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Identification of potential aggregation hotspots on Aβ42 fibrils blocked by the anti-amyloid chaperone-like BRICHOS domain. Nat Commun 2024; 15:965. [PMID: 38302480 PMCID: PMC10834949 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45192-4] [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: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Protein misfolding can generate toxic intermediates, which underlies several devastating diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). The surface of AD-associated amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) fibrils has been suggested to act as a catalyzer for self-replication and generation of potentially toxic species. Specifically tailored molecular chaperones, such as the BRICHOS protein domain, were shown to bind to amyloid fibrils and break this autocatalytic cycle. Here, we identify a site on the Aβ42 fibril surface, consisting of three C-terminal β-strands and particularly the solvent-exposed β-strand stretching from residues 26-28, which is efficiently sensed by a designed variant of Bri2 BRICHOS. Remarkably, while only a low amount of BRICHOS binds to Aβ42 fibrils, fibril-catalyzed nucleation processes are effectively prevented, suggesting that the identified site acts as a catalytic aggregation hotspot, which can specifically be blocked by BRICHOS. Hence, these findings provide an understanding how toxic nucleation events can be targeted by molecular chaperones.
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2
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Heteronuclear decoupling with Rotor-Synchronized Phase-Alternated Cycles. J Chem Phys 2022; 157:014202. [DOI: 10.1063/5.0098135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
A new heteronuclear decoupling pulse sequence is introduced, dubbed ROtor-Synchronized Phase-Alternated Cycles (ROSPAC). It is based on a partial refocusing of the coherences (spin operator products, or cross-terms)1,2 responsible for transverse spin-polarization dephasing, on the irradiation of a large pattern of radio-frequencies, and on a significant minimization of the cross-effects implying 1H chemical-shift anisotropy. Decoupling efficiency is analyzed by numerical simulations and experiments, and compared to that of established decoupling sequences (swept-frequency TPPM, TPPM, SPINAL, rCWApa, and RS-HEPT). It was found that ROSPAC offers good 1H offset robustness for a large range of chemical shifts and low radio-frequency (RF) powers, and performs very well in the ultra-fast MAS regime, where it is almost independent from RF power and permits it to avoid rotary-resonance recoupling conditions ( ). It has the advantage that only the pulse lengths require optimization, and has a low duty cycle in the pulsed decoupling regime. The efficiency of the decoupling sequence is demonstrated on a model microcrystalline sample of the model protein domain GB1 at 100 kHz MAS at 18.8 T.
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3
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Abstract
Since the first pioneering studies on small deuterated peptides dating more than 20 years ago, 1H detection has evolved into the most efficient approach for investigation of biomolecular structure, dynamics, and interactions by solid-state NMR. The development of faster and faster magic-angle spinning (MAS) rates (up to 150 kHz today) at ultrahigh magnetic fields has triggered a real revolution in the field. This new spinning regime reduces the 1H-1H dipolar couplings, so that a direct detection of 1H signals, for long impossible without proton dilution, has become possible at high resolution. The switch from the traditional MAS NMR approaches with 13C and 15N detection to 1H boosts the signal by more than an order of magnitude, accelerating the site-specific analysis and opening the way to more complex immobilized biological systems of higher molecular weight and available in limited amounts. This paper reviews the concepts underlying this recent leap forward in sensitivity and resolution, presents a detailed description of the experimental aspects of acquisition of multidimensional correlation spectra with fast MAS, and summarizes the most successful strategies for the assignment of the resonances and for the elucidation of protein structure and conformational dynamics. It finally outlines the many examples where 1H-detected MAS NMR has contributed to the detailed characterization of a variety of crystalline and noncrystalline biomolecular targets involved in biological processes ranging from catalysis through drug binding, viral infectivity, amyloid fibril formation, to transport across lipid membranes.
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4
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Protein structural dynamics by Magic-Angle Spinning NMR. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2021; 70:34-43. [PMID: 33915352 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2021.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Magic-Angle Spinning (MAS) Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) is a fast-developing technique, capable of complementing solution NMR, X-ray crystallography, and electron microscopy for the biophysical characterization of microcrystalline, poorly crystalline or disordered protein samples, such as enzymes, biomolecular assemblies, membrane-embedded systems or fibrils. Beyond structures, MAS NMR is an ideal tool for the investigation of dynamics, since it is unique in its ability to distinguish static and dynamic disorder, and to characterize not only amplitudes but also timescales of motion. Building on seminal work on model proteins, the technique is now ripe for widespread application in structural biology. This review briefly summarizes the recent evolutions in biomolecular MAS NMR and accounts for the growing number of systems where this spectroscopy has provided a description of conformational dynamics over the very last few years.
