The Structure and Regulation of Human Muscle α-Actinin

SummaryThe spectrin superfamily of proteins plays key roles in assembling the actin cytoskeleton in various cell types, crosslinks actin filaments, and acts as scaffolds for the assembly of large protein complexes involved in structural integrity and mechanosensation, as well as cell signaling. α-actinins in particular are the major actin crosslinkers in muscle Z-disks, focal adhesions, and actin stress fibers. We report a complete high-resolution structure of the 200 kDa α-actinin-2 dimer from striated muscle and explore its functional implications on the biochemical and cellular level. The structure provides insight into the phosphoinositide-based mechanism controlling its interaction with sarcomeric proteins such as titin, lays a foundation for studying the impact of pathogenic mutations at molecular resolution, and is likely to be broadly relevant for the regulation of spectrin-like proteins

Identificação da enzima oxido nitrico sintase em vegetais

Orientador: Ione Salgado MartinsDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de BiologiaResumo:A enzima óxido nítrico sintase (NOS) é responsável pela síntese de óxido nítrico (NO) através da oxidação da L-arginina a L-citrulina. Esta enzima é encontrada amplamente distribuída na natureza. No reino animal, as isoformas de NOS constitutivamente expressas são freqüentemente Ca2+ -dependentes e envolvidas em processos fisiológicos enquanto que isoformas de NOS Ca2+-independentes são normalmente induzidas a produzir grandes quantidades de NO em situações patológicas. Evidências da existência de uma via endógena para a síntese de NO no reino vegetal tem surgido nos anos recentes. No presente trabalho investigou-se a presença da NOS em algumas espécies vegetais, avaliando-se a reação cruzada de anticorpos produzidos contra NOS de macrófagos de camundongos e de cérebro de rato com extratos de diferentes tecidos vegetais, e também medindo-se a atividade NOS pela produção de L-[U-14C]-citrulina a partir de L-[U-14C]-arginina. Anticorpos contra NOS de macrófagos e NOS de cérebro detectaram uma proteína de aproximadamente166 kDa em ensaios de Western blot com extratos citossólicos de ápices radiculares e folhas jovens de plântulas de milho. A imunolocalização, usando anticorpos contra NOS de macrófagos conjugados com isotiocianato de fIuoresceína, revelou esta proteína no citosol das células na zona de divisão bem como no núcleo das células da zona de elongação de ápices radiculares de milho. Os extratos citossólicos de ápices radiculares e folhas jovens de milho apresentaram atividade NOS Ca2+ -dependente, medida pela sensibilidade aos inibidores da NOS, como L-NAME, L-NMMA, L-NNA e aminoguanidina. Estes resultados sugerem a existência de uma enzima NOS constitutiva nestes tecidos de milho e que a localização subcelular desta proteína depende da fase de crescimento celular. Extratos citossólicos derivados de cultura de células de laranja também apresentaram reação cruzada com anticorpos produzidos contra NOS de macrófagos e cérebro. Os extratos citossólicos derivados da região dos pêlos absorventes de raízes de milho apresentaram atividade NOS muito maior, comparada com os ápices radiculares e as folhas jovens. Esta atividade se mostrou Ca2+ -independente, sugerindo a existência de uma isoforma induzida nesta zona da raiz. Uma atividade NOS Ca2+ -independente também foi detectada em células mãe de grãos-de-pólen de café em diferentes estágios de divisão meiótica sugerindo um papel para esta enzima no processo de microsporogênese de café. O conjunto de resultados indica a existência, em vegetais, de diferentes isoformas de uma enzima do tipo NOS que pode ter um importante papel no controle do crescimento e na diferenciação celularAbstract: The enzyme nitric oxide synthase (NOS) is responsible for the synthesis of nitric oxide (NO), from the oxidation of L-arginine to L-citrulline. This enzyme has been found largely distributed in nature. In the animal kingdom, the NOS isoforms constitutively expressed are frequently Ca2+ -dependent and involved in physiological processes while Ca2+ -independent NOS isoforms are normally induced to produce large amounts of NO under pathological situations. Evidences for the existence of an endogenous pathway for NO synthesis in the plant kingdom has emerged in recent years. In the present work we investigate the presence of NOS in some plant species, by checking the ability of antibodies raised against mouse macrophage NOS and rabbit brain NOS cross-react with Iysates prepared from different plant tissues and also measured NOS activity, by L- [U_14C]-citrulline production from L-[U-14C]-arginine. Antibodies against macrophage NOS and brain NOS detected a protein of about 166 kDa in Western blot assays of cytosolic fractions of root tips and young leaves of maize seedlings. Immunochemical localization, using antibodies against macrophage NOS, conjugated with fluorescein isothiocyanate, revealed this protein in the cytosol of the cells at division zone as well as in the nucleus of the cells at the elongation zone of maize root tips. Cytosolic fractions of maize root tips and young leaves presented a2+-dependent NOS activity, as measured by the sensitivity to NOS inhibitors, such as, L NAME, L-NMMA, L-NNA and aminoguanidine. These results suggest the existence of a constitutive NOS enzyme in these maize tissues with the subcellular localization of this protein depending on the phase of 0011 growth. Cytosolic fraction derived from orange cells in culture also presented cross-immunoreactivity with antibodies raised against macrophage and brain NOS. Cytosolic fraction derived from the maize root hair zone presented a much higher NOS activity compared to root tips and young leaves and this activity was shown to be Ca2+ -independent, suggesting the existence of an inducible isoform in this root zone. A Ca2+ -independent NOS activity was also detected in coffee pollen mother cells in different stages of meiotic division suggesting a role for this enzyme in the process of microsporogenesis of coffee. The overall results indicate the existence, in plants, of different NOS-like enzyme isoforms, that may have important role in the control of cell growth and differentiationMestradoBioquimicaMestre em Biologia Funcional e Molecula

Estudo do envolvimento das helices N- e C-terminais na estabilidade e na via de enovelamento de mioglobina

Orientador: Carlos Henrique Inacio RamosTese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de BiologiaResumo: A mioglobina é uma hemeproteína que tem a função de transportar e armazenar o oxigênio. Suas estruturas primária e secundária são compostas por 153 aminoácidos e oito a-hélices (nomeadas de A-H), respectivamente. Esta proteína tem sido usada como um bom modelo para estudos de estrutura, função, ligação de heme, estabilidade e enovelamento de proteínas. Em condições ligeiramente ácidas (pH em torno de 4), a apomioglobina se desenovela passando por uma forma intermediária que possui propriedades físicas entre o estado nativo (pH 7) e o estado desenovelado (pH 2). Este intermediário apresenta as hélices A, G e H protegidas como demonstrado por experimentos de troca de deutério. No presente trabalho, foram realizados estudos com mutantes de deleção e de permutações circulares de hélices da mioglobina com a finalidade de aumentar o conhecimento sobre como a estrutura terciária de uma proteína é construída. Três classes de mutantes foram criadas: 1) deleção de hélices: 1.1) um mutante de deleção da hélice H (Mb1-123) e 1.2) um mutante de deleção das hélices G e H (Mb1-99); 2) permutações circulares: 2.1) um mutante de permutação da hélice A da extremidade N-terminal para a C-terminal (Mb-B_GHA) e 2.2) um mutante de permutação das hélices A e B da extremidade N-terminal para a C-terminal (Mb- C_GHAB) e 3) permutação com deleção: um mutante de deleção da hélice G com permutação da hélice H da extremidade C-terminal para N-terminal (Mb-HAB_F). As proteínas mutantes foram purificadas diretamente na forma apo, embora estes mutantes possuam capacidade de se ligar ao grupo heme, com exceção do mutante Mb1-123. Estes mutantes possuem valores mais baixos de elipticidade molar e tendência maior à agregação do que a proteína selvagem. Quando na forma holo, os dois mutantes circularmente permutados são compactos e têm estrutura e função semelhantes à holoMbWT. Este resultado difere do resultado observado para as variantes de deleção (Mb1-99 e Mb-HAB_F) que não apresentaram restabelecimento da estrutura e nem supressão da tendência à agregação. Nossos resultados indicam que, embora a mioglobina possua um núcleo de ligação do grupo heme, as hélices A, B, G e H são necessárias para a correta arquitetura da proteína. Apesar da menor estabilidade dos mutantes de permutação circulares em relação à proteína selvagem, as extremidades N- e Cterminais da mioglobina são necessárias para que a proteína alcance uma estrutura estável e funcional semelhante à selvagem. As permuteínas estruturaram a forma intermediária mesmo em pH ao redor de 7, mostrando novamente que as extremidades N- e C- terminais de mioglobina são necessárias para que elas se estruturem como a selvagem. Acreditamos que um núcleo, que se mostrou insensível ao novelamento em meio ácido, foi formado nestes mutantes. Como estes mutantes diferem quanto à posição da hélice B, eles permitiram inferir sobre a participação da hélice B no intermediário de ApoMbWT. Duas formas de intermediários estão provavelmente presentes na via de enovelamento da mioglobina e suas maiores diferenças parecem estar na quantidade de estrutura formada pela hélice B. Nossos resultados estão de acordo com o modelo seqüencial de enovelamento para mioglobina, no qual a hélice B é incorporada após a formação do domínio AGHAbstract: Myoglobin functions as a protein for transporting and storing oxygen and is a soluble, globular heme-binding protein, comprising 153 amino acids arranged in eight helical segments (named A to H). This protein has been used as a good model to study structure, function, heme binding, stability, and folding pathway. Under mild acid conditions (pH 4), apomyoglobin unfolds through an intermediate form with physical properties intermediate between the native (neutral pH) and the unfolded (pH 2.0) states. This intermediate has helices A, G and H protected from hydrogen exchange. Here we present