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Nishikawa KK, Chen J, Acheson JF, Harbaugh SV, Huss P, Frenkel M, Novy N, Sieren HR, Lodewyk EC, Lee DH, Chávez JL, Fox BG, Raman S. Highly multiplexed design of an allosteric transcription factor to sense novel ligands. bioRxiv 2024:2024.03.07.583947. [PMID: 38496486 PMCID: PMC10942455 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.07.583947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Allosteric transcription factors (aTF), widely used as biosensors, have proven challenging to design for detecting novel molecules because mutation of ligand-binding residues often disrupts allostery. We developed Sensor-seq, a high-throughput platform to design and identify aTF biosensors that bind to non-native ligands. We screened a library of 17,737 variants of the aTF TtgR, a regulator of a multidrug exporter, against six non-native ligands of diverse chemical structures - four derivatives of the cancer therapeutic tamoxifen, the antimalarial drug quinine, and the opiate analog naltrexone - as well as two native flavonoid ligands, naringenin and phloretin. Sensor-seq identified novel biosensors for each of these ligands with high dynamic range and diverse specificity profiles. The structure of a naltrexone-bound design showed shape-complementary methionine-aromatic interactions driving ligand specificity. To demonstrate practical utility, we developed cell-free detection systems for naltrexone and quinine. Sensor-seq enables rapid, scalable design of new biosensors, overcoming constraints of natural biosensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle K Nishikawa
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Jackie Chen
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Justin F Acheson
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Svetlana V Harbaugh
- 711th Human Performance Wing, Air Force Research Laboratory Wright Patterson Air Force Base, OH, USA
| | - Phil Huss
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Max Frenkel
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Nathan Novy
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Hailey R Sieren
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Ella C Lodewyk
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Daniel H Lee
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Jorge L Chávez
- 711th Human Performance Wing, Air Force Research Laboratory Wright Patterson Air Force Base, OH, USA
| | - Brian G Fox
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Srivatsan Raman
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
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Wang J, Xu Y, Wang X, Li J, Hua Z. Mechanism of Mutation-Induced Effects on the Catalytic Function of TEV Protease: A Molecular Dynamics Study. Molecules 2024; 29:1071. [PMID: 38474583 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29051071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2024] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Tobacco etch virus protease (TEVp) is wildly exploited for various biotechnological applications. These applications take advantage of TEVp's ability to cleave specific substrate sequences to study protein function and interactions. A major limitation of this enzyme is its relatively slow catalytic rate. In this study, MD simulations were conducted on TEV enzymes and known highly active mutants (eTEV and uTEV3) to explore the relationship between mutation, conformation, and catalytic function. The results suggest that mutations distant from the active site can influence the substrate-binding pocket through interaction networks. MD analysis of eTEV demonstrates that, by stabilizing the orientation of the substrate at the catalytic site, mutations that appropriately enlarge the substrate-binding pocket will be beneficial for Kcat, enhancing the catalytic efficiency of the enzyme. On the contrary, mutations in uTEV3 reduced the flexibility of the active pocket and increased the hydrogen bonding between the substrate and enzyme, resulting in higher affinity. At the same time, the MD simulation demonstrates that mutations outside of the active site residues could affect the dynamic movement of the binding pocket by altering residue networks and communication pathways, thereby having a profound impact on reactivity. These findings not only provide a molecular mechanistic explanation for the excellent mutants, but also serve as a guiding framework for rational computational design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyao Wang
- School of Biopharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Yicong Xu
- School of Biopharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Xujian Wang
- School of Biopharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Jiahuang Li
- School of Biopharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
- Changzhou High-Tech Research Institute, Nanjing University, Changzhou 213164, China
| | - Zichun Hua
- School of Biopharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
- Changzhou High-Tech Research Institute, Nanjing University, Changzhou 213164, China
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Science, Nanjing 210023, China
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Cai R, Ngwadom C, Saxena R, Soman J, Bruggeman C, Hickey DP, Verduzco R, Ajo-Franklin CM. Creation of a point-of-care therapeutics sensor using protein engineering, electrochemical sensing and electronic integration. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1689. [PMID: 38402222 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45789-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Point-of-care sensors, which are low-cost and user-friendly, play a crucial role in precision medicine by providing quick results for individuals. Here, we transform the conventional glucometer into a 4-hydroxytamoxifen therapeutic biosensor in which 4-hydroxytamoxifen modulates the electrical signal generated by glucose oxidation. To encode the 4-hydroxytamoxifen signal within glucose oxidation, we introduce the ligand-binding domain of estrogen receptor-alpha into pyrroloquinoline quinone-dependent glucose dehydrogenase by constructing and screening a comprehensive protein insertion library. In addition to obtaining 4-hydroxytamoxifen regulatable engineered proteins, these results unveil the significance of both secondary and quaternary protein structures in propagation of conformational signals. By constructing an effective bioelectrochemical interface, we detect 4-hydroxytamoxifen in human blood samples as changes in the electrical signal and use this to develop an electrochemical algorithm to decode the 4-hydroxytamoxifen signal from glucose. To meet the miniaturization and signal amplification requirements for point-of-care use, we harness power from glucose oxidation to create a self-powered sensor. We also amplify the 4-hydroxytamoxifen signal using an organic electrochemical transistor, resulting in milliampere-level signals. Our work demonstrates a broad interdisciplinary approach to create a biosensor that capitalizes on recent innovations in protein engineering, electrochemical sensing, and electrical engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Cai
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA.
