Fusion-protein-assisted protein crystallization

Fusion of enzymatic proteins: Enhancing biological activities and facilitating biological modifications

The fusion of enzymatic proteins represents a dynamic frontier in biotechnology and enzymatic engineering. This in-depth review looks at the many different ways that fusion proteins can be used, showing their importance in biosensing, gene therapy, targeted drug delivery, and biocatalysis. Fusion proteins have shown an astounding ability to improve and fine-tune biological functions by combining the most beneficial parts of different enzymes. Our first step is to explain how protein fusion increases biological functions. This will provide a broad picture of how this phenomenon has changed many fields. We dissect the intricate mechanisms through which fusion proteins orchestrate cellular processes, underscoring their potential to revolutionize the landscape of molecular biology. We also explore the complicated world of structural analysis and design strategies, stressing the importance of molecular insights for making the fusion protein approach work better. These insights broaden understanding of the underlying principles and illuminate the path toward unlocking untapped potential. The review also introduces cutting-edge techniques for constructing fusion protein libraries, such as DNA shuffling and phage display. These new methods allow scientists to build a molecular orchestra with an unprecedented level of accuracy, and thus use fusion proteins to their full potential in various situations. In conclusion, we provide a glimpse into the current challenges and prospects in fusion protein research, shedding light on recent advancements that promise to reshape the future of biotechnology. As we make this interesting journey through the field of enzymatic protein combination, it becomes clear that the fusion paradigm is about to start a new era of innovation that will push the limits of what is possible in biology and molecular engineering.

High-throughput structure determination of an intrinsically disordered protein using cell-free protein crystallization

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) play a crucial role in various biological phenomena, dynamically changing their conformations in response to external environmental cues. To gain a deeper understanding of these proteins, it is essential to identify the determinants that fix their structures at the atomic level. Here, we developed a pipeline for rapid crystal structure analysis of IDP using a cell-free protein crystallization (CFPC) method. Through this approach, we successfully demonstrated the determination of the structure of an IDP to uncover the key determinants that stabilize its conformation. Specifically, we focused on the 11-residue fragment of c-Myc, which forms an α-helix through dimerization with a binding partner protein. This fragment was strategically recombined with an in-cell crystallizing protein and was expressed in a cell-free system. The resulting crystal structures of the c-Myc fragment were successfully determined at a resolution of 1.92 Å and we confirmed that they are identical to the structures of the complex with the native binding partner protein. This indicates that the environment of the scaffold crystal can fix the structure of c-Myc. Significantly, these crystals were obtained directly from a small reaction mixture (30 µL) incubated for only 72 h. Analysis of eight crystal structures derived from 22 mutants revealed two hydrophobic residues as the key determinants responsible for stabilizing the α-helical structure. These findings underscore the power of our CFPC screening method as a valuable tool for determining the structures of challenging target proteins and elucidating the essential molecular interactions that govern their stability.

Unveiling success determinants for AMB-assisted phase expansion of fusion proteins in ARP/wARP

Fusion proteins (FPs) are frequently utilized as a biotechnological tool in the determination of macromolecular structures using X-ray methods. Here, we explore the use of different protein tags in various FP, to obtain initial phases by using them in a partial molecular replacement (MR) and constructing the remaining FP structure with ARP/wARP. Usually, the tag is removed prior to crystallization, however leaving the tag on may facilitate crystal formation, and structural determination by expanding phases from known to unknown segments of the complex. In this study, the Protein Data Bank was mined for an up-to-date list of FPs with the most used protein tags, Maltose Binding Protein (MBP), Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP), Thioredoxin (TRX), Glutathione transferase (GST) and the Small Ubiquitin-like Modifier Protein (SUMO). Partial MR using the protein tag, followed by automatic model building, was tested on a subset of 116 FP. The efficiency of this method was analyzed and factors that influence the coordinate construction of a substantial portions of the fused protein were identified. Using MBP, GFP, and SUMO as phase generators it was possible to build at least 75 % of the protein of interest in 36 of the 116 cases tested. Our results reveal that tag selection has a significant impact; tags with greater structural stability, such as GFP, increase the success rate. Further statistical analysis identifies that resolution, Wilson B factor, solvent percentage, completeness, multiplicity, protein tag percentage in the FP (considering amino acids), and the linker length play pivotal roles using our approach. In cases where a structural homologous is absent, this method merits inclusion in the toolkit of protein crystallographers.

