1
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Nixon C, Lim SA, Sternke M, Barrick D, Harms MJ, Marqusee S. The importance of input sequence set to consensus-derived proteins and their relationship to reconstructed ancestral proteins. Protein Sci 2024; 33:e5011. [PMID: 38747388 PMCID: PMC11094778 DOI: 10.1002/pro.5011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
A protein sequence encodes its energy landscape-all the accessible conformations, energetics, and dynamics. The evolutionary relationship between sequence and landscape can be probed phylogenetically by compiling a multiple sequence alignment of homologous sequences and generating common ancestors via Ancestral Sequence Reconstruction or a consensus protein containing the most common amino acid at each position. Both ancestral and consensus proteins are often more stable than their extant homologs-questioning the differences between them and suggesting that both approaches serve as general methods to engineer thermostability. We used the Ribonuclease H family to compare these approaches and evaluate how the evolutionary relationship of the input sequences affects the properties of the resulting consensus protein. While the consensus protein derived from our full Ribonuclease H sequence alignment is structured and active, it neither shows properties of a well-folded protein nor has enhanced stability. In contrast, the consensus protein derived from a phylogenetically-restricted set of sequences is significantly more stable and cooperatively folded, suggesting that cooperativity may be encoded by different mechanisms in separate clades and lost when too many diverse clades are combined to generate a consensus protein. To explore this, we compared pairwise covariance scores using a Potts formalism as well as higher-order sequence correlations using singular value decomposition (SVD). We find the SVD coordinates of a stable consensus sequence are close to coordinates of the analogous ancestor sequence and its descendants, whereas the unstable consensus sequences are outliers in SVD space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Nixon
- Department of Molecular and Cell BiologyUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
| | - Shion A. Lim
- Department of Molecular and Cell BiologyUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
| | - Matt Sternke
- The T.C. Jenkins Department of BiophysicsJohns Hopkins UniversityBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Doug Barrick
- The T.C. Jenkins Department of BiophysicsJohns Hopkins UniversityBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Michael J. Harms
- Department of Chemistry and BiochemistryUniversity of OregonEugeneOregonUSA
| | - Susan Marqusee
- Department of Molecular and Cell BiologyUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3)BerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
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2
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Ghosh M, Basak S, Dutta S. Evolutionary divergence of TLR9 through ancestral sequence reconstruction. Immunogenetics 2024; 76:203-211. [PMID: 38441635 DOI: 10.1007/s00251-024-01338-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
The transmembrane pattern recognition receptor, Toll-like receptor (TLR), are best known for their roles in innate immunity via recognition of pathogen and initiation of signaling response. Mammalian TLRs recognize molecular patterns associated with pathogens and initiate innate immune response. We have studied the evolutionary diversity of mammalian TLR genes for differences in immunological response. Reconstruction of ancestral sequences is a key aspect of the molecular evolution of TLR to track changes across the TLR genes. The comprehensive analysis of mammalian TLRs revealed a distinct pattern of evolution of TLR9. Various sequence-based features such as amino acid usage, hydrophobicity, GC content, and evolutionary constraints are found to influence the divergence of TLR9 from other TLRs. Ancestral sequence reconstruction analysis also revealed that the gradual evolution of TLR genes in several ancestral lineages leads to the distinct pattern of TLR9. It demonstrates evolutionary divergence with the progressive accumulation of mutations results in the distinct pattern of TLR9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manisha Ghosh
- Division of Bioinformatics, ICMR-National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, P-33, C.I.T Road, Scheme-XM, Beliaghata Kolkata, 700010, India
| | - Surajit Basak
- Division of Bioinformatics, ICMR-National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, P-33, C.I.T Road, Scheme-XM, Beliaghata Kolkata, 700010, India.
| | - Shanta Dutta
- Division of Bacteriology, ICMR-National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Kolkata, India
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3
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Johnson SR, Fu X, Viknander S, Goldin C, Monaco S, Zelezniak A, Yang KK. Computational scoring and experimental evaluation of enzymes generated by neural networks. Nat Biotechnol 2024:10.1038/s41587-024-02214-2. [PMID: 38653796 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-024-02214-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
In recent years, generative protein sequence models have been developed to sample novel sequences. However, predicting whether generated proteins will fold and function remains challenging. We evaluate a set of 20 diverse computational metrics to assess the quality of enzyme sequences produced by three contrasting generative models: ancestral sequence reconstruction, a generative adversarial network and a protein language model. Focusing on two enzyme families, we expressed and purified over 500 natural and generated sequences with 70-90% identity to the most similar natural sequences to benchmark computational metrics for predicting in vitro enzyme activity. Over three rounds of experiments, we developed a computational filter that improved the rate of experimental success by 50-150%. The proposed metrics and models will drive protein engineering research by serving as a benchmark for generative protein sequence models and helping to select active variants for experimental testing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xiaozhi Fu
- Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Sandra Viknander
- Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Clara Goldin
- Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | | | - Aleksej Zelezniak
- Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden.
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Centre, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
- Randall Centre for Cell & Molecular Biophysics, King's College London, Guy's Campus, London, UK.
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4
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Tripp A, Braun M, Wieser F, Oberdorfer G, Lechner H. Click, Compute, Create: A Review of Web-based Tools for Enzyme Engineering. Chembiochem 2024:e202400092. [PMID: 38634409 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202400092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 04/14/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Enzyme engineering, though pivotal across various biotechnological domains, is often plagued by its time-consuming and labor-intensive nature. This review aims to offer an overview of supportive in silico methodologies for this demanding endeavor. Starting from methods to predict protein structures, to classification of their activity and even the discovery of new enzymes we continue with describing tools used to increase thermostability and production yields of selected targets. Subsequently, we discuss computational methods to modulate both, the activity as well as selectivity of enzymes. Last, we present recent approaches based on cutting-edge machine learning methods to redesign enzymes. With exception of the last chapter, there is a strong focus on methods easily accessible via web-interfaces or simple Python-scripts, therefore readily useable for a diverse and broad community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Tripp
- Institute of Biochemistry, Graz University of Technology, Petersgasse 12/2, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Markus Braun
- Institute of Biochemistry, Graz University of Technology, Petersgasse 12/2, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Florian Wieser
- Institute of Biochemistry, Graz University of Technology, Petersgasse 12/2, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Gustav Oberdorfer
- Institute of Biochemistry, Graz University of Technology, Petersgasse 12/2, 8010, Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed, Graz, Austria
| | - Horst Lechner
- Institute of Biochemistry, Graz University of Technology, Petersgasse 12/2, 8010, Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed, Graz, Austria
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5
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Heckmeier PJ, Ruf J, Rochereau C, Hamm P. A billion years of evolution manifest in nanosecond protein dynamics. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2318743121. [PMID: 38412135 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2318743121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Protein dynamics form a critical bridge between protein structure and function, yet the impact of evolution on ultrafast processes inside proteins remains enigmatic. This study delves deep into nanosecond-scale protein dynamics of a structurally and functionally conserved protein across species separated by almost a billion years, investigating ten homologs in complex with their ligand. By inducing a photo-triggered destabilization of the ligand inside the binding pocket, we resolved distinct kinetic footprints for each homolog via transient infrared spectroscopy. Strikingly, we found a cascade of rearrangements within the protein complex which manifest in time points of increased dynamic activity conserved over hundreds of millions of years within a narrow window. Among these processes, one displays a subtle temporal shift correlating with evolutionary divergence, suggesting reduced selective pressure in the past. Our study not only uncovers the impact of evolution on molecular processes in a specific case, but has also the potential to initiate a field of scientific inquiry within molecular paleontology, where species are compared and classified based on the rapid pace of protein dynamic processes; a field which connects the shortest conceivable time scale in living matter (10[Formula: see text] s) with the largest ones (10[Formula: see text] s).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jeannette Ruf
- Department of Chemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | | | - Peter Hamm
- Department of Chemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
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6
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Yang J, Li FZ, Arnold FH. Opportunities and Challenges for Machine Learning-Assisted Enzyme Engineering. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2024; 10:226-241. [PMID: 38435522 PMCID: PMC10906252 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.3c01275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Enzymes can be engineered at the level of their amino acid sequences to optimize key properties such as expression, stability, substrate range, and catalytic efficiency-or even to unlock new catalytic activities not found in nature. Because the search space of possible proteins is vast, enzyme engineering usually involves discovering an enzyme starting point that has some level of the desired activity followed by directed evolution to improve its "fitness" for a desired application. Recently, machine learning (ML) has emerged as a powerful tool to complement this empirical process. ML models can contribute to (1) starting point discovery by functional annotation of known protein sequences or generating novel protein sequences with desired functions and (2) navigating protein fitness landscapes for fitness optimization by learning mappings between protein sequences and their associated fitness values. In this Outlook, we explain how ML complements enzyme engineering and discuss its future potential to unlock improved engineering outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Yang
- Division
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California
Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Francesca-Zhoufan Li
- Division
of Biology and Biological Engineering, California
Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Frances H. Arnold
- Division
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California
Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
- Division
of Biology and Biological Engineering, California
Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
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7
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Lewis AM, Fallon T, Dittemore GA, Sheppard K. Evolution and variation in amide aminoacyl-tRNA synthesis. IUBMB Life 2024. [PMID: 38391119 DOI: 10.1002/iub.2811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
The amide proteogenic amino acids, asparagine and glutamine, are two of the twenty amino acids used in translation by all known life. The aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases for asparagine and glutamine, asparaginyl-tRNA synthetase and glutaminyl tRNA synthetase, evolved after the split in the last universal common ancestor of modern organisms. Before that split, life used two-step indirect pathways to synthesize asparagine and glutamine on their cognate tRNAs to form the aminoacyl-tRNA used in translation. These two-step pathways were retained throughout much of the bacterial and archaeal domains of life and eukaryotic organelles. The indirect routes use non-discriminating aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (non-discriminating aspartyl-tRNA synthetase and non-discriminating glutamyl-tRNA synthetase) to misaminoacylate the tRNA. The misaminoacylated tRNA formed is then transamidated into the amide aminoacyl-tRNA used in protein synthesis by tRNA-dependent amidotransferases (GatCAB and GatDE). The enzymes and tRNAs involved assemble into complexes known as transamidosomes to help maintain translational fidelity. These pathways have evolved to meet the varied cellular needs across a diverse set of organisms, leading to significant variation. In certain bacteria, the indirect pathways may provide a means to adapt to cellular stress by reducing the fidelity of protein synthesis. The retention of these indirect pathways versus acquisition of asparaginyl-tRNA synthetase and glutaminyl tRNA synthetase in lineages likely involves a complex interplay of the competing uses of glutamine and asparagine beyond translation, energetic costs, co-evolution between enzymes and tRNA, and involvement in stress response that await further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander M Lewis
- Chemistry Department, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, New York, USA
| | - Trevor Fallon
- Chemistry Department, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, New York, USA
| | | | - Kelly Sheppard
- Chemistry Department, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, New York, USA
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8
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Nam K, Shao Y, Major DT, Wolf-Watz M. Perspectives on Computational Enzyme Modeling: From Mechanisms to Design and Drug Development. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:7393-7412. [PMID: 38405524 PMCID: PMC10883025 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c09084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Understanding enzyme mechanisms is essential for unraveling the complex molecular machinery of life. In this review, we survey the field of computational enzymology, highlighting key principles governing enzyme mechanisms and discussing ongoing challenges and promising advances. Over the years, computer simulations have become indispensable in the study of enzyme mechanisms, with the integration of experimental and computational exploration now established as a holistic approach to gain deep insights into enzymatic catalysis. Numerous studies have demonstrated the power of computer simulations in characterizing reaction pathways, transition states, substrate selectivity, product distribution, and dynamic conformational changes for various enzymes. Nevertheless, significant challenges remain in investigating the mechanisms of complex multistep reactions, large-scale conformational changes, and allosteric regulation. Beyond mechanistic studies, computational enzyme modeling has emerged as an essential tool for computer-aided enzyme design and the rational discovery of covalent drugs for targeted therapies. Overall, enzyme design/engineering and covalent drug development can greatly benefit from our understanding of the detailed mechanisms of enzymes, such as protein dynamics, entropy contributions, and allostery, as revealed by computational studies. Such a convergence of different research approaches is expected to continue, creating synergies in enzyme research. This review, by outlining the ever-expanding field of enzyme research, aims to provide guidance for future research directions and facilitate new developments in this important and evolving field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwangho Nam
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University
of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas 76019, United States
| | - Yihan Shao
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University
of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019-5251, United States
| | - Dan T. Major
- Department
of Chemistry and Institute for Nanotechnology & Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel
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9
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Fujikawa T, Sasamoto T, Zhao F, Yamagishi A, Akanuma S. Comparative analysis of reconstructed ancestral proteins with their extant counterparts suggests primitive life had an alkaline habitat. Sci Rep 2024; 14:398. [PMID: 38172176 PMCID: PMC10764835 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50828-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
To understand the origin and early evolution of life it is crucial to establish characteristics of the primordial environment that facilitated the emergence and evolution of life. One important environmental factor is the pH of the primordial environment. Here, we assessed the pH-dependent thermal stabilities of previously reconstructed ancestral nucleoside diphosphate kinases and ribosomal protein uS8s. The selected proteins were likely to be present in ancient organisms such as the last common ancestor of bacteria and that of archaea. We also assessed the thermal stability of homologous proteins from extant acidophilic, neutralophilic, and alkaliphilic microorganisms as a function of pH. Our results indicate that the reconstructed ancestral proteins are more akin to those of extant alkaliphilic bacteria, which display greater stability under alkaline conditions. These findings suggest that the common ancestors of bacterial and archaeal species thrived in an alkaline environment. Moreover, we demonstrate the reconstruction method employed in this study is a valuable technique for generating alkali-tolerant proteins that can be used in a variety of biotechnological and environmental applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takayuki Fujikawa
- Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University, 2-579-15 Mikajima, Tokorozawa, Saitama, 359-1192, Japan
| | - Takahiro Sasamoto
- Department of Applied Life Science, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, 1432-1 Horinouchi, Hachioji, Tokyo, 192-0392, Japan
| | - Fangzheng Zhao
- Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University, 2-579-15 Mikajima, Tokorozawa, Saitama, 359-1192, Japan
| | - Akihiko Yamagishi
- Department of Applied Life Science, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, 1432-1 Horinouchi, Hachioji, Tokyo, 192-0392, Japan
| | - Satoshi Akanuma
- Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University, 2-579-15 Mikajima, Tokorozawa, Saitama, 359-1192, Japan.