| | | | - Ravindra Saxena
- Applied Physics Graduate Program, Smalley-Curl Institute, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jayashree Soman
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Chase Bruggeman
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - David P Hickey
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Rafael Verduzco
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Caroline M Ajo-Franklin
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA.
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA.
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA.
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4
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Deng J, Yuan Y, Cui Q. Modulation of Allostery with Multiple Mechanisms by Hotspot Mutations in TetR. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:2757-2768. [PMID: 38231868 PMCID: PMC10843641 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c12494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Modulating allosteric coupling offers unique opportunities for biomedical applications. Such efforts can benefit from efficient prediction and evaluation of allostery hotspot residues that dictate the degree of cooperativity between distant sites. We demonstrate that effects of allostery hotspot mutations can be evaluated qualitatively and semiquantitatively by molecular dynamics simulations in a bacterial tetracycline repressor (TetR). The simulations recapitulate the effects of these mutations on abolishing the induction function of TetR and provide a rationale for the different rescuabilities observed to restore allosteric coupling of the hotspot mutations. We demonstrate that the same noninducible phenotype could be the result of perturbations in distinct structural and energetic properties of TetR. Our work underscores the value of explicitly computing the functional free energy landscapes to effectively evaluate and rank hotspot mutations despite the prevalence of compensatory interactions and therefore provides quantitative guidance to allostery modulation for therapeutic and engineering applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahua Deng
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, 590 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Yuchen Yuan
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, 590 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Qiang Cui
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, 590 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
- Department of Physics, Boston University, 590 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, 44 Cummington Mall, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
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Deng J, Yuan Y, Cui Q. Modulation of Allostery with Multiple Mechanisms by Hotspot Mutations in TetR. bioRxiv 2023:2023.08.29.555381. [PMID: 37905112 PMCID: PMC10614727 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.29.555381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Modulating allosteric coupling offers unique opportunities for biomedical applications. Such efforts can benefit from efficient prediction and evaluation of allostery hotspot residues that dictate the degree of co-operativity between distant sites. We demonstrate that effects of allostery hotspot mutations can be evaluated qualitatively and semi-quantitatively by molecular dynamics simulations in a bacterial tetracycline repressor (TetR). The simulations recapitulate the effects of these mutations on abolishing the induction function of TetR and provide a rationale for the different degrees of rescuability observed to restore allosteric coupling of the hotspot mutations. We demonstrate that the same non-inducible phenotype could be the result of perturbations in distinct structural and energetic properties of TetR. Our work underscore the value of explicitly computing the functional free energy landscapes to effectively evaluate and rank hotspot mutations despite the prevalence of compensatory interactions, and therefore provide quantitative guidance to allostery modulation for therapeutic and engineering applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahua Deng
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, 590 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Yuchen Yuan
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, 590 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Qiang Cui
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, 590 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
- Department of Physics, Boston University, 590 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, 44 Cummington Mall, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
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6
