Gastric proton pump with two occluded K+ engineered with sodium pump-mimetic mutations

The gastric H+,K+-ATPase mediates electroneutral exchange of 1H+/1K+ per ATP hydrolysed across the membrane. Previous structural analysis of the K+-occluded E2-P transition state of H+,K+-ATPase showed a single bound K+ at cation-binding site II, in marked contrast to the two K+ ions occluded at sites I and II of the closely-related Na+,K+-ATPase which mediates electrogenic 3Na+/2K+ translocation across the membrane. The molecular basis of the different K+ stoichiometry between these K+-counter-transporting pumps is elusive. We show a series of crystal structures and a cryo-EM structure of H+,K+-ATPase mutants with changes in the vicinity of site I, based on the structure of the sodium pump. Our step-wise and tailored construction of the mutants finally gave a two-K+ bound H+,K+-ATPase, achieved by five mutations, including amino acids directly coordinating K+ (Lys791Ser, Glu820Asp), indirectly contributing to cation-binding site formation (Tyr340Asn, Glu936Val), and allosterically stabilizing K+-occluded conformation (Tyr799Trp). This quintuple mutant in the K+-occluded E2-P state unambiguously shows two separate densities at the cation-binding site in its 2.6 Å resolution cryo-EM structure. These results offer new insights into how two closely-related cation pumps specify the number of K+ accommodated at their cation-binding site.

Theaflavin-3’-O-gallate a Black-tea Constituent Blocked SARS CoV-2 RNA dependant RNA Polymerase Active-site with Better Docking Results than Remdesivir

Background Replication of SARS-CoV-2 depends on viral RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase (RdRp). Remdesivir, the broad-spectrum RdRp inhibitor acts as nucleoside-analogues (NAs). Remdesivir has initially been repurposed as a promising drug against SARS-CoV-2 infection with some health hazards like liver damage, allergic reaction, low blood-pressure, and breathing-shortness, throat-swelling. In comparison, theaflavin-3’-O-gallate (TFMG), the abundant black tea component has gained importance in controlling viral infection. TFMG is a non-toxic, non-invasive, antioxidant, anticancer and antiviral molecule. Results Here, we analyzed the inhibitory effect of theaflavin-3’-O-gallate on SARS CoV-2 RdRp in comparison with remdesivir by molecular-docking study. TFMG has been shown more potent in terms of lower Atomic-Contact-Energy (ACE) and higher occupancy of surface area; −393.97 Kcal/mol and 771.90 respectively, favoured with lower desolvation-energy; −9.2 Kcal/mol. TFMG forms more rigid electrostatic and H-bond than remdesivir. TFMG showed strong affinity to RNA primer and template and RNA passage-site of RdRp. Conclusions TFMG can block the catalytic residue, NTP entry site, cation binding site, nsp7-nsp12 junction with binding energy of −6. 72 Kcal/mol with Ki value of 11.79, and interface domain with binding energy of −7.72 and −6.16 Kcal/mol with Ki value of 2.21 and 30.71 µM. And most importantly, TFMG shows antioxidant/anti-inflammatory/antiviral effect on human studies.

Gastric proton pump with two occluded K+ engineered with sodium pump-mimetic mutations

The gastric H+,K+-ATPase mediates electroneutral exchange of 1H+/1K+ per ATP hydrolysed across the membrane. Previous structural analysis of the K+-occluded E2-Pi form of H+,K+-ATPase showed a single bound K+ at cation-binding site II, in marked contrast to the two K+ occluded at sites I and II of the closely-related Na+,K+-ATPase which mediates electrogenic 3Na+/2K+ translocation across the membrane. The two pumps show significant differences in structure in and around Site I, but which are critical for blocking K+ binding in the gastric pump and contribute to binding in the sodium pump is unclear. We have a series of crystal structures and a cryo-EM structure of H+,K+-ATPase mutants with changes in the vicinity of site I based on the structure of the sodium pump. The number of bound Rb+, determined by its anomalous dispersion, remains one in the luminal-open E2BeF form of the Lys791Ser single mutant and Lys791Ser/Glu820Asp double mutant, mutation that could create space and may directly bind the cation. We next introduced mutations in peripheral residues Try340Asn and Glu936Val. A strong and spread-out Rb+ anomalous density observed in the quadruple mutant suggests that a certain population ATPases has two Rb+ bound. We then added gate-closing mutation Try799Trp and determined its cryo-EM structure in the occluded E2-AlF form. This quintuple mutant unambiguously has two separate densities at the cation-binding site. The step-wise construction of the K+ binding site offers new insight into how it is blocked in the one pump and constituted in the other.