Oriented Insertion of ESR-Containing Hybrid Proteins in Proteoliposomes

Microbial rhodopsins comprise a diverse family of retinal-containing membrane proteins that convert absorbed light energy to transmembrane ion transport or sensory signals. Incorporation of these proteins in proteoliposomes allows their properties to be studied in a native-like environment; however, unidirectional protein orientation in the artificial membranes is rarely observed. We aimed to obtain proteoliposomes with unidirectional orientation using a proton-pumping retinal protein from Exiguobacterium sibiricum, ESR, as a model. Three ESR hybrids with soluble protein domains (mCherry or thioredoxin at the C-terminus and Caf1M chaperone at the N-terminus) were obtained and characterized. The photocycle of the hybrid proteins incorporated in proteoliposomes demonstrated a higher pK_a of the M state accumulation compared to that of the wild-type ESR. Large negative electrogenic phases and an increase in the relative amplitude of kinetic components in the microsecond time range in the kinetics of membrane potential generation of ESR-Cherry and ESR-Trx indicate a decrease in the efficiency of transmembrane proton transport. On the contrary, Caf-ESR demonstrates a native-like kinetics of membrane potential generation and the corresponding electrogenic stages. Our experiments show that the hybrid with Caf1M promotes the unidirectional orientation of ESR in proteoliposomes.

Self-cyclisation as a general and efficient platform for peptide and protein macrocyclisation

Macrocyclisation of proteins and peptides results in a remarkable increase in structural stability, making cyclic peptides and proteins of great interest in drug discovery-either directly as drug leads or as in the case of cyclised nanodiscs (cNDs), as tools for studies of trans-membrane receptors and membrane-active peptides. Various biological methods have been developed that are capable of yielding head-to-tail macrocyclised products. Recent advances in enzyme-catalysed macrocyclisation include discovery of new enzymes or design of new engineered enzymes. Here, we describe the engineering of a self-cyclising "autocyclase" protein, capable of performing a controllable unimolecular reaction for generation of cyclic biomolecules in high yield. We characterise the self-cyclisation reaction mechanism, and demonstrate how the unimolecular reaction path provides alternative avenues for addressing existing challenges in enzymatic cyclisation. We use the method to produce several notable cyclic peptides and proteins, demonstrating how autocyclases offer a simple, alternative way to access a vast diversity of macrocyclic biomolecules.

Advancements in macromolecular crystallography: from past to present

Protein Crystallography or Macromolecular Crystallography (MX) started as a new discipline of science with the pioneering work on the determination of the protein crystal structures by John Kendrew in 1958 and Max Perutz in 1960. The incredible achievements in MX are attributed to the development of advanced tools, methodologies, and automation in every aspect of the structure determination process, which have reduced the time required for solving protein structures from years to a few days, as evident from the tens of thousands of crystal structures of macromolecules available in PDB. The advent of brilliant synchrotron sources, fast detectors, and novel sample delivery methods has shifted the paradigm from static structures to understanding the dynamic picture of macromolecules; further propelled by X-ray Free Electron Lasers (XFELs) that explore the femtosecond regime. The revival of the Laue diffraction has also enabled the understanding of macromolecules through time-resolved crystallography. In this review, we present some of the astonishing method-related and technological advancements that have contributed to the progress of MX. Even with the rapid evolution of several methods for structure determination, the developments in MX will keep this technique relevant and it will continue to play a pivotal role in gaining unprecedented atomic-level details as well as revealing the dynamics of biological macromolecules. With many exciting developments awaiting in the upcoming years, MX has the potential to contribute significantly to the growth of modern biology by unraveling the mechanisms of complex biological processes as well as impacting the area of drug designing.