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10
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Nicoll CR, Massari M, Fraaije MW, Mascotti ML, Mattevi A. Impact of ancestral sequence reconstruction on mechanistic and structural enzymology. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2023; 82:102669. [PMID: 37544113 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2023.102669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Ancestral sequence reconstruction (ASR) provides insight into the changes within a protein sequence across evolution. More specifically, it can illustrate how specific amino acid changes give rise to different phenotypes within a protein family. Over the last few decades it has established itself as a powerful technique for revealing molecular common denominators that govern enzyme function. Here, we describe the strength of ASR in unveiling catalytic mechanisms and emerging phenotypes for a range of different proteins, also highlighting biotechnological applications the methodology can provide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Callum R Nicoll
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology Lazzaro Spallanzani, University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 9, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Marta Massari
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology Lazzaro Spallanzani, University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 9, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Marco W Fraaije
- Molecular Enzymology, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747, AG Groningen, the Netherlands. https://twitter.com/fraaije1
| | - Maria Laura Mascotti
- Molecular Enzymology, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747, AG Groningen, the Netherlands; IMIBIO-SL CONICET, Facultad de Química Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de San Luis, Ejército de los Andes 950, D5700HHW, San Luis, Argentina
| | - Andrea Mattevi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology Lazzaro Spallanzani, University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 9, 27100, Pavia, Italy.
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11
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Martinez Grundman JE, Johnson EA, Lecomte JTJ. Architectural digest: Thermodynamic stability and domain structure of a consensus monomeric globin. Biophys J 2023; 122:3117-3132. [PMID: 37353934 PMCID: PMC10432219 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Artificial proteins representing the consensus of a set of homologous sequences have attracted attention for their increased thermodynamic stability and conserved activity. Here, we applied the consensus approach to a b-type heme-binding protein to inspect the contribution of a dissociable cofactor to enhanced stability and the chemical consequences of creating a generic heme environment. We targeted the group 1 truncated hemoglobin (TrHb1) subfamily of proteins for their small size (∼120 residues) and ease of characterization. The primary structure, derived from a curated set of ∼300 representative sequences, yielded a highly soluble consensus globin (cGlbN) enriched in acidic residues. Optical and NMR spectroscopies revealed high-affinity heme binding in the expected site and in two orientations. At neutral pH, proximal and distal iron coordination was achieved with a pair of histidine residues, as observed in some natural TrHb1s, and with labile ligation on the distal side. As opposed to studied TrHb1s, which undergo additional folding upon heme binding, cGlbN displayed the same extent of secondary structure whether the heme was associated with the protein or not. Denaturation required guanidine hydrochloride and showed that apo- and holoprotein unfolded in two transitions-the first (occurring with a midpoint of ∼2 M) was shifted to higher denaturant concentration in the holoprotein (∼3.7 M) and reflected stabilization due to heme binding, while the second transition (∼6.2 M) was common to both forms. Thus, the consensus sequence stabilized the protein but exposed the existence of two separately cooperative subdomains within the globin architecture, masked as one single domain in TrHb1s with typical stabilities. The results suggested ways in which specific chemical or thermodynamic features may be controlled in artificial heme proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eric A Johnson
- T.C. Jenkins Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Juliette T J Lecomte
- T.C. Jenkins Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.
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12
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Pereira AG, Kohlsdorf T. Repeated evolution of similar phenotypes: Integrating comparative methods with developmental pathways. Genet Mol Biol 2023; 46:e20220384. [PMID: 37486083 PMCID: PMC10364090 DOI: 10.1590/1678-4685-gmb-2022-0384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Repeated phenotypes, often referred to as 'homoplasies' in cladistic analyses, may evolve through changes in developmental processes. Genetic bases of recurrent evolution gained attention and have been studied in the past years using approaches that combine modern analytical phylogenetic tools with the stunning assemblage of new information on developmental mechanisms. In this review, we evaluated the topic under an integrated perspective, revisiting the classical definitions of convergence and parallelism and detailing comparative methods used to evaluate evolution of repeated phenotypes, which include phylogenetic inference, estimates of evolutionary rates and reconstruction of ancestral states. We provide examples to illustrate how a given methodological approach can be used to identify evolutionary patterns and evaluate developmental mechanisms associated with the intermittent expression of a given trait along the phylogeny. Finally, we address why repeated trait loss challenges strict definitions of convergence and parallelism, discussing how changes in developmental pathways might explain the high frequency of repeated trait loss in specific lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anieli Guirro Pereira
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP), Departamento de Biologia, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Tiana Kohlsdorf
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP), Departamento de Biologia, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
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13
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Nixon C, Lim SA, Sternke M, Barrick D, Harms M, Marqusee S. The importance of input sequence set to consensus-derived proteins and their relationship to reconstructed ancestral proteins. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.29.547063. [PMID: 37425932 PMCID: PMC10327145 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.29.547063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
A protein sequence encodes its energy landscape - all the accessible conformations, energetics, and dynamics. The evolutionary relationship between sequence and landscape can be probed phylogenetically by compiling a multiple sequence alignment of homologous sequences and generating common ancestors via Ancestral Sequence Reconstruction or a consensus protein containing the most common amino acid at each position. Both ancestral and consensus proteins are often more stable than their extant homologs - questioning the differences and suggesting that both approaches serve as general methods to engineer thermostability. We used the Ribonuclease H family to compare these approaches and evaluate how the evolutionary relationship of the input sequences affects the properties of the resulting consensus protein. While the overall consensus protein is structured and active, it neither shows properties of a well-folded protein nor has enhanced stability. In contrast, the consensus protein derived from a phylogenetically-restricted region is significantly more stable and cooperatively folded, suggesting that cooperativity may be encoded by different mechanisms in separate clades and lost when too many diverse clades are combined to generate a consensus protein. To explore this, we compared pairwise covariance scores using a Potts formalism as well as higher-order couplings using singular value decomposition (SVD). We find the SVD coordinates of a stable consensus sequence are close to coordinates of the analogous ancestor sequence and its descendants, whereas the unstable consensus sequences are outliers in SVD space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Nixon
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - Shion A Lim
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - Matt Sternke
- The T.C. Jenkins Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218
| | - Doug Barrick
- The T.C. Jenkins Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218
| | - Mike Harms
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403
| | - Susan Marqusee
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), Berkeley
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14
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Nandel V, Scadden J, Baker MAB. Ion-Powered Rotary Motors: Where Did They Come from and Where They Are Going? Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10601. [PMID: 37445779 PMCID: PMC10341847 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Molecular motors are found in many living organisms. One such molecular machine, the ion-powered rotary motor (IRM), requires the movement of ions across a membrane against a concentration gradient to drive rotational movement. The bacterial flagellar motor (BFM) is an example of an IRM which relies on ion movement through the stator proteins to generate the rotation of the flagella. There are many ions which can be used by the BFM stators to power motility and different ions can be used by a single bacterium expressing multiple stator variants. The use of ancestral sequence reconstruction (ASR) and functional analysis of reconstructed stators shows promise for understanding how these proteins evolved and when the divergence in ion use may have occurred. In this review, we discuss extant BFM stators and the ions that power them as well as recent examples of the use of ASR to study ion-channel selectivity and how this might be applied to further study of the BFM stator complex.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Matthew A. B. Baker
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences (BABS), University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2033, Australia; (V.N.); (J.S.)
