Interplay between VSD, pore, and membrane lipids in electromechanical coupling in HCN channels

Hyperpolarized-activated and cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels are the only members of the voltage-gated ion channel superfamily in mammals that open upon hyperpolarization, conferring them pacemaker properties that are instrumental for rhythmic firing of cardiac and neuronal cells. Activation of their voltage-sensor domains (VSD) upon hyperpolarization occurs through a downward movement of the S4 helix bearing the gating charges, which triggers a break in the alpha-helical hydrogen bonding pattern at the level of a conserved Serine residue. Previous structural and molecular simulation studies had however failed to capture pore opening that should be triggered by VSD activation, presumably because of a low VSD/pore electromechanical coupling efficiency and the limited timescales accessible to such techniques. Here, we have used advanced modeling strategies, including enhanced sampling molecular dynamics simulations exploiting comparisons between non-domain swapped voltage-gated ion channel structures trapped in closed and open states to trigger pore gating and characterize electromechanical coupling in HCN1. We propose that the coupling mechanism involves the reorganization of the interfaces between the VSD helices, in particular S4, and the pore-forming helices S5 and S6, subtly shifting the balance between hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions in a \u27domino effect\u27 during activation and gating in this region. Remarkably, our simulations reveal state-dependent occupancy of lipid molecules at this emergent coupling interface, suggesting a key role of lipids in hyperpolarization-dependent gating. Our model provides a rationale for previous observations and a possible mechanism for regulation of HCN channels by the lipidic components of the membrane

Dynamique et stabilité du nucléosome

The nucleosome is the fundamental unit of DNA compaction in eukaryotic cells. It consists in a long DNA segment (145-147 bp) wrapped in 1.7 left-handed superhelix turns around a histone octamer. Nucleosomes control the DNA accessibility by assembling and disassembling along the genomes and are therefore involved in most nuclear processes.The main aim of the thesis was to describe the DNA-histone interface in solution to better understand the nucleosome stability. We examined in particular how the DNA is maintained wrapped around the histone and how its sequence affects the DNA-histone interface. Several nucleosomes were studied using molecular dynamics in explicit solvent ; they differed by the tail length and the DNA sequences. To ensure an objective analysis of the topology of the DNA-histone interface, a method based on Delaunay-Laguerre tessellations, originally developed for proteins, was adapted to nucleic acids.Our results show that the DNA-histone interface is composed by a dense network of interactions, characterized by equivalent electrostatic and hydrophobic contact area. The histone tails significantly reinforce the interface. The behavior of arginines belonging to the histone structured cores or tails and that interact with the DNA minor groove was scrutinized in detail. Cations shield the repulsive interactions between the two DNA gyres, closely juxtaposed one above the other because of the superhelix wrapping. Finally, the DNA-histone interface is globally not affected in nucleosomes containing DNA sequences known to disfavor nucleosomes. This suggests that, once the nucleosome established, there is no significant effect of the DNA sequence on the interface.Le nucléosome est l’unité élémentaire de la compaction de l’ADN dans les cellules eucaryotes. C’est un complexe composé par un long segment d’ADN enroulé 1.7 fois en super-hélice autour d’un cœur de huit protéines histones. Les nucléosomes contrôlent l’accessibilité de l'ADN en s'associant et se dissociant le long des génomes et, ce faisant, sont directement impliqués dans la plupart des processus nucléaires. Le but principal de ce travail a été de décrire l'interface ADN-histones en solution pour mieux comprendre la stabilité du nucléosome. Nous avons voulu savoir en particulier comment l'ADN est maintenu enroulé autour du cœur d'histone et comment la séquence de l'ADN pourrait éventuellement affecter l'interface ADN-histones. Plusieurs nucléosomes ont été étudiés par dynamique moléculaire en solvant explicite ; ils diffèrent par la taille des queues d'histone et par les séquences d'ADN qui les forment. Pour garantir une analyse objective de la topologie de l’interface ADN-histones, une méthode basée sur les pavages de Delaunay-Laguerre originellement dédiée aux protéines a été adaptée aux acides nucléiques. Nous montrons ainsi que l'interface ADN-histones est constituée d'un réseau d'interaction très dense, caractérisé par des aires de contact électrostatique et hydrophobe équivalentes. Les queues d'histone renforcent significativement l'interface. Le comportement dynamique des arginines des cœurs structurés et des queues d'histone qui interagissent avec les petits sillons de l'ADN a été examiné en détail. Les cations écrantent les répulsions entre les hélices d'ADN juxtaposées l'une au dessus de l'autre du fait de l'enroulement en super-hélice. Enfin, l’interface ADN-histones est globalement retrouvée dans les nucléosomes formés avec des séquences d’ADN défavorables au nucléosome. Ceci suggère qu'une fois le nucléosome formé, il n'y a pas d'effet décisif de la séquence de l'ADN sur l'interface

