Motoyuki Hattori

Crystal structure of the MgtE Mg2+ transporter

The magnesium ion Mg2+ is a vital element involved in numerous physiological processes. Mg2+ has the largest hydrated radius among all cations, whereas its ionic radius is the smallest. It remains obscure how Mg2+ transporters selectively recognize and dehydrate the large, fully hydrated Mg2+ cation for transport. Recently the crystal structures of the CorA Mg2+ transporter were reported. The MgtE family of Mg2+ transporters is ubiquitously distributed in all phylogenetic domains, and human homologues have been functionally characterized and suggested to be involved in magnesium homeostasis. However, the MgtE transporters have not been thoroughly characterized. Here we determine the crystal structures of the full-length Thermus thermophilus MgtE at 3.5 Å resolution, and of the cytosolic domain in the presence and absence of Mg2+ at 2.3 Å and 3.9 Å resolutions, respectively. The transporter adopts a homodimeric architecture, consisting of the carboxy-terminal five transmembrane domains and the amino-terminal cytosolic domains, which are composed of the superhelical N domain and tandemly repeated cystathionine-β-synthase domains. A solvent-accessible pore nearly traverses the transmembrane domains, with one potential Mg2+ bound to the conserved Asp 432 within the pore. The transmembrane (TM)5 helices from both subunits close the pore through interactions with the ‘connecting helices’, which connect the cystathionine-β-synthase and transmembrane domains. Four putative Mg2+ ions are bound at the interface between the connecting helices and the other domains, and this may lock the closed conformation of the pore. A structural comparison of the two states of the cytosolic domains showed the Mg2+-dependent movement of the connecting helices, which might reorganize the transmembrane helices to open the pore. These findings suggest a homeostasis mechanism, in which Mg2+ bound between cytosolic domains regulates Mg2+ flux by sensing the intracellular Mg2+ concentration. Whether this presumed regulation controls gating of an ion channel or opening of a secondary active transporter remains to be determined.

Structural basis for the drug extrusion mechanism by a MATE multidrug transporter

Multidrug and toxic compound extrusion (MATE) family transporters are conserved in the three primary domains of life (Archaea, Bacteria and Eukarya), and export xenobiotics using an electrochemical gradient of H+ or Na+ across the membrane. MATE transporters confer multidrug resistance to bacterial pathogens and cancer cells, thus causing critical reductions in the therapeutic efficacies of antibiotics and anti-cancer drugs, respectively. Therefore, the development of MATE inhibitors has long been awaited in the field of clinical medicine. Here we present the crystal structures of the H+-driven MATE transporter from Pyrococcus furiosus in two distinct apo-form conformations, and in complexes with a derivative of the antibacterial drug norfloxacin and three in vitro selected thioether-macrocyclic peptides, at 2.1–3.0 Å resolutions. The structures, combined with functional analyses, show that the protonation of Asp 41 on the amino (N)-terminal lobe induces the bending of TM1, which in turn collapses the N-lobe cavity, thereby extruding the substrate drug to the extracellular space. Moreover, the macrocyclic peptides bind the central cleft in distinct manners, which correlate with their inhibitory activities. The strongest inhibitory peptide that occupies the N-lobe cavity may pave the way towards the development of efficient inhibitors against MATE transporters.

Structural basis for dynamic mechanism of proton-coupled symport by the peptide transporter POT

Proton-dependent oligopeptide transporters (POTs) are major facilitator superfamily (MFS) proteins that mediate the uptake of peptides and peptide-like molecules, using the inwardly directed H+ gradient across the membrane. The human POT family transporter peptide transporter 1 is present in the brush border membrane of the small intestine and is involved in the uptake of nutrient peptides and drug molecules such as β-lactam antibiotics. Although previous studies have provided insight into the overall structure of the POT family transporters, the question of how transport is coupled to both peptide and H+ binding remains unanswered. Here we report the high-resolution crystal structures of a bacterial POT family transporter, including its complex with a dipeptide analog, alafosfalin. These structures revealed the key mechanistic and functional roles for a conserved glutamate residue (Glu310) in the peptide binding site. Integrated structural, biochemical, and computational analyses suggested a mechanism for H+-coupled peptide symport in which protonated Glu310 first binds the carboxyl group of the peptide substrate. The deprotonation of Glu310 in the inward open state triggers the release of the bound peptide toward the intracellular space and salt bridge formation between Glu310 and Arg43 to induce the state transition to the occluded conformation.

