Structural Basis for Dityrosine-Mediated Inhibition of α-Synuclein Fibrillization

[Image: see text] α-Synuclein (α-Syn) is an intrinsically disordered protein which self-assembles into highly organized β-sheet structures that accumulate in plaques in brains of Parkinson’s disease patients. Oxidative stress influences α-Syn structure and self-assembly; however, the basis for this remains unclear. Here we characterize the chemical and physical effects of mild oxidation on monomeric α-Syn and its aggregation. Using a combination of biophysical methods, small-angle X-ray scattering, and native ion mobility mass spectrometry, we find that oxidation leads to formation of intramolecular dityrosine cross-linkages and a compaction of the α-Syn monomer by a factor of √2. Oxidation-induced compaction is shown to inhibit ordered self-assembly and amyloid formation by steric hindrance, suggesting an important role of mild oxidation in preventing amyloid formation

The Role of the Active Site Tyrosine in the Mechanism of Lytic Polysaccharide Monooxygenase

Natural polysaccharides (such as cellulose) comprise a large bio-renewable resource. However, exploitation of this resource requires energy-efficient polysaccharide degradation, which is currently limited by the inherent recalcitrance of many naturally occurring polysaccharides. Catalytic breakdown of polysaccharides can be achieved more efficiently by means of the enzymes lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs). However, the LPMO mechanism has remained controversial, preventing full exploitation of their potential. One of the controversies has centered around an active site tyrosine, present in most LPMOs. Different roles for this tyrosine have been proposed without direct evidence, but two recent investigations have for the first time obtained direct (spectroscopic) evidence for that chemical modification of this tyrosine is possible. Surprisingly, the spectroscopic features obtained in the two investigations are remarkably different. In this paper we use density functional theory (DFT) in a QM/MM formulation to reconcile these (apparently) conflicting results. By modeling the spectroscopy as well as the underlying reaction mechanism we can show how formation of two isomers (both involving deprotonation of tyrosine) explain the difference in the experimental observed spectroscopic features. The link between our structures and the observed spectroscopy provides a firm ground to investigate the role of tyrosine

Synthesis and characterisation of new copper(II) coordination polymers constructed from pyrazine–tetrazole ligands with the formation of a water cluster

Three novel bis-tetrazole ligands (1–3) containing carboxylate functional groups on the tetrazole rings and a rigid pyrazine linker unit, for the construction of coordination polymers when coordinated to copper(II) ions, were synthesised and structurally characterised. The use of pyrazine as a rigid linker between the two tetrazole units was expected to increase the dimensionality of the solid phase polymeric network of the resulting copper(II)-containing compounds. X-ray structures of the ligands revealed the effect of the substitution position on the tetrazole ring of the ester/carboxylate groups. Higher solid phase dimensionality was successfully achieved as shown by the layered two-dimensional (2-D) coordination structure being formed when the pyrazine bis-tetrazole systems were reacted with copper(II) chloride, although not in the expected manner. There was no interaction between the pyrazine nitrogen atoms and the metal ion. Computational studies showed that this was probably due to the geometry, required by the copper ion, to be involved in the close packing between the layers. The 2-D coordination polymer based on the asymmetric substituted pyrazine bis-tetrazole, [Cu(4)(H2O)](H2O)2, was further connected into a three-dimensional (3-D) coordination network through hydrogen bonding between H2O molecules. These H2O molecules were connected as a unique 1-D chain throughout the structure. Three novel bis-tetrazole ligands (1-3) containing carboxylate functional groups on the tetrazole rings and a rigid pyrazine linker unit, for the construction of coordination polymers when coordinated to copper(II) ions, were synthesised and structurally characterised

The role of the active site tyrosine in the mechanism of lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase

Catalytic breakdown of polysaccharides can be achieved more efficiently by means of the enzymes lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs). However, the LPMO mechanism has remained controversial, preventing full exploitation of their potential. One of the controversies has centered around an active site tyrosine, present in most LPMO classes. Recent investigations have for the first time obtained direct (spectroscopic) evidence for the possibility of chemical modification of this tyrosine. However, the spectroscopic features obtained in the different investigations are remarkably different, with absorption maximum at 420 and 490 nm, respectively. In this paper we use density functional theory (DFT) in a QM/MM formulation to reconcile these (apparently) conflicting results. By modeling the spectroscopy as well as the underlying reaction mechanism we can show how formation of two isomers (both involving deprotonation of tyrosine) explains the difference in the observed spectroscopic features. Both isomers have a [TyrO-Cu-OH]+ moiety with the OH in either the cis- or trans-position to a deprotonated tyrosine. Although the cis-[TyrO-Cu-OH]+ moiety is well positioned for oxidation of the substrate, preliminary calculations with the substrate reveal that the reactivity is at best moderate, making a protective role of tyrosine more likely