Endoplasmic reticulum retention, degradation, and aggregation of olfactory G-protein coupled receptors

Enhancement of transcription efficiency by TAR-Tat system increases the functional expression of human olfactory receptors

Humans have approximately 400 different olfactory receptors (hORs) and recognize odorants through the repertoire of hOR responses. Although the cell surface expression of hORs is critical to evaluate their response, hORs are poorly expressed on the surface of heterologous cells. To address this problem, previous studies have focused on hOR transportation to the membrane. Nevertheless, the response pattern of hORs to odorants has yet to be successfully linked, and the response sensitivity still remains to be improved. In this study, we demonstrate that increasing the transcriptional level can result in a significant increase in cell surface and functional expression of hORs. We used the TAR-Tat system, which increases the transcription efficiency through positive feedback, and found that OR1A1, OR6N2, and OR51M1 exhibited robust expression. Moreover, this system induces enhanced hOR responses to odorants, thus defining four hORs as novel n-hexanal receptors and n-hexanal is an inverse agonist to one of them. Our results suggested that using the TAR-Tat system and increasing the transcriptional level of hORs can help understanding the relationship between hORs and odorants that were previously undetectable. This finding could facilitate the understanding of the sense of smell by decoding the repertoire of hOR responses.

Olfactory Receptor OR2K2 Expression in Human Choroid Plexus as a Potential Marker in Early Sporadic Alzheimer's Disease

Epithelial cells comprising the choroid plexus (CP) form a crucial barrier between the blood and the cerebrospinal fluid, thereby assuming a central position in brain homeostasis and signaling. Mounting evidence suggests that the impairment of CP function may be a significant contributor to Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis. CP function relies on the expression of specific receptors, and the potential involvement of olfactory receptors (ORs) and taste receptors (TASRs) in chemical surveillance within the CP is being investigated. Previous studies have implicated ORs and TASRs in neurodegenerative disorders like AD, although the direct evidence of their expression in the human CP remains to be established. In this study, we conducted a transcriptomic analysis encompassing eleven ORs and TASRs in the CP, comparing samples from healthy age-matched controls to those from patients with AD spanning Braak stages I to VI. Among these receptors, a striking finding emerged-OR2K2 exhibited robust expression, with a statistically significant upregulation noted at Braak stage I. Surprisingly, at the protein level, OR2K2 showed a significant decrease in both Braak stage I and VI. Additionally, we identified CP epithelial cells as the source of OR2K2 expression, where it colocalized with autophagy markers LC3 and p62. We postulate that OR2K2 could be subjected to degradation by autophagy in the early stages of AD, triggering a compensatory mechanism that leads to increased OR2K2 mRNA transcription. This study uncovers a potential role for OR2K2 in AD pathogenesis, offering a novel perspective on the intricate dynamics at play in this neurodegenerative disorder.

M2OR: a database of olfactory receptor-odorant pairs for understanding the molecular mechanisms of olfaction

Mammalian sense of smell is triggered by interaction between odorant molecules and a class of proteins, called olfactory receptors (ORs). These receptors, expressed at the surface of olfactory sensory neurons, encode myriad of distinct odors via a sophisticated activation pattern. However, determining the molecular recognition spectrum of ORs remains a major challenge. The Molecule to Olfactory Receptor database (M2OR, https://m2or.chemsensim.fr/) provides curated data that allows an easy exploration of the current state of the research on OR-molecule interaction. We have gathered a database of 75,050 bioassay experiments for 51 395 distinct OR-molecule pairs. Drawn from published literature and public databases, M2OR contains information about OR responses to molecules and their mixtures, receptor sequences and experimental details. Users can obtain information on the activity of a chosen molecule or a group of molecules, or search for agonists for a specific OR or a group of ORs. Advanced search allows for fine-grained queries using various metadata such as species or experimental assay system, and the database can be queried by multiple inputs via a batch search. Finally, for a given search query, users can access and download a curated aggregation of the experimental data into a binarized combinatorial code of olfaction.

Understanding the molecular mechanisms of odorant binding and activation of the human OR52 family

Structural and mechanistic studies on human odorant receptors (ORs), key in olfactory signaling, are challenging because of their low surface expression in heterologous cells. The recent structure of OR51E2 bound to propionate provided molecular insight into odorant recognition, but the lack of an inactive OR structure limited understanding of the activation mechanism of ORs upon odorant binding. Here, we determined the cryo-electron microscopy structures of consensus OR52 (OR52cs), a representative of the OR52 family, in the ligand-free (apo) and octanoate-bound states. The apo structure of OR52cs reveals a large opening between transmembrane helices (TMs) 5 and 6. A comparison between the apo and active structures of OR52cs demonstrates the inward and outward movements of the extracellular and intracellular segments of TM6, respectively. These results, combined with molecular dynamics simulations and signaling assays, shed light on the molecular mechanisms of odorant binding and activation of the OR52 family.

TOLLIP acts as a cargo adaptor to promote lysosomal degradation of aberrant ER membrane proteins

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) proteostasis is maintained by various catabolic pathways. Lysosomes clear entire ER portions by ER-phagy, while proteasomes selectively clear misfolded or surplus aberrant proteins by ER-associated degradation (ERAD). Recently, lysosomes have also been implicated in the selective clearance of aberrant ER proteins, but the molecular basis remains unclear. Here, we show that the phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate (PI3P)-binding protein TOLLIP promotes selective lysosomal degradation of aberrant membrane proteins, including an artificial substrate and motoneuron disease-causing mutants of VAPB and Seipin. These cargos are recognized by TOLLIP through its misfolding-sensing intrinsically disordered region (IDR) and ubiquitin-binding CUE domain. In contrast to ER-phagy receptors, which clear both native and aberrant proteins by ER-phagy, TOLLIP selectively clears aberrant cargos by coupling them with the PI3P-dependent lysosomal trafficking without promoting bulk ER turnover. Moreover, TOLLIP depletion augments ER stress after ERAD inhibition, indicating that TOLLIP and ERAD cooperatively safeguard ER proteostasis. Our study identifies TOLLIP as a unique type of cargo-specific adaptor dedicated to the clearance of aberrant ER cargos and provides insights into molecular mechanisms underlying lysosome-mediated quality control of membrane proteins.

Engineered odorant receptors illuminate structural principles of odor discrimination

A central challenge in olfaction is understanding how the olfactory system detects and distinguishes odorants with diverse physicochemical properties and molecular configurations. Vertebrate animals perceive odors via G protein-coupled odorant receptors (ORs). In humans, ~400 ORs enable the sense of smell. The OR family is composed of two major classes: Class I ORs are tuned to carboxylic acids while Class II ORs, representing the vast majority of the human repertoire, respond to a wide variety of odorants. How ORs recognize chemically diverse odorants remains poorly understood. A fundamental bottleneck is the inability to visualize odorant binding to ORs. Here, we uncover fundamental molecular properties of odorant-OR interactions by employing engineered ORs crafted using a consensus protein design strategy. Because such consensus ORs (consORs) are derived from the 17 major subfamilies of human ORs, they provide a template for modeling individual native ORs with high sequence and structural homology. The biochemical tractability of consORs enabled four cryoEM structures of distinct consORs with unique ligand recognition properties. The structure of a Class I consOR, consOR51, showed high structural similarity to the native human receptor OR51E2 and yielded a homology model of a related member of the human OR51 family with high predictive power. Structures of three Class II consORs revealed distinct modes of odorant-binding and activation mechanisms between Class I and Class II ORs. Thus, the structures of consORs lay the groundwork for understanding molecular recognition of odorants by the OR superfamily.

