scholarly journals Assembly status transition offers an avenue for activity modulation of a supramolecular enzyme

eLife ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yao Chen ◽  
Weiya Xu ◽  
Shuwei Yu ◽  
Kang Ni ◽  
Guangbiao She ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Self Assembly ◽  
Active Sites ◽  
Functional Coupling ◽  
On Demand ◽  
Status Transition ◽  
Cellular Factors ◽  
Catalytically Active ◽  
Regulatory Properties

Nature has evolved many supramolecular proteins assembled in certain, sometimes even seemingly oversophisticated, morphological manners. The rationale behind such evolutionary efforts is often poorly understood. Here, we provide atomic-resolution insights into how the dynamic building of a structurally complex enzyme with higher order symmetry offers amenability to intricate regulation. We have established the functional coupling between enzymatic activity and protein morphological states of glutamine synthetase (GS), an old multi-subunit enzyme essential for cellular nitrogen metabolism. Cryo-EM structure determination of GS in both the catalytically active and inactive assembly states allows us to reveal an unanticipated self-assembly-induced disorder-order transition paradigm, in which the remote interactions between two subcomplex entities significantly rigidify the otherwise structurally fluctuating active sites, thereby regulating activity. We further show in vivo evidences that how the enzyme morphology transitions could be modulated by cellular factors on demand. Collectively, our data present an example of how assembly status transition offers an avenue for activity modulation, and sharpens our mechanistic understanding of the complex functional and regulatory properties of supramolecular enzymes.

scholarly journals Assembly status transition offers an avenue for activity modulation of a supramolecular enzyme

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yao Chen ◽  
Weiya Xu ◽  
Shuwei Yu ◽  
Kang Ni ◽  
Guangbiao She ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Self Assembly ◽  
Active Sites ◽  
Functional Coupling ◽  
On Demand ◽  
Status Transition ◽  
Cellular Factors ◽  
Catalytically Active ◽  
Regulatory Properties

Nature has evolved many supramolecular proteins assembled in certain morphological manners, sometimes even seemingly oversophisticated. The rationale behind such evolutionary efforts is often poorly understood. Here we provide atomic-resolution insights into how the dynamic building of a structurally complex enzyme with higher-order symmetry offers amenability to intricate allosteric regulation. We have established the functional coupling between enzymatic activity and protein morphological states of glutamine synthetase (GS), an old multi-subunit enzyme essential for cellular nitrogen metabolism. Cryo-EM structure determination of GS in both the catalytically active and inactive assembly states allows us to reveal an unanticipated self-assembly-induced dynamics-driven allosteric paradigm, in which the remote interactions between two GS rings significantly rigidify the otherwise structurally fluctuating active sites, thereby regulating activity. We further show in vivo evidences that how the GS morphology transitions could be modulated by cellular factors on demand. Collectively, our data present an example of how assembly status transition offers an avenue for allosteric modulation, and sharpens our mechanistic understanding of allostery, dynamics, cooperativity, and other complex functional and regulatory properties of supramolecular enzymes.

scholarly journals Evaluation of a Model Photo-Caged Dehydropeptide as a Stimuli-Responsive Supramolecular Hydrogel

Nanomaterials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 704
Author(s):  
Peter J. Jervis ◽  
Loic Hilliou ◽  
Renato B. Pereira ◽  
David M. Pereira ◽  
José A. Martins ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Self Assembly ◽  
Uv Light ◽  
Aqueous Media ◽  
Intramolecular Interactions ◽  
Biologically Active ◽  
Wound Dressings ◽  
Supramolecular Hydrogel ◽  
On Demand ◽  
Proteolytic Resistance

Short peptides capped on the N-terminus with aromatic groups are often able to form supramolecular hydrogels, via self-assembly, in aqueous media. The rheological properties of these readily tunable hydrogels resemble those of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and therefore have potential for various biological applications, such as tissue engineering, biosensors, 3D bioprinting, drug delivery systems and wound dressings. We herein report a new photo-responsive supramolecular hydrogel based on a “caged” dehydropeptide (CNB-Phe-ΔPhe-OH 2), containing a photo-cleavable carboxy-2-nitrobenzyl (CNB) group. We have characterized this hydrogel using a range of techniques. Irradiation with UV light cleaves the pendant aromatic capping group, to liberate the corresponding uncaged model dehydropeptide (H-Phe-ΔPhe-OH 3), a process which was investigated by 1H NMR and HPLC studies. Crucially, this cleavage of the capping group is accompanied by dissolution of the hydrogel (studied visually and by fluorescence spectroscopy), as the delicate balance of intramolecular interactions within the hydrogel structure is disrupted. Hydrogels which can be disassembled non-invasively with temporal and spatial control have great potential for specialized on-demand drug release systems, wound dressing materials and various topical treatments. Both 2 and 3 were found to be non-cytotoxic to the human keratinocyte cell line, HaCaT. The UV-responsive hydrogel system reported here is complementary to previously reported related UV-responsive systems, which are generally composed of peptides formed from canonical amino acids, which are susceptible to enzymatic proteolysis in vivo. This system is based on a dehydrodipeptide structure which is known to confer proteolytic resistance. We have investigated the ability of the photo-activated system to accelerate the release of the antibiotic, ciprofloxacin, as well as some other small model drug compounds. We have also conducted some initial studies towards skin-related applications. Moreover, this model system could potentially be adapted for on-demand “self-delivery”, through the uncaging of known biologically active dehydrodipeptides.

