scholarly journals On the Conformation of the COOH-terminal Domain of the Large Mechanosensitive Channel MscL

2003 ◽  
Vol 121 (3) ◽  
pp. 227-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andriy Anishkin ◽  
Vyacheslav Gendel ◽  
Neda A. Sharifi ◽  
Chien-Sung Chiang ◽  
Lena Shirinian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Osmotic Shock ◽  
Complete Removal ◽  
Size Exclusion ◽  
Ambient Conditions ◽  
Dynamic Simulations ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Terminal Domain ◽  
Reducing Conditions ◽  
Truncation Mutant

COOH-terminal (S3) domains are conserved within the MscL family of bacterial mechanosensitive channels, but their function remains unclear. The X-ray structure of MscL from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TbMscL) revealed cytoplasmic domains forming a pentameric bundle (Chang, G., R.H. Spencer, A.T. Lee, M.T. Barclay, and D.C. Rees. 1998. Science. 282:2220–2226). The helices, however, have an unusual orientation in which hydrophobic sidechains face outside while charged residues face inside, possibly due to specific crystallization conditions. Based on the structure of pentameric cartilage protein , we modeled the COOH-terminal region of E. coli MscL to better satisfy the hydrophobicity criteria, with sidechains of conserved aliphatic residues all inside the bundle. Molecular dynamic simulations predicted higher stability for this conformation compared with one modeled after the crystal structure of TbMscL, and suggested distances for disulfide trapping experiments. The single cysteine mutants L121C and I125C formed dimers under ambient conditions and more so in the presence of an oxidant. The double-cysteine mutants, L121C/L122C and L128C/L129C, often cross-link into tetrameric and pentameric structures, consistent with the new model. Patch-clamp examination of these double mutants under moderately oxidizing or reducing conditions indicated that the bundle cross-linking neither prevents the channel from opening nor changes thermodynamic parameters of gating. Destabilization of the bundle by replacing conservative leucines with small polar residues, or complete removal of COOH-terminal domain (Δ110–136 mutation), increased the occupancy of subconducting states but did not change gating parameters substantially. The Δ110–136 truncation mutant was functional in in vivo osmotic shock assays; however, the amount of ATP released into the shock medium was considerably larger than in controls. The data strongly suggest that in contrast to previous gating models (Sukharev, S., M. Betanzos, C.S. Chiang, and H.R. Guy. 2001a. Nature. 409:720–724.), S3 domains are stably associated in both closed and open conformations. The bundle-like assembly of cytoplasmic helices provides stability to the open conformation, and may function as a size-exclusion filter at the cytoplasmic entrance to the MscL pore, preventing loss of essential metabolites.

scholarly journals Synthesis of Human Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 (hBMP-2) in E. coli Periplasmic Space: Its Characterization and Preclinical Testing

Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 3525
Author(s):  
João E. Oliveira ◽  
Miriam F. Suzuki ◽  
Renata Damiani ◽  
Eliana R. Lima ◽  
Kleicy C. Amaral ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
Osmotic Shock ◽  
Cytoplasmic Inclusion ◽  
Reversed Phase ◽  
C2c12 Cells ◽  
Size Exclusion ◽  
Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 ◽  
E Coli

Human BMP-2, a homodimeric protein that belongs to the TGF- β family, is a recognized osteoinductor due to its capacity of inducing bone regeneration and ectopic bone formation. The administration of its recombinant form is an alternative to autologous bone grafting. A variety of E. coli-derived hBMP-2 has been synthesized through refolding of cytoplasmic inclusion bodies. The present work reports the synthesis, purification, and characterization of periplasmic hBMP-2, obtained directly in its correctly folded and authentic form, i.e., without the initial methionine typical of the cytoplasmic product that can induce undesired immunoreactivity. A bacterial expression vector was constructed including the DsbA signal peptide and the cDNA of hBMP-2. The periplasmic fluid was extracted by osmotic shock and analyzed via SDS-PAGE, Western blotting, and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). The purification was carried out by heparin affinity chromatography, followed by high-performance size-exclusion chromatography (HPSEC). HPSEC was used for qualitative and quantitative analysis of the final product, which showed >95% purity. The classical in vitro bioassay based on the induction of alkaline phosphatase activity in myoblastic murine C2C12 cells and the in vivo bioassay consisting of treating calvarial critical-size defects in rats confirmed its bioactivity, which matched the analogous literature data for hBMP-2.

scholarly journals The Odd Faces of Oligomers: The Case of TRAF2-C, A Trimeric C-Terminal Domain of TNF Receptor-Associated Factor

