affected members registered at the Regional Institute of Ophthalmology (RIO), Chennai was documented to have congenital nuclear cataract. Detailed clinical history and blood samples were collected from all available family members. Genomic DNA of the proband was subjected to whole exome sequencing. Sequence variations suggestive of putative mutations were further confirmed by bidirectional sequencing and restriction site analysis. Functional analysis of the mutant CRYGC E128* in zebrafish embryos was done to dissect out the pathogenicity.

RESULTS

A unique variation viz., c.382 G > T in the coding region of the CRYGC gene, resulting in a premature stop codon at position 128 (E128*) was documented in the affected family members. The same was absent in unaffected family members and in 120 unrelated population controls checked. Bioinformatic tools predicted that the mutation might cause a deleterious effect on protein structure and function. Molecular function analysis of this novel mutation (p. E128*, CRYGC) in the zebrafish indicated this mutation to impair lens transparency.

CONCLUSION

This study identified a novel CRYGC mutation, E128* to cause autosomal dominant congenital nuclear cataract in a large south Indian family. Our study provides a new insight onto how the mutation might affect the γC-crystallin structure and function besides emphasizing the need for genetic diagnosis toward vision restoration.

Proteinaceous Transformers: Structural and Functional Variability of Human sHsps

The proteostasis network allows organisms to support and regulate the life cycle of proteins. Especially regarding stress, molecular chaperones represent the main players within this network. Small heat shock proteins (sHsps) are a diverse family of ATP-independent molecular chaperones acting as the first line of defense in many stress situations. Thereby, the promiscuous interaction of sHsps with substrate proteins results in complexes from which the substrates can be refolded by ATP-dependent chaperones. Particularly in vertebrates, sHsps are linked to a broad variety of diseases and are needed to maintain the refractive index of the eye lens. A striking key characteristic of sHsps is their existence in ensembles of oligomers with varying numbers of subunits. The respective dynamics of these molecules allow the exchange of subunits and the formation of hetero-oligomers. Additionally, these dynamics are closely linked to the chaperone activity of sHsps. In current models a shift in the equilibrium of the sHsp ensemble allows regulation of the chaperone activity, whereby smaller oligomers are commonly the more active species. Different triggers reversibly change the oligomer equilibrium and regulate the activity of sHsps. However, a finite availability of high-resolution structures of sHsps still limits a detailed mechanistic understanding of their dynamics and the correlating recognition of substrate proteins. Here we summarize recent advances in understanding the structural and functional relationships of human sHsps with a focus on the eye-lens αA- and αB-crystallins.

Chaperone-Like Activity of HSPB5: The Effects of Quaternary Structure Dynamics and Crowding

Small heat-shock proteins (sHSPs) are ATP-independent molecular chaperones that interact with partially unfolded proteins, preventing their aberrant aggregation, thereby exhibiting a chaperone-like activity. Dynamics of the quaternary structure plays an important role in the chaperone-like activity of sHSPs. However, relationship between the dynamic structure of sHSPs and their chaperone-like activity remains insufficiently characterized. Many factors (temperature, ions, a target protein, crowding etc.) affect the structure and activity of sHSPs. The least studied is an effect of crowding on sHSPs activity. In this work the chaperone-like activity of HSPB5 was quantitatively characterized by dynamic light scattering using two test systems, namely test systems based on heat-induced aggregation of muscle glycogen phosphorylase b (Phb) at 48 °C and dithiothreitol-induced aggregation of α-lactalbumin at 37 °C. Analytical ultracentrifugation was used to control the oligomeric state of HSPB5 and target proteins. The possible anti-aggregation functioning of suboligomeric forms of HSPB5 is discussed. The effect of crowding on HSPB5 anti-aggregation activity was characterized using Phb as a target protein. The duration of the nucleation stage was shown to decrease with simultaneous increase in the relative rate of aggregation of Phb in the presence of HSPB5 under crowded conditions. Crowding may subtly modulate sHSPs activity.

