scholarly journals Arginine mutations within a transmembrane domain of Tar, an Escherichia coli aspartate receptor, can drive homodimer dissociation and heterodimer association in vivo

2004 ◽  
Vol 385 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neta SAL-MAN ◽  
Yechiel SHAI
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Transmembrane Domain ◽  
Genetic Diseases ◽  
Ion Pairs ◽  
Aspartate Receptor ◽  
Charged Residues ◽  
Arginine Residues ◽  
Tm Domain ◽  
Positively Charged

The interactions between the TM (transmembrane) domains of many membrane proteins are important for their proper functioning. Mutations of residues into positively charged ones within TM domains were reported to be involved in many genetic diseases, possibly because these mutations affect the self- and/or hetero-assembly of the corresponding proteins. To our knowledge, despite significant progress in understanding the role of various amino acids in TM–TM interactions in vivo, the direct effect of positively charged residues on these interactions has not been studied. To address this issue, we employed the N-terminal TM domain of the aspartate receptor (Tar-1) as a dimerization model system. We expressed within the ToxR TM assembly system several Tar-1 constructs that dimerize via polar- or non-polar amino acid motifs, and mutated these by replacement with a single arginine residue. Our results have revealed that a mutation in each of the motifs significantly reduced the ability of the TMs to dimerize. Furthermore, a Tar-1 construct that contained two arginine residues was unable to correctly integrate itself into the membrane. Nevertheless, an exogenous synthetic Tar-1 peptide containing these two arginine residues was able to inhibit in vivo the marked dimerization of a mutant Tar-1 construct that contained two glutamate residues at similar positions. This indicates that hetero-assembly of TM domains can be mediated by the interaction of two oppositely charged residues, probably by formation of ion pairs. This study broadens our knowledge regarding the effect of positively charged residues on TM–TM interactions in vivo, and provides a potential therapeutic approach to inhibit uncontrolled dimerization of TM domains caused by mutations of polar amino acids.

scholarly journals Voltage-Dependent Inactivation of MscS Occurs Independently of the Positively Charged Residues in the Transmembrane Domain

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takeshi Nomura ◽  
Masahiro Sokabe ◽  
Kenjiro Yoshimura
Keyword(s):  
Voltage Dependence ◽  
Transmembrane Domain ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Dependent Inactivation ◽  
Mechanical Threshold ◽  
Voltage Dependent ◽  
Arginine Residues ◽  
Tm Domain ◽  
Small Conductance ◽  
Positively Charged

MscS (mechanosensitive channel of small conductance) is ubiquitously found among bacteria and plays a major role in avoiding cell lysis upon rapid osmotic downshock. The gating of MscS is modulated by voltage, but little is known about how MscS senses membrane potential. Three arginine residues (Arg-46, Arg-54, and Arg-74) in the transmembrane (TM) domain are possible to respond to voltage judging from the MscS structure. To examine whether these residues are involved in the voltage dependence of MscS, we neutralized the charge of each residue by substituting with asparagine (R46N, R54N, and R74N). Mechanical threshold for the opening of the expressed wild-type MscS and asparagine mutants did not change with voltage in the range from-40 to +100 mV. By contrast, inactivation process of wild-type MscS was strongly affected by voltage. The wild-type MscS inactivated at +60 to +80 mV but not at-60 to +40 mV. The voltage dependence of the inactivation rate of all mutants tested, that is, R46N, R54N, R74N, and R46N/R74N MscS, was almost indistinguishable from that of the wild-type MscS. These findings indicate that the voltage dependence of the inactivation occurs independently of the positive charges of R46, R54, and R74.

Role of S4 positively charged residues in the regulation of Kv4.3 inactivation and recovery

2007 ◽  
Vol 293 (3) ◽  
pp. C906-C914 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew R. Skerritt ◽  
Donald L. Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Positive Charge ◽  
Voltage Sensitivity ◽  
Shaker Channels ◽  
Recovery From Inactivation ◽  
Kv4 Channels ◽  
Charged Residues ◽  
Arginine Residues ◽  
Voltage Sensing Domain ◽  
Positively Charged

