Evaluation of an LC8-binding peptide for the attachment of artificial cargo to dynein

Human Parainfluenza Virus 3 Phosphoprotein Is a Tetramer and Shares Structural and Interaction Features with Ebola Phosphoprotein VP35

The human parainfluenza virus 3 (HPIV3) poses a risk for pneumonia development in young children and immunocompromised patients. To investigate mechanisms of HPIV3 pathogenesis, we characterized the association state and host protein interactions of HPIV3 phosphoprotein (HPIV3 P), an indispensable viral polymerase cofactor. Sequence analysis and homology modeling predict that HPIV3 P possesses a long, disordered N-terminal tail (P_TAIL) a coiled-coil multimerization domain (P_MD), similar to the well-characterized paramyxovirus phosphoproteins from measles and Sendai viruses. Using a recombinantly expressed and purified construct of P_MD and P_TAIL, we show that HPIV3 P in solution is primarily an alpha-helical tetramer that is stable up to 60 °C. Pulldown and isothermal titration calorimetry experiments revealed that HPIV3 P binds the host hub protein LC8, and turbidity experiments demonstrated a new role for LC8 in increasing the solubility of HPIV3 P in the presence of crowding agents such as RNA. For comparison, we show that the multimerization domain of the Zaire Ebola virus phosphoprotein VP35 is also a tetramer and binds LC8 but with significantly higher affinity. Comparative analysis of the domain architecture of various virus phosphoproteins in the order Mononegavirales show multiple predicted and verified LC8 binding motifs, suggesting its prevalence and importance in regulating viral phosphoprotein structures. Our work provides evidence for LC8 binding to phosphoproteins with multiple association states, either tetrameric, as in the HPIV3 and Ebola phosphoproteins shown here, or dimeric as in rabies virus phosphoprotein. Taken together the data suggest that the association states of a virus-specific phosphoprotein and the complex formed by binding of the phosphoprotein to host LC8 are important regulators of viral function.

Tempo-spatial Activation of Sequential Quadruple Stimuli for High Gene Expression of Polymeric Gene Nanocomplexes

The clinical application of intracellular gene delivery via nanosized carriers is hindered by intracellular multistep barriers that limit high levels of gene expression. To solve these issues, four different intracellular or external stimuli that can efficiently activate a gene carrier, a gene, or a photosensitizer (pheophorbide A [PhA]) were assessed in this study. The designed nanosized polymeric gene complexes were composed of PhA-loaded thiol-degradable polycation (PhA@RPC) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter-equipped pDNA. After cellular internalization of the resulting PhA@RPC/pDNA complexes, the complexes escaped endosomal sequestration, owing to the endosomal pH-induced endosomolytic activity of RPC in PhA@RPC. Subsequently, intracellular thiol-mediated polycation degradation triggered the release of PhA and pDNA from the complexes. Late exposure to light (for example, 12 h post-treatment) activated the released PhA and resulted in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Intracellular ROS successively activated NF-κB, which then reactivated the CMV promoter in the pDNA. These sequential, stimuli-responsive chemical and biological reactions resulted in high gene expression. In particular, the time-point of light exposure was very significant to tune efficient gene expression as well as negligible cytotoxicity: early light treatment induced photochemical internalization but high cytotoxicity, whereas late light treatment influenced the reactivation of silent pDNA via PhA-generated ROS and activation of NF-κB. In conclusion, the quadruple triggers, such as pH, thiol, light, and ROS, successively influenced a gene carrier (RPC), a photosensitizer, and a genetic therapeutic, and the tempo-spatial activation of the designed quadruple stimuli-activatable nanosized gene complexes could be potential in gene delivery applications.

In vivo characterization of dynein-driven nanovectors using Drosophila oocytes

Molecular motors transport various cargoes including vesicles, proteins and mRNAs, to distinct intracellular compartments. A significant challenge in the field of nanotechnology is to improve drug nuclear delivery by engineering nanocarriers transported by cytoskeletal motors. However, suitable in vivo models to assay transport and delivery efficiency remain very limited. Here, we develop a fast and genetically tractable assay to test the efficiency and dynamics of fluospheres (FS) using microinjection into Drosophila oocytes coupled with time-lapse microscopy. We designed dynein motor driven FS using a collection of dynein light chain 8 (LC8) peptide binding motifs as molecular linkers and characterized in real time the efficiency of the FS movement according to its linker’s sequence. Results show that the conserved LC8 binding motif allows fast perinuclear nanoparticle's accumulation in a microtubule and dynein dependent mechanism. These data reveal the Drosophila oocyte as a new valuable tool for the design of motor driven nanovectors.

