1
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Bauernfeind C, Zettl I, Ivanova T, Goryainova O, Weijler AM, Pranz B, Drescher A, Focke-Tejkl M, Pavkov-Keller T, Eckl-Dorna J, Tillib SV, Flicker S. Trimeric Bet v 1-specific nanobodies cause strong suppression of IgE binding. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1343024. [PMID: 38784378 PMCID: PMC11112410 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1343024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Around 20% of the population in Northern and Central Europe is affected by birch pollen allergy, with the major birch pollen allergen Bet v 1 as the main elicitor of allergic reactions. Together with its cross-reactive allergens from related trees and foods, Bet v 1 causes an impaired quality of life. Hence, new treatment strategies were elaborated, demonstrating the effectiveness of blocking IgG antibodies on Bet v 1-induced IgE-mediated reactions. A recent study provided evidence for the first time that Bet v 1-specific nanobodies reduce patients´ IgE binding to Bet v 1. In order to increase the potential to outcompete IgE recognition of Bet v 1 and to foster cross-reactivity and cross-protection, we developed Bet v 1-specific nanobody trimers and evaluated their capacity to suppress polyclonal IgE binding to corresponding allergens and allergen-induced basophil degranulation. Methods Nanobody trimers were engineered by adding isoleucine zippers, thus enabling trimeric formation. Trimers were analyzed for their cross-reactivity, binding kinetics to Bet v 1, and related allergens, and patients' IgE inhibition potential. Finally, their efficacy to prevent basophil degranulation was investigated. Results Trimers showed enhanced recognition of cross-reactive allergens and increased efficiency to reduce IgE-allergen binding compared to nanobody monomers. Furthermore, trimers displayed slow dissociation rates from allergens and suppressed allergen-induced mediator release. Conclusion We generated high-affine nanobody trimers that target Bet v 1 and related allergens. Trimers blocked IgE-allergen interaction by competing with IgE for allergen binding. They inhibited IgE-mediated release of biological mediators, demonstrating a promising potential to prevent allergic reactions caused by Bet v 1 and relatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clarissa Bauernfeind
- Institute of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ines Zettl
- Institute of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Tatiana Ivanova
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Oksana Goryainova
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Anna Marianne Weijler
- Division of Transplantation, Department of General Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Barbara Pranz
- Institute of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Margarete Focke-Tejkl
- Institute of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, Krems, Austria
| | - Tea Pavkov-Keller
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed Graz, Graz, Austria
- BioHealth Field of Excellence, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Julia Eckl-Dorna
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sergei V. Tillib
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Sabine Flicker
- Institute of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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2
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Del Moral-Sánchez I, Wee EG, Xian Y, Lee WH, Allen JD, Torrents de la Peña A, Fróes Rocha R, Ferguson J, León AN, Koekkoek S, Schermer EE, Burger JA, Kumar S, Zwolsman R, Brinkkemper M, Aartse A, Eggink D, Han J, Yuan M, Crispin M, Ozorowski G, Ward AB, Wilson IA, Hanke T, Sliepen K, Sanders RW. Triple tandem trimer immunogens for HIV-1 and influenza nucleic acid-based vaccines. NPJ Vaccines 2024; 9:74. [PMID: 38582771 PMCID: PMC10998906 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-024-00862-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Recombinant native-like HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein (Env) trimers are used in candidate vaccines aimed at inducing broadly neutralizing antibodies. While state-of-the-art SOSIP or single-chain Env designs can be expressed as native-like trimers, undesired monomers, dimers and malformed trimers that elicit non-neutralizing antibodies are also formed, implying that these designs could benefit from further modifications for gene-based vaccination approaches. Here, we describe the triple tandem trimer (TTT) design, in which three Env protomers are genetically linked in a single open reading frame and express as native-like trimers. Viral vectored Env TTT induced similar neutralization titers but with a higher proportion of trimer-specific responses. The TTT design was also applied to generate influenza hemagglutinin (HA) trimers without the need for trimerization domains. Additionally, we used TTT to generate well-folded chimeric Env and HA trimers that harbor protomers from three different strains. In summary, the TTT design is a useful platform for the design of HIV-1 Env and influenza HA immunogens for a multitude of vaccination strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iván Del Moral-Sánchez
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Edmund G Wee
- The Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Yuejiao Xian
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Wen-Hsin Lee
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Joel D Allen
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Alba Torrents de la Peña
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Rebeca Fróes Rocha
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - James Ferguson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - André N León
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Sylvie Koekkoek
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Edith E Schermer
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Judith A Burger
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Sanjeev Kumar
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Robby Zwolsman
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Mitch Brinkkemper
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Aafke Aartse
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Virology, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Rijswijk, Netherlands
| | - Dirk Eggink
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Julianna Han
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Meng Yuan
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Max Crispin
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Gabriel Ozorowski
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Andrew B Ward
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Ian A Wilson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Tomáš Hanke
- The Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Joint Research Center for Human Retrovirus Infection, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Kwinten Sliepen
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Rogier W Sanders
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY, USA.
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3
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Ellis D, Dosey A, Boyoglu-Barnum S, Park YJ, Gillespie R, Syeda H, Hutchinson GB, Tsybovsky Y, Murphy M, Pettie D, Matheson N, Chan S, Ueda G, Fallas JA, Carter L, Graham BS, Veesler D, Kanekiyo M, King NP. Antigen spacing on protein nanoparticles influences antibody responses to vaccination. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113552. [PMID: 38096058 PMCID: PMC10801709 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunogen design approaches aim to control the specificity and quality of antibody responses elicited by next-generation vaccines. Here, we use computational protein design to generate a nanoparticle vaccine platform based on the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of influenza hemagglutinin (HA) that enables precise control of antigen conformation and spacing. HA RBDs are presented as either monomers or native-like closed trimers that are connected to the underlying nanoparticle by a rigid linker that is modularly extended to precisely control antigen spacing. Nanoparticle immunogens with decreased spacing between trimeric RBDs elicit antibodies with improved hemagglutination inhibition and neutralization potency as well as binding breadth across diverse H1 HAs. Our "trihead" nanoparticle immunogen platform provides insights into anti-HA immunity, establishes antigen spacing as an important parameter in structure-based vaccine design, and embodies several design features that could be used in next-generation vaccines against influenza and other viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Ellis
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Graduate Program in Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Annie Dosey
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Seyhan Boyoglu-Barnum
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Young-Jun Park
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Rebecca Gillespie
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Hubza Syeda
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Geoffrey B Hutchinson
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Yaroslav Tsybovsky
- Vaccine Research Center Electron Microscopy Unit, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21701, USA
| | - Michael Murphy
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Deleah Pettie
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Nick Matheson
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Sidney Chan
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - George Ueda
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Jorge A Fallas
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Lauren Carter
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Barney S Graham
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - David Veesler
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Masaru Kanekiyo
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Neil P King
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
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4
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Swain J, Bierre M, Veyrié L, Richard CA, Eleouet JF, Muriaux D, Bajorek M. Selective targeting and clustering of phosphatidylserine lipids by RSV M protein is critical for virus particle production. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:105323. [PMID: 37805138 PMCID: PMC10641529 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2023] [Revised: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of infantile bronchiolitis in the developed world and of childhood deaths in resource-poor settings. The elderly and the immunosuppressed are also affected. It is a major unmet target for vaccines and antiviral drugs. RSV assembles and buds from the host cell plasma membrane by forming infectious viral particles which are mostly filamentous. A key interaction during RSV assembly is the interaction of the matrix (M) protein with cell plasma membrane lipids forming a layer at assembly sites. Although the structure of RSV M protein dimer is known, it is unclear how the viral M proteins interact with cell membrane lipids, and with which one, to promote viral assembly. Here, we demonstrate that M proteins are able to cluster at the plasma membrane by selectively binding with phosphatidylserine (PS). Our in vitro studies suggest that M binds PS lipid as a dimer and upon M oligomerization, PS clustering is observed. In contrast, the presence of other negatively charged lipids like PI(4, 5)P2 does not enhance M binding beyond control zwitterionic lipids, while cholesterol negatively affects M interaction with membrane lipids. Moreover, we show that the initial binding of the RSV M protein with PS lipids is independent of the cytoplasmic tail of the fusion (F) glycoprotein (FCT). Here, we highlight that M binding on membranes occurs directly through PS lipids, this interaction is electrostatic in nature, and M oligomerization generates PS clusters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jitendriya Swain
- Virology and Molecular Immunology Unit (VIM), Animal Health Department, INRAE, IRIM, Montpellier, France
| | - Maxime Bierre
- INRAE, UVSQ, VIM, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Laura Veyrié
- Virology and Molecular Immunology Unit (VIM), Animal Health Department, INRAE, IRIM, Montpellier, France
| | | | | | - Delphine Muriaux
- Virology and Molecular Immunology Unit (VIM), Animal Health Department, INRAE, IRIM, Montpellier, France.
| | - Monika Bajorek
- INRAE, UVSQ, VIM, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France.
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5
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Ellis D, Dosey A, Boyoglu-Barnum S, Park YJ, Gillespie R, Syeda H, Tsybovsky Y, Murphy M, Pettie D, Matheson N, Chan S, Ueda G, Fallas JA, Carter L, Graham BS, Veesler D, Kanekiyo M, King NP. Antigen spacing on protein nanoparticles influences antibody responses to vaccination. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.23.541980. [PMID: 37292995 PMCID: PMC10245855 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.23.541980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Immunogen design approaches aim to control the specificity and quality of antibody responses to enable the creation of next-generation vaccines with improved potency and breadth. However, our understanding of the relationship between immunogen structure and immunogenicity is limited. Here we use computational protein design to generate a self-assembling nanoparticle vaccine platform based on the head domain of influenza hemagglutinin (HA) that enables precise control of antigen conformation, flexibility, and spacing on the nanoparticle exterior. Domain-based HA head antigens were presented either as monomers or in a native-like closed trimeric conformation that prevents exposure of trimer interface epitopes. These antigens were connected to the underlying nanoparticle by a rigid linker that was modularly extended to precisely control antigen spacing. We found that nanoparticle immunogens with decreased spacing between closed trimeric head antigens elicited antibodies with improved hemagglutination inhibition (HAI) and neutralization potency as well as binding breadth across diverse HAs within a subtype. Our "trihead" nanoparticle immunogen platform thus enables new insights into anti-HA immunity, establishes antigen spacing as an important parameter in structure-based vaccine design, and embodies several design features that could be used to generate next-generation vaccines against influenza and other viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Ellis
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Graduate Program in Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- These authors contributed equally: Daniel Ellis and Annie Dosey
| | - Annie Dosey
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- These authors contributed equally: Daniel Ellis and Annie Dosey
| | - Seyhan Boyoglu-Barnum
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Young-Jun Park
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Rebecca Gillespie
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Hubza Syeda
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Yaroslav Tsybovsky
- Vaccine Research Center Electron Microscopy Unit, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21701, USA
| | - Michael Murphy
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Deleah Pettie
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Nick Matheson
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Sidney Chan
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - George Ueda
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Jorge A. Fallas
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Lauren Carter
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Barney S. Graham
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - David Veesler
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Masaru Kanekiyo
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Neil P. King
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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6
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Tsirigotaki A, Dansercoer A, Verschueren KHG, Marković I, Pollmann C, Hafer M, Felix J, Birck C, Van Putte W, Catteeuw D, Tavernier J, Fernando Bazan J, Piehler J, Savvides SN, Verstraete K. Mechanism of receptor assembly via the pleiotropic adipokine Leptin. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2023; 30:551-563. [PMID: 36959263 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-023-00941-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2023]
Abstract
The adipokine Leptin activates its receptor LEP-R in the hypothalamus to regulate body weight and exerts additional pleiotropic functions in immunity, fertility and cancer. However, the structure and mechanism of Leptin-mediated LEP-R assemblies has remained unclear. Intriguingly, the signaling-competent isoform of LEP-R is only lowly abundant amid several inactive short LEP-R isoforms contributing to a mechanistic conundrum. Here we show by X-ray crystallography and cryo-EM that, in contrast to long-standing paradigms, Leptin induces type I cytokine receptor assemblies featuring 3:3 stoichiometry and demonstrate such Leptin-induced trimerization of LEP-R on living cells via single-molecule microscopy. In mediating these assemblies, Leptin undergoes drastic restructuring that activates its site III for binding to the Ig domain of an adjacent LEP-R. These interactions are abolished by mutations linked to obesity. Collectively, our study provides the structural and mechanistic framework for how evolutionarily conserved Leptin:LEP-R assemblies with 3:3 stoichiometry can engage distinct LEP-R isoforms to achieve signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Tsirigotaki
- Unit for Structural Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Unit for Structural Biology, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ann Dansercoer
- Unit for Structural Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Unit for Structural Biology, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Koen H G Verschueren
- Unit for Structural Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Unit for Structural Biology, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Iva Marković
- Unit for Structural Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Unit for Structural Biology, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Christoph Pollmann
- Department of Biology/Chemistry and Center for Cellular Nanoanalytics, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Maximillian Hafer
- Department of Biology/Chemistry and Center for Cellular Nanoanalytics, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Jan Felix
- Unit for Structural Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Unit for Structural Biology, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Catherine Birck
- Integrated Structural Biology Platform, Centre for Integrative Biology (CBI), Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), CNRS UMR 7104, INSERM U1258, University of Strasbourg, Illkirch, France
| | | | - Dominiek Catteeuw
- VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jan Tavernier
- VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Orionis Biosciences, Ghent, Belgium
| | - J Fernando Bazan
- Unit for Structural Biology, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium
- ħ Bioconsulting llc, Stillwater, MN, USA
| | - Jacob Piehler
- Department of Biology/Chemistry and Center for Cellular Nanoanalytics, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Savvas N Savvides
- Unit for Structural Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
- Unit for Structural Biology, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Kenneth Verstraete
- Unit for Structural Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
- Unit for Structural Biology, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium.
