Role of the C-terminal extensions of alpha-crystallins. Swapping the C-terminal extension of alpha-crystallin to alphaB-crystallin results in enhanced chaperone activity

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

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

A computational study of the R120G mutation in human αB-crystallin: implications for structural stability and functionality

The eye is a vital organ in the visual system, which is composed of transparent vascular tissue. αB-crystallin, a significant protein found in the lens, plays a crucial role in our understanding of lens diseases. Mutations in the αB-crystallin protein can cause lens diseases, such as cataracts and myopathy. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the R120G mutation is not fully understood. In this study, we utilized molecular dynamics simulations to illustrate, in atomic detail, how the R120G mutation leads to the aggregation of αB-crystallin and scattering of light in the lens. Our findings show that the R120G mutation alters the dynamic and structural properties of the αB-crystallin protein. Specifically, this mutation causes the angle of the hairpin at the C-terminal to increase from 80° to 150°, while reducing the distance between the hydrophobic patches around residues 10 and 44-55 from 1.5 nm to 1 nm. In addition, our results showed that the mutation could disrupt the IPI motif - β4/β8 interaction. The disruption of this interaction could affect the αB-crystallin oligomerization and the chaperone activity of αB-crystallin protein. The exposed hydrophobic area at the IPI motif - β4/β8 could become the primary site for interprotein interactions, which are responsible for large-scale aggregation. We have demonstrated that, in wild-type αB-crystallin protein, salt bridges R120 and D109, R107 and D80 are formed. However, in the case of the R120G mutation, the salt bridges R120 and R109 are disrupted, and a new salt bridge with a different pattern is formed. In our study, it has been found that all of the changes associated with the R120G mutation are located at the interface of chains A and B, which could impact the multimerization of the αB-crystallin. Previous research on the K92-E99 residue has shown that a salt bridge in the dimer I can reduce the chaperone activity of the protein. Furthermore, the salt bridges R120 and D109, as well as R107 and D80 in dimer II, induce changes in the hydrophobic envelope of β-sheets in the α-crystallin domain (ACD). These changes could have an impact on the multimerization of the αB-crystallin, leading to disruption of the oligomer structure and aggregation. Moreover, the changes in the αB-crystallin resulting from the R120G mutation can lead to faulty interactions with other proteins, which can cause the aggregation of αB-crystallin with other proteins, such as desmin. These findings may provide new insights into the development of treatments for lens diseases.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

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

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

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

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

Functional and structural characterization of HspB1/Hsp27 from Chinese hamster ovary cells

Small heat shock proteins (sHsps) endow cells with stress tolerance. Of the various sHsps in mammals, HspB1, also known as Hsp27, is the most ubiquitous. To examine the structure and function of HspB1, we expressed, purified, and characterized HspB1 from Chinese hamster (Cricetulus griseus) ovary cells (CgHspB1). CgHspB1 forms a large oligomeric structure. We observed a monodisperse 16‐mer with an elongated sphere, but this is affected by changes in various conditions, including temperature. Under dilute conditions, CgHspB1 dissociates into small oligomers at elevated temperatures. The dissociated conformers interacted with the gel filtration column through hydrophobic interactions. In contrast, dissociation of the oligomer was not observed by small‐angle X‐ray scattering at 55 °C. The result partially coincides with the results of size exclusion chromatography, showing that dissociation did not occur at high protein concentrations. However, a significant structural change in the oligomeric conformations appears to occur between room and higher temperatures. Reflecting their status as homeotherms, mammalian sHsps are regulated by phosphorylation. A phosphorylation mimic mutant of CgHspB1 with the replacement of Ser15 to Asp exhibited relatively lower oligomer stability and greater protective ability against thermal aggregation than the wild‐type protein. The result clearly shows a correlation between oligomer dissociation and chaperone activity.

Small heat shock proteins: Role in cellular functions and pathology

Small heat shock proteins (sHsps) are conserved across species and are important in stress tolerance. Many sHsps exhibit chaperone-like activity in preventing aggregation of target proteins, keeping them in a folding-competent state and refolding them by themselves or in concert with other ATP-dependent chaperones. Mutations in human sHsps result in myopathies, neuropathies and cataract. Their expression is modulated in diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and cancer. Their ability to bind Cu2+, and suppress generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) may have implications in Cu2+-homeostasis and neurodegenerative diseases. Circulating αB-crystallin and Hsp27 in the plasma may exhibit immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory functions. αB-crystallin and Hsp20 exhitbit anti-platelet aggregation: these beneficial effects indicate their use as potential therapeutic agents. sHsps have roles in differentiation, proteasomal degradation, autophagy and development. sHsps exhibit a robust anti-apoptotic property, involving several stages of mitochondrial-mediated, extrinsic apoptotic as well as pro-survival pathways. Dynamic N- and C-termini and oligomeric assemblies of αB-crystallin and Hsp27 are important factors for their functions. We propose a "dynamic partitioning hypothesis" for the promiscuous interactions and pleotropic functions exhibited by sHsps. Stress tolerance and anti-apoptotic properties of sHsps have both beneficial and deleterious consequences in human health and diseases. Conditional and targeted modulation of their expression and/or activity could be used as strategies in treating several human disorders. The review attempts to provide a critical overview of sHsps and their divergent roles in cellular processes particularly in the context of human health and disease.

The effect of Arg on the structure perturbation and chaperone activity of α-crystallin in the presence of the crowding agent, dextran

α-Crystallin is a protein that is expressed at high levels in all vertebrate eye lenses. It has a molecular weight of 20 kDa and is composed of two subunits: αA and αB. α-Crystallin is a member of the small heat shock protein (sHsps) family that has been shown to prevent protein aggregation. Small molecules are organic compounds that have low molecular weight (<800 Da). Arginin (Arg) is a small molecule and has been shown to prevent protein aggregation through interaction with partially folded intermediates. In this study, the effect of Arg on the chaperone activity of α-crystallin in the presence of dextran, as a crowding agent, against ordered and disordered aggregation of different target proteins (α-lactalbumin, ovotransferrin, and catalase) has been investigated. The experiments were done using visible absorption spectroscopy, ThT-binding assay, fluorescence spectroscopy, and CD spectroscopy. The results showed that in amorphous aggregation and amyloid fibril formation, both in the presence and absence of dextran, Arg had a positive effect on the chaperone action of α-crystallin. However, in the presence of dextran, the effect of Arg on the chaperone ability of α-crystallin was less than in its absence. Thus, our result suggests that crowding interior media decreases the positive effect of Arg on the chaperone ability of α-crystallin. This is a very important issue, since we are trying to find a mechanism to protect living cells against the toxic effect of protein aggregation.