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15
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Chiang CH, Wymore T, Rodríguez Benítez A, Hussain A, Smith JL, Brooks CL, Narayan ARH. Deciphering the evolution of flavin-dependent monooxygenase stereoselectivity using ancestral sequence reconstruction. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2218248120. [PMID: 37014851 PMCID: PMC10104550 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2218248120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Controlling the selectivity of a reaction is critical for target-oriented synthesis. Accessing complementary selectivity profiles enables divergent synthetic strategies, but is challenging to achieve in biocatalytic reactions given enzymes' innate preferences of a single selectivity. Thus, it is critical to understand the structural features that control selectivity in biocatalytic reactions to achieve tunable selectivity. Here, we investigate the structural features that control the stereoselectivity in an oxidative dearomatization reaction that is key to making azaphilone natural products. Crystal structures of enantiocomplementary biocatalysts guided the development of multiple hypotheses centered on the structural features that control the stereochemical outcome of the reaction; however, in many cases, direct substitutions of active site residues in natural proteins led to inactive enzymes. Ancestral sequence reconstruction (ASR) and resurrection were employed as an alternative strategy to probe the impact of each residue on the stereochemical outcome of the dearomatization reaction. These studies suggest that two mechanisms are active in controlling the stereochemical outcome of the oxidative dearomatization reaction: one involving multiple active site residues in AzaH and the other dominated by a single Phe to Tyr switch in TropB and AfoD. Moreover, this study suggests that the flavin-dependent monooxygenases (FDMOs) adopt simple and flexible strategies to control stereoselectivity, which has led to stereocomplementary azaphilone natural products produced by fungi. This paradigm of combining ASR and resurrection with mutational and computational studies showcases sets of tools for understanding enzyme mechanisms and provides a solid foundation for future protein engineering efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang-Hwa Chiang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI48109
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI48109
| | - Troy Wymore
- Laufer Center for Physical and Quantitative Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY11794
- Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY11794
| | - Attabey Rodríguez Benítez
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI48109
- Program in Chemical Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI48109
| | - Azam Hussain
- Macromolecular Science and Engineering Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI48109
| | - Janet L. Smith
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI48109
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI48109
| | - Charles L. Brooks
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI48109
- Program in Chemical Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI48109
- Department of Biophysics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI48109
| | - Alison R. H. Narayan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI48109
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI48109
- Program in Chemical Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI48109
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16
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Severino R, Moreno-Paz M, Puente-Sánchez F, Sánchez-García L, Risso VA, Sanchez-Ruiz JM, Cabrol N, Parro V. Immunoanalytical Approach for Detecting and Identifying Ancestral Peptide Biomarkers in Early Earth Analogue Environments. Anal Chem 2023; 95:5323-5330. [PMID: 36926836 PMCID: PMC10061368 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c05386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
Several mass spectrometry and spectroscopic techniques have been used in the search for molecular biomarkers on Mars. A major constraint is their capability to detect and identify large and complex compounds such as peptides or other biopolymers. Multiplex immunoassays can detect these compounds, but antibodies must be produced for a large number of sequence-dependent molecular targets. Ancestral Sequence Reconstruction (ASR) followed by protein "resurrection" in the lab can help to narrow the selection of targets. Herein, we propose an immunoanalytical method to identify ancient and universally conserved protein/peptide sequences as targets for identifying ancestral biomarkers in nature. We have developed, tested, and validated this approach by producing antibodies to eight previously described ancestral resurrected proteins (three β-lactamases, three thioredoxins, one Elongation Factor Tu, and one RuBisCO, all of them theoretically dated as Precambrian), and used them as a proxy to search for any potential feature of them that could be present in current natural environments. By fluorescent sandwich microarray immunoassays (FSMI), we have detected positive immunoreactions with antibodies to the oldest β-lactamase and thioredoxin proteins (ca. 4 Ga) in samples from a hydrothermal environment. Fine epitope mapping and inhibitory immunoassays allowed the identification of well-conserved epitope peptide sequences that resulted from ASR and were present in the sample. We corroborated these results by metagenomic sequencing and found several genes encoding analogue proteins with significant matches to the peptide epitopes identified with the antibodies. The results demonstrated that peptides inferred from ASR studies have true counterpart analogues in Nature, which validates and strengthens the well-known ASR/protein resurrection technique and our immunoanalytical approach for investigating ancient environments and metabolisms on Earth and elsewhere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Severino
- Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), CSIC-INTA, 28850 Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain.,PhD Program in Space Research and Astrobiology, University of Alcalá (UAH), 28805 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Mercedes Moreno-Paz
- Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), CSIC-INTA, 28850 Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain
| | - Fernando Puente-Sánchez
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), 75651 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Laura Sánchez-García
- Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), CSIC-INTA, 28850 Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain
| | - Valeria A Risso
- Departamento de Química Física, Facultad de Ciencias, Unidad de Excelencia de Química Aplicada a Biomedicina y Medioambiente (UEQ), Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Jose M Sanchez-Ruiz
- Departamento de Química Física, Facultad de Ciencias, Unidad de Excelencia de Química Aplicada a Biomedicina y Medioambiente (UEQ), Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Nathalie Cabrol
- Carl Sagan Center for the Study of Life in the Universe, SETI Institute, Mountain View, California 94043, United States
| | - Victor Parro
- Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), CSIC-INTA, 28850 Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain
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17
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Busch MR, Rajendran C, Sterner R. Structural and Functional Characterization of the Ureidoacrylate Amidohydrolase RutB from Escherichia coli. Biochemistry 2023; 62:863-872. [PMID: 36599150 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.2c00640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
We present a detailed structure-function analysis of the ureidoacrylate amidohydrolase RutB from Eschericha coli, which is an essential enzyme of the Rut pathway for pyrimidine utilization. Crystals of selenomethionine-labeled RutB were produced, which allowed us to determine the first structure of the enzyme at a resolution of 1.9 Å and to identify it as a new member of the isochorismatase-like hydrolase family. RutB was co-crystallized with the substrate analogue ureidopropionate, revealing the mode of substrate binding. Mutation of residues constituting the catalytic triad (D24A, D24N, K133A, C166A, C166S, C166T, C166Y) resulted in complete inactivation of RutB, whereas mutation of other residues close to the active site (Y29F, Y35F, N72A, W74A, W74F, E80A, E80D, S92A, S92T, S92Y, Q105A, Y136A, Y136F) leads to distinct changes of the turnover number (kcat) and/or the Michaelis constant (KM). The results of our structural and mutational studies allowed us to assign specific functions to individual residues and to formulate a plausible reaction mechanism for RutB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus R Busch
- Institute of Biophysics and Physical Biochemistry, Regensburg Center for Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, D-93040 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Chitra Rajendran
- Institute of Biophysics and Physical Biochemistry, Regensburg Center for Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, D-93040 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Reinhard Sterner
- Institute of Biophysics and Physical Biochemistry, Regensburg Center for Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, D-93040 Regensburg, Germany
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18
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Livada J, Vargas AM, Martinez CA, Lewis RD. Ancestral Sequence Reconstruction Enhances Gene Mining Efforts for Industrial Ene Reductases by Expanding Enzyme Panels with Thermostable Catalysts. ACS Catal 2023. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.2c03859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jovan Livada
- Pfizer Global Research and Development, Chemical Research Development, MS 4073 Eastern Point Road, Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
| | - Ariana M. Vargas
- Pfizer Global Research and Development, Chemical Research Development, MS 4073 Eastern Point Road, Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
| | - Carlos A. Martinez
- Pfizer Global Research and Development, Chemical Research Development, MS 4073 Eastern Point Road, Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
| | - Russell D. Lewis
- Pfizer Global Research and Development, Chemical Research Development, MS 4073 Eastern Point Road, Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
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19
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Zhao F, Akanuma S. Ancestral Sequence Reconstruction of the Ribosomal Protein uS8 and Reduction of Amino Acid Usage to a Smaller Alphabet. J Mol Evol 2023; 91:10-23. [PMID: 36396786 DOI: 10.1007/s00239-022-10078-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the origin and early evolution of proteins is important for unveiling how the RNA world developed into an RNA-protein world. Because the composition of organic molecules in the Earth's primitive environment was plausibly not as diverse as today, the number of different amino acids used in early protein synthesis is likely to be substantially less than the current 20 proteinogenic residues. In this study, we have explored the thermal stability and RNA binding of ancestral variants of the ribosomal protein uS8 constructed from a reduced-alphabet of amino acids. First, we built a phylogenetic tree based on the amino acid sequences of uS8 from multiple extant organisms and used the tree to infer two plausible amino acid sequences corresponding to the last bacterial common ancestor of uS8. Both ancestral proteins were thermally stable and bound to an RNA fragment. By eliminating individual amino acid letters and monitoring thermal stability and RNA binding in the resulting proteins, we reduced the size of the amino acid set constituting one of the ancestral proteins, eventually finding that convergent sequences consisting of 15- or 14-amino acid alphabets still folded into stable structures that bound to the RNA fragment. Furthermore, a simplified variant reconstructed from a 13-amino-acid alphabet retained affinity for the RNA fragment, although it lost conformational stability. Collectively, RNA-binding activity may be achieved with a subset of the current 20 amino acids, raising the possibility of a simpler composition of RNA-binding proteins in the earliest stage of protein evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangzheng Zhao
- Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University, 2-579-15, Mikajima, Tokorozawa, Saitama, 359-1192, Japan
| | - Satoshi Akanuma
- Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University, 2-579-15, Mikajima, Tokorozawa, Saitama, 359-1192, Japan.
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20
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Alonso-Lerma B, Jabalera Y, Samperio S, Morin M, Fernandez A, Hille LT, Silverstein RA, Quesada-Ganuza A, Reifs A, Fernández-Peñalver S, Benitez Y, Soletto L, Gavira JA, Diaz A, Vranken W, Sanchez-Mejias A, Güell M, Mojica FJM, Kleinstiver BP, Moreno-Pelayo MA, Montoliu L, Perez-Jimenez R. Evolution of CRISPR-associated endonucleases as inferred from resurrected proteins. Nat Microbiol 2023; 8:77-90. [PMID: 36593295 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-022-01265-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-associated Cas9 is an effector protein that targets invading DNA and plays a major role in the prokaryotic adaptive immune system. Although Streptococcus pyogenes CRISPR-Cas9 has been widely studied and repurposed for applications including genome editing, its origin and evolution are poorly understood. Here, we investigate the evolution of Cas9 from resurrected ancient nucleases (anCas) in extinct firmicutes species that last lived 2.6 billion years before the present. We demonstrate that these ancient forms were much more flexible in their guide RNA and protospacer-adjacent motif requirements compared with modern-day Cas9 enzymes. Furthermore, anCas portrays a gradual palaeoenzymatic adaptation from nickase to double-strand break activity, exhibits high levels of activity with both single-stranded DNA and single-stranded RNA targets and is capable of editing activity in human cells. Prediction and characterization of anCas with a resurrected protein approach uncovers an evolutionary trajectory leading to functionally flexible ancient enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Matias Morin
- Servicio de Genética, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, IRYCIS and Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Red de Enfermedades Raras, Madrid, Spain
| | - Almudena Fernandez
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Centre for Biotechnology and Centre for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases, Madrid, Spain
| | - Logan T Hille
- Center for Genomic Medicine and Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,PhD Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rachel A Silverstein
- Center for Genomic Medicine and Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,PhD Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Sergio Fernández-Peñalver
- Servicio de Genética, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, IRYCIS and Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Red de Enfermedades Raras, Madrid, Spain
| | - Yolanda Benitez
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Centre for Biotechnology and Centre for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases, Madrid, Spain.,INGEMM, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain
| | - Lucia Soletto
- Servicio de Genética, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, IRYCIS and Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Red de Enfermedades Raras, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jose A Gavira
- Laboratorio de Estudios Cristalográficos, IACT, Armilla, Spain
| | - Adrian Diaz
- Interuniversity Institute of Bioinformatics in Brussels, ULB-VUB, Brussels, Belgium.,Structural Biology Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Wim Vranken
- Interuniversity Institute of Bioinformatics in Brussels, ULB-VUB, Brussels, Belgium.,Structural Biology Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.,Structural Biology Research Centre, VIB, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Marc Güell
- Integra Therapeutics S.L., Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Francisco J M Mojica
- Dpto. Fisiología, Genética y Microbiología and Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio 'Ramón Margalef', Universidad de Alicante, Alicante, Spain
| | - Benjamin P Kleinstiver
- Center for Genomic Medicine and Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Miguel A Moreno-Pelayo
- Servicio de Genética, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, IRYCIS and Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Red de Enfermedades Raras, Madrid, Spain
| | - Lluis Montoliu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Centre for Biotechnology and Centre for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases, Madrid, Spain
| | - Raul Perez-Jimenez
- CIC nanoGUNE BRTA, San Sebastian, Spain. .,Ikerbasque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain.