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7
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Woolfson DN. Understanding a protein fold: the physics, chemistry, and biology of α-helical coiled coils. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:104579. [PMID: 36871758 PMCID: PMC10124910 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.104579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein science is being transformed by powerful computational methods for structure prediction and design: AlphaFold2 can predict many natural protein structures from sequence, and other AI methods are enabling the de novo design of new structures. This raises a question: how much do we understand the underlying sequence-to-structure/function relationships being captured by these methods? This perspective presents our current understanding of one class of protein assembly, the α-helical coiled coils. At first sight, these are straightforward: sequence repeats of hydrophobic (h) and polar (p) residues, (hpphppp)n, direct the folding and assembly of amphipathic α helices into bundles. However, many different bundles are possible: they can have two or more helices (different oligomers); the helices can have parallel, antiparallel or mixed arrangements (different topologies); and the helical sequences can be the same (homomers) or different (heteromers). Thus, sequence-to-structure relationships must be present within the hpphppp repeats to distinguish these states. I discuss the current understanding of this problem at three levels: First, physics gives a parametric framework to generate the many possible coiled-coil backbone structures. Second, chemistry provides a means to explore and deliver sequence-to-structure relationships. Third, biology shows how coiled coils are adapted and functionalized in nature, inspiring applications of coiled coils in synthetic biology. I argue that the chemistry is largely understood; the physics is partly solved, though the considerable challenge of predicting even relative stabilities of different coiled-coil states remains; but there is much more to explore in the biology and synthetic biology of coiled coils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derek N Woolfson
- School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom; School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Medical Sciences Building, University Walk, Bristol, United Kingdom; BrisEngBio, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom; Max Planck-Bristol Centre for Minimal Biology, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.
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8
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Lei X, Gonçalves-Carneiro D, Zang TM, Bieniasz PD. Initiation of HIV-1 Gag lattice assembly is required for recognition of the viral genome packaging signal. eLife 2023; 12:e83548. [PMID: 36688533 PMCID: PMC9908077 DOI: 10.7554/elife.83548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The encapsidation of HIV-1 gRNA into virions is enabled by the binding of the nucleocapsid (NC) domain of the HIV-1 Gag polyprotein to the structured viral RNA packaging signal (Ψ) at the 5' end of the viral genome. However, the subcellular location and oligomeric status of Gag during the initial Gag-Ψ encounter remain uncertain. Domains other than NC, such as capsid (CA), may therefore indirectly affect RNA recognition. To investigate the contribution of Gag domains to Ψ recognition in a cellular environment, we performed protein-protein crosslinking and protein-RNA crosslinking immunoprecipitation coupled with sequencing (CLIP-seq) experiments. We demonstrate that NC alone does not bind specifically to Ψ in living cells, whereas full-length Gag and a CANC subdomain bind to Ψ with high specificity. Perturbation of the Ψ RNA structure or NC zinc fingers affected CANC:Ψ binding specificity. Notably, CANC variants with substitutions that disrupt CA:CA dimer, trimer, or hexamer interfaces in the immature Gag lattice also affected RNA binding, and mutants that were unable to assemble a nascent Gag lattice were unable to specifically bind to Ψ. Artificially multimerized NC domains did not specifically bind Ψ. CA variants with substitutions in inositol phosphate coordinating residues that prevent CA hexamerization were also deficient in Ψ binding and second-site revertant mutants that restored CA assembly also restored specific binding to Ψ. Overall, these data indicate that the correct assembly of a nascent immature CA lattice is required for the specific interaction between Gag and Ψ in cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Lei
- Laboratory of Retrovirology, Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | | | - Trinity M Zang
- Laboratory of Retrovirology, Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller UniversityNew York, New YorkUnited States
| | - Paul D Bieniasz
- Laboratory of Retrovirology, Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkUnited States
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller UniversityNew York, New YorkUnited States
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9
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Qing R, Hao S, Smorodina E, Jin D, Zalevsky A, Zhang S. Protein Design: From the Aspect of Water Solubility and Stability. Chem Rev 2022; 122:14085-14179. [PMID: 35921495 PMCID: PMC9523718 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Water solubility and structural stability are key merits for proteins defined by the primary sequence and 3D-conformation. Their manipulation represents important aspects of the protein design field that relies on the accurate placement of amino acids and molecular interactions, guided by underlying physiochemical principles. Emulated designer proteins with well-defined properties both fuel the knowledge-base for more precise computational design models and are used in various biomedical and nanotechnological applications. The continuous developments in protein science, increasing computing power, new algorithms, and characterization techniques provide sophisticated toolkits for solubility design beyond guess work. In this review, we summarize recent advances in the protein design field with respect to water solubility and structural stability. After introducing fundamental design rules, we discuss the transmembrane protein solubilization and de novo transmembrane protein design. Traditional strategies to enhance protein solubility and structural stability are introduced. The designs of stable protein complexes and high-order assemblies are covered. Computational methodologies behind these endeavors, including structure prediction programs, machine learning algorithms, and specialty software dedicated to the evaluation of protein solubility and aggregation, are discussed. The findings and opportunities for Cryo-EM are presented. This review provides an overview of significant progress and prospects in accurate protein design for solubility and stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Qing
- State
Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and
Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Media
Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
- The
David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Shilei Hao
- Media
Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
- Key
Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030, China
| | - Eva Smorodina
- Department
of Immunology, University of Oslo and Oslo
University Hospital, Oslo 0424, Norway
| | - David Jin
- Avalon GloboCare
Corp., Freehold, New Jersey 07728, United States
| | - Arthur Zalevsky
- Laboratory
of Bioinformatics Approaches in Combinatorial Chemistry and Biology, Shemyakin−Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic
Chemistry RAS, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Shuguang Zhang
- Media
Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
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10
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Ebel H, Benecke T, Vollmer B. Stabilisation of Viral Membrane Fusion Proteins in Prefusion Conformation by Structure-Based Design for Structure Determination and Vaccine Development. Viruses 2022; 14:1816. [PMID: 36016438 PMCID: PMC9415420 DOI: 10.3390/v14081816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The membrane surface of enveloped viruses contains dedicated proteins enabling the fusion of the viral with the host cell membrane. Working with these proteins is almost always challenging because they are membrane-embedded and naturally metastable. Fortunately, based on a range of different examples, researchers now have several possibilities to tame membrane fusion proteins, making them amenable for structure determination and immunogen generation. This review describes the structural and functional similarities of the different membrane fusion proteins and ways to exploit these features to stabilise them by targeted mutational approaches. The recent determination of two herpesvirus membrane fusion proteins in prefusion conformation holds the potential to apply similar methods to this group of viral fusogens. In addition to a better understanding of the herpesviral fusion mechanism, the structural insights gained will help to find ways to further stabilise these proteins using the methods described to obtain stable immunogens that will form the basis for the development of the next generation of vaccines and antiviral drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henriette Ebel
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB), 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
- Leibniz Institute of Virology (LIV), 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tim Benecke
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB), 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
- Leibniz Institute of Virology (LIV), 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Benjamin Vollmer
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB), 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
- Leibniz Institute of Virology (LIV), 20251 Hamburg, Germany
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11
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Basavarajappa SC, Liu AR, Bruchez A, Li Z, Suzart VG, Liu Z, Chen Y, Xiao TS, Buck M, Ramakrishnan P. Trimeric Receptor Binding Domain of SARS-CoV-2 Acts as a Potent Inhibitor of ACE2 Receptor-Mediated Viral Entry. iScience 2022; 25:104716. [PMID: 35813876 PMCID: PMC9251894 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused over four million deaths and effective methods to control CoV-2 infection, in addition to vaccines, are needed. The CoV-2 binds to the ACE2 on human cells through the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the trimeric spike protein. Our modeling studies show that a modified trimeric RBD (tRBD) can interact with three ACE2 receptors, unlike the native spike protein, which binds to only one ACE2. We found that tRBD binds to the ACE2 with 58-fold higher affinity than monomeric RBD (mRBD) and blocks spike-dependent pseudoviral infection over 4-fold more effectively compared to the mRBD. Although mRBD failed to block CoV-2 USA-WA1/2020 infection, tRBD efficiently blocked the true virus infection in plaque assays. We show that tRBD is a potent inhibitor of CoV-2 through both competitive binding to the ACE2 and steric hindrance, and has the potential to emerge as a first-line therapeutic method to control COVID-19. tRBD binds multiple ACE2 receptors, while mRBD and spike bind one ACE2 receptor tRBD shows 4-fold higher inhibition of CoV-2 pseudovirus infection than mRBD tRBD, yet not mRBD, prevents CoV-2 USA-WA1/2020 from infecting Vero cells Use of tRBD is a potential therapeutic method to block CoV-2 infection
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12
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Hunt AC, Case JB, Park YJ, Cao L, Wu K, Walls AC, Liu Z, Bowen JE, Yeh HW, Saini S, Helms L, Zhao YT, Hsiang TY, Starr TN, Goreshnik I, Kozodoy L, Carter L, Ravichandran R, Green LB, Matochko WL, Thomson CA, Vögeli B, Krüger A, VanBlargan LA, Chen RE, Ying B, Bailey AL, Kafai NM, Boyken SE, Ljubetič A, Edman N, Ueda G, Chow CM, Johnson M, Addetia A, Navarro MJ, Panpradist N, Gale M, Freedman BS, Bloom JD, Ruohola-Baker H, Whelan SPJ, Stewart L, Diamond MS, Veesler D, Jewett MC, Baker D. Multivalent designed proteins neutralize SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern and confer protection against infection in mice. Sci Transl Med 2022; 14:eabn1252. [PMID: 35412328 PMCID: PMC9258422 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abn1252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
New variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continue to arise and prolong the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Here, we used a cell-free expression workflow to rapidly screen and optimize constructs containing multiple computationally designed miniprotein inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2. We found the broadest efficacy was achieved with a homotrimeric version of the 75-residue angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) mimic AHB2 (TRI2-2) designed to geometrically match the trimeric spike architecture. Consistent with the design model, in the cryo-electron microscopy structure TRI2-2 forms a tripod at the apex of the spike protein that engaged all three receptor binding domains simultaneously. TRI2-2 neutralized Omicron (B.1.1.529), Delta (B.1.617.2), and all other variants tested with greater potency than the monoclonal antibodies used clinically for the treatment of COVID-19. TRI2-2 also conferred prophylactic and therapeutic protection against SARS-CoV-2 challenge when administered intranasally in mice. Designed miniprotein receptor mimics geometrically arrayed to match pathogen receptor binding sites could be a widely applicable antiviral therapeutic strategy with advantages over antibodies in greater resistance to viral escape and antigenic drift, and advantages over native receptor traps in lower chances of autoimmune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew C. Hunt