Optimization strategies for expression and purification of soluble N-terminal domain of human centriolar protein SAS-6 in Escherichia coli

Spindle assembly abnormal protein 6 (SAS-6), a highly conserved centriolar protein, constitutes the center of the cartwheel assembly that scaffolds centrioles early in their biogenesis. Abnormalities in cartwheel assembly lead to chromosomal dysfunctions. The molecular structure of human SAS-6 (HsSAS-6) and cartwheel hub and how they direct centriole symmetry is unknown. No crystal structure of wildtype HsSAS-6 has been reported to date, since soluble recombinant partial/full-length HsSAS-6 expression and purification posed grand challenges. In the present study we have explored optimization of ten different N terminal SAS-6 fusion proteins expression in a variety of E. coli hosts. During optimization we have included some of the most commonly used purification tags: Histidine tag, maltose-binding protein (MBP), small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) tag and modified MBP tag with surface entropy reduction mutations. We demonstrate several levels of tag assisted solubility and stable expression strategies. We find that the MBP tag accompanied by Surface Entropy Reduction mutations (MBP/SER) in a fixed arm approach rescues the folded SAS-6N protein with significantly improved solubility. This expression of HsSAS-6N in E. coli Rosetta DE3 pLysS expression strain gave rise to high protein expression yielding around 6.0-11.5 mg of soluble protein per liter of growth culture.

Highlighting membrane protein structure and function: A celebration of the Protein Data Bank

Biological membranes define the boundaries of cells and compartmentalize the chemical and physical processes required for life. Many biological processes are carried out by proteins embedded in or associated with such membranes. Determination of membrane protein (MP) structures at atomic or near-atomic resolution plays a vital role in elucidating their structural and functional impact in biology. This endeavor has determined 1198 unique MP structures as of early 2021. The value of these structures is expanded greatly by deposition of their three-dimensional (3D) coordinates into the Protein Data Bank (PDB) after the first atomic MP structure was elucidated in 1985. Since then, free access to MP structures facilitates broader and deeper understanding of MPs, which provides crucial new insights into their biological functions. Here we highlight the structural and functional biology of representative MPs and landmarks in the evolution of new technologies, with insights into key developments influenced by the PDB in magnifying their impact.

Computational insights into O-glycosylation in a CTLA4 Fc-fusion protein linker and its impact on protein quality attributes

The hinge region of immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) is used as a common linker for Fc-fusion therapeutic proteins. With the advances of high-resolution mass spectrometry and sample treatment strategies, unexpected O-linked glycosylation has been observed in the linker. However, the molecular mechanism involved in this unusual posttranslational modification is unknown. In this study, we applied site-direct mutagenesis, mass spectrometry, analytical chromatography, and computational modeling to investigate O-glycosylation processes in a clinically used CTLA4 Fc-fusion protein and its impacts on protein quality attributes. Surprisingly, O-glycans could be formed at new sites when an initial O-glycosylation site was eliminated, and continued to occur until all potential O-glycosylation sites were nulled. Site-preference of O-glycosylation initiation was attributed to the complex formation between the linker peptide and glycan transferase whereas the O-glycosylating efficiency and the linker flexibility were correlated using molecular modeling and simulations. As predicted, O-glycan-free CTLA4 Fc-fusion proteins were more homogenous for sialylation, and interestingly less prone to protein aggregation. Attenuating protein aggregation was a desirable effect, and could be related to the reduced presence of linker O-glycans that hindered inter-chain disulfide bond reformation. Findings from this study shed light on new therapeutic protein design and development.