Design of heat shock-resistant surfaces to prevent protein aggregation: Enhanced chaperone activity of immobilized α-Crystallin

α-Crystallin is a multimeric protein belonging to the family of small heat shock proteins, which function as molecular chaperones by resisting heat and oxidative stress induced aggregation of other proteins. We immobilized α-Crystallin on a self-assembled monolayer on glass surface and studied its activity in terms of the prevention of aggregation of aldolase. We discovered that playing with grafted protein density led to interesting variations in the chaperone activity of immobilized α-Crystallin. This result is in accordance with the hypothesis that dynamicity of subunits plays a vital role in the functioning of α-Crystallin and might be able to throw light on the structure-activity relationship. We showed that the chaperone activity of a certain number of immobilized α-Crystallins was superior compared to a solution containing an equivalent number of the protein and 10 times the number of the protein at temperatures >60 °C. The α-Crystallin grafted surfaces retained activity on reuse. This could also lead to the design of potent heat-shock resistant surfaces that can find wide applications in storage and shipping of protein based biopharmaceuticals.

Addition of αA-crystallin sequence 164-173 to a mini-chaperone DFVIFLDVKHFSPEDLT alters the conformation but not the chaperone-like activity

It has been shown that αA-mini-chaperone, a peptide representing the chaperone binding site in αA-crystallin, prevents destabilized protein aggregation. αA-Mini-chaperone has been shown to form amyloid fibrils. This study was undertaken to improve the stability of αA-mini-chaperone while preserving its anti-aggregation activity by fusing the flexible and solvent-exposed C-terminal 164-173 region of αA-crystallin to the mini-chaperone sequence DFVIFLDVKHFSPEDLT. The resulting chimeric chaperone peptide, DFVIFLDVKHFSPEDLTEEKPTSAPSS (designated CP1), was characterized. Circular dichroism studies showed that unlike αA-mini-chaperone with its β-sheet structure, the CP1 peptide exhibited a random structure. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) examination of the CP1 peptide incubated in a shaker at 37 °C for 72 h did not reveal amyloid fibrils, whereas αA-mini-chaperone showed distinct fibrils. Consistent with TEM observation, the thioflavin T binding assay showed an increased level of dye binding in the mini-chaperone incubated at 37 °C and subjected to shaking but not of the CP1 peptide incubated under similar conditions. The chaperone activity of the CP1 peptide was comparable to that of αA-mini-chaperone against denaturing alcohol dehydrogenase, citrate synthase, and α-lactalbumin. Transduction of both peptide chaperones to COS-7 cells showed no cytotoxic effects. The antioxidation assay involving the H2O2 treatment of COS-7 cells revealed that αA-mini-chaperone and the CP1 peptide have comparable cytoprotective properties against H2O2-induced oxidative damage in COS-7 cells. This study therefore shows that the addition of C-terminal sequence 164-173 of αA-crystallin to αA-mini-chaperone influences the conformation of αA-mini-chaperone without affecting its chaperone function or cytoprotective activity.

The αA66-80 peptide interacts with soluble α-crystallin and induces its aggregation and precipitation: a contribution to age-related cataract formation

Formation of protein aggregates in the aging eye lens has been shown to correlate with progressive accumulation of specific low-molecular weight (LMW) peptides derived from crystallins. Prominent among the LMW fragments is αA66-80, a peptide derived from αA-crystallin and present at higher concentrations in the water-insoluble nuclear fractions of the aging lens. The αA66-80 peptide has amyloid-like properties and preferentially insolubilizes α-crystallin from soluble lens fractions. However, the specific interactions and mechanisms by which the peptide induces α-crystallin aggregation have not been delineated. To gain insight into the mechanisms of peptide-induced aggregation, we investigated the interactions of the peptide with α-crystallin by various biochemical approaches. The peptide weakens α-crystallin chaperone ability and drastically promotes α-crystallin aggregation via the formation of insoluble peptide-protein complexes through transient intermediates. 4,4'-Dianilino-1,1'-binaphthyl-5,5'-disulfonic acid studies suggest that the peptide induces changes in the hydrophobicity of α-crystallin that could trigger the formation and growth of aggregates. The peptide-α-crystallin aggregates were found to be resistant to dissociation by high ionic strengths, whereas guanidinium hydrochloride and urea were effective dissociating agents. We conclude that the αA66-80 peptide forms a hydrophobically driven, stable complex with α-crystallin and reduces its solubility. Using isotope-labeled chemical cross-linking and mass spectrometry, we show that the peptide binds to multiple sites, including the chaperone site, the C-terminal extension, and subunit interaction sites in αB-crystallin, which may explain the antichaperone property of the peptide and the consequential age-related accumulation of aggregated proteins. Thus, the α-crystallin-derived peptide could play a role in the pathogenesis of cataract formation in the aging lens.

Chaperone activation by unfolding

Conditionally disordered proteins can alternate between highly ordered and less ordered configurations under physiological conditions. Whereas protein function is often associated with the ordered conformation, for some of these conditionally unstructured proteins, the opposite applies: Their activation is associated with their unfolding. An example is the small periplasmic chaperone HdeA, which is critical for the ability of enteric bacterial pathogens like Escherichia coli to survive passage through extremely acidic environments, such as the human stomach. At neutral pH, HdeA is a chaperone-inactive dimer. On a shift to low pH, however, HdeA monomerizes, partially unfolds, and becomes rapidly active in preventing the aggregation of substrate proteins. By mutating two aspartic acid residues predicted to be responsible for the pH-dependent monomerization of HdeA, we have succeeded in isolating an HdeA mutant that is active at neutral pH. We find this HdeA mutant to be substantially destabilized, partially unfolded, and mainly monomeric at near-neutral pH at a concentration at which it prevents aggregation of a substrate protein. These results provide convincing evidence for direct activation of a protein by partial unfolding.