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21
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Ghorbani A, Khataeipour SJ, Solbakken MH, Huebert DNG, Khoddami M, Eslamloo K, Collins C, Hori T, Jentoft S, Rise ML, Larijani M. Ancestral reconstruction reveals catalytic inactivation of activation-induced cytidine deaminase concomitant with cold water adaption in the Gadiformes bony fish. BMC Biol 2022; 20:293. [PMID: 36575514 PMCID: PMC9795746 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-022-01489-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Antibody affinity maturation in vertebrates requires the enzyme activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) which initiates secondary antibody diversification by mutating the immunoglobulin loci. AID-driven antibody diversification is conserved across jawed vertebrates since bony and cartilaginous fish. Two exceptions have recently been reported, the Pipefish and Anglerfish, in which the AID-encoding aicda gene has been lost. Both cases are associated with unusual reproductive behavior, including male pregnancy and sexual parasitism. Several cold water fish in the Atlantic cod (Gadinae) family carry an aicda gene that encodes for a full-length enzyme but lack affinity-matured antibodies and rely on antibodies of broad antigenic specificity. Hence, we examined the functionality of their AID. RESULTS By combining genomics, transcriptomics, immune responsiveness, and functional enzymology of AID from 36 extant species, we demonstrate that AID of that Atlantic cod and related fish have extremely lethargic or no catalytic activity. Through ancestral reconstruction and functional enzymology of 71 AID enzymes, we show that this enzymatic inactivation likely took place relatively recently at the emergence of the true cod family (Gadidae) from their ancestral Gadiformes order. We show that this AID inactivation is not only concordant with the previously shown loss of key adaptive immune genes and expansion of innate and cell-based immune genes in the Gadiformes but is further reflected in the genomes of these fish in the form of loss of AID-favored sequence motifs in their immunoglobulin variable region genes. CONCLUSIONS Recent demonstrations of the loss of the aicda gene in two fish species challenge the paradigm that AID-driven secondary antibody diversification is absolutely conserved in jawed vertebrates. These species have unusual reproductive behaviors forming an evolutionary pressure for a certain loss of immunity to avoid tissue rejection. We report here an instance of catalytic inactivation and functional loss of AID rather than gene loss in a conventionally reproducing vertebrate. Our data suggest that an expanded innate immunity, in addition to lower pathogenic pressures in a cold environment relieved the pressure to maintain robust secondary antibody diversification. We suggest that in this unique scenario, the AID-mediated collateral genome-wide damage would form an evolutionary pressure to lose AID function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atefeh Ghorbani
- grid.61971.380000 0004 1936 7494Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada ,grid.25055.370000 0000 9130 6822Program in Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Division of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Canada
| | - S. Javad Khataeipour
- grid.25055.370000 0000 9130 6822Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Science, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Canada
| | - Monica H. Solbakken
- grid.5510.10000 0004 1936 8921Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - David N. G. Huebert
- grid.61971.380000 0004 1936 7494Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada ,grid.25055.370000 0000 9130 6822Program in Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Division of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Canada
| | - Minasadat Khoddami
- grid.61971.380000 0004 1936 7494Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
| | - Khalil Eslamloo
- grid.25055.370000 0000 9130 6822Department of Ocean Sciences, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Canada
| | - Cassandra Collins
- grid.61971.380000 0004 1936 7494Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
| | - Tiago Hori
- grid.25055.370000 0000 9130 6822Department of Ocean Sciences, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Canada
| | - Sissel Jentoft
- grid.5510.10000 0004 1936 8921Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Matthew L. Rise
- grid.25055.370000 0000 9130 6822Department of Ocean Sciences, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Canada
| | - Mani Larijani
- grid.61971.380000 0004 1936 7494Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada ,grid.25055.370000 0000 9130 6822Program in Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Division of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Canada
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22
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Enzymatic Conjugation of Modified RNA Fragments by Ancestral RNA Ligase AncT4_2. Appl Environ Microbiol 2022; 88:e0167922. [PMID: 36416557 PMCID: PMC9746290 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01679-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Oligonucleotide therapeutics have great potential as a next-generation approach to treating intractable diseases. Large quantities of modified DNA/RNA containing xenobiotic nucleic acids (XNAs) must be synthesized before clinical application. In this study, the ancestral RNA ligase AncT4_2 was designed by ancestral sequence reconstruction (ASR) to perform the conjugation reaction of modified RNA fragments. AncT4_2 had superior properties to native RNA ligase 2 from T4 phage (T4Rnl2), including high productivity, a >2.5-fold-higher turnover number, and >10°C higher thermostability. One remarkable point is the broad substrate selectivity of AncT4_2; the activity of AncT4_2 toward 17 of the modified RNA fragments was higher than that of T4Rnl2. The activity was estimated by measuring the conjugation reaction of two RNA strands, 3'-OH (12 bp) and 5'-PO4 (12 bp), in which the terminal and penultimate positions of the 3'-OH fragment and the first and second positions of the 5'-PO4 fragment were substituted by 2'-fluoro, 2'-O-methyl, 2'-O-methoxyethyl, and 2'-H, respectively. The enzymatic properties of AncT4_2 allowed the enzyme to conjugate large quantities of double-stranded RNA coding for patisiran (>400 μM level), which was formed by four RNA fragments containing 2'-OMe-substituted nucleic acids. Structural analysis of modeled AncT4_2 suggested that protein dynamics were changed by mutation to Gly or indel during ASR and that this may positively impact the conjugation of modified RNA fragments with the enzyme. AncT4_2 is expected to be a key biocatalyst in synthesizing RNA therapeutics by an enzymatic reaction. IMPORTANCE RNA therapeutics is one of the next-generation medicines for treating various diseases. Our designed ancestral RNA ligase AncT4_2 exhibited excellent enzymatic properties, such as high thermal stability, productivity, specific activity, and broad substrate selectivity compared to native enzymes. These advantages create the potential for AncT4_2 to be applied in conjugating the modified RNA fragments containing various xenobiotic nucleic acids. In addition, patisiran, a known polyneuropathy therapeutic, could be synthesized from four fragmented oligonucleotides at a preparative scale. Taken together, these findings indicate AncT4_2 could open the door to synthesizing RNA therapeutics by enzymatic reaction at large-scale production.
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23
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Motoyama T, Yamamoto Y, Ishida C, Hasebe F, Kawamura Y, Shigeta Y, Ito S, Nakano S. Reaction Mechanism of Ancestral l-Lys α-Oxidase from Caulobacter Species Studied by Biochemical, Structural, and Computational Analysis. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:44407-44419. [PMID: 36506213 PMCID: PMC9730747 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c06334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The flavin-dependent amine oxidase superfamily contains various l-amino acid oxidases (LAAOs) bearing different substrate specificities and enzymatic properties. LAAOs catalyze the oxidation of the α-amino group of l-amino acids (L-AAs) to produce imino acids and H2O2. In this study, an ancestral l-Lys α-oxidase (AncLLysO2) was designed utilizing genome-mined sequences from the Caulobacter species. The AncLLysO2 exhibited high specificity toward l-Lys; the k cat/K m values toward l-Lys were one and two orders larger than those of l-Arg and l-ornithine, respectively. Liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry analysis indicated that AncLLysO2 released imino acid immediately from the active site after completion of oxidation of the α-amino group. Crystal structures of the ligand-free, l-Lys- and l-Arg-bound forms of AncLLysO2 were determined at 1.4-1.6 Å resolution, indicating that the active site of AncLLysO2 kept an open state during the reaction and more likely to release products. The structures also indicated the substrate recognition mechanism of AncLLysO2; ε-amino, α-amino, and carboxyl groups of l-Lys formed interactions with Q357, A551, and R77, respectively. Biochemical and molecular dynamics simulation analysis of AncLLysO2 indicated that active site residues that indirectly interact with the substrate are also important to exhibit high activity; for example, the aromatic group of Y219 is important to ensure that the l-Lys substrate is placed in the correct position to allow the reaction to proceed efficiently. Taken together, we propose the reaction mechanism of AncLLysO2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoharu Motoyama
- Graduate
Division of Nutritional and Environmental Sciences, University of Shizuoka, 52-1 Yada, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka 422-8526, Japan
| | - Yuta Yamamoto
- Department
of Physics, Graduate School of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan
| | - Chiharu Ishida
- Graduate
Division of Nutritional and Environmental Sciences, University of Shizuoka, 52-1 Yada, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka 422-8526, Japan
| | - Fumihito Hasebe
- Department
of Bioscience, Fukui Prefectural University, Fukui 910-1195, Japan
| | - Yui Kawamura
- Graduate
Division of Nutritional and Environmental Sciences, University of Shizuoka, 52-1 Yada, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka 422-8526, Japan
| | - Yasuteru Shigeta
- Center
for Computational Sciences, University of
Tsukuba, Tennodai 1-1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan
| | - Sohei Ito
- Graduate
Division of Nutritional and Environmental Sciences, University of Shizuoka, 52-1 Yada, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka 422-8526, Japan
| | - Shogo Nakano
- Graduate
Division of Nutritional and Environmental Sciences, University of Shizuoka, 52-1 Yada, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka 422-8526, Japan
- PREST, Japan Science and Technology
Agency, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
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24
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Cortez LM, Morrison AJ, Garen CR, Patterson S, Uyesugi T, Petrosyan R, Sekar RV, Harms MJ, Woodside MT, Sim VL. Probing the origin of prion protein misfolding via reconstruction of ancestral proteins. Protein Sci 2022; 31:e4477. [PMID: 36254680 PMCID: PMC9667828 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative diseases caused by pathogenic misfolding of the prion protein, PrP. They are transmissible between hosts, and sometimes between different species, as with transmission of bovine spongiform encephalopathy to humans. Although PrP is found in a wide range of vertebrates, prion diseases are seen only in certain mammals, suggesting that infectious misfolding was a recent evolutionary development. To explore when PrP acquired the ability to misfold infectiously, we reconstructed the sequences of ancestral versions of PrP from the last common primate, primate-rodent, artiodactyl, placental, bird, and amniote. Recombinant ancestral PrPs were then tested for their ability to form β-sheet aggregates, either spontaneously or when seeded with infectious prion strains from human, cervid, or rodent species. The ability to aggregate developed after the oldest ancestor (last common amniote), and aggregation capabilities diverged along evolutionary pathways consistent with modern-day susceptibilities. Ancestral bird PrP could not be seeded with modern-day prions, just as modern-day birds are resistant to prion disease. Computational modeling of structures suggested that differences in helix 2 could account for the resistance of ancestral bird PrP to seeding. Interestingly, ancestral primate PrP could be converted by all prion seeds, including both human and cervid prions, raising the possibility that species descended from an ancestral primate have retained the susceptibility to conversion by cervid prions. More generally, the results suggest that susceptibility to prion disease emerged prior to ~100 million years ago, with placental mammals possibly being generally susceptible to disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo M. Cortez
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding DiseasesUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
- Division of Neurology, Department of MedicineUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
- Neuroscience and Mental Health InstituteUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
| | - Anneliese J. Morrison
- Institute of Molecular BiologyUniversity of OregonEugeneOregonUSA
- Department of Chemistry and BiochemistryUniversity of OregonEugeneOregonUSA
| | - Craig R. Garen
- Department of PhysicsUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
| | - Sawyer Patterson
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding DiseasesUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
| | - Toshi Uyesugi
- Department of PhysicsUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
| | - Rafayel Petrosyan
- Department of PhysicsUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
- Present address:
Zaven & Sonia Akian College of Science and EngineeringAmerican University of ArmeniaYerevanArmenia
| | | | - Michael J. Harms
- Institute of Molecular BiologyUniversity of OregonEugeneOregonUSA
- Department of Chemistry and BiochemistryUniversity of OregonEugeneOregonUSA
| | - Michael T. Woodside
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding DiseasesUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
- Department of PhysicsUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
- Li Ka Shing Institute of VirologyUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
| | - Valerie L. Sim
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding DiseasesUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
- Division of Neurology, Department of MedicineUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
- Neuroscience and Mental Health InstituteUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
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25
