One short cysteine-rich sequence pattern - two different disulfide-bonded structures - a molecular dynamics simulation study.

The nematocyst walls of Hydra are formed by proteins containing small cysteine-rich domains (CRDs) of ~25 amino acids. The first CRD of nematocyst outer all antigen (NW1) and the C-terminal CRD of minicollagen-1 (Mcol1C) contain six cysteines at identical sequence positions, however adopt different disulfide bonded structures. NW1 shows the disulfide connectivities C2-C14/C6-C19/C10-C18 and Mcol1C C2-C18/C6-C14/C10-C19. To analyze if both show structural preferences in the open, non-disulfide bonded form, which explain the formation of either disulfide connectivity pattern, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations at different temperatures were performed. NW1 maintained in the 100-ns MD simulations at 283 K a rather compact fold that is stabilized by specific hydrogen bonds. The Mcol1C structure fluctuated overall more, however stayed most of the time also rather compact. The analysis of the backbone Φ/ψ angles indicated different turn propensities for NW1 and Mcol1C, which mostly can be explained based on published data about the influence of different amino acid side chains on the local backbone conformation. Whereas a folded precursor mechanism may be considered for NW1, Mcol1C may fold according to the quasi-stochastic folding model involving disulfide bond reshuffling and conformational changes, locking the native disulfide conformations. The study further demonstrates the power of MD simulations to detect local structural preferences in rather dynamic systems such as the open, non-disulfide bonded forms of NW1 and Mcol1C, which complement published information from NMR backbone residual dipolar couplings. Because the backbone structural preferences encoded by the amino acid sequence embedding the cysteines influence which disulfide connectivities are formed, the data are generally interesting for a better understanding of oxidative folding and the design of disulfide stabilized therapeutics

Characterization of residue-dependent differences in the peripheral membrane association of the FATC domain of the kinase 'target of rapamycin' by NMR and CD spectroscopy.

The conserved C-terminal FATC domain of the kinase 'target of rapamycin' is important for its regulation and was suggested to contain a peripheral membrane anchor. Here, we present the characterization of the interactions of the yeast TOR1 FATC domain (2438-2470 = y1fatc) and 15 mutants with membrane mimetic micelles, bicelles, and small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs) by NMR and CD spectroscopy. Replacement of up to 6-7 residues did not result in a significant abrogation of the association with micelles or bicelles. However, replacement of only one residue could result in an impairment of the interaction with SUVs that are usually used at low concentrations. Some mutants not binding liposomes may be introduced in full-length TOR for future functional and localization studies in vivo

Expression and purification of the natively disordered and redox sensitive metal binding regions of Mycobacterium tuberculosis protein kinase G.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis protein kinase G (PknG) is secreted into host macrophages to block lysosomal degradation. The catalytic domain (∼147-405) is C-terminally flanked by a tetratricopeptide repeat domain (TPRD). The preceding rubredoxin-like metal-binding motif (RD, ∼74 -147) mediates PknG redox regulation. The N-terminal ∼75 residues were predicted to show no regulatory secondary structure (NORS) and harbor the only site (T63) phosphorylated in vivo. Deletions or mutations in the NORS or the redox-sensitive RD significantly decrease the survival function. Here, we show that the RD appears only to be present in the folded, metal-bound state if ZnCl2 is added upon induction of protein expression in minimal medium. Since factor Xa cleaves at the end of its recognition site (IEGR), a modified expression plasmid for PknG 1-147 was obtained by mutating the N-terminal thrombin to a factor Xa recognition site. This allows preparing PknG1-147 with its native N-terminus. We further present a fast approach to generate expression plasmids for only the NORS or the RD by site-directed mutagenesis of the expression plasmid for His-tagged PknG 1-147. An expression plasmid for PknG 1-75 was obtained by introducing a stop codon at position 76 and one for PknG 74-174 by introducing a factor Xa recognition before position 74. SDS-PAGE analysis shows that all fragments are highly expressed in E. coli and can be purified to high purity. Thereby, the established preparation protocols pave the route for the NMR structural characterization of PknG regulation by its N-terminal regions, which is demonstrated by the recorded initial (1)H-(15)N-HSQC spectra