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - James Brett Case
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Young-Jun Park
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Longxing Cao
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Kejia Wu
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Alexandra C. Walls
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Zhuoming Liu
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - John E. Bowen
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Hsien-Wei Yeh
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Shally Saini
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Louisa Helms
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
- Kidney Research Institute, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Yan Ting Zhao
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
- Oral Health Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Tien-Ying Hsiang
- Department of Immunology, Center for Innate Immunity and Immune Disease, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Tyler N. Starr
- Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Inna Goreshnik
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Lisa Kozodoy
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Lauren Carter
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Rashmi Ravichandran
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Lydia B. Green
- Amgen Research, Biologic Discovery, Burnaby, V5A 1V7, BC, Canada
| | | | | | - Bastian Vögeli
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Invizyne Technologies Inc., Monrovia, CA, 91016, USA
| | - Antje Krüger
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Laura A. VanBlargan
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Rita E. Chen
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Baoling Ying
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Adam L. Bailey
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Natasha M. Kafai
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Scott E. Boyken
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Ajasja Ljubetič
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Department for Synthetic Biology and Immunology, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, SI-1000, Slovenia
| | - Natasha Edman
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- USA Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - George Ueda
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Cameron M. Chow
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Neolukin Therapeutics Inc., Seattle, WA, 98102, USA
| | - Max Johnson
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Amin Addetia
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- The Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Mary Jane Navarro
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Nuttada Panpradist
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Michael Gale
- Department of Immunology, Center for Innate Immunity and Immune Disease, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Benjamin S. Freedman
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
- Kidney Research Institute, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Jesse D. Bloom
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Hannele Ruohola-Baker
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
- Oral Health Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Sean P. J. Whelan
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Lance Stewart
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Michael S. Diamond
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
- Andrew M. and Jane M. Bursky Center for Human Immunology and Immunotherapy Programs, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - David Veesler
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Michael C. Jewett
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - David Baker
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
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13
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Curtis RW, Scrudders KL, Ulcickas JRW, Simpson GJ, Low-Nam ST, Chmielewski J. Supramolecular Assembly of His-Tagged Fluorescent Protein Guests within Coiled-Coil Peptide Crystal Hosts: Three-Dimensional Ordering and Protein Thermal Stability. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2022; 8:1860-1866. [PMID: 35377599 PMCID: PMC9840175 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.2c00155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
The use of biomaterials for the inclusion and stabilization of biopolymers is an ongoing challenge. Herein, we disclose three-dimensional (3D) coiled-coil peptide crystals with metal ions that include and overgrow His-tagged fluorescent proteins within the crystal. The protein guests are found within two symmetry-related growth sectors of the crystalline host that are associated with faces of the growing crystal that display ligands for metal ions. The fluorescent proteins are included within this "hourglass" region of the crystals at a notably high level, display order within the crystal hosts, and demonstrate sufficiently tight packing to enable energy transfer between a donor-acceptor pair. His-tagged fluorescent proteins display remarkable thermal stability to denaturation over extended periods of time (days) at high temperatures when within the crystals. Ultimately, this strategy may prove useful for the prolonged storage of thermally sensitive biopolymer guests within a 3D crystalline matrix.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan W. Curtis
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, 560 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-2084, United States
| | - Kevin L. Scrudders
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, 560 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-2084, United States
| | - James R. W. Ulcickas
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, 560 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-2084, United States
| | - Garth J. Simpson
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, 560 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-2084, United States
| | - Shalini T. Low-Nam
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, 560 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-2084, United States
| | - Jean Chmielewski
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, 560 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-2084, United States
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14
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Bliss CM, Freyn AW, Caniels TG, Leyva-Grado VH, Nachbagauer R, Sun W, Tan GS, Gillespie VL, McMahon M, Krammer F, Hill AVS, Palese P, Coughlan L. A single-shot adenoviral vaccine provides hemagglutinin stalk-mediated protection against heterosubtypic influenza challenge in mice. Mol Ther 2022; 30:2024-2047. [PMID: 34999208 PMCID: PMC9092311 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2022.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Conventional influenza vaccines fail to confer broad protection against diverse influenza A viruses with pandemic potential. Efforts to develop a universal influenza virus vaccine include refocusing immunity towards the highly conserved stalk domain of the influenza virus surface glycoprotein, hemagglutinin (HA). We constructed a non-replicating adenoviral (Ad) vector, encoding a secreted form of H1 HA, to evaluate HA stalk-focused immunity. The Ad5_H1 vaccine was tested in mice for its ability to elicit broad, cross-reactive protection against homologous, heterologous, and heterosubtypic lethal challenge in a single-shot immunization regimen. Ad5_H1 elicited hemagglutination inhibition (HI+) active antibodies (Abs), which conferred 100% sterilizing protection from homologous H1N1 challenge. Furthermore, Ad5_H1 rapidly induced H1-stalk-specific Abs with Fc-mediated effector function activity, in addition to stimulating both CD4+ and CD8+ stalk-specific T cell responses. This phenotype of immunity provided 100% protection from lethal challenge with a head-mismatched, reassortant influenza virus bearing a chimeric HA, cH6/1, in a stalk-mediated manner. Most importantly, 100% protection from mortality following lethal challenge with a heterosubtypic avian influenza virus, H5N1, was observed following a single immunization with Ad5_H1. In conclusion, Ad-based influenza vaccines can elicit significant breadth of protection in naive animals and could be considered for pandemic preparedness and stockpiling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carly M Bliss
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Alec W Freyn
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Tom G Caniels
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Victor H Leyva-Grado
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Raffael Nachbagauer
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Weina Sun
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Gene S Tan
- Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Virginia L Gillespie
- The Center for Comparative Medicine and Surgery (CCMS) Comparative Pathology Laboratory, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Meagan McMahon
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Florian Krammer
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029, USA; Department of Pathology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Adrian V S Hill
- Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK
| | - Peter Palese
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Lynda Coughlan
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health (CVD), University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
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15
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Christensen NR, Pedersen CP, Sereikaite V, Pedersen JN, Vistrup-Parry M, Sørensen AT, Otzen D, Teilum K, Madsen KL, Strømgaard K. Bidirectional protein-protein interactions control liquid-liquid phase separation of PSD-95 and its interaction partners. iScience 2022; 25:103808. [PMID: 35198873 PMCID: PMC8844826 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.103808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The organization of the postsynaptic density (PSD), a protein-dense semi-membraneless organelle, is mediated by numerous specific protein–protein interactions (PPIs) which constitute a functional postsynapse. The PSD protein 95 (PSD-95) interacts with a manifold of proteins, including the C-terminal of transmembrane AMPA receptor (AMPAR) regulatory proteins (TARPs). Here, we uncover the minimal essential peptide responsible for the Stargazin (TARP-γ2)-mediated liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) formation of PSD-95 and other key protein constituents of the PSD. Furthermore, we find that pharmacological inhibitors of PSD-95 can facilitate the formation of LLPS. We found that in some cases LLPS formation is dependent on multivalent interactions, while in other cases short, highly charged peptides are sufficient to promote LLPS in complex systems. This study offers a new perspective on PSD-95 interactions and their role in LLPS formation, while also considering the role of affinity over multivalency in LLPS systems. Charge and valency are important for LLPS formation, both for PSD-95 and the ePSD Peptide inhibitors may be used to induce LLPS formation for PSD-95 and the ePSD
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaj Riis Christensen
- Center for Biopharmaceuticals, Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Christian Parsbæk Pedersen
- Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory & the Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Ole Maaløes Vej 5, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Vita Sereikaite
- Center for Biopharmaceuticals, Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jannik Nedergaard Pedersen
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Maria Vistrup-Parry
- Center for Biopharmaceuticals, Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Andreas Toft Sørensen
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Daniel Otzen
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Kaare Teilum
- Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory & the Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Ole Maaløes Vej 5, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Kristian Strømgaard
- Center for Biopharmaceuticals, Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
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16
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Abstract
The current COVID-19 pandemic has substantially accelerated the demands for efficient vaccines. A wide spectrum of approaches includes live attenuated and inactivated viruses, protein subunits and peptides, viral vector-based delivery, DNA plasmids, and synthetic mRNA. Preclinical studies have demonstrated robust immune responses, reduced viral loads and protection against challenges with SARS-CoV-2 in rodents and primates. Vaccine candidates based on all delivery systems mentioned above have been subjected to clinical trials in healthy volunteers. Phase I clinical trials have demonstrated in preliminary findings good safety and tolerability. Evaluation of immune responses in a small number of individuals has demonstrated similar or superior levels of neutralizing antibodies in comparison to immunogenicity detected in COVID-19 patients. Both adenovirus- and mRNA-based vaccines have entered phase II and study protocols for phase III trials with 30,000 participants have been finalized.