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Hager M, Pöhler MT, Reinhardt F, Wellner K, Hübner J, Betat H, Prohaska S, Mörl M. Substrate Affinity Versus Catalytic Efficiency: Ancestral Sequence Reconstruction of tRNA Nucleotidyltransferases Solves an Enzyme Puzzle. Mol Biol Evol 2022; 39:6835633. [PMID: 36409584 PMCID: PMC9728577 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msac250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In tRNA maturation, CCA-addition by tRNA nucleotidyltransferase is a unique and highly accurate reaction. While the mechanism of nucleotide selection and polymerization is well understood, it remains a mystery why bacterial and eukaryotic enzymes exhibit an unexpected and surprisingly low tRNA substrate affinity while they efficiently catalyze the CCA-addition. To get insights into the evolution of this high-fidelity RNA synthesis, the reconstruction and characterization of ancestral enzymes is a versatile tool. Here, we investigate a reconstructed candidate of a 2 billion years old CCA-adding enzyme from Gammaproteobacteria and compare it to the corresponding modern enzyme of Escherichia coli. We show that the ancestral candidate catalyzes an error-free CCA-addition, but has a much higher tRNA affinity compared with the extant enzyme. The consequence of this increased substrate binding is an enhanced reverse reaction, where the enzyme removes the CCA end from the mature tRNA. As a result, the ancestral candidate exhibits a lower catalytic efficiency in vitro as well as in vivo. Furthermore, the efficient tRNA interaction leads to a processive polymerization, while the extant enzyme catalyzes nucleotide addition in a distributive way. Thus, the modern enzymes increased their polymerization efficiency by lowering the binding affinity to tRNA, so that CCA synthesis is efficiently promoted due to a reduced reverse reaction. Hence, the puzzling and at a first glance contradicting and detrimental weak substrate interaction represents a distinct activity enhancement in the evolution of CCA-adding enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Franziska Reinhardt
- Computational EvoDevo Group, Institute for Computer Science, Leipzig University, Härtelstr. 16-18, 04109 Leipzig, Germany,Interdisciplinary Centre for Bioinformatics, Leipzig University, Härtelstr. 16-18, 04109 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Karolin Wellner
- Institute for Biochemistry, Leipzig University, Brüderstraße 34, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jessica Hübner
- Computational EvoDevo Group, Institute for Computer Science, Leipzig University, Härtelstr. 16-18, 04109 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Heike Betat
- Institute for Biochemistry, Leipzig University, Brüderstraße 34, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sonja Prohaska
- Computational EvoDevo Group, Institute for Computer Science, Leipzig University, Härtelstr. 16-18, 04109 Leipzig, Germany,Interdisciplinary Centre for Bioinformatics, Leipzig University, Härtelstr. 16-18, 04109 Leipzig, Germany,Santa Fe Institute, 1399 Hyde Park Road, Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA,Complexity Science Hub Vienna, Josefstädter Str. 39, 1080 Wien, Austria
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26
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Chen X, Dou Z, Luo T, Sun Z, Ma H, Xu G, Ni Y. Directed reconstruction of a novel ancestral alcohol dehydrogenase featuring shifted pH-profile, enhanced thermostability and expanded substrate spectrum. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2022; 363:127886. [PMID: 36067899 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2022.127886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2022] [Revised: 08/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Ancestral enzymes are promising for industrial biotechnology due to high stability and catalytic promiscuity. An effective protocol was developed for the directed resurrection of ancestral enzymes. Employing genome mining with diaryl alcohol dehydrogenase KpADH as the probe, descendant enzymes D10 and D11 were firstly identified. Then through ancestral sequence reconstruction, A64 was resurrected with a specific activity of 4.3 U·mg-1. The optimum pH of A64 was 7.5, distinct from 5.5 of D10. The T15 50 and Tm values of A64 were 57.5 °C and 61.7 °C, significantly higher than those of the descendant counterpart. Substrate spectrum of A64 was quantitively characterized with a Shannon-Wiener index of 2.38, more expanded than D10, especially, towards bulky ketones in Group A and B. A64 also exhibited higher enantioselectivity. This study provides an effective protocol for constructing of ancestral enzymes and an efficient ancestral enzyme of industrial relevance for asymmetric synthesis of chiral alcohols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Chen
- Key laboratory of industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhe Dou
- Key laboratory of industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tianwei Luo
- Key laboratory of industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zewen Sun
- Key laboratory of industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hongmin Ma
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, Ministry of Education and School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Guochao Xu
- Key laboratory of industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Ye Ni
- Key laboratory of industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, Jiangsu, China
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27
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Ayuso-Fernández I, Molpeceres G, Camarero S, Ruiz-Dueñas FJ, Martínez AT. Ancestral sequence reconstruction as a tool to study the evolution of wood decaying fungi. FRONTIERS IN FUNGAL BIOLOGY 2022; 3:1003489. [PMID: 37746217 PMCID: PMC10512382 DOI: 10.3389/ffunb.2022.1003489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
The study of evolution is limited by the techniques available to do so. Aside from the use of the fossil record, molecular phylogenetics can provide a detailed characterization of evolutionary histories using genes, genomes and proteins. However, these tools provide scarce biochemical information of the organisms and systems of interest and are therefore very limited when they come to explain protein evolution. In the past decade, this limitation has been overcome by the development of ancestral sequence reconstruction (ASR) methods. ASR allows the subsequent resurrection in the laboratory of inferred proteins from now extinct organisms, becoming an outstanding tool to study enzyme evolution. Here we review the recent advances in ASR methods and their application to study fungal evolution, with special focus on wood-decay fungi as essential organisms in the global carbon cycling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iván Ayuso-Fernández
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Ås, Norway
| | - Gonzalo Molpeceres
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas “Margarita Salas” (CIB), CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Susana Camarero
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas “Margarita Salas” (CIB), CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Angel T. Martínez
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas “Margarita Salas” (CIB), CSIC, Madrid, Spain
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28
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Preparation and Characterization of an Ancient Aminopeptidase Obtained from Ancestral Sequence Reconstruction for L-Carnosine Synthesis. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27196620. [PMID: 36235157 PMCID: PMC9570944 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27196620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
As a biologically active peptide, L-carnosine has been widely used in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and health care industries due to its various physiological properties. However, relatively little research is available regarding L-carnosine's enzymatic synthesis function. In this study, a potential enzyme sequence with the function of carnosine synthesizing was screened out using the ancestral sequence reconstruction (ASR) technique. Identified with L-carnosine synthesis activity, this enzyme was further confirmed using autoproteolytic phenomenon via Western blot and N-terminal sequencing. After purification, the enzymatic properties of LUCA-DmpA were characterized. The melting temperature (Tm) and denaturation enthalpy (ΔH) of LUCA-DmpA were 60.27 ± 1.24 °C and 1306.00 ± 26.73 kJ·mol-1, respectively. Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy results showed that this ancestral enzyme was composed of α-helix (35.23 ± 0.06%), β-sheet (11.06 ± 0.06%), β-turn (23.67 ± 0.06%) and random coil (32.03 ± 0.06%). The enzyme was characterized with the optimal temperature and pH of 45 °C and 9.0, respectively. Notably, LUCA-DmpA was also characterized with remarkable pH tolerance based on the observation of more than 85% remaining enzymatic activity after incubation at different pH buffers (pH = 6-11) for 12 h. Additionally, rather than being improved or inhibited by metal ions, its enzymatic activity was found to be promoted by introducing organic solvent with a larger log P value. Based on these homology modeling results, the screened LUCA-DmpA is suggested to have further optimization potential, and thereafter to be offered as a promising candidate for real industrial applications.
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29
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Chen H, Bhowmick B, Tang Y, Lozano-Fernandez J, Han Q. Biochemical Evolution of a Potent Target of Mosquito Larvicide, 3-Hydroxykynurenine Transaminase. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27154929. [PMID: 35956879 PMCID: PMC9369995 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27154929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
A specific mosquito enzyme, 3-hydroxykynurenine transaminase (HKT), is involved in the processing of toxic metabolic intermediates of the tryptophan metabolic pathway. The HKT enzymatic product, xanthurenic acid, is required for Plasmodium spp. development in the mosquito vectors. Therefore, an inhibitor of HKT may not only be a mosquitocide but also a malaria-transmission blocker. In this work, we present a study investigating the evolution of HKT, which is a lineage-specific duplication of an alanine glyoxylate aminotransferases (AGT) in mosquitoes. Synteny analyses, together with the phylogenetic history of the AGT family, suggests that HKT and the mosquito AGTs are paralogous that were formed via a duplication event in their common ancestor. Furthermore, 41 amino acid sites with significant evidence of positive selection were identified, which could be responsible for biochemical and functional evolution and the stability of conformational stabilization. To get a deeper understanding of the evolution of ligands’ capacity and the ligand-binding mechanism of HKT, the sequence and the 3D homology model of the common ancestor of HKT and AGT in mosquitoes, ancestral mosquito AGT (AncMosqAGT), were inferred and built. The homology model along with 3-hydroxykynurenine, kynurenine, and alanine were used in docking experiments to predict the binding capacity and ligand-binding mode of the new substrates related to toxic metabolites detoxification. Our study provides evidence for the dramatic biochemical evolution of the key detoxifying enzyme and provides potential sites that could hinder the detoxification function, which may be used in mosquito larvicide and design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huaqing Chen
- Laboratory of Tropical Veterinary Medicine and Vector Biology, School of Life Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China; (H.C.); (B.B.); (Y.T.)
- One Health Institute, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Biswajit Bhowmick
- Laboratory of Tropical Veterinary Medicine and Vector Biology, School of Life Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China; (H.C.); (B.B.); (Y.T.)
- One Health Institute, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Yu Tang
- Laboratory of Tropical Veterinary Medicine and Vector Biology, School of Life Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China; (H.C.); (B.B.); (Y.T.)
- One Health Institute, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Jesus Lozano-Fernandez
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, Biodiversity Research Institute (IRBio), University of Barcelona, Avd. Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Qian Han
- Laboratory of Tropical Veterinary Medicine and Vector Biology, School of Life Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China; (H.C.); (B.B.); (Y.T.)
- One Health Institute, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
- Correspondence:
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30
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Del Amparo R, Arenas M. Consequences of Substitution Model Selection on Protein Ancestral Sequence Reconstruction. Mol Biol Evol 2022; 39:6628884. [PMID: 35789388 PMCID: PMC9254009 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msac144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The selection of the best-fitting substitution model of molecular evolution is a traditional step for phylogenetic inferences, including ancestral sequence reconstruction (ASR). However, a few recent studies suggested that applying this procedure does not affect the accuracy of phylogenetic tree reconstruction. Here, we revisited this debate topic by analyzing the influence of selection among substitution models of protein evolution, with focus on exchangeability matrices, on the accuracy of ASR using simulated and real data. We found that the selected best-fitting substitution model produces the most accurate ancestral sequences, especially if the data present large genetic diversity. Indeed, ancestral sequences reconstructed under substitution models with similar exchangeability matrices were similar, suggesting that if the selected best-fitting model cannot be used for the reconstruction, applying a model similar to the selected one is preferred. We conclude that selecting among substitution models of protein evolution is recommended for reconstructing accurate ancestral sequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Del Amparo
- CINBIO, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Spain.,Departamento de Bioquímica, Xenética e Immunoloxía, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Spain
| | - Miguel Arenas
- CINBIO, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Spain.,Departamento de Bioquímica, Xenética e Immunoloxía, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Spain.,Galicia Sur Health Research Institute (IIS Galicia Sur), Vigo, Spain
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31
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García-Cebollada H, López A, Sancho J. Protposer: the web server that readily proposes protein stabilizing mutations with high PPV. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2022; 20:2415-2433. [PMID: 35664235 PMCID: PMC9133766 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein stability is a requisite for most biotechnological and medical applications of proteins. As natural proteins tend to suffer from a low conformational stability ex vivo, great efforts have been devoted toward increasing their stability through rational design and engineering of appropriate mutations. Unfortunately, even the best currently used predictors fail to compute the stability of protein variants with sufficient accuracy and their usefulness as tools to guide the rational stabilisation of proteins is limited. We present here Protposer, a protein stabilising tool based on a different approach. Instead of quantifying changes in stability, Protposer uses structure- and sequence-based screening modules to nominate candidate mutations for subsequent evaluation by a logistic regression model, carefully trained to avoid overfitting. Thus, Protposer analyses PDB files in search for stabilization opportunities and provides a ranked list of promising mutations with their estimated success rates (eSR), their probabilities of being stabilising by at least 0.5 kcal/mol. The agreement between eSRs and actual positive predictive values (PPV) on external datasets of mutations is excellent. When Protposer is used with its Optimal kappa selection threshold, its PPV is above 0.7. Even with less stringent thresholds, Protposer largely outperforms FoldX, Rosetta and PoPMusiC. Indicating the PDB file of the protein suffices to obtain a ranked list of mutations, their eSRs and hints on the likely source of the stabilization expected. Protposer is a distinct, straightforward and highly successful tool to design protein stabilising mutations, and it is freely available for academic use at http://webapps.bifi.es/the-protposer.