Developing human olfactory network and exploring olfactory receptor-odorant interaction

The Olfactory receptor (OR)-odorant interactions are perplexed. ORs can bind to structurally diverse odorants associated with one or more odor percepts. Various attempts have been made to understand the intricacies of OR-odorant interaction. In this study, experimentally documented OR-odorant interactions are investigated comprehensively to; (a) suggest potential odor percepts for ORs based on the OR-OR network; (b) determine how odorants interacting with specific ORs differ in terms of inherent pharmacophoric features and molecular properties, (c) identify molecular interactions that explained OR-odorant interactions of selective ORs; and (d) predict the probable role of ORs other than olfaction. Human olfactory receptor network (hORnet) is developed to study possible odor percepts for ORs. We identified six molecular properties which showed variation and significant patterns to differentiate odorants binding with five ORs. The pharmacophore analysis revealed that odorants subset of five ORs follow similar pharmacophore hypothesis, (one hydrogen acceptor and two hydrophobic regions) but differ in terms of distance and orientation of pharmacophoric features. To ascertain the binding site residues and key interactions between the selected ORs and their interacting odorants, 3D-structure modelling, docking and molecular dynamics studies were carried out. Lastly, the potential role of ORs beyond olfaction is explored. A human OR-OR network was developed to suggest possible odor percepts for ORs using empirically proven OR-odorant interactions. We sought to find out significant characteristics, molecular properties, and molecular interactions that could explain OR-odorant interactions and add to the understanding of the complex issue of odor perception.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

ER-to-lysosome-associated degradation in a nutshell: mammalian, yeast, and plant ER-phagy as induced by misfolded proteins

Conserved catabolic pathways operate to remove aberrant polypeptides from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), the major biosynthetic organelle of eukaryotic cells. The best known are the ER-associated degradation (ERAD) pathways that control the retrotranslocation of terminally misfolded proteins across the ER membrane for clearance by the cytoplasmic ubiquitin/proteasome system. In this review, we catalog folding-defective mammalian, yeast, and plant proteins that fail to engage ERAD machineries. We describe that they rather segregate in ER subdomains that eventually vesiculate. These ER-derived vesicles are captured by double membrane autophagosomes, engulfed by endolysosomes/vacuoles, or fused with degradative organelles to clear cells from their toxic cargo. These client-specific, mechanistically diverse ER-phagy pathways are grouped under the umbrella term of ER-to-lysosome-associated degradation for description in this essay.

Human Olfactory Receptor Sensor for Odor Reconstitution

Among the five human senses, light, sound, and force perceived by the eye, ear, and skin, respectively are physical phenomena, and therefore can be easily measured and expressed as objective, univocal, and simple digital data with physical quantity. However, as taste and odor molecules perceived by the tongue and nose are chemical phenomena, it has been difficult to express them as objective and univocal digital data, since no reference chemicals can be defined. Therefore, while the recording, saving, transmitting to remote locations, and replaying of human visual, auditory, and tactile information as digital data in digital devices have been realized (this series of data flow is defined as DX (digital transformation) in this review), the DX of human taste and odor information is not yet in the realization stage. Particularly, since there are at least 400,000 types of odor molecules and an infinite number of complex odors that are mixtures of these molecules, it has been considered extremely difficult to realize "human olfactory DX" by converting all odors perceived by human olfaction into digital data. In this review, we discuss the current status and future prospects of the development of "human olfactory DX", which we believe can be realized by utilizing odor sensors that employ the olfactory receptors (ORs) that support human olfaction as sensing molecules (i.e., human OR sensor).

Identification and Characterization of Proteins That Are Involved in RTP1S-Dependent Transport of Olfactory Receptors

Olfaction is mediated via olfactory receptors (ORs) that are expressed on the cilia membrane of olfactory sensory neurons in the olfactory epithelium. The functional expression of most ORs requires the assistance of receptor-transporting proteins (RTPs). We examined the interactome of RTP1S and OR via proximity biotinylation. Deubiquitinating protein VCIP135, the F-actin-capping protein sub-unit alpha-2, and insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 2 were biotinylated via AirID fused with OR, RTP1S-AirID biotinylated heat shock protein A6 (HSPA6), and double-stranded RNA-binding protein Staufen homolog 2 (STAU2). Co-expression of HSPA6 partially enhanced the surface expression of Olfr544. The surface expression of Olfr544 increased by 50-80%. This effect was also observed when RTP1S was co-expressed. Almost identical results were obtained from the co-expression of STAU2. The interactions of HSPA6 and STAU2 with RTP1S were examined using a NanoBit assay. The results show that the RTP1S N-terminus interacted with the C-terminal domain of HSP6A and the N-terminal domain of STAU2. In contrast, OR did not significantly interact with STAU2 and HSPA6. Thus, HSP6A and STAU2 appear to be involved in the process of OR traffic through interaction with RTP1S.

An odorant receptor that senses four classes of musk compounds

Musk was originally identified in male musk deer and other mammals to mark territories and attract females. In humans, musk compounds are widely used in perfumes and consumer products for their superior perceptual odor quality.^1,2,3,4,5 Strikingly diverse natural and synthetic chemicals have exhibited a similar "musky" odor, which has resulted in diverse models of musk odor perception and raises questions regarding the simplistic associations between chemical features and odor quality. Scientists' lack of understanding of this principle has hampered the design of a novel musk compound. Here, we functionally identified the odorant receptor, OR5A2, as a receptor for the musky odor of diverse musk compounds. First, we discovered that engineered OR5A2 with enhanced expression in heterologous cells is sensitive to and selective of musk compounds in all four structural classes. Second, the clarified functional variation of OR5A2 accounts for the reported association between genetic variation and perception in a musk compound. Finally, the revealed ligand selectivity of OR5A2 provides insight into developing a trained model to use machine learning-based virtual screening on candidates for a new musk compound. We propose that OR5A2 contributes to the long-sought gateway of sensing musk compounds and generating their unique odor quality.

A GPCR-based yeast biosensor for biomedical, biotechnological, and point-of-use cannabinoid determination

Eukaryotic cells use G-protein coupled receptors to sense diverse signals, ranging from chemical compounds to light. Here, we exploit the remarkable sensing capacity of G-protein coupled receptors to construct yeast-based biosensors for real-life applications. To establish proof-of-concept, we focus on cannabinoids because of their neuromodulatory and immunomodulatory activities. We construct a CB₂ receptor-based biosensor, optimize it to achieve high sensitivity and dynamic range, and prove its effectiveness in three applications of increasing difficulty. First, we screen a compound library to discover agonists and antagonists. Second, we analyze 54 plants to discover a new phytocannabinoid, dugesialactone. Finally, we develop a robust portable device, analyze body-fluid samples, and confidently detect designer drugs like JWH-018. These examples demonstrate the potential of yeast-based biosensors to enable diverse applications that can be implemented by non-specialists. Taking advantage of the extensive sensing repertoire of G-protein coupled receptors, this technology can be extended to detect numerous compounds.

