scholarly journals Membrane dynamics of Notch-bound γ-secretase produces two distinct Notch conformations

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Tang ◽  
B. Dehury ◽  
K. P. Kepp
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Molecular Dynamics ◽  
Cleavage Site ◽  
Substrate Binding ◽  
Water System ◽  
Membrane Dynamics ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Peptide Bonds ◽  
Frozen Solution ◽  
Notch Cleavage

AbstractCleavage of Notch by the major intramembrane aspartyl protease complex γ-secretase is a central event in cell regulation and is also important to Alzheimer’s disease, with more than 200 mutations in the catalytic subunit of γ-secretase (PS1) causing severe early-onset forms of the disease. Recently, cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has revealed the electron density of the protein-Notch complex in frozen solution, indicating major changes upon substrate binding and a possible helix unwinding to expose peptide bonds. In order understand the all-atom dynamics that cause this process, and to test the Notch binding in a membrane protein rather than solution, we developed an all-atom model of mature wild-type γ-secretase bound to Notch in a complete membrane-water system and studied the system using three independent 500-nanosecond molecular dynamics simulations. Our ensembles are in essential agreement with known cryo-EM data. As in previous simulations we find unusual β-strand transitions in exposed parts of PS1. We also observe the atomic helix motions that cause loss of helicity in bound Notch by direct comparison to corresponding 500 ns simulations of free Notch, in particular five residues to the N-terminal site of the primary cleavage site. Most importantly, we identify three conformation states, with two of them differing in the Notch-bound catalytic site. These dynamics produce a ping-pong relationship of positioning the S3 cleavage sites of Notch relative to the aspartates. These conformation states are not visible in the cryo-EM data; probably the density is an average snapshot of the two states. Our identified conformation states rationalize how Notch cleavage can be imprecise and yield multiple products. Our identified conformation states may aid efforts to develop conformation-selective drugs that target C99 and Notch cleavage differently.Statement of SignificanceThe atomic dynamics underlying cleavage of Notch by γ-secretase in the membrane is of major biological importance. Electron microscopy has revealed the protein-Notch complex in frozen solution, showing major changes upon substrate binding and helix unwinding to expose peptide bonds, but does not explain why substrate cleavage is imprecise and produces several products. Our model of wild-type γ-secretase bound to Notch in a complete membrane-water system equilibrated by 3 × 500 nanoseconds of molecular dynamics strongly complements the electron microscopy data: We identify the specific loop and helix motions that cause the β-strand transitions in PS1 and the loss of helicity in specific residues of bound Notch. We identify different conformations of Notch, which importantly affect the S3 cleavage site; the open state may cause the imprecise cleavage with earlier release of products. Our identified states can aid development of conformation-selective drugs that target C99 and Notch cleavage differently.

scholarly journals Site-Specific Protein Modifications by an Engineered Asparaginyl Endopeptidase from Viola canadensis

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Chen ◽  
Dingpeng Zhang ◽  
Xiaohong Zhang ◽  
Zhen Wang ◽  
Chuan-Fa Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Substrate Binding ◽  
Specific Protein ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Peptide Bonds ◽  
Site Specific ◽  
Protein Modifications ◽  
Cyclic Product ◽  
Binding Pockets ◽  
Key Residues ◽  
Mcf 7

Asparaginyl endopeptidases (AEPs) or legumains are Asn/Asp (Asx)-specific proteases that break peptide bonds, but also function as peptide asparaginyl ligases (PALs) that make peptide bonds. This ligase activity can be used for site-specific protein modifications in biochemical and biotechnological applications. Although AEPs are common, PALs are rare. We previously proposed ligase activity determinants (LADs) of these enzymes that could determine whether they catalyze formation or breakage of peptide bonds. LADs are key residues forming the S2 and S1′ substrate-binding pockets flanking the S1 active site. Here, we build on the LAD hypothesis with the engineering of ligases from proteases by mutating the S2 and S1′ pockets of VcAEP, an AEP from Viola canadensis. Wild type VcAEP yields <5% cyclic product from a linear substrate at pH 6.5, whereas the single mutants VcAEP-V238A (Vc1a) and VcAEP-Y168A (Vc1b) targeting the S2 and S1′ substrate-binding pockets yielded 34 and 61% cyclic products, respectively. The double mutant VcAEP-V238A/Y168A (Vc1c) targeting both the S2 and S1′ substrate-binding pockets yielded >90% cyclic products. Vc1c had cyclization efficiency of 917,759 M−1s−1, which is one of the fastest rates for ligases yet reported. Vc1c is useful for protein engineering applications, including labeling of DARPins and cell surface MCF-7, as well as producing cyclic protein sfGFP. Together, our work validates the importance of LADs for AEP ligase activity and provides valuable tools for site-specific modification of proteins and biologics.