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (11) ◽  
pp. 5871
Author(s):  
Almerinda Di Venere ◽  
Eleonora Nicolai ◽  
Velia Minicozzi ◽  
Anna Maria Caccuri ◽  
Luisa Di Paola ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Conformational Changes ◽  
Strong Dependence ◽  
Conformational Dynamics ◽  
Receptor Interaction ◽  
Tnf Receptor ◽  
Oligomeric State ◽  
Dynamic Simulations ◽  
Associated Factor ◽  
Terminal Domain

TNF Receptor Associated Factor 2 (TRAF2) is a trimeric protein that belongs to the TNF receptor associated factor family (TRAFs). The TRAF2 oligomeric state is crucial for receptor binding and for its interaction with other proteins involved in the TNFR signaling. The monomer-trimer equilibrium of a C- terminal domain truncated form of TRAF2 (TRAF2-C), plays also a relevant role in binding the membrane, causing inward vesiculation. In this study, we have investigated the conformational dynamics of TRAF2-C through circular dichroism, fluorescence, and dynamic light scattering, performing temperature-dependent measurements. The data indicate that the protein retains its oligomeric state and most of its secondary structure, while displaying a significative increase in the heterogeneity of the tyrosines signal, increasing the temperature from ≈15 to ≈35 °C. The peculiar crowding of tyrosine residues (12 out of 18) at the three subunit interfaces and the strong dependence on the trimer concentration indicate that such conformational changes mainly involve the contact areas between each pair of monomers, affecting the oligomeric state. Molecular dynamic simulations in this temperature range suggest that the interfaces heterogeneity is an intrinsic property of the trimer that arises from the continuous, asymmetric approaching and distancing of its subunits. Such dynamics affect the results of molecular docking on the external protein surface using receptor peptides, indicating that the TRAF2-receptor interaction in the solution might not involve three subunits at the same time, as suggested by the static analysis obtainable from the crystal structure. These findings shed new light on the role that the TRAF2 oligomeric state might have in regulating the protein binding activity in vivo.

scholarly journals Periplasmic synthesis and purification of the human prolactin antagonist Δ1-11-G129R-hPRL

AMB Express ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Miriam F. Suzuki ◽  
Larissa A. Almeida ◽  
Stephanie A. Pomin ◽  
Felipe D. Silva ◽  
Renan P. Freire ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Size Exclusion Chromatography ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Signal Sequence ◽  
Osmotic Shock ◽  
Size Exclusion ◽  
Specific Expression ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Human Prolactin ◽  
Exclusion Chromatography

AbstractThe human prolactin antagonist Δ1-11-G129R-hPRL is a 21.9 kDa recombinant protein with 188 amino acids that downregulates the proliferation of a variety of cells expressing prolactin receptors. Periplasmic expression of recombinant proteins in E. coli has been considered an option for obtaining a soluble and correctly folded protein, as an alternative to cytoplasmic production. The aim of this work was, therefore, to synthesize for the first time, the Δ1-11-G129R-hPRL antagonist, testing different activation temperatures and purifying it by classical chromatographic techniques. E. coli BL21(DE3) strain was transformed with a plasmid based on the pET25b( +) vector, DsbA signal sequence and the antagonist cDNA sequence. Different doses of IPTG were added, activating under different temperatures, and extracting the periplasmic fluid via osmotic shock. The best conditions were achieved by activating at 35 °C for 5 h using 0.4 mM IPTG, which gave a specific expression of 0.157 ± 0.015 μg/mL/A600 at a final optical density of 3.43 ± 0.13 A600. Purification was carried out by nickel-affinity chromatography followed by size-exclusion chromatography, quantification being performed via high-performance size-exclusion chromatography (HPSEC). The prolactin antagonist was characterized by SDS-PAGE, Western blotting, reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and MALDI-TOF–MS. The final product presented > 95% purity and its antagonistic effects were evaluated in vitro in view of potential clinical applications, including inhibition of the proliferation of cancer cells overexpressing the prolactin receptor and specific antidiabetic properties, taking also advantage of the fact that this antagonist was obtained in a soluble and correctly folded form and without an initial methionine.

scholarly journals The Topology of the l-Arginine Exporter ArgO Conforms to an Nin-CoutConfiguration in Escherichia coli: Requirement for the Cytoplasmic N-Terminal Domain, Functional Helical Interactions, and an Aspartate Pair for ArgO Function