GPCRs are used for diverse sensing in eukaryotes. Here the authors use GPCRs to construct yeast-based biosensors, focussing on cannabinoids, and use these to screen agonists and antagonists, as well as generate a portable detection device.

Interactions among key residues regulate mammalian odorant receptor trafficking

Odorant receptors (ORs) expressed in mammalian olfactory sensory neurons are essential for the sense of smell. However, structure-function studies of many ORs are hampered by unsuccessful heterologous expression. To understand and eventually overcome this bottleneck, we performed heterologous expression and functional assays of over 80 OR variants and chimeras. Combined with literature data and machine learning, we found that the transmembrane domain 4 (TM4) and its interactions with neighbor residues are important for OR functional expression. The data highlight critical roles of T^4.62 therein. ORs that fail to reach the cell membrane can be rescued by modifications in TM4. Consequently, such modifications in MOR256-3 (Olfr124) also alter OR responses to odorants. T161^4.62 P causes the retention of MOR256-3 in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), while T161^4.62 P/T148^4.49 A reverses the retention and makes receptor trafficking to cell membrane. This study offers new clues toward wide-range functional studies of mammalian ORs.

Functional analysis of human olfactory receptors with a high basal activity using LNCaP cell line

Humans use a family of more than 400 olfactory receptors (ORs) to detect odorants. However, deorphanization of ORs is a critical issue because the functional properties of more than 80% of ORs remain unknown, thus, hampering our understanding of the relationship between receptor function and perception. HEK293 cells are the most commonly used heterologous expression system to determine the function of a given OR; however, they cannot functionally express a majority of ORs probably due to a lack of factor(s) required in cells in which ORs function endogenously. Interestingly, ORs have been known to be expressed in a variety of cells outside the nose and play critical physiological roles. These findings prompted us to test the capacity of cells to functionally express a specific repertoire of ORs. In this study, we selected three cell lines that endogenously express functional ORs. We demonstrated that human prostate carcinoma (LNCaP) cell lines successfully identified novel ligands for ORs that were not recognized when expressed in HEK293 cells. Further experiments suggested that the LNCaP cell line was effective for functional expression of ORs, especially with a high basal activity, which impeded the sensitive detection of ligand-mediated activity of ORs. This report provides an efficient functional assay system for a specific repertoire of ORs that cannot be characterized in current cell systems.

Sequence coevolution and structure stabilization modulate olfactory receptor expression

Olfactory receptors (ORs) belong to class A G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) and are activated by a variety of odorants. To date, there is no three-dimensional structure of an OR available. One of the major bottlenecks in obtaining purified protein for structural studies of ORs is their poor expression in heterologous cells. To design mutants that enhance expression and thereby enable protein purification, we first identified computable physical properties that recapitulate OR and class A GPCR expression and further conducted an iterative computational prediction-experimental test cycle and generated human OR mutants that express as high as biogenic amine receptors for which structures have been solved. In the process of developing the computational method to recapitulate the expression of ORs in membranes, we identified properties, such as amino acid sequence coevolution, and the strength of the interactions between intracellular loop 1 (ICL1) and the helix 8 region of ORs, to enhance their heterologous expression. We identified mutations that are directly located in these regions as well as other mutations not located in these regions but allosterically strengthen the ICL1-helix 8 enhance expression. These mutants also showed functional responses to known odorants. This method to enhance heterologous expression of mammalian ORs will facilitate high-throughput "deorphanization" of ORs, and enable OR purification for biochemical and structural studies to understand odorant-OR interactions.

Hot Spot Mutagenesis Improves the Functional Expression of Unique Mammalian Odorant Receptors

Vertebrate animals detect odors through olfactory receptors (ORs), members of the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) family. Due to the difficulty in the heterologous expression of ORs, studies of their odor molecule recognition mechanisms have progressed poorly. Functional expression of most ORs in heterologous cells requires the co-expression of their chaperone proteins, receptor transporting proteins (RTPs). Yet, some ORs were found to be functionally expressed without the support of RTP (RTP-independent ORs). In this study, we investigated whether amino acid residues highly conserved among RTP-independent ORs improve the functional expression of ORs in heterologous cells. We found that a single amino acid substitution at one of two sites (N_BW3.39 and 3.43) in their conserved residues (E and L, respectively) significantly improved the functional expression of ORs in heterologous cells. E^3.39 and L^3.43 also enhanced the membrane expression of RTP-dependent ORs in the absence of RTP. These changes did not alter the odorant responsiveness of the tested ORs. Our results showed that specific sites within transmembrane domains regulate the membrane expression of some ORs.

Thyrotropin Receptor p.N432D Retained Variant Is Degraded Through an Alternative Lysosomal/Autophagosomal Pathway and Can Be Functionally Rescued by Chemical Chaperones

Background: Loss-of-function mutations of thyrotropin receptor (TSHR) are one of the main causes of congenital hypothyroidism. As for many disease-associated G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), these mutations often affect the correct trafficking and maturation of the receptor, thus impairing the expression on the cell surface. Several retained GPCR mutants are able to effectively bind their ligands and to transduce signals when they are forced to the cell surface by degradation inhibition or by treatment with chaperones. Despite the large number of well-characterized retained TSHR mutants, no attempts have been made for rescue. Further, little is known about TSHR degradation pathways. We hypothesize that, similar to other GPCRs, TSHR retained mutants may be at least partially functional if their maturation and membrane expression is facilitated by chaperones or degradation inhibitors. Methods: We performed in silico predictions of the functionality of known TSHR variants and compared the results with available in vitro data. Western blot, confocal microscopy, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, and dual luciferase assays were used to investigate the effects of degradation pathways inhibition and of chemical chaperone treatments on TSHR variants' maturation and functionality. Results: We found a high discordance rate between in silico predictions and in vitro data for retained TSHR variants, a fact indicative of a conserved potential to initiate signal transduction if these mutants were expressed on the cell surface. We show experimentally that some maturation defective TSHR mutants are able to effectively transduce Gs/cAMP signaling if their maturation and expression are enhanced by using chemical chaperones. Further, through the characterization of the intracellular retained p.N432D variant, we provide new insights on the TSHR degradation mechanism, as our results suggest that aggregation-prone mutant can be directed toward the autophagosomal pathway instead of the canonical proteasome system. Conclusions: Our study reveals alternative pathways for TSHR degradation. Retained TSHR variants can be functional when expressed on the cell surface membrane, thus opening the possibility of further studies on the pharmacological modulation of TSHR expression and functionality in patients in whom TSHR signaling is disrupted.

Conserved C-terminal motifs in odorant receptors instruct their cell surface expression and cAMP signaling

The highly individual plasma membrane expression and cAMP signaling of odorant receptors have hampered their ligand assignment and functional characterization in test cell systems. Chaperones have been identified to support the cell surface expression of only a portion of odorant receptors, with mechanisms remaining unclear. The presence of amino acid motifs that might be responsible for odorant receptors' individual intracellular retention or cell surface expression, and thus, for cAMP signaling, is under debate: so far, no such protein motifs have been suggested. Here, we demonstrate the existence of highly conserved C-terminal amino acid motifs, which discriminate at least between class-I and class-II odorant receptors, with their numbers of motifs increasing during evolution, by comparing C-terminal protein sequences from 4808 receptors across eight species. Truncation experiments and mutation analysis of C-terminal motifs, largely overlapping with helix 8, revealed single amino acids and their combinations to have differential impact on the cell surface expression and on stimulus-dependent cAMP signaling of odorant receptors in NxG 108CC15 cells. Our results demonstrate class-specific and individual C-terminal motif equipment of odorant receptors, which instruct their functional expression in a test cell system, and in situ may regulate their individual cell surface expression and intracellular cAMP signaling.