scholarly journals Exploration of the cofactor specificity of wild-type phosphite dehydrogenase and its mutant using molecular dynamics simulations

RSC Advances ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (24) ◽  
pp. 14527-14533
Author(s):  
Kunlu Liu ◽  
Min Wang ◽  
Yubo Zhou ◽  
Hongxiang Wang ◽  
Yudong Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Dynamics ◽  
Molecular Dynamics Simulations ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Cofactor Specificity ◽  
Phosphite Dehydrogenase ◽  
Dynamics Simulations

Phosphite dehydrogenase (Pdh) catalyzes the NAD-dependent oxidation of phosphite to phosphate with the formation of NADH.

scholarly journals Molecular Dynamics of Chloroplast Membranes Isolated from Wild-Type Barley and a Brassinosteroid-Deficient Mutant Acclimated to Low and High Temperatures

Biomolecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 27
Author(s):  
Iwona Sadura ◽  
Dariusz Latowski ◽  
Jana Oklestkova ◽  
Damian Gruszka ◽  
Marek Chyc ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Dynamics ◽  
Temperature Stress ◽  
High Temperatures ◽  
Biological Membrane ◽  
Hydrophobic Core ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Chloroplast Membranes ◽  
Paramagnetic Resonance ◽  
Photosynthetic Membranes

Plants have developed various acclimation strategies in order to counteract the negative effects of abiotic stresses (including temperature stress), and biological membranes are important elements in these strategies. Brassinosteroids (BR) are plant steroid hormones that regulate plant growth and development and modulate their reaction against many environmental stresses including temperature stress, but their role in modifying the properties of the biological membrane is poorly known. In this paper, we characterise the molecular dynamics of chloroplast membranes that had been isolated from wild-type and a BR-deficient barley mutant that had been acclimated to low and high temperatures in order to enrich the knowledge about the role of BR as regulators of the dynamics of the photosynthetic membranes. The molecular dynamics of the membranes was investigated using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy in both a hydrophilic and hydrophobic area of the membranes. The content of BR was determined, and other important membrane components that affect their molecular dynamics such as chlorophylls, carotenoids and fatty acids in these membranes were also determined. The chloroplast membranes of the BR-mutant had a higher degree of rigidification than the membranes of the wild type. In the hydrophilic area, the most visible differences were observed in plants that had been grown at 20 °C, whereas in the hydrophobic core, they were visible at both 20 and 5 °C. There were no differences in the molecular dynamics of the studied membranes in the chloroplast membranes that had been isolated from plants that had been grown at 27 °C. The role of BR in regulating the molecular dynamics of the photosynthetic membranes will be discussed against the background of an analysis of the photosynthetic pigments and fatty acid composition in the chloroplasts.

scholarly journals Experimental and molecular dynamics studies of an ultra-fast sequential hydrogen plasma process for fabricating phosphorene-based sensors

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Rajabali ◽  
H. Asgharyan ◽  
V. Fadaei Naeini ◽  
A. Boudaghi ◽  
B. Zabihi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Molecular Dynamics ◽  
Field Effect ◽  
Field Effect Transistors ◽  
Hydrogen Plasma ◽  
Device Fabrication ◽  
Dynamics Simulation ◽  
Red Phosphorus ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Low Concentration