Diverse functional manifestations of intrinsic structural disorder in molecular chaperones

IDPs (intrinsically disordered proteins) represent a unique class of proteins which show diverse molecular mechanisms in key biological functions. The aim of the present mini-review is to summarize IDP chaperones that have increasingly been studied in the last few years, by focusing on the role of intrinsic disorder in their molecular mechanism. Disordered regions in both globular and disordered chaperones are often involved directly in chaperone action, either by modulating activity or through direct involvement in substrate identification and binding. They might also be responsible for the subcellular localization of the protein. In outlining the state of the art, we survey known IDP chaperones discussing the following points: (i) globular chaperones that have an experimentally proven functional disordered region(s), (ii) chaperones that are completely disordered along their entire length, and (iii) the possible mechanisms of action of disordered chaperones. Through all of these details, we chart out how far the field has progressed, only to emphasize the long road ahead before the chaperone function can be firmly established as part of the physiological mechanistic arsenal of the emerging group of IDPs.

Hydration water/interfacial water in crystalline lens

Wide-line (1)H NMR signal intensity, spin-lattice and spin-spin relaxation rates and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements were done on avian (chicken and turkey) crystalline lenses between -70 degrees C and +45 degrees C to provide quantitative measures of protein hydration characteristic of the protein-water interfacial region. These measures are of paramount importance in understanding both the physiology of crystalline lens and its transitions to the cataractous pathological state characterized by the formation of opaque protein aggregates. Water mobility shows a characteristic transition at about -60 degrees C, which is identified as the melting of the interfacial/hydrate water. The amount of water in the low-temperature mobile fraction is about h = 0.4 g water/g protein, which equals the hydration required for protein activity. The amount of mobile water is temperature-independent up to about -10 degrees C, with a significant increase at higher temperatures below 0 degrees C. Above 0 degrees C, the relaxation processes can be described by a single (for spin-lattice) and by a triple (for spin-spin relaxation) exponential function. The spin-spin relaxation rate component of R(2) = 10-20 s(-1) and its dynamical parameters characterize the interfacial water at ambient or physiological temperatures. When considered an independent phase, the specific heat of the hydrate water obtained by a combination of DSC and NMR data in the temperature range -43 degrees C to -28 degrees C is higher than that of pure/bulk water. This discrepancy can only be resolved by assuming that the hydrate water is in strong thermodynamic coupling with the protein matrix. The specific heat for the system composed of the protein molecule and its hydration water is 4.6 +/- 0.3 J g(-1) K(-1). Thus, in a thermodynamic sense, crystalline protein and its hydrate layer behave as a highly-interconnected single phase.

Intrinsically disordered chaperones in plants and animalsThis paper is one of a selection of papers published in this special issue entitled “Canadian Society of Biochemistry, Molecular & Cellular Biology 52nd Annual Meeting — Protein Folding: Principles and Diseases” and has undergone the Journal's usual peer review process

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) are widespread in eukaryotes and fulfill important functions associated with signaling and regulation. Recent evidence points to a special and thus largely disrespected functional capacity of IDPs—that they can assist the folding of other proteins and prevent their aggregation, i.e., that they can act as chaperones. In this paper, we survey current information available on this phenomenon, with particular focus on (i) the structure and function of IDPs in general, (ii) disordered chaperones in plants, (iii) disordered chaperones in other organisms spanning from insects to mammals, (iv) the possible mechanisms of action of disordered chaperones, and (v) the possibility of two-faced (Janus) chaperone activity of disordered chaperones, which can assist the folding of both RNA and protein substrates. The evidence is most conclusive in the case of plant stress proteins, such as late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins or dehydrins. We will show that the cellular function of LEA proteins in mitigating the damage caused by stress is clear; nevertheless, experiments carried out in vivo must be extended and the molecular mechanism of the action of IDP chaperones also requires clarification. Using these details, we chart out how far the field has progressed only to emphasize the long road ahead before chaperone function can be firmly established as part of the physiological mechanistic arsenal of the emerging group of IDPs.

Glutamic acid residues in the C-terminal extension of small heat shock protein 25 are critical for structural and functional integrity

Small heat shock proteins (sHsps) are intracellular molecular chaperones that prevent the aggregation and precipitation of partially folded and destabilized proteins. sHsps comprise an evolutionarily conserved region of 80-100 amino acids, denoted the alpha-crystallin domain, which is flanked by regions of variable sequence and length: the N-terminal domain and the C-terminal extension. Although the two domains are known to be involved in the organization of the quaternary structure of sHsps and interaction with their target proteins, the role of the C-terminal extension is enigmatic. Despite the lack of sequence similarity, the C-terminal extension of mammalian sHsps is typically a short, polar segment which is unstructured and highly flexible and protrudes from the oligomeric structure. Both the polarity and flexibility of the C-terminal extension are important for the maintenance of sHsp solubility and for complexation with its target protein. In this study, mutants of murine Hsp25 were prepared in which the glutamic acid residues in the C-terminal extension at positions 190, 199 and 204 were each replaced with alanine. The mutants were found to be structurally altered and functionally impaired. Although there were no significant differences in the environment of tryptophan residues in the N-terminal domain or in the overall secondary structure, an increase in exposed hydrophobicity was observed for the mutants compared with wild-type Hsp25. The average molecular masses of the E199A and E204A mutants were comparable with that of the wild-type protein, whereas the E190A mutant was marginally smaller. All mutants displayed markedly reduced thermostability and chaperone activity compared with the wild-type. It is concluded that each of the glutamic acid residues in the C-terminal extension is important for Hsp25 to act as an effective molecular chaperone.

Structural and functional roles of deamidation and/or truncation of N- or C-termini in human alpha A-crystallin