Nucleosome dynamics and stability

Le nucléosome est l’unité élémentaire de la compaction de l’ADN dans les cellules eucaryotes. C’est un complexe composé par un long segment d’ADN enroulé 1.7 fois en super-hélice autour d’un cœur de huit protéines histones. Les nucléosomes contrôlent l’accessibilité de l'ADN en s'associant et se dissociant le long des génomes et, ce faisant, sont directement impliqués dans la plupart des processus nucléaires. Le but principal de ce travail a été de décrire l'interface ADN-histones en solution pour mieux comprendre la stabilité du nucléosome. Nous avons voulu savoir en particulier comment l'ADN est maintenu enroulé autour du cœur d'histone et comment la séquence de l'ADN pourrait éventuellement affecter l'interface ADN-histones. Plusieurs nucléosomes ont été étudiés par dynamique moléculaire en solvant explicite ; ils diffèrent par la taille des queues d'histone et par les séquences d'ADN qui les forment. Pour garantir une analyse objective de la topologie de l’interface ADN-histones, une méthode basée sur les pavages de Delaunay-Laguerre originellement dédiée aux protéines a été adaptée aux acides nucléiques. Nous montrons ainsi que l'interface ADN-histones est constituée d'un réseau d'interaction très dense, caractérisé par des aires de contact électrostatique et hydrophobe équivalentes. Les queues d'histone renforcent significativement l'interface. Le comportement dynamique des arginines des cœurs structurés et des queues d'histone qui interagissent avec les petits sillons de l'ADN a été examiné en détail. Les cations écrantent les répulsions entre les hélices d'ADN juxtaposées l'une au dessus de l'autre du fait de l'enroulement en super-hélice. Enfin, l’interface ADN-histones est globalement retrouvée dans les nucléosomes formés avec des séquences d’ADN défavorables au nucléosome. Ceci suggère qu'une fois le nucléosome formé, il n'y a pas d'effet décisif de la séquence de l'ADN sur l'interface.The nucleosome is the fundamental unit of DNA compaction in eukaryotic cells. It consists in a long DNA segment (145-147 bp) wrapped in 1.7 left-handed superhelix turns around a histone octamer. Nucleosomes control the DNA accessibility by assembling and disassembling along the genomes and are therefore involved in most nuclear processes.The main aim of the thesis was to describe the DNA-histone interface in solution to better understand the nucleosome stability. We examined in particular how the DNA is maintained wrapped around the histone and how its sequence affects the DNA-histone interface. Several nucleosomes were studied using molecular dynamics in explicit solvent ; they differed by the tail length and the DNA sequences. To ensure an objective analysis of the topology of the DNA-histone interface, a method based on Delaunay-Laguerre tessellations, originally developed for proteins, was adapted to nucleic acids.Our results show that the DNA-histone interface is composed by a dense network of interactions, characterized by equivalent electrostatic and hydrophobic contact area. The histone tails significantly reinforce the interface. The behavior of arginines belonging to the histone structured cores or tails and that interact with the DNA minor groove was scrutinized in detail. Cations shield the repulsive interactions between the two DNA gyres, closely juxtaposed one above the other because of the superhelix wrapping. Finally, the DNA-histone interface is globally not affected in nucleosomes containing DNA sequences known to disfavor nucleosomes. This suggests that, once the nucleosome established, there is no significant effect of the DNA sequence on the interface

Insights into the Role of the Discontinuous TM7 Helix of Human Ferroportin through the Prism of the Asp325 Residue

International audienceThe negatively charged Asp325 residue has proved to be essential for iron export by human (HsFPN1) and primate Philippine tarsier (TsFpn) ferroportin, but its exact role during the iron transport cycle is still to be elucidated. It has been posited as being functionally equivalent to the metal ion-coordinating residue His261 in the C-lobe of the bacterial homolog BbFpn, but the two residues arise in different sequence motifs of the discontinuous TM7 transmembrane helix. Furthermore, BbFpn is not subject to extracellular regulation, contrary to its mammalian orthologues which are downregulated by hepcidin. To get further insight into the molecular mechanisms related to iron export in mammals in which Asp325 is involved, we investigated the behavior of the Asp325Ala, Asp325His, and Asp325Asn mutants in transiently transfected HEK293T cells, and performed a comparative structural analysis. Our biochemical studies clearly distinguished between the Asp325Ala and Asp325His mutants, which result in a dramatic decrease in plasma membrane expression of FPN1, and the Asp325Asn mutant, which alters iron egress without affecting protein localization. Analysis of the 3D structures of HsFPN1 and TsFpn in the outward-facing (OF) state indicated that Asp325 does not interact directly with metal ions but is involved in the modulation of Cys326 metal-binding capacity. Moreover, models of the architecture of mammalian proteins in the inward-facing (IF) state suggested that Asp325 may form an inter-lobe salt-bridge with Arg40 (TM1) when not interacting with Cys326. These findings allow to suggest that Asp325 may be important for fine-tuning iron recognition in the C-lobe, as well as for local structural changes during the IF-to-OF transition at the extracellular gate level. Inability to form a salt-bridge between TM1 and TM7b during iron translocation could lead to protein instability, as shown by the Asp325Ala and Asp325His mutants

