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Louros N, Rousseau F, Schymkowitz J. CORDAX web server: an online platform for the prediction and 3D visualization of aggregation motifs in protein sequences. Bioinformatics 2024; 40:btae279. [PMID: 38662570 PMCID: PMC11078773 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btae279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION Proteins, the molecular workhorses of biological systems, execute a multitude of critical functions dictated by their precise three-dimensional structures. In a complex and dynamic cellular environment, proteins can undergo misfolding, leading to the formation of aggregates that take up various forms, including amorphous and ordered aggregation in the shape of amyloid fibrils. This phenomenon is closely linked to a spectrum of widespread debilitating pathologies, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, type-II diabetes, and several other proteinopathies, but also hampers the engineering of soluble agents, as in the case of antibody development. As such, the accurate prediction of aggregation propensity within protein sequences has become pivotal due to profound implications in understanding disease mechanisms, as well as in improving biotechnological and therapeutic applications. RESULTS We previously developed Cordax, a structure-based predictor that utilizes logistic regression to detect aggregation motifs in protein sequences based on their structural complementarity to the amyloid cross-beta architecture. Here, we present a dedicated web server interface for Cordax. This online platform combines several features including detailed scoring of sequence aggregation propensity, as well as 3D visualization with several customization options for topology models of the structural cores formed by predicted aggregation motifs. In addition, information is provided on experimentally determined aggregation-prone regions that exhibit sequence similarity to predicted motifs, scores, and links to other predictor outputs, as well as simultaneous predictions of relevant sequence propensities, such as solubility, hydrophobicity, and secondary structure propensity. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION The Cordax webserver is freely accessible at https://cordax.switchlab.org/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos Louros
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, VIB, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Switch Laboratory, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for AI & Computational Biology, VIB, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Frederic Rousseau
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, VIB, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Switch Laboratory, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for AI & Computational Biology, VIB, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Joost Schymkowitz
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, VIB, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Switch Laboratory, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for AI & Computational Biology, VIB, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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2
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Sahayaraj AE, Abdul Vahid A, Dhara A, Babu AT, Vijayan V. Role of G326 in Determining the Aggregation Propensity of R3 Tau Repeat: Insights from Studies on R1R3 Tau Construct. J Phys Chem B 2024. [PMID: 38676652 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c00123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
The Microtubule-binding repeat region (MTBR) of Tau has been studied extensively due to its pathological implications in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease. The pathological property of MTBR is mainly due to the R3 repeat's high propensity for self-aggregation, highlighting the critical molecular grammar of the repeat. Utilizing the R1R3 construct (WT) and its G326E mutant (EE), we determine the distinct characteristics of various peptide segments that modulate the aggregation propensity of the R3 repeat using NMR spectroscopy. Through time-dependent experiments, we have identified 317KVTSKCGS324 in R3 repeat as the aggregation initiating motif (AIM) due to its role at the initial stages of aggregation. The G326E mutation induces changes in conformation and dynamics at the AIM, thereby effectively abrogating the aggregation propensity of the R1R3 construct. We further corroborate our findings through MD simulations and propose that AIM is a robust site of interest for tauopathy drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allwin Ebenezer Sahayaraj
- School of Chemistry, IISER-Thiruvananthapuram, Maruthamala PO, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695551, India
| | - Arshad Abdul Vahid
- School of Chemistry, IISER-Thiruvananthapuram, Maruthamala PO, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695551, India
| | - Asmita Dhara
- School of Chemistry, IISER-Thiruvananthapuram, Maruthamala PO, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695551, India
| | - Ann Teres Babu
- School of Chemistry, IISER-Thiruvananthapuram, Maruthamala PO, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695551, India
| | - Vinesh Vijayan
- School of Chemistry, IISER-Thiruvananthapuram, Maruthamala PO, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695551, India
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Ryder BD, Ustyantseva E, Boyer DR, Mendoza-Oliva A, Kuska MI, Wydorski PM, Macierzyńska P, Morgan N, Sawaya MR, Diamond MI, Kampinga HH, Joachimiak LA. DNAJB8 oligomerization is mediated by an aromatic-rich motif that is dispensable for substrate activity. Structure 2024:S0969-2126(24)00055-8. [PMID: 38508190 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2024.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