An E3-14.7K peptide that promotes microtubules-mediated transport of plasmid DNA increases polyplexes transfection efficiency

Chemical vectors as cationic polymers and cationic lipids are promising alternatives to viral vectors for gene therapy. Beside endosome escape and nuclear import, plasmid DNA (pDNA) migration in the cytosol toward the nuclear envelope is also regarded as a limiting step for efficient DNA transfection with non-viral vectors. Here, the interaction between E3-14.7K and FIP-1 to favor migration of pDNA along microtubules is exploited. E3-14.7K is an early protein of human adenoviruses that interacts via FIP-1 (Fourteen.7K Interacting Protein 1) protein with the light-chain components of the human microtubule motor protein dynein (TCTEL1). This peptide is conjugated with pDNA and mediates interaction of pDNA in vitro with isolated microtubules as well as with microtubules in cellulo. Videomicroscopy and tracking treatment of images clearly demonstrate that P79-98/pDNA conjugate exhibits a linear transport with large amplitude along microtubules upon 2 h transfection with polyplexes whereas control pDNA conjugate exhibits small non-directional movements in the cytoplasm. Remarkably, P79-98/peGFP polyplexes enhance by a factor 2.5 (up to 76%) the number of transfected cells. The results demonstrate, for the first time, that the transfection efficiency of polyplexes can be drastically increased when the microtubules migration of pDNA is facilitated by a peptide allowing pDNA docking to TCTEL1. This is a real breakthrough in the non viral gene delivery field that opens hope to build artificial viruses.

Comparative molecular docking analysis of cytoplasmic dynein light chain DYNLL1 with pilin to explore the molecular mechanism of pathogenesis caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO

Cytoplasmic dynein light chain 1 (DYNLL1) is a component of large protein complex, which is implicated in cargo transport processes, and is known to interact with many cellular and viral proteins through its short consensus motif (K/R)XTQT. Still, it remains to be explored that bacterial proteins also exhibit similar recognition sequences to make them vulnerable to host defense mechanism. We employed multiple docking protocols including AUTODOCK, PatchDock, ZDOCK, DOCK/PIERR and CLUSPRO to explore the DYNLL1 and Pilin interaction followed by molecular dynamics simulation assays. Subsequent structural comparison of the predicted binding site for DYNLL1-Pilin complex against the experimentally verified DYNLL1 binding partners was performed to cross check the residual contributions and to determine the binding mode. On the basis of in silico analysis, here we describe a novel interaction of DYNLL1 and receptor binding domain of Pilin (the main protein constituent of bacterial type IV Pili) of gram negative bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PAO), which is the third most common nosocomial pathogen associated with the life-threatening infections. Evidently, our results underscore that Pilin specific motif (KSTQD) exhibits a close structural similarity to that of Vaccinia virus polymerase, P protein Rabies and P protein Mokola viruses. We speculate that binding of DYNLL1 to Pilin may trigger an uncontrolled inflammatory response of the host immune system during P. aeruginosa chronic infections thereby opening a new pioneering area to investigate the role of DYNLL1 in gram negative bacterial infections other than viral infections. Moreover, by manifesting a strict correspondence between sequence and function, our study anticipates a novel drug target site to control the complications caused by P. aeruginosa infections.

Strategies on the nuclear-targeted delivery of genes

To improve the nuclear-targeted delivery of non-viral vectors, extensive effort has been carried out on the development of smart vectors which could overcome multiple barriers. The nuclear envelope presents a major barrier to transgene delivery. Viruses are capable of crossing the nuclear envelope to efficiently deliver their genome into the nucleus through the specialized protein components. However, non-viral vectors are preferred over viral ones because of the safety concerns associated with the latter. Non-viral delivery systems have been designed to include various types of components to enable nuclear translocation at the periphery of the nucleus. This review summarizes the progress of research regarding nuclear transport mechanisms. "Smart" non-viral vectors that have been modified by peptides and other small molecules are able to facilitate the nuclear translocation and enhance the efficacy of gene expression. The resulting technology may also enhance delivery of other macromolecules to the nucleus.