The Heterooligomerization of Human Small Heat Shock Proteins Is Controlled by Conserved Motif Located in the N-Terminal Domain

Ubiquitously expressed human small heat shock proteins (sHsps) HspB1, HspB5, HspB6 and HspB8 contain a conserved motif (S/G)RLFD in their N-terminal domain. For each of them, we prepared mutants with a replacement of the conserved R by A (R/A mutants) and a complete deletion of the pentapeptide (Δ mutants) and analyzed their heterooligomerization with other wild-type (WT) human sHsps. We found that WT HspB1 and HspB5 formed heterooligomers with HspB6 only upon heating. In contrast, both HspB1 mutants interacted with WT HspB6 even at low temperature. HspB1/HspB6 heterooligomers revealed a broad size distribution with equimolar ratio suggestive of heterodimers as building blocks, while HspB5/HspB6 heterooligomers had an approximate 2:1 ratio. In contrast, R/A or Δ mutants of HspB6, when mixed with either HspB1 or HspB5, resulted in heterooligomers with a highly variable molar ratio and a decreased HspB6 incorporation. No heterooligomerization of HspB8 or its mutants with either HspB1 or HspB5 could be detected. Finally, R/A or Δ mutations had no effect on heterooligomerization of HspB1 and HspB5 as analyzed by ion exchange chromatography. We conclude that the conserved N-terminal motif plays an important role in heterooligomer formation, as especially pronounced in HspB6 lacking the C-terminal IXI motif.

Effect of cataract-associated mutations in the N-terminal domain of αB-crystallin (HspB5)

Physico-chemical properties of three cataract-associated missense mutants of αB-crystallin (HspB5) (R11H, P20S, R56W) were analyzed. The oligomers formed by the R11H mutant were smaller, whereas the oligomers of the P20S and R56W mutants were larger than those of the wild-type protein. The P20S mutant possessed lower thermal stability than the wild-type HspB5 or two other HspB5 mutants. All HspB5 mutants were able to form heterooligomeric complexes with αA-crystallin (HspB4), a genuine component of eye lens. However, the P20S and R56W mutants were less effective in the formation of these complexes and properties of heterooligomeric complexes formed by these mutants and HspB4 and analyzed by ion-exchange chromatography were different from those formed by the wild-type HspB5 and HspB4. All HspB5 variants also heterooligomerized with another partner protein, HspB6. Specifically for the P20S mutant forming two distinct sizes of homooligomers, only the smaller homooligomer population was able to interact with HspB6. P20S and R56W mutants possessed lower chaperone-like activity than the wild-type HspB5 when UV-irradiated β_L-crystallin was used as a model substrate. Importantly, all three mutations are localized in three earlier postulated short α-helical regions present in the N-terminal domain of αB-crystallin. These observations suggest an important structural and functional role of these regions. Correspondingly, therein localized mutations ultimately result in clinically relevant cataracts.

N- and C-terminal regions of αB-crystallin and Hsp27 mediate inhibition of amyloid nucleation, fibril binding, and fibril disaggregation

Small heat-shock proteins (sHSPs) are ubiquitously expressed molecular chaperones that inhibit amyloid fibril formation; however, their mechanisms of action remain poorly understood. sHSPs comprise a conserved α-crystallin domain flanked by variable N- and C-terminal regions. To investigate the functional contributions of these three regions, we compared the chaperone activities of various constructs of human αB-crystallin (HSPB5) and heat-shock 27-kDa protein (Hsp27, HSPB1) during amyloid formation by α-synuclein and apolipoprotein C-II. Using an array of approaches, including thioflavin T fluorescence assays and sedimentation analysis, we found that the N-terminal region of Hsp27 and the terminal regions of αB-crystallin are important for delaying amyloid fibril nucleation and for disaggregating mature apolipoprotein C-II fibrils. We further show that the terminal regions are required for stable fibril binding by both sHSPs and for mediating lateral fibril-fibril association, which sequesters preformed fibrils into large aggregates and is believed to have a cytoprotective function. We conclude that although the isolated α-crystallin domain retains some chaperone activity against amyloid formation, the flanking domains contribute additional and important chaperone activities, both in delaying amyloid formation and in mediating interactions of sHSPs with amyloid aggregates. Both these chaperone activities have significant implications for the pathogenesis and progression of diseases associated with amyloid deposition, such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases.

