Michael M. Roberts

Mycobacterium tuberculosis chaperonin 60.1 is a more potent cytokine stimulator than chaperonin 60.2 (Hsp 65) and contains a CD14-binding domain.

ABSTRACT Much attention has focused on the Mycobacterium tuberculosis molecular chaperone chaperonin (Cpn) 60.2 (Hsp 65) in the pathology of tuberculosis because of its immunogenicity and ability to directly activate human monocytes and vascular endothelial cells. However, M. tuberculosis is one of a small group of bacteria that contain multiple genes encoding Cpn 60 proteins. We have now cloned and expressed both M.tuberculosis proteins and report that the novel chaperonin 60, Cpn 60.1, is a more potent inducer of cytokine synthesis than is Cpn 60.2. This is in spite of 76% amino acid sequence similarity between the two mycobacterial chaperonins. TheM. tuberculosis Cpn 60.2 protein activates human peripheral blood mononuclear cells by a CD14-independent mechanism, whereas Cpn 60.1 is partially CD14 dependent and contains a peptide sequence whose actions are blocked by anti-CD14 monoclonal antibodies. The cytokine-inducing activity of both chaperonins is extremely resistant to heat. Cpn 60.1 may be an important virulence factor in tuberculosis, able to activate cells by diverse receptor-driven mechanisms.

Substitution of proline with pipecolic acid at the scissile bond converts a peptide substrate of HIV proteinase into a selective inhibitor

The nonapeptide H-Val-Ser-Gln-Asn-Tyr-Pro-Ile-Val-Gln-NH2 containing the retroviral Tyr-Pro cleavage site is a good substrate for the proteinase of human immunodeficiency viruses but it is not readily hydrolyzed by other nonviral proteinases including the structurally related pepsin-like aspartic proteinases. Replacing the Pro by L-pipecolic acid (2-piperidinecarboxylic acid) converted the substrate into an effective inhibitor of HIV-1 and HIV-2 proteinases with IC50 of approximately 1 microM. This compound showed a high degree of selectivity in that it did not inhibit cathepsin D and renin.

The preparation and biochemical characterization of intact capsids of equine infectious anemia virus.

Capsids of equine infectious anemia virus have been isolated as cone-shaped particles 60 x 120 nm in size. Detergent treatment of whole virus followed by two cycles of rate-zonal centrifugation in Ficoll produces these capsids in a yield of approximately 10%. The major protein components are the gag-encoded p11 nucleocapsid protein and p26 capsid protein, which are present in equimolar amounts. Substantial cleavage of p11 to p6 and p4 can be observed under conditions where the viral protease packaged in the capsid is enzymatically active.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis Chaperonin 10 Is Secreted in the Macrophage Phagosome: Is Secretion Due to Dissociation and Adoption of a Partially Helical Structure at the Membrane?

To confirm that Mycobacterium tuberculosis chaperonin 10 (Cpn10) is secreted outside the live bacillus, infected macrophages were examined by electron microscopy. This revealed that the mycobacterial protein accumulates both in the wall of the bacterium and in the matrix of the phagosomes in which ingested mycobacteria survive within infected macrophages. To understand the structural implications underlying this secretion, a structural study of M. tuberculosis Cpn10 was performed under conditions that are generally believed to mimic the membrane environment. It was found that in buffer-organic solvent mixtures, the mycobacterial protein forms two main species, namely, a partially helical monomer that prevails in dilute solutions at room temperature and a dimer that folds into a beta-sheet-dominated structure and prevails in either concentrated protein solutions at room temperature or in dilute solutions at low temperature. A partially helical monomer was also found and was completely associated with negatively charged detergents in a micelle-bound state. Remarkably, zwitterionic lipids had no effect on the protein structure. By using N- and C-truncated forms of the protein, the C- and N-terminal sequences were identified as possessing an amphiphilic helical character and as selectively associating with acidic detergent micelles. When the study was extended to other chaperonins, it was found that human Cpn10 is also monomeric and partially helical in dilute organic solvent-buffer mixtures. In contrast, Escherichia coli Cpn10 is mostly dimeric and predominately beta-sheet in both dilute and concentrated solutions. Interestingly, human Cpn10 also crosses biological membranes, whereas the E. coli homologue is strictly cytosolic. These results suggest that dissociation to partially helical monomers and interaction with acidic lipids may be two important steps in the mechanism of secretion of M. tuberculosis Cpn10 to the external environment.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis chaperonin 10 heptamers self-associate through their biologically active loops

The crystal structure of Mycobacterium tuberculosis chaperonin 10 (cpn10(Mt)) has been determined to a resolution of 2.8 A. Two dome-shaped cpn10(Mt) heptamers complex through loops at their bases to form a tetradecamer with 72 symmetry and a spherical cage-like structure. The hollow interior enclosed by the tetradecamer is lined with hydrophilic residues and has dimensions of 30 A perpendicular to and 60 A along the sevenfold axis. Tetradecameric cpn10(Mt) has also been observed in solution by dynamic light scattering. Through its base loop sequence cpn10(Mt) is known to be the agent in the bacterium responsible for bone resorption and for the contribution towards its strong T-cell immunogenicity. Superimposition of the cpn10(Mt) sequences 26 to 32 and 66 to 72 and E. coli GroES 25 to 31 associated with bone resorption activity shows them to have similar conformations and structural features, suggesting that there may be a common receptor for the bone resorption sequences. The base loops of cpn10s in general also attach to the corresponding chaperonin 60 (cpn60) to enclose unfolded protein and to facilitate its correct folding in vivo. Electron density corresponding to a partially disordered protein subunit appears encapsulated within the interior dome cavity of each heptamer. This suggests that the binding of substrates to cpn10 is possible in the absence of cpn60.

Crystallization, X-ray diffraction and preliminary structure analysis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis chaperonin 10

The Mycobacterium tuberculosis chaperonin 10 (Mtcpn10) has been crystallized by the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method. The crystals belong to the monoclinic space group P21, with unit-cell parameters a = 76.5, b = 87.9, c = 124.4 A, beta = 106.8 degrees. X-ray diffraction data were collected to 2.8 A. The self-rotation function and the molecular-replacement solution show that the asymmetric unit contains a dimer of heptamers related by twofold non-crystallographic symmetry. The two heptamers interact through interleaving flexible loops in a similar fashion to M. leprae and Gp31 cpn10. In addition to its role in protein folding, Mtcpn10 has unique effects on the growth of host cells and is a major immunogen in tuberculosis infections. The structure determination will permit the analysis of the amino acids identified as important for the protein-folding and cell-signalling activity of Mtcpn10.

Regulated Proteolytic Processing within Mature Retroviral Capsids

Capsid particles were prepared from equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) as a model retrovirus for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). There is a stepwise cleavage of the nucleocapsid (NC) protein (pll) and integrase (IN) (p32) during incubation of EIAV capsids at 37°C in 10 mM Tris 1 mM EDTA (TE Buffer) at pH 7.6. The viral protease cleaves the NC protein after the first Cys residue of both conserved (C X2 C X4 H X4 C) regions. The p11 → p6 cleavage occurs at the first Cys array. The p6 is then cleaved at the second Cys array, resulting in three main peptide fragments appearing as a 4 KDa band on an SDS gel. The cleavage of a 6 KDa C-terminal fragment from IN starts when all the pll is cleaved to p6, and therefore occurs during the final fragmentation of the NC protein. Capsids from other retroviruses also show NC protein cleavage when incubated under similar conditions. It has been postulated that proteolytic processing of the NC protein occurs in vivo during the early stages of the viral life-cycle and may be required for replication.