Bakteri ribosoomide uurimus keemilise modifitseerimise meetoditega

Väitekirja elektrooniline versioon ei sisalda publikatsioone.Ribosoom on suur makromolekulaarne kompleks, mis kodeerib päriliku informatsiooni valgulisse olemusse. Eeltuumsete organsimide ribosoom koosneb kaheks alamühikust, väikesest (30S) ja suurest (50S) alamühikust. Ribosoomi kahte alamühikut hoiavad koos ~ 30 erinevat ühendust, mis on jagatud 12 silla (B1a-B8) vahel. Väike alamühik koosneb ühest RNA molekulist (16S rRNA, 1542 nukleotiidi) ja 21-st ribosoomi valgust (S1-S21). Ribosoomi suur alamühik koosneb kahest RNA molekulist (5S rRNA, 120 nukleotiidi ja 23S rRNA, 2904 nukleotiidi) ja 33-st ribosoomi valgust (L1-L36). Minu töös uuritakse ribosomaalse RNA keemiliste positsioonide olulisust ribosoomi kahe alamühiku omavahelisel seonumisel. Keemilise modifitseerimise meetodit kasutades detekteerisime 16S rRNA-s kuus positsiooni (A702, A1418, A1483, U793, U1414 ja U1495), millede modifitseerimine takistab alamühikute assotseerumist. Detekteeritud positsioonid paiknevad tuntud alamühikute vahelistes sildades. Seega alamühikute assotsiatsioonil mängivad olulist rolli sillad B2a (U1495), B2b(U793), B3 (A1418, A1483, U1414) ja B7a (A702). Lisaks sellele töötasime välja meetodi, millega saab uurida RNA suhkur-fosfaat selgroo interaktsioone 23S rRNA-s. Välja töötatud meetodit on võimalik kasutada RNA suhkur-fosfaat selgroo interaktsioonide uurimiseks, substraatide sidumiskohtade määramiseks ja individuaalsete positsioonide mõju määramiseks valgusünteesi erinevates etappides. Kolmandas töös uuritakse ribosoomi valkude võimet välja vahetuda ja selle tulemusena taastada keemiliselt kahjustatud ribosoomide funktsioon. Ribosoomis välja vahetuvate valkude kindlaks tegemiseks, me kasutasime kahte in vitro meetodit, nii radioaktiivset märgistamist kui ka raskete isotoopide eristamise meetodit. Ribosoomi valgud S2, L1, L7/12, L9, L10, L11 ja L33 on kõige kergemini vahetuvad r-valgud. Seega, meie tulemused näitavad, et kahjustatud ribosoome on võimalik parandada valkude asendamise teel.The ribosome is a macromolecular assembly that is responsible for protein biosynthesis following genetic instructions in all organisms. The prokaryotic ribosome contains about two-thirds RNA and one-third protein and consists of two subunits, the larger (50S) of which is approximately twice the molecular weight of the smaller (30S). Prokaryotic ribosomes contain ~54 different proteins, 23S rRNA, 16S rRNA, and 5S rRNA. Two ribosomal subunits are held together by more than 30 individual intersubunit interactions spread among 12 bridges (B1-B8). Using modification interference approach we were able to identify 6 essential 16S rRNA positions for subunit association. Modification of the N1 position of A702, A1418, and A1483 with DMS, and of the N3 position of U793, U1414, and U1495 with CMCT in 30S subunits strongly interferes with 70S ribosome formation. Five of these positions localize into previously recognized intersubunit bridges, namely, B2a (U1495), B2b (U793), B3 (A1483; A1418), and B7a (A702). These four intersubunit bridges are essential for reassociation of the 70S ribosome, thus forming the functional core of the intersubunit contacts. In order to study RNA backbone interactions in the ribosome, we combined different assays like in vitro T7 transcription, in vitro 50S reconstitution and primer extension to generate a reliable approach to study RNA backbone interactions of the large ribosomal subunit by using phosphorothioate approach. This phosphorothioate-substitution approach is suitable for footprinting of various ligand-ribosome complexes and for functional studies in the modification interference assay. In addition, because the ribosome is made of many individual proteins, we studied the ability of ribosomal proteins to exchange and restore the function of damaged ribosomes. Incubation of chemically inactivated ribosomes with total ribosomal proteins led to reactivation of translational activity. Ribosomal proteins S1, S2, L1, L7/12, L9, L10, L11 and L33 are among the most readily exchangeable proteins. The results show that the damaged ribosomes can be repaired by mean of protein exchange

Chemically Related 4,5-Linked Aminoglycoside Antibiotics Drive Subunit Rotation in Opposite Directions

Dynamic remodelling of intersubunit bridge B2, a conserved RNA domain of the bacterial ribosome connecting helices 44 (h44) and 69 (H69) of the small and large subunit, respectively, impacts translation by controlling intersubunit rotation. Here we show that aminoglycosides chemically related to neomycin-paromomycin, ribostamycin and neamine-each bind to sites within h44 and H69 to perturb bridge B2 and affect subunit rotation. Neomycin and paromomycin, which only differ by their ring-I 6\u27-polar group, drive subunit rotation in opposite directions. This suggests that their distinct actions hinge on the 6\u27-substituent and the drug\u27s net positive charge. By solving the crystal structure of the paromomycin-ribosome complex, we observe specific contacts between the apical tip of H69 and the 6\u27-hydroxyl on paromomycin from within the drug\u27s canonical h44-binding site. These results indicate that aminoglycoside actions must be framed in the context of bridge B2 and their regulation of subunit rotation

