Paul P. Geurink

OTU Deubiquitinases Reveal Mechanisms of Linkage Specificity and Enable Ubiquitin Chain Restriction Analysis

Summary Sixteen ovarian tumor (OTU) family deubiquitinases (DUBs) exist in humans, and most members regulate cell-signaling cascades. Several OTU DUBs were reported to be ubiquitin (Ub) chain linkage specific, but comprehensive analyses are missing, and the underlying mechanisms of linkage specificity are unclear. Using Ub chains of all eight linkage types, we reveal that most human OTU enzymes are linkage specific, preferring one, two, or a defined subset of linkage types, including unstudied atypical Ub chains. Biochemical analysis and five crystal structures of OTU DUBs with or without Ub substrates reveal four mechanisms of linkage specificity. Additional Ub-binding domains, the ubiquitinated sequence in the substrate, and defined S1’ and S2 Ub-binding sites on the OTU domain enable OTU DUBs to distinguish linkage types. We introduce Ub chain restriction analysis, in which OTU DUBs are used as restriction enzymes to reveal linkage type and the relative abundance of Ub chains on substrates.

On Terminal Alkynes That Can React with Active-Site Cysteine Nucleophiles in Proteases

Active-site directed probes are powerful in studies of enzymatic function. We report an active-site directed probe based on a warhead so far considered unreactive. By replacing the C-terminal carboxylate of ubiquitin (Ub) with an alkyne functionality, a selective reaction with the active-site cysteine residue of de-ubiquitinating enzymes was observed. The resulting product was shown to be a quaternary vinyl thioether, as determined by X-ray crystallography. Proteomic analysis of proteins bound to an immobilized Ub alkyne probe confirmed the selectivity toward de-ubiquitinating enzymes. The observed reactivity is not just restricted to propargylated Ub, as highlighted by the selective reaction between caspase-1 (interleukin converting enzyme) and a propargylated peptide derived from IL-1β, a caspase-1 substrate.

Photoaffinity Labeling in Activity-Based Protein Profiling

Activity-based protein profiling has come to the fore in recent years as a powerful strategy for studying enzyme activities in their natural surroundings. Substrate analogs that bind covalently and irreversibly to an enzyme active site and that are equipped with an identification or affinity tag can be used to unearth new enzyme activities, to establish whether and at what subcellular location the enzymes are active, and to study the inhibitory effects of small compounds. A specific class of activity-based protein probes includes those that employ a photo-activatable group to create the covalent bond. Such probes are targeted to those enzymes that do not employ a catalytic nucleophile that is part of the polypeptide backbone. An overview of the various photo-activatable groups that are available to chemical biology researchers is presented, with a focus on their (photo)chemistry and their application in various research fields. A number of comparative studies are described in which the efficiency of various photo-activatable groups are compared.

Activity-Based Profiling Reveals Reactivity of the Murine Thymoproteasome-Specific Subunit β5t

Epithelial cells of the thymus cortex express a unique proteasome particle involved in positive T cell selection. This thymoproteasome contains the recently discovered beta5t subunit that has an uncharted activity, if any. We synthesized fluorescent epoxomicin probes that were used in a chemical proteomics approach, entailing activity-based profiling, affinity purification, and LC-MS identification, to demonstrate that the beta5t subunit is catalytically active in the murine thymus. A panel of established proteasome inhibitors showed that the broad-spectrum inhibitor epoxomicin blocks the beta5t activity and that the subunit-specific antagonists bortezomib and NC005 do not inhibit beta5t. We show that beta5t has a substrate preference distinct from beta5/beta5i that might explain how the thymoproteasome generates the MHC class I peptