Fluorescence and energy transfer studies of membrane protein folding

Approximately 30 % of human genes encode for membrane proteins. Membrane proteins play important roles in cells as ion pumps, ligand receptors, and ion channels, and are targets for approximately 60 % of all therapeutic drugs. Despite their relevance in biology and biochemistry, membrane proteins account for only 1 % of the total number of reported protein structures (RCSB Protein Data Bank), and only 16 % of all protein folding literature is related to membrane protein folding (literature search from 1990 - - 2015, Web of Science). This dissertation presents spectroscopic studies of the in vitro folding mechanisms of outer membrane protein A (OmpA). Several optical tools are utilized, including circular dichroism (CD), tryptophan fluorescence, Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET), and ultraviolet resonance Raman (UVRR) spectroscopy. An improved method to determine free energies of unfolding of OmpA based on spectral decomposition is presented. Dynamics of OmpA folding in synthetic lipid bilayers of small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs) are investigated through studies of secondary and tertiary structures. CD and FRET data indicate that secondary and tertiary structures are formed within the first hour of folding, and strand extension and equilibration continues on a longer timescale. UVRR data complement the CD and FRET results, and reveal evolution of molecular interactions during folding. In particular, a tryptophan residue in the extra-vesicle portion of the pore (position 129) displays unusually intense Raman activity in the hydrogen-out-of-plane (HOOP) region. The increase in HOOP intensity is hypothesized to reflect perturbation of the indole ring electron density because of a nearby charged residue or hydroxyl group on neighboring threonine residue. More likely, hydrogen bonding of [pi] electrons on tryptophan with hydroxyl group contributes to the overall stability in addition to hydrophobic contacts by neighboring hydrophobic residues. A relatively new folding environment of nanodiscs is also explored. Preliminary FRET and UVRR data show that OmpA folds and inserts into nanodiscs. Collectively, these measurements elucidate changes in secondary and tertiary structures as well as molecular interactions of tryptophan residues during membrane protein foldin

Structural basis of sensory receptor evolution in octopus.

Chemotactile receptors (CRs) are a cephalopod-specific innovation that allow octopuses to explore the seafloor via taste by touch1. CRs diverged from nicotinic acetylcholine receptors to mediate contact-dependent chemosensation of insoluble molecules that do not readily diffuse in marine environments. Here we exploit octopus CRs to probe the structural basis of sensory receptor evolution. We present the cryo-electron microscopy structure of an octopus CR and compare it with nicotinic receptors to determine features that enable environmental sensation versus neurotransmission. Evolutionary, structural and biophysical analyses show that the channel architecture involved in cation permeation and signal transduction is conserved. By contrast, the orthosteric ligand-binding site is subject to diversifying selection, thereby mediating the detection of new molecules. Serendipitous findings in the cryo-electron microscopy structure reveal that the octopus CR ligand-binding pocket is exceptionally hydrophobic, enabling sensation of greasy compounds versus the small polar molecules detected by canonical neurotransmitter receptors. These discoveries provide a structural framework for understanding connections between evolutionary adaptations at the atomic level and the emergence of new organismal behaviour

Sensory specializations drive octopus and squid behaviour.

The evolution of new traits enables expansion into new ecological and behavioural niches. Nonetheless, demonstrated connections between divergence in protein structure, function and lineage-specific behaviours remain rare. Here we show that both octopus and squid use cephalopod-specific chemotactile receptors (CRs) to sense their respective marine environments, but structural adaptations in these receptors support the sensation of specific molecules suited to distinct physiological roles. We find that squid express ancient CRs that more closely resemble related nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, whereas octopuses exhibit a more recent expansion in CRs consistent with their elaborated taste by touch sensory system. Using a combination of genetic profiling, physiology and behavioural analyses, we identify the founding member of squid CRs that detects soluble bitter molecules that are relevant in ambush predation. We present the cryo-electron microscopy structure of a squid CR and compare this with octopus CRs1 and nicotinic receptors2. These analyses demonstrate an evolutionary transition from an ancestral aromatic cage that coordinates soluble neurotransmitters or tastants to a more recent octopus CR hydrophobic binding pocket that traps insoluble molecules to mediate contact-dependent chemosensation. Thus, our study provides a foundation for understanding how adaptation of protein structure drives the diversification of organismal traits and behaviour

Tryptophan-Lipid Interactions in Membrane Protein Folding Probed by Ultraviolet Resonance Raman and Fluorescence Spectroscopy

Aromatic amino acids of membrane proteins are enriched at the lipid-water interface. The role of tryptophan on the folding and stability of an integral membrane protein is investigated with ultraviolet resonance Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy. We investigate a model system, the β-barrel outer membrane protein A (OmpA), and focus on interfacial tryptophan residues oriented toward the lipid bilayer (trp-7, trp-170, or trp-15) or the interior of the β-barrel pore (trp-102). OmpA mutants with a single tryptophan residue at a nonnative position 170 (Trp-170) or a native position 7 (Trp-7) exhibit the greatest stability, with Gibbs free energies of unfolding in the absence of denaturant of 9.4 and 6.7 kcal/mol, respectively. These mutants are more stable than the tryptophan-free OmpA mutant, which exhibits a free energy of unfolding of 2.6 kcal/mol. Ultraviolet resonance Raman spectra of Trp-170 and Trp-7 reveal evolution of a hydrogen bond in a nonpolar environment during the folding reaction, evidenced by systematic shifts in hydrophobicity and hydrogen bond markers. These observations suggest that the hydrogen bond acceptor is the lipid acyl carbonyl group, and this interaction contributes significantly to membrane protein stabilization. Other spectral changes are observed for a tryptophan residue at position 15, and these modifications are attributed to development of a tryptophan-lipid cation-π interaction that is more stabilizing than an intraprotein hydrogen bond by ∼2 kcal/mol. As expected, there is no evidence for lipid-protein interactions for the tryptophan residue oriented toward the interior of the β-barrel pore. These results highlight the significance of lipid-protein interactions, and indicate that the bilayer provides more than a hydrophobic environment for membrane protein folding. Instead, a paradigm of lipid-assisted membrane protein folding and stabilization must be adopted