AbstractLow concentration phosphorene-based sensors have been fabricated using a facile and ultra-fast process which is based on an exfoliation-free sequential hydrogen plasma treatment to convert the amorphous phosphorus thin film into mono- or few-layered phosphorene sheets. These sheets have been realized directly on silicon substrates followed by the fabrication of field-effect transistors showing the low leakage current and reasonable mobility for the nano-sensors. Being capable of covering the whole surface of the silicon substrate, red phosphorus (RP) coated substrate has been employed to achieve large area phosphorene sheets. Unlike the available techniques including mechanical exfoliation, there is no need for any exfoliation and/or transfer step which is significant progress in shortening the device fabrication procedure. These phosphorene sheets have been examined using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy and atomic-force microscopy (AFM). Electrical output in different states of the crystallization as well as its correlation with the test parameters have been also extensively used to examine the evolution of the phosphorene sheets. By utilizing the fabricated devices, the sensitivity of the phosphorene based-field effect transistors to the soluble L-Cysteine in low concentrations has been studied by measuring the FET response to the different concentrations. At a gate voltage of − 2.5 V, the range of 0.07 to 0.60 mg/ml of the L-Cysteine has been distinguishably detected presenting a gate-controlled sensor for a low-concentration solution. A reactive molecular dynamics simulation has been also performed to track the details of this plasma-based crystallization. The obtained results showed that the imparted energy from hydrogen plasma resulted in a phase transition from a system containing red phosphorus atoms to the crystal one. Interestingly and according to the simulation results, there is a directional preference of crystal growth as the crystalline domains are being formed and RP atoms are more likely to re-locate in armchair than in zigzag direction.

Normal Synaptonemal Complex and Abnormal Recombination Nodules in Two Alleles of the Drosophila Meiotic Mutant mei-W68

Genetics ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 163 (4) ◽  
pp. 1337-1356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adelaide T C Carpenter
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Synaptonemal Complex ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Serial Section ◽  
The Other ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Recombination Nodules ◽  
Section Electron ◽  
Serial Section Electron Microscopy ◽  
Section Electron Microscopy

Abstract The meiotic phenotypes of two mutant alleles of the mei-W68 gene, 1 and L1, were studied by genetics and by serial-section electron microscopy. Despite no or reduced exchange, both mutant alleles have normal synaptonemal complex. However, neither has any early recombination nodules; instead, both exhibit high numbers of very long (up to 2 μm) structures here named “noodles.” These are hypothesized to be formed by the unchecked extension of identical but much shorter structures ephemerally seen in wild type, which may be precursors of early recombination nodules. Although the mei-W68L1 allele is identical to the mei-W681 allele in both the absence of early recombination nodules and a high frequency of noodles (i.e., it is amorphic for the noodle phene), it is hypomorphic in its effects on exchange and late recombination nodules. The differential effects of this allele on early and late recombination nodules are consistent with the hypothesis that Drosophila females have two separate recombination pathways—one for simple gene conversion, the other for exchange.

Observation of “Ionic Lock” Formation in Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Wild-Type β1and β2Adrenergic Receptors

Biochemistry ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 48 (22) ◽  
pp. 4789-4797 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefano Vanni ◽  
Marilisa Neri ◽  
Ivano Tavernelli ◽  
Ursula Rothlisberger
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Dynamics ◽  
Molecular Dynamics Simulations ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Dynamics Simulations

Self-diffusion of lignite/water under different temperatures and pressure: A molecular dynamics study

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (01) ◽  
pp. 1550253 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinjian Liu ◽  
Yu Jin ◽  
Congliang Huang ◽  
Jingfeng He ◽  
Zhonghao Rao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Dynamics ◽  
Water System ◽  
Simulation Method ◽  
The Self ◽  
Dynamics Simulation ◽  
Low Rank ◽  
Self Diffusion ◽  
Change Mechanism ◽  
Different Temperatures ◽  
Temperature And Pressure

Temperature and pressure have direct and remarkable implications for drying and dewatering effect of low rank coals such as lignite. To understand the microenergy change mechanism of lignite, the molecular dynamics simulation method was performed to study the self-diffusion of lignite/water under different temperatures and pressure. The results showed that high temperature and high pressure can promote the diffusion of lignite/water system, which facilitates the drying and dewatering of lignite. The volume and density of lignite/water system will increase and decrease with temperature increasing, respectively. Though the pressure within simulation range can make lignite density increase, the increasing pressure showed a weak impact on variation of density.

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