Microtubule binding of the human augmin complex is directly controlled by importins and Ran-GTP

Mitotic spindle assembly during cell division is a highly regulated process. Ran-GTP produced around chromosomes controls the activity of a multitude of spindle assembly factors by releasing them from inhibitory interaction with importins. A major consequence of Ran-GTP regulation is the local stimulation of branched microtubule nucleation around chromosomes, which is mediated by the augmin complex (composed of the eight subunits HAUS1-HAUS8), a process that is crucially important for correct spindle assembly. However, augmin is not known to be a direct target of the Ran-GTP pathway, raising the question of how its activity is controlled. Here, we present the in vitro reconstitution of Ran-GTP-regulated microtubule binding of the human augmin complex. We demonstrate that importins directly bind to augmin, which prevents augmin from binding to microtubules. Ran-GTP relieves this inhibition. Therefore, the augmin complex is a direct target of the Ran-GTP pathway, suggesting that branching microtubule nucleation is directly regulated by the Ran-GTP gradient around chromosomes in dividing cells.

In-solution structure and oligomerization of human histone deacetylase 6 - an integrative approach

Human histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) is a structurally unique, multidomain protein implicated in a variety of physiological processes including cytoskeletal remodelling and the maintenance of cellular homeostasis. Our current understanding of the HDAC6 structure is limited to isolated domains, and a holistic picture of the full-length protein structure, including possible domain interactions, is missing. Here, we used an integrative structural biology approach to build a solution model of HDAC6 by combining experimental data from several orthogonal biophysical techniques complemented by molecular modelling. We show that HDAC6 is best described as a mosaic of folded and intrinsically disordered domains that in-solution adopts an ensemble of conformations without any stable interactions between structured domains. Furthermore, HDAC6 forms dimers/higher oligomers in a concentration-dependent manner, and its oligomerization is mediated via the positively charged N-terminal microtubule-binding domain. Our findings provide the first insights into the structure of full-length human HDAC6 and can be used as a basis for further research into structure function and physiological studies of this unique deacetylase.

Tetrahydroquinoline-Capped Histone Deacetylase 6 Inhibitor SW-101 Ameliorates Pathological Phenotypes in a Charcot-Marie-Tooth Type 2A Mouse Model

Histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) is a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. SW-100 (1a), a phenylhydroxamate-based HDAC6 inhibitor (HDAC6i) bearing a tetrahydroquinoline (THQ) capping group, is a highly potent and selective HDAC6i that was shown to be effective in mouse models of Fragile X syndrome and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 2A (CMT2A). In this study, we report the discovery of a new THQ-capped HDAC6i, termed SW-101 (1s), that possesses excellent HDAC6 potency and selectivity, together with markedly improved metabolic stability and druglike properties compared to SW-100 (1a). X-ray crystallography data reveal the molecular basis of HDAC6 inhibition by SW-101 (1s). Importantly, we demonstrate that SW-101 (1s) treatment elevates the impaired level of acetylated α-tubulin in the distal sciatic nerve, counteracts progressive motor dysfunction, and ameliorates neuropathic symptoms in a CMT2A mouse model bearing mutant MFN2. Taken together, these results bode well for the further development of SW-101 (1s) as a disease-modifying HDAC6i.

The disordered N-terminus of HDAC6 is a microtubule-binding domain critical for efficient tubulin deacetylation

Histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) is a multidomain cytosolic enzyme having tubulin deacetylase activity that has been unequivocally assigned to the second of the tandem catalytic domains. However, virtually no information exists on the contribution of other HDAC6 domains on tubulin recognition. Here, using recombinant protein expression, site-directed mutagenesis, fluorimetric and biochemical assays, microscale thermophoresis, and total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy, we identified the N-terminal, disordered region of HDAC6 as a microtubule-binding domain and functionally characterized it to the single-molecule level. We show that the microtubule-binding motif spans two positively charged patches comprising residues Lys-32 to Lys-58. We found that HDAC6-microtubule interactions are entirely independent of the catalytic domains and are mediated by ionic interactions with the negatively charged microtubule surface. Importantly, a crosstalk between the microtubule-binding domain and the deacetylase domain was critical for recognition and efficient deacetylation of free tubulin dimers both in vitro and in vivo Overall, our results reveal that recognition of substrates by HDAC6 is more complex than previously appreciated and that domains outside the tandem catalytic core are essential for proficient substrate deacetylation.

Discovery of a New Isoxazole-3-hydroxamate-Based Histone Deacetylase 6 Inhibitor SS-208 with Antitumor Activity in Syngeneic Melanoma Mouse Models

Isoxazole is a five-membered heterocycle that is widely used in drug discovery endeavors. Here, we report the design, synthesis, and structural and biological characterization of SS-208, a novel HDAC6-selective inhibitor containing the isoxazole-3-hydroxamate moiety as a zinc-binding group as well as a hydrophobic linker. A crystal structure of the Danio rerio HDAC6/SS-208 complex reveals a bidentate coordination of the active-site zinc ion that differs from the preferred monodentate coordination observed for HDAC6 complexes with phenylhydroxamate-based inhibitors. While SS-208 has minimal effects on the viability of murine SM1 melanoma cells in vitro, it significantly reduced in vivo tumor growth in a murine SM1 syngeneic melanoma mouse model. These findings suggest that the antitumor activity of SS-208 is mainly mediated by immune-related antitumor activity as evidenced by the increased infiltration of CD8+ and NK+ T cells and the enhanced ratio of M1 and M2 macrophages in the tumor microenvironment.