Nadja Hellmann

Minireview: Recent progress in hemocyanin research

This review summarizes recent highlights of our joint work on the structure, evolution, and function of a family of highly complex proteins, the hemocyanins. They are blue-pigmented oxygen carriers, occurring freely dissolved in the hemolymph of many arthropods and molluscs. They are copper type-3 proteins and bind one dioxygen molecule between two copper atoms in a side-on coordination. They possess between 6 and 160 oxygen-binding sites, and some of them display the highest molecular cooperativity observed in nature. The functional properties of hemocyanins can be convincingly described by either the Monod-Wyman-Changeux (MWC) model or its hierarchical extension, the Nested MWC model; the latter takes into account the structural hierarchies in the oligomeric architecture. Recently, we applied these models to interpret the influence of allosteric effectors in detailed terms. Effectors shift the allosteric equilibria but have no influence on the oxygen affinities characterizing the various conformational states. We have shown that hemocyanins from species living at different environmental temperatures have a cooperativity optimum at the typical temperature of their natural habitat. Besides being oxygen carriers, some hemocyanins function as a phenoloxidase (tyrosinase/catecholoxidase) which, however, requires activation. Chelicerates such as spiders and scorpions lack a specific phenoloxidase, and in these animals activated hemocyanin might catalyse melanin synthesis in vivo. We propose a similar activation mechanism for arthropod hemocyanins, molluscan hemocyanins and tyrosinases: amino acid(s) that sterically block the access of phenolic compounds to the active site have to be removed. The catalysis mechanism itself can now be explained on the basis of the recently published crystal structure of a tyrosinase. In a series of recent publications, we presented the complete gene and primary structure of various hemocyanins from different molluscan classes. From these data, we deduced that the molluscan hemocyanin molecule evolved ca. 740 million years ago, prior to the separation of the extant molluscan classes. Our recent advances in the 3D cryo-electron microscopy of hemocyanins also allow considerable insight into the oligomeric architecture of these proteins of high molecular mass. In the case of molluscan hemocyanin, the structure of the wall and collar of the basic decamers is now rapidly becoming known in greater detail. In the case of arthropod hemocyanin, a 10-Å structure and molecular model of the Limulus 8 × 6mer shows the amino acids at the various interfaces between the eight hexamers, and reveals histidine-rich residue clusters that might be involved in transferring the conformational signals establishing cooperative oxygen binding.

Evidence That Clustered Phosphocholine Head Groups Serve as Sites for Binding and Assembly of an Oligomeric Protein Pore

High susceptibility of rabbit erythrocytes toward the poreforming action of staphylococcal α-toxin correlates with the presence of saturable, high affinity binding sites. All efforts to identify a protein or glycolipid receptor have failed, and the fact that liposomes composed solely of phosphatidylcholine are efficiently permeabilized adds to the enigma. A novel concept is advanced here to explain the puzzle. We propose that low affinity binding moieties can assume the role of high affinity binding sites due to their spatial arrangement in the membrane. Evidence is presented that phosphocholine head groups of sphingomyelin, clustered in sphingomyelin-cholesterol microdomains, serve this function for α-toxin. Clustering is required so that oligomerization, which is prerequisite for stable attachment of the toxin to the membrane, can efficiently occur. Outside these clusters, binding to phosphocholine is too transient for toxin monomers to find each other. The principle of membrane targeting in the absence of any genuine, high affinity receptor may also underlie the assembly of other lipid-inserted oligomers including cytotoxic peptides, protein toxins, and immune effector molecules.

IM30 triggers membrane fusion in cyanobacteria and chloroplasts

The thylakoid membrane of chloroplasts and cyanobacteria is a unique internal membrane system harbouring the complexes of the photosynthetic electron transfer chain. Despite their apparent importance, little is known about the biogenesis and maintenance of thylakoid membranes. Although membrane fusion events are essential for the formation of thylakoid membranes, proteins involved in membrane fusion have yet to be identified in photosynthetic cells or organelles. Here we show that IM30, a conserved chloroplast and cyanobacterial protein of approximately 30 kDa binds as an oligomeric ring in a well-defined geometry specifically to membranes containing anionic lipids. Triggered by Mg(2+), membrane binding causes destabilization and eventually results in membrane fusion. We propose that IM30 establishes contacts between internal membrane sites and promotes fusion to enable regulated exchange of proteins and/or lipids in cyanobacteria and chloroplasts.