The molecular and biophysical mechanisms by which voltage-sensitive K+ (Kv)4 channels inactivate and recover from inactivation are presently unresolved. There is a general consensus, however, that Shaker-like N- and P/C-type mechanisms are likely not involved. Kv4 channels also display prominent inactivation from preactivated closed states [closed-state inactivation (CSI)], a process that appears to be absent in Shaker channels. As in Shaker channels, voltage sensitivity in Kv4 channels is thought to be conferred by positively charged residues localized to the fourth transmembrane segment (S4) of the voltage-sensing domain. To investigate the role of S4 positive charge in Kv4.3 gating transitions, we analyzed the effects of charge elimination at each positively charged arginine (R) residue by mutation to the uncharged residue alanine (A). We first demonstrated that R290A, R293A, R296A, and R302A mutants each alter basic activation characteristics consistent with positive charge removal. We then found strong evidence that recovery from inactivation is coupled to deactivation, showed that the precise location of the arginine residues within S4 plays an important role in the degree of development of CSI and recovery from CSI, and demonstrated that the development of CSI can be sequentially uncoupled from activation by R296A, specifically. Taken together, these results extend our current understanding of Kv4.3 gating transitions.

Intrinsic gating mechanisms of epithelial sodium channels

2002 ◽  
Vol 283 (2) ◽  
pp. C646-C650 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong-Long Ji ◽  
Catherine M. Fuller ◽  
Dale J. Benos
Keyword(s):  
Sodium Channels ◽  
Xenopus Oocytes ◽  
Transmembrane Domain ◽  
Receptor Site ◽  
Epithelial Sodium Channels ◽  
Gating Mechanisms ◽  
Putative Receptor ◽  
Arginine Residues ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Positively Charged

The hypothesis that there is a highly conserved, positively charged region distal to the second transmembrane domain in α-ENaC (epithelial sodium channel) that acts as a putative receptor site for the negatively charged COOH-terminal β- and γ-ENaC tails was tested in mutagenesis experiments. After expression in Xenopus oocytes, α-ENaC constructs in which positively charged arginine residues were converted into negatively charged glutamic acids could not be inhibited by blocking peptides. These observations provide insight into the gating machinery of ENaC.

scholarly journals Unique Light-gated Ion Channel Properties of a Novel Modular Cation Channelrhodopsin from an Evolutionary Important Terrestrial Green Alga

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rintaro Tashiro ◽  
Kumari Sushmita ◽  
Shoko Hososhima ◽  
Sunita Sharma ◽  
Suneel Kateriya ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ion Channel ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Transmembrane Domain ◽  
Action Spectrum ◽  
Closure Rate ◽  
C Terminus ◽  
Ion Channel Properties ◽  
Arginine Residues ◽  
Tm Domain ◽  
Channel Currents

Abstract Channelrhodopsins are a family of microbial rhodopsins that function as a light-gated ion channel. We report the molecular properties of a novel channelrhodopsin KnRh3 from an evolutionary important filamentous terrestrial alga Klebsormidium nitens. KnRh3 is constituted of a 7-transmembrane domain, followed by a long C-terminus moiety that encodes a peptidoglycan binding domain (FimV). When functionally expressed in mammalian cells, KnRh3 showed light-induced cation channel currents. The maximum action spectrum exhibited was at 430 nm and 460 nm, the former making KnRh3 one of the most blue-shifted channelrhodopsins characterized thus far. The channel closure rate was relatively fast (τ0ff = 10 ms). Surprisingly, photocurrent kinetics were affected by the C-terminus moiety of KnRh3. When this moiety was truncated to various lengths, this prolonged the channel open lifetime by more than 10-fold. We identified two arginine residues, R287 and R291, those are crucial for altering the kinetics. We propose that electrostatic interaction between the 7-TM domain and the C-terminus domain accelerates the photocycle. The most blue-shifted action spectrum of KnRh3 serves as a novel prototype of channelrhodopsin for studying the molecular mechanism of color tuning. In addition, KnRh3 would expand the optogenetics tool kit, especially for when short wavelength excitation is required.

scholarly journals Activation of GPR116/ADGRF5 by its tethered agonist requires key amino acids in extracellular loop 2 of the transmembrane domain

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
James P Bridges ◽  
Caterina Safina ◽  
Bernard Picard ◽  
Kari Brown ◽  
Alyssa Filuta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Transmembrane Domain ◽  
Receptor Activation ◽  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Peptide Sequence ◽  
Knock Out ◽  
Autocatalytic Cleavage ◽  
Knock Out Mice

The mechanistic details of the tethered agonist mode of activation for adhesion GPCRs has not been completely deciphered. We set out to investigate the physiologic importance of autocatalytic cleavage upstream of the agonistic peptide sequence, an event necessary for NTF displacement and subsequent receptor activation. To examine this hypothesis, we characterized tethered agonist-mediated activation of GPR116 in vitro and in vivo. A knock-in mouse expressing a non-cleavable GPR116 mutant phenocopies the pulmonary phenotype of GPR116 knock-out mice, demonstrating that tethered agonist-mediated receptor activation is indispensable for function in vivo. Using site-directed mutagenesis and species swapping approaches we identified key conserved amino acids for GPR116 activation in the tethered agonist sequence and in extracellular loops 2/3 (ECL2/3). We further highlight residues in transmembrane7 (TM7) that mediate stronger signaling in mouse versus human GPR116 and recapitulate these findings in a model supporting tethered agonist:ECL2 interactions for GPR116 activation.