Engineered, harnessed, and hijacked: synthetic uses for cytoskeletal systems

Synthetic biology re-imagines existing biological systems by designing and constructing new biological parts, devices, and systems. In the arena of cytoskeleton-based transport, synthetic approaches are currently used in two broad ways. First, molecular motors are harnessed for non-physiological functions in cells. Second, transport systems are engineered in vitro to determine the biophysical rules that govern motility. These rules are then applied to synthetic nanotechnological systems. We review recent advances in both of these areas and conclude by discussing future directions in engineering the cytoskeleton and its motors for transport.

The versatile molecular complex component LC8 promotes several distinct steps of flagellar assembly

LC8 is present in various molecular complexes. However, its role in these complexes remains unclear. We discovered that although LC8 is a subunit of the radial spoke (RS) complex in Chlamydomonas flagella, it was undetectable in the RS precursor that is converted into the mature RS at the tip of elongating axonemes. Interestingly, LC8 dimers bound in tandem to the N-terminal region of a spoke phosphoprotein, RS protein 3 (RSP3), that docks RSs to axonemes. LC8 enhanced the binding of RSP3 N-terminal fragments to purified axonemes. Likewise, the N-terminal fragments extracted from axonemes contained LC8 and putative spoke-docking proteins. Lastly, perturbations of RSP3's LC8-binding sites resulted in asynchronous flagella with hypophosphorylated RSP3 and defective associations between LC8, RSs, and axonemes. We propose that at the tip of flagella, an array of LC8 dimers binds to RSP3 in RS precursors, triggering phosphorylation, stalk base formation, and axoneme targeting. These multiple effects shed new light on fundamental questions about LC8-containing complexes and axoneme assembly.

The association of viral proteins with host cell dynein components during virus infection

After fusion with the cellular plasma membrane or endosomal membranes, viral particles are generally too large to diffuse freely within the crowded cytoplasm environment. Thus, they will never reach the cell nucleus or the perinuclear areas where replication or reverse transcription usually takes place. It has been proposed that many unrelated viruses are transported along microtubules in a retrograde manner using the cellular dynein machinery or, at least, some dynein components. A putative employment of the dynein motor in a dynein‐mediated transport has been suggested from experiments in which viral capsid proteins were used as bait in yeast two‐hybrid screens using libraries composed of cellular proteins and dynein‐associated chains were retrieved as virus‐interacting proteins. In most cases DYNLL1, DYNLT1 or DYNLRB1 were identified as the dynein chains that interact with viral proteins. The importance of these dynein–virus interactions has been supported, in principle, by the observation that in some cases the dynein‐interacting motifs of viral proteins altered by site‐directed mutagenesis result in non‐infective virions. Furthermore, overexpression of p50 dynamitin, which blocks the dynein–dynactin interaction, or incubation of infected cells with peptides that compete with viral polypeptides for dynein binding have been shown to alter the viral retrograde transport. Still, it remains to be proved that dynein light chains can bind simultaneously to incoming virions and to the dynein motor for retrograde transport to take place. In this review, we will analyse the association of viral proteins with dynein polypeptides and its implications for viral infection.

Dynein light chain LC8 regulates syntaphilin-mediated mitochondrial docking in axons