The Sniffing Kidney: Roles for Renal Olfactory Receptors in Health and Disease

Olfactory receptors (ORs) represent the largest gene family in the human genome. Despite their name, functions exist for these receptors outside of the nose. Among the tissues known to take advantage of OR signaling is the kidney. From mouse to man, the list of renal ORs continues to expand, and they have now been linked to a variety of processes involved in the maintenance of renal homeostasis, including the modulation of blood pressure, response to acidemia, and the development of diabetes. In this review, we highlight the recent progress made on the growing appreciation for renal ORs in physiology and pathophysiology.

Engineering G protein-coupled receptor signalling in yeast for biotechnological and medical purposes

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) comprise the largest class of membrane proteins in the human genome, with a common denominator of seven-transmembrane domains largely conserved among eukaryotes. Yeast is naturally armoured with three different GPCRs for pheromone and sugar sensing, with the pheromone pathway being extensively hijacked for characterising heterologous GPCR signalling in a model eukaryote. This review focusses on functional GPCR studies performed in yeast and on the elucidated hotspots for engineering, and discusses both endogenous and heterologous GPCR signalling. Key emphasis will be devoted to studies describing important engineering parameters to consider for successful coupling of GPCRs to the yeast mating pathway. We also review the various means of applying yeast for studying GPCRs, including the use of yeast armed with heterologous GPCRs as a platform for (i) deorphanisation of orphan receptors, (ii) metabolic engineering of yeast for production of bioactive products and (iii) medical applications related to pathogen detection and drug discovery. Finally, this review summarises the current challenges related to expression of functional membrane-bound GPCRs in yeast and discusses the opportunities to continue capitalising on yeast as a model chassis for functional GPCR signalling studies.

Structural basis for distinct quality control mechanisms of GABAB receptor during evolution

Cell surface trafficking of many G protein-coupled receptors is tightly regulated. Among them, the mandatory heterodimer GABA_B receptor for the main inhibitory neurotransmitter, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), is a model. In mammals, its cell surface trafficking is highly controlled by an endoplasmic reticulum retention signal in the C-terminal intracellular region of the GB1 subunit that is masked through a coiled-coil interaction with the GB2 subunit. Here, we investigate the molecular basis for the export of its homolog in Drosophila melanogaster that regulates the circadian rhythm and sleep. In contrast to mammals, the endoplasmic retention signal is carried by GB2, while GB1 reaches the cell surface alone. NMR analysis showed that the coiled-coil domain that controls GABA_B heterodimer formation is structurally conserved between flies and mammals, despite specific features. These findings show the adaptation of a similar quality control system during evolution for maintaining the subunit composition of a functional heterodimeric receptor.

Pathological Aspects of COVID-19 as a Conformational Disease and the Use of Pharmacological Chaperones as a Potential Therapeutic Strategy

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the seventh human coronavirus infectious disease, was first reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, followed by its rapid spread globally (251,059 deaths, on May 5, 2020, by Johns Hopkins University). An early clinical report showed that fever, cough, fatigue, sputum production, and myalgia were initial symptoms, with the development of pneumonia as the disease progressed. Increases in the level of serum liver enzymes, D-dimer, cardiac troponin I, and creatinine have been observed in severely ill patients, indicating that multiple organ failure had occurred in these cases. Lymphopenia and an increase in interleukin-6 (IL-6) were also observed. Although COVID-19 patients are administered glucocorticoid therapy to treat the excessive immune response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, the efficacy of this form of therapy is unclear. Viremia is observed in severe cases, suggesting that in addition to type II alveolar epithelial cells, many cell types, such as vascular endothelial cells, cardiomyocytes, renal tubular cells, neuronal cells, and lymphocytes, may be damaged. The improvement of survival rates requires elucidation of the mechanism by which cellular damage occurs during viral infection. Cellular therapy, along with organ support systems such as oxygen therapy, artificial ventilation, extra corporeal membrane oxygenation and dialysis, as well as antiviral therapy, are required. Viral replication in infected host cells may perturb protein folding in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), causing ER stress. Although an adaptive cellular response, i.e. the unfolded protein response, can compensate for the misfolded protein burden to some extent, continued viral proliferation may induce inflammation and cell death. Therefore, we propose that proteostasis dysfunction may cause conformational disorders in COVID-19. The application of pharmacological chaperone therapy to treat COVID-19 patients is additionally discussed.

Electrochemical biosensing with odorant binding proteins

The development of sensors that mimic the natural smell sensing mechanism and selectively recognizes the odorants remains highly challenging. Electrochemical based sensing approaches aiming at monitoring molecular recognition events between surface receptors and analytes in solution or in the gas phase, are one possible transduction platforms among others for the construction of an artificial nose. The principle of electrochemical detection lies on the shift of the potential/current during the recognition event, which is proportional to the concentration of the analyte, in our case the odorant. A tremendous amount of efforts has been put into making electrochemical sensors sensitive and selective to the analyte of interest through the use of nanomaterials, development of different detection schemes and application of innovative receptor ligands for selective detection of the analyte. There have been significant advances in electrochemical based odorant sensing by using odorant binding proteins (OBP) as surface receptors, small soluble proteins present in nasal mucus at millimolar concentrations where the hydrophobic binding pocket gives the ability to reversibly bind odorant molecules. As OBPs are robust and easy to produce receptors, they are good candidates for the design of biosensors. In this chapter, we focus on the progress made on the detection of odorant molecules using OBPs as a bioreceptor and electrochemistry as a transduction method.

ER-Phagy: Quality Control and Turnover of Endoplasmic Reticulum

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the largest organelle in cells and has fundamental functions, such as folding, processing, and trafficking of proteins, cellular metabolism, and ion storage. To maintain its function, it is turned over constitutively, and even more actively under certain stress conditions. Quality control of the ER is mediated primarily by two pathways: the ubiquitin-proteasome system and autophagy (termed 'ER-phagy'). The identification of ER-phagy adaptor molecules has shed light on the mechanisms and physiological significance of ER-phagy. Here, we describe recent findings on various types of ER-phagy and present unanswered questions related to their mechanism and regulation.

Structural instability and divergence from conserved residues underlie intracellular retention of mammalian odorant receptors

Mammalian odorant receptors are a diverse and rapidly evolving set of G protein-coupled receptors expressed in olfactory cilia membranes. Most odorant receptors show little to no cell surface expression in nonolfactory cells due to endoplasmic reticulum retention, which has slowed down biochemical studies. Here we provide evidence that structural instability and divergence from conserved residues of individual odorant receptors underlie intracellular retention using a combination of large-scale screening of odorant receptors cell surface expression in heterologous cells, point mutations, structural modeling, and machine learning techniques. We demonstrate the importance of conserved residues by synthesizing consensus odorant receptors that show high levels of cell surface expression similar to conventional G protein-coupled receptors. Furthermore, we associate in silico structural instability with poor cell surface expression using molecular dynamics simulations. We propose an enhanced evolutionary capacitance of olfactory sensory neurons that enable the functional expression of odorant receptors with cryptic mutations.