Conditional Disorder in Small Heat-shock Proteins

Small heat-shock proteins (sHSPs) are molecular chaperones that respond to cellular stresses to combat protein aggregation. HSP27 is a critical human sHSP that forms large, dynamic oligomers whose quaternary structures and chaperone activities depend on environmental factors. Upon exposure to cellular stresses, such as heat shock or acidosis, HSP27 oligomers can dissociate into dimers and monomers, which leads to significantly enhanced chaperone activity. The structured core of the protein, the α-crystallin domain (ACD), forms dimers and can prevent the aggregation of substrate proteins to a similar degree as the full-length protein. When the ACD dimer dissociates into monomers, it partially unfolds and exhibits enhanced activity. Here, we used solution-state NMR spectroscopy to characterize the structure and dynamics of the HSP27 ACD monomer. Web show that the monomer is stabilized at low pH and that its backbone chemical shifts, 15N relaxation rates, and 1H-15N residual dipolar couplings suggest structural changes and rapid motions in the region responsible for dimerization. By analyzing the solvent accessible and buried surface areas of sHSP structures in the context of a database of dimers that are known to dissociate into disordered monomers, we predict that ACD dimers from sHSPs across all kingdoms of life may partially unfold upon dissociation. We propose a general model in which conditional disorder-the partial unfolding of ACDs upon monomerization-is a common mechanism for sHSP activity.

The congenital cataract-causing mutations P20R and A171T are associated with important changes in the amyloidogenic feature, structure and chaperone-like activity of human αB-crystallin

Cataract is the major reason for human blindness worldwide. α-Crystallin, as a key chaperone of eye lenses, keeps the lenticular tissues in its transparent state over time. In this study, cataract-causing familial mutations, P20R and A171T, were introduced in CRYАB gene. After successful expression in Escherichia coli and subsequent purification, the recombinant proteins were subjected to extensive structural and functional analyses using various spectroscopic techniques, gel electrophoresis, and electron microscopy. The results of fluorescence and Raman assessments suggest important but discreet conformational changes in human αB-Cry upon these cataractogenic mutations. Furthermore, the mutant proteins exhibited significant secondary structural alteration as revealed by FTIR and Raman spectroscopy. An increase in conformational stability was seen in the human αB-Cry bearing these congenital cataractogenic mutations. The oligomeric size distribution and chaperone-like activity of human αB-Cry were significantly altered by these mutations. The P20R mutant protein was observed to loose most of the chaperone-like activity. Finally, these cataractogenic mutant proteins exhibited an increased propensity to form the amyloid fibrils when incubated under environmental stress. Overall, the structural and functional changes in mutated human αB-Cry proteins can shed light on the pathogenic development of congenital cataracts.

The structure and oxidation of the eye lens chaperone αA-crystallin

The small heat shock protein αA-crystallin is a molecular chaperone important for the optical properties of the vertebrate eye lens. It forms heterogeneous oligomeric ensembles. We determined the structures of human αA-crystallin oligomers by combining cryo-electron microscopy, cross-linking/mass spectrometry, NMR spectroscopy and molecular modeling. The different oligomers can be interconverted by the addition or subtraction of tetramers, leading to mainly 12-, 16- and 20-meric assemblies in which interactions between N-terminal regions are important. Cross-dimer domain-swapping of the C-terminal region is a determinant of αA-crystallin heterogeneity. Human αA-crystallin contains two cysteines, which can form an intramolecular disulfide in vivo. Oxidation in vitro requires conformational changes and oligomer dissociation. The oxidized oligomers, which are larger than reduced αA-crystallin and destabilized against unfolding, are active chaperones and can transfer the disulfide to destabilized substrate proteins. The insight into the structure and function of αA-crystallin provides a basis for understanding its role in the eye lens.