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Abstract
Copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (SOD) is a homodimeric metalloenzyme that has been extensively studied as a benchmark for structure-function relationships in proteins, in particular because of its implication in the familial form of the neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Here, we investigate microcrystalline preparations of two differently metalated forms of SOD, namely, the fully mature functional Cu,Zn state and the E,Zn-SOD state in which the Cu site is empty. By using solid-state NMR with fast magic-angle spinning (MAS) at high magnetic fields (1H Larmor frequency of 800-1000 MHz), we quantify motions spanning a dynamic range from ns to ms. We determine that metal ion uptake does not act as a rigidification element but as a switch redistributing motional processes on different time scales, with coupling of the dynamics of histidine side chains and those of remote key backbone elements of the protein.
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6
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Resonance assignment of the outer membrane protein AlkL in lipid bilayers by proton-detected solid-state NMR. BIOMOLECULAR NMR ASSIGNMENTS 2020; 14:295-300. [PMID: 32607893 DOI: 10.1007/s12104-020-09964-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Most commonly small outer membrane proteins, possessing between 8 and 12 β-strands, are not involved in transport but fulfill diverse functions such as cell adhesion or binding of ligands. An intriguing exception are the 8-stranded β-barrel proteins of the OmpW family, which are implicated in the transport of small molecules. A representative example is AlkL from Pseudomonas putida GPoI, which functions as a passive importer of hydrophobic molecules. This role is of high interest with respect to both fundamental biological understanding and industrial applications in biocatalysis, since this protein is frequently utilized in biotransformation of alkanes. While the transport function of AlkL is generally accepted, a controversy in the transport mechanism still exists. In order to address this, we are pursuing a structural study of recombinantly produced AlkL reconstituted in lipid bilayers using solid-state NMR spectroscopy. In this manuscript we present 1H, 13C and 15N chemical shift assignments obtained via a suite of 3D experiments employing high magnetic fields (1 GHz and 800 MHz) and the latest magic-angle spinning (MAS) approaches at fast (60-111) kHz rates. We additionally analyze the secondary structure prediction in comparison with those of published structures of homologous proteins.
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7
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Conformational Stability and Dynamics in Crystals Recapitulate Protein Behavior in Solution. Biophys J 2020; 119:978-988. [PMID: 32758421 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2020.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
A growing body of evidences has established that in many cases proteins may preserve most of their function and flexibility in a crystalline environment, and several techniques are today capable to characterize molecular properties of proteins in tightly packed lattices. Intriguingly, in the case of amyloidogenic precursors, the presence of transiently populated states (hidden to conventional crystallographic studies) can be correlated to the pathological fate of the native fold; the low fold stability of the native state is a hallmark of aggregation propensity. It remains unclear, however, to which extent biophysical properties of proteins such as the presence of transient conformations or protein stability characterized in crystallo reflect the protein behavior that is more commonly studied in solution. Here, we address this question by investigating some biophysical properties of a prototypical amyloidogenic system, β2-microglobulin in solution and in microcrystalline state. By combining NMR chemical shifts with molecular dynamics simulations, we confirmed that conformational dynamics of β2-microglobulin native state in the crystal lattice is in keeping with what observed in solution. A comparative study of protein stability in solution and in crystallo is then carried out, monitoring the change in protein secondary structure at increasing temperature by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The increased structural order of the crystalline state contributes to provide better resolved spectral components compared to those collected in solution and crucially, the crystalline samples display thermal stabilities in good agreement with the trend observed in solution. Overall, this work shows that protein stability and occurrence of pathological hidden states in crystals parallel their solution counterpart, confirming the interest of crystals as a platform for the biophysical characterization of processes such as unfolding and aggregation.
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Protein‐NMR‐Resonanzzuordnung ohne Spektralanalyse: automatisierte Festkörper‐Projektionsspektroskopie in 5D (SO‐APSY). Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201912211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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9
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Protein NMR Resonance Assignment without Spectral Analysis: 5D SOlid‐State Automated Projection SpectroscopY (SO‐APSY). Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020; 59:2380-2384. [DOI: 10.1002/anie.201912211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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10
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Conformational dynamics in crystals reveal the molecular bases for D76N beta-2 microglobulin aggregation propensity. Nat Commun 2018; 9:1658. [PMID: 29695721 PMCID: PMC5916882 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-04078-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Spontaneous aggregation of folded and soluble native proteins in vivo is still a poorly understood process. A prototypic example is the D76N mutant of beta-2 microglobulin (β2m) that displays an aggressive aggregation propensity. Here we investigate the dynamics of β2m by X-ray crystallography, solid-state NMR, and molecular dynamics simulations to unveil the effects of the D76N mutation. Taken together, our data highlight the presence of minor disordered substates in crystalline β2m. The destabilization of the outer strands of D76N β2m accounts for the increased aggregation propensity. Furthermore, the computational modeling reveals a network of interactions with residue D76 as a keystone: this model allows predicting the stability of several point mutants. Overall, our study shows how the study of intrinsic dynamics in crystallo can provide crucial answers on protein stability and aggregation propensity. The comprehensive approach here presented may well be suited for the study of other folded amyloidogenic proteins. The aggregation prone D76N beta-2 microglobulin mutant causes systemic amyloidosis. Here the authors combine crystallography, solid-state NMR, and computational studies and show that the D76N mutation increases protein dynamics and destabilizes the outer strands, which leads to an exposure of amyloidogenic parts explaining its aggregation propensity.