2016 ◽  
Vol 198 (23) ◽  
pp. 3186-3199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amit Pathania ◽  
Arvind Kumar Gupta ◽  
Swati Dubey ◽  
Balasubramanian Gopal ◽  
Abhijit A. Sardesai
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Cytoplasmic Membrane ◽  
Basic Amino Acid ◽  
Intramolecular Interactions ◽  
Membrane Topology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Terminal Domain

ABSTRACTArgO and LysE are members of the LysE family of exporter proteins and ordinarily mediate the export ofl-arginine (Arg) inEscherichia coliandl-lysine (Lys) and Arg inCorynebacterium glutamicum, respectively. Under certain conditions, ArgO also mediates Lys export. To delineate the arrangement of ArgO in the cytoplasmic membrane ofE. coli, we have employed a combination of cysteine accessibilityin situ, alkaline phosphatase fusion reporters, and protein modeling to arrive at a topological model of ArgO. Our studies indicate that ArgO assumes an Nin-Coutconfiguration, potentially forming a five-transmembrane helix bundle flanked by a cytoplasmic N-terminal domain (NTD) comprising roughly its first 38 to 43 amino acyl residues and a short periplasmic C-terminal region (CTR). Mutagenesis studies indicate that the CTR, but not the NTD, is dispensable for ArgO functionin vivoand that a pair of conserved aspartate residues, located near the opposing edges of the cytoplasmic membrane, may play a pivotal role in facilitating transmembrane Arg flux. Additional studies on amino acid substitutions that impair ArgO functionin vivoand their derivatives bearing compensatory amino acid alterations indicate a role for intramolecular interactions in the Arg export mechanism, and some interactions are corroborated by normal-mode analyses. Lastly, our studies suggest that ArgO may exist as a monomerin vivo, thus highlighting the requirement for intramolecular interactions in ArgO, as opposed to interactions across multiple ArgO monomers, in the formation of an Arg-translocating conduit.IMPORTANCEThe orthologous proteins LysE ofC. glutamicumand ArgO ofE. colifunction as exporters of the basic amino acidsl-arginine andl-lysine and the basic amino acidl-arginine, respectively, and LysE can functionally substitute for ArgO when expressed inE. coli. Notwithstanding this functional equivalence, studies reported here show that ArgO possesses a membrane topology that is distinct from that reported for LysE, with substantial variation in the topological arrangement of the proximal one-third portions of the two exporters. Additional genetic andin silicostudies reveal the importance of (i) the cytoplasmic N-terminal domain, (ii) a pair of conserved aspartate residues, and (iii) potential intramolecular interactions in ArgO function and indicate that an Arg-translocating conduit is formed by a monomer of ArgO.

scholarly journals Molecular characterization of the TonB2 protein from the fish pathogen Vibrio anguillarum

2009 ◽  
Vol 418 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia S. López ◽  
R. Sean Peacock ◽  
Jorge H. Crosa ◽  
Hans J. Vogel
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Solution Structure ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Vibrio Anguillarum ◽  
Fish Pathogen ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Terminal Domain ◽  
C Terminus

In the fish pathogen Vibrio anguillarum the TonB2 protein is essential for the uptake of the indigenous siderophore anguibactin. Here we describe deletion mutants and alanine replacements affecting the final six amino acids of TonB2. Deletions of more than two amino acids of the TonB2 C-terminus abolished ferric-anguibactin transport, whereas replacement of the last three residues resulted in a protein with wild-type transport properties. We have solved the high-resolution solution structure of the TonB2 C-terminal domain by NMR spectroscopy. The core of this domain (residues 121–206) has an αββαβ structure, whereas residues 76–120 are flexible and extended. This overall folding topology is similar to the Escherichia coli TonB C-terminal domain, albeit with two differences: the β4 strand found at the C-terminus of TonB is absent in TonB2, and loop 3 is extended by 9 Å (0.9 nm) in TonB2. By examining several mutants, we determined that a complete loop 3 is not essential for TonB2 activity. Our results indicate that the β4 strand of E. coli TonB is not required for activity of the TonB system across Gram-negative bacterial species. We have also determined, through NMR chemical-shift-perturbation experiments, that the E. coli TonB binds in vitro to the TonB box from the TonB2-dependent outer membrane transporter FatA; moreover, it can substitute in vivo for TonB2 during ferric-anguibactin transport in V. anguillarum. Unexpectedly, TonB2 did not bind in vitro to the FatA TonB-box region, suggesting that additional factors may be required to promote this interaction. Overall our results indicate that TonB2 is a representative of a different class of TonB proteins.

scholarly journals An Atypical KdpD Homologue from the Cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. Strain L-31: Cloning, In Vivo Expression, and Interaction with Escherichia coli KdpD-CTD