Myopathy-Sensitive G-Actin Segment 227-235 Is Involved in Salt-Induced Stabilization of Contacts within the Actin Filament

Formation of stable actin filaments, critically important for actin functions, is determined by the ionic strength of the solution. However, not much is known about the elements of the actin fold involved in ionic-strength-dependent filament stabilization. In this work, F-actin was destabilized by Cu2+ binding to Cys374, and the effects of solvent conditions on the dynamic properties of F-actin were correlated with the involvement of Segment 227-235 in filament stabilization. The results of our work show that the presence of Mg2+ at the high-affinity cation binding site of Cu-modified actin polymerized with MgCl2 strongly enhances the rate of filament subunit exchange and promotes the filament instability. In the presence of 0.1 M KCl, the filament subunit exchange was 2–3-fold lower than that in the MgCl2-polymerized F-actin. This effect correlates with the reduced accessibility of the D-loop and Segment 227-235 on opposite filament strands, consistent with an ionic-strength-dependent conformational change that modulates involvement of Segment 227-235 in stabilization of the intermonomer interface. KCl may restrict the mobility of the α-helix encompassing part of Segment 227-235 and/or be bound to Asp236 at the boundary of Segment 227-235. These results provide experimental evidence for the involvement of Segment 227-235 in salt-induced stabilization of contacts within the actin filament and suggest that they can be weakened by mutations characteristic of actin-associated myopathies.

Structures of SALSA/DMBT1 SRCR domains reveal the conserved ligand-binding mechanism of the ancient SRCR fold

The scavenger receptor cysteine-rich (SRCR) family of proteins comprises more than 20 membrane-associated and secreted molecules. Characterised by the presence of one or more copies of the ∼110 amino-acid SRCR domain, this class of proteins have widespread functions as antimicrobial molecules, scavenger receptors, and signalling receptors. Despite the high level of structural conservation of SRCR domains, no unifying mechanism for ligand interaction has been described. The SRCR protein SALSA, also known as DMBT1/gp340, is a key player in mucosal immunology. Based on detailed structural data of SALSA SRCR domains 1 and 8, we here reveal a novel universal ligand-binding mechanism for SALSA ligands. The binding interface incorporates a dual cation-binding site, which is highly conserved across the SRCR superfamily. Along with the well-described cation dependency on most SRCR domain–ligand interactions, our data suggest that the binding mechanism described for the SALSA SRCR domains is applicable to all SRCR domains. We thus propose to have identified in SALSA a conserved functional mechanism for the SRCR class of proteins.

Alkaloids and flavonoids from African phytochemicals as potential inhibitors of SARS-Cov-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase: an in silico perspective

Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a pandemic caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Exploiting the potentials of phytocompounds is an integral component of the international response to this pandemic. In this study, a virtual screening through molecular docking analysis was used to screen a total of 226 bioactive compounds from African herbs and medicinal plants for direct interactions with SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). From these, 36 phytocompounds with binding affinities higher than the approved reference drugs (remdesivir and sobosivir), were further docked targeting the active sites of SARS-CoV-2, as well as SARS-CoV and HCV RdRp. A hit list of 7 compounds alongside two positive controls (remdesivir and sofosbuvir) and two negative controls (cinnamaldehyde and Thymoquinone) were further docked into the active site of 8 different conformations of SARS-CoV-2 RdRp gotten from molecular dynamics simulation (MDS) system equilibration. The top docked compounds were further subjected to predictive druglikeness and ADME/tox filtering analyses. Drugable alkaloids (10’–hydroxyusambarensine, cryptospirolepine, strychnopentamine) and flavonoids (usararotenoid A, and 12α-epi-millettosin), were reported to exhibit strong affinity binding and interactions with key amino acid residues in the catalytic site, the divalent-cation–binding site, and the NTP entry channel in the active region of the RdRp enzyme as the positive controls. These phytochemicals, in addition to other promising antivirals such as remdesivir and sofosbuvir, may be exploited towards the development of a cocktail of anti-coronavirus treatments in COVID-19. Experimental studies are recommended to validate these study.

