25 research outputs found
The C-terminal domain of eukaryotic initiation factor 5 promotes start codon recognition by its dynamic interplay with eIF1 and eIF2 beta
Recognition of the proper start codon on mRNAs is essential for protein synthesis, which requires scanning and involves eukaryotic initiation factors (eIFs) eIF1, eIF1A, eIF2, and eIF5. The carboxyl terminal domain (CTD) of eIF5 stimulates 43S preinitiation complex (PIC) assembly; however, its precise role in scanning and start codon selection has remained unknown. Using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, we identified the binding sites of eIF1 and eIF2β on eIF5-CTD and found that they partially overlapped. Mutating select eIF5 residues in the common interface specifically disrupts interaction with both factors. Genetic and biochemical evidence indicates that these eIF5-CTD mutations impair start codon recognition and impede eIF1 release from the PIC by abrogating eIF5-CTD binding to eIF2β. This study provides mechanistic insight into the role of eIF5-CTD's dynamic interplay with eIF1 and eIF2β in switching PICs from an open to a closed state at start codons.publishedVersio
LED‐Illuminated NMR Spectroscopy: A Practical Tool for Mechanistic Studies of Photochemical Reactions
This Concept article highlights the development of a novel analytical tool, LED-NMR (a combination of in situ light illumination using a light-emitting diode and NMR spectroscopy) and its variant UVNMR (LED-NMR coupled with UV/Vis absorption spectroscopy), as well as their applications in the mechanistic investigation of light-induced transformations. The utility of these new tools has been demonstrated by providing rich kinetic and structural data of reaction species offering mechanistic insights into photochemical and photocatalytic reactions. Furthermore, NMR actinometry has been recently developed as a practical and simple method for quantum yield measurements. Quantum yield is an important parameter in photo-induced processes, but is rarely measured in practice because of the barriers associated with traditional actinometry. These new tools and techniques streamline measurements of the quantum efficiency while affording informative mechanistic insights into photochemical reactions. We anticipate these techniques will enable chemists to further advance the rapidly emerging photochemistry field
Facile Quantum Yield Determination via NMR Actinometry
A simplified approach
to quantum yield (ϕ) measurement using in situ LED NMR spectroscopy
has been developed. The utility and performance of NMR actinometry
has been demonstrated for the well-known chemical actinometers potassium
ferrioxalate and <i>o</i>-nitrobenzaldehyde. A novel NMR-friendly
actinometer, 2,4-dinitrobenzaldehyde, has been introduced for both
365 and 440 nm wavelengths. The method has been utilized successfully
to measure the quantum yield of several recently published photochemical
reactions
The C-terminal domain of eukaryotic initiation factor 5 promotes start codon recognition by its dynamic interplay with eIF1 and eIF2 beta
Recognition of the proper start codon on mRNAs is essential for protein synthesis, which requires scanning and involves eukaryotic initiation factors (eIFs) eIF1, eIF1A, eIF2, and eIF5. The carboxyl terminal domain (CTD) of eIF5 stimulates 43S preinitiation complex (PIC) assembly; however, its precise role in scanning and start codon selection has remained unknown. Using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, we identified the binding sites of eIF1 and eIF2β on eIF5-CTD and found that they partially overlapped. Mutating select eIF5 residues in the common interface specifically disrupts interaction with both factors. Genetic and biochemical evidence indicates that these eIF5-CTD mutations impair start codon recognition and impede eIF1 release from the PIC by abrogating eIF5-CTD binding to eIF2β. This study provides mechanistic insight into the role of eIF5-CTD's dynamic interplay with eIF1 and eIF2β in switching PICs from an open to a closed state at start codons
The interaction between eukaryotic initiation factor 1A and eIF5 retains eIF1 within scanning preinitiation complexes
Scanning of the mRNA transcript by the preinitiation complex (PIC) requires a panel of eukaryotic initiation factors including eIF1 and eIF1A, the main transducers of stringent AUG selection. eIF1A plays an important role in start codon recognition; however, its molecular contacts with eIF5 are unknown. Using NMR, we unveil eIF1A’s binding surface on the carboxyl-terminal domain of eIF5 (eIF5-CTD). We validated this interaction by observing that eIF1A does not bind to an eIF5-CTD mutant, altering the revealed eIF1A-interaction site. We also found that the interaction between eIF1A:eIF5-CTD is conserved between human and yeast. Using GST pull down assays of purified proteins, we showed that the N-terminal tail (NTT) of eIF1A mediates the interaction with eIF5-CTD and eIF1. Genetic evidence indicates that overexpressing eIF1 or eIF5 suppresses the slow growth phenotype of eIF1A-NTT mutants. These results suggest that the eIF1A:eIF5-CTD interaction during scanning PICs contributes to the maintenance of eIF1 within the open PIC
Trapping-Enrichment Multi-dimensional Liquid Chromatography with On-Line Deuterated Solvent Exchange for Streamlined Structure Elucidation at the Microgram Scale
At the forefront of chemistry and biology research, development timelines are fast-paced and large quantities of pure targets are rarely available. Herein, we introduce a new framework, which is built upon an automated, online trapping-enrichment multi-dimensional liquid chromatography platform (TE-Dt-mDLC) that enables: 1) highly efficient separation of complex mixtures in a first dimension (1D-UV); 2) automated peak trapping-enrichment and buffer removal achieved through a sequence of H2O and D2O washes using an independent pump setup; and 3) a second dimension separation (2D-UV-MS) with fully deuterated mobile phases and fraction collection to minimize protic residues for immediate NMR analysis while bypassing tedious drying processes and minimizing analyte degradation. Diverse examples of target isolation and characterization from organic synthesis and natural product chemistry laboratories are illustrated, demonstrating recoveries above 90 % using as little as a few micrograms of material
Small molecule inhibition of phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-triphosphate (PIP3) binding to pleckstrin homology domains
The PI3-kinase (PI3K) pathway regulates many cellular processes, especially cell metabolism, cell survival, and apoptosis. Phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate (PIP3), the product of PI3K activity and a key signaling molecule, acts by recruiting pleckstrin-homology (PH) domain-containing proteins to cell membranes. Here, we describe a new structural class of nonphosphoinositide small molecule antagonists (PITenins, PITs) of PIP3–PH domain interactions (IC50 ranges from 13.4 to 31 μM in PIP3/Akt PH domain binding assay). PITs inhibit interactions of a number of PIP3-binding PH domains, including those of Akt and PDK1, without affecting several PIP2-selective PH domains. As a result, PITs suppress the PI3K-PDK1-Akt pathway and trigger metabolic stress and apoptosis. A PIT-1 analog displayed significant antitumor activity in vivo, including inhibition of tumor growth and induction of apoptosis. Overall, our studies demonstrate the feasibility of developing specific small molecule antagonists of PIP3 signaling