Simulations Meet Experiment to Reveal New Insights into DNA Intrinsic Mechanics

International audienceThe accurate prediction of the structure and dynamics of DNA remains a major challenge in computational biology due to the dearth of precise experimental information on DNA free in solution and limitations in the DNA force-fields underpinning the simulations. A new generation of force-fields has been developed to better represent the sequence-dependent B-DNA intrinsic mechanics, in particular with respect to the BI $ BII backbone equilibrium, which is essential to understand the B-DNA properties. Here, the performance of MD simulations with the newly updated force-fields Parmbsc0 εζOLI and CHARMM36 was tested against a large ensemble of recent NMR data collected on four DNA dodecamers involved in nucleo-some positioning. We find impressive progress towards a coherent, realistic representation of B-DNA in solution, despite residual shortcomings. This improved representation allows new and deeper interpretation of the experimental observables, including regarding the behavior of facing phosphate groups in complementary dinucleotides, and their modulation by the sequence. It also provides the opportunity to extensively revisit and refine the coupling between backbone states and inter base pair parameters, which emerges as a common theme across all the complementary dinucleotides. In sum, the global agreement between simulations and experiment reveals new aspects of intrinsic DNA mechanics, a key component of DNA-protein recognition

Holding the Nucleosome Together: A Quantitative Description of the DNA–Histone Interface in Solution

The nucleosome is the fundamental unit of eukaryotic genome packaging in the chromatin. In this complex, the DNA wraps around eight histone proteins to form a superhelical double helix. The resulting bending, stronger than anything observed in free DNA, raises the question of how such a distortion is stabilized by the proteic and solvent environments. In this work, the DNA–histone interface in solution was exhaustively analyzed from nucleosome structures generated by molecular dynamics. An original Voronoi tessellation technique, measuring the topology of interacting elements without any empirical or subjective adjustment, was used to characterize the interface in terms of contact area and occurrence. Our results revealed an interface more robust than previously known, combining extensive, long-lived nonelectrostatic and electrostatic interactions between DNA and both structured and unstructured histone regions. Cation accumulation makes the proximity of juxtaposed DNA gyres in the superhelix possible by shielding the strong electrostatic repulsion of the charged phosphate groups. Overall, this study provides new insights on the nucleosome cohesion, explaining how DNA distortions can be maintained in a nucleoprotein complex

Combining theoretical and experimental data to decipher CFTR 3D structures and functions

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Functional and Pharmacological Characterization of the Rare CFTR Mutation W361R

International audienceUnderstanding the functional consequence of rare cystic fibrosis (CF) mutations is mandatory for the adoption of precision therapeutic approaches for CF. Here we studied the effect of the very rare CF mutation, W361R, on CFTR processing and function. We applied western blot, patch clamp and pharmacological modulators of CFTR to study the maturation and ion transport properties of pEGFP-WT and mutant CFTR constructs, W361R, F508del and L69H-CFTR, expressed in HEK293 cells. Structural analyses were also performed to study the molecular environment of the W361 residue. Western blot showed that W361R-CFTR was not efficiently processed to a mature band C, similar to F508del CFTR, but unlike F508del CFTR, it did exhibit significant transport activity at the cell surface in response to cAMP agonists. Importantly, W361R-CFTR also responded well to CFTR modulators: its maturation defect was efficiently corrected by VX-809 treatment and its channel activity further potentiated by VX-770. Based on these results, we postulate that W361R is a novel class-2 CF mutation that causes abnormal protein maturation which can be corrected by VX-809, and additionally potentiated by VX-770, two FDA-approved small molecules. At the structural level, W361 is located within a class-2 CF mutation hotspot that includes other mutations that induce variable disease severity. Analysis of the 3D structure of CFTR within a lipid environment indicated that W361, together with other mutations located in this hotspot, is at the edge of a groove which stably accommodates lipid acyl chains. We suggest this lipid environment impacts CFTR folding, maturation and response to CFTR modulators

BI and BII conformations in the B-DNA backbone.

<p>Illustration of the BI ((ε-ζ) = -90°) and BII ((ε-ζ) = +100°) phosphate linkage conformations with a GpC dinucleotide extracted from MDs carried out with the Parmbsc0_εζOLI (left) or CHARMM36 (right) force fields.</p