The purpose of the study was to compare the effects of deamidation alone, truncation alone, or both truncation and deamidation on structural and functional properties of human lens alphaA-crystallin. Specifically, the study investigated whether deamidation of one or two sites in alphaA-crystallin (i.e., alphaA-N101D, alphaA-N123D, alphaA-N101/123D) and/or truncation of the N-terminal domain (residues 1-63) or C-terminal extension (residues 140-173) affected the structural and functional properties relative to wild-type (WT) alphaA. Human WT-alphaA and human deamidated alphaA (alphaA-N101D, alphaA-N123D, alphaA-N101/123D) were used as templates to generate the following eight N-terminal domain (residues 1-63) deleted or C-terminal extension (residues 140-173) deleted alphaA mutants and deamidated plus N-terminal domain or C-terminal extension deleted mutants: (i) alphaA-NT (NT, N-terminal domain deleted), (ii) alphaA-N101D-NT, (iii) alphaA-N123D-NT, (iv) alphaA-N101/123D-NT, (v) alphaA-CT (CT, C-terminal extension deleted), (vi) alphaA-N101D-CT, (vii) alphaA-N123D-CT, and (viii) alphaA-N101/123D-CT. All of the proteins were purified and their structural and functional (chaperone activity) properties determined. The desired deletions in the alphaA-crystallin mutants were confirmed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometric analysis. Relative to WT-alphaA homomers, the mutant proteins exhibited major structural and functional changes. The maximum decrease in chaperone activity in homomers occurred on deamidation of N123 residue, but it was substantially restored after N- or C-terminal truncations in this mutant protein. Far-UV circular dichroism (CD) spectral analyses generally showed an increase in the beta-contents in alphaA mutants with deletions of N-terminal domain or C-terminal extension and also with deamidation plus above N- or C-terminal deletions. Intrinsic tryptophan (Trp) and total fluorescence spectral studies suggested altered microenvironments in the alphaA mutant proteins. Similarly, the ANS (8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfate) binding showed generally increased fluorescence with blue shift on deletion of the N-terminal domain in the deamidated mutant proteins, but opposite effects were observed on deletion of the C-terminal extension. Molecular mass, polydispersity of homomers, and the rate of subunit exchange with WT-alphaB-crystallin increased on deletion of the C-terminal extension in the deamidated alphaA mutants, but on N-terminal domain deletion these values showed variable results based on the deamidation site. In summary, the data suggested that the deamidation alone showed greater effect on chaperone activity than the deletion of N-terminal domain or C-terminal extension of alphaA-crystallin. The N123 residue of alphaA-crystallin plays a crucial role in maintaining its chaperone function. However, both the N-terminal domain and C-terminal extension are also important for the chaperone activity of alphaA-crystallin because the activity was partially or fully recovered following either deletion in the alphaA-N123D mutant. The results of subunit exchange rates among alphaA mutants and WT-alphaB suggested that such exchange is an important determinant in maintenance of chaperone activity following deamidation and/or deletion of the N-terminal domain or C-terminal extension in alphaA-crystallin.

Paradoxical effects of substitution and deletion mutation of Arg56 on the structure and chaperone function of human alphaB-crystallin

Human alphaB-crystallin is a small heat-shock protein that functions as a molecular chaperone. Recent studies indicate that deletion of a peptide (54FLRAPSWF61) from its N-terminus makes it a better chaperone, and this particular sequence is thought to participate in substrate interaction and subunit exchange with alphaA-crystallin. To determine whether the positive charge on arginine 56 (R56) influences these functions, we prepared human alphaB-crystallin mutants in which R56 was deleted (DeltaR56) or replaced by alanine (R56A). To determine if the effects are specific to R56, we generated two additional mutant proteins in which the two neighboring amino acids were deleted (DeltaL55 and DeltaA57). Dynamic light scattering studies suggested that none of the mutations affected the oligomeric mass of the protein. Far-ultraviolet circular dichroism (UV CD) spectra revealed greater helicity in the secondary structures of R56A and DeltaR56 compared to that of the wild-type (Wt) protein. Near-UV CD spectra showed that the tertiary structure is perturbed in all mutants. Insulin and citrate synthase aggregation assays showed 38 and 30% improvement of chaperone function in DeltaR56 compared to that of the Wt. In contrast, the R56A mutant lost most of its chaperone function. Deletion mutants, DeltaL55 and DeltaA57, showed no significant changes in the chaperone function compared to that of the Wt. The DeltaR56 mutant had a higher surface hydrophobicity than the Wt, but the R56A mutant had a lower hydrophobicity. Our data show paradoxical effects of the deletion and substitution of R56 and imply that the chaperone function of human alphaB-crystallin is dictated not only by the positive charge on R56 but also by the conformational change that it bestows on the protein.

Cleavage of the C-Terminal Serine of Human αA-Crystallin Produces αA1-172 with Increased Chaperone Activity and Oligomeric Size

This study aimed to study the oligomeric size, structure, hydrodynamic properties, and chaperone function of the C-terminally truncated human alphaA-crystallin mutants with special emphasis on alphaA1-172 which is the cleavage product of the Ser172-Ser173 bond, unique to human lenses and constituting a major part of alphaA-crystallin. Various truncated forms of human alphaA-crystallins were prepared by site-directed mutagenesis. The proteins were expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) pLysS cells and purified by size exclusion column chromatography. Molecular masses and the other hydrodynamic properties were determined by dynamic light scattering measurements. The secondary and tertiary structural changes were assessed by far- and near-UV CD spectra measurements, respectively. Chaperone activity was determined by using ADH, insulin, and betaL-crystallin as the target proteins. alphaAlpha1-172 exhibited a significant increase in oligomeric size, i.e., 866 kDa by light scattering measurements as compared to 702 kDa in alphaA-wt. alphaAlpha1-172 and alphaA-wt had similar secondary structure, but the former exhibited slightly altered tertiary structure. The most interesting observation was that alphaAlpha1-172 behaved as a 28-46% better chaperone than alphaA-wt. The oligomeric size and structure of alphaAlpha1-168 were similar to those of alphaA-wt, while the chaperone activity was decreased by 12-23%. alphaAlpha1-162, on the other hand, had an oligomeric size of 400 kDa, a decrease in chaperone activity of 80-100%, and significantly altered secondary and tertiary structures. The data show that the overall chaperone function of alphaA-crystallin will be significantly improved by the presence of the major truncated product alphaAlpha1-172. This will be beneficial to the lens undergoing oxidative stress. Since alphaAlpha1-168 and alphaAlpha1-162 are present only in small amounts, their effect would be minimal.

N- and C-Terminal motifs in human alphaB crystallin play an important role in the recognition, selection, and solubilization of substrates

The functions of the interactive sequences in human alphaB crystallin that are involved in chaperone activity and complex assembly of small heat shock proteins need to be characterized to understand the mechanisms of action on unfolding and misfolding proteins. Protein pin arrays identified the hydrophobic N-terminal sequence (41STSLSPFYLRPPSFLRAP58) and the polar C-terminal sequence (155PERTIPITREE165) as interactive domains in human alphaB crystallin, which were then deleted to evaluate their importance in complex assembly and chaperone activity. Size exclusion chromatography determined that the complexes formed by the deletion mutants, Delta41-58 and Delta155-165, were larger and more polydisperse than the wild-type (wt) alphaB crystallin complex. In chaperone assays, the Delta41-58 mutant was as effective as wt alphaB crystallin in protecting partially unfolded betaL crystallin and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and significantly less effective than wt alphaB crystallin in protecting unfolded citrate synthase (CS) from aggregation. Chaperone activity did not correlate with complex size but corresponded with the amount of substrate protein unfolding. The results confirmed the importance of N-terminal residues 41-58 in selective interactions with completely unfolded substrates. Poor solubility and limited or no chaperone activity for the three substrates characterized the Delta155-165 deletion mutant, which demonstrated the importance of C-terminal residues 155-165 in maintaining the solubility of unfolded substrates in a manner independent of the amount of substrate protein unfolding. The results presented in this report established that interactive domains in the N- and C-termini of human alphaB crystallin are important for the recognition, selection, and solubility of unfolding substrate proteins.