Improved Methods for Preparing the Telomere Tethering Complex Bqt1-Bqt2 for Structural Studies

In eukaryotes, chromosome ends (telomeres) are tethered to the inner nuclear membrane. During the early stages of meiosis, telomeres move along the nuclear membrane and gather near the spindle-pole body, resulting in a bouquet-like arrangement of chromosomes. This chromosomal configuration appears to be widely conserved among eukaryotes, and is assumed to play an important role in the normal progression of meiosis, by mediating the proper pairing of homologous chromosomes. In fission yeast, the Bqt1-Bqt2 protein complex plays a key role in tethering the telomere to the inner nuclear membrane. However, the structural details of the complex required to clarify how telomeres are gathered near the spindle-pole body remain enigmatic. Previously, we devised a preparation procedure for the Schizosaccharomyces japonicus Bqt1-Bqt2 complex, in which a SUMO tag was fused to the N-terminus of the Bqt1 protein. This allowed us to purify the Bqt1-Bqt2 complex from the soluble fraction. In the present study, we found that a maltose-binding protein homolog, Athe_0614, served as a better fusion partner than the SUMO protein, resulting in the marked increase in the solubility of the Bqt1-Bqt2 complex. The Athe_0614 fusion partner may open up new avenues for X-ray crystallographic analyses of the structure of the Bqt1-Bqt2 complex.

Use of the LC3B-fusion technique for biochemical and structural studies of proteins involved in the N-degron pathway

The N-degron pathway, formerly the N-end rule pathway, is a protein degradation process that determines the half-life of proteins based on their N-terminal residues. In contrast to the well-established in vivo studies over decades, in vitro studies of this pathway, including biochemical characterization and high-resolution structures, are relatively limited. In this study, we have developed a unique fusion technique using microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B light chain 3B, a key marker protein of autophagy, to tag the N terminus of the proteins involved in the N-degron pathway, which enables high yield of homogeneous target proteins with variable N-terminal residues for diverse biochemical studies including enzymatic and binding assays and substrate identification. Intriguingly, crystallization showed a markedly enhanced probability, even for the N-degron complexes. To validate our results, we determined the structures of select proteins in the N-degron pathway and compared them with the Protein Data Bank-deposited proteins. Furthermore, several biochemical applications of this technique were introduced. Therefore, this technique can be used as a general tool for the in vitro study of the N-degron pathway.

Computational prediction of GPCR oligomerization

There has been a recent and prolific expansion in the number of GPCR crystal structures being solved: in both active and inactive forms and in complex with ligand, with G protein and with each other. Despite this, there is relatively little experimental information about the precise configuration of GPCR oligomers during these different biologically relevant states. While it may be possible to identify the experimental conditions necessary to crystallize a GPCR preferentially in a specific structural conformation, computational approaches afford a potentially more tractable means of describing the probability of formation of receptor dimers and higher order oligomers. Ensemble-based computational methods based on structurally determined dimers, coupled with a computational workflow that uses quantum mechanical methods to analyze the chemical nature of the molecular interactions at a GPCR dimer interface, will generate the reproducible and accurate predictions needed to predict previously unidentified GPCR dimers and to inform future advances in our ability to understand and begin to precisely manipulate GPCR oligomers in biological systems. It may also provide information needed to achieve an increase in the number of experimentally determined oligomeric GPCR structures.

An Improved Strategy for Fluorescent Tagging of Membrane Proteins for Overexpression and Purification in Mammalian Cells

An essential prerequisite for in vitro biochemical or structural studies is a construct that is amenable to high level expression and purification and is biochemically "well-behaved". In the field of membrane protein research, the use of green fluorescent protein (GFP) to monitor and optimize the heterologous expression in different hosts has radically changed the ease of streamlining and multiplexing the testing of a large number of candidate constructs. This is achieved by genetically fusing the fluorescent proteins to the N- or C-terminus of the proteins of interest to act as reporters which can then be followed by methods such as microscopy, spectroscopy, or in-gel fluorescence. Nonetheless, a systematic study on the effect of GFP and its spectral variants on the expression and yields of recombinant membrane proteins is lacking. In this study, we genetically appended four common fluorescent protein tags, namely, mEGFP, mVenus, mCerulean, and mCherry, to the N- or C-terminus of different membrane proteins and assessed their expression in mammalian cells by fluorescence-detection size exclusion chromatography (FSEC) and protein purification. We find that, of the four fluorescent proteins, tagging with mVenus systematically results in higher expression levels that translates to higher yields in preparative purifications, thus making a case for switching to this yellow spectral variant as a better fusion tag.

