Residue-Level Interrogation of Macromolecular Crowding Effects on Protein Stability

Theory predicts that macromolecular crowding affects protein behavior, but experimental confirmation is scant. Herein, we report the first residue-level interrogation of the effects of macromolecular crowding on protein stability. We observe up to a 100-fold increase in the stability, as measured by the equilibrium constant for folding, for the globular protein chymotrypsin inhibitor 2 (CI2) in concentrations of the cosolute poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) that mimic the protein concentration in cells. We show that the increased stability is caused by the polymeric nature of PVP and that the degree of stabilization depends on both the location of the individual residue in the protein structure and the PVP concentration. Our data reinforce the assertion that macromolecular crowding stabilizes the protein by destabilizing its unfolded states

Crystal structure analysis reveals Pseudomonas PilY1 as an essential calcium-dependent regulator of bacterial surface motility

Several bacterial pathogens require the “twitching” motility produced by filamentous type IV pili (T4P) to establish and maintain human infections. Two cytoplasmic ATPases function as an oscillatory motor that powers twitching motility via cycles of pilus extension and retraction. The regulation of this motor, however, has remained a mystery. We present the 2.1 Å resolution crystal structure of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa pilus-biogenesis factor PilY1, and identify a single site on this protein required for bacterial translocation. The structure reveals a modified β-propeller fold and a distinct EF-hand-like calcium-binding site conserved in pathogens with retractile T4P. We show that preventing calcium binding by PilY1 using either an exogenous calcium chelator or mutation of a single residue disrupts Pseudomonas twitching motility by eliminating surface pili. In contrast, placing a lysine in this site to mimic the charge of a bound calcium interferes with motility in the opposite manner—by producing an abundance of nonfunctional surface pili. Our data indicate that calcium binding and release by the unique loop identified in the PilY1 crystal structure controls the opposing forces of pilus extension and retraction. Thus, PilY1 is an essential, calcium-dependent regulator of bacterial twitching motility

Alleviating Cancer Drug Toxicity by Inhibiting a Bacterial Enzyme

The dose-limiting side effect of the common colon cancer chemotherapeutic CPT-11 is severe diarrhea caused by symbiotic bacterial β-glucuronidases that reactivate the drug in the gut. We sought to target these enzymes without killing the commensal bacteria essential for human health. Potent bacterial β-glucuronidase inhibitors were identified by high-throughput screening and shown to have no effect on the orthologous mammalian enzyme. Crystal structures established that selectivity was based on a loop unique to bacterial β-glucuronidases. Inhibitors were highly effective against the enzyme target in living aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, but did not kill the bacteria or harm mammalian cells. Finally, oral administration of an inhibitor protected mice from CPT-11–induced toxicity. Thus, drugs may be designed to inhibit undesirable enzyme activities in essential microbial symbiotes to enhance chemotherapeutic efficacy

Genes That Influence Swarming Motility and Biofilm Formation in Variovorax paradoxus EPS

Variovorax paradoxus is an aerobic soil bacterium associated with important biodegradative processes in nature. We use V. paradoxus EPS to study multicellular behaviors on surfaces.We recovered flanking sequence from 123 clones in a Tn5 mutant library, with insertions in 29 different genes, selected based on observed surface behavior phenotypes. We identified three genes, Varpa_4665, Varpa_4680, and Varpa_5900, for further examination. These genes were cloned into pBBR1MCS2 and used to complement the insertion mutants. We also analyzed expression of Varpa_4680 and Varpa_5900 under different growth conditions by qPCR.The 29 genes we identified had diverse predicted functions, many in exopolysaccharide synthesis. Varpa_4680, the most commonly recovered insertion site, encodes a putative N-acetyl-L-fucosamine transferase similar to WbuB. Expression of this gene in trans complemented the mutant fully. Several unique insertions were identified in Varpa_5900, which is one of three predicted pilY1 homologs in the EPS genome. No insertions in the two other putative pilY1 homologs present in the genome were identified. Expression of Varpa_5900 altered the structure of the wild type swarm, as did disruption of the chromosomal gene. The swarming phenotype was complemented by expression of Varpa_5900 from a plasmid, but biofilm formation was not restored. Both Varpa_4680 and Varpa_5900 transcripts were downregulated in biofilms and upregulated during swarming when compared to log phase culture. We identified a putative two component system (Varpa_4664-4665) encoding a response regulator (shkR) and a sensor histidine kinase (shkS), respectively. Biofilm formation increased and swarming was strongly delayed in the Varpa_4665 (shkS) mutant. Complementation of shkS restored the biofilm phenotype but swarming was still delayed. Expression of shkR in trans suppressed biofilm formation in either genetic background, and partially restored swarming in the mutant.The data presented here point to complex regulation of these surface behaviors