PAA-PAMPS copolymers as an efficient tool to control CaCO3 scale formation.

Scale formation, the deposition of certain minerals such as CaCO3, MgCO3, and CaSO4·2H2O in industrial facilities and household devices, leads to reduced efficiency or severe damage. Therefore, incrustation is a major problem in everyday life. In recent years, double hydrophilic block copolymers (DHBCs) have been the focus of interest in academia with regard to their antiscaling potential. In this work, we synthesized well-defined blocklike PAA-PAMPS copolymers consisting of acrylic acid (AA) and 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-propane sulfonate (AMPS) units in a one-step reaction by RAFT polymerization. The derived copolymers had dispersities of 1.3 and below. The copolymers have then been investigated in detail regarding their impact on the different stages of the crystallization process of CaCO3. Ca(2+) complexation, the first step of a precipitation process, and polyelectrolyte stability in aqueous solution have been investigated by potentiometric measurements, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). A weak Ca(2+) induced copolymer aggregation without concomitant precipitation was observed. Nucleation, early particle growth, and colloidal stability have been monitored in situ with DLS. The copolymers retard or even completely suppress nucleation, most probably by complexation of solution aggregates. In addition, they stabilize existing CaCO3 particles in the nanometer regime. In situ AFM was used as a tool to verify the coordination of the copolymer to the calcite (104) crystal surface and to estimate its potential as a growth inhibitor in a supersaturated CaCO3 environment. All investigated copolymers instantly stopped further crystal growth. The carboxylate richest copolymer as the most promising antiscaling candidate proved its enormous potential in scale inhibition as well in an industrial-filming test (Fresenius standard method).

Quaternary structure and functional properties of Penaeus monodon hemocyanin

The hemocyanin of the tiger shrimp, Penaeus monodon, was investigated with respect to stability and oxygen binding. While hexamers occur as a major component, dodecamers and traces of higher aggregates are also found. Both the hexamers and dodecamers were found to be extremely stable against dissociation at high pH, independently of the presence of calcium ions, in contrast to the known crustacean hemocyanins. This could be caused by only a few additional noncovalent interactions between amino acids located at the subunit–subunit interfaces. Based on X‐ray structures and sequence alignments of related hemocyanins, the particular amino acids are identified. At all pH values, the p50 and Bohr coefficients of the hexamers are twice as high as those of dodecamers. While the oxygen binding of hexamers from crustaceans can normally be described by a simple two‐state model, an additional conformational state is needed to describe the oxygen‐binding behaviour of Penaeus monodon hemocyanin within the pH range of 7.0 to 8.5. The dodecamers bind oxygen according to the nested Monod–Whyman–Changeaux (MWC) model, as observed for the same aggregation states of other hemocyanins. The oxygen‐binding properties of both the hexameric and dodecameric hemocyanins guarantee an efficient supply of the animal with oxygen, with respect to the ratio between their concentrations. It seems that under normoxic conditions, hexamers play the major role. Under hypoxic conditions, the hexamers are expected not to be completely loaded with oxygen. Here, the dodecamers are supposed to be responsible for the oxygen supply.

The Allosteric Effector l-Lactate Induces a Conformational Change of 2×6-meric Lobster Hemocyanin in the Oxy State as Revealed by Small Angle X-ray Scattering

Hemocyanins are multisubunit respiratory proteins found in many invertebrates. They bind oxygen highly cooperatively. However, not much is known about the structural basis of this behavior. We studied the influence of the physiological allosteric effectorl-lactate on the oxygenated quaternary structure of the 2×6-meric hemocyanin from the lobster Homarus americanus employing small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS). The presence of 20 mm l-lactate resulted in different scattering curves compared with those obtained in the absence of l-lactate. The distance distribution functionsp(r) indicated a more compact molecule in presence ofl-lactate, which is also reflected in a reduction of the radius of gyration by about 0.2 nm (3%). Thus, we show for the first time on a structural basis that a hemocyanin in the oxy state can adopt two different conformations. This is as predicted from the analysis of oxygen binding curves according to the “nesting” model. A comparison of the distance distribution functions p(r) obtained from SAXS with those deduced from electron microscopy revealed large differences. The distance between the two hexamers as deduced from electron microscopy has to be shortened by up to 1.1 nm to agree well with the small angle x-ray curves.