2005 ◽  
Vol 187 (14) ◽  
pp. 4921-4927 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anand Ballal ◽  
Marc Bramkamp ◽  
Hema Rajaram ◽  
Petra Zimmann ◽  
Shree Kumar Apte ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Response Regulator ◽  
Nitrilotriacetic Acid ◽  
Soluble Form ◽  
Filamentous Cyanobacterium ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Transmembrane Segments ◽  
Terminal Domain

ABSTRACT The kdpFABC operon of Escherichia coli, coding for the high-affinity K+ transport system KdpFABC, is transcriptionally regulated by the products of the adjacently located kdpDE genes. The KdpD protein is a membrane-bound sensor kinase consisting of a large N-terminal domain and a C-terminal transmitter domain interconnected by four transmembrane segments (the transmembrane segments together with the C-terminal transmitter domain of KdpD are referred to as CTD), while KdpE is a cytosolic response regulator. We have cloned and sequenced the kdp operon from a nitrogen-fixing, filamentous cyanobacterium, Anabaena sp. strain L-31 (GenBank accession. number AF213466 ). The kdpABC genes are similar in size to those of E. coli, but the kdpD gene is short (coding only for 365 amino acids), showing homology only to the N-terminal domain of E. coli KdpD. A kdpE-like gene is absent in the vicinity of this operon. Anabaena KdpD with six C-terminal histidines was overproduced in E. coli and purified by Ni2+-nitrilotriacetic acid affinity chromatography. With antisera raised against the purified Anabaena KdpD, the protein was detected in Anabaena sp. strain L-31 membranes. The membrane-associated or soluble form of the Anabaena KdpD(6His) could be photoaffinity labeled with the ATP analog 8-azido-ATP, indicating the presence of an ATP binding site. The coproduction of Anabaena KdpD with E. coli KdpD-CTD decreased E. coli kdpFABC expression in response to K+ limitation in vivo relative to the wild-type KdpD-CTD protein. In vitro experiments revealed that the kinase activity of the E. coli KdpD-CTD was unaffected, but its phosphatase activity increased in the presence of Anabaena KdpD(6His). To our knowledge this is the first report where a heterologous N-terminal domain (Anabaena KdpD) is shown to affect in trans KdpD-CTD (E. coli) activity, which is just opposite to that observed for the KdpD-N-terminal domain of E. coli.

scholarly journals Electron Inventory of the Iron-Sulfur Scaffold Complex HypCD Essential in [NiFe]-Hydrogenase Cofactor Assembly

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sven T. Stripp ◽  
Jonathan Oltmanns ◽  
Christina S. Müller ◽  
David Ehrenberg ◽  
Ramona Schlesinger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Redox Reactions ◽  
Expression And Purification ◽  
Metal Centers ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Iron Sulfur ◽  
Reducing Conditions ◽  
Redox Active ◽  
Purification System ◽  
Efficient Expression

The [4Fe-4S] cluster containing scaffold complex HypCD is the central construction site for the assembly of the [Fe](CN)2CO cofactor precursor of [NiFe]-hydrogenase. While the importance of the HypCD complex is well established, not much is known about the mechanism by which the CN– and CO ligands are transferred and attached to the iron ion. We report an efficient expression and purification system producing the HypCD complex from E. coli with complete metal content. This enabled in-depth spectroscopic characterizations. The results obtained by EPR and Mössbauer spectroscopy demonstrate that the [Fe](CN)2CO cofactor and the [4Fe-4S] cluster of the HypCD complex are redox active. The data indicate a potential-dependent interconversion of the [Fe]2+/3+ and [4Fe-4S]2+/+ couple, respectively. Moreover, ATR FTIR spectroscopy reveals potential-dependent disulfide formation, which hints at an electron confurcation step between the metal centers. MicroScale thermophoresis indicates preferable binding between the HypCD complex and its in vivo interaction partner HypE under reducing conditions. Together, these results provide comprehensive evidence for an electron inventory fit to drive multi-electron redox reactions required for the assembly of the CN– and CO ligands on the scaffold complex HypCD.

scholarly journals Architecture and self-assembly of the Clostridium sporogenes/botulinum spore surface illustrate a general protective strategy across spore formers

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thamarai K. Janganan ◽  
Nic Mullin ◽  
Ainhoa Dafis-Sagarmendi ◽  
Jason Brunt ◽  
Svetomir B. Tzokov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Self Assembly ◽  
Clostridium Sporogenes ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Cysteine Rich Protein ◽  
Reducing Conditions ◽  
Group I ◽  
Protective Strategy ◽  
Additional Protein ◽  
Protective Structures