Crystal structure of a novel domain of the motor subunit of the Type I restriction enzyme EcoR124 involved in complex assembly and DNA binding

Although EcoR124 is one of the better-studied Type I restriction-modification enzymes, it still presents many challenges to detailed analyses because of its structural and functional complexity and missing structural information. In all available structures of its motor subunit HsdR, responsible for DNA translocation and cleavage, a large part of the HsdR C terminus remains unresolved. The crystal structure of the C terminus of HsdR, obtained with a crystallization chaperone in the form of pHluorin fusion and refined to 2.45 Å, revealed that this part of the protein forms an independent domain with its own hydrophobic core and displays a unique α-helical fold. The full-length HsdR model, based on the WT structure and the C-terminal domain determined here, disclosed a proposed DNA-binding groove lined by positively charged residues. In vivo and in vitro assays with a C-terminal deletion mutant of HsdR supported the idea that this domain is involved in complex assembly and DNA binding. Conserved residues identified through sequence analysis of the C-terminal domain may play a key role in protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions. We conclude that the motor subunit of EcoR124 comprises five structural and functional domains, with the fifth, the C-terminal domain, revealing a unique fold characterized by four conserved motifs in the IC subfamily of Type I restriction-modification systems. In summary, the structural and biochemical results reported here support a model in which the C-terminal domain of the motor subunit HsdR of the endonuclease EcoR124 is involved in complex assembly and DNA binding.

T4 lysozyme-facilitated crystallization of the human molybdenum cofactor-dependent enzyme mARC

The human mitochondrial amidoxime reducing component (hmARC) is a molybdenum cofactor-dependent enzyme that is involved in the reduction of a diverse range of N-hydroxylated compounds of either physiological or xenobiotic origin. In this study, the use of a fusion-protein approach with T4 lysozyme (T4L) to determine the structure of this hitherto noncrystallizable enzyme by X-ray crystallography is described. A set of four different hmARC-T4L fusion proteins were designed. Two of them contained either an N-terminal or a C-terminal T4L moiety fused to hmARC, while the other two contained T4L as an internal fusion partner tethered to the hmARC enzyme between two predicted secondary-structure elements. One of these internal fusion constructs could be expressed and crystallized successfully. The hmARC-T4L crystals diffracted to 1.7 Å resolution using synchrotron radiation and belonged to space group P212121 with one molecule in the asymmetric unit. Initial attempts to solve the structure by molecular replacement using T4L did not result in electron-density distributions that were sufficient for model building and interpretation of the hmARC moiety. However, this study emphasizes the utility of the T4L fusion-protein approach, which can be used for the crystallization and structure determination of membrane-bound proteins as well as soluble proteins.

Protein Crystallizability

Obtaining diffracting quality crystals remains a major challenge in protein structure research. We summarize and compare methods for selecting the best protein targets for crystallization, construct optimization and crystallization condition design. Target selection methods are divided into algorithms predicting the chance of successful progression through all stages of structural determination (from cloning to solving the structure) and those focusing only on the crystallization step. We tried to highlight pros and cons of different approaches examining the following aspects: data size, redundancy and representativeness, overfitting during model construction, and results evaluation. In summary, although in recent years progress was made and several sequence properties were reported to be relevant for crystallization, the successful prediction of protein crystallization behavior and selection of corresponding crystallization conditions continue to challenge structural researchers.