Small Heat Shock Proteins and Human Neurodegenerative Diseases

The review discusses the role of small heat shock proteins (sHsps) in human neurodegenerative disorders, such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, and different forms of tauopathies. The effects of CMT-associated mutations in two small heat shock proteins (HspB1 and HspB8) on the protein stability, oligomeric structure, and chaperone-like activity are described. Mutations in HspB1 shift the equilibrium between different protein oligomeric forms, leading to the alterations in its chaperone-like activity and interaction with protein partners, which can induce damage of the cytoskeleton and neuronal death. Mutations in HspB8 affect its interaction with the adapter protein Bag3, as well as the process of autophagy, also resulting in neuronal death. The impact of sHsps on different forms of amyloidosis is discussed. Experimental studies have shown that sHsps interact with monomers or small oligomers of amyloidogenic proteins, stabilize their structure, prevent their aggregation, and/or promote their specific proteolytic degradation. This effect might be due to the interaction between the β-strands of sHsps and β-strands of target proteins, which prevents aggregation of the latter. In cooperation with the other heat shock proteins, sHsps can promote disassembly of oligomers formed by amyloidogenic proteins. Despite significant achievements, further investigations are required for understanding the role of sHsps in protection against various neurodegenerative diseases.

Molecular Mimicry between Betaine Aldehyde Dehydrogenase of Leptospira and Retinal Dehydrogenase 1 of Human Lens: A Potential Trigger for Cataract Formation in Leptospiral Uveitis Patients

Purpose: Rapidly progressing cataract is one of the ocular manifestations in leptospiral uveitis patients. We examined whether molecular mimicry between the leptospira antigens and lens proteins exists that could result in cataract in these patients.Methods: Immunoblot analysis using patient sera was done with proteins from normal lens and cataract lens from leptospiral uveitis patients and the cross-reacting lens proteins were identified by mass spectrometry analysis.Results: Retinal dehydrogenase 1 and crystallins (α-B, α-A2, β-B2), were recognized by the antibodies in the serum of leptospiral uveitis patients. And, retinal dehydrogenase 1 is homologous to the leptospiral protein, betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase.Conclusions: Leptospiral uveitis patient serum contains antibodies that cross-react with multiple lens proteins that have a role in maintaining lens transparency. And, these antibodies could act as a potential trigger for cataractogenesis.

Structural and functional consequences of age-related isomerization in α-crystallins

Long-lived proteins are subject to spontaneous degradation and may accumulate a range of modifications over time, including subtle alterations such as side-chain isomerization. Recently, tandem MS has enabled identification and characterization of such peptide isomers, including those differing only in chirality. However, the structural and functional consequences of these perturbations remain largely unexplored. Here, we examined the impact of isomerization of aspartic acid or epimerization of serine at four sites mapping to crucial oligomeric interfaces in human αA- and αB-crystallin, the most abundant chaperone proteins in the eye lens. To characterize the effect of isomerization on quaternary assembly, we utilized synthetic peptide mimics, enzyme assays, molecular dynamics calculations, and native MS experiments. The oligomerization of recombinant forms of αA- and αB-crystallin that mimic isomerized residues deviated from native behavior in all cases. Isomerization also perturbs recognition of peptide substrates, either enhancing or inhibiting kinase activity. Specifically, epimerization of serine (αASer-162) dramatically weakened inter-subunit binding. Furthermore, phosphorylation of αBSer-59, known to play an important regulatory role in oligomerization, was severely inhibited by serine epimerization and altered by isomerization of nearby αBAsp-62. Similarly, isomerization of αBAsp-109 disrupted a vital salt bridge with αBArg-120, a contact that when broken has previously been shown to yield aberrant oligomerization and aggregation in several disease-associated variants. Our results illustrate how isomerization of amino acid residues, which may seem to be only a minor structural perturbation, can disrupt native structural interactions with profound consequences for protein assembly and activity.

Transgenic zebrafish models reveal distinct molecular mechanisms for cataract-linked αA-crystallin mutants