On the stability of the 24-meric hemocyanin from Eurypelma californicum.

The stability of the 24-meric hemocyanin from Eurypelma californicum towards various denaturants (GdnHCl, urea, urea derivatives and salts of the Hofmeister series) indicates that the quaternary structure is stabilized by hydrophilic and polar forces. Thus, the interaction between the seven different subunit types of this cheliceratan hemocyanin is comparable with that of the closely related crustacean hemocyanins. In contrast, no significant influence of divalent ions such as Ca2+ and Mg2+ on the stability is observed at pH 8.0 and pH 8.5 but not at pH 7.0. Studies, both in the presence of urea and GdnHCl indicate that the denaturation process consists of a dissociation of the oligomeric structure into intact subunits at lower concentrations of denaturants followed by denaturation of the subunits at higher concentrations of denaturants. No intermediates such as hexamers or dodecamers were detected after 24 h of incubation. This study also reveals that oligomerization has a stabilizing effect on the heterogeneous subunits. In addition, differences in the primary structures result in different stabilities of the seven different subunit types.

An L2 SUMO interacting motif is important for PML localization and infection of human papillomavirus type 16.

Human papillomaviruses (HPV) induce warts and cancers on skin and mucosa. The HPV16 capsid is composed of the proteins L1 and L2. After cell entry and virus disassembly, the L2 protein accompanies the viral DNA to promyelocytic leukaemia nuclear bodies (PML‐NBs) within the host nuclei enabling viral transcription and replication. Multiple components of PML‐NBs are regulated by small ubiquitin‐like modifiers (SUMOs) either based on covalent SUMO modification (SUMOylation), or based on non‐covalent SUMO interaction via SUMO interacting motifs (SIMs). We show here that the HPV16 L2 comprises at least one SIM, which is crucial for the L2 interaction with SUMO2 in immunoprecipitation and colocalization with SUMO2 in PML‐NBs. Biophysical analysis confirmed a direct L2 interaction with SUMO substantiated by identification of potential L2–SUMO interaction structures in molecular dynamics simulations. Mutation of the SIM resulted in absence of the L2–DNA complex at PML‐NB and in a loss of infectivity of mutant HPV16 pseudoviruses. In contrast, we found that L2 SUMOylation has no effect on L2 localization in PML‐NBs and SUMO interaction. Our data suggest that the L2 SIM is important for L2 interaction with SUMO and/or SUMOylated proteins, which is indispensable for the delivery of viral DNA to PML‐NBs and efficient HPV infection.

Copper Uptake Induces Self-Assembly of 18.5 kDa Myelin Basic Protein (MBP)

Myelin basic protein (MBP) is predominantly found in the membranes of the myelin sheath of the central nervous system and is involved in important protein-protein and protein-lipid interactions in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, divalent transition metal ions, especially Zn(2+) and Cu(2+), seem to directly affect the MBP-mediated formation and stabilization of the myelin sheath of the central nervous system. MBP belongs to the realm of intrinsically disordered proteins, and only fragmentary information is available regarding its partial structure(s) or supramolecular arrangements. Here, using standard continuous wave and modern pulse electron paramagnetic resonance methods, as well as dynamic light scattering, we demonstrate the uptake and specific coordination of two Cu(2+) atoms or one Zn(2+) atom per MBP molecule in solution. In the presence of phosphates, further addition of divalent metal ions above a characteristic threshold of four Cu(2+) atoms or two Zn(2+) atoms per MBP molecule leads to the formation of large MBP aggregates within the protein solution. In vivo, MBP-MBP interactions may thus be mediated by divalent cations.

Structural characterization of the α‐hemolysin monomer from Staphylococcus aureus

α‐Hemolysin from Staphylococcus aureus is secreted as a water‐soluble monomer and assembles on membranes to oligomerize into a homo‐heptameric, water‐filled pore. These pores lead to lysis and cell death. Although the structure of the heptameric pore is solved by means of X‐ray crystallography, structures of intermediate states—from the soluble monomer to all potential “pre‐pore” structures—are yet unknown. Here, we propose a model of the monomeric α‐hemolysin in solution based on molecular modeling, verified by small angle X‐ray scattering data. This structure reveals details of the monomeric conformation of the α‐hemolysin, for example inherent flexibility, along with definite differences in comparison to the structures used as templates. Proteins 2009.