Can the propensity of protein crystallization be increased by using systematic screening with metals?

Protein crystallization is one of the major bottlenecks in protein structure elucidation with new strategies being constantly developed to improve the chances of crystallization. Generally, well-ordered epitopes possessing complementary surface and capable of producing stable inter-protein interactions generate a regular three-dimensional arrangement of protein molecules which eventually results in a crystal lattice. Metals, when used for crystallization, with their various coordination numbers and geometries, can generate such epitopes mediating protein oligomerization and/or establish crystal contacts. Some examples of metal-mediated oligomerization and crystallization together with our experience on metal-mediated crystallization of a putative rRNA methyltransferase from Sinorhizobium meliloti are presented. Analysis of crystal structures from protein data bank (PDB) using a non-redundant data set with a 90% identity cutoff, reveals that around 67% of proteins contain at least one metal ion, with ∼14% containing combination of metal ions. Interestingly, metal containing conditions in most commercially available and popular crystallization kits generally contain only a single metal ion, with combinations of metals only in a very few conditions. Based on the results presented in this review, it appears that the crystallization screens need expansion with systematic screening of metal ions that could be crucial for stabilizing the protein structure or for establishing crystal contact and thereby aiding protein crystallization.

pHluorin-assisted expression, purification, crystallization and X-ray diffraction data analysis of the C-terminal domain of the HsdR subunit of the Escherichia coli type I restriction-modification system EcoR124I

The HsdR subunit of the type I restriction-modification system EcoR124I is responsible for the translocation as well as the restriction activity of the whole complex consisting of the HsdR, HsdM and HsdS subunits, and while crystal structures are available for the wild type and several mutants, the C-terminal domain comprising approximately 150 residues was not resolved in any of these structures. Here, three fusion constructs with the GFP variant pHluorin developed to overexpress, purify and crystallize the C-terminal domain of HsdR are reported. The shortest of the three encompassed HsdR residues 887-1038 and yielded crystals that belonged to the orthorhombic space group C2221, with unit-cell parameters a = 83.42, b = 176.58, c = 126.03 Å, α = β = γ = 90.00° and two molecules in the asymmetric unit (VM = 2.55 Å(3) Da(-1), solvent content 50.47%). X-ray diffraction data were collected to a resolution of 2.45 Å.

The promises and challenges of fusion constructs in protein biochemistry and enzymology

Fusion constructs are used to improve the properties of or impart novel functionality to proteins for biotechnological applications. The biochemical characteristics of enzymes or functional proteins optimized by fusion include catalytic efficiency, stability, activity, expression, secretion, and solubility. In this review, we summarize the parameters of enzymes or functional proteins that can be modified by fusion constructs. For each parameter, fusion strategies and molecular partners are examined using examples from recent studies. Future prospects in this field are also discussed. This review is expected to increase interest in and advance fusion strategies for optimization of enzymes and other functional proteins.

Easy mammalian expression and crystallography of maltose-binding protein-fused human proteins

We present a strategy to obtain milligrams of highly post-translationally modified eukaryotic proteins, transiently expressed in mammalian cells as rigid or cleavable fusions with a mammalianized version of bacterial maltose-binding protein (mMBP). This variant was engineered to combine mutations that enhance MBP solubility and affinity purification, as well as provide crystal-packing interactions for increased crystallizability. Using this cell type-independent approach, we could increase the expression of secreted and intracellular human proteins up to 200-fold. By molecular replacement with MBP, we readily determined five novel high-resolution structures of rigid fusions of targets that otherwise defied crystallization.