Mutations in the small heat shock proteins α-crystallins have been linked to autosomal dominant cataracts in humans. Extensive studies in vitro have revealed a spectrum of alterations to the structure and function of these proteins including shifts in the size of the oligomer, modulation of subunit exchange and modification of their affinity to client proteins. Although mouse models of these mutants were instrumental in identifying changes in cellular proliferation and lens development, a direct comparative analysis of their effects on lens proteostasis has not been performed. Here, we have transgenically expressed cataract-linked mutants of αA- and αB-crystallin in the zebrafish lens to dissect the underlying molecular changes that contribute to the loss of lens optical properties. Zebrafish lines expressing these mutants displayed a range of morphological lens defects. Phenotype penetrance and severity were dependent on the mutation even in fish lines lacking endogenous α-crystallin. The mechanistic origins of these differences were investigated by the transgenic co-expression of a destabilized human γD-crystallin mutant. We found that the R49C but not the R116C mutant of αA-crystallin drove aggregation of γD-crystallin, although both mutants have similar affinity to client proteins in vitro. Our working model attributes these differences to the propensity of R49C, located in the buried N-terminal domain of αA-crystallin, to disulfide crosslinking as previously demonstrated in vitro. Our findings complement and extend previous work in mouse models and emphasize the need of investigating chaperone/client protein interactions in appropriate cellular context.

Small heat shock proteins: Simplicity meets complexity

Small heat shock proteins (sHsps) are a ubiquitous and ancient family of ATP-independent molecular chaperones. A key characteristic of sHsps is that they exist in ensembles of iso-energetic oligomeric species differing in size. This property arises from a unique mode of assembly involving several parts of the subunits in a flexible manner. Current evidence suggests that smaller oligomers are more active chaperones. Thus, a shift in the equilibrium of the sHsp ensemble allows regulating the chaperone activity. Different mechanisms have been identified that reversibly change the oligomer equilibrium. The promiscuous interaction with non-native proteins generates complexes that can form aggregate-like structures from which native proteins are restored by ATP-dependent chaperones such as Hsp70 family members. In recent years, this basic paradigm has been expanded, and new roles and new cofactors, as well as variations in structure and regulation of sHsps, have emerged.

Chicken GRIFIN: binding partners, developmental course of localization and activation of its lens-specific gene expression by L-Maf/Pax6

Tissue lectins appear to be involved in a broad range of physiological processes, as reflected for the members of the family of galectins by referring to them as adhesion/growth-regulatory effectors. In order to clarify the significance of galectin presence, key challenges are to define their binding partners and the profile of localization. Having identified the chicken galectin-related interfiber protein (C-GRIFIN) as lens-specific protein present in the main body of adult lens, we here report its interaction with lens proteins in ligand blotting. The assumption for pairing with α-, β- and δ-crystallins was ascertained by mass spectrometric detection of their presence in eluted fractions obtained by affinity chromatography. Biochemical and immunohistochemical monitoring revealed protein presence from about 3-day-old embryos onwards, mostly in the cytoplasm of elongated posterior cells, later in secondary lens fiber cells. On the level of gene expression, its promoter was activated by transcription factor L-Maf alone and together with Pax6 like a crystallin gene, substantiating C-GRIFIN's status as lens-specific galectin. Using this combined strategy for counterreceptor and expression profiling by bio- and histochemical methods including light, electron and fluorescence microscopy, respective monitoring in lens development can now be taken to the level of the complete galectin family.

The influence of the N-terminal region proximal to the core domain on the assembly and chaperone activity of αB-crystallin

αB-Crystallin (HSPB5) is a small heat-shock protein that is composed of dimers that then assemble into a polydisperse ensemble of oligomers. Oligomerisation is mediated by heterologous interactions between the C-terminal tail of one dimer and the core "α-crystallin" domain of another and stabilised by interactions made by the N-terminal region. Comparatively little is known about the latter contribution, but previous studies have suggested that residues in the region 54-60 form contacts that stabilise the assembly. We have generated mutations in this region (P58A, S59A, S59K, R56S/S59R and an inversion of residues 54-60) to examine their impact on oligomerisation and chaperone activity in vitro. By using native mass spectrometry, we found that all the αB-crystallin mutants were assembly competent, populating similar oligomeric distributions to wild-type, ranging from 16-mers to 30-mers. However, circular dichroism spectroscopy, intrinsic tryptophan and bis-ANS fluorescence studies demonstrated that the secondary structure differs to wild type, the 54-60 inversion mutation having the greatest impact. All the mutants exhibited a dramatic decrease in exposed hydrophobicity. We also found that the mutants in general were equally active as the wild-type protein in inhibiting the amorphous aggregation of insulin and seeded amyloid fibrillation of α-synuclein in vitro, except for the 54-60 inversion mutant, which was significantly less effective at inhibiting insulin aggregation. Our data indicate that alterations in the part of the N-terminal region proximal to the core domain do not drastically affect the oligomerisation of αB-crystallin, reinforcing the robustness of αB-crystallin in functioning as a molecular chaperone.