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17
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Hunt AC, Case JB, Park YJ, Cao L, Wu K, Walls AC, Liu Z, Bowen JE, Yeh HW, Saini S, Helms L, Zhao YT, Hsiang TY, Starr TN, Goreshnik I, Kozodoy L, Carter L, Ravichandran R, Green LB, Matochko WL, Thomson CA, Vögeli B, Krüger-Gericke A, VanBlargan LA, Chen RE, Ying B, Bailey AL, Kafai NM, Boyken S, Ljubetič A, Edman N, Ueda G, Chow C, Addetia A, Panpradist N, Gale M, Freedman BS, Lutz BR, Bloom JD, Ruohola-Baker H, Whelan SPJ, Stewart L, Diamond MS, Veesler D, Jewett MC, Baker D. Multivalent designed proteins protect against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2021:2021.07.07.451375. [PMID: 34268509 PMCID: PMC8282097 DOI: 10.1101/2021.07.07.451375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Escape variants of SARS-CoV-2 are threatening to prolong the COVID-19 pandemic. To address this challenge, we developed multivalent protein-based minibinders as potential prophylactic and therapeutic agents. Homotrimers of single minibinders and fusions of three distinct minibinders were designed to geometrically match the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) trimer architecture and were optimized by cell-free expression and found to exhibit virtually no measurable dissociation upon binding. Cryo-electron microscopy (cryoEM) showed that these trivalent minibinders engage all three receptor binding domains on a single S trimer. The top candidates neutralize SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern with IC 50 values in the low pM range, resist viral escape, and provide protection in highly vulnerable human ACE2-expressing transgenic mice, both prophylactically and therapeutically. Our integrated workflow promises to accelerate the design of mutationally resilient therapeutics for pandemic preparedness. ONE-SENTENCE SUMMARY We designed, developed, and characterized potent, trivalent miniprotein binders that provide prophylactic and therapeutic protection against emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew C. Hunt
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - James Brett Case
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Young-Jun Park
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Longxing Cao
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Kejia Wu
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Alexandra C. Walls
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Zhuoming Liu
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - John E. Bowen
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Hsien-Wei Yeh
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Shally Saini
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Louisa Helms
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
- Division of Nephrology and Kidney Research Institute, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Yan Ting Zhao
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
- Oral Health Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Tien-Ying Hsiang
- Department of Immunology, Center for Innate Immunity and Immune Disease, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Tyler N. Starr
- Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Inna Goreshnik
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Lisa Kozodoy
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Lauren Carter
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Rashmi Ravichandran
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | | | | | | | - Bastain Vögeli
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Antje Krüger-Gericke
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Laura A. VanBlargan
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Rita E. Chen
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Baoling Ying
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Adam L. Bailey
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Natasha M. Kafai
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Scott Boyken
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Ajasja Ljubetič
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Natasha Edman
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - George Ueda
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Cameron Chow
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Amin Addetia
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- The Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Nuttada Panpradist
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Michael Gale
- Department of Immunology, Center for Innate Immunity and Immune Disease, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Benjamin S. Freedman
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
- Division of Nephrology and Kidney Research Institute, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Barry R. Lutz
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Jesse D. Bloom
- Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Hannele Ruohola-Baker
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Sean P. J. Whelan
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Lance Stewart
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Michael S. Diamond
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
- Andrew M. and Jane M. Bursky Center for Human Immunology and Immunotherapy Programs, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - David Veesler
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Michael C. Jewett
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - David Baker
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
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18
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Torner JM, Arora PS. Conformational control in a photoswitchable coiled coil. Chem Commun (Camb) 2021; 57:1442-1445. [PMID: 33514971 DOI: 10.1039/d0cc08318f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The coiled coil is a common protein tertiary structure intimately involved in mediating protein recognition and function. Due to their structural simplicity, coiled coils have served as attractive scaffolds for the development of functional biomaterials. Herein we describe the design of conformationally-defined coiled coil photoswitches as potential environmentally-sensitive biomaterials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin M Torner
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, 100 Washington Square East, New York, NY 10003, USA.
| | - Paramjit S Arora
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, 100 Washington Square East, New York, NY 10003, USA.
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19
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Tumurkhuu M, Batbuyan U, Yuzawa S, Munkhsaikhan Y, Batmunkh G, Nishimura W. A novel BICD2 mutation of a patient with Spinal Muscular Atrophy Lower Extremity Predominant 2. Intractable Rare Dis Res 2021; 10:102-108. [PMID: 33996355 PMCID: PMC8122317 DOI: 10.5582/irdr.2021.01004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The bicaudal D homolog 2 (BICD2) gene encodes a protein required for the stable complex of dynein and dynactin, which functions as a motor protein working along the microtubule cytoskeleton. Both inherited and de novo variants of BICD2 are reported with autosomal dominant spinal muscular atrophy with lower extremity predominance (SMALED2). Here, we report a male patient with a novel mutation in the BICD2 gene caused by a heterozygous substitution of arginine with cysteine at residue 162 (Arg162Cys); inherited from his asymptomatic mother. The patient showed typical clinical symptoms of SMALED2, which was genetically confirmed by sequencing. The Arg162Cys mutant clusters with four previously reported variants (c.361C>G, p.Leu121Val; c.581A>G, p.Gln194Arg; c.320C>T, p.Ser107Leu; c.565A>T, p.Ile189Phe) in a region that binds to the dynein-dynactin complex (DDC). The BICD2 domain structures were predicted and the Arg162Cys mutation was localized in the N-terminus coiled-coil segment 1 (CC1) domain. Protein modeling of BICD2's CC1 domain predicted that the Arg162Cys missense variant disrupted interactions with dynein cytoplasmic 1 heavy chain 1 within the DDC. The mutant did this by either changing the electrostatic surface potential or making a broader hydrophobic unit with the neighboring residues. This hereditary case supports the complex and broad genotype-phenotype correlation of BICD2 mutations, which could be explained by incomplete penetrance or variable expressivity in the next generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Munkhtuya Tumurkhuu
- Department of Molecular Biology, International University of Health and Welfare, School of Medicine, Narita, Chiba, Japan
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Bio-Medicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Mongolia
- Address correspondence to:Munkhtuya Tumurkhuu, Department of Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, International University of Health and Welfare, 4-3 Kozunomori, Narita, Chiba 286-8686, Japan. E-mail: , munkhtuya.tumurkhuu@ gmail.com
| | - Uranchimeg Batbuyan
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Bio-Medicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Mongolia
| | - Satoru Yuzawa
- Department of Biochemistry, International University of Health and Welfare, School of Medicine, Narita, Chiba, Japan
| | - Yanjinlkham Munkhsaikhan
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Bio-Medicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Mongolia
| | - Ganbayar Batmunkh
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics, National Center of Maternal and Child Health, Mongolia
| | - Wataru Nishimura
- Department of Molecular Biology, International University of Health and Welfare, School of Medicine, Narita, Chiba, Japan
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20
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Utterström J, Naeimipour S, Selegård R, Aili D. Coiled coil-based therapeutics and drug delivery systems. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2021; 170:26-43. [PMID: 33378707 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2020.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Coiled coils are characterized by an arrangement of two or more α-helices into a superhelix and one of few protein motifs where the sequence-to-structure relationship to a large extent have been decoded and understood. The abundance of both natural and de novo designed coil coils provides a rich molecular toolbox for self-assembly of elaborate bespoke molecular architectures, nanostructures, and materials. Leveraging on the numerous possibilities to tune both affinities and preferences for polypeptide oligomerization, coiled coils offer unique possibilities to design modular and dynamic assemblies that can respond in a predictable manner to biomolecular interactions and subtle physicochemical cues. In this review, strategies to use coiled coils in design of novel therapeutics and advanced drug delivery systems are discussed. The applications of coiled coils for generating drug carriers and vaccines, and various aspects of using coiled coils for controlling and triggering drug release, and for improving drug targeting and drug uptake are described. The plethora of innovative coiled coil-based molecular systems provide new knowledge and techniques for improving efficacy of existing drugs and can facilitate development of novel therapeutic strategies.
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21
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Chiliveri SC, Louis JM, Bax A. Concentration‐Dependent Structural Transition of the HIV‐1 gp41 MPER Peptide into α‐Helical Trimers. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202008804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sai Chaitanya Chiliveri
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Bethesda MD 20892 USA
| | - John M. Louis
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Bethesda MD 20892 USA
| | - Ad Bax
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Bethesda MD 20892 USA
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22
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Design, production and immunomodulatory potency of a novel allergen bioparticle. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0242867. [PMID: 33259521 PMCID: PMC7707610 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0242867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) is the only disease-modifying treatment with evidence for sustained efficacy. However, it is poorly developed compared to symptomatic drugs. The main reasons come from treatment duration implying monthly injections during 3 to 5 years or daily sublingual use, and the risk of allergic side-effects. To become a more attractive alternative to lifelong symptomatic drug use, improvements to AIT are needed. Among the most promising new immunotherapy strategies is the use of bioparticles for the presentation of target antigen to the immune system as they can elicit strong T cell and B cell immune responses. Virus-like particles (VLPs) are a specific class of bioparticles in which the structural and immunogenic constituents are from viral origin. However, VLPs are ill-suited for use in AIT as their antigenicity is linked to structure. Recently, synthetic biology has been used to produce artificial modular bioparticles, in which supramolecular assemblies are made of elements from heterogeneous biological sources promoting the design and use of in vivo-assembling enveloped bioparticles for viral and non-viral antigens presentation. We have used a coiled-coil hybrid assembly for the design of an enveloped bioparticle (eBP) that present trimers of the Der p 2 allergen at its surface, This bioparticle was produced as recombinant and in vivo assembled eBPs in plant. This allergen biotherapeutic was used to demonstrate i) the capacity of plants to produce synthetic supramolecular allergen bioparticles, and ii) the immunomodulatory potential of naturally-assembled allergen bioparticles. Our results show that allergens exposed on eBPs induced a very strong IgG response consisting predominantly of IgG2a in favor of the TH1 response. Finally, our results demonstrate that rDer p 2 present on the surface of BPs show a very limited potential to stimulate the basophil degranulation of patient allergic to this allergen which is predictive of a high safety potential.
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23
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Chiliveri SC, Louis JM, Bax A. Concentration-Dependent Structural Transition of the HIV-1 gp41 MPER Peptide into α-Helical Trimers. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020; 60:166-170. [PMID: 32916024 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202008804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Revised: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
The membrane proximal external region (MPER) of HIV-1 gp41 contains epitopes for at least four broadly neutralizing antibodies. Depending on solution conditions and construct design, different structures have been reported for this segment. We show that in aqueous solution the MPER fragment (gp160660-674 ) exists in a monomer-trimer equilibrium with an association constant in the micromolar range. Thermodynamic analysis reveals that the association is exothermic, more favorable in D2 O than H2 O, and increases with ionic strength, indicating hydrophobically driven intermolecular interactions. Circular dichroism, 13 Cα chemical shifts, NOE, and hydrogen exchange rates reveal that MPER undergoes a structural transition from predominately unfolded monomer at low concentrations to an α-helical trimer at high concentrations. This result has implications for antibody recognition of MPER prior to and during the process where gp41 switches from a pre-hairpin intermediate to its post-fusion 6-helical bundle state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sai Chaitanya Chiliveri
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - John M Louis
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Ad Bax
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
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24
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Activation of OX40 and CD27 Costimulatory Signalling in Sheep through Recombinant Ovine Ligands. Vaccines (Basel) 2020; 8:vaccines8020333. [PMID: 32580486 PMCID: PMC7350415 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines8020333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2020] [Revised: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Members of the tumour necrosis factor (TNF) superfamily OX40L and CD70 and their receptors are costimulating signalling axes critical for adequate T cell activation in humans and mice but characterisation of these molecules in other species including ruminants is lacking. Here we cloned and expressed the predicted ovine orthologues of the receptors OX40 and CD27, as well as soluble recombinant forms of their potential ovine ligands, OaOX40L and OaCD70. Using biochemical and immunofluorescence analyses, we show that both signalling axes are functional in sheep. We show that oligomeric recombinant ligand constructs are able to induce signalling through their receptors on transfected cells. Recombinant defective human adenoviruses were constructed to express the soluble forms of OaOX40L and OaCD70. Both proteins were detected in the supernatant of adenovirus-infected cells and shown to activate NF-κB signalling pathway through their cognate receptor. These adenovirus-secreted OaOX40L and OaCD70 forms could also activate ovine T cell proliferation and enhance IFN-γ production in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Altogether, this study provides the first characterisation of the ovine costimulatory OX40L-OX40 and CD70-CD27 signalling axes, and indicates that their activation in vivo may be useful to enhance vaccination-induced immune responses in sheep and other ruminants.