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32
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Spang A, Mahendrarajah TA, Offre P, Stairs CW. Evolving perspective on the origin and diversification of cellular life and the virosphere. Genome Biol Evol 2022; 14:6537539. [PMID: 35218347 PMCID: PMC9169541 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evac034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The tree of life (TOL) is a powerful framework to depict the evolutionary history of cellular organisms through time, from our microbial origins to the diversification of multicellular eukaryotes that shape the visible biosphere today. During the past decades, our perception of the TOL has fundamentally changed, in part, due to profound methodological advances, which allowed a more objective approach to studying organismal and viral diversity and led to the discovery of major new branches in the TOL as well as viral lineages. Phylogenetic and comparative genomics analyses of these data have, among others, revolutionized our understanding of the deep roots and diversity of microbial life, the origin of the eukaryotic cell, eukaryotic diversity, as well as the origin, and diversification of viruses. In this review, we provide an overview of some of the recent discoveries on the evolutionary history of cellular organisms and their viruses and discuss a variety of complementary techniques that we consider crucial for making further progress in our understanding of the TOL and its interconnection with the virosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Spang
- NIOZ, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, Utrecht University, The Netherlands and 1790 AB Den Burg.,Department of Cell- and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Sweden SE-75123, Uppsala
| | - Tara A Mahendrarajah
- NIOZ, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, Utrecht University, The Netherlands and 1790 AB Den Burg
| | - Pierre Offre
- NIOZ, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, Utrecht University, The Netherlands and 1790 AB Den Burg
| | - Courtney W Stairs
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Sweden Sölvegatan 35, 223 62 Lund
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33
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Using the Evolutionary History of Proteins to Engineer Insertion-Deletion Mutants from Robust, Ancestral Templates Using Graphical Representation of Ancestral Sequence Predictions (GRASP). METHODS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (CLIFTON, N.J.) 2022; 2397:85-110. [PMID: 34813061 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1826-4_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Analyzing the natural evolution of proteins by ancestral sequence reconstruction (ASR) can provide valuable information about the changes in sequence and structure that drive the development of novel protein functions. However, ASR has also been used as a protein engineering tool, as it often generates thermostable proteins which can serve as robust and evolvable templates for enzyme engineering. Importantly, ASR has the potential to provide an insight into the history of insertions and deletions that have occurred in the evolution of a protein family. Indels are strongly associated with functional change during enzyme evolution and represent a largely unexplored source of genetic diversity for designing proteins with novel or improved properties. Current ASR methods differ in the way they handle indels; inclusion or exclusion of indels is often managed subjectively, based on assumptions the user makes about the likelihood of each recombination event, yet most currently available ASR tools provide limited, if any, opportunities for evaluating indel placement in a reconstructed sequence. Graphical Representation of Ancestral Sequence Predictions (GRASP) is an ASR tool that maps indel evolution throughout a reconstruction and enables the evaluation of indel variants. This chapter provides a general protocol for performing a reconstruction using GRASP and using the results to create indel variants. The method addresses protein template selection, sequence curation, alignment refinement, tree building, ancestor reconstruction, evaluation of indel variants and approaches to library development.
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34
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Schönfelder J, Alonso-Caballero A, Perez-Jimenez R. Mechanochemical Evolution of Disulfide Bonds in Proteins. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2376:283-300. [PMID: 34845615 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1716-8_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Disulfide bonds play a pivotal role in the mechanical stability of proteins. Numerous proteins that are known to be exposed to mechanical forces in vivo contain disulfide bonds. The presence of cryptic disulfide bonds in a protein structure may be related to its resistance to an applied mechanical force. Disulfide bonds in proteins tend to be highly conserved but their evolution might be directly related to the evolution of the protein mechanical stability. Hence, tracking the evolution of disulfide bonds in a protein can help to derive crucial stability/function correlations in proteins that are exposed to mechanical forces. Phylogenic analysis and ancestral sequence reconstruction (ASR) allow tracking the evolution of proteins from the past ancestors to our modern days and also establish correlations between proteins from different species. In addition, ASR can be combined with single-molecule force spectroscopy (smFS) to investigate the mechanical properties of proteins including the occurrence and function of disulfide bonds. Here we present a detailed protocol to study the mechanochemical evolution of proteins using a fragment of the giant muscle protein titin as example. The protocol can be easily adapted to AFS studies of any resurrected mechanical force bearing protein of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jörg Schönfelder
- CIC nanoGUNE, San Sebastián, Spain
- IMDEA Nanosciences, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Raul Perez-Jimenez
- CIC nanoGUNE, San Sebastián, Spain.
- IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain.
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35
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Abstract
The reconstruction of genetic material of ancestral organisms constitutes a powerful application of evolutionary biology. A fundamental step in this inference is the ancestral sequence reconstruction (ASR), which can be performed with diverse methodologies implemented in computer frameworks. However, most of these methodologies ignore evolutionary properties frequently observed in microbes, such as genetic recombination and complex selection processes, that can bias the traditional ASR. From a practical perspective, here I review methodologies for the reconstruction of ancestral DNA and protein sequences, with particular focus on microbes, and including biases, recommendations, and software implementations. I conclude that microbial ASR is a complex analysis that should be carefully performed and that there is a need for methods to infer more realistic ancestral microbial sequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Arenas
- Biomedical Research Center (CINBIO), University of Vigo, Vigo, Spain.
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Immunology, University of Vigo, Vigo, Spain.
- Galicia Sur Health Research Institute (IIS Galicia Sur), Vigo, Spain.
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36
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Farihan Afnan Mohd Rozi M, Noor Zaliha Raja Abd Rahman R, Thean Chor Leow A, Shukuri Mohamad Ali M. Ancestral Sequence Reconstruction of Ancient Lipase from Family I.3 Bacterial Lipolytic Enzymes. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2021; 168:107381. [PMID: 34968679 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2021.107381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Family I.3 lipase is distinguished from other families by the amino acid sequence and secretion mechanism. Little is known about the evolutionary process driving these differences. This study attempt to understand how the diverse temperature stabilities of bacterial lipases from family I.3 evolved. To achieve that, eighty-three protein sequences sharing a minimum 30% sequence identity with Antarctic Pseudomonas sp. AMS8 lipase were used to infer phylogenetic tree. Using ancestral sequence reconstruction (ASR) technique, the last universal common ancestor (LUCA) sequence of family I.3 was reconstructed. A gene encoding LUCA was synthesized, cloned and expressed as inclusion bodies in E. coli system. Insoluble form of LUCA was refolded using urea dilution method and then purified using affinity chromatography. The purified LUCA exhibited an optimum temperature and pH at 70℃ and 10 respectively. Various metal ions increased or retained the activity of LUCA. LUCA also demonstrated tolerance towards various organic solvents in 25% v/v concentration. The finding from this study could support the understanding on temperature and environment during ancient time. In overall, reconstructed ancestral enzymes have improved physicochemical properties that make them suitable for industrial applications and ASR technique can be employed as a general technique for enzyme engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamad Farihan Afnan Mohd Rozi
- Enzyme and Microbial Technology Research Centre (EMTech), Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia; Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Raja Noor Zaliha Raja Abd Rahman
- Enzyme and Microbial Technology Research Centre (EMTech), Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia; Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Adam Thean Chor Leow
- Enzyme and Microbial Technology Research Centre (EMTech), Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia; Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia; Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Shukuri Mohamad Ali
- Enzyme and Microbial Technology Research Centre (EMTech), Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia; Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia; Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
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37
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Maria-Solano MA, Kinateder T, Iglesias-Fernández J, Sterner R, Osuna S. In Silico Identification and Experimental Validation of Distal Activity-Enhancing Mutations in Tryptophan Synthase. ACS Catal 2021; 11:13733-13743. [PMID: 34777912 PMCID: PMC8576815 DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.1c03950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Allostery is a central mechanism for the regulation of multi-enzyme complexes. The mechanistic basis that drives allosteric regulation is poorly understood but harbors key information for enzyme engineering. In the present study, we focus on the tryptophan synthase complex that is composed of TrpA and TrpB subunits, which allosterically activate each other. Specifically, we develop a rational approach for identifying key amino acid residues of TrpB distal from the active site. Those residues are predicted to be crucial for shifting the inefficient conformational ensemble of the isolated TrpB to a productive ensemble through intra-subunit allosteric effects. The experimental validation of the conformationally driven TrpB design demonstrates its superior stand-alone activity in the absence of TrpA, comparable to those enhancements obtained after multiple rounds of experimental laboratory evolution. Our work evidences that the current challenge of distal active site prediction for enhanced function in computational enzyme design has become within reach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel A. Maria-Solano
- CompBioLab Group, Institut de Química Computacional i Catàlisi (IQCC) and Departament de Química, Universitat de Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany 69, Girona 17003, Spain
- Global AI Drug Discovery Center, College of Pharmacy and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Science, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea
| | - Thomas Kinateder
- Institute of Biophysics and Physical Biochemistry, Regensburg Center for Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstrasse 31, Regensburg 93053, Germany
| | - Javier Iglesias-Fernández
- CompBioLab Group, Institut de Química Computacional i Catàlisi (IQCC) and Departament de Química, Universitat de Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany 69, Girona 17003, Spain
- Nostrum Biodiscovery, Carrer de Baldiri Reixac, 10-12, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Reinhard Sterner
- Institute of Biophysics and Physical Biochemistry, Regensburg Center for Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstrasse 31, Regensburg 93053, Germany
| | - Sílvia Osuna
- CompBioLab Group, Institut de Química Computacional i Catàlisi (IQCC) and Departament de Química, Universitat de Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany 69, Girona 17003, Spain
- ICREA, Pg. Lluís Companys 23, Barcelona 08010, Spain
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38
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Akanuma S, Yamaguchi M, Yamagishi A. Comprehensive mutagenesis to identify amino acid residues contributing to the difference in thermostability between two originally thermostable ancestral proteins. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0258821. [PMID: 34673819 PMCID: PMC8530338 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Further improvement of the thermostability of inherently thermostable proteins is an attractive challenge because more thermostable proteins are industrially more useful and serve as better scaffolds for protein engineering. To establish guidelines that can be applied for the rational design of hyperthermostable proteins, we compared the amino acid sequences of two ancestral nucleoside diphosphate kinases, Arc1 and Bac1, reconstructed in our previous study. Although Bac1 is a thermostable protein whose unfolding temperature is around 100°C, Arc1 is much more thermostable with an unfolding temperature of 114°C. However, only 12 out of 139 amino acids are different between the two sequences. In this study, one or a combination of amino acid(s) in Bac1 was/were substituted by a residue(s) found in Arc1 at the same position(s). The best mutant, which contained three amino acid substitutions (S108D, G116A and L120P substitutions), showed an unfolding temperature more than 10°C higher than that of Bac1. Furthermore, a combination of the other nine amino acid substitutions also led to improved thermostability of Bac1, although the effects of individual substitutions were small. Therefore, not only the sum of the contributions of individual amino acids, but also the synergistic effects of multiple amino acids are deeply involved in the stability of a hyperthermostable protein. Such insights will be helpful for future rational design of hyperthermostable proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoshi Akanuma
- Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | - Minako Yamaguchi
- Department of Applied Life Sciences, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akihiko Yamagishi
- Department of Applied Life Sciences, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan
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39
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Sugiura S, Nakano S, Niwa M, Hasebe F, Matsui D, Ito S. Catalytic mechanism of ancestral L-lysine oxidase assigned by sequence data mining. J Biol Chem 2021; 297:101043. [PMID: 34358565 PMCID: PMC8405998 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.101043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
A large number of protein sequences are registered in public databases such as PubMed. Functionally uncharacterized enzymes are included in these databases, some of which likely have potential for industrial applications. However, assignment of the enzymes remained difficult tasks for now. In this study, we assigned a total of 28 original sequences to uncharacterized enzymes in the FAD-dependent oxidase family expressed in some species of bacteria including Chryseobacterium, Flavobacterium, and Pedobactor. Progenitor sequence of the assigned 28 sequences was generated by ancestral sequence reconstruction, and the generated sequence exhibited L-lysine oxidase activity; thus, we named the enzyme AncLLysO. Crystal structures of ligand-free and ligand-bound forms of AncLLysO were determined, indicating that the enzyme recognizes L-Lys by hydrogen bond formation with R76 and E383. The binding of L-Lys to AncLLysO induced dynamic structural change at a plug loop formed by residues 251 to 254. Biochemical assays of AncLLysO variants revealed the functional importance of these substrate recognition residues and the plug loop. R76A and E383D variants were also observed to lose their activity, and the kcat/Km value of G251P and Y253A mutations were approximately 800- to 1800-fold lower than that of AncLLysO, despite the indirect interaction of the substrates with the mutated residues. Taken together, our data demonstrate that combinational approaches to sequence classification from database and ancestral sequence reconstruction may be effective not only to find new enzymes using databases of unknown sequences but also to elucidate their functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayaka Sugiura
- Graduate Division of Nutritional and Environmental Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Shogo Nakano
- Graduate Division of Nutritional and Environmental Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka, Japan; PREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kawaguchi, Japan.