The structure and function of a novel glycerophosphodiesterase from Enterobacter aerogenes

The structure of the glycerophosphodiesterase (GDPD) from Enterobacter aerogenes, GpdQ, has been solved by SAD phasing from the active site metal ions. Structural analysis indicates that GpdQ belongs to the alpha/beta sandwich metallo-phosphoesterase family, rather than the (alpha/beta)(8) barrel GDPD family, suggesting that GpdQ is a structurally novel GDPD. Hexameric GpdQ is generated by interactions between three dimers. The dimers are formed through domain swapping, stabilised by an inter-chain disulfide bond, and beta-sheet extension. The active site contains a binuclear metal centre, with a fully occupied alpha-metal ion site, and partially occupied beta-metal ion site, as revealed by anomalous scattering analysis. Using a combination of TLS refinement and normal mode analysis, the dynamic movement of GpdQ was investigated. This analysis suggests that the hexameric quaternary structure stabilises the base of the dimer, which promotes "breathing" of the active site cleft. Comparison with other metallo-phosphodiesterases shows that although the central, catalytic, domain is highly conserved, many of these enzymes possess structurally unrelated secondary domains located at the entrance of the active site. We suggest that this could be a common structural feature of metallo-phosphodiesterases that constrains substrate specificity, preventing non-specific phosphodiester hydrolysis.

Importance of small heat shock protein 20 (hsp20) C-terminal extension in cardioprotection

Recent studies show that overexpression of small heat shock protein 20 (Hsp20) in mouse hearts reduces infarct size and improves cardiac performance. However, it is not known whether Hsp20 exerts its protective action through improved calcium handling or chaperone activity. The C-terminal extensions of small heat shock proteins, such as alphaB-crystallin and Hsp25, are implicated in chaperoning activity. Through adenovirus mediated overexpression of Hsp20 with C-terminal extension substitution, we delineated the mechanism of protection. Neonatal and adult rat cardiomyocytes overexpressing either the full-length Hsp20 or Hsp20 with a C-terminal extension substitution were subjected to simulated ischemia for 14-16 h followed by reperfusion 6-8 h. Overexpressing Hsp20 with a C-terminus extension substitution did not protect against simulated ischemia/reperfusion in either adult (98+/-8.8% LDH release of control) or neonatal cardiomyocytes (103+/-1.8% CK release of control) as measured by creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) cell viability assays (n=4, P<0.05). However, this Hsp20 C-terminal substitution mutant increased calcium transients 33+/-11% and cell contraction amplitude 60+/-15% as quantified through epifluorescence microscopy (n=16 to 34 cells per heart from 4 to 5 hearts, P<0.05). In contrast, overexpression of the full-length Hsp20 protected cultured adult (53+/-8.5% LDH release of control) and neonatal rat (57+/-8.3% CK release of control) cardiomyocytes from simulated ischemia/reperfusion injury. This overexpression also increased calcium transients 30+/-10% and cell contraction amplitude 50+/-10%. These novel data suggest that the C-terminal extension of Hsp20 is essential for cardioprotection. Hsp20 renders this protection through its C-terminal extension protein domain, while this part of the protein is not involved in the Hsp20 ability to increase both calcium transients and cell contraction.

Structure, stability, and chaperone function of αA-crystallin: Role of N-terminal region

Small heat shock protein alphaA-crystallin, the major protein of the eye lens, is a molecular chaperone. It consists of a highly conserved central domain flanked by the N-terminal and C-terminal regions. In this article we studied the role of the N-terminal domain in the structure and chaperone function of alphaA-crystallin. Using site directed truncation we raised several deletion mutants of alphaA-crystallin and their protein products were expressed in Escherichia coli. Size exclusion chromatography of these purified proteins showed that deletion from the N-terminal beyond the first 20 residues drastically reduced the oligomeric association of alphaA-crystallin and its complete removal resulted in a tetramer. Chaperone activity of alphaA-crystallin, determined by thermal and nonthermal aggregation and refolding assay, decreased with increasing length of deletion and little activity was observed for the tetramer. However it was revealed that N-terminal regions were not responsible for specific recognition of natural substrates and that low affinity substrate binding sites existed in other part of the molecule. The number of exposed hydrophobic sites and the affinity of binding hydrophobic probe bis-ANS as well as protein substrates decreased with N-terminal deletion. The stability of the mutant proteins decreased with increase in the length of deletion. The role of thermodynamic stability, oligomeric size, and surface hydrophobicity in chaperone function is discussed. Detailed analysis showed that the most important role of N-terminal region is to control the oligomerization, which is crucial for the stability and in vivo survival of this protein molecule.

AlphaB-crystallin, a small heat-shock protein, prevents the amyloid fibril growth of an amyloid beta-peptide and beta2-microglobulin

AlphaB-crystallin, a small heat-shock protein, exhibits molecular chaperone activity. We have studied the effect of alphaB-crystallin on the fibril growth of the Abeta (amyloid beta)-peptides Abeta-(1-40) and Abeta-(1-42). alphaB-crystallin, but not BSA or hen egg-white lysozyme, prevented the fibril growth of Abeta-(1-40), as revealed by thioflavin T binding, total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy and CD spectroscopy. Comparison of the activity of some mutants and chimaeric alpha-crystallins in preventing Abeta-(1-40) fibril growth with their previously reported chaperone ability in preventing dithiothreitol-induced aggregation of insulin suggests that there might be both common and distinct sites of interaction on alpha-crystallin involved in the prevention of amorphous aggregation of insulin and fibril growth of Abeta-(1-40). alphaB-crystallin also prevents the spontaneous fibril formation (without externally added seeds) of Abeta-(1-42), as well as the fibril growth of Abeta-(1-40) when seeded with the Abeta-(1-42) fibril seed. Sedimentation velocity measurements show that alphaB-crystallin does not form a stable complex with Abeta-(1-40). The mechanism by which it prevents the fibril growth differs from the known mechanism by which it prevents the amorphous aggregation of proteins. alphaB-crystallin binds to the amyloid fibrils of Abeta-(1-40), indicating that the preferential interaction of the chaperone with the fibril nucleus, which inhibits nucleation-dependent polymerization of amyloid fibrils, is the mechanism that is predominantly involved. We found that alphaB-crystallin prevents the fibril growth of beta2-microglobulin under acidic conditions. It also retards the depolymerization of beta2-microglobulin fibrils, indicating that it can interact with the fibrils. Our study sheds light on the role of small heat-shock proteins in protein conformational diseases, particularly in Alzheimer's disease.