studies of deleted and circularly permuted mutations of helical blocks of myoglobin to add to our understanding of how protein topology is built. Three classes of mutants were constructed: 1) helix deletion: 1.1) a mutant deleted of H helix, Mb1-123, and 1.2) a mutant deleted of G and H helices, Mb1-99; 2) circularly permutation: 2.1) Mb-B_GHA where B-helix is N-terminal and A helix is C-terminal, and 2.2) Mb-C_GHAB where C-helix is N-terminal and B helix is Cterminal; 3) permutation/deletion: a deleted circularly permutation where H-helix is N-terminal, the G helix is deleted, and the F helix is C-terminal, Mb-HAB_F. The mutants were purified in the apo form, where although they have the ability to bind heme with an exception to Mb1-123, they have lower ellipticity and a larger tend ency to aggregate than the wild-type. When in the holo form, the two circularly permuted mutants are compact and have native-like function and conformation, different form the myoglobin variants of deletion (i.e. Mb1-99 and Mb- HAB_F), where the heme binding does not seem to be native-like and do not suppresses their tendency to aggregate. Our results indicate that although myoglobin has a core that is able to bind heme, the A, G, H and B helices are needed for the correct structural architecture of the protein. And, since the circularly permutations are less stable than the wild-type, the N- and C-termini of myoglobin need to be native-like for the optimum structure-function relationship of this protein. The apopermuteins resembled the intermediate form even at physiological pH, showing again that the N- and C-termini of myoglobin need to be native-like for the optimum structure-function relationship of this protein. We believe that a nucleus, mostly independent of acid unfolding, was formed by these mutants and, since these permutants differ in the position of the B helix, they gave insights about the participation of the B helix in the intermediate. Two forms of intermediates are likely to be present in the folding pathway of apomyoglobin and their major difference seems to be in the amount of structure in the B helix. Our results agreed with a model of sequencial folding for apomyoglobin where the B helix is added later in the AGH nucleusDoutoradoBioquimicaDoutor em Biologia Funcional e Molecula

Modular Organization of Rabies Virus Phosphoprotein

International audienceA phosphoprotein (P) is found in all viruses of the Mononegavirales order These proteins form homo-oligomers, fulfil similar roles in the replication cycles of the various viruses, but differ in their length and oligomerization state. Sequence alignments reveal no sequence similarity among proteins from viruses belonging to the same family. Sequence analysis and experimental data show that phosphoproteins from viruses of the Paramyxoviridae contain structured domains alternating with intrinsically disordered regions. Here, we used predictions of disorder of secondary structure, and an analysis of sequence conservation to predict the domain organization of the phosphoprotein from Sendai virus, vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) and rabies virus (RV P). We devised a new procedure for combining the results from multiple prediction methods and locating the boundaries between disordered regions and structured domains. To validate the proposed modular organization predicted for RV P and to confirm that the putative structured domains correspond to autonomous folding units, we used two-hybrid and biochemical approaches to characterize the properties of several fragments of RV P. We found that both central and C-terminal domains can fold in isolation, that the central domain is the oligomerization domain, and that the C-terminal domain binds to nucleocapsids. Our results suggest a conserved organization of P proteins in the Rhabdoviridae family in concatenated functional domains resembling that of the P proteins in the Paramyxoviridae family

Acanthocytosis and the c.680 A>G Mutation in the PANK2 Gene: A Study Enrolling a Cohort of PKAN Patients from the Dominican Republic.