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25
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Heckmeier PJ, Agam G, Teese MG, Hoyer M, Stehle R, Lamb DC, Langosch D. Determining the Stoichiometry of Small Protein Oligomers Using Steady-State Fluorescence Anisotropy. Biophys J 2020; 119:99-114. [PMID: 32553128 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2020.05.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Revised: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
A large fraction of soluble and membrane-bound proteins exists as non-covalent dimers, trimers, and higher-order oligomers. The experimental determination of the oligomeric state or stoichiometry of proteins remains a nontrivial challenge. In one approach, the protein of interest is genetically fused to green fluorescent protein (GFP). If a fusion protein assembles into a non-covalent oligomeric complex, exciting their GFP moiety with polarized fluorescent light elicits homotypic Förster resonance energy transfer (homo-FRET), in which the emitted radiation is partially depolarized. Fluorescence depolarization is associated with a decrease in fluorescence anisotropy that can be exploited to calculate the oligomeric state. In a classical approach, several parameters obtained through time-resolved and steady-state anisotropy measurements are required for determining the stoichiometry of the oligomers. Here, we examined novel approaches in which time-resolved measurements of reference proteins provide the parameters that can be used to interpret the less expensive steady-state anisotropy data of candidates. In one approach, we find that using average homo-FRET rates (kFRET), average fluorescence lifetimes (τ), and average anisotropies of those fluorophores that are indirectly excited by homo-FRET (rET) do not compromise the accuracy of calculated stoichiometries. In the other approach, fractional photobleaching of reference oligomers provides a novel parameter a whose dependence on stoichiometry allows one to quantitatively interpret the increase of fluorescence anisotropy seen after photobleaching the candidates. These methods can at least reliably distinguish monomers from dimers and trimers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp J Heckmeier
- Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM), Lehrstuhl für Chemie der Biopolymere, Technische Universität München, Freising, Germany
| | - Ganesh Agam
- Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Center for Nano Science (CENS), Center for Integrated Protein Science (CIPSM) and Nanosystems Initiative München (NIM), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Mark G Teese
- Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM), Lehrstuhl für Chemie der Biopolymere, Technische Universität München, Freising, Germany
| | - Maria Hoyer
- Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Center for Nano Science (CENS), Center for Integrated Protein Science (CIPSM) and Nanosystems Initiative München (NIM), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Ralf Stehle
- Institute of Structural Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany; Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM), Chair Biomolecular NMR Spectroscopy, Department Chemie, Technische Universität München, Garching, Germany
| | - Don C Lamb
- Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Center for Nano Science (CENS), Center for Integrated Protein Science (CIPSM) and Nanosystems Initiative München (NIM), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, Munich, Germany.
| | - Dieter Langosch
- Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM), Lehrstuhl für Chemie der Biopolymere, Technische Universität München, Freising, Germany.
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Abstract
Proteins are molecular machines whose function depends on their ability to achieve complex folds with precisely defined structural and dynamic properties. The rational design of proteins from first-principles, or de novo, was once considered to be impossible, but today proteins with a variety of folds and functions have been realized. We review the evolution of the field from its earliest days, placing particular emphasis on how this endeavor has illuminated our understanding of the principles underlying the folding and function of natural proteins, and is informing the design of macromolecules with unprecedented structures and properties. An initial set of milestones in de novo protein design focused on the construction of sequences that folded in water and membranes to adopt folded conformations. The first proteins were designed from first-principles using very simple physical models. As computers became more powerful, the use of the rotamer approximation allowed one to discover amino acid sequences that stabilize the desired fold. As the crystallographic database of protein structures expanded in subsequent years, it became possible to construct proteins by assembling short backbone fragments that frequently recur in Nature. The second set of milestones in de novo design involves the discovery of complex functions. Proteins have been designed to bind a variety of metals, porphyrins, and other cofactors. The design of proteins that catalyze hydrolysis and oxygen-dependent reactions has progressed significantly. However, de novo design of catalysts for energetically demanding reactions, or even proteins that bind with high affinity and specificity to highly functionalized complex polar molecules remains an importnant challenge that is now being achieved. Finally, the protein design contributed significantly to our understanding of membrane protein folding and transport of ions across membranes. The area of membrane protein design, or more generally of biomimetic polymers that function in mixed or non-aqueous environments, is now becoming increasingly possible.
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Merritt HI, Sawyer N, Arora PS. Bent Into Shape: Folded Peptides to Mimic Protein Structure and Modulate Protein Function. Pept Sci (Hoboken) 2020; 112:e24145. [PMID: 33575525 PMCID: PMC7875438 DOI: 10.1002/pep2.24145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Protein secondary and tertiary structure mimics have served as model systems to probe biophysical parameters that guide protein folding and as attractive reagents to modulate protein interactions. Here we review contemporary methods to reproduce loop, helix, sheet and coiled-coil conformations in short peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Paramjit S. Arora
- Department of Chemistry New York University, New York, New York 10003, United States
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28
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Topological analysis of the gp41 MPER on lipid bilayers relevant to the metastable HIV-1 envelope prefusion state. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:22556-22566. [PMID: 31624123 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1912427116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The membrane proximal external region (MPER) of HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein (gp) 41 is an attractive vaccine target for elicitation of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) by vaccination. However, current details regarding the quaternary structural organization of the MPER within the native prefusion trimer [(gp120/41)3] are elusive and even contradictory, hindering rational MPER immunogen design. To better understand the structural topology of the MPER on the lipid bilayer, the adjacent transmembrane domain (TMD) was appended (MPER-TMD) and studied. Membrane insertion of the MPER-TMD was sensitive both to the TMD sequence and cytoplasmic residues. Antigen binding of MPER-specific bNAbs, in particular 10E8 and DH511.2_K3, was significantly impacted by the presence of the TMD. Furthermore, MPER-TMD assembly into 10-nm diameter nanodiscs revealed a heterogeneous membrane array comprised largely of monomers and dimers, as enumerated by bNAb Fab binding using single-particle electron microscopy analysis, arguing against preferential trimeric association of native MPER and TMD protein segments. Moreover, introduction of isoleucine mutations in the C-terminal heptad repeat to induce an extended MPER α-helical bundle structure yielded an antigenicity profile of cell surface-arrayed Env variants inconsistent with that found in the native prefusion state. In line with these observations, electron paramagnetic resonance analysis suggested that 10E8 inhibits viral membrane fusion by lifting the MPER N-terminal region out of the viral membrane, mandating the exposure of residues that would be occluded by MPER trimerization. Collectively, our data suggest that the MPER is not a stable trimer, but rather a dynamic segment adapted for structural changes accompanying fusion.
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29
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Nambiar M, Nepal M, Chmielewski J. Self-Assembling Coiled-Coil Peptide Nanotubes with Biomolecular Cargo Encapsulation. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2019; 5:5082-5087. [PMID: 33455255 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.9b01304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Monessha Nambiar
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, 560 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Manish Nepal
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, 560 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Jean Chmielewski
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, 560 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
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30
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Mikula KM, Kolodziejczyk R, Goldman A. Structure of the UspA1 protein fragment from Moraxella catarrhalis responsible for C3d binding. J Struct Biol 2019; 208:77-85. [PMID: 31400508 PMCID: PMC6839023 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2019.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2019] [Revised: 08/03/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
UspA1299–452 is a left-handed coiled-coil structure that follows TAA rules. Structure of UspA1299–452 contains part of the long neck domain and of the stalk. UspA1-C3d binding does not saturate at C3d physiological concentrations. The binding constant as measured by thermophoresis is at least 140 μM. Full-length proteins or other factors are important for UspA1-C3d interactions.
The gram-negative bacterium Moraxella catarrhalis infects humans exclusively, causing various respiratory tract diseases, including acute otitis media in children, septicaemia or meningitis in adults, and pneumonia in the elderly. To do so, M. catarrhalis expresses virulence factors facilitating its entry and survival in the host. Among them are the ubiquitous surface proteins (Usps): A1, A2, and A2H, which all belong to the trimeric autotransporter adhesin family. They bind extracellular matrix molecules and inhibit the classical and alternative pathways of the complement cascade by recruiting complement regulators C3d and C4b binding protein. Here, we report the 2.5 Å resolution X-ray structure of UspA1299–452, which previous work had suggested contained the canonical C3d binding site found in both UspA1 and UspA2. We show that this fragment of the passenger domain contains part of the long neck domain (residues 299–336) and a fragment of the stalk (residues 337–452). The coiled-coil stalk is left-handed, with 7 polar residues from each chain facing the core and coordinating chloride ions or water molecules. Despite the previous reports of tight binding in serum-based assays, we were not able to demonstrate binding between C3d and UspA1299–452 using ELISA or biolayer interferometry, and the two proteins run separately on size-exclusion chromatography. Microscale thermophoresis suggested that the dissociation constant was 140.5 ± 8.4 μM. We therefore suggest that full-length proteins or other additional factors are important in UspA1-C3d interactions. Other molecules on the bacterial surface or present in serum may enhance binding of those two molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kornelia M Mikula
- Molecular and Integrative Biosciences, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Robert Kolodziejczyk
- Molecular and Integrative Biosciences, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Adrian Goldman
- Molecular and Integrative Biosciences, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
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31
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Rhys GG, Wood CW, Beesley JL, Zaccai NR, Burton AJ, Brady RL, Thomson AR, Woolfson DN. Navigating the Structural Landscape of De Novo α-Helical Bundles. J Am Chem Soc 2019; 141:8787-8797. [PMID: 31066556 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.8b13354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The association of amphipathic α helices in water leads to α-helical-bundle protein structures. However, the driving force for this-the hydrophobic effect-is not specific and does not define the number or the orientation of helices in the associated state. Rather, this is achieved through deeper sequence-to-structure relationships, which are increasingly being discerned. For example, for one structurally extreme but nevertheless ubiquitous class of bundle-the α-helical coiled coils-relationships have been established that discriminate between all-parallel dimers, trimers, and tetramers. Association states above this are known, as are antiparallel and mixed arrangements of the helices. However, these alternative states are less well understood. Here, we describe a synthetic-peptide system that switches between parallel hexamers and various up-down-up-down tetramers in response to single-amino-acid changes and solution conditions. The main accessible states of each peptide variant are characterized fully in solution and, in most cases, to high resolution with X-ray crystal structures. Analysis and inspection of these structures helps rationalize the different states formed. This navigation of the structural landscape of α-helical coiled coils above the dimers and trimers that dominate in nature has allowed us to design rationally a well-defined and hyperstable antiparallel coiled-coil tetramer (apCC-Tet). This robust de novo protein provides another scaffold for further structural and functional designs in protein engineering and synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guto G Rhys
- School of Chemistry , University of Bristol , Cantock's Close , Bristol BS8 1TS , United Kingdom
| | - Christopher W Wood
- School of Chemistry , University of Bristol , Cantock's Close , Bristol BS8 1TS , United Kingdom
| | - Joseph L Beesley
- School of Chemistry , University of Bristol , Cantock's Close , Bristol BS8 1TS , United Kingdom
| | - Nathan R Zaccai
- School of Biochemistry , University of Bristol , Medical Sciences Building, University Walk , Bristol BS8 1TD , United Kingdom
| | - Antony J Burton
- School of Chemistry , University of Bristol , Cantock's Close , Bristol BS8 1TS , United Kingdom
- Frick Chemistry Laboratory , Princeton University , Princeton , New Jersey 08544 , United States
| | - R Leo Brady
- School of Biochemistry , University of Bristol , Medical Sciences Building, University Walk , Bristol BS8 1TD , United Kingdom
| | - Andrew R Thomson
- School of Chemistry , University of Bristol , Cantock's Close , Bristol BS8 1TS , United Kingdom
- School of Chemistry , University of Glasgow , Glasgow G12 8QQ , United Kingdom
| | - Derek N Woolfson
- School of Chemistry , University of Bristol , Cantock's Close , Bristol BS8 1TS , United Kingdom
- School of Biochemistry , University of Bristol , Medical Sciences Building, University Walk , Bristol BS8 1TD , United Kingdom
- BrisSynBio , University of Bristol , Life Sciences Building, Tyndall Avenue , Bristol BS8 1TQ , United Kingdom
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32
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The Transmembrane Conformation of the Influenza B Virus M2 Protein in Lipid Bilayers. Sci Rep 2019; 9:3725. [PMID: 30842530 PMCID: PMC6403292 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-40217-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 01/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Influenza A and B viruses cause seasonal flu epidemics. The M2 protein of influenza B (BM2) is a membrane-embedded tetrameric proton channel that is essential for the viral lifecycle. BM2 is a functional analog of AM2 but shares only 24% sequence identity for the transmembrane (TM) domain. The structure and function of AM2, which is targeted by two antiviral drugs, have been well characterized. In comparison, much less is known about the structure of BM2 and no drug is so far available to inhibit this protein. Here we use solid-state NMR spectroscopy to investigate the conformation of BM2(1–51) in phospholipid bilayers at high pH, which corresponds to the closed state of the channel. Using 2D and 3D correlation NMR experiments, we resolved and assigned the 13C and 15N chemical shifts of 29 residues of the TM domain, which yielded backbone (φ, ψ) torsion angles. Residues 6–28 form a well-ordered α-helix, whereas residues 1–5 and 29–35 display chemical shifts that are indicative of random coil or β-sheet conformations. The length of the BM2-TM helix resembles that of AM2-TM, despite their markedly different amino acid sequences. In comparison, large 15N chemical shift differences are observed between bilayer-bound BM2 and micelle-bound BM2, indicating that the TM helix conformation and the backbone hydrogen bonding in lipid bilayers differ from the micelle-bound conformation. Moreover, HN chemical shifts of micelle-bound BM2 lack the periodic trend expected for coiled coil helices, which disagree with the presence of a coiled coil structure in micelles. These results establish the basis for determining the full three-dimensional structure of the tetrameric BM2 to elucidate its proton-conduction mechanism.