scholarly journals Evidence for a Holin-Like Protein Gene Fully Embedded Out of Frame in the Endolysin Gene of Staphylococcus aureusBacteriophage 187

1999 ◽  
Vol 181 (15) ◽  
pp. 4452-4460 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin J. Loessner ◽  
Susanne Gaeng ◽  
Siegfried Scherer
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Cytoplasmic Membrane ◽  
Transmembrane Domain ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Atp Synthesis ◽  
Large Cell ◽  
Lytic Enzyme ◽  
Reading Frame ◽  
C Terminus

ABSTRACT We have cloned, sequenced, and characterized the genes encoding the lytic system of the unique Staphylococcus aureus phage 187. The endolysin gene ply187 encodes a large cell wall-lytic enzyme (71.6 kDa). The catalytic site, responsible for the hydrolysis of staphylococcal peptidoglycan, was mapped to the N-terminal domain of the protein by the expression of defined ply187 domains. This enzymatically active N terminus showed convincing amino acid sequence homology to anN-acetylmuramoyl-l-alanine amidase, whereas the C-terminal part, whose function is unknown, revealed striking relatedness to major staphylococcal autolysins. An additional reading frame was identified entirely embedded out of frame (+1) within the 5′ region of ply187 and was shown to encode a small, hydrophobic protein of holin-like function. The hol187 gene features a dual-start motif, possibly enabling the synthesis of two products of different lengths (57 and 55 amino acids, respectively). Overproduction of Hol187 in Escherichia coli resulted in growth retardation, leakiness of the cytoplasmic membrane, and loss of de novo ATP synthesis. Compared to other holins identified to date, Hol187 completely lacks the highly charged C terminus. The secondary structure of the polypeptide is predicted to consist of two small, antiparallel, hydrophobic, transmembrane helices. These are supposed to be essential for integration into the membrane, since site-specific introduction of negatively charged amino acids into the first transmembrane domain (V7D G8D) completely abolished the function of the Hol187 polypeptide. With antibodies raised against a synthetic 18-mer peptide representing a central part of the protein, it was possible to detect Hol187 in the cytoplasmic membrane of phage-infected S. aureus cells. An important indication that the protein actually functions as a holin in vivo was that the gene (but not the V7D G8D mutation) was able to complement a phage λ Sam mutation in a nonsuppressing E. coli HB101 background. Plaque formation by λgt11::hol187 indicated that both phage genes have analogous functions. The data presented here indicate that a putative holin is encoded on a different reading frame within the enzymatically active domain of ply187 and that the holin is synthesized during the late stage of phage infection and found in the cytoplasmic membrane, where it causes membrane lesions which are thought to enable access of Ply187 to the peptidoglycan of phage-infected Staphylococcus cells.

scholarly journals Topogenesis in membranes of the NTB–VPg protein of Tomato ringspot nepovirus: definition of the C-terminal transmembrane domain

2004 ◽  
Vol 85 (2) ◽  
pp. 535-545 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aiming Wang ◽  
Sumin Han ◽  
Hélène Sanfaçon
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Transmembrane Domain ◽  
Proteinase K ◽  
Hydrophobic Region ◽  
C Terminus ◽  
Microsomal Membranes ◽  
Hydrophobic Amino Acids ◽  
Definition Of

The putative NTP-binding protein (NTB) of Tomato ringspot nepovirus (ToRSV) contains a hydrophobic region at its C terminus consisting of two adjacent stretches of hydrophobic amino acids separated by a few amino acids. In infected plants, the NTB–VPg polyprotein (containing the domain for the genome-linked protein) is associated with endoplasmic reticulum-derived membranes that are active in ToRSV replication. Recent results from proteinase K protection assays suggested a luminal location for the VPg domain in infected plants, providing support for the presence of a transmembrane domain at the C terminus of NTB. In this study, we have shown that NTB–VPg associates with canine microsomal membranes in the absence of other viral proteins in vitro and adopts a topology similar to that observed in vivo in that the VPg is present in the lumen. Truncated proteins containing 60 amino acids at the C terminus of NTB and the entire VPg exhibited a similar topology, confirming that this region of the protein contains a functional transmembrane domain. Deletion of portions of the C-terminal hydrophobic region of NTB by mutagenesis and introduction of glycosylation sites to map the luminal regions of the protein revealed that only the first stretch of hydrophobic amino acids traverses the membrane, while the second stretch of hydrophobic amino acids is located in the lumen. Our results provide additional evidence supporting the hypothesis that the NTB–VPg polyprotein acts as a membrane-anchor for the replication complex.