J-domain protein (JDP) molecular chaperones have emerged as central players that maintain a healthy proteome. The diverse members of the JDP family function as monomers/dimers and a small subset assemble into micron-sized oligomers. The oligomeric JDP members have eluded structural characterization due to their low-complexity, intrinsically disordered middle domains. This in turn, obscures the biological significance of these larger oligomers in protein folding processes. Here, we identified a short, aromatic motif within DNAJB8 that drives self-assembly through π-π stacking and determined its X-ray structure. We show that mutations in the motif disrupt DNAJB8 oligomerization in vitro and in cells. DNAJB8 variants that are unable to assemble bind to misfolded tau seeds more specifically and retain capacity to reduce protein aggregation in vitro and in cells. We propose a new model for DNAJB8 function in which the sequences in the low-complexity domains play distinct roles in assembly and substrate activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan D Ryder
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Elizaveta Ustyantseva
- Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen 9713 AV, The Netherlands
| | - David R Boyer
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Ayde Mendoza-Oliva
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Mikołaj I Kuska
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Paweł M Wydorski
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Paulina Macierzyńska
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Nabil Morgan
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Michael R Sawaya
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Marc I Diamond
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Harm H Kampinga
- Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen 9713 AV, The Netherlands
| | - Lukasz A Joachimiak
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
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4
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Louros N, Wilkinson M, Tsaka G, Ramakers M, Morelli C, Garcia T, Gallardo R, D'Haeyer S, Goossens V, Audenaert D, Thal DR, Mackenzie IR, Rademakers R, Ranson NA, Radford SE, Rousseau F, Schymkowitz J. Local structural preferences in shaping tau amyloid polymorphism. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1028. [PMID: 38310108 PMCID: PMC10838331 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45429-2] [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: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Tauopathies encompass a group of neurodegenerative disorders characterised by diverse tau amyloid fibril structures. The persistence of polymorphism across tauopathies suggests that distinct pathological conditions dictate the adopted polymorph for each disease. However, the extent to which intrinsic structural tendencies of tau amyloid cores contribute to fibril polymorphism remains uncertain. Using a combination of experimental approaches, we here identify a new amyloidogenic motif, PAM4 (Polymorphic Amyloid Motif of Repeat 4), as a significant contributor to tau polymorphism. Calculation of per-residue contributions to the stability of the fibril cores of different pathologic tau structures suggests that PAM4 plays a central role in preserving structural integrity across amyloid polymorphs. Consistent with this, cryo-EM structural analysis of fibrils formed from a synthetic PAM4 peptide shows that the sequence adopts alternative structures that closely correspond to distinct disease-associated tau strains. Furthermore, in-cell experiments revealed that PAM4 deletion hampers the cellular seeding efficiency of tau aggregates extracted from Alzheimer's disease, corticobasal degeneration, and progressive supranuclear palsy patients, underscoring PAM4's pivotal role in these tauopathies. Together, our results highlight the importance of the intrinsic structural propensity of amyloid core segments to determine the structure of tau in cells, and in propagating amyloid structures in disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos Louros
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Martin Wilkinson
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Grigoria Tsaka
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Meine Ramakers
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Chiara Morelli
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Teresa Garcia
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Rodrigo Gallardo
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Sam D'Haeyer
- VIB Screening Core, Ghent, Belgium
- Centre for Bioassay Development and Screening (C-BIOS), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Vera Goossens
- VIB Screening Core, Ghent, Belgium
- Centre for Bioassay Development and Screening (C-BIOS), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Dominique Audenaert
- VIB Screening Core, Ghent, Belgium
- Centre for Bioassay Development and Screening (C-BIOS), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Dietmar Rudolf Thal
- KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory for Neuropathology, KU Leuven, and Department of Pathology, UZ Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ian R Mackenzie
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Rosa Rademakers
- Applied and Translational Neurogenomics, VIB Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Neil A Ranson
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Sheena E Radford
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Frederic Rousseau
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
- Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Joost Schymkowitz
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
- Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
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5
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Bali S, Singh R, Wydorski PM, Wosztyl A, Perez VA, Chen D, Rizo J, Joachimiak LA. Ensemble-based design of tau to inhibit aggregation while preserving biological activity. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-3796916. [PMID: 38313287 PMCID: PMC10836093 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3796916/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
The microtubule-associated protein tau is implicated in neurodegenerative diseases characterized by amyloid formation. Mutations associated with frontotemporal dementia increase tau aggregation propensity and disrupt its endogenous microtubule-binding activity. The structural relationship between aggregation propensity and biological activity remains unclear. We employed a multi-disciplinary approach, including computational modeling, NMR, cross-linking mass spectrometry, and cell models to design tau sequences that stabilize its structural ensemble. Our findings reveal that substitutions near the conserved 'PGGG' beta-turn motif can modulate local conformation, more stably engaging in interactions with the 306VQIVYK311 amyloid motif to decrease aggregation in vitro and in cells. Designed tau sequences maintain microtubule binding and explain why 3R isoforms of tau exhibit reduced pathogenesis over 4R isoforms. We propose a simple mechanism to reduce the formation of pathogenic species while preserving biological function, offering insights for therapeutic strategies aimed at reducing protein misfolding in neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Bali
- Molecular Biophysics Graduate Program, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, United States
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas
| | - Ruhar Singh
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas
| | - Pawel M Wydorski
- Molecular Biophysics Graduate Program, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, United States
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas
| | - Aleksandra Wosztyl
- Molecular Biophysics Graduate Program, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, United States
| | - Valerie A Perez
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas
| | - Dailu Chen
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas
| | - Josep Rizo
- Department of Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, United States Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, United States
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, United States
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, United States
| | - Lukasz A Joachimiak
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, United States
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6
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Bali S, Singh R, Wydorski PM, Wosztyl A, Perez VA, Chen D, Rizo J, Joachimiak LA. Ensemble-based design of tau to inhibit aggregation while preserving biological activity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.13.571598. [PMID: 38168322 PMCID: PMC10760154 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.13.571598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
The microtubule-associated protein tau is implicated in neurodegenerative diseases characterized by amyloid formation. Mutations associated with frontotemporal dementia increase tau aggregation propensity and disrupt its endogenous microtubule-binding activity. The structural relationship between aggregation propensity and biological activity remains unclear. We employed a multi-disciplinary approach, including computational modeling, NMR, cross-linking mass spectrometry, and cell models to design tau sequences that stabilize its structural ensemble. Our findings reveal that substitutions near the conserved 'PGGG' beta-turn motif can modulate local conformation, more stably engaging in interactions with the 306 VQIVYK 311 amyloid motif to decrease aggregation in vitro and in cells. Designed tau sequences maintain microtubule binding and explain why 3R isoforms of tau exhibit reduced pathogenesis over 4R isoforms. We propose a simple mechanism to reduce the formation of pathogenic species while preserving biological function, offering insights for therapeutic strategies aimed at reducing protein misfolding in neurodegenerative diseases.
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7
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Louros N, Schymkowitz J, Rousseau F. Mechanisms and pathology of protein misfolding and aggregation. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2023; 24:912-933. [PMID: 37684425 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-023-00647-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Despite advances in machine learning-based protein structure prediction, we are still far from fully understanding how proteins fold into their native conformation. The conventional notion that polypeptides fold spontaneously to their biologically active states has gradually been replaced by our understanding that cellular protein folding often requires context-dependent guidance from molecular chaperones in order to avoid misfolding. Misfolded proteins can aggregate into larger structures, such as amyloid fibrils, which perpetuate the misfolding process, creating a self-reinforcing cascade. A surge in amyloid fibril structures has deepened our comprehension of how a single polypeptide sequence can exhibit multiple amyloid conformations, known as polymorphism. The assembly of these polymorphs is not a random process but is influenced by the specific conditions and tissues in which they originate. This observation suggests that, similar to the folding of native proteins, the kinetics of pathological amyloid assembly are modulated by interactions specific to cells and tissues. Here, we review the current understanding of how intrinsic protein conformational propensities are modulated by physiological and pathological interactions in the cell to shape protein misfolding and aggregation pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos Louros
- Switch Laboratory, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Joost Schymkowitz
- Switch Laboratory, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium.
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Frederic Rousseau
- Switch Laboratory, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium.