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Godbole SS, Dokholyan NV. Allosteric regulation of kinase activity in living cells. eLife 2023; 12:RP90574. [PMID: 37943025 PMCID: PMC10635643 DOI: 10.7554/elife.90574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The dysregulation of protein kinases is associated with multiple diseases due to the kinases' involvement in a variety of cell signaling pathways. Manipulating protein kinase function, by controlling the active site, is a promising therapeutic and investigative strategy to mitigate and study diseases. Kinase active sites share structural similarities, making it difficult to specifically target one kinase, and allosteric control allows specific regulation and study of kinase function without directly targeting the active site. Allosteric sites are distal to the active site but coupled via a dynamic network of inter-atomic interactions between residues in the protein. Establishing an allosteric control over a kinase requires understanding the allosteric wiring of the protein. Computational techniques offer effective and inexpensive mapping of the allosteric sites on a protein. Here, we discuss the methods to map and regulate allosteric communications in proteins, and strategies to establish control over kinase functions in live cells and organisms. Protein molecules, or 'sensors,' are engineered to function as tools to control allosteric activity of the protein as these sensors have high spatiotemporal resolution and help in understanding cell phenotypes after immediate activation or inactivation of a kinase. Traditional methods used to study protein functions, such as knockout, knockdown, or mutation, cannot offer a sufficiently high spatiotemporal resolution. We discuss the modern repertoire of tools to regulate protein kinases as we enter a new era in deciphering cellular signaling and developing novel approaches to treat diseases associated with signal dysregulation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nikolay V Dokholyan
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of MedicineHersheyUnited States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Penn State University, University ParkHersheyUnited States
- Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, Penn State University, University ParkHersheyUnited States
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Penn State College of MedicineHersheyUnited States
- Department of Chemistry, Penn State University, University ParkHersheyUnited States
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D'Amico RN, Boehr DD. Allostery, engineering and inhibition of tryptophan synthase. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2023; 82:102657. [PMID: 37467527 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2023.102657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
The final two steps of tryptophan biosynthesis are catalyzed by the enzyme tryptophan synthase (TS), composed of alpha (αTS) and beta (βTS) subunits. Recently, experimental and computational methods have mapped "allosteric networks" that connect the αTS and βTS active sites. In αTS, allosteric networks change across the catalytic cycle, which might help drive the conformational changes associated with its function. Directed evolution studies to increase catalytic function and expand the substrate profile of stand-alone βTS have also revealed the importance of αTS in modulating the conformational changes in βTS. These studies also serve as a foundation for the development of TS inhibitors, which can find utility against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and other bacterial pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca N D'Amico
- Department of Chemistry, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA, 16802
| | - David D Boehr
- Department of Chemistry, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA, 16802.
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8
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Mathy CJP, Kortemme T. Emerging maps of allosteric regulation in cellular networks. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2023; 80:102602. [PMID: 37150039 PMCID: PMC10960510 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2023.102602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Allosteric regulation is classically defined as action at a distance, where a perturbation outside of a protein active site affects function. While this definition has motivated many studies of allosteric mechanisms at the level of protein structure, translating these insights to the allosteric regulation of entire cellular processes - and their crosstalk - has received less attention, despite the broad importance of allostery for cellular regulation foreseen by Jacob and Monod. Here, we revisit an evolutionary model for the widespread emergence of allosteric regulation in colocalized proteins, describe supporting evidence, and discuss emerging advances in mapping allostery in cellular networks that link precise and often allosteric perturbations at the molecular level to functional changes at the pathway and systems levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J P Mathy
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA; Quantitative Biosciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA; The UC Berkeley-UCSF Graduate Program in Bioengineering, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.
| | - Tanja Kortemme
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA; Quantitative Biosciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA; The UC Berkeley-UCSF Graduate Program in Bioengineering, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA; Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.