The N-terminal region of RTP1S plays important roles in dimer formation and odorant receptor-trafficking

Receptor-transporting protein 1S (RTP1S) is an accessory protein that mediates the transport of mammalian odorant receptors (ORs) into the plasma membrane. Although most ORs fail to localize to the cell surface when expressed alone in nonolfactory cells, functional expression of ORs is achieved with the coexpression of RTP1S. However, the mechanism for RTP1S-mediated OR trafficking remains unclear. In this study, we attempted to reveal the mode of action and critical residues of RTP1S in OR trafficking. Experiments using N-terminal truncation and Ala substitution mutants of RTP1S demonstrated that four N-terminal amino acids have essential roles in OR trafficking. Additionally, using recombinant proteins and split luciferase assays in mammalian cells, we provided evidence for the dimer formation of RTP1S. Furthermore, we determined that the 2nd Cys residue is required for the efficient dimerization of RTP1S. Altogether, these findings provide insights into the mechanism for plasma membrane transport of ORs by RTP1S.

Characterizing novel olfactory receptors expressed in the murine renal cortex

The kidney uses specialized G protein-coupled receptors, including olfactory receptors (ORs), to act as sensors of molecules and metabolites. In the present study, we cloned and studied seven renal ORs, which we previously found to be expressed in the murine renal cortex. As most ORs are orphan receptors, our goal was to identify ligands for these ORs in the hope that this will guide future research into their functional roles. We identified novel ligands for two ORs: Olfr558 and Olfr90. For Olfr558, we confirmed activation by previously reported ligands and identified 16 additional carboxylic acids that activated this OR. The strongest activation of Olfr558 was produced by butyric, cyclobutanecarboxylic, isovaleric, 2-methylvaleric, 3-methylvaleric, 4-methylvaleric, and valeric acids. The primary in vivo source of both butyric and isovaleric acids is gut microbial metabolism. We also identified 14 novel ligands that activated Olfr90, the strongest of which were 2-methyl-4-propyl-1,3-oxathiane, 1-octen-3-ol, 2-octanol, and 3-octanol. Interestingly, 8 of these 14 ligands are of fungal origin. We also investigated the tissue distribution of these receptors and found that they are each found in a subset of "nonsensory" tissues. Finally, we examined the putative human orthologs of Olfr558 and Olfr90 and found that the human ortholog of Olfr558 (OR51E1) has a similar ligand profile, indicating that the role of this OR is likely evolutionarily conserved. In summary, we examined seven novel renal ORs and identified new ligands for Olfr558 and Olfr90, which imply that both of these receptors serve to detect metabolites produced by microorganisms.

A Scalable, Multiplexed Assay for Decoding GPCR-Ligand Interactions with RNA Sequencing

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are central to how mammalian cells sense and respond to chemicals. Mammalian olfactory receptors (ORs), the largest family of GPCRs, mediate the sense of smell through activation by small molecules, though for most bonafide ligands, they have not been identified. Here, we introduce a platform to screen large chemical panels against multiplexed GPCR libraries using next-generation sequencing of barcoded genetic reporters in stably engineered human cell lines. We mapped 39 mammalian ORs against 181 odorants and identified 79 interactions that have not been reported to our knowledge, including ligands for 15 previously orphaned receptors. This multiplexed receptor assay allows the cost-effective mapping of large chemical libraries to receptor repertoires at scale.

Progress in the development of olfactory-based bioelectronic chemosensors

Artificial chemosensory devices have a wide range of applications in industry, security, and medicine. The development of these devices has been inspired by the speed, sensitivity, and selectivity by which the olfactory system in animals can probe the chemical nature of the environment. In this review, we examine how molecular and cellular components of natural olfactory systems have been incorporated into artificial chemosensors, or bioelectronic sensors. We focus on the biological material that has been combined with signal transduction systems to develop artificial chemosensory devices. The strengths and limitations of different biological chemosensory material at the heart of these devices, as well as the reported overall effectiveness of the different bioelectronic sensor designs, is examined. This review also discusses future directions and challenges for continuing to advance development of bioelectronic sensors.

Live-cell Measurement of Odorant Receptor Activation Using a Real-time cAMP Assay

The enormous sizes of the mammalian odorant receptor (OR) families present difficulties to find their cognate ligands among numerous volatile chemicals. To efficiently and accurately deorphanize ORs, we combine the use of a heterologous cell line to express mammalian ORs and a genetically modified biosensor plasmid to measure cAMP production downstream of OR activation in real time. This assay can be used to screen odorants against ORs and vice versa. Positive odorant-receptor interactions from the screens can be subsequently confirmed by testing against various odor concentrations, generating concentration-response curves. Here we used this method to perform a high-throughput screening of an odorous compound against a human OR library expressed in Hana3A cells and confirmed that the positively-responding receptor is the cognate receptor for the compound of interest. We found this high-throughput detection method to be efficient and reliable in assessing OR activation and our data provide an example of its potential use in OR functional studies.

Receptor-transporting protein (RTP) family members play divergent roles in the functional expression of odorant receptors

Receptor transporting protein (RTP) family members, RTP1S and RTP2, are accessory proteins to mammalian odorant receptors (ORs). They are expressed in the olfactory sensory neurons and facilitate OR trafficking to the cell-surface membrane and ligand-induced responses in heterologous cells. We previously identified different domains in RTP1S that are important for different stages of OR trafficking, odorant-mediated responses, and interaction with ORs. However, the exact roles of RTP2 and the significance of the requirement of the seemingly redundant co-expression of the two RTP proteins in vivo have received less attention in the past. Here we attempted to dissect the functional differences between RTP1S and RTP2 using a HEK293T cell-based OR heterologous expression system. When a set of 24 ORs were tested against 28 cognate ligands, unlike RTP1S, which always showed a robust ability to support odorant-mediated responses, RTP2 had little or no effect on OR responses and exhibited a suppressive effect over that of RTP1S for a subset of the ORs tested. RTP1S and RTP2 showed no significant difference in OR ligand selectivity and co-transfection with RTP2 increased the detection threshold for some ORs. A protein-protein interaction analysis showed positive interactions among OR, RTP1S, and RTP2, corroborating the functional linkages among the three molecules. Finally, further cell-surface and permeabilized immunocytochemical studies revealed that OR and the co-expressed RTP1S proteins were retained in the Golgi when co-transfected with RTP2, indicating that RTP1S and RTP2 could play different roles in the OR trafficking process. By examining the functional differentiations between the two RTP family members, we provided a molecular level explanation to the suppressive effect exerted by RTP2, shedding light on the divergent mechanisms underlying the RTP proteins in regulating the functional expression of ORs.