A novel alphaB-crystallin mutation associated with autosomal dominant congenital lamellar cataract

PURPOSE

To identify the mutation and the underlying mechanism of cataractogenesis in a five-generation autosomal dominant congenital lamellar cataract family.

METHODS

Nineteen mutation hot spots associated with autosomal dominant congenital cataract have been screened by PCR-based DNA sequencing. Recombinant wild-type and mutant human alphaB-crystallin were expressed in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity. The recombinant proteins were characterized by far UV circular dichroism, intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence, Bis-ANS fluorescence, multiangle light-scattering, and the measurement of chaperone activity.

RESULTS

A novel missense mutation in the third exon of the alphaB-crystallin gene (CRYAB) was found to cosegregate with the disease phenotype in a five-generation autosomal dominant congenital lamellar cataract family. The single-base substitution (G-->A) results in the replacement of the aspartic acid residue by asparagine at codon 140. Far UV circular dichroism spectra indicated that the mutation did not significantly alter the secondary structure. However, intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence spectra and Bis-ANS fluorescence spectra indicated that the mutation resulted in alterations in tertiary and/or quaternary structures and surface hydrophobicity of alphaB-crystallin. Multiangle light-scattering measurement showed that the mutant alphaB-crystallin tended to aggregate into a larger complex than did the wild-type. The mutant alphaB-crystallin was more susceptible than wild-type to thermal denaturation. Furthermore, the mutant alphaB-crystallin not only lost its chaperone-like activity, it also behaved as a dominant negative which inhibited the chaperone-like activity of wild-type alphaB-crystallin.

CONCLUSIONS

These data indicate that the altered tertiary and/or quaternary structures and the dominant negative effect of D140N mutant alphaB-crystallin underlie the molecular mechanism of cataractogenesis of this pedigree.

Heat perturbation of bovine eye lens alpha-crystallin probed by covalently attached ratiometric fluorescent dye 4'-diethylamino-3-hydroxyflavone

Bovine eye lens alpha-crystallin was covalently labeled with 6-bromomethyl-4'-diethylamino-3-hydroxyflavone and studied under native-like conditions and at the elevated temperature (60 degrees C) that is known to facilitate alpha-crystallin chaperone-like activity. This novel SH-reactive two-band ratiometric fluorescent probe is characterized by two highly emissive N*- and T*-bands; the latter appears due to excited state intramolecular proton transfer reaction. The positions of these bands and the ratio of their intensities for the alpha-crystallin-dye conjugate are the sensitive indicators of polarity of the dye environment and its participation in intermolecular hydrogen bonding. Although we found that the dye labels both the SH and the NH2 groups in alpha-crystallin, a recently developed procedure allowed us to distinguish between the heat-induced spectral changes of the dye molecules attached to SH and NH2 groups. We observed that at elevated temperature the environment of the SH-attached dye becomes more polar and flexible. The number of H-bond acceptor groups in the vicinity of the dye decreases. Since alpha-crystallin contains a single Cys residue within the C-terminal domain of its (alpha)A subunit (the (alpha)B subunit contains none), we can attribute the observed effects to temperature-induced changes in the C-terminal domain of this protein.

R120G alphaB-crystallin promotes the unfolding of reduced alpha-lactalbumin and is inherently unstable

alpha-Crystallin is the principal lens protein which, in addition to its structural role, also acts as a molecular chaperone, to prevent aggregation and precipitation of other lens proteins. One of its two subunits, alphaB-crystallin, is also expressed in many nonlenticular tissues, and a natural missense mutation, R120G, has been associated with cataract and desmin-related myopathy, a disorder of skeletal muscles [Vicart P, Caron A, Guicheney P, Li Z, Prevost MC, Faure A, Chateau D, Chapon F, Tome F, Dupret JM, Paulin D & Fardeau M (1998) Nat Genet20, 92-95]. In the present study, real-time 1H-NMR spectroscopy showed that the ability of R120G alphaB-crystallin to stabilize the partially folded, molten globule state of alpha-lactalbumin was significantly reduced in comparison with wild-type alphaB-crystallin. The mutant showed enhanced interaction with, and promoted unfolding of, reduced alpha-lactalbumin, but showed limited chaperone activity for other target proteins. Using NMR spectroscopy, gel electrophoresis, and MS, we observed that, unlike the wild-type protein, R120G alphaB-crystallin is intrinsically unstable in solution, with unfolding of the protein over time leading to aggregation and progressive truncation from the C-terminus. Light scattering, MS, and size-exclusion chromatography data indicated that R120G alphaB-crystallin exists as a larger oligomer than wild-type alphaB-crystallin, and its size increases with time. It is likely that removal of the positive charge from R120 of alphaB-crystallin causes partial unfolding, increased exposure of hydrophobic regions, and enhances its susceptibility to proteolysis, thus reducing its solubility and promoting its aggregation and complexation with other proteins. These characteristics may explain the involvement of R120G alphaB-crystallin with human disease states.