AbstractSpores, the infectious agents of many Firmicutes, are remarkably resilient cell forms. Even distant relatives have similar spore architectures incorporating protective proteinaceous envelopes. We reveal in nanometer detail how the outer envelope (exosporium) in Clostridium sporogenes (surrogate for C. botulinum group I), and in other Clostridial relatives, forms a hexagonally symmetric molecular filter. A cysteine-rich protein, CsxA, when expressed in E. coli, self-assembles into a highly thermally stable structure identical to native exosporium. Like exosporium, CsxA arrays require harsh reducing conditions for disassembly. We conclude that in vivo, CsxA self-organises into a highly resilient, disulphide cross-linked array decorated with additional protein appendages enveloping the forespore. This pattern is remarkably similar in Bacillus spores, despite lack of protein homology. In both cases, intracellular disulphide formation is favoured by the high lattice symmetry. We propose that cysteine-rich proteins identified in distantly related spore formers may adopt a similar strategy for intracellular assembly of robust protective structures.

scholarly journals Periplasmic Synthesis and Purification of the Human Prolactin Antagonist Δ1-11-G129R-hPRL

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miriam Fussae Suzuki ◽  
Larissa Andrade Almeida ◽  
Stephanie Angelo Pomin ◽  
Felipe Douglas Silva ◽  
Renan Passos Freire ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Size Exclusion Chromatography ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Signal Sequence ◽  
Osmotic Shock ◽  
Size Exclusion ◽  
Specific Expression ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Human Prolactin ◽  
Exclusion Chromatography

Abstract The human prolactin antagonist Δ1-11-G129R-hPRL is a 21.9 kDa recombinant protein with 188 amino acids that downregulates the proliferation of a variety of cells expressing prolactin receptors. Periplasmic expression of recombinant proteins in E. coli has been considered an option for obtaining a soluble and correctly folded protein, as an alternative to cytoplasmic production. The aim of this work was, therefore, to synthesize for the first time, the Δ1-11-G129R-hPRL antagonist, testing different activation temperatures and purifying it by classical chromatographic techniques. E. coli BL21(DE3) strain was transformed with a plasmid based on the pET25b(+) vector, DsbA signal sequence and the antagonist cDNA sequence. Different doses of IPTG were added, activating under different temperatures, and extracting the periplasmic fluid via osmotic shock. The best conditions were achieved by activating at 35 °C for 5 h using 0.4 mM IPTG, which gave a specific expression of 0.157±0.015 μg/mL/A600 at a final optical density of 3.43±0.13 A600. Purification was carried out by nickel-affinity chromatography followed by size-exclusion chromatography, quantification being performed via high-performance size-exclusion chromatography (HPSEC). The prolactin antagonist was characterized by SDS-PAGE, Western blotting, reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and MALDI-TOF-MS. The final product presented >95% purity and its antagonistic effects were evaluated in vitro in view of potential clinical applications, including inhibition of the proliferation of cancer cells overexpressing the prolactin receptor and specific antidiabetic properties, taking also advantage of the fact that this antagonist was obtained in a soluble and correctly folded form and without an initial methionine.

scholarly journals In vivo amyloid-like fibrils produced under stress

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natália A. Fontana ◽  
Ariane D. Rosse ◽  
Anthony Watts ◽  
Paulo S. R. Coelho ◽  
Antonio J. Costa-Filho
Keyword(s):  
Direct Detection ◽  
Size Exclusion ◽  
Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Lifetime Imaging ◽  
Exclusion Chromatography ◽  
Higher Temperature ◽  
Β Sheets ◽  
First Time

AbstractThe participation of amyloids in neurodegenerative diseases and in functional processes has triggered the quest for methods allowing their direct detection in vivo. Despite the plethora of data, those methods are still lacking. We used the autofluorescence from the extended β-sheets of amyloids to follow fibrillation of S. cerevisiae Golgi Reassembly and Stacking Protein (Grh1). Grh1 has been implicated in starvation-triggered unconventional protein secretion (UPS) and here we suggest the idea of its participation also in heat shock response (HSR). Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging (FLIM) was used to detect fibril autofluorescence in cells (E. coli and yeast) under stress (starvation and higher temperature). The formation of Grh1 large complexes under stress was further supported by size exclusion chromatography and ultracentrifugation. Our data show the first-time in vivo detection of amyloids without the use of extrinsic probes as well as bring new perspectives on the participation of Grh1 in UPS and HSR.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document