Anna Reymer

Structure of human Rad51 protein filament from molecular modeling and site-specific linear dichroism spectroscopy

To get mechanistic insight into the DNA strand-exchange reaction of homologous recombination, we solved a filament structure of a human Rad51 protein, combining molecular modeling with experimental data. We build our structure on reported structures for central and N-terminal parts of pure (uncomplexed) Rad51 protein by aid of linear dichroism spectroscopy, providing angular orientations of substituted tyrosine residues of Rad51-dsDNA filaments in solution. The structure, validated by comparison with an electron microscopy density map and results from mutation analysis, is proposed to represent an active solution structure of the nucleo-protein complex. An inhomogeneously stretched double-stranded DNA fitted into the filament emphasizes the strategic positioning of 2 putative DNA-binding loops in a way that allows us speculate about their possibly distinct roles in nucleo-protein filament assembly and DNA strand-exchange reaction. The model suggests that the extension of a single-stranded DNA molecule upon binding of Rad51 is ensured by intercalation of Tyr-232 of the L1 loop, which might act as a docking tool, aligning protein monomers along the DNA strand upon filament assembly. Arg-235, also sitting on L1, is in the right position to make electrostatic contact with the phosphate backbone of the other DNA strand. The L2 loop position and its more ordered compact conformation makes us propose that this loop has another role, as a binding site for an incoming double-stranded DNA. Our filament structure and spectroscopic approach open the possibility of analyzing details along the multistep path of the strand-exchange reaction.

Ca2+ improves organization of single-stranded DNA bases in human Rad51 filament, explaining stimulatory effect on gene recombination.

Human RAD51 protein (HsRad51) catalyses the DNA strand exchange reaction for homologous recombination. To clarify the molecular mechanism of the reaction in vitro being more effective in the presence of Ca2+ than of Mg2+, we have investigated the effect of these ions on the structure of HsRad51 filament complexes with single- and double-stranded DNA, the reaction intermediates. Flow linear dichroism spectroscopy shows that the two ionic conditions induce significantly different structures in the HsRad51/single-stranded DNA complex, while the HsRad51/double-stranded DNA complex does not demonstrate this ionic dependence. In the HsRad51/single-stranded DNA filament, the primary intermediate of the strand exchange reaction, ATP/Ca2+ induces an ordered conformation of DNA, with preferentially perpendicular orientation of nucleobases relative to the filament axis, while the presence of ATP/Mg2+, ADP/Mg2+ or ADP/Ca2+ does not. A high strand exchange activity is observed for the filament formed with ATP/Ca2+, whereas the other filaments exhibit lower activity. Molecular modelling suggests that the structural variation is caused by the divalent cation interfering with the L2 loop close to the DNA-binding site. It is proposed that the larger Ca2+ stabilizes the loop conformation and thereby the protein–DNA interaction. A tight binding of DNA, with bases perpendicularly oriented, could facilitate strand exchange.

Initial DNA interactions of the binuclear threading intercalator Λ,Λ-[μ-bidppz(bipy)4Ru2]4+: an NMR study with [d(CGCGAATTCGCG)]2.

Binuclear polypyridine ruthenium compounds have been shown to slowly intercalate into DNA, following a fast initial binding on the DNA surface. For these compounds, intercalation requires threading of a bulky substituent, containing one RuII, through the DNA base-pair stack, and the accompanying DNA duplex distortions are much more severe than with intercalation of mononuclear compounds. Structural understanding of the process of intercalation may greatly gain from a characterisation of the initial interactions between binuclear RuII compounds and DNA. We report a structural NMR study on the binuclear RuII intercalator Λ,Λ-B (Λ,Λ-[μ-bidppz(bipy)4Ru2]4+; bidppz=11,11′-bis(dipyrido[3,2-a:2′,3′-c]phenazinyl, bipy = 2,2′-bipyridine) mixed with the palindromic DNA [d(CGCGAATTCGCG)]2. Threading of Λ,Λ-B depends on the presence and length of AT stretches in the DNA. Therefore, the latter was selected to promote initial binding, but due to the short stretch of AT base pairs, final intercalation is prevented. Structural calculations provide a model for the interaction: Λ,Λ-B is trapped in a well-defined surface-bound state consisting of an eccentric minor-groove binding. Most of the interaction enthalpy originates from electrostatic and van der Waals contacts, whereas intermolecular hydrogen bonds may help to define a unique position of Λ,Λ-B. Molecular dynamics simulations show that this minor-groove binding mode is stable on a nanosecond scale. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first structural study by NMR spectroscopy on a binuclear Ru compound bound to DNA. In the calculated structure, one of the positively charged Ru2+ moieties is near the central AATT region; this is favourable in view of potential intercalation as observed by optical methods for DNA with longer AT stretches. Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy suggests that a similar binding geometry is formed in mixtures of Λ,Λ-B with natural calf thymus DNA. The present minor-groove binding mode is proposed to represent the initial surface interactions of binuclear RuII compounds prior to intercalation into AT-rich DNA.

Enantiospecific kinking of DNA by a partially intercalating metal complex.

Opposite enantiomers of [Ru(phenanthroline)(3)](2+) affect the persistence length of DNA differently, a long speculated effect of helix kinking. Our molecular dynamics simulations confirm a substantial change of duplex secondary structure produced by wedge-intercalation of one but not the other enantiomer. This effect is exploited by several classes of DNA operative proteins.