Mechanistic insights into the switch of αB-crystallin chaperone activity and self-multimerization

αB-Crystallin (αBc) is a small heat shock protein that protects cells against abnormal protein aggregation and disease-related degeneration. αBc is also a major structural protein that forms polydisperse multimers that maintain the liquid-like property of the eye lens. However, the relationship and regulation of the two functions have yet to be explored. Here, by combining NMR spectroscopy and multiple biophysical approaches, we found that αBc uses a conserved β4/β8 surface of the central α-crystallin domain to bind α-synuclein and Tau proteins and prevent them from aggregating into pathological amyloids. We noted that this amyloid-binding surface can also bind the C-terminal IPI motif of αBc, which mediates αBc multimerization and weakens its chaperone activity. We further show that disruption of the IPI binding impairs αBc self-multimerization but enhances its chaperone activity. Our work discloses the structural mechanism underlying the regulation of αBc chaperone activity and self-multimerization and sheds light on the different functions of αBc in antagonizing neurodegeneration and maintaining eye lens liquidity.

Engineering of a Polydisperse Small Heat-Shock Protein Reveals Conserved Motifs of Oligomer Plasticity

Small heat-shock proteins (sHSPs) are molecular chaperones that bind partially and globally unfolded states of their client proteins. Previously, we discovered that the archaeal Hsp16.5, which forms ordered and symmetric 24-subunit oligomers, can be engineered to transition to an ordered and symmetric 48-subunit oligomer by insertion of a peptide from human HspB1 (Hsp27). Here, we uncovered the existence of an array of oligomeric states (30-38 subunits) that can be populated as a consequence of altering the sequence and length of the inserted peptide. Polydisperse Hsp16.5 oligomers displayed higher affinity to a model client protein consistent with a general mechanism for recognition and binding that involves increased access of the hydrophobic N-terminal region. Our findings, which integrate structural and functional analyses from evolutionarily distant sHSPs, support a model wherein the modular architecture of these proteins encodes motifs of oligomer polydispersity, dissociation, and expansion to achieve functional diversity and regulation.

Terminal Regions Confer Plasticity to the Tetrameric Assembly of Human HspB2 and HspB3

Heterogeneity in small heat shock proteins (sHsps) spans multiple spatiotemporal regimes-from fast fluctuations of part of the protein, to conformational variability of tertiary structure, plasticity of the interfaces, and polydispersity of the inter-converting, and co-assembling oligomers. This heterogeneity and dynamic nature of sHsps has significantly hindered their structural characterization. Atomic coordinates are particularly lacking for vertebrate sHsps, where most available structures are of extensively truncated homomers. sHsps play important roles in maintaining protein levels in the cell and therefore in organismal health and disease. HspB2 and HspB3 are vertebrate sHsps that are found co-assembled in neuromuscular cells, and variants thereof are associated with disease. Here, we present the structure of human HspB2/B3, which crystallized as a hetero-tetramer in a 3:1 ratio. In the HspB2/B3 tetramer, the four α-crystallin domains (ACDs) assemble into a flattened tetrahedron which is pierced by two non-intersecting approximate dyads. Assembly is mediated by flexible "nuts and bolts" involving IXI/V motifs from terminal regions filling ACD pockets. Parts of the N-terminal region bind in an unfolded conformation into the anti-parallel shared ACD dimer grooves. Tracts of the terminal regions are not resolved, most likely due to their disorder in the crystal lattice. This first structure of a full-length human sHsp heteromer reveals the heterogeneous interactions of the terminal regions and suggests a plasticity that is important for the cytoprotective functions of sHsps.

