László Grama

Differential actin binding along the PEVK domain of skeletal muscle titin

Parts of the PEVK (Pro-Glu-Val-Lys) domain of the skeletal muscle isoform of the giant intrasarcomeric protein titin have been shown to bind F-actin. However, the mechanisms and physiological function of this are poorly understood. To test for actin binding along PEVK, we expressed contiguous N-terminal (PEVKI), middle (PEVKII), and C-terminal (PEVKIII) PEVK segments of the human soleus muscle isoform. We found a differential actin binding along PEVK in solid-state binding, cross-linking and in vitro motility assays. The order of apparent affinity is PEVKII>PEVKI>PEVKIII. To explore which sequence motifs convey the actin-binding property, we cloned and expressed PEVK fragments with different motif structure: PPAK, polyE-rich and pure polyE fragments. The polyE-containing fragments had a stronger apparent actin binding, suggesting that a local preponderance of polyE motifs conveys an enhanced local actin-binding property to PEVK. The actin binding of PEVK may serve as a viscous bumper mechanism that limits the velocity of unloaded muscle shortening towards short sarcomere lengths. Variations in the motif structure of PEVK might be a method of regulating the magnitude of the viscous drag.

Stretching and visualizing titin molecules: combining structure, dynamics and mechanics

The details of the global and local structure and function of titin, a gaint filamentous intrasarcomeric protein are largely undiscovered. Here we dicuss a combination of bulk-solution and novel single-molecule techniques that may lend unique insights into titins molecular dynamic, structural and mechanical characteristics.

Global configuration of single titin molecules observed through chain-associated rhodamine dimers.

The global configuration of individual, surface-adsorbed molecules of the giant muscle protein titin, labeled with rhodamine conjugates, was followed with confocal microscopy. Fluorescence-emission intensity was reduced because of self-quenching caused by the close spacing between rhodamine dye molecules that formed dimers. In the presence of chemical denaturants, fluorescence intensity increased, reversibly, up to 5-fold in a fast reaction; the kinetics were followed at the single-molecule level. We show that dimers formed in a concentrated rhodamine solution dissociate when exposed to chemical denaturants. Furthermore, titin denaturation, followed by means of tryptophan fluorescence, is dominated by a slow reaction. Therefore, the rapid fluorescence change of the single molecules reflects the direct action of the denaturants on rhodamine dimers rather than the unfolding/refolding of the protein. Upon acidic denaturation, which we have shown not to dissociate rhodamine dimers, fluorescence intensity change was minimal, suggesting that dimers persist because the unfolded molecule has contracted into a small volume. The highly contractile nature of the acid-unfolded protein molecule derives from a significant increase in chain flexibility. We discuss the potential implications this finding could have for the passive mechanical behavior of striated muscle.

Prohepcidin binds to the HAMP promoter and autoregulates its own expression.

Hepcidin is the major regulatory peptide hormone of iron metabolism, encoded by the HAMP (hepcidin antimicrobial peptide) gene. Hepcidin is expressed mainly in hepatocytes, but is also found in the blood in both a mature and prohormone form. Although, the function of mature hepcidin and the regulation of the HAMP gene have been extensively studied, the intracellular localization and the fate of prohepcidin remains controversial. In the present study, we propose a novel role for prohepcidin in the regulation of its own transcription. Using indirect immunofluorescence and mCherry tagging, a portion of prohepcidin was detected in the nucleus of hepatocytes. Prohepcidin was found to specifically bind to the STAT3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 3) site in the promoter of HAMP. Overexpression of prohepcidin in WRL68 cells decreased HAMP promoter activity, whereas decreasing the amount of prohepcidin caused increased promoter activity measured by a luciferase reporter-gene assay. Moreover, overexpression of the known prohepcidin-binding partner, α-1 antitrypsin caused increased HAMP promoter activity, suggesting that only the non-α-1 antitrypsin-bound prohepcidin affects the expression of its own gene. The results of the present study indicate that prohepcidin can bind to and transcriptionally regulate the expression of HAMP, suggesting a novel autoregulatory pathway of hepcidin gene expression in hepatocytes.

Conformational Dynamics of Titin PEVK Explored with FRET Spectroscopy

The proline-, glutamate-, valine-, and lysine-rich (PEVK) domain of the giant muscle protein titin is thought to be an intrinsically unstructured random-coil segment. Various observations suggest, however, that the domain may not be completely devoid of internal interactions and structural features. To test the validity of random polymer models for PEVK, we determined the mean end-to-end distances of an 11- and a 21-residue synthetic PEVK peptide, calculated from the efficiency of the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between an N-terminal intrinsic tryptophan donor and a synthetically added C-terminal IAEDANS acceptor obtained in steady-state and time-resolved experiments. We find that the contour-length scaling of mean end-to-end distance deviates from predictions of a purely statistical polymer chain. Furthermore, the addition of guanidine hydrochloride decreased, whereas the addition of salt increased the FRET efficiency, pointing at the disruption of structure-stabilizing interactions. Increasing temperature between 10 and 50°C increased the normalized FRET efficiency in both peptides but with different trajectories, indicating that their elasticity and conformational stability are different. Simulations suggest that whereas the short PEVK peptide displays an overall random structure, the long PEVK peptide retains residual, loose helical configurations. Transitions in the local structure and dynamics of the PEVK domain may play a role in the modulation of passive muscle mechanics.

Photochemistry of Wild-Type and N378D Mutant E. coli DNA Photolyase with Oxidized FAD Cofactor Studied by Transient Absorption Spectroscopy.