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33
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Spano C, Grisendi G, Golinelli G, Rossignoli F, Prapa M, Bestagno M, Candini O, Petrachi T, Recchia A, Miselli F, Rovesti G, Orsi G, Maiorana A, Manni P, Veronesi E, Piccinno MS, Murgia A, Pinelli M, Horwitz EM, Cascinu S, Conte P, Dominici M. Soluble TRAIL Armed Human MSC As Gene Therapy For Pancreatic Cancer. Sci Rep 2019; 9:1788. [PMID: 30742129 PMCID: PMC6370785 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-37433-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2017] [Accepted: 12/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is still one of the most aggressive adult cancers with an unacceptable prognosis. For this reason novel therapies accounting for PDAC peculiarities, such as the relevant stromal reaction, are urgently needed. Here adipose mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (AD-MSC) have been armed to constantly release a soluble trimeric and multimeric variant of the known anti-cancer TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (sTRAIL). This cancer gene therapy strategy was in vitro challenged demonstrating that sTRAIL was thermally stable and able to induce apoptosis in the PDAC lines BxPC-3, MIA PaCa-2 and against primary PDAC cells. sTRAIL released by AD-MSC relocated into the tumor stroma was able to significantly counteract tumor growth in vivo with a significant reduction in tumor size, in cytokeratin-7+ cells and by an anti-angiogenic effect. In parallel, histology on PDAC specimens form patients (n = 19) was performed to investigate the levels of TRAIL DR4, DR5 and OPG receptors generating promising insights on the possible clinical translation of our approach. These results indicate that adipose MSC can very efficiently vehicle a novel TRAIL variant opening unexplored opportunities for PDAC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlotta Spano
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children & Adults, University-Hospital of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.,Rigenerand srl, Medolla, Modena, Italy
| | - Giulia Grisendi
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children & Adults, University-Hospital of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.,Rigenerand srl, Medolla, Modena, Italy
| | - Giulia Golinelli
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children & Adults, University-Hospital of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Filippo Rossignoli
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children & Adults, University-Hospital of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Malvina Prapa
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children & Adults, University-Hospital of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Marco Bestagno
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Trieste, Italy
| | - Olivia Candini
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children & Adults, University-Hospital of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.,Rigenerand srl, Medolla, Modena, Italy
| | | | - Alessandra Recchia
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Francesca Miselli
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Giulia Rovesti
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children & Adults, University-Hospital of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Giulia Orsi
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children & Adults, University-Hospital of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Antonino Maiorana
- Department of Diagnostic and Clinical Medicine and of Public Health, Institute of Pathology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Paola Manni
- Department of Diagnostic and Clinical Medicine and of Public Health, Institute of Pathology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Elena Veronesi
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children & Adults, University-Hospital of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.,Technopole of Mirandola TPM, Mirandola, Modena, Italy
| | | | - Alba Murgia
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children & Adults, University-Hospital of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Massimo Pinelli
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children & Adults, University-Hospital of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Edwin M Horwitz
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University Department of Pediatrics, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Stefano Cascinu
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children & Adults, University-Hospital of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Pierfranco Conte
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenerology University of Padova, Istituto Oncologico Veneto IRCCS, Padova, Italy
| | - Massimo Dominici
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children & Adults, University-Hospital of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy. .,Rigenerand srl, Medolla, Modena, Italy. .,Technopole of Mirandola TPM, Mirandola, Modena, Italy.
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34
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Yamamoto M, Du Q, Song J, Wang H, Watanabe A, Tanaka Y, Kawaguchi Y, Inoue JI, Matsuda Z. Cell-cell and virus-cell fusion assay-based analyses of alanine insertion mutants in the distal α9 portion of the JRFL gp41 subunit from HIV-1. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:5677-5687. [PMID: 30737278 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.004579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2018] [Revised: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Membrane fusion is the first essential step in HIV-1 replication. The gp41 subunit of HIV-1 envelope protein (Env), a class I fusion protein, achieves membrane fusion by forming a structure called a six-helix bundle composed of N- and C-terminal heptad repeats. We have recently shown that the distal portion of the α9 helix in the C-terminal heptad repeat of X4-tropic HXB2 Env plays a critical role in the late-stage membrane fusion and viral infection. Here, we used R5-tropic JRFL Env and constructed six alanine insertion mutants, 641+A to 646+A, in the further distal portion of α9 where several glutamine residues are conserved (the number corresponds to the position of the inserted alanine in JRFL Env). 644+A showed the most severe defect in syncytia formation. Decreased fusion pore formation activity, revealed by a dual split protein assay, was observed in all mutants except 641+A. Sequence analysis and substitution of inserted 644A with Gln revealed that the glutamine residue at position 644 that forms complex hydrogen-bond networks with other polar residues on the surface of the six-helix bundle is critical for cell-cell fusion. We also developed a split NanoLuc® (Nluc) reporter-based assay specific to the virus-cell membrane fusion step to analyze several of the mutants. Interestingly syncytia-competent mutants failed to display Nluc activities. In addition to defective fusion activity, a reduction of Env incorporation into virions may further contribute to differences in cell-cell and virus-cell fusions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mizuki Yamamoto
- From the Research Center for Asian Infectious Diseases.,the Division of Cellular and Molecular Biology, and
| | - Qingling Du
- the Laboratory of Structural Virology and Immunology, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100864, 100101 China, and
| | - Jiping Song
- the Laboratory of Structural Virology and Immunology, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100864, 100101 China, and
| | - Hongyun Wang
- the Laboratory of Structural Virology and Immunology, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100864, 100101 China, and
| | - Aya Watanabe
- From the Research Center for Asian Infectious Diseases.,the Division of Cellular and Molecular Biology, and
| | - Yuetsu Tanaka
- the Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa 903-0215, Japan
| | - Yasushi Kawaguchi
- From the Research Center for Asian Infectious Diseases.,the Division of Molecular Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
| | - Jun-Ichiro Inoue
- From the Research Center for Asian Infectious Diseases, .,the Division of Cellular and Molecular Biology, and
| | - Zene Matsuda
- From the Research Center for Asian Infectious Diseases, .,the Laboratory of Structural Virology and Immunology, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100864, 100101 China, and
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35
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Bergues-Pupo AE, Blank KG, Lipowsky R, Vila Verde A. Trimeric coiled coils expand the range of strength, toughness and dynamics of coiled coil motifs under shear. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2018; 20:29105-29115. [PMID: 30426982 DOI: 10.1039/c8cp04896g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Coiled coils are widespread protein motifs in nature, and promising building blocks for bio-inspired nanomaterials and nanoscale force sensors. Detailed structural insight into their mechanical response is required to understand their role in tissues and to design building blocks for applications. We use all-atom molecular dynamics simulations to elucidate the mechanical response of two types of coiled coils under shear: dimers and trimers. The amino acid sequences of both systems are similar, thus enabling universal (vs. system-specific) features to be identified. The trimer is mechanically more stable - it is both stronger and tougher - than the dimer, withstanding higher forces (127 pN vs. 49 pN at v = 10-3 nm ns-1) and dissipating up to five times more energy before rupture. The deformation mechanism of the trimer at all pull speeds is dominated by progressive helix unfolding. In contrast, at the lowest pull speeds, dimers deform by unfolding/refolding-assisted sliding. The additional helix in the trimer thus both determines the stability of the structure and affects the deformation mechanism, preventing helix sliding. The mechanical response of the coiled coils is not only sensitive to the oligomerization state but also to helix stability: preventing helix unfolding doubles the mechanical strength of the trimer, but decreases its toughness to half. Our results show that coiled coil trimers expand the range of coiled coil responses to an applied shear force. Altering the stability of individual helices against deformation emerges as one possible route towards fine-tuning this response, enabling the use of these motifs as nanomechanical building blocks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana E Bergues-Pupo
- Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Department of Theory & Bio-Systems, 14424 Potsdam, Germany.