Cellular Active N-Hydroxyurea FEN1 Inhibitors Block Substrate Entry to the Active Site

The structure-specific nuclease human flap endonuclease-1 (hFEN1) plays a key role in DNA replication and repair and may be of interest as an oncology target. We present the first crystal structure of inhibitor-bound hFEN1 and show a cyclic N-hydroxyurea bound in the active site coordinated to two magnesium ions. Three such compounds had similar IC50 values but differed subtly in mode of action. One had comparable affinity for protein and protein– substrate complex and prevented reaction by binding to active site catalytic metal ions, blocking the unpairing of substrate DNA necessary for reaction. Other compounds were more competitive with substrate. Cellular thermal shift data showed engagement of both inhibitor types with hFEN1 in cells with activation of the DNA damage response evident upon treatment. However, cellular EC50s were significantly higher than in vitro inhibition constants and the implications of this for exploitation of hFEN1 as a drug target are discussed

Pseudomonas aeruginosa PilY1 Binds Integrin in an RGD- and Calcium-Dependent Manner

PilY1 is a type IV pilus (tfp)-associated protein from the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa that shares functional similarity with related proteins in infectious Neisseria and Kingella species. Previous data have shown that PilY1 acts as a calcium-dependent pilus biogenesis factor necessary for twitching motility with a specific calcium binding site located at amino acids 850–859 in the 1,163 residue protein. In addition to motility, PilY1 is also thought to play an important role in the adhesion of P. aeruginosa tfp to host epithelial cells. Here, we show that PilY1 contains an integrin binding arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) motif located at residues 619–621 in the PilY1 from the PAK strain of P. aeruginosa; this motif is conserved in the PilY1s from the other P. aeruginosa strains of known sequence. We demonstrate that purified PilY1 binds integrin in vitro in an RGD-dependent manner. Furthermore, we identify a second calcium binding site (amino acids 600–608) located ten residues upstream of the RGD. Eliminating calcium binding from this site using a D608A mutation abolished integrin binding; in contrast, a calcium binding mimic (D608K) preserved integrin binding. Finally, we show that the previously established PilY1 calcium binding site at 851–859 also impacts the protein's association with integrin. Taken together, these data indicate that PilY1 binds to integrin in an RGD- and calcium-dependent manner in vitro. As such, P. aeruginosa may employ these interactions to mediate host epithelial cell binding in vivo

Active Nuclear Receptors Exhibit Highly Correlated AF-2 Domain Motions

Nuclear receptor ligand binding domains (LBDs) convert ligand binding events into changes in gene expression by recruiting transcriptional coregulators to a conserved activation function-2 (AF-2) surface. While most nuclear receptor LBDs form homo- or heterodimers, the human nuclear receptor pregnane X receptor (PXR) forms a unique and essential homodimer and is proposed to assemble into a functional heterotetramer with the retinoid X receptor (RXR). How the homodimer interface, which is located 30 Å from the AF-2, would affect function at this critical surface has remained unclear. By using 20- to 30-ns molecular dynamics simulations on PXR in various oligomerization states, we observed a remarkably high degree of correlated motion in the PXR–RXR heterotetramer, most notably in the four helices that create the AF-2 domain. The function of such correlation may be to create “active-capable” receptor complexes that are ready to bind to transcriptional coactivators. Indeed, we found in additional simulations that active-capable receptor complexes involving other orphan or steroid nuclear receptors also exhibit highly correlated AF-2 domain motions. We further propose a mechanism for the transmission of long-range motions through the nuclear receptor LBD to the AF-2 surface. Taken together, our findings indicate that long-range motions within the LBD scaffold are critical to nuclear receptor function by promoting a mobile AF-2 state ready to bind coactivators