Olfactory receptor accessory proteins play crucial roles in receptor function and gene choice

Each of the olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) chooses to express a single G protein-coupled olfactory receptor (OR) from a pool of hundreds. Here, we show the receptor transporting protein (RTP) family members play a dual role in both normal OR trafficking and determining OR gene choice probabilities. Rtp1 and Rtp2 double knockout mice (RTP1,2DKO) show OR trafficking defects and decreased OSN activation. Surprisingly, we discovered a small subset of the ORs are expressed in larger numbers of OSNs despite the presence of fewer total OSNs in RTP1,2DKO. Unlike typical ORs, some overrepresented ORs show robust cell surface expression in heterologous cells without the co-expression of RTPs. We present a model in which developing OSNs exhibit unstable OR expression until they choose to express an OR that exits the ER or undergo cell death. Our study sheds light on the new link between OR protein trafficking and OR transcriptional regulation.

Defining an olfactory receptor function in airway smooth muscle cells

Pathways that control, or can be exploited to alter, the increase in airway smooth muscle (ASM) mass and cellular remodeling that occur in asthma are not well defined. Here we report the expression of odorant receptors (ORs) belonging to the superfamily of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), as well as the canonical olfaction machinery (G_olf and AC3) in the smooth muscle of human bronchi. In primary cultures of isolated human ASM, we identified mRNA expression for multiple ORs. Strikingly, OR51E2 was the most highly enriched OR transcript mapped to the human olfactome in lung-resident cells. In a heterologous expression system, OR51E2 trafficked readily to the cell surface and showed ligand selectivity and sensitivity to the short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) acetate and propionate. These endogenous metabolic byproducts of the gut microbiota slowed the rate of cytoskeletal remodeling, as well as the proliferation of human ASM cells. These cellular responses in vitro were found in ASM from non-asthmatics and asthmatics, and were absent in OR51E2-deleted primary human ASM. These results demonstrate a novel chemo-mechanical signaling network in the ASM and serve as a proof-of-concept that a specific receptor of the gut-lung axis can be targeted to treat airflow obstruction in asthma.

A Renal Olfactory Receptor Aids in Kidney Glucose Handling

Olfactory receptors (ORs) are G protein-coupled receptors which serve important sensory functions beyond their role as odorant detectors in the olfactory epithelium. Here we describe a novel role for one of these ORs, Olfr1393, as a regulator of renal glucose handling. Olfr1393 is specifically expressed in the kidney proximal tubule, which is the site of renal glucose reabsorption. Olfr1393 knockout mice exhibit urinary glucose wasting and improved glucose tolerance, despite euglycemia and normal insulin levels. Consistent with this phenotype, Olfr1393 knockout mice have a significant decrease in luminal expression of Sglt1, a key renal glucose transporter, uncovering a novel regulatory pathway involving Olfr1393 and Sglt1. In addition, by utilizing a large scale screen of over 1400 chemicals we reveal the ligand profile of Olfr1393 for the first time, offering new insight into potential pathways of physiological regulation for this novel signaling pathway.

How does your kidney smell? Emerging roles for olfactory receptors in renal function

Olfactory receptors (ORs) are chemosensors that are responsible for one's sense of smell. In addition to this specialized role in the nose, recent evidence suggests that ORs are also found in a variety of additional tissues including the kidney. As this list of renal ORs continues to expand, it is becoming clear that they play important roles in renal and whole-body physiology, including a novel role in blood pressure regulation. In this review, we highlight important considerations that are crucial when studying ORs and present the current literature on renal ORs and their emerging relevance in maintaining renal function.

Topogenesis and cell surface trafficking of GPR34 are facilitated by positive-inside rule that effects through a tri-basic motif in the first intracellular loop

Protein folding, topogenesis and intracellular targeting of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) must be precisely coordinated to ensure correct receptor localization. To elucidate how different steps of GPCR biosynthesis work together, we investigated the process of membrane topology determination and how it relates to the acquisition of cell surface trafficking competence in human GPR34. By monitoring a fused FLAG-tag and a conformation-sensitive native epitope during the expression of GPR34 mutant panel, a tri-basic motif in the first intracellular loop was identified as the key topogenic signal that dictates the orientation of transmembrane domain-1 (TM1). Charge disruption of the motif perturbed topogenic processes and resulted in the conformational epitope loss, post-translational processing alteration, and trafficking arrest in the Golgi. The placement of a cleavable N-terminal signal sequence as a surrogate topogenic determinant overcame the effects of tri-basic motif mutations and rectified the TM1 orientation; thereby restored the conformational epitope, post-translational modifications, and cell surface trafficking altogether. Progressive N-tail truncation and site-directed mutagenesis revealed that a proline-rich segment of the N-tail and all four cysteines individually located in the four separate extracellular regions must simultaneously reside in the ER lumen to muster the conformational epitope. Oxidation of all four cysteines was necessary for the epitope formation, but the cysteine residues themselves were not required for the trafficking event. The underlying biochemical properties of the conformational epitope was therefore the key to understand mechanistic processes propelled by positive-inside rule that simultaneously regulate the topogenesis and intracellular trafficking of GPR34.

CRF binding protein facilitates the presence of CRF type 2α receptor on the cell surface

Corticotropin releasing factor binding protein (CRF-BP) was originally recognized as CRF sequestering protein. However, its differential subcellular localization in different brain nuclei suggests that CRF-BP may have additional functions. There is evidence that CRF-BP potentiates CRF and urocortin 1 actions through CRF type 2 receptors (CRF2R). CRF2R is a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) that is found mainly intracellularly as most GPCRs. The access of GPCRs to the cell surface is tightly regulated by escort proteins. We hypothesized that CRF-BP binds to CRF2R, exerting an escort protein role. We analyzed the colocalization of CRF-BP and CRF2R in cultured rat mesencephalic neurons, and the localization and interaction of heterologous expressed CRF-BP and CRF2αR in yeast, human embryonic kidney 293, and rat pheochromocytoma 12 cells. Our results showed that CRF-BP and CRF2R naturally colocalize in the neurites of cultured mesencephalic neurons. Heterologous expression of each protein showed that CRF-BP was localized mainly in secretory granules and CRF2αR in the endoplasmic reticulum. In contrast, CRF-BP and CRF2αR colocalized when both proteins are coexpressed. Here we show that CRF-BP physically interacts with the CRF2αR but not the CRF2βR isoform, increasing CRF2αR on the cell surface. Thus, CRF-BP emerges as a GPCR escort protein increasing the understanding of GPCR trafficking.

Do prion protein gene polymorphisms induce apoptosis in non-mammals?

Genetic variations such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in prion protein coding gene, Prnp, greatly affect susceptibility to prion diseases in mammals. Here, the coding region of Prnp was screened for polymorphisms in redeared turtle, Trachemys scripta. Four polymorphisms, L203V, N205I, V225A and M237V, were common in 15 out of 30 turtles; in one sample, three SNPs, L203V, N205I and M237V, and in the remaining 14 samples, only L203V and N205I polymorphisms, were investigated. Besides, C658T, C664T, C670A and C823A SNPs were silent mutations. To elucidate the relationship between the SNPs and apoptosis, TUNEL assays and active caspase-3 immunodetection techniques in brain sections of the polymorphic samples were performed. The results revealed that TUNEL-positive cells and active caspase-3-positive cells in the turtles with four polymorphisms were significantly increased compared with those of the turtles with two polymorphisms (P less than 0.01 and P less than 0.05, respectively). In conclusion, this study provides preliminary information about the possible relationship between SNPs within the Prnp locus and apoptosis in a non-mammalian species, Trachemys scripta, in which prion disease has never been reported.