Mg2+‐dependent gating of bacterial MgtE channel underlies Mg2+ homeostasis

The MgtE family of Mg2+ transporters is ubiquitously distributed in all phylogenetic domains. Recent crystal structures of the full‐length MgtE and of its cytosolic domain in the presence and absence of Mg2+ suggested a Mg2+‐homeostasis mechanism, in which the MgtE cytosolic domain acts as a ‘Mg2+ sensor’ to regulate the gating of the ion‐conducting pore in response to the intracellular Mg2+ concentration. However, complementary functional analyses to confirm the proposed model have been lacking. Moreover, the limited resolution of the full‐length structure precluded an unambiguous characterization of these regulatory divalent‐cation‐binding sites. Here, we showed that MgtE is a highly Mg2+‐selective channel gated by Mg2+ and elucidated the Mg2+‐dependent gating mechanism of MgtE, using X‐ray crystallographic, genetic, biochemical, and electrophysiological analyses. These structural and functional results have clarified the control of Mg2+ homeostasis through cooperative Mg2+ binding to the MgtE cytosolic domain.

Mg2+-sensing mechanism of Mg2+ transporter MgtE probed by molecular dynamics study

Proper regulation of the intracellular ion concentration is essential to maintain life and is achieved by ion transporters that transport their substrates across the membrane in a strictly regulated manner. MgtE is a Mg2+ transporter that may function in the homeostasis of the intracellular Mg2+ concentration. A recent crystallographic study revealed that its cytosolic domain undergoes a Mg2+-dependent structural change, which is proposed to gate the ion-conducting pore passing through the transmembrane domain. However, the dynamics of Mg2+ sensing, i.e., how MgtE responds to the change in the intracellular Mg2+ concentration, remained elusive. Here we performed molecular dynamics simulations of the MgtE cytosolic domain. The simulations successfully reproduced the structural changes of the cytosolic domain upon binding or releasing Mg2+, as well as the ion selectivity. These results suggested the roles of the N and CBS domains in the cytosolic domain and their respective Mg2+ binding sites. Combined with the current crystal structures, we propose an atomically detailed model of Mg2+ sensing by MgtE.

Structural Basis of Novel Interactions Between the Small-GTPase and GDI-like Domains in Prokaryotic FeoB Iron Transporter

The FeoB family proteins are widely distributed prokaryotic membrane proteins involved in Fe(2+) uptake. FeoB consists of N-terminal cytosolic and C-terminal transmembrane domains. The N-terminal region of the cytosolic domain is homologous to small GTPase (G) proteins and is considered to regulate Fe(2+) uptake. The spacer region connecting the G and TM domains reportedly functions as a GDP dissociation inhibitor (GDI)-like domain that stabilizes the GDP-binding state. However, the function of the G and GDI-like domains in iron uptake remains unclear. Here, we report the structural and functional analyses of the FeoB cytosolic domain from Thermotoga maritima. The structure-based mutational analysis indicated that the interaction between the G and GDI-like domains is important for both the GDI and Fe(2+) uptake activities. On the basis of these results, we propose a regulatory mechanism of Fe(2+) uptake.

Structural and mutational studies of the amino acid-editing domain from archaeal/eukaryal phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase

To achieve accurate aminoacylation of tRNAs with their cognate amino acids, errors in aminoacylation are corrected by the “editing” mechanism in several aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. Phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase (PheRS) hydrolyzes, or edits, misformed tyrosyl-tRNA with its editing domain in the β subunit. We report the crystal structure of an N-terminal fragment of the PheRS β subunit (PheRS-βN) from the archaeon, Pyrococcus horikoshii, at 1.94-Å resolution. PheRS-βN includes the editing domain B3/4, which has archaea/eukarya-specific insertions/deletions and adopts a different orientation relative to other domains, as compared with that of bacterial PheRS. Surprisingly, most residues constituting the editing active-site pocket were substituted between the archaeal/eukaryal and bacterial PheRSs. We prepared Ala-substituted mutants of P. horikoshii PheRS for 16 editing-pocket residues, of which 12 are archaea/eukarya-specific and four are more widely conserved. On the basis of their activities, Tyr-adenosine was modeled on the B3/4-domain structure. First, the mutations of Leu-202, Ser-211, Asp-234, and Thr-236 made the PheRS incorrectly hydrolyze the cognate Phe-tRNAPhe, indicating that these residues participate in the Tyr hydroxy group recognition and are responsible for discrimination against Phe. Second, the mutations of Leu-168 and Arg-223, which could interact with the tRNA 3′-terminal adenosine, reduced Tyr-tRNAPhe deacylation activity. Third, the mutations of archaea/eukarya-specific Gln-126, Glu-127, Arg-137, and Asn-217, which are proximal to the ester bond to be cleaved, also reduced Tyr-tRNAPhe deacylation activity. In particular, the replacement of Asn-217 abolished the activity, revealing its absolute requirement for the catalysis.