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
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8
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Chlebowicz J, Russ W, Chen D, Vega A, Vernino S, White CL, Rizo J, Joachimiak LA, Diamond MI. Saturation mutagenesis of α-synuclein reveals monomer fold that modulates aggregation. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadh3457. [PMID: 37889966 PMCID: PMC10610913 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adh3457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
α-Synuclein (aSyn) aggregation underlies neurodegenerative synucleinopathies. aSyn seeds are proposed to replicate and propagate neuronal pathology like prions. Seeding of aSyn can be recapitulated in cellular systems of aSyn aggregation; however, the mechanism of aSyn seeding and its regulation are not well understood. We developed an mEos-based aSyn seeding assay and performed saturation mutagenesis to identify with single-residue resolution positive and negative regulators of aSyn aggregation. We not only found the core regions that govern aSyn aggregation but also identified mutants outside of the core that enhance aggregation. We identified local structure within the N terminus of aSyn that hinders the fibrillization propensity of its aggregation-prone core. Based on the screen, we designed a minimal aSyn fragment that shows a ~4-fold enhancement in seeding activity and enabled discrimination of synucleinopathies. Our study expands the basic knowledge of aSyn aggregation and advances the design of cellular systems of aSyn aggregation to diagnose synucleinopathies based on protein conformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julita Chlebowicz
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - William Russ
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Evozyne Inc., Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Dailu Chen
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Anthony Vega
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Steven Vernino
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Charles L. White
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Josep Rizo
- Department of Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Lukasz A. Joachimiak
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Marc I. Diamond
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
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9
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Tao Y, Li D. Acetylation encodes Tau aggregation. Structure 2023; 31:1005-1007. [PMID: 37683614 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2023.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Post-translational modifications profoundly influence amyloid assembly. In this issue of Structure, Li et al. unravel the underlying mechanism by which specific lysine acetylation patterns facilitate fibril formation of Tau segments. Their cryo-electron microscopy structure further elucidates how acetyl groups act as stabilizers within the architecture of Tau fibrils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youqi Tao
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Dan Li
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
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10
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Li L, Nguyen BA, Mullapudi V, Li Y, Saelices L, Joachimiak LA. Disease-associated patterns of acetylation stabilize tau fibril formation. Structure 2023; 31:1025-1037.e4. [PMID: 37348495 PMCID: PMC10527703 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2023.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
Assembly of tau into beta-sheet-rich amyloids dictates the pathology of a diversity of diseases. Lysine acetylation has been proposed to drive tau amyloid assembly, but no direct mechanism has emerged. Using tau fragments, we identify patterns of acetylation that flank amyloidogenic motifs on the tau fragments that promote rapid fibril assembly. We determined a 3.9 Å cryo-EM amyloid fibril structure assembled from an acetylated tau fragment uncovering how lysine acetylation can mediate gain-of-function interactions. Comparison of the structure to an ex vivo tauopathy fibril reveals regions of structural similarity. Finally, we show that fibrils encoding disease-associated patterns of acetylation are active in cell-based tau aggregation assays. Our data uncover the dual role of lysine residues in limiting tau aggregation while their acetylation leads to stabilizing pro-aggregation interactions. Design of tau sequence with specific acetylation patterns may lead to controllable tau aggregation to direct folding of tau into distinct amyloid folds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Li
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Binh A Nguyen
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Vishruth Mullapudi
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Yang Li
- Department of Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Lorena Saelices
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Lukasz A Joachimiak
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
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11
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Kell DB, Pretorius E. Are fibrinaloid microclots a cause of autoimmunity in Long Covid and other post-infection diseases? Biochem J 2023; 480:1217-1240. [PMID: 37584410 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20230241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
It is now well established that the blood-clotting protein fibrinogen can polymerise into an anomalous form of fibrin that is amyloid in character; the resultant clots and microclots entrap many other molecules, stain with fluorogenic amyloid stains, are rather resistant to fibrinolysis, can block up microcapillaries, are implicated in a variety of diseases including Long COVID, and have been referred to as fibrinaloids. A necessary corollary of this anomalous polymerisation is the generation of novel epitopes in proteins that would normally be seen as 'self', and otherwise immunologically silent. The precise conformation of the resulting fibrinaloid clots (that, as with prions and classical amyloid proteins, can adopt multiple, stable conformations) must depend on the existing small molecules and metal ions that the fibrinogen may (and is some cases is known to) have bound before polymerisation. Any such novel epitopes, however, are likely to lead to the generation of autoantibodies. A convergent phenomenology, including distinct conformations and seeding of the anomalous form for initiation and propagation, is emerging to link knowledge in prions, prionoids, amyloids and now fibrinaloids. We here summarise the evidence for the above reasoning, which has substantial implications for our understanding of the genesis of autoimmunity (and the possible prevention thereof) based on the primary process of fibrinaloid formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas B Kell
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Systems Biology, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, U.K
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Centre for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet 200, 2800 Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1 Matieland, Stellenbosch 7602, South Africa
| | - Etheresia Pretorius
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Systems Biology, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, U.K
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1 Matieland, Stellenbosch 7602, South Africa
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