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1H magic-angle spinning NMR evolves as a powerful new tool for membrane proteins. JOURNAL OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE (SAN DIEGO, CALIF. : 1997) 2018; 287:140-152. [PMID: 29413327 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmr.2017.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2017] [Revised: 11/20/2017] [Accepted: 11/22/2017] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Building on a decade of continuous advances of the community, the recent development of very fast (60 kHz and above) magic-angle spinning (MAS) probes has revolutionised the field of solid-state NMR. This new spinning regime reduces the 1H-1H dipolar couplings, so that direct detection of the larger magnetic moment available from 1H is now possible at high resolution, not only in deuterated molecules but also in fully-protonated substrates. Such capabilities allow rapid "fingerprinting" of samples with a ten-fold reduction of the required sample amounts with respect to conventional approaches, and permit extensive, robust and expeditious assignment of small-to-medium sized proteins (up to ca. 300 residues), and the determination of inter-nuclear proximities, relative orientations of secondary structural elements, protein-cofactor interactions, local and global dynamics. Fast MAS and 1H detection techniques have nowadays been shown to be applicable to membrane-bound systems. This paper reviews the strategies underlying this recent leap forward in sensitivity and resolution, describing its potential for the detailed characterization of membrane proteins.
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Local and Global Dynamics in Klebsiella pneumoniae Outer Membrane Protein a in Lipid Bilayers Probed at Atomic Resolution. J Am Chem Soc 2017; 139:1590-1597. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.6b11565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Protein residue linking in a single spectrum for magic-angle spinning NMR assignment. JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR NMR 2015; 62:253-261. [PMID: 26078089 DOI: 10.1007/s10858-015-9956-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2015] [Accepted: 06/08/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Here we introduce a new pulse sequence for resonance assignment that halves the number of data sets required for sequential linking by directly correlating sequential amide resonances in a single diagonal-free spectrum. The method is demonstrated with both microcrystalline and sedimented deuterated proteins spinning at 60 and 111 kHz, and a fully protonated microcrystalline protein spinning at 111 kHz, with as little as 0.5 mg protein sample. We find that amide signals have a low chance of ambiguous linkage, which is further improved by linking in both forward and backward directions. The spectra obtained are amenable to automated resonance assignment using general-purpose software such as UNIO-MATCH.
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High-resolution proton-detected NMR of proteins at very fast MAS. JOURNAL OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE (SAN DIEGO, CALIF. : 1997) 2015; 253:36-49. [PMID: 25797003 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmr.2015.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2014] [Revised: 12/23/2014] [Accepted: 01/04/2015] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
When combined with high-frequency (currently ∼60 kHz) magic-angle spinning (MAS), proton detection boosts sensitivity and increases coherence lifetimes, resulting in narrow ((1))H lines. Herein, we review methods for efficient proton detected techniques and applications in highly deuterated proteins, with an emphasis on 100% selected ((1))H site concentration for the purpose of sensitivity. We discuss the factors affecting resolution and sensitivity that have resulted in higher and higher frequency MAS. Next we describe the various methods that have been used for backbone and side-chain assignment with proton detection, highlighting the efficient use of scalar-based ((13))C-((13))C transfers. Additionally, we show new spectra making use of these schemes for side-chain assignment of methyl ((13))C-((1))H resonances. The rapid acquisition of resolved 2D spectra with proton detection allows efficient measurement of relaxation parameters used as a measure of dynamic processes. Under rapid MAS, relaxation times can be measured in a site-specific manner in medium-sized proteins, enabling the investigation of molecular motions at high resolution. Additionally, we discuss methods for measurement of structural parameters, including measurement of internuclear ((1))H-((1))H contacts and the use of paramagnetic effects in the determination of global structure.
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Abstract
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Using a set of six 1H-detected
triple-resonance NMR
experiments, we establish a method for sequence-specific backbone
resonance assignment of magic angle spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic
resonance (NMR) spectra of 5–30 kDa proteins. The approach
relies on perdeuteration, amide 2H/1H exchange,
high magnetic fields, and high-spinning frequencies (ωr/2π ≥ 60 kHz) and yields high-quality NMR data, enabling
the use of automated analysis. The method is validated with five examples
of proteins in different condensed states, including two microcrystalline
proteins, a sedimented virus capsid, and two membrane-embedded systems.
In comparison to contemporary 13C/15N-based
methods, this approach facilitates and accelerates the MAS NMR assignment
process, shortening the spectral acquisition times and enabling the
use of unsupervised state-of-the-art computational data analysis protocols
originally developed for solution NMR.
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