Role of Carbonyl Modifications on Aging-Associated Protein Aggregation

Protein aggregation is a common biological phenomenon, observed in different physiological and pathological conditions. Decreased protein solubility and a tendency to aggregate is also observed during physiological aging but the causes are currently unknown. Herein we performed a biophysical separation of aging-related high molecular weight aggregates, isolated from the bone marrow and splenic cells of aging mice and followed by biochemical and mass spectrometric analysis. The analysis indicated that compared to younger mice an increase in protein post-translational carbonylation was observed. The causative role of these modifications in inducing protein misfolding and aggregation was determined by inducing carbonyl stress in young mice, which recapitulated the increased protein aggregation observed in old mice. Altogether our analysis indicates that oxidative stress-related post-translational modifications accumulate in the aging proteome and are responsible for increased protein aggregation and altered cell proteostasis.

Unravelling the Olfactory Sense: From the Gene to Odor Perception

Although neglected by science for a long time, the olfactory sense is now the focus of a panoply of studies that bring new insights and raises interesting questions regarding its functioning. The importance in the clarification of this process is of interest for science, but also motivated by the food and perfume industries boosted by a consumer society with increasingly demands for higher quality standards. In this review, a general overview of the state of art of science regarding the olfactory sense is presented with the main focus on the peripheral olfactory system. Special emphasis will be given to the deorphanization of the olfactory receptors (ORs), a critical issue because the specificity and functional properties of about 90% of human ORs remain unknown mainly due to the difficulties associated with the functional expression of ORs in high yields.

The G-protein coupled estrogen receptor, GPER: The inside and inside-out story

GPER possesses structural and functional characteristics shared by members of the G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) superfamily, the largest class of plasma membrane receptors. This newly appreciated estrogen receptor is localized predominately within intracellular membranes in most, but not all, cell types and its surface expression is modulated by steroid hormones and during tissue injury. An intracellular staining pattern is not unique among GPCRs, which employ a diverse array of molecular mechanisms that restrict cell surface expression and effectively regulating receptor binding and activation. The finding that GPER displays an intracellular predisposition has created some confusion as the estrogen-inducible transcription factors, ERα and ERβ, also reside intracellularly, and has led to complex suggestions of receptor interaction. GPER undergoes constitutive retrograde trafficking from the plasma membrane to the endoplasmic reticulum and recent studies indicate its interaction with PDZ binding proteins that sort transmembrane receptors to synaptosomes and endosomes. Genetic targeting and selective ligand approaches as well as cell models that express GPER in the absence of ERs clearly supports GPER as a bonafide "stand alone" receptor. Here, the molecular details that regulate GPER action, its cell biological activities and its implicated roles in physiological and pathological processes are reviewed.

In Vitro Mutational Analysis of the β2 Adrenergic Receptor, an In Vivo Surrogate Odorant Receptor

Many G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), such as odorant receptors (ORs), cannot be characterized in heterologous cells because of their difficulty in trafficking to the plasma membrane. In contrast, a surrogate OR, the GPCR mouse β2-adrenergic-receptor (mβ2AR), robustly traffics to the plasma membrane. We set out to characterize mβ2AR mutants in vitro for their eventual use in olfactory axon guidance studies. We performed an extensive mutational analysis of mβ2AR using a Green Fluorescent Protein-tagged mβ2AR (mβ2AR::GFP) to easily assess the extent of its plasma membrane localization. In order to characterize mutants for their ability to successfully transduce ligand-initiated signal cascades, we determined the half maximal effective concentrations (EC50) and maximal response to isoprenaline, a known mβ2AR agonist. Our analysis reveals that removal of amino terminal (Nt) N-glycosylation sites and the carboxy terminal (Ct) palmitoylation site of mβ2AR do not affect its plasma membrane localization. By contrast, when both the Nt and Ct of mβ2AR are replaced with those of M71 OR, plasma membrane trafficking is impaired. We further analyze three mβ2AR mutants (RDY, E268A, and C327R) used in olfactory axon guidance studies and are able to decorrelate their plasma membrane trafficking with their capacity to respond to isoprenaline. A deletion of the Ct prevents proper trafficking and abolishes activity, but plasma membrane trafficking can be selectively rescued by a Tyrosine to Alanine mutation in the highly conserved GPCR motif NPxxY. This new loss-of-function mutant argues for a model in which residues located at the end of transmembrane domain 7 can act as a retention signal when unmasked. Additionally, to our surprise, amongst our set of mutations only Ct mutations appear to lower mβ2AR EC50s revealing their critical role in G-protein coupling. We propose that an interaction between the Nt and Ct is necessary for proper folding and/or transport of GPCRs.

In Vitro Mutational and Bioinformatics Analysis of the M71 Odorant Receptor and Its Superfamily

We performed an extensive mutational analysis of the canonical mouse odorant receptor (OR) M71 to determine the properties of ORs that inhibit plasma membrane trafficking in heterologous expression systems. We employed the use of the M71::GFP fusion protein to directly assess plasma membrane localization and functionality of M71 in heterologous cells in vitro or in olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) in vivo. OSN expression of M71::GFP show only small differences in activity compared to untagged M71. However, M71::GFP could not traffic to the plasma membrane even in the presence of proposed accessory proteins RTP1S or mβ2AR. To ask if ORs contain an internal "kill sequence", we mutated ~15 of the most highly conserved OR specific amino acids not found amongst the trafficking non-OR GPCR superfamily; none of these mutants rescued trafficking. Addition of various amino terminal signal sequences or different glycosylation motifs all failed to produce trafficking. The addition of the amino and carboxy terminal domains of mβ2AR or the mutation Y289A in the highly conserved GPCR motif NPxxY does not rescue plasma membrane trafficking. The failure of targeted mutagenesis on rescuing plasma membrane localization in heterologous cells suggests that OR trafficking deficits may not be attributable to conserved collinear motifs, but rather the overall amino acid composition of the OR family. Thus, we performed an in silico analysis comparing the OR and other amine receptor superfamilies. We find that ORs contain fewer charged residues and more hydrophobic residues distributed throughout the protein and a conserved overall amino acid composition. From our analysis, we surmise that it may be difficult to traffic ORs at high levels to the cell surface in vitro, without making significant amino acid modifications. Finally, we observed specific increases in methionine and histidine residues as well as a marked decrease in tryptophan residues, suggesting that these changes provide ORs with special characteristics needed for them to function in olfactory neurons.

Exchanging ligand-binding specificity between a pair of mouse olfactory receptor paralogs reveals odorant recognition principles

A multi-gene family of ~1000 G protein-coupled olfactory receptors (ORs) constitutes the molecular basis of mammalian olfaction. Due to the lack of structural data its remarkable capacity to detect and discriminate thousands of odorants remains poorly understood on the structural level of the receptor. Using site-directed mutagenesis we transferred ligand specificity between two functionally related ORs and thereby revealed amino acid residues of central importance for odorant recognition and discrimination of the two receptors. By exchanging two of three residues, differing at equivalent positions of the putative odorant binding site between the mouse OR paralogs Olfr73 (mOR-EG) and Olfr74 (mOR-EV), we selectively changed ligand preference but remarkably also signaling activation strength in both ORs. Computer modeling proposed structural details at atomic resolution how the very same odorant molecule might interact with different contact residues to induce different functional responses in two related receptors. Our findings provide a mechanistic explanation of how the olfactory system distinguishes different molecular aspects of a given odorant molecule, and unravel important molecular details of the combinatorial encoding of odorant identity at the OR level.