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9
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Wang Y, Sensale S, Pedrozo M, Huang CM, Poirier MG, Arya G, Castro CE. Steric Communication between Dynamic Components on DNA Nanodevices. ACS Nano 2023; 17:8271-8280. [PMID: 37072126 PMCID: PMC10173695 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c12455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Biomolecular nanotechnology has helped emulate basic robotic capabilities such as defined motion, sensing, and actuation in synthetic nanoscale systems. DNA origami is an attractive approach for nanorobotics, as it enables creation of devices with complex geometry, programmed motion, rapid actuation, force application, and various kinds of sensing modalities. Advanced robotic functions like feedback control, autonomy, or programmed routines also require the ability to transmit signals among subcomponents. Prior work in DNA nanotechnology has established approaches for signal transmission, for example through diffusing strands or structurally coupled motions. However, soluble communication is often slow and structural coupling of motions can limit the function of individual components, for example to respond to the environment. Here, we introduce an approach inspired by protein allostery to transmit signals between two distal dynamic components through steric interactions. These components undergo separate thermal fluctuations where certain conformations of one arm will sterically occlude conformations of the distal arm. We implement this approach in a DNA origami device consisting of two stiff arms each connected to a base platform via a flexible hinge joint. We demonstrate the ability for one arm to sterically regulate both the range of motion and the conformational state (latched or freely fluctuating) of the distal arm, results that are quantitatively captured by mesoscopic simulations using experimentally informed energy landscapes for hinge-angle fluctuations. We further demonstrate the ability to modulate signal transmission by mechanically tuning the range of thermal fluctuations and controlling the conformational states of the arms. Our results establish a communication mechanism well-suited to transmit signals between thermally fluctuating dynamic components and provide a path to transmitting signals where the input is a dynamic response to parameters like force or solution conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuchen Wang
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Sebastian Sensale
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
- Department of Physics, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio 44115, United States
| | - Miguel Pedrozo
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Chao-Min Huang
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Michael G Poirier
- Department of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
- Biophysics Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Gaurav Arya
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Carlos E Castro
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
- Biophysics Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
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10
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Jain A, Dokholyan NV, Lee AL. Allosteric inactivation of an engineered optogenetic GTPase. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2219254120. [PMID: 36972433 PMCID: PMC10083549 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2219254120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Optogenetics is a technique for establishing direct spatiotemporal control over molecular function within living cells using light. Light application induces conformational changes within targeted proteins that produce changes in function. One of the applications of optogenetic tools is an allosteric control of proteins via light-sensing domain (LOV2), which allows direct and robust control of protein function. Computational studies supported by cellular imaging demonstrated that application of light allosterically inhibited signaling proteins Vav2, ITSN, and Rac1, but the structural and dynamic basis of such control has yet to be elucidated by experiment. Here, using NMR spectroscopy, we discover principles of action of allosteric control of cell division control protein 42 (CDC42), a small GTPase involved in cell signaling. Both LOV2 and Cdc42 employ flexibility in their function to switch between "dark"/"lit" or active/inactive states, respectively. By conjoining Cdc42 and phototropin1 LOV2 domains into the bi-switchable fusion Cdc42Lov, application of light-or alternatively, mutation in LOV2 to mimic light absorption-allosterically inhibits Cdc42 downstream signaling. The flow and patterning of allosteric transduction in this flexible system are well suited to observation by NMR. Close monitoring of the structural and dynamic properties of dark versus "lit" states of Cdc42Lov revealed lit-induced allosteric perturbations that extend to Cdc42's downstream effector binding site. Chemical shift perturbations for lit mimic, I539E, have distinct regions of sensitivity, and both the domains are coupled together, leading to bidirectional interdomain signaling. Insights gained from this optoallosteric design will increase our ability to control response sensitivity in future designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abha Jain
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC27599
| | - Nikolay V. Dokholyan
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA17033
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA17033
| | - Andrew L. Lee
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC27599
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11
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Yang T, Han L, Huo S. Dynamics and Allosteric Information Pathways of Unphosphorylated c-Cbl. J Chem Inf Model 2022; 62:6148-6159. [PMID: 36442893 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.2c01022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Human c-Cbl is a RING-type ligase and plays a central role in the protein degradation cascade. To elucidate its conformational changes related to substrate binding, we performed molecular dynamics simulations of different variants/states of c-Cbl for a cumulative time of 68 μs. Our simulations demonstrate that before the substrate binds, the RING domain samples a broad set of conformational states at a biologically relevant salt concentration, including the closed, partially open, and fully open states, whereas substrate binding leads to a restricted conformational sampling. Phe378 and the C-terminal region play an essential role in stabilizing the partially open state. To visualize the allosteric signal transmission pathways from the substrate-binding site to the 40 Å apart RING domain and identify the critical residues for allostery, we have created a subgraph from the optimal and suboptimal paths. Redundant paths are seen in the SH2 domain where the substrate binds, while the major bottlenecks are found at the junction between the SH2 domain and the linker helix region as well as that between the SH2 domain and the 4H bundle. These bottlenecks separate the paths into two overall routes. The nodes/residues at the bottlenecks on the subgraph are considered allosteric hot spots. This subgraph approach provides a general tool for network visualization and determination of critical residues for allostery. The structurally and allosterically critical residues identified in our work are testable and would provide valuable insights into the emerging strategies for drug discovery, such as targeted protein degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianyi Yang
- Gustaf H. Carlson School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Clark University, 950 Main Street, Worcester, Massachusetts 01610, United States
| | - Li Han
- Department of Computer Science, Clark University, 950 Main Street, Worcester, Massachusetts 01610, United States
| | - Shuanghong Huo
- Gustaf H. Carlson School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Clark University, 950 Main Street, Worcester, Massachusetts 01610, United States
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