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36
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Wuo MG, Hong SH, Singh A, Arora PS. Synthetic Control of Tertiary Helical Structures in Short Peptides. J Am Chem Soc 2018; 140:16284-16290. [PMID: 30395711 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.8b10082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Helical secondary and tertiary motifs are commonly observed as binding epitopes in natural and engineered protein scaffolds. While several strategies have been described to constrain α-helices or reproduce their binding attributes in synthetic mimics, general strategies to mimic tertiary helical motifs remain in their infancy. We recently described a synthetic strategy to develop helical dimers ( J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2015, 137, 11618-11621). We found that replacement of an interhelical salt bridge with a covalent bond can stabilize antiparallel motifs in short sequences. Here we show that the approach can be generalized to obtain antiparallel and parallel dimers as well as trimer motifs. Helical stabilization requires judiciously designed cross-linkers as well as optimal interhelical hydrophobic packing. We anticipate that these mimics would afford new classes of modulators of biological function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael G Wuo
- Department of Chemistry , New York University , New York , New York 10003 , United States
| | - Seong Ho Hong
- Department of Chemistry , New York University , New York , New York 10003 , United States
| | - Arunima Singh
- Department of Chemistry , New York University , New York , New York 10003 , United States
| | - Paramjit S Arora
- Department of Chemistry , New York University , New York , New York 10003 , United States
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37
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Nambiar M, Wang LS, Rotello V, Chmielewski J. Reversible Hierarchical Assembly of Trimeric Coiled-Coil Peptides into Banded Nano- and Microstructures. J Am Chem Soc 2018; 140:13028-13033. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.8b08163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Monessha Nambiar
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, 560 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-2084, United States
| | - Li-Sheng Wang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts−Amherst, 710 N. Pleasant Street, Amherst, Massachusetts 01002, United States
| | - Vincent Rotello
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts−Amherst, 710 N. Pleasant Street, Amherst, Massachusetts 01002, United States
| | - Jean Chmielewski
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, 560 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-2084, United States
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38
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Wood CW, Heal JW, Thomson AR, Bartlett GJ, Ibarra AÁ, Brady RL, Sessions RB, Woolfson DN. ISAMBARD: an open-source computational environment for biomolecular analysis, modelling and design. Bioinformatics 2018; 33:3043-3050. [PMID: 28582565 PMCID: PMC5870769 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btx352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2017] [Accepted: 05/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Motivation The rational design of biomolecules is becoming a reality. However, further computational tools are needed to facilitate and accelerate this, and to make it accessible to more users. Results Here we introduce ISAMBARD, a tool for structural analysis, model building and rational design of biomolecules. ISAMBARD is open-source, modular, computationally scalable and intuitive to use. These features allow non-experts to explore biomolecular design in silico. ISAMBARD addresses a standing issue in protein design, namely, how to introduce backbone variability in a controlled manner. This is achieved through the generalization of tools for parametric modelling, describing the overall shape of proteins geometrically, and without input from experimentally determined structures. This will allow backbone conformations for entire folds and assemblies not observed in nature to be generated de novo, that is, to access the ‘dark matter of protein-fold space’. We anticipate that ISAMBARD will find broad applications in biomolecular design, biotechnology and synthetic biology. Availability and implementation A current stable build can be downloaded from the python package index (https://pypi.python.org/pypi/isambard/) with development builds available on GitHub (https://github.com/woolfson-group/) along with documentation, tutorial material and all the scripts used to generate the data described in this paper. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher W Wood
- School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, UK.,School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Jack W Heal
- School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8?1TS, UK
| | - Andrew R Thomson
- School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, UK.,School of Chemistry, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Gail J Bartlett
- School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8?1TS, UK
| | - Amaurys Á Ibarra
- School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8?1TD, UK
| | - R Leo Brady
- School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8?1TD, UK
| | - Richard B Sessions
- School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK.,BrisSynBio, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Derek N Woolfson
- School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, UK.,School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK.,BrisSynBio, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
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39
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Blain-Hartung M, Rockwell NC, Lagarias JC. Light-Regulated Synthesis of Cyclic-di-GMP by a Bidomain Construct of the Cyanobacteriochrome Tlr0924 (SesA) without Stable Dimerization. Biochemistry 2017; 56:6145-6154. [PMID: 29072834 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.7b00734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Phytochromes and cyanobacteriochromes (CBCRs) use double-bond photoisomerization of their linear tetrapyrrole (bilin) chromophores within cGMP-specific phosphodiesterases/adenylyl cyclases/FhlA (GAF) domain-containing photosensory modules to regulate activity of C-terminal output domains. CBCRs exhibit photocycles that are much more diverse than those of phytochromes and are often found in large modular proteins such as Tlr0924 (SesA), one of three blue light regulators of cell aggregation in the cyanobacterium Thermosynechococcus elongatus. Tlr0924 contains a single bilin-binding GAF domain adjacent to a C-terminal diguanylate cyclase (GGDEF) domain whose catalytic activity requires formation of a dimeric transition state presumably supported by a multidomain extension at its N-terminus. To probe the structural basis of light-mediated signal propagation from the photosensory input domain to a signaling output domain for a representative CBCR, these studies explore the properties of a bidomain GAF-GGDEF construct of Tlr0924 (Tlr0924Δ) that retains light-regulated diguanylate cyclase activity. Surprisingly, circular dichroism spectroscopy and size exclusion chromatography data do not support formation of stable dimers in either the blue-absorbing 15ZPb dark state or the green-absorbing 15EPg photoproduct state of Tlr0924Δ. Analysis of variants containing site-specific mutations reveals that proper signal transmission requires both chromophorylation of the GAF domain and individual residues within the amphipathic linker region between GAF and GGDEF domains. On the basis of these data, we propose a model in which bilin binding and light signals are propagated from the GAF domain via the linker to alter the equilibrium and interconversion dynamics between active and inactive conformations of the GGDEF domain to favor or disfavor formation of catalytically competent dimers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Blain-Hartung
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California , Davis, California 95616, United States
| | - Nathan C Rockwell
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California , Davis, California 95616, United States
| | - J Clark Lagarias
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California , Davis, California 95616, United States
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40
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Wood CW, Woolfson DN. CCBuilder 2.0: Powerful and accessible coiled-coil modeling. Protein Sci 2017; 27:103-111. [PMID: 28836317 PMCID: PMC5734305 DOI: 10.1002/pro.3279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2017] [Accepted: 08/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The increased availability of user-friendly and accessible computational tools for biomolecular modeling would expand the reach and application of biomolecular engineering and design. For protein modeling, one key challenge is to reduce the complexities of 3D protein folds to sets of parametric equations that nonetheless capture the salient features of these structures accurately. At present, this is possible for a subset of proteins, namely, repeat proteins. The α-helical coiled coil provides one such example, which represents ≈ 3-5% of all known protein-encoding regions of DNA. Coiled coils are bundles of α helices that can be described by a small set of structural parameters. Here we describe how this parametric description can be implemented in an easy-to-use web application, called CCBuilder 2.0, for modeling and optimizing both α-helical coiled coils and polyproline-based collagen triple helices. This has many applications from providing models to aid molecular replacement for X-ray crystallography, in silico model building and engineering of natural and designed protein assemblies, and through to the creation of completely de novo "dark matter" protein structures. CCBuilder 2.0 is available as a web-based application, the code for which is open-source and can be downloaded freely. http://coiledcoils.chm.bris.ac.uk/ccbuilder2. LAY SUMMARY We have created CCBuilder 2.0, an easy to use web-based application that can model structures for a whole class of proteins, the α-helical coiled coil, which is estimated to account for 3-5% of all proteins in nature. CCBuilder 2.0 will be of use to a large number of protein scientists engaged in fundamental studies, such as protein structure determination, through to more-applied research including designing and engineering novel proteins that have potential applications in biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher W Wood
- School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Cantock's Close, Bristol, BS8 1TS, United Kingdom
| | - Derek N Woolfson
- School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Cantock's Close, Bristol, BS8 1TS, United Kingdom.,School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Medical Sciences Building, University Walk, Bristol, BS8 1TD, United Kingdom.,BrisSynBio, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, United Kingdom
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41
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Abstract
The development of biomaterials designed for specific applications is an important objective in personalized medicine. While the breadth and prominence of biomaterials have increased exponentially over the past decades, critical challenges remain to be addressed, particularly in the development of biomaterials that exhibit highly specific functions. These functional properties are often encoded within the molecular structure of the component molecules. Proteins, as a consequence of their structural specificity, represent useful substrates for the construction of functional biomaterials through rational design. This chapter provides an in-depth survey of biomaterials constructed from coiled-coils, one of the best-understood protein structural motifs. We discuss the utility of this structurally diverse and functionally tunable class of proteins for the creation of novel biomaterials. This discussion illustrates the progress that has been made in the development of coiled-coil biomaterials by showcasing studies that bridge the gap between the academic science and potential technological impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A.D. Parry
- Institute of Fundamental Sciences and Riddet Institute, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - John M. Squire
- Muscle Contraction Group, School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
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42
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Cangelosi V, Ruckthong L, Pecoraro VL. Lead(II) Binding in Natural and Artificial Proteins. Met Ions Life Sci 2017; 17:/books/9783110434330/9783110434330-010/9783110434330-010.xml. [PMID: 28731303 PMCID: PMC5771651 DOI: 10.1515/9783110434330-010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
This article describes recent attempts to understand the biological chemistry of lead using a synthetic biology approach. Lead binds to a variety of different biomolecules ranging from enzymes to regulatory and signaling proteins to bone matrix. We have focused on the interactions of this element in thiolate-rich sites that are found in metalloregulatory proteins such as Pbr, Znt, and CadC and in enzymes such as δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD). In these proteins, Pb(II) is often found as a homoleptic and hemidirectic Pb(II)(SR)3- complex. Using first principles of biophysics, we have developed relatively short peptides that can associate into three-stranded coiled coils (3SCCs), in which a cysteine group is incorporated into the hydrophobic core to generate a (cysteine)3 binding site. We describe how lead may be sequestered into these sites, the characteristic spectral features may be observed for such systems and we provide crystallographic insight on metal binding. The Pb(II)(SR)3- that is revealed within these α-helical assemblies forms a trigonal pyramidal structure (having an endo orientation) with distinct conformations than are also found in natural proteins (having an exo conformation). This structural insight, combined with 207Pb NMR spectroscopy, suggests that while Pb(II) prefers hemidirected Pb(II)(SR)3- scaffolds regardless of the protein fold, the way this is achieved within α-helical systems is different than in β-sheet or loop regions of proteins. These interactions between metal coordination preference and protein structural preference undoubtedly are exploited in natural systems to allow for protein conformation changes that define function. Thus, using a design approach that separates the numerous factors that lead to stable natural proteins allows us to extract fundamental concepts on how metals behave in biological systems.