scholarly journals The Escherichia coli Ada Protein Can Interact with Two Distinct Determinants in the ς70 Subunit of RNA Polymerase According to Promoter Architecture: Identification of the Target of Ada Activation at the alkAPromoter

1999 ◽  
Vol 181 (5) ◽  
pp. 1524-1529 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paolo Landini ◽  
Stephen J. W. Busby
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Amino Acids ◽  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Promoter Architecture ◽  
Charged Amino Acids ◽  
Identify Amino Acid ◽  
Ada Protein ◽  
Positively Charged

ABSTRACT The methylated form of the Ada protein (meAda) activates transcription from the Escherichia coli ada,aidB, and alkA promoters with different mechanisms. In this study we identify amino acid substitutions in region 4 of the RNA polymerase subunit ς70 that affect Ada-activated transcription at alkA. Substitution to alanine of residues K593, K597, and R603 in ς70 region 4 results in decreased Ada-dependent binding of RNA polymerase to thealkA promoter in vitro and impairs alkAtranscription both in vivo and in vitro, suggesting that these residues define a determinant for meAda-ς70interaction. In a previous study (P. Landini, J. A. Bown, M. R. Volkert, and S. J. W. Busby, J. Biol. Chem. 273:13307–13312, 1998), we showed that a set of negatively charged amino acids in ς70 region 4 is involved inmeAda-ς70 interaction at the adaand aidB promoters. However, the alanine substitutions of positively charged residues K593, K597, and R603 do not affectmeAda-dependent transcription at ada andaidB. Unlike the ς70 amino acids involved in the interaction with meAda at the ada andaidB promoters, K593, K597, and R603 are not conserved in ςS, an alternative ς subunit of RNA polymerase mainly expressed during the stationary phase of growth. WhilemeAda is able to promote transcription by the ςS form of RNA polymerase (EςS) atada and aidB, it fails to do so atalkA. We propose that meAda can activate transcription at different promoters by contacting distinct determinants in ς70 region 4 in a manner dependent on the location of the Ada binding site.

scholarly journals Deep mutational scanning reveals characteristics important for targeting of the tail-anchored protein Fis1

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdurrahman Keskin ◽  
Emel Akdoğan ◽  
Cory D. Dunn
Keyword(s):  
Protein Import ◽  
Mitochondrial Dynamics ◽  
Global Analysis ◽  
Mitochondrial Protein ◽  
Membrane Insertion ◽  
Mitochondrial Targeting ◽  
Charged Residues ◽  
High Resolution Analysis ◽  
Positively Charged

ABSTRACTProteins localized to mitochondria by a carboxyl-terminal tail anchor (TA) play roles in apoptosis, mitochondrial dynamics, and mitochondrial protein import. To reveal characteristics of TAs that may be important for mitochondrial targeting, we focused our attention upon the TA of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Fis1 protein. Specifically, we generated a library of Fis1p TA variants fused to the Gal4 transcription factor, then, using next-generation sequencing, revealed which Fis1p TA mutations inhibited membrane insertion and allowed Gal4p activity in the nucleus. Prompted by our global analysis, we subsequently analyzed the ability of individual Fis1p TA mutants to localize to mitochondria. Our findings suggest that the membrane-associated domain of Fis1p TA may be bipartite in nature, and we encountered evidence that the positively charged patch at the carboxyl-terminus of Fis1p is required for both membrane insertion and organelle specificity. Furthermore, lengthening or shortening the Fis1 TA by up to three amino acids did not inhibit mitochondrial targeting, arguing against a model in which TA length directs insertion of TAs at specific organelles. Most importantly, positively charged residues were more acceptable at several positions within the membrane-associated domain of the Fis1p TA than negatively charged residues. These findings, emerging from the first high-resolution analysis of an organelle targeting sequence by deep mutational scanning, provide strong, in vivo evidence that lysine and arginine can “snorkel,” or become stably incorporated within a lipid bilayer by placing terminal charges of their side chains at the membrane interface.AbbreviationsTAtail anchorOMouter membraneMADmembrane-anchoring domain3-AT3-aminotriazoleCHXcycloheximide

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