Direct observation of DNA threading in flap endonuclease complexes

Maintenance of genome integrity requires that branched nucleic acid molecules are accurately processed to produce double-helical DNA. Flap endonucleases are essential enzymes that trim such branched molecules generated by Okazaki fragment synthesis during replication. Here, we report crystal structures of bacteriophage T5 flap endonuclease in complexes with intact DNA substrates, and products, at resolutions of 1.9–2.2 Å. They reveal single-stranded DNA threading through a hole in the enzyme enclosed by an inverted Vshaped helical arch straddling the active site. Residues lining the hole induce an unusual barb-like conformation in the DNA substrate juxtaposing the scissile phosphate and essential catalytic metal ions. A series of complexes and biochemical analyses show how the substrate’s single-stranded branch approaches, threads through, and finally emerges on the far side of the enzyme. Our studies suggest that substrate recognition involves an unusual “flycasting, thread, bend and barb” mechanis

Activation of the steroid and xenobiotic receptor, SXR, induces apoptosis in breast cancer cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The steroid and xenobiotic receptor, SXR, is an orphan nuclear receptor that regulates metabolism of diverse dietary, endobiotic, and xenobiotic compounds. SXR is expressed at high levels in the liver and intestine, and at lower levels in breast and other tissues where its function was unknown. Since many breast cancer preventive and therapeutic compounds are SXR activators, we hypothesized that some beneficial effects of these compounds are mediated through SXR.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>To test this hypothesis, we measured proliferation of breast cancer cells in response to SXR activators and evaluated consequent changes in the expression of genes critical for proliferation and cell-cycle control using quantitative RT-PCR and western blotting. Results were confirmed using siRNA-mediated gene knockdown. Statistical analysis was by t-test or ANOVA and a P value ≤ 0.05 was considered to be significant.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Many structurally and functionally distinct SXR activators inhibited the proliferation of MCF-7 and ZR-75-1 breast cancer cells by inducing cell cycle arrest at the G1/S phase followed by apoptosis. Decreased growth in response to SXR activation was associated with stabilization of p53 and up-regulation of cell cycle regulatory and pro-apoptotic genes such as p21, PUMA and BAX. These gene expression changes were preceded by an increase in inducible nitric oxide synthase and nitric oxide in these cells. Inhibition of iNOS blocked the induction of p53. p53 knockdown inhibited up-regulation of p21 and BAX. We infer that NO is required for p53 induction and that p53 is required for up-regulation of cell cycle regulatory and apoptotic genes in this system. SXR activator-induced increases in iNOS levels were inhibited by siRNA-mediated knockdown of SXR, indicating that SXR activation is necessary for subsequent regulation of iNOS expression.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We conclude that activation of SXR is anti-proliferative in p53 wild type breast cancer cells and that this effect is mechanistically dependent upon the local production of NO and NO-dependent up-regulation of p53. These findings reveal a novel biological function for SXR and suggest that a subset of SXR activators may function as effective therapeutic and chemo-preventative agents for certain types of breast cancers.</p

DNA and Protein Requirements for Substrate Conformational Changes Necessary for Human Flap Endonuclease-1 Catalyzed Reaction.

Human flap endonuclease-1 (hFEN1) catalyzes the essential removal of single-stranded flaps arising at DNA junctions during replication and repair processes. hFEN1 biological function must be precisely controlled, and consequently, the protein relies on a combination of protein and substrate conformational changes as a prerequisite for reaction. These include substrate bending at the duplex-duplex junction and transfer of unpaired reacting duplex end into the active site. When present, 5'-flaps are thought to thread under the helical cap, limiting reaction to flaps with free 5'-termini in vivo. Here we monitored DNA bending by FRET and DNA unpairing using 2-aminopurine exciton pair CD to determine the DNA and protein requirements for these substrate conformational changes. Binding of DNA to hFEN1 in a bent conformation occurred independently of 5'-flap accommodation and did not require active site metal ions or the presence of conserved active site residues. More stringent requirements exist for transfer of the substrate to the active site. Placement of the scissile phosphate diester in the active site required the presence of divalent metal ions, a free 5'-flap (if present), a Watson-Crick base pair at the terminus of the reacting duplex, and the intact secondary structure of the enzyme helical cap. Optimal positioning of the scissile phosphate additionally required active site conserved residues Y40, D181 and R100 and a reacting duplex 5'-phosphate. These studies suggest a FEN1 reaction mechanism where junctions are bound, 5'-flaps are threaded (when present), and finally the substrate is transferred onto active site metals initiating cleavage