Crystallization and X-ray diffraction of LGN in complex with the actin-binding protein afadin

Asymmetric stem-cell divisions are fundamental for morphogenesis and tissue homeostasis. They rely on the coordination between cortical polarity and the orientation of the mitotic spindle, which is orchestrated by microtubule pulling motors recruited at the cortex by NuMA-LGN-Gαi complexes. LGN has emerged as a central component of the spindle-orientation pathway that is conserved throughout species. Its domain structure consists of an N-terminal TPR domain associating with NuMA, followed by four GoLoco motifs binding to Gαi subunits. The LGN(TPR) region is also involved in interactions with other membrane-associated proteins ensuring the correct cortical localization of microtubule motors, among which is the junctional protein afadin. To investigate the architecture of LGN(TPR) in complex with afadin, a chimeric fusion protein with a native linker derived from the region of afadin upstream of the LGN-binding domain was generated. The fusion protein behaves as a globular monomer in solution and readily crystallizes in the presence of sulfate-containing reservoirs. The crystals diffracted to 3.0 Å resolution and belonged to the cubic space group P213, with unit-cell parameter a = 170.3 Å. The structure of the engineered protein revealed that the crystal packing is promoted by the coordination of sulfate ions by residues of the afadin linker region and LGN(TPR).

ETO family protein Mtgr1 mediates Prdm14 functions in stem cell maintenance and primordial germ cell formation

Prdm14 is a sequence-specific transcriptional regulator of embryonic stem cell (ESC) pluripotency and primordial germ cell (PGC) formation. It exerts its function, at least in part, through repressing genes associated with epigenetic modification and cell differentiation. Here, we show that this repressive function is mediated through an ETO-family co-repressor Mtgr1, which tightly binds to the pre-SET/SET domains of Prdm14 and co-occupies its genomic targets in mouse ESCs. We generated two monobodies, synthetic binding proteins, targeting the Prdm14 SET domain and demonstrate their utility, respectively, in facilitating crystallization and structure determination of the Prdm14-Mtgr1 complex, or as genetically encoded inhibitor of the Prdm14-Mtgr1 interaction. Structure-guided point mutants and the monobody abrogated the Prdm14-Mtgr1 association and disrupted Prdm14's function in mESC gene expression and PGC formation in vitro. Altogether, our work uncovers the molecular mechanism underlying Prdm14-mediated repression and provides renewable reagents for studying and controlling Prdm14 functions.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.10150.001

In animals, there are many different types of cells that perform different roles. For example, stem cells divide to produce new cells that may then become other types of cells such as muscle or skin cells. Most stem cells can only produce a limited range of other cell types, except for a subset known as ‘pluripotent’ stem cells that can give rise to cells of any type in the body.

A protein called Prdm14 helps to keep stem cells in a pluripotent state. In mouse embryos, Prdm14 binds to and represses particular genes that promote a process by which the stem cells can change into other cell types. If Prdm14 is missing from pluripotent stem cells, these cells become more sensitive to signals that encourage them to become other types of cells, which can lead to the loss of pluripotency. Prdm14 contains a region called the SET domain. In other proteins, this domain can alter how DNA is packaged to help switch particular genes on or off. However, such activity has not been found for the SET domain of Prdm14, raising questions about how it actually works.

Here, Nady, Gupta et al. show that Prdm14 tightly interacts with a protein called Mtgr1, which belongs to a family of proteins known to be involved in leukemia. The loss of Mtgr1 also leads to the loss of pluripotency in mouse stem cells and disrupts the formation of reproductive stem cells. Furthermore, Mtgr1 binds to the same genes as Prdm14. Next, Nady, Gupta et al. made synthetic proteins, termed monobodies, that bind to the Prdm14 SET domain. One such monobody enabled the authors to determine the three-dimensional structure of Prdm1 and Mtgr1, which revealed that the SET domain of Prdm14 has many points of contact with Mtgr1. Importantly, interaction between the two partners is crucial for these proteins to maintain pluripotency and promote the production of reproductive stem cells.

Altogether, these findings identify Mtgr1 as a key binding partner of Prdm14 in pluripotent stem cells and uncover a role for the SET domain in this interaction. A future challenge will be to understand the roles of these proteins in leukemia and other diseases.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.10150.002