Mitochondria in the cell bodies of neurons are transported down neuronal processes in response to changes in local energy and metabolic states. Because of their extreme polarity, neurons require specialized mechanisms to regulate mitochondrial transport and retention in axons. Our previous studies using syntaphilin (snph) knock-out mice provided evidence that SNPH targets to axonal mitochondria and controls their mobility through its static interaction with microtubules (MTs). However, the mechanisms regulating SNPH-mediated mitochondrial docking remain elusive. Here, we report an unexpected role for dynein light chain LC8. Using proteomic biochemical and cell biological assays combined with time-lapse imaging in live snph wild-type and mutant neurons, we reveal that LC8 regulates axonal mitochondrial mobility by binding to SNPH, thus enhancing the SNPH-MT docking interaction. Using mutagenesis assays, we mapped a seven-residue LC8-binding motif. Through this specific interaction, SNPH recruits LC8 to axonal mitochondria; such colocalization is abolished when neurons express SNPH mutants lacking the LC8-binding motif. Transient LC8 expression reduces mitochondrial mobility in snph (+/+) but not (-/-) neurons, suggesting that the observed effect of LC8 depends on the SNPH-mediated docking mechanism. In contrast, deleting the LC8-binding motif impairs the ability of SNPH to immobilize axonal mitochondria. Furthermore, circular dichroism spectrum analysis shows that LC8 stabilizes an alpha-helical coiled-coil within the MT-binding domain of SNPH against thermal unfolding. Thus, our study provides new mechanistic insights into controlling mitochondrial mobility through a dynamic interaction between the mitochondrial docking receptor and axonal cytoskeleton.

Quantification of plasmid DNA copies in the nucleus after lipoplex and polyplex transfection

Nuclear uptake of plasmid DNA is one of the many cellular barriers that limit the efficiency of non-viral gene delivery systems. We have determined the number of plasmids that reach the nucleus of a transfected cell using an internally standardized quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay. We isolated nuclei using two different protocols: a density gradient technique and a detergent-based method. The density gradient procedure yielded nuclei with substantially less adhering plasmids on the outside of the nuclei. Using the density gradient protocol we determined that cells transfected with Lipofectamine lipoplexes or polyethylenimine polyplexes contained between 75 and 50,000 plasmids/nucleus, depending on the applied plasmid dose. Any increase above 3000 plasmids/nucleus resulted in only marginal increases in transgene expression. Furthermore, lipoplex-delivered plasmids were more efficiently expressed, on the basis of protein expression per plasmid number in the nucleus, than polyplex-delivered plasmids. This indicates that polymer may remain bound to some plasmids in the nucleus. Lastly, by sorting transfected cells into high- and low-expressing sub-populations, we observe that a sub-population of cells contain 3x greater plasmids/nucleus but express nearly 100x more transgene than other cells within a single transfection reaction. Taken together these results suggest the importance of considering the processes downstream from nuclear entry for strategies to improve the efficiency of gene transfer reagents.

Peptide-modified vectors for nucleic acid delivery to neurons

Neuron-targeted nucleic acid delivery systems are important technologies for realizing the potential of gene therapy for nervous system disorders. However, neurons are difficult cells to transfect using non-viral vectors due in part to the specific and unique delivery challenges present in these cells. We have investigated several bioactive peptides for their ability to assist in overcoming delivery barriers in mammalian cells. We summarize here our recent progress in developing and applying peptide-modified polycations for nucleic acid delivery. In addition, we present data demonstrating the potential of using multicomponent, peptide-modified polycations for nucleic acid delivery to neurons.

Active intracellular transport of nanoparticles: opportunity or threat?

Active transport mechanisms, relying on motor proteins or polymerization of cytoskeletal filaments, play a central role in the uptake of nanoparticles by cells. While active transport can enhance the effectiveness of nanoparticle therapeutics, it also contributes to the toxicity of nanoparticles released to the environment. In work published in an article in this issue, Galya Orr and colleagues investigated the role of active transport in the interaction of different types of silica particles with alveolar epithelial cells, which are found on the inner surface of the lung.

Nonviral approaches for neuronal delivery of nucleic acids

The delivery of therapeutic nucleic acids to neurons has the potential to treat neurological disease and spinal cord injury. While select viral vectors have shown promise as gene carriers to neurons, their potential as therapeutic agents is limited by their toxicity and immunogenicity, their broad tropism, and the cost of large-scale formulation. Nonviral vectors are an attractive alternative in that they offer improved safety profiles compared to viruses, are less expensive to produce, and can be targeted to specific neuronal subpopulations. However, most nonviral vectors suffer from significantly lower transfection efficiencies than neurotropic viruses, severely limiting their utility in neuron-targeted delivery applications. To realize the potential of nonviral delivery technology in neurons, vectors must be designed to overcome a series of extra- and intracellular barriers. In this article, we describe the challenges preventing successful nonviral delivery of nucleic acids to neurons and review strategies aimed at overcoming these challenges.