The anti-cataract molecular mechanism study in selenium cataract rats for baicalin ophthalmic nanoparticles

PURPOSE

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of the solid lipid nanoparticles of baicalin (BA-SLNs) on an experimental cataract model and explore the molecular mechanism combined with bioinformatics analysis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The transparency of lens was observed daily by slit-lamp and photography. Lenticular opacity was graded. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) was employed to analyze the differential protein expression modes in each group. Proteins of interest were subjected to protein identification by nano-liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Bioinformatics analysis was performed using the Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) online software to comprehend the biological implications of the proteins identified by proteomics.

RESULTS

At the end of the sodium selenite-induced cataract progression, almost all lenses from the model group developed partial nuclear opacity; however, all lenses were clear and normal in the blank group. There was no significant difference between the BA-SLNs group and the blank group. Many protein spots were differently expressed in 2-DE patterns of total proteins of lenses from each group, and 65 highly different protein spots were selected to be identified between the BA-SLNs group and the model group. A total of 23 proteins were identified, and 12 of which were crystalline proteins.

CONCLUSION

We considered crystalline proteins to play important roles in preserving the normal expression levels of proteins and the transparency of lenses. The general trend in the BA-SLN-treated lenses' data showed that BA-SLNs regulated the protein expression mode of cataract lenses to normal lenses. Our findings suggest that BA-SLNs may be a potential therapeutic agent in treating cataract by regulating protein expression and may also be a strong candidate for future clinical research.

When nature's robots go rogue: exploring protein homeostasis dysfunction and the implications for understanding human aging disease pathologies

INTRODUCTION

Proteins have been historically regarded as 'nature's robots': Molecular machines that are essential to cellular/extracellular physical mechanical properties and catalyze key reactions for cell/system viability. However, these robots are kept in check by other protein-based machinery to preserve proteome integrity and stability. During aging, protein homeostasis is challenged by oxidation, decreased synthesis, and increasingly inefficient mechanisms responsible for repairing or degrading damaged proteins. In addition, disruptions to protein homeostasis are hallmarks of many neurodegenerative diseases and diseases disproportionately affecting the elderly. Areas covered: Here we summarize age- and disease-related changes to the protein machinery responsible for preserving proteostasis and describe how both aging and disease can each exacerbate damage initiated by the other. We focus on alteration of proteostasis as an etiological or phenomenological factor in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's, along with Down syndrome, ophthalmic pathologies, and cancer. Expert commentary: Understanding the mechanisms of proteostasis and their dysregulation in health and disease will represent an essential breakthrough in the treatment of many (senescence-associated) pathologies. Strides in this field are currently underway and largely attributable to the introduction of high-throughput omics technologies and their combination with novel approaches to explore structural and cross-link biochemistry.

The Biology of Aging and Cancer: A Brief Overview of Shared and Divergent Molecular Hallmarks

Aging is the inevitable time-dependent decline in physiological organ function and is a major risk factor for cancer development. Due to advances in health care, hygiene control and food availability, life expectancy is increasing and the population in most developed countries is shifting to an increasing proportion of people at a cancer susceptible age. Mechanisms of aging are also found to occur in carcinogenesis, albeit with shared or divergent end-results. It is now clear that aging and cancer development either share or diverge in several disease mechanisms. Such mechanisms include the role of genomic instability, telomere attrition, epigenetic changes, loss of proteostasis, decreased nutrient sensing and altered metabolism, but also cellular senescence and stem cell function. Cancer cells and aged cells are also fundamentally opposite, as cancer cells can be thought of as hyperactive cells with advantageous mutations, rapid cell division and increased energy consumption, while aged cells are hypoactive with accumulated disadvantageous mutations, cell division inability and a decreased ability for energy production and consumption. Nonetheless, aging and cancer are tightly interconnected and many of the same strategies and drugs may be used to target both, while in other cases antagonistic pleiotrophy come into effect and inhibition of one can be the activation of the other. Cancer can be considered an aging disease, though the shared mechanisms underpinning the two processes remain unclear. Better understanding of the shared and divergent pathways of aging and cancer is needed.