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43
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Schmidt NW, Grigoryan G, DeGrado WF. The accommodation index measures the perturbation associated with insertions and deletions in coiled-coils: Application to understand signaling in histidine kinases. Protein Sci 2017; 26:414-435. [PMID: 27977891 PMCID: PMC5326573 DOI: 10.1002/pro.3095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2016] [Revised: 11/30/2016] [Accepted: 12/01/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Coiled-coils are essential components of many protein complexes. First discovered in structural proteins such as keratins, they have since been found to figure largely in the assembly and dynamics required for diverse functions, including membrane fusion, signal transduction and motors. Coiled-coils have a characteristic repeating seven-residue geometric and sequence motif, which is sometimes interrupted by the insertion of one or more residues. Such insertions are often highly conserved and critical to interdomain communication in signaling proteins such as bacterial histidine kinases. Here we develop the "accommodation index" as a parameter that allows automatic detection and classification of insertions based on the three dimensional structure of a protein. This method allows precise identification of the type of insertion and the "accommodation length" over which the insertion is structurally accommodated. A simple theory is presented that predicts the structural perturbations of 1, 3, 4 residue insertions as a function of the length over which the insertion is accommodated. Analysis of experimental structures is in good agreement with theory, and shows that short accommodation lengths give rise to greater perturbation of helix packing angles, changes in local helical phase, and increased structural asymmetry relative to long accommodation lengths. Cytoplasmic domains of histidine kinases in different signaling states display large changes in their accommodation lengths, which can now be seen to underlie diverse structural transitions including symmetry/asymmetry and local variations in helical phase that accompany signal transduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan W. Schmidt
- Department of Pharmaceutical ChemistryCardiovascular Research Institute, University of CaliforniaSan FranciscoCalifornia94158
| | - Gevorg Grigoryan
- Department of Computer ScienceDartmouth CollegeHanoverNew Hampshire03755
- Department of Biological SciencesDartmouth CollegeHanoverNew Hampshire03755
| | - William F. DeGrado
- Department of Pharmaceutical ChemistryCardiovascular Research Institute, University of CaliforniaSan FranciscoCalifornia94158
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Webb S, Nagy T, Moseley H, Fried M, Dutch R. Hendra virus fusion protein transmembrane domain contributes to pre-fusion protein stability. J Biol Chem 2017; 292:5685-5694. [PMID: 28213515 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m117.777235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2017] [Revised: 02/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Enveloped viruses utilize fusion (F) proteins studding the surface of the virus to facilitate membrane fusion with a target cell membrane. Fusion of the viral envelope with a cellular membrane is required for release of viral genomic material, so the virus can ultimately reproduce and spread. To drive fusion, the F protein undergoes an irreversible conformational change, transitioning from a metastable pre-fusion conformation to a more thermodynamically stable post-fusion structure. Understanding the elements that control stability of the pre-fusion state and triggering to the post-fusion conformation is important for understanding F protein function. Mutations in F protein transmembrane (TM) domains implicated the TM domain in the fusion process, but the structural and molecular details in fusion remain unclear. Previously, analytical ultracentrifugation was utilized to demonstrate that isolated TM domains of Hendra virus F protein associate in a monomer-trimer equilibrium (Smith, E. C., Smith, S. E., Carter, J. R., Webb, S. R., Gibson, K. M., Hellman, L. M., Fried, M. G., and Dutch, R. E. (2013) J. Biol. Chem. 288, 35726-35735). To determine factors driving this association, 140 paramyxovirus F protein TM domain sequences were analyzed. A heptad repeat of β-branched residues was found, and analysis of the Hendra virus F TM domain revealed a heptad repeat leucine-isoleucine zipper motif (LIZ). Replacement of the LIZ with alanine resulted in dramatically reduced TM-TM association. Mutation of the LIZ in the whole protein resulted in decreased protein stability, including pre-fusion conformation stability. Together, our data suggest that the heptad repeat LIZ contributed to TM-TM association and is important for F protein function and pre-fusion stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stacy Webb
- From the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536
| | - Tamas Nagy
- From the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536
| | - Hunter Moseley
- From the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536
| | - Michael Fried
- From the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536
| | - Rebecca Dutch
- From the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536
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45
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Klement M, Zheng J, Liu C, Tan HL, Wong VVT, Choo ABH, Lee DY, Ow DSW. Antibody engineering of a cytotoxic monoclonal antibody 84 against human embryonic stem cells: Investigating the effects of multivalency on cytotoxicity. J Biotechnol 2017; 243:29-37. [PMID: 28042013 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2016.12.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2016] [Revised: 11/22/2016] [Accepted: 12/27/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Antibody fragments have shown targeted specificity to their antigens, but only modest tissue retention times in vivo and in vitro. Multimerization has been used as a protein engineering tool to increase the number of binding units and thereby enhance the efficacy and retention time of antibody fragments. In this work, we explored the effects of valency using a series of self-assembling polypeptides based on the GCN4 leucine zipper multimerization domain fused to a single-chain variable fragment via an antibody upper hinge sequence. Four engineered antibody fragments with a valency from one to four antigen-binding units of a cytotoxic monoclonal antibody 84 against human embryonic stem cells (hESC) were constructed. We hypothesized that higher cytotoxicity would be observed for fragments with increased valency. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that the trimeric and tetrameric engineered antibody fragments resulted in the highest degree of cytotoxicity to the undifferentiated hESC, while the engineered antibody fragments were observed to have improved tissue penetration into cell clusters. Thus, a trade off was made for the trimeric versus tetrameric fragment due to improved tissue penetration. These results have direct implications for antibody-mediated removal of undifferentiated hESC during regenerative medicine and cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Klement
- Bioprocessing Technology Institute, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), 20 Biopolis Way, #06-01 Centros, 138668, Singapore; Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 4, 117576, Singapore
| | - Jiyun Zheng
- Bioprocessing Technology Institute, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), 20 Biopolis Way, #06-01 Centros, 138668, Singapore; NUS Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering, National University of Singapore, 28 Medical Drive, #05-01, 117456, Singapore
| | - Chengcheng Liu
- Bioprocessing Technology Institute, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), 20 Biopolis Way, #06-01 Centros, 138668, Singapore
| | - Heng-Liang Tan
- Bioprocessing Technology Institute, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), 20 Biopolis Way, #06-01 Centros, 138668, Singapore
| | - Victor Vai Tak Wong
- Bioprocessing Technology Institute, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), 20 Biopolis Way, #06-01 Centros, 138668, Singapore
| | - Andre Boon-Hwa Choo
- Bioprocessing Technology Institute, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), 20 Biopolis Way, #06-01 Centros, 138668, Singapore; Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, 9 Engineering Drive 1, 117575, Singapore
| | - Dong-Yup Lee
- Bioprocessing Technology Institute, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), 20 Biopolis Way, #06-01 Centros, 138668, Singapore; Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 4, 117576, Singapore; NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI), Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, 28 Medical Drive, 117456, Singapore.
| | - Dave Siak-Wei Ow
- Bioprocessing Technology Institute, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), 20 Biopolis Way, #06-01 Centros, 138668, Singapore.
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46
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Abstract
α-Helical coiled coils constitute one of the most diverse folds yet described. They range in length over two orders of magnitude; they form rods, segmented ropes, barrels, funnels, sheets, spirals, and rings, which encompass anywhere from two to more than 20 helices in parallel or antiparallel orientation; they assume different helix crossing angles, degrees of supercoiling, and packing geometries. This structural diversity supports a wide range of biological functions, allowing them to form mechanically rigid structures, provide levers for molecular motors, project domains across large distances, mediate oligomerization, transduce conformational changes and facilitate the transport of other molecules. Unlike almost any other protein fold known to us, their structure can be computed from parametric equations, making them an ideal model system for rational protein design. Here we outline the principles by which coiled coils are structured, review the determinants of their folding and stability, and present an overview of their diverse architectures.
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47
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Abstract
We describe the development and potential use of various designs of recombinant HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein trimers that mimic the structure of the virion-associated spike, which is the target for neutralizing antibodies. The goal of trimer development programs is to induce broadly neutralizing antibodies with the potential to intervene against multiple circulating HIV-1 strains. Among the topics we address are the designs of various constructs; how native-like trimers can be produced and purified; the properties of such trimers in vitro and their immunogenicity in various animals; and the immunization strategies that may lead to the eventual elicitation of broadly neutralizing antibodies. In summary, native-like trimers are a now a platform for structure- and immunology-based design improvements that could eventually yield immunogens of practical value for solving the long-standing HIV-1 vaccine problem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rogier W. Sanders
- Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyWeill Medical College of Cornell UniversityNew YorkNYUSA
- Department of Medical MicrobiologyAcademic Medical CenterUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - John P. Moore
- Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyWeill Medical College of Cornell UniversityNew YorkNYUSA
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48
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Abstract
α-Helical coiled coils are ubiquitous protein-folding and protein-interaction domains in which two or more α-helical chains come together to form bundles. Through a combination of bioinformatics analysis of many thousands of natural coiled-coil sequences and structures, plus empirical protein engineering and design studies, there is now a deep understanding of the sequence-to-structure relationships for this class of protein architecture. This has led to considerable success in rational design and what might be termed in biro de novo design of simple coiled coils, which include homo- and hetero-meric parallel dimers, trimers and tetramers. In turn, these provide a toolkit for directing the assembly of both natural proteins and more complex designs in protein engineering, materials science and synthetic biology. Moving on, the increased and improved use of computational design is allowing access to coiled-coil structures that are rare or even not observed in nature, for example α-helical barrels, which comprise five or more α-helices and have central channels into which different functions may be ported. This chapter reviews all of these advances, outlining improvements in our knowledge of the fundamentals of coiled-coil folding and assembly, and highlighting new coiled coil-based materials and applications that this new understanding is opening up. Despite considerable progress, however, challenges remain in coiled-coil design, and the next decade promises to be as productive and exciting as the last.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derek N Woolfson
- School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, BS8 1TS, Bristol, UK.
- School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, BS8 1TD, Bristol, UK.
- BrisSynBio, Life Sciences Building, University of Bristol, BS8 1TQ, Bristol, UK.
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49
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Lupas AN, Bassler J. Coiled Coils - A Model System for the 21st Century. Trends Biochem Sci 2016; 42:130-140. [PMID: 27884598 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2016.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2016] [Accepted: 10/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
α-Helical coiled coils were described more than 60 years ago as simple, repetitive structures mediating oligomerization and mechanical stability. Over the past 20 years, however, they have emerged as one of the most diverse protein folds in nature, enabling many biological functions beyond mechanical rigidity, such as membrane fusion, signal transduction, and solute transport. Despite this great diversity, their structures can be described by parametric equations, making them uniquely suited for rational protein design. Far from having been exhausted as a source of structural insight and a basis for functional engineering, coiled coils are poised to become even more important for protein science in the coming decades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrei N Lupas
- Department of Protein Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Jens Bassler
- Department of Protein Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
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50
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Liesche C, Grussmayer KS, Ludwig M, Wörz S, Rohr K, Herten DP, Beaudouin J, Eils R. Automated Analysis of Single-Molecule Photobleaching Data by Statistical Modeling of Spot Populations. Biophys J 2016; 109:2352-62. [PMID: 26636946 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2015.10.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2015] [Revised: 10/01/2015] [Accepted: 10/26/2015] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The number of fluorophores within a molecule complex can be revealed by single-molecule photobleaching imaging. A widely applied strategy to analyze intensity traces over time is the quantification of photobleaching step counts. However, several factors can limit and bias the detection of photobleaching steps, including noise, high numbers of fluorophores, and the possibility that several photobleaching events occur almost simultaneously. In this study, we propose a new approach, to our knowledge, to determine the fluorophore number that correlates the intensity decay of a population of molecule complexes with the decay of the number of visible complexes. We validated our approach using single and fourfold Atto-labeled DNA strands. As an example we estimated the subunit stoichiometry of soluble CD95L using GFP fusion proteins. To assess the precision of our method we performed in silico experiments showing that the estimates are not biased for experimentally observed intensity fluctuations and that the relative precision remains constant with increasing number of fluorophores. In case of fractional fluorescent labeling, our simulations predicted that the fluorophore number estimate corresponds to the product of the true fluorophore number with the labeling fraction. Our method, denoted by spot number and intensity correlation (SONIC), is fully automated, robust to noise, and does not require the counting of photobleaching events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clarissa Liesche
- Division of Theoretical Bioinformatics (B080), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; Department for Bioinformatics and Functional Genomics, Institute for Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology (IPMB) and BioQuant, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kristin S Grussmayer
- CellNetworks Cluster and Institute for Physical Chemistry, BioQuant, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael Ludwig
- CellNetworks Cluster and Institute for Physical Chemistry, BioQuant, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stefan Wörz
- Division of Theoretical Bioinformatics (B080), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; Department for Bioinformatics and Functional Genomics, Institute for Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology (IPMB) and BioQuant, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Karl Rohr
- Division of Theoretical Bioinformatics (B080), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; Department for Bioinformatics and Functional Genomics, Institute for Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology (IPMB) and BioQuant, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dirk-Peter Herten
- CellNetworks Cluster and Institute for Physical Chemistry, BioQuant, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Joël Beaudouin
- Division of Theoretical Bioinformatics (B080), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; Department for Bioinformatics and Functional Genomics, Institute for Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology (IPMB) and BioQuant, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Roland Eils
- Division of Theoretical Bioinformatics (B080), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; Department for Bioinformatics and Functional Genomics, Institute for Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology (IPMB) and BioQuant, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
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