Antiviral Properties of Chemical Inhibitors of Cellular Anti-Apoptotic Bcl-2 Proteins

Viral diseases remain serious threats to public health because of the shortage of effective means of control. To combat the surge of viral diseases, new treatments are urgently needed. Here we show that small-molecules, which inhibit cellular anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 proteins (Bcl-2i), induced the premature death of cells infected with different RNA or DNA viruses, whereas, at the same concentrations, no toxicity was observed in mock-infected cells. Moreover, these compounds limited viral replication and spread. Surprisingly, Bcl-2i also induced the premature apoptosis of cells transfected with viral RNA or plasmid DNA but not of mock-transfected cells. These results suggest that Bcl-2i sensitizes cells containing foreign RNA or DNA to apoptosis. A comparison of the toxicity, antiviral activity, and side effects of six Bcl-2i allowed us to select A-1155463 as an antiviral lead candidate. Thus, our results pave the way for the further development of Bcl-2i for the prevention and treatment of viral diseases.Peer reviewe

Antiviral properties of chemical inhibitors of cellular anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 proteins

Viral diseases remain serious threats to public health because of the shortage of effective means of control. To combat the surge of viral diseases, new treatments are urgently needed. Here we show that small-molecules, which inhibit cellular anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 proteins (Bcl-2i), induced the premature death of cells infected with different RNA or DNA viruses, whereas, at the same concentrations, no toxicity was observed in mock-infected cells. Moreover, these compounds limited viral replication and spread. Surprisingly, Bcl-2i also induced the premature apoptosis of cells transfected with viral RNA or plasmid DNA but not of mock-transfected cells. These results suggest that Bcl-2i sensitizes cells containing foreign RNA or DNA to apoptosis. A comparison of the toxicity, antiviral activity, and side effects of six Bcl-2i allowed us to select A-1155463 as an antiviral lead candidate. Thus, our results pave the way for the further development of Bcl-2i for the prevention and treatment of viral diseases.</p

Identification of nucleotides in E. coli 16S rRNA essential for ribosome subunit association

The ribosome consists of two unequal subunits, which associate via numerous intersubunit contacts. Medium-resolution structural studies have led to grouping of the intersubunit contacts into 12 directly visualizable intersubunit bridges. Most of the intersubunit interactions involve RNA. We have used an RNA modification interference approach to determine Escherichia coli 16S rRNA positions that are essential for the association of functionally active 70S ribosomes. Modification of the N1 position of A702, A1418, and A1483 with DMS, and of the N3 position of U793, U1414, and U1495 with CMCT in 30S subunits strongly interferes with 70S ribosome formation. Five of these positions localize into previously recognized intersubunit bridges, namely, B2a (U1495), B2b (U793), B3 (A1483), B5 (A1418), and B7a (A702). The remaining position displaying interference, U1414, forms a base pair with G1486, which is a part of bridge B3. We contend that these five intersubunit bridges are essential for reassociation of the 70S ribosome, thus forming the functional core of the intersubunit contacts

Factors that Influence the Formation and Stability of Thin, Cryo-EM Specimens.

Poor consistency of the ice thickness from one area of a cryo-electron microscope (cryo-EM) specimen grid to another, from one grid to the next, and from one type of specimen to another, motivates a reconsideration of how to best prepare suitably thin specimens. Here we first review the three related topics of wetting, thinning, and stability against dewetting of aqueous films spread over a hydrophilic substrate. We then suggest that the importance of there being a surfactant monolayer at the air-water interface of thin, cryo-EM specimens has been largely underappreciated. In fact, a surfactant layer (of uncontrolled composition and surface pressure) can hardly be avoided during standard cryo-EM specimen preparation. We thus suggest that better control over the composition and properties of the surfactant layer may result in more reliable production of cryo-EM specimens with the desired thickness

Long shelf-life streptavidin support-films suitable for electron microscopy of biological macromolecules.

We describe a rapid and convenient method of growing streptavidin (SA) monolayer crystals directly on holey-carbon EM grids. As expected, these SA monolayer crystals retain their biotin-binding function and crystalline order through a cycle of embedding in trehalose and, later, its removal. This fact allows one to prepare, and store for later use, EM grids on which SA monolayer crystals serve as an affinity substrate for preparing specimens of biological macromolecules. In addition, we report that coating the lipid-tail side of trehalose-embedded monolayer crystals with evaporated carbon appears to improve the consistency with which well-ordered, single crystals are observed to span over entire, 2μm holes of the support films. Randomly biotinylated 70S ribosomes are used as a test specimen to show that these support films can be used to obtain a high-resolution cryo-EM structure

Long shelf-life streptavidin support-films suitable for electron microscopy of biological macromolecules

We describe a rapid and convenient method of growing streptavidin (SA) monolayer crystals directly on holey-carbon EM grids. As expected, these SA monolayer crystals retain their biotin-binding function and crystalline order through a cycle of embedding in trehalose and, later, its removal. This fact allows one to prepare, and store for later use, EM grids on which SA monolayer crystals serve as an affinity substrate for preparing specimens of biological macromolecules. In addition, we report that coating the lipid-tail side of trehalose-embedded monolayer crystals with evaporated carbon appears to improve the consistency with which well-ordered, single crystals are observed to span over entire, 2 μm holes of the support films. Randomly biotinylated 70 S ribosomes are used as a test specimen to show that these support films can be used to obtain a high-resolution cryo-EM structure