Chaperone activity of human small heat shock protein-GST fusion proteins

Small heat shock proteins (sHsps) are a ubiquitous part of the machinery that maintains cellular protein homeostasis by acting as molecular chaperones. sHsps bind to and prevent the aggregation of partially folded substrate proteins in an ATP-independent manner. sHsps are dynamic, forming an ensemble of structures from dimers to large oligomers through concentration-dependent equilibrium dissociation. Based on structural studies and mutagenesis experiments, it is proposed that the dimer is the smallest active chaperone unit, while larger oligomers may act as storage depots for sHsps or play additional roles in chaperone function. The complexity and dynamic nature of their structural organization has made elucidation of their chaperone function challenging. HspB1 and HspB5 are two canonical human sHsps that vary in sequence and are expressed in a wide variety of tissues. In order to determine the role of the dimer in chaperone activity, glutathione-S-transferase (GST) was genetically linked as a fusion protein to the N-terminus regions of both HspB1 and HspB5 (also known as Hsp27 and αB-crystallin, respectively) proteins in order to constrain oligomer formation of HspB1 and HspB5, by using GST, since it readily forms a dimeric structure. We monitored the chaperone activity of these fusion proteins, which suggest they primarily form dimers and monomers and function as active molecular chaperones. Furthermore, the two different fusion proteins exhibit different chaperone activity for two model substrate proteins, citrate synthase (CS) and malate dehydrogenase (MDH). GST-HspB1 prevents more aggregation of MDH compared to GST-HspB5 and wild type HspB1. However, when CS is the substrate, both GST-HspB1 and GST-HspB5 are equally effective chaperones. Furthermore, wild type proteins do not display equal activity toward the substrates, suggesting that each sHsp exhibits different substrate specificity. Thus, substrate specificity, as described here for full-length GST fusion proteins with MDH and CS, is modulated by both sHsp oligomeric conformation and by variations of sHsp sequences.

Oligomeric structure and chaperone-like activity of Drosophila melanogaster mitochondrial small heat shock protein Hsp22 and arginine mutants in the alpha-crystallin domain

The structure and chaperone function of DmHsp22WT, a small Hsp of Drosophila melanogaster localized within mitochondria were examined. Mutations of conserved arginine mutants within the alpha-crystallin domain (ACD) domain (R105G, R109G, and R110G) were introduced, and their effects on oligomerization and chaperone function were assessed. Arginine to glycine mutations do not induce significant changes in tryptophan fluorescence, and the mutated proteins form oligomers that are of equal or smaller size than the wild-type protein. They all form oligomer with one single peak as determined by size exclusion chromatography. While all mutants demonstrate the same efficiency as the DmHsp22WT in a DTT-induced insulin aggregation assay, all are more efficient chaperones to prevent aggregation of malate dehydrogenase. Arginine mutants of DmHsp22 are efficient chaperones to retard aggregation of CS and Luc. In summary, this study shows that mutations of arginine to glycine in DmHsp22 ACD induce a number of structural changes, some of which differ from those described in mammalian sHsps. Interestingly, only the R110G-DmHsp22 mutant, and not the expected R109G equivalent to human R140-HspB1, R116-HspB4, and R120-HspB5, showed different structural properties compared with the DmHsp22WT.

An alternative splice variant of human αA-crystallin modulates the oligomer ensemble and the chaperone activity of α-crystallins

In humans, ten genes encode small heat shock proteins with lens αA-crystallin and αB-crystallin representing two of the most prominent members. The canonical isoforms of αA-crystallin and αB-crystallin collaborate in the eye lens to prevent irreversible protein aggregation and preserve visual acuity. α-Crystallins form large polydisperse homo-oligomers and hetero-oligomers and as part of the proteostasis system bind substrate proteins in non-native conformations, thereby stabilizing them. Here, we analyzed a previously uncharacterized, alternative splice variant (isoform 2) of human αA-crystallin with an exchanged N-terminal sequence. This variant shows the characteristic α-crystallin secondary structure, exists on its own predominantly in a monomer-dimer equilibrium, and displays only low chaperone activity. However, the variant is able to integrate into higher order oligomers of canonical αA-crystallin and αB-crystallin as well as their hetero-oligomer. The presence of the variant leads to the formation of new types of higher order hetero-oligomers with an overall decreased number of subunits and enhanced chaperone activity. Thus, alternative mRNA splicing of human αA-crystallin leads to an additional, formerly not characterized αA-crystallin species which is able to modulate the properties of the canonical ensemble of α-crystallin oligomers.