Orientation of aromatic residues in amyloid cores: Structural insights into prion fiber diversity

Significance Amyloids, which are protein fiber aggregates, are often associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, but they can also be beneficial, as in yeasts, where they help cells adapt to environmental changes. Intriguingly, the same protein has the ability to aggregate into different fiber forms, known as strains, that generate distinct biological phenotypes. Structurally, little is known about strains. Using polarized light spectroscopy, we provide structural information on two distinct phenotypic strains of the yeast translation termination factor, Sup35. Remarkably, they show similar orientation of aromatic residues in the fiber core relative to the fiber direction, suggesting similar structures. Small variations are observed, indicating different local environments for aromatic residues outside the core, reflecting differences in fiber packing. Structural conversion of one given protein sequence into different amyloid states, resulting in distinct phenotypes, is one of the most intriguing phenomena of protein biology. Despite great efforts the structural origin of prion diversity remains elusive, mainly because amyloids are insoluble yet noncrystalline and therefore not easily amenable to traditional structural-biology methods. We investigate two different phenotypic prion strains, weak and strong, of yeast translation termination factor Sup35 with respect to angular orientation of tyrosines using polarized light spectroscopy. By applying a combination of alignment methods the degree of fiber orientation can be assessed, which allows a relatively accurate determination of the aromatic ring angles. Surprisingly, the strains show identical average orientations of the tyrosines, which are evenly spread through the amyloid core. Small variations between the two strains are related to the local environment of a fraction of tyrosines outside the core, potentially reflecting differences in fibril packing.

ATP Hydrolysis in the RecA-DNA Filament Promotes Structural Changes at the Protein-DNA Interface

To address the mechanistic roles of ATP hydrolysis in RecA-promoted strand exchange reaction in homologous recombination, quantum mechanical calculations are performed on key parts of the RecA-DNA complex. We find that ATP hydrolysis may induce changes at the protein-DNA interface, resulting in the rearrangement of the hydrogen bond network connecting the ATP and the DNA binding sites.

Enhanced Cellular Uptake of Antisecretory Peptide AF-16 through Proteoglycan Binding

Peptide AF-16, which includes the active site of Antisecretory Factor protein, has antisecretory and anti-inflammatory properties, making it a potent drug candidate for treatment of secretory and inflammatory diseases such as diarrhea, inflammatory bowel diseases, and intracranial hypertension. Despite remarkable physiological effects and great pharmaceutical need for drug discovery, very little is yet understood about AF-16 mechanism of action. In order to address interaction mechanisms, we investigated the binding of AF-16 to sulfated glycosaminoglycan, heparin, with focus on the effect of pH and ionic strength, and studied the influence of cell-surface proteoglycans on cellular uptake efficiency. Confocal laser scanning microscopy and flow cytometry experiments on wild type and proteoglycan-deficient Chinese hamster ovary cells reveal an endocytotic nature of AF-16 cellular uptake that is, however, less efficient for the cells lacking cell-surface proteoglycans. Isothermal titration calorimetry provides quantitative thermodynamic data and evidence for that the peptide affinity to heparin increases at lower pH and ionic strength. Experimental data, supported by theoretical modeling, of peptide-glycosaminoglycan interaction indicate that it has a large electrostatic contribution, which will be enhanced in diseases accompanied by decreased pH and ionic strength. These observations show that cell-surface proteoglycans are of general and crucial importance for the antisecretory and anti-inflammatory activities of AF-16.

Erratum: Structure and Dynamics of a 197 bp Nucleosome in Complex with Linker Histone H1 (Molecular Cell (2017) 66 (384–397)(S109727651730268X)(10.1016/j.molcel.2017.04.012)

Jan Bednar, Isabel Garcia-Saez, Ramachandran Boopathi, Amber R. Cutter, Gabor Papai, Anna Reymer, Sajad H. Syed, Imtiaz Nisar Lone, Ognyan Tonchev, Corinne Crucifix, Hervé Menoni, Christophe Papin, Dimitrios A. Skoufias, Hitoshi Kurumizaka, Richard Lavery, Ali Hamiche,* Jeffrey J. Hayes,* Patrick Schultz,* Dimitar Angelov,* Carlo Petosa,* and Stefan Dimitrov* *Correspondence: hamiche@igbmc.fr (A.H.), jeffrey_hayes@URMC.rochester.edu (J.J.H.), patrick.schultz@igbmc.fr (P.S.), dimitar.anguelov@ens-lyon.fr (D.A.), carlo.petosa@ibs.fr (C.P.), stefan.dimitrov@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr (S.D.) http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2017.05.018

Sequence-dependent response of DNA to torsional stress: a potential biological regulation mechanism

Abstract Torsional restraints on DNA change in time and space during the life of the cell and are an integral part of processes such as gene expression, DNA repair and packaging. The mechanical behavior of DNA under torsional stress has been studied on a mesoscopic scale, but little is known concerning its response at the level of individual base pairs and the effects of base pair composition. To answer this question, we have developed a geometrical restraint that can accurately control the total twist of a DNA segment during all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. By applying this restraint to four different DNA oligomers, we are able to show that DNA responds to both under- and overtwisting in a very heterogeneous manner. Certain base pair steps, in specific sequence environments, are able to absorb most of the torsional stress, leaving other steps close to their relaxed conformation. This heterogeneity also affects the local torsional modulus of DNA. These findings suggest that modifying torsional stress on DNA could act as a modulator for protein binding via the heterogeneous changes in local DNA structure.

Finding at-DNA – Kinetic Recognition of Long Adenine-Thymine Stretches by Metal-Ligand Complexes

High selectivity for long AT sequences can be attained by kinetically controlled DNA threading intercalation by binuclear ruthenium(II) complexes. The rate of intercalation is strongly correlated to the number of consecutive AT basepairs, being up to 2500 times faster with an AT polymer compared to mixed-sequence DNA.