Chemical shift assignment of the intrinsically disordered N-terminus and the rubredoxin domain in the folded metal bound and unfolded oxidized state of mycobacterial protein kinase G.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis protein kinase G (PknG) is a 82 kDa multidomain eukaryotic-like serine/threonine kinase mediating the survival of pathogenic mycobacteria within host macrophages. The N-terminal sequence preceding the catalytic kinase domain contains an approximately 75 residues long tail, which was predicted to show no regulatory secondary structure (1–75 = NORS) but harbors the major in vivo phosphorylation site (T63), and a rubredoxin-like metal binding motif (74–147 = RD). In the reduced rubredoxin motif, four conserved cysteine residues that are present as two C-X-X-C-G motifs coordinate a metal ion. The cysteines are further involved in sensing the redox environment to regulate PknG catalytic activity. Here, we report the 1H, 13C, and 15N resonance assignments of the highly dynamic unstructured N-terminal region NORS and the RD in the reduced, metal bound, presumably folded and the oxidized, presumably unfolded state. Chemical shifts have been deposited at the BioMagResBank under the BMRB accession numbers 26,028 for the His-PknG1–147 with the RD in reduced, metal bound state, 26,027 for His-PknG1–75, and 26,030 and 26,029 for PknG74–147 either in the reduced, metal bound or oxidized state, respectively. The presented chemical shift assignments pave the route for the structural characterization of the regulation of PknG by redox changes and posttranslational modifications (phosphorylation)

NMR analysis of the backbone dynamics of the small GTPase Rheb and its interaction with the regulatory protein FKBP38.

Ras homolog enriched in brain (Rheb) is a small GTPase that regulates mammalian/mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) and, thereby, cell growth and metabolism. Here we show that cycling between the inactive GDP-and the active GTP-bound state modulates the backbone dynamics of a C-terminal truncated form, RhebDCT, which is suggested to influence its interactions. We further investigated the interactions between RhebDCT and the proposed Rheb-binding domain of the regulatory protein FKBP38. The observed weak interactions with the GTP-analogue(GppNHp-) but not the GDP-bound state, appear to accelerate the GDP to GTP exchange, but only very weakly compared to a genuine GEF. Thus, FKBP38 is most likely not a GEF but a Rheb effector that may function in membrane targeting of Rheb

Oxidative unfolding of the rubredoxin domain and the natively disordered N-terminal region regulate the catalytic activity of <em>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</em> protein kinase G.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis escapes killing in human macrophages by secreting protein kinase G (PknG). PknG intercepts host signaling to prevent fusion of the phagosome engulfing the mycobacteria with the lysosome and, thus, their degradation. The N-terminal NORS (no regulatory secondary structure) region of PknG (approximately residues 1-75) has been shown to play a role in PknG regulation by (auto)phosphorylation, whereas the following rubredoxin-like metal-binding motif (RD, residues &sim;74-147) has been shown to interact tightly with the subsequent catalytic domain (approximately residues 148-420) to mediate its redox regulation. Deletions or mutations in NORS or the redox-sensitive RD significantly decrease PknG survival function. Based on combined NMR spectroscopy, in vitro kinase assay, and molecular dynamics simulation data, we provide novel insights into the regulatory roles of the N-terminal regions. The NORS region is indeed natively disordered and rather dynamic. Consistent with most earlier data, autophosphorylation occurs in our assays only when the NORS region is present and, thus, in the NORS region. Phosphorylation of it results only in local conformational changes and does not induce interactions with the subsequent RD. Although the reduced, metal-bound RD makes tight interactions with the following catalytic domain in the published crystal structures, it can also fold in its absence. Our data further suggest that oxidation-induced unfolding of the RD regulates substrate access to the catalytic domain and, thereby, PknG function under different redox conditions, e.g. when exposed to increased levels of reactive oxidative species in host macrophages

Regulation of the target of rapamycin and other phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-related kinases by membrane targeting.

Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-related kinases (PIKKs) play vital roles in the regulation of cell growth, proliferation, survival, and consequently metabolism, as well as in the cellular response to stresses such as ionizing radiation or redox changes. In humans six family members are known to date, namely mammalian/mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM), ataxia- and Rad3-related (ATR), DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs), suppressor of morphogenesis in genitalia-1 (SMG-1), and transformation/transcription domain-associated protein (TRRAP). All fulfill rather diverse functions and most of them have been detected in different cellular compartments including various cellular membranes. It has been suggested that the regulation of the localization of signaling proteins allows for generating a locally specific output. Moreover, spatial partitioning is expected to improve the reliability of biochemical signaling. Since these assumptions may also be true for the regulation of PIKK function, the current knowledge about the regulation of the localization of PIKKs at different cellular (membrane) compartments by a network of interactions is reviewed. Membrane targeting can involve direct lipid-/membrane interactions as well as interactions with membrane-anchored regulatory proteins, such as, for example, small GTPases, or a combination of both

NMR- and MD simulation-based structural characterization of the membrane-associating FATC domain of ataxia telangiectasia mutated.

The Ser/Thr protein kinase ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) plays an important role in the DNA damage response, signaling in response to redox signals, the control of metabolic processes, and mitochondrial homeostasis. ATM localizes to the nucleus and at the plasma membrane, mitochondria, peroxisomes, and other cytoplasmic vesicular structures. It has been shown that the C-terminal FATC domain of human ATM (hATMfatc) can interact with a range of membrane mimetics and may thereby act as a membrane-anchoring unit. Here, NMR structural and N-15 relaxation data, NMR data using spin-labeled micelles, and MD simulations of micelle-associated hATMfatc revealed that it binds the micelle by a dynamic assembly of three helices with many residues of hATMfatc located in the headgroup region. We observed that none of the three helices penetrates the micelle deeply or makes significant tertiary contacts to the other helices. NMR-monitored interaction experiments with hATMfatc variants in which two conserved aromatic residues (Phe(3049) and Trp(3052)) were either individually or both replaced by alanine disclosed that the double substitution does not abrogate the interaction with micelles and bicelles at the high concentrations at which these aggregates are typically used, but impairs interactions with small unilamellar vesicles, usually used at much lower lipid concentrations and considered a better mimetic for natural membranes. We conclude that the observed dynamic structure of micelle-associated hATMfatc may enable it to interact with differently composed membranes or membrane-associated interaction partners and thereby regulate ATM&#39;s kinase activity. Moreover, the FATC domain of ATM may function as a membrane-anchoring unit for other biomolecules

H-1, N-15, and C-13 chemical shift assignments of the micelle immersed FAT C-terminal (FATC) domains of the human protein kinases ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) and DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs) fused to the B1 domain of s

FAT C-terminal (FATC) is a circa 33 residue-long domain. It controls the kinase functionality in phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase-related kinases (PIKKs). Recent NMR- and CD-monitored interaction studies indicated that the FATC domains of all PIKKs can interact with membrane mimetics albeit with different preferences for membrane properties such as surface charge and curvature. Thus they may generally act as membrane anchoring unit. Here, we present the H-1, N-15, and C-13 chemical shift assignments of the DPC micelle immersed FATC domains of the human PIKKs ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM, residues 3024-3056) and DNA protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs, residues 4096-4128), both fused to the 56 residue long B1 domain of Streptococcal protein G (GB1). Each fusion protein is 100 amino acids long and contains in the linking region between the GB1 tag and the FATC region a thrombin (LVPRGS) and an enterokinase (DDDDK) protease site. The assignments pave the route for the detailed structural characterization of the membrane mimetic bound states, which will help to better understand the role of the proper cellular localization at membranes for the function and regulation of PIKKs. The chemical shift assignment of the GB1 tag is useful for NMR spectroscopists developing new experiments or using GB1 otherwise for case studies in the field of in-cell NMR spectroscopy or protein folding. Moreover it is often used as purification tag. Earlier we showed already that GB1 does not interact with membrane mimetics and thus does not disturb the NMR monitoring of membrane mimetic interactions of attached proteins