scholarly journals What macromolecular crystallogenesis tells us – what is needed in the future

IUCrJ ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 340-349 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Giegé
Keyword(s):  
Self Assembly ◽  
Inorganic Materials ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Biologically Relevant ◽  
Cellular Processes ◽  
The Future

Crystallogenesis is a longstanding topic that has transformed into a discipline that is mainly focused on the preparation of crystals for practising crystallographers. Although the idiosyncratic features of proteins have to be taken into account, the crystallization of proteins is governed by the same physics as the crystallization of inorganic materials. At present, a diversified panel of crystallization methods adapted to proteins has been validated, and although only a few methods are in current practice, the success rate of crystallization has increased constantly, leading to the determination of ∼105X-ray structures. These structures reveal a huge repertoire of protein folds, but they only cover a restricted part of macromolecular diversity across the tree of life. In the future, crystals representative of missing structures or that will better document the structural dynamics and functional steps underlying biological processes need to be grown. For the pertinent choice of biologically relevant targets, computer-guided analysis of structural databases is needed. From another perspective, crystallization is a self-assembly process that can occur in the bulk of crowded fluids, with crystals being supramolecular assemblies. Life also uses self-assembly and supramolecular processes leading to transient, or less often stable, complexes. An integrated view of supramolecularity implies that proteins crystallizing eitherin vitroorin vivoor participating in cellular processes share common attributes, notably determinants and antideterminants that favour or disfavour their correct or incorrect associations. As a result, underin vivoconditions proteins show a balance between features that favour or disfavour association. If this balance is broken, disorders/diseases occur. Understanding crystallization underin vivoconditions is a challenge for the future. In this quest, the analysis of packing contacts and contacts within oligomers will be crucial in order to decipher the rules governing protein self-assembly and will guide the engineering of novel biomaterials. In a wider perspective, understanding such contacts will open the route towards supramolecular biology and generalized crystallogenesis.

scholarly journals A one-step rapid synthesis of TS-1 zeolites with highly catalytically active mononuclear TiO6 species

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (19) ◽  
pp. 9677-9683 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenjing Xu ◽  
Tianjun Zhang ◽  
Risheng Bai ◽  
Peng Zhang ◽  
Jihong Yu
Keyword(s):  
Active Sites ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Rational Design ◽  
Heterogeneous Catalysts ◽  
Rapid Synthesis ◽  
Catalytically Active ◽  
One Step

The modulation and determination of the coordination environments of Ti active sites in titanosilicate zeolites are key challenges in the rational design of high-performance heterogeneous catalysts.

In vitro and in vivo polysaccharides assembly: ultrastructural and cytochemical study of growing plant cell wall components.

1978 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 434-435
Author(s):  
D. Reis ◽  
B. Vian ◽  
J. C. Roland
Keyword(s):  
Cell Wall ◽  
Self Assembly ◽  
Plant Cell Wall ◽  
Higher Plants ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Cytochemical Study ◽  
Wall Components

Wall morphogenesis in higher plants is a problem still open to controversy. Until now the possibility of a transmembrane control and the involvement of microtubules were mostly envisaged. Self-assembly processes have been observed in the case of walls of Chlamydomonas and bacteria. Spontaneous gelling interactions between xanthan and galactomannan from Ceratonia have been analyzed very recently. The present work provides indications that some processes of spontaneous aggregation could occur in higher plants during the formation and expansion of cell wall.Observations were performed on hypocotyl of mung bean (Phaseolus aureus) for which growth characteristics and wall composition have been previously defined.In situ, the walls of actively growing cells (primary walls) show an ordered three-dimensional organization (fig. 1). The wall is typically polylamellate with multifibrillar layers alternately transverse and longitudinal. Between these layers intermediate strata exist in which the orientation of microfibrils progressively rotates. Thus a progressive change in the morphogenetic activity occurs.