Topological analysis of TMEM180, a newly identified membrane protein that is highly expressed in colorectal cancer cells

New target molecules for diagnosis of and drug development for colorectal cancer (CRC) are always in great demand. Previously, we identified a new colorectal cancer–specific protein, TMEM180, and successfully developed an anti-TMEM180 monoclonal antibody (mAb) for the diagnosis and treatment of CRC. Although TMEM180 is categorized as a member of the cation symporter family and multi-pass membrane protein, little is known about its function. In this study, we examined topology of this membrane protein and analyzed its function. Using a homology model of human TMEM180, we experimentally determined that the protein has 12 transmembrane domains, and that its N-terminal and C-termini are exposed extracellularly. Moreover, we found that the putative cation-binding site of TMEM180 is conserved among orthologs, and that its position is similar to that of melibiose transporter MelB. These results suggest that TMEM180 acts as a cation symporter. Our topological analysis based on the homology model provides insight into functional and structural roles of TMEM180 that may help to elucidate the pathology of CRC.HighlightsA homology model of human TMEM180 was generated by secondary structure prediction.Putative cation-binding residues are conserved in TMEM180 orthologs.Both the N-terminus and C-terminus of TMEM180 are extracellularly exposed.TMEM180 is a 12-transmembrane protein.TMEM180 could act as a cation symporter.

A single K+-binding site in the crystal structure of the gastric proton pump

The gastric proton pump (H+,K+-ATPase), a P-type ATPase responsible for gastric acidification, mediates electro-neutral exchange of H+ and K+ coupled with ATP hydrolysis, but with an as yet undetermined transport stoichiometry. Here we show crystal structures at a resolution of 2.5 Å of the pump in the E2-P transition state, in which the counter-transporting cation is occluded. We found a single K+ bound to the cation-binding site of the H+,K+-ATPase, indicating an exchange of 1H+/1K+ per hydrolysis of one ATP molecule. This fulfills the energy requirement for the generation of a six pH unit gradient across the membrane. The structural basis of K+ recognition is resolved and supported by molecular dynamics simulations, establishing how the H+,K+-ATPase overcomes the energetic challenge to generate an H+ gradient of more than a million-fold—one of the highest cation gradients known in mammalian tissue—across the membrane.

The structure of SALSA/DMBT1 SRCR domains reveal the conserved ligand-binding mechanism of the ancient SRCR-fold

The scavenger receptor cysteine-rich (SRCR) family of proteins comprise more than 20 membrane-associated and secreted molecules. Characterised by the presence of one or more copies of the ~110 amino acid SRCR domain, this class of proteins have widespread functions as anti-microbial molecules, scavenger- and signalling-receptors. Despite the high level of structural conservation of SRCR domains, no molecular basis for ligand interaction has been described. The SRCR protein SALSA, also known as dmbt1/gp340, is a key player in mucosal immunology. Based on detailed structures of the SALSA SRCR domains 1 and 8, we here reveal a novel universal ligand binding mechanism for SALSA ligands. The binding interface incorporates a dual cation binding site, which is highly conserved across the SRCR super family. Along with the well-described cation dependency on most SRCR domain-ligand interactions, our data suggest that the binding mechanism described for the SALSA SRCR domains is applicable to all SRCR domains. We thus propose to have identified in SALSA a conserved functional mechanism for ligand recognition by the SRCR class of proteins.

A single K+-binding site in the crystal structure of the gastric proton pump

The gastric proton pump (H+,K+-ATPase), a P-type ATPase responsible for gastric acidification, mediates electro-neutral exchange of H+ and K+ coupled with ATP hydrolysis, but with an as yet undetermined transport stoichiometry. Here we show crystal structures at a resolution of 2.5 Å of the pump in the E2-P transition state, in which the counter-transporting cation is occluded. We found a single K+ bound to the cation-binding site of H+,K+-ATPase, indicating an exchange of 1H+/1K+ per hydrolysis of one ATP molecule. This fulfils the energy requirement for the generation of a six pH unit gradient across the membrane. The structural basis of K+recognition is resolved, supported by molecular dynamics simulations, and this establishes how H+,K+-ATPase overcomes the energetic challenge to generate an H+ gradient of more than a million-fold – the highest cation gradient known in any mammalian tissue – across the membrane.