The role of structural disorder in the function of RNA and protein chaperones

Chaperones are highly sophisticated protein machines that assist the folding of RNA molecules or other proteins. Their function is generally thought to require a fine-tuned and highly conserved structure: despite the recent recognition of the widespread occurrence of structural disorder in the proteome, this structural trait has never been generally considered in molecular chaperones. In this review we give evidence for the prevalence of functional regions without a well-defined 3-D structure in RNA and protein chaperones. By considering a variety of individual examples, we suggest that the structurally disordered chaperone regions either function as molecular recognition elements that act as solubilizers or locally loosen the structure of the kinetically trapped folding intermediate via transient binding to facilitate its conformational search. The importance of structural disorder is underlined by a predictor of natural disordered regions, which shows an extremely high proportion of such regions, unparalleled in any other protein class, within RNA chaperones: 54.2% of their residues fall into disordered regions and 40% fall within disordered regions longer than 30 consecutive residues. Structural disorder also prevails in protein chaperones, for which frequency values are 36.7% and 15%, respectively. In keeping with these and other details, a novel "entropy transfer" model is presented to account for the mechanistic role of structural disorder in chaperone function.

Ageing and vision: structure, stability and function of lens crystallins

The alpha-, beta- and gamma-crystallins are the major protein components of the vertebrate eye lens, alpha-crystallin as a molecular chaperone as well as a structural protein, beta- and gamma-crystallins as structural proteins. For the lens to be able to retain life-long transparency in the absence of protein turnover, the crystallins must meet not only the requirement of solubility associated with high cellular concentration but that of longevity as well. For proteins, longevity is commonly assumed to be correlated with long-term retention of native structure, which in turn can be due to inherent thermodynamic stability, efficient capture and refolding of non-native protein by chaperones, or a combination of both. Understanding how the specific interactions that confer intrinsic stability of the protein fold are combined with the stabilizing effect of protein assembly, and how the non-specific interactions and associations of the assemblies enable the generation of highly concentrated solutions, is thus of importance to understand the loss of transparency of the lens with age. Post-translational modification can have a major effect on protein stability but an emerging theme of the few studies of the effect of post-translational modification of the crystallins is one of solubility and assembly. Here we review the structure, assembly, interactions, stability and post-translational modifications of the crystallins, not only in isolation but also as part of a multi-component system. The available data are discussed in the context of the establishment, the maintenance and finally, with age, the loss of transparency of the lens. Understanding the structural basis of protein stability and interactions in the healthy eye lens is the route to solve the enormous medical and economical problem of cataract.

Deamidation affects structural and functional properties of human alphaA-crystallin and its oligomerization with alphaB-crystallin

To determine the effects of deamidation on structural and functional properties of alphaA-crystallin, three mutants (N101D, N123D, and N101D/N123D) were generated. Deamidated alphaB-crystallin mutants (N78D, N146D, and N78D/N146D), characterized in a previous study (Gupta, R., and Srivastava, O. P. (2004) Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 45, 206-214) were also used. The biophysical and chaperone properties were determined in (a) homoaggregates of alphaA mutants (N101D, N123D, and N101D/N123D) and (b) reconstituted heteroaggregates of alpha-crystallin containing (i) wild type alphaA (WT-alphaA): WT-alphaB crystallins, (ii) individual alphaA-deamidated mutants:WT-alphaB crystallins, and (iii) WT-alphaA:individual alphaB-deamidated mutant crystallins. Compared with the WT-alphaA, the three alphaA-deamidated mutants showed reduced levels of chaperone activity, alterations in secondary and tertiary structures, and larger aggregates. These altered properties were relatively more pronounced in the mutant N101D compared with the mutant N123D. Further, compared with heteroaggregates of WT-alphaA and WT-alphaB, the heteroaggregates containing deamidated subunits of either alphaA- or alphaB-crystallins and their counterpart WT proteins showed higher molecular mass, altered tertiary structures, lower exposed hydrophobic surfaces, and reduced chaperone activity. However, the heteroaggregate containing WT-alphaA and deamidated alphaB subunit showed lower chaperone activity, smaller oligomers, and 3-fold lower subunit exchange rate than heteroaggregate containing deamidated alphaA- and WT-alphaB subunits. Together, the results suggested that (a) both Asn residues (Asn-101 and Asn-123) are required for the structural integrity and chaperone function of alphaA-crystallin and (b) the presence of WT-alphaB in the alpha-crystallin heteroaggregate leads to packing-induced structural changes which influences the oligomerization and modulate chaperone activity.

Tsp36, a tapeworm small heat-shock protein with a duplicated α-crystallin domain, forms dimers and tetramers with good chaperone-like activity

Small heat shock proteins (sHSPs), which range in monomer size between 12 and 42 kDa, are characterized by a conserved C-terminal alpha-crystallin domain of 80-100 residues. They generally form large homo- or heteromeric complexes, and typically have in vitro chaperone-like activity, keeping unfolding proteins in solution. A special type of sHSP, with a duplicated alpha-crystallin domain, is present in parasitic flatworms (Platyhelminthes). Considering that an alpha-crystallin domain is essential for the oligomerization and chaperone-like properties of sHSPs, we characterized Tsp36 from the tapeworm Taenia saginata. Both wild-type Tsp36 and a mutant (Tsp36C-->R) in which the single cysteine has been replaced by arginine were expressed and purified. Far-UV CD measurements of Tsp36 were in agreement with secondary structure predictions, which indicated alpha-helical structure in the N-terminal region and the expected beta-sandwich structure for the two alpha-crystallin domains. Gel permeation chromatography and nano-ESI-MS showed that wild type Tsp36 forms dimers in a reducing environment, and tetramers in a non-reducing environment. The tetramers are stabilized by disulfide bridges involving a large proportion of the Tsp36 monomers. Tsp36C-->R exclusively occurs as dimers according to gel permeation chromatography, while the nondisulfide bonded fraction of wild type Tsp36 dissociates from tetramers into dimers under nonreducing conditions at increased temperature (43 degrees C). The tetrameric form of Tsp36 has a greater chaperone-like activity than the dimeric form.

p23, a simple protein with complex activities

p23 is a small but important cochaperone for the Hsp90 chaperoning pathway. It appears to facilitate the adenosine triphosphate-driven cycle of Hsp90 binding to client proteins. It enters at a late stage of the cycle and enhances the maturation of client proteins. Although this role of p23 is fairly well established, recent studies suggest that it may have additional functions in the cell that merit further exploration.