Pantothenate Kinase-Associated Neurodegeneration (PKAN) is a form of Neurodegeneration with Brain Iron Accumulation (NBIA) associated with mutations in the pantothenate kinase 2 gene (PANK2). Pantothenate kinases catalyze the rate-limiting step of coenzyme A synthesis and Pank2 is the only pantothenate kinase isoform in humans that is localized to mitochondria. Acanthocytosis, the occurrence of spiculated erythrocytes, is observed in about 10% of the PKAN patients. Therefore PKAN is also classified together with other rare neurodegenerative diseases like Chorea Acanthocytosis (ChAc) and McLeod syndrome (MLS) into the Neuroacanthocytosis (NA) syndromes. It has not been investigated yet whether acanthocytosis in PKAN is associated with a specific subset of Pank2 mutations. In this study, we analyzed acanthocytosis of a cohort of 25 PKAN patients from the Dominican Republic that are homozygous for the c.680 A>G mutation in the PANK2 gene as compared to control donors that are heterozygous or wild-type with respect to this mutation. 3D modeling of this mutation indicated that the replacement of a tyrosine by a cysteine at position 227 in Pank2 disrupts a polar interaction within the A domain of the enzyme. Mean acanthocyte count was elevated in the cohort of patients, however, acanthocytosis varied among the patients with nearly half of them showing high (>20%) or elevated acanthocytosis and the rest showing mild (6-10%) or no (<6%) acanthocytosis. Heterozygous control donors revealed a tendency to mild acanthocytosis. Based on the insight that Pank2 is a normal constituent of red blood cells and de novo biosynthesis of coenzyme A is likely to take place in the erythrocyte cytosol we propose a hypothetical model that accounts for the variability in the occurrence of acanthocytic cells in PKAN

Structure and calcium-binding studies of calmodulin-like domain of human non-muscle alpha-actinin-1

The activity of several cytosolic proteins critically depends on the concentration of calcium ions. One important intracellular calcium-sensing protein is alpha-actinin-1, the major actin crosslinking protein in focal adhesions and stress fibers. The actin crosslinking activity of alpha-actinin-1 has been proposed to be negatively regulated by calcium, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. To address this, we determined the first high-resolution NMR structure of its functional calmodulin-like domain (CaMD) in calcium-bound and calcium-free form. These structures reveal that in the absence of calcium, CaMD displays a conformationally flexible ensemble that undergoes a structural change upon calcium binding, leading to limited rotation of the N- and C-terminal lobes around the connecting linker and consequent stabilization of the calcium-loaded structure. Mutagenesis experiments, coupled with mass-spectrometry and isothermal calorimetry data designed to validate the calcium binding stoichiometry and binding site, showed that human non-muscle alpha-actinin-1 binds a single calcium ion within the N-terminal lobe. Finally, based on our structural data and analogy with other alpha-actinins, we provide a structural model of regulation of the actin crosslinking activity of alpha-actinin-1 where calcium induced structural stabilisation causes fastening of the juxtaposed actin binding domain, leading to impaired capacity to crosslink actin

Structural Insights into Ca2+\mathrm{Ca^{2+}}-Calmodulin Regulation of Plectin 1a-Integrin β4 Interaction in Hemidesmosomes

The mechanical stability of epithelial cells, whichprotect organisms from harmful external factors, ismaintained by hemidesmosomes via the interactionbetween plectin 1a (P1a) and integrin a6b4. Bindingof calcium-calmodulin (Ca 2+ -CaM) to P1a togetherwith phosphorylation of integrin b4 disrupts thiscomplex, resulting in disassembly of hemidesmo-somes. We present structures of the P1a actin bind-ing domain either in complex with the N-ter lobe ofCa 2+ -CaM or with the first pair of integrin b4 fibro-nectin domains. Ca 2+ -CaM binds to the N-ter iso-form-specific tail of P1a in a unique manner, via itsN-ter lobe in an extended conformation. Structural,cell biology, and biochemical studies suggest thefollowing model: binding of Ca 2+ -CaM to an intrinsi-cally disordered N-ter segment of plectin convertsit to an a helix, which repositions calmodulin todisplace integrin b4 by steric repulsion. This modelcould serve as a blueprint for studies aimed at under-standing how Ca 2+ -CaM or EF-hand motifs regulateF-actin-based cytoskeleton