A Molecular Approach to Immunoscintigraphy: A Study of the T-Antigen Conformation on the Surface of Tumors

1987 ◽  
Vol 26 (01) ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Selvaraj ◽  
M. R. Suresh ◽  
G. McLean ◽  
D. Willans ◽  
C. Turner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Monoclonal Antibodies ◽  
Tumor Cell ◽  
T Antigen ◽  
Human Carcinomas ◽  
Animal Tumor ◽  
Synthetic Antigens

The role of glycoconjugates in tumor cell differentiation has been well documented. We have examined the expression of the two anomers of the Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen on the surface of human, canine and murine tumor cell membranes both in vitro and in vivo. This has been accomplished through the synthesis of the disaccharide terminal residues in both a and ß configuration. Both entities were used to generate murine monoclonal antibodies which recognized the carbohydrate determinants. The determination of fine specificities of these antibodies was effected by means of cellular uptake, immunohistopathology and immunoscintigraphy. Examination of pathological specimens of human and canine tumor tissue indicated that the expressed antigen was in the β configuration. More than 89% of all human carcinomas tested expressed the antigen in the above anomeric form. The combination of synthetic antigens and monoclonal antibodies raised specifically against them provide us with invaluable tools for the study of tumor marker expression in humans and their respective animal tumor models.

Storage of Human Blood Platelets

1974 ◽  
Vol 32 (02/03) ◽  
pp. 405-416 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. R Hardeman ◽  
Carina J L. Heynens
Keyword(s):  
Storage Temperature ◽  
Platelet Rich Plasma ◽  
Blood Platelets ◽  
Storage Period ◽  
Serotonin Uptake ◽  
Hypotonic Shock ◽  
Glycolytic Intermediates

SummaryStorage experiments were performed at 4°, 25° and 37° C with platelet-rich plasma under sterile conditions. In some experiments also the effect of storing platelets at 4° C in whole blood was investigated.Before, during and after three days of storage, the platelets were tested at 37° C for their serotonin uptake and response to hypotonic shock. In addition some glycolytic intermediates were determined.A fair correlation was noticed between the serotonin uptake and hypotonic shock experiments. Both parameters were best maintained at 25° C. Also platelet counting, performed after the storage period, indicated 25° C as the best storage temperature. Determination of glycolytic intermediates did not justify any conclusion regarding the optimal storage temperature. Of the various anticoagulants studied, ACD and heparin gave the best results as to the serotonin uptake and hypotonic shock response, either with fresh or stored platelets. The use of EDTA resulted in the lowest activity, especially after storage.The results of these storage experiments in vitro, correspond well with those in vivo reported in the literature.

Programmable in vitro Co-Encapsidation of Guest Proteins Inside Protein Nanocages

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noor H. Dashti ◽  
Rufika S. Abidin ◽  
Frank Sainsbury
Keyword(s):  
Self Assembly ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Resonance Energy Transfer ◽  
Resonance Energy ◽  
Super Resolution ◽  
Cell Engineering ◽  
Particle Analysis ◽  
Protein Cages

Bioinspired self-sorting and self-assembling systems using engineered versions of natural protein cages have been developed for biocatalysis and therapeutic delivery. The packaging and intracellular delivery of guest proteins is of particular interest for both <i>in vitro</i> and <i>in vivo</i> cell engineering. However, there is a lack of platforms in bionanotechnology that combine programmable guest protein encapsidation with efficient intracellular uptake. We report a minimal peptide anchor for <i>in vivo</i> self-sorting of cargo-linked capsomeres of the Murine polyomavirus (MPyV) major coat protein that enables controlled encapsidation of guest proteins by <i>in vitro</i> self-assembly. Using Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) we demonstrate the flexibility in this system to support co-encapsidation of multiple proteins. Complementing these ensemble measurements with single particle analysis by super-resolution microscopy shows that the stochastic nature of co-encapsidation is an overriding principle. This has implications for the design and deployment of both native and engineered self-sorting encapsulation systems and for the assembly of infectious virions. Taking advantage of the encoded affinity for sialic acids ubiquitously displayed on the surface of mammalian cells, we demonstrate the ability of self-assembled MPyV virus-like particles to mediate efficient delivery of guest proteins to the cytosol of primary human cells. This platform for programmable co-encapsidation and efficient cytosolic delivery of complementary biomolecules therefore has enormous potential in cell engineering.

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