Assay strategies for identification of therapeutic leads that target protein trafficking

Receptors, enzymes, and ion channels are traditional targets of therapeutic development. A common strategy is to target these proteins with agents that either activate or suppress their activity with ligands or substrates that occupy orthosteric sites or have allosteric interactions. An alternative approach involves regulation of protein trafficking. In principle, this approach enables 'rescue' of misfolded and misrouted mutant proteins to restore function, 'shipwrecking' of undesirable proteins by targeting them for destruction, and regulation of levels of partially expressed wild type (WT) proteins at their functional sites of action. Here, we present drug discovery strategies that identify 'pharmacoperones', which are small molecules that serve as molecular templates and cause otherwise misfolded mutant proteins to fold and route correctly.

Regulation of GPCR Anterograde Trafficking by Molecular Chaperones and Motifs

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) make up a superfamily of integral membrane proteins that respond to a wide variety of extracellular stimuli, giving them an important role in cell function and survival. They have also proven to be valuable targets in the fight against various diseases. As such, GPCR signal regulation has received considerable attention over the last few decades. With the amplitude of signaling being determined in large part by receptor density at the plasma membrane, several endogenous mechanisms for modulating GPCR expression at the cell surface have come to light. It has been shown that cell surface expression is determined by both exocytic and endocytic processes. However, the body of knowledge surrounding GPCR trafficking from the endoplasmic reticulum to the plasma membrane, commonly known as anterograde trafficking, has considerable room for growth. We focus here on the current paradigms of anterograde GPCR trafficking. We will discuss the regulatory role of both the general and "nonclassical private" chaperone systems in GPCR trafficking as well as conserved motifs that serve as modulators of GPCR export from the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus. Together, these topics summarize some of the known mechanisms by which the cell regulates anterograde GPCR trafficking.

Mammalian odorant receptors: functional evolution and variation

In mammals, the perception of smell starts with the activation of odorant receptors (ORs) by volatile molecules in the environment. The mammalian OR repertoire has been subject to rapid evolution, and is highly diverse within the human population. Recent advances in the functional expression and ligand identification of ORs allow for functional analysis of OR evolution, and reveal that changes in OR protein sequences translate into high degrees of functional variations. Moreover, in several cases the functional variation of a single OR affects the perception of its cognate odor ligand, providing clues as to how an odor is coded at the receptor level.

In vivo identification of eugenol-responsive and muscone-responsive mouse odorant receptors

Our understanding of mammalian olfactory coding has been impeded by the paucity of information about the odorant receptors (ORs) that respond to a given odorant ligand in awake, freely behaving animals. Identifying the ORs that respond in vivo to a given odorant ligand from among the ∼1100 ORs in mice is intrinsically challenging but critical for our understanding of olfactory coding at the periphery. Here, we report an in vivo assay that is based on a novel gene-targeted mouse strain, S100a5-tauGFP, in which a fluorescent reporter selectively marks olfactory sensory neurons that have been activated recently in vivo. Because each olfactory sensory neuron expresses a single OR gene, multiple ORs responding to a given odorant ligand can be identified simultaneously by capturing the population of activated olfactory sensory neurons and using expression profiling methods to screen the repertoire of mouse OR genes. We used this in vivo assay to re-identify known eugenol- and muscone-responsive mouse ORs. We identified additional ORs responsive to eugenol or muscone. Heterologous expression assays confirmed nine eugenol-responsive ORs (Olfr73, Olfr178, Olfr432, Olfr610, Olfr958, Olfr960, Olfr961, Olfr913, and Olfr1234) and four muscone-responsive ORs (Olfr74, Olfr235, Olfr816, and Olfr1440). We found that the human ortholog of Olfr235 and Olfr1440 responds to macrocyclic ketone and lactone musk odorants but not to polycyclic musk odorants or a macrocyclic diester musk odorant. This novel assay, called the Kentucky in vivo odorant ligand-receptor assay, should facilitate the in vivo identification of mouse ORs for a given odorant ligand of interest.

Hydrodynamic size-based separation and characterization of protein aggregates from total cell lysates

Herein we describe a protocol that uses hollow-fiber flow field-flow fractionation (FFF) coupled with multiangle light scattering (MALS) for hydrodynamic size-based separation and characterization of complex protein aggregates. The fractionation method, which requires 1.5 h to run, was successfully modified from the analysis of protein aggregates, as found in simple protein mixtures, to complex aggregates, as found in total cell lysates. In contrast to other related methods (filter assay, analytical ultracentrifugation, gel electrophoresis and size-exclusion chromatography), hollow-fiber flow FFF coupled with MALS allows a flow-based fractionation of highly purified protein aggregates and simultaneous measurement of their molecular weight, r.m.s. radius and molecular conformation (e.g., round, rod-shaped, compact or relaxed). The polyethersulfone hollow fibers used, which have a 0.8-mm inner diameter, allow separation of as little as 20 μg of total cell lysates. In addition, the ability to run the samples in different denaturing and nondenaturing buffer allows defining true aggregates from artifacts, which can form during sample preparation. The protocol was set up using Paraquat-induced carbonylation, a model that induces protein aggregation in cultured cells. This technique will advance the biochemical, proteomic and biophysical characterization of molecular-weight aggregates associated with protein mutations, as found in many CNS degenerative diseases, or chronic oxidative stress, as found in aging, and chronic metabolic and inflammatory conditions.

In vivo identification of eugenol-responsive and muscone-responsive mouse odorant receptors

Our understanding of mammalian olfactory coding has been impeded by the paucity of information about the odorant receptors (ORs) that respond to a given odorant ligand in awake, freely behaving animals. Identifying the ORs that respond in vivo to a given odorant ligand from among the ∼1100 ORs in mice is intrinsically challenging but critical for our understanding of olfactory coding at the periphery. Here, we report an in vivo assay that is based on a novel gene-targeted mouse strain, S100a5-tauGFP, in which a fluorescent reporter selectively marks olfactory sensory neurons that have been activated recently in vivo. Because each olfactory sensory neuron expresses a single OR gene, multiple ORs responding to a given odorant ligand can be identified simultaneously by capturing the population of activated olfactory sensory neurons and using expression profiling methods to screen the repertoire of mouse OR genes. We used this in vivo assay to re-identify known eugenol- and muscone-responsive mouse ORs. We identified additional ORs responsive to eugenol or muscone. Heterologous expression assays confirmed nine eugenol-responsive ORs (Olfr73, Olfr178, Olfr432, Olfr610, Olfr958, Olfr960, Olfr961, Olfr913, and Olfr1234) and four muscone-responsive ORs (Olfr74, Olfr235, Olfr816, and Olfr1440). We found that the human ortholog of Olfr235 and Olfr1440 responds to macrocyclic ketone and lactone musk odorants but not to polycyclic musk odorants or a macrocyclic diester musk odorant. This novel assay, called the Kentucky in vivo odorant ligand-receptor assay, should facilitate the in vivo identification of mouse ORs for a given odorant ligand of interest.