DNA photolyases (PLs) and evolutionarily related cryptochrome (CRY) blue-light receptors form a widespread superfamily of flavoproteins involved in DNA photorepair and signaling functions. They share a flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) cofactor and an electron-transfer (ET) chain composed typically of three tryptophan residues that connect the flavin to the protein surface. Four redox states of FAD are relevant for the various functions of PLs and CRYs: fully reduced FADH(-) (required for DNA photorepair), fully oxidized FADox (blue-light-absorbing dark state of CRYs), and the two semireduced radical states FAD(.-) and FADH(.) formed in ET reactions. The PL of Escherichia coli (EcPL) has been studied for a long time and is often used as a reference system; however, EcPL containing FADox has so far not been investigated on all relevant timescales. Herein, a detailed transient absorption study of EcPL on timescales from nanoseconds to seconds after excitation of FADox is presented. Wild-type EcPL and its N378D mutant, in which the asparagine facing the N5 of the FAD isoalloxazine is replaced by aspartic acid, known to protonate FAD(.-) (formed by ET from the tryptophan chain) in plant CRYs in about 1.5 μs, are characterized. Surprisingly, the mutant protein does not show this protonation. Instead, FAD(.-) is converted in 3.3 μs into a state with spectral features that are different from both FADH(.) and FAD(.-) . Such a conversion does not occur in wild-type EcPL. The chemical nature and formation mechanism of the atypical FAD radical in N378D mutant EcPL are discussed.

Dynamic Strength of Titin's Z-Disk End

Titin is a giant filamentous protein traversing the half sarcomere of striated muscle with putative functions as diverse as providing structural template, generating elastic response, and sensing and relaying mechanical information. The Z-disk region of titin, which corresponds to the N-terminal end of the molecule, has been thought to be a hot spot for mechanosensing while also serving as anchorage for its sarcomeric attachment. Understanding the mechanics of titins Z-disk region, particularly under the effect of binding proteins, is of great interest. Here we briefly review recent findings on the structure, molecular associations, and mechanics of titins Z-disk region. In addition, we report experimental results on the dynamic strength of titins Z1Z2 domains measured by nanomechanical manipulation of the chemical dimer of a recombinant protein fragment.

Direct Visualization of Surface-adsorbed Single Fluorescently Labeled Titin Molecules

The properties of titin, a giant, structurally and mechanically complex filamentous protein were explored here by using single-molecule techniques. Fluorescently labeled titin molecules deposited on a glass substrate surface were directly visualized by using confocal microscopy. The molecules appeared as bright particles with a spatially distributed Gaussian fluorescence intensity profile. The physical dimensions of the space occupied by the 1-µm-long molecule on the surface are below the 0.25 µm resolution limit of the instrument used here, thereby directly demonstrating the flexible nature of the titin filament. The kinetics of titin’s surface adsorption revealed that the process is governed by diffusion and the molecules are irreversibly bound to the substrate surface. From the kinetics data the molecule’s translational diffusion constant was calculated.

Characterization of intracellular calcium oscillations induced by extracellular nucleotides in HEp-2 cells

The effect of extracellular nucleotides on the cytosolic calcium concentration of fluo-3-loaded HEp-2 cells was examined using confocal microscopy. Extracellular ATP and UTP at micromolar concentration induced cytosolic calcium oscillations in 42-66% of the cells. Oscillations were usually sinusoid and their frequency depended only slightly on agonist concentration. Oscillations developed in calcium-free medium but were diminished by depletion of intracellular calcium stores with thapsigargin, indicating periodic calcium release from internal stores. Inhibition of phospholipase C with U73122 prevented the development of oscillations, while ryanodine did not abolish the response to extracellular nucleotides. Activation of protein kinase C with 4beta-phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate also prevented the development of oscillations. These results indicate that extracellular nucleotides induce periodic calcium release from inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-sensitive pools in HEp-2 cells and that the inhibitory effect of protein kinase C on the phosphatidylinositol signaling pathway can contribute to the development of intracellular calcium oscillations.

Cardiac leiomodin2 binds to the sides of actin filaments and regulates the ATPase activity of myosin

Leiomodin proteins are vertebrate homologues of tropomodulin, having a role in the assembly and maintenance of muscle thin filaments. Leiomodin2 contains an N-terminal tropomodulin homolog fragment including tropomyosin-, and actin-binding sites, and a C-terminal Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome homology 2 actin-binding domain. The cardiac leiomodin2 isoform associates to the pointed end of actin filaments, where it supports the lengthening of thin filaments and competes with tropomodulin. It was recently found that cardiac leiomodin2 can localise also along the length of sarcomeric actin filaments. While the activities of leiomodin2 related to pointed end binding are relatively well described, the potential side binding activity and its functional consequences are less well understood. To better understand the biological functions of leiomodin2, in the present work we analysed the structural features and the activities of Rattus norvegicus cardiac leiomodin2 in actin dynamics by spectroscopic and high-speed sedimentation approaches. By monitoring the fluorescence parameters of leiomodin2 tryptophan residues we found that it possesses flexible, intrinsically disordered regions. Leiomodin2 accelerates the polymerisation of actin in an ionic strength dependent manner, which relies on its N-terminal regions. Importantly, we demonstrate that leiomodin2 binds to the sides of actin filaments and induces structural alterations in actin filaments. Upon its interaction with the filaments leiomodin2 decreases the actin-activated Mg2+-ATPase activity of skeletal muscle myosin. These observations suggest that through its binding to side of actin filaments and its effect on myosin activity leiomodin2 has more functions in muscle cells than it was indicated in previous studies.