| | - Masazumi Niwa
- Graduate Division of Nutritional and Environmental Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Fumihito Hasebe
- Graduate Division of Nutritional and Environmental Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Daisuke Matsui
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu, Shiga, Japan
| | - Sohei Ito
- Graduate Division of Nutritional and Environmental Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka, Japan
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40
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Abstract
Enzymes are widely used in the food industry. Their use as a supplement to the raw material for animal feed is a current research topic. Although there are several studies on the application of enzyme additives in the animal feed industry, it is necessary to search for new enzymes, as well as to utilize bioinformatics tools for the design of specific enzymes that work in certain environmental conditions and substrates. This will allow the improvement of the productive parameters in animals, reducing costs and making the processes more efficient. Technological needs have considered these catalysts as essential in many industrial sectors and research is constantly being carried out to optimize their use in those processes. This review describes the enzymes used in animal nutrition, their mode of action, their production and new sources of production as well as studies on different animal models to evaluate their effect on the productive performance intended for the production of animal feed.
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41
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Kozuka K, Nakano S, Asano Y, Ito S. Partial Consensus Design and Enhancement of Protein Function by Secondary-Structure-Guided Consensus Mutations. Biochemistry 2021; 60:2309-2319. [PMID: 34254784 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.1c00309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Consensus design (CD) is a representative sequence-based protein design method that enables the design of highly functional proteins by analyzing vast amounts of protein sequence data. This study proposes a partial consensus design (PCD) of a protein as a derivative approach of CD. The method replaces the target protein sequence with a consensus sequence in a secondary-structure-dependent manner (i.e., regionally dependent and divided into α-helix, β-sheet, and loop regions). In this study, we generated several artificial partial consensus l-threonine 3-dehydrogenases (PcTDHs) by PCD using the TDH from Cupriavidus necator (CnTDH) as a target protein. Structural and functional analysis of PcTDHs suggested that thermostability would be independently improved when consensus mutations are introduced into the loop region of TDHs. On the other hand, enzyme kinetic parameters (kcat/Km) and average productivity would be synergistically enhanced by changing the combination of the mutations-replacement of one region of CnTDH with a consensus sequence provided only negative effects, but the negative effects were nullified when the two regions were replaced simultaneously. Taken together, we propose the hypothesis that there are protein regions that encode individual protein properties, such as thermostability and activity, and that the introduction of consensus mutations into these regions could additively or synergistically modify their functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kohei Kozuka
- Graduate School of Integrated Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Sciences, University of Shizuoka, 52-1 Yada, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka, 422-8526, Japan
| | - Shogo Nakano
- Graduate School of Integrated Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Sciences, University of Shizuoka, 52-1 Yada, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka, 422-8526, Japan.,PREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
| | - Yasuhisa Asano
- Biotechnology Research Center and Department of Biotechnology, Toyama Prefectural University, 5180 Kurokawa, Imizu, Toyama 939-0398, Japan
| | - Sohei Ito
- Graduate School of Integrated Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Sciences, University of Shizuoka, 52-1 Yada, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka, 422-8526, Japan
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42
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Carletti MS, Monzon AM, Garcia-Rios E, Benitez G, Hirsh L, Fornasari MS, Parisi G. Revenant: a database of resurrected proteins. DATABASE-THE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL DATABASES AND CURATION 2021; 2020:5828294. [PMID: 32400867 PMCID: PMC7218706 DOI: 10.1093/database/baaa031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2019] [Revised: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Revenant is a database of resurrected proteins coming from extinct organisms. Currently, it contains a manually curated collection of 84 resurrected proteins derived from bibliographic data. Each protein is extensively annotated, including structural, biochemical and biophysical information. Revenant contains a browse capability designed as a timeline from where the different proteins can be accessed. The oldest Revenant entries are between 4200 and 3500 million years ago, while the younger entries are between 8.8 and 6.3 million years ago. These proteins have been resurrected using computational tools called ancestral sequence reconstruction techniques combined with wet-laboratory synthesis and expression. Resurrected proteins are commonly used, with a noticeable increase during the past years, to explore and test different evolutionary hypotheses such as protein stability, to explore the origin of new functions, to get biochemical insights into past metabolisms and to explore specificity and promiscuous behaviour of ancient proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matias Sebastian Carletti
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología, CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes, Roque Saenz Peña 182, Bernal, B1876BXD, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alexander Miguel Monzon
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología, CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes, Roque Saenz Peña 182, Bernal, B1876BXD, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Viale G. Colombo 3, Padova, I-35131, Padova, Italy
| | - Emilio Garcia-Rios
- Departamento de Ingeniería, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Lima, Perú
| | - Guillermo Benitez
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología, CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes, Roque Saenz Peña 182, Bernal, B1876BXD, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Layla Hirsh
- Departamento de Ingeniería, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Lima, Perú
| | - Maria Silvina Fornasari
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología, CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes, Roque Saenz Peña 182, Bernal, B1876BXD, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Gustavo Parisi
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología, CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes, Roque Saenz Peña 182, Bernal, B1876BXD, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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43
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Sun Y, Calderini E, Kourist R. A Reconstructed Common Ancestor of the Fatty Acid Photo-decarboxylase Clade Shows Photo-decarboxylation Activity and Increased Thermostability. Chembiochem 2021; 22:1833-1840. [PMID: 33539041 PMCID: PMC8252050 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202000851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Light-dependent enzymes are a rare type of biocatalyst with high potential for research and biotechnology. A recently discovered fatty acid photo-decarboxylase from Chlorella variabilis NC64A (CvFAP) converts fatty acids to the corresponding hydrocarbons only when irradiated with blue light (400 to 520 nm). To expand the available catalytic diversity for fatty acid decarboxylation, we reconstructed possible ancestral decarboxylases from a set of 12 extant sequences that were classified under the fatty acid decarboxylases clade within the glucose-methanol choline (GMC) oxidoreductase family. One of the resurrected enzymes (ANC1) showed activity in the decarboxylation of fatty acids, showing that the clade indeed contains several photo-decarboxylases. ANC1 has a 15 °C higher melting temperature (Tm ) than the extant CvFAP. Its production yielded 12-fold more protein than this wild type decarboxylase, which offers practical advantages for the biochemical investigation of this photoenzyme. Homology modelling revealed amino acid substitutions to more hydrophilic residues at the surface and shorter flexible loops compared to the wild type. Using ancestral sequence reconstruction, we have expanded the existing pool of confirmed fatty acid photo-decarboxylases, providing access to a more robust catalyst for further development via directed evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Sun
- Institute of Molecular BiotechnologyGraz University of TechnologyPetersgasse 148010GrazAustria
| | - Elia Calderini
- Institute of Molecular BiotechnologyGraz University of TechnologyPetersgasse 148010GrazAustria
| | - Robert Kourist
- Institute of Molecular BiotechnologyGraz University of TechnologyPetersgasse 148010GrazAustria
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44
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Copley SD. Setting the stage for evolution of a new enzyme. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2021; 69:41-49. [PMID: 33865035 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2021.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The evolution of novel enzymes has fueled the diversification of life on earth for billions of years. Insights into events that set the stage for the evolution of a new enzyme can be obtained from ancestral reconstruction and laboratory evolution. Ancestral reconstruction can reveal the emergence of a promiscuous activity in a pre-existing protein and the impact of subsequent mutations that enhance a new activity. Laboratory evolution provides a more holistic view by revealing mutations elsewhere in the genome that indirectly enhance the level of a newly important enzymatic activity. This review will highlight recent studies that probe the early stages of the evolution of a new enzyme from these complementary points of view.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelley D Copley
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, The Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA.