Role of the Conserved SRLFDQFFG Region of α-Crystallin, a Small Heat Shock Protein

Small heat shock proteins (sHsps) are necessary for several cellular functions and in stress tolerance. Most sHsps are oligomers; intersubunit interactions leading to changes in oligomeric structure and exposure of specific regions may modulate their functioning. Many sHsps, including alpha A- and alpha B-crystallin, contain a well conserved SRLFDQFFG sequence motif in the N-terminal region. Sequence-based prediction shows that it exhibits helical propensity with amphipathic character, suggesting that it plays a critical role in the structure and function of alpha-crystallins. In order to investigate the role of this motif in the structure and function of sHsps, we have made constructs deleting this sequence from alpha A- and alpha B-crystallin, overexpressed, purified, and studied these engineered proteins. Circular dichroism spectroscopic studies show changes in tertiary and secondary structure on deletion of the sequence. Glycerol density gradient centrifugation and dynamic light scattering studies show that the multimeric size of the mutant proteins is significantly reduced, indicating a role for this motif in higher order organization of the subunits. Both deletion mutants exhibit similar oligomeric size and increased chaperone-like activity. Urea-induced denaturation study shows that the SRLFDQFFG sequence contributes significantly to the structural stability. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer studies show that the rate of exchange of the subunits in the alpha Adel-crystallin oligomer is higher compared with that in the alpha A-crystallin oligomer, suggesting that this region contributes to the oligomer dynamics in addition to the higher order assembly and structural stability. Thus, our study shows that the SRLFDQFFG sequence is one of the critical motifs in structure-function regulation of alpha A- and alpha B-crystallin.

Influence of the C-Terminal Residues on Oligomerization of αA-Crystallin

Earlier studies have shown that the chaperone activity of alpha-crystallin is significantly affected in diabetic rat and human lenses. Subsequently, mass spectrometric analysis showed diabetic lenses having high levels of the alphaA-crystallins in which different numbers of C-terminal residues were deleted. The present study was aimed to show whether cleavage of these residues influences protein structure, oligomerization, and chaperone function. For generation of various mutants, a stop codon was introduced at the positions of interest, proteins were expressed in BL21(DE3)pLys S E. coli, and the truncated alphaA-crystallins were purified by size-exclusion chromatography. The molecular masses, as determined by molecular sieve HPLC, of mutants with deletions of 1, 5, and 10 C-terminal residues (group-1) were 519-602 kDa, and those of mutants with deletions of 11, 16, and 22 C-terminal residues (group-2) were 148-152 kDa, as compared to 607 kDa for alphaA-wild type. On the basis of circular dichroism measurements, the alpha helix content was 2-fold higher and the tertiary structure was significantly altered in the group-2 mutants. Chaperoning abilities, as determined by the ADH assay and the betaL-crystallin heat denaturation assay, of the group-1 mutants, with the exception of alphaA(1-163), were slightly improved or unchanged, that of alphaA(1-163) was moderately affected, and those of the group-2 mutants were severely affected. Most strikingly, cleavage of 11 C-terminal residues including Arg-163 showed a substantial decrease in oligomeric size and chaperone function and significant changes in protein structure whereas cleavage of 10 residues had either a small effect or no effect at all. This points to an important role for the C-terminal extension, Arg-163 in particular, and no significant role for the C-terminal flexible tail in the oligomer assembly of alphaA-crystallin.

Subunit exchange demonstrates a differential chaperone activity of calf alpha-crystallin toward beta LOW- and individual gamma-crystallins

The chaperone activity of native alpha-crystallins toward beta(LOW)- and various gamma-crystallins at the onset of their denaturation, 60 and 66 degrees C, respectively, was studied at high and low crystallin concentrations using small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) and fluorescence energy transfer (FRET). The crystallins were from calf lenses except for one recombinant human gamma S. SAXS data demonstrated an irreversible doubling in molecular weight and a corresponding increase in size of alpha-crystallins at temperatures above 60 degrees C. Further increase is observed at 66 degrees C. More subtle conformational changes accompanied the increase in size as shown by changes in environments around tryptophan and cysteine residues. These alpha-crystallin temperature-induced modifications were found necessary to allow for the association with beta(LOW)- and gamma-crystallins to occur. FRET experiments using IAEDANS (iodoacetylaminoethylaminonaphthalene sulfonic acid)- and IAF (iodoacetamidofluorescein)-labeled subunits showed that the heat-modified alpha-crystallins retained their ability to exchange subunits and that, at 37 degrees C, the rate of exchange was increased depending upon the temperature of incubation, 60 or 66 degrees C. Association with beta(LOW)- (60 degrees C) or various gamma-crystallins (66 degrees C) resulted at 37 degrees C in decreased subunit exchange in proportion to bound ligands. Therefore, beta(LOW)- and gamma-crystallins were compared for their capacity to associate with alpha-crystallins and inhibit subunit exchange. Quite unexpectedly for a highly conserved protein family, differences were observed between the individual gamma-crystallin family members. The strongest effect was observed for gamma S, followed by h gamma Srec, gamma E, gamma A-F, gamma D, gamma B. Moreover, fluorescence properties of alpha-crystallins in the presence of bound beta(LOW)-and gamma-crystallins indicated that the formation of beta(LOW)/alpha- or gamma/alpha-crystallin complexes involved various binding sites. The changes in subunit exchange associated with the chaperone properties of alpha-crystallins toward the other lens crystallins demonstrate the dynamic character of the heat-activated alpha-crystallin structure.

Non-animal origin of animal thioredoxin reductases: implications for selenocysteine evolution and evolution of protein function through carboxy-terminal extensions

Thioredoxin reductase (TR) and thioredoxin constitute a major cellular redox system present in all organisms. In contrast to a single form of thioredoxin, there are two TR types: One (bacterial type or small TR) is present in bacteria, archaea, plants, and most unicellular eukaryotes, whereas the second (animal or large TR) is only found in animals and typically contains a carboxy-terminal penultimate selenocysteine encoded by TGA. Surprisingly, we detected sequences of large TRs in various unicellular eukaryotes. Moreover, green algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii had both small and large TRs, with the latter being a selenoprotein, but no examples of horizontal gene transfer from animals to the green algae could be detected. In addition, phylogenetic analyses revealed that large TRs formed a subgroup of lower eukaryotic glutathione reductases (GRs). The data suggest that the large TR evolved in a lower eukaryote capable of selenocysteine insertion rather than in an animal. The enzyme appeared to evolve by a carboxy-terminal extension of GR such that the resulting carboxy-terminal glutathionelike peptide became an intramolecular substrate for GR and a reductant for thioredoxin. Subsequently, small TRs were lost in an organism that gave rise to animals, large TRs were lost in plants and fungi, and selenocysteine/cysteine replacements took place in some large TRs. Our data implicate carboxy-terminal extension of proteins as a general mechanism of evolution of new protein function.