Structural Insights into Divalent Cation Modulations of ATP-Gated P2X Receptor Channels.

P2X receptors are trimeric ATP-gated cation channels involved in physiological processes ranging widely from neurotransmission to pain and taste signal transduction. The modulation of the channel gating, including that by divalent cations, contributes to these diverse physiological functions of P2X receptors. Here, we report the crystal structure of an invertebrate P2X receptor from the Gulf Coast tick Amblyomma maculatum in the presence of ATP and Zn(2+) ion, together with electrophysiological and computational analyses. The structure revealed two distinct metal binding sites, M1 and M2, in the extracellular region. The M1 site, located at the trimer interface, is responsible for Zn(2+) potentiation by facilitating the structural change of the extracellular domain for pore opening. In contrast, the M2 site, coupled with the ATP binding site, might contribute to regulation by Mg(2+). Overall, our work provides structural insights into the divalent cation modulations of P2X receptors.

Unanticipated parallels in architecture and mechanism between ATP-gated P2X receptors and acid sensing ion channels

ATP-gated P2X receptors and acid-sensing ion channels are cation-selective, trimeric ligand-gated ion channels unrelated in amino acid sequence. Nevertheless, initial crystal structures of the P2X4 receptor and acid-sensing ion channel 1a in resting/closed and in non conductive/desensitized conformations, respectively, revealed common elements of architecture. Recent structures of both channels have revealed the ion channels in open conformations. Here we focus on common elements of architecture, conformational change and ion permeation, emphasizing general principles of structure and mechanism in P2X receptors and in acid-sensing ion channels and showing how these two sequence-disparate families of ligand-gated ion channel harbor unexpected similarities when viewed through a structural lens.

Crystal structure of the cytosolic domain of the cation diffusion facilitator family protein

Divalent cations are essential to all living organisms. For example, Zn is involved in enzymatic catalysis and protein structural stabilization.1 However, the free cytosolic Zn concentration is regulated below the nanomolar level in bacterial cells, because an excess of Zn is toxic.2 Hence, living organisms have systems to export heavy metal ions. Cation diffusion facilitator (CDF) proteins are one group of heavy metal ion efflux transporters.3 This family of proteins is ubiquitously distributed in all three phylogenetic domains, and is present in the bacterial cell membrane, the vacuolar membranes in both plants and yeast, and the Golgi apparatus of animals.4 Furthermore, prokaryotic CDF proteins are known to facilitate the transport of various divalent ions, including Zn, Co, Mn, Fe, Cd, and Ni,5–9 to maintain the homeostasis of these cations. Recently, some structures of prokaryotic CDF proteins were reported. First, the crystal structure of the fulllength YiiP from Escherichia coli was determined at 3.8 Å resolution.10 This dimeric structure presents an outwardfacing Y-shaped structure with the transmembrane domains splayed apart with each protomer binding four zinc ions. Subsequently, both the Zn-bound and apoform structures of the cytosolic domain of Thermus thermophilus CzrB were solved at 1.8 and 1.7 Å resolutions, respectively.11 The Zn-bound dimeric structure of the cytosolic domain of CzrB resembles that of YiiP. In the Zn-bound form of the dimeric CzrB cytosolic domain, the protomers associate with each other via Zn binding. In contrast, in the apo form of the CzrB cytosolic domain, the protomers are splayed apart. This conformational rearrangement is considered to be important for the regulation of the transport activity. Here, we have solved the crystal structure of the cytosolic domain of Thermotoga maritima (TM0876206-306) CDF, and discussed the structural differences between TM0876206-306 and CzrB.