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45
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Hendrikse NM, Sandegren A, Andersson T, Blomqvist J, Makower Å, Possner D, Su C, Thalén N, Tjernberg A, Westermark U, Rockberg J, Svensson Gelius S, Syrén PO, Nordling E. Ancestral lysosomal enzymes with increased activity harbor therapeutic potential for treatment of Hunter syndrome. iScience 2021; 24:102154. [PMID: 33665572 PMCID: PMC7907806 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We show the successful application of ancestral sequence reconstruction to enhance the activity of iduronate-2-sulfatase (IDS), thereby increasing its therapeutic potential for the treatment of Hunter syndrome—a lysosomal storage disease caused by impaired function of IDS. Current treatment, enzyme replacement therapy with recombinant human IDS, does not alleviate all symptoms, and an unmet medical need remains. We reconstructed putative ancestral sequences of mammalian IDS and compared them with extant IDS. Some ancestral variants displayed up to 2-fold higher activity than human IDS in in vitro assays and cleared more substrate in ex vivo experiments in patient fibroblasts. This could potentially allow for lower dosage or enhanced therapeutic effect in enzyme replacement therapy, thereby improving treatment outcomes and cost efficiency, as well as reducing treatment burden. In summary, we showed that ancestral sequence reconstruction can be applied to lysosomal enzymes that function in concert with modern enzymes and receptors in cells. Reconstruction of ancestral lysosomal enzymes that function in complex cellular context Ancestral iduronate-2-sulfatases with increased activity compared with the human enzyme Increased clearance of substrate in patient fibroblasts indicates therapeutic potential
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie M. Hendrikse
- Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB, Stockholm 112 76, Sweden
- Science for Life Laboratory, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Solna 171 21, Sweden
- Department of Fibre and Polymer Technology, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm 100 44, Sweden
| | | | | | | | - Åsa Makower
- Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB, Stockholm 112 76, Sweden
| | | | - Chao Su
- Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB, Stockholm 112 76, Sweden
| | - Niklas Thalén
- Department of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm 10691, Sweden
| | | | | | - Johan Rockberg
- Department of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm 10691, Sweden
| | | | - Per-Olof Syrén
- Science for Life Laboratory, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Solna 171 21, Sweden
- Department of Fibre and Polymer Technology, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm 100 44, Sweden
- Department of Protein Science, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm 10691, Sweden
- Corresponding author
| | - Erik Nordling
- Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB, Stockholm 112 76, Sweden
- Corresponding author
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46
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Schriever K, Saenz-Mendez P, Rudraraju RS, Hendrikse NM, Hudson EP, Biundo A, Schnell R, Syrén PO. Engineering of Ancestors as a Tool to Elucidate Structure, Mechanism, and Specificity of Extant Terpene Cyclase. J Am Chem Soc 2021; 143:3794-3807. [PMID: 33496585 PMCID: PMC8023661 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c10214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Structural information is crucial for understanding catalytic mechanisms and to guide enzyme engineering efforts of biocatalysts, such as terpene cyclases. However, low sequence similarity can impede homology modeling, and inherent protein instability presents challenges for structural studies. We hypothesized that X-ray crystallography of engineered thermostable ancestral enzymes can enable access to reliable homology models of extant biocatalysts. We have applied this concept in concert with molecular modeling and enzymatic assays to understand the structure activity relationship of spiroviolene synthase, a class I terpene cyclase, aiming to engineer its specificity. Engineering a surface patch in the reconstructed ancestor afforded a template structure for generation of a high-confidence homology model of the extant enzyme. On the basis of structural considerations, we designed and crystallized ancestral variants with single residue exchanges that exhibited tailored substrate specificity and preserved thermostability. We show how the two single amino acid alterations identified in the ancestral scaffold can be transferred to the extant enzyme, conferring a specificity switch that impacts the extant enzyme's specificity for formation of the diterpene spiroviolene over formation of sesquiterpenes hedycaryol and farnesol by up to 25-fold. This study emphasizes the value of ancestral sequence reconstruction combined with enzyme engineering as a versatile tool in chemical biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Schriever
- School
of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, Science
for Life Laboratory, KTH Royal Institute
of Technology, 114 28 Stockholm, Sweden
- School
of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, Department
of Fibre and Polymer Technology, KTH Royal
Institute of Technology, 114 28 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Patricia Saenz-Mendez
- School
of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, Science
for Life Laboratory, KTH Royal Institute
of Technology, 114 28 Stockholm, Sweden
- School
of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, Department
of Fibre and Polymer Technology, KTH Royal
Institute of Technology, 114 28 Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Natalie M. Hendrikse
- School
of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, Science
for Life Laboratory, KTH Royal Institute
of Technology, 114 28 Stockholm, Sweden
- School
of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, Department
of Fibre and Polymer Technology, KTH Royal
Institute of Technology, 114 28 Stockholm, Sweden
- Swedish
Orphan Biovitrum AB, 112
76 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Elton P. Hudson
- School
of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, Science
for Life Laboratory, KTH Royal Institute
of Technology, 114 28 Stockholm, Sweden
- School
of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, Department
of Protein Science, KTH Royal Institute
of Technology, 114 28 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Antonino Biundo
- School
of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, Science
for Life Laboratory, KTH Royal Institute
of Technology, 114 28 Stockholm, Sweden
- School
of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, Department
of Fibre and Polymer Technology, KTH Royal
Institute of Technology, 114 28 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Robert Schnell
- Department
of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, 17 165 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Per-Olof Syrén
- School
of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, Science
for Life Laboratory, KTH Royal Institute
of Technology, 114 28 Stockholm, Sweden
- School
of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, Department
of Fibre and Polymer Technology, KTH Royal
Institute of Technology, 114 28 Stockholm, Sweden
- Wallenberg
Wood Science Center, Teknikringen 56−58, 100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
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47
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Scossa F, Fernie AR. Ancestral sequence reconstruction - An underused approach to understand the evolution of gene function in plants? Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2021; 19:1579-1594. [PMID: 33868595 PMCID: PMC8039532 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2021.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Whilst substantial research effort has been placed on understanding the interactions of plant proteins with their molecular partners, relatively few studies in plants - by contrast to work in other organisms - address how these interactions evolve. It is thought that ancestral proteins were more promiscuous than modern proteins and that specificity often evolved following gene duplication and subsequent functional refining. However, ancestral protein resurrection studies have found that some modern proteins have evolved de novo from ancestors lacking those functions. Intriguingly, the new interactions evolved as a consequence of just a few mutations and, as such, acquisition of new functions appears to be neither difficult nor rare, however, only a few of them are incorporated into biological processes before they are lost to subsequent mutations. Here, we detail the approach of ancestral sequence reconstruction (ASR), providing a primer to reconstruct the sequence of an ancestral gene. We will present case studies from a range of different eukaryotes before discussing the few instances where ancestral reconstructions have been used in plants. As ASR is used to dig into the remote evolutionary past, we will also present some alternative genetic approaches to investigate molecular evolution on shorter timescales. We argue that the study of plant secondary metabolism is particularly well suited for ancestral reconstruction studies. Indeed, its ancient evolutionary roots and highly diverse landscape provide an ideal context in which to address the focal issue around the emergence of evolutionary novelties and how this affects the chemical diversification of plant metabolism.
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Key Words
- APR, ancestral protein resurrection
- ASR, ancestral sequence reconstruction
- Ancestral sequence reconstruction
- CDS, coding sequence
- Evolution
- GR, glucocorticoid receptor
- GWAS, genome wide association study
- Genomics
- InDel, insertion/deletion
- MCMC, Markov Chain Monte Carlo
- ML, maximum likelihood
- MP, maximum parsimony
- MR, mineralcorticoid receptor
- MSA, multiple sequence alignment
- Metabolism
- NJ, neighbor-joining
- Phylogenetics
- Plants
- SFS, site frequency spectrum
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Scossa
- Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology (MPI-MP), 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA), Research Centre for Genomics and Bioinformatics (CREA-GB), Rome, Italy
| | - Alisdair R. Fernie
- Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology (MPI-MP), 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
- Center of Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology (CPSBB), Plovdiv, Bulgaria
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48
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Bendixsen DP, Pollock TB, Peri G, Hayden EJ. Experimental Resurrection of Ancestral Mammalian CPEB3 Ribozymes Reveals Deep Functional Conservation. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 38:2843-2853. [PMID: 33720319 PMCID: PMC8233481 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msab074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Self-cleaving ribozymes are genetic elements found in all domains of life, but their evolution remains poorly understood. A ribozyme located in the second intron of the cytoplasmic polyadenylation binding protein 3 gene (CPEB3) shows high sequence conservation in mammals, but little is known about the functional conservation of self-cleaving ribozyme activity across the mammalian tree of life or during the course of mammalian evolution. Here, we use a phylogenetic approach to design a mutational library and a deep sequencing assay to evaluate the in vitro self-cleavage activity of numerous extant and resurrected CPEB3 ribozymes that span over 100 My of mammalian evolution. We found that the predicted sequence at the divergence of placentals and marsupials is highly active, and this activity has been conserved in most lineages. A reduction in ribozyme activity appears to have occurred multiple different times throughout the mammalian tree of life. The in vitro activity data allow an evaluation of the predicted mutational pathways leading to extant ribozyme as well as the mutational landscape surrounding these ribozymes. The results demonstrate that in addition to sequence conservation, the self-cleavage activity of the CPEB3 ribozyme has persisted over millions of years of mammalian evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devin P Bendixsen
- Biomolecular Sciences Graduate Programs, Boise State University, Boise, ID, USA
| | - Tanner B Pollock
- Department of Biological Science, Boise State University, Boise, ID, USA
| | - Gianluca Peri
- Biomolecular Sciences Graduate Programs, Boise State University, Boise, ID, USA
| | - Eric J Hayden
- Biomolecular Sciences Graduate Programs, Boise State University, Boise, ID, USA.,Department of Biological Science, Boise State University, Boise, ID, USA
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Tong CL, Lee KH, Seelig B. De novo proteins from random sequences through in vitro evolution. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2021; 68:129-134. [PMID: 33517151 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2020.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Natural proteins are the result of billions of years of evolution. The earliest predecessors of today's proteins are believed to have emerged from random polypeptides. While we have no means to determine how this process exactly happened, there is great interest in understanding how it reasonably could have happened. We are reviewing how researchers have utilized in vitro selection and molecular evolution methods to investigate plausible scenarios for the emergence of early functional proteins. The studies range from analyzing general properties and structural features of unevolved random polypeptides to isolating de novo proteins with specific functions from synthetic randomized sequence libraries or generating novel proteins by combining evolution with rational design. While the results are exciting, more work is needed to fully unravel the mechanisms that seeded protein-dominated biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cher Ling Tong
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; BioTechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Kun-Hwa Lee
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; BioTechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Burckhard Seelig
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; BioTechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA.
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50
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Takagi J, Cho C, Duvalyan A, Yan Y, Halloran M, Hanson-Smith V, Thorner J, Finnigan GC. Reconstructed evolutionary history of the yeast septins Cdc11 and Shs1. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2021; 11:6025175. [PMID: 33561226 PMCID: PMC7849910 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkaa006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Septins are GTP-binding proteins conserved across metazoans. They can polymerize into extended filaments and, hence, are considered a component of the cytoskeleton. The number of individual septins varies across the tree of life—yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) has seven distinct subunits, a nematode (Caenorhabditis elegans) has two, and humans have 13. However, the overall geometric unit (an apolar hetero-octameric protomer and filaments assembled there from) has been conserved. To understand septin evolutionary variation, we focused on a related pair of yeast subunits (Cdc11 and Shs1) that appear to have arisen from gene duplication within the fungal clade. Either Cdc11 or Shs1 occupies the terminal position within a hetero-octamer, yet Cdc11 is essential for septin function and cell viability, whereas Shs1 is not. To discern the molecular basis of this divergence, we utilized ancestral gene reconstruction to predict, synthesize, and experimentally examine the most recent common ancestor (“Anc.11-S”) of Cdc11 and Shs1. Anc.11-S was able to occupy the terminal position within an octamer, just like the modern subunits. Although Anc.11-S supplied many of the known functions of Cdc11, it was unable to replace the distinct function(s) of Shs1. To further evaluate the history of Shs1, additional intermediates along a proposed trajectory from Anc.11-S to yeast Shs1 were generated and tested. We demonstrate that multiple events contributed to the current properties of Shs1: (1) loss of Shs1–Shs1 self-association early after duplication, (2) co-evolution of heterotypic Cdc11–Shs1 interaction between neighboring hetero-octamers, and (3) eventual repurposing and acquisition of novel function(s) for its C-terminal extension domain. Thus, a pair of duplicated proteins, despite constraints imposed by assembly into a highly conserved multi-subunit structure, could evolve new functionality via a complex evolutionary pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Takagi
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-3202, USA
| | - Christina Cho
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-3202, USA
| | - Angela Duvalyan
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-3202, USA
| | - Yao Yan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Megan Halloran
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Victor Hanson-Smith
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Jeremy Thorner
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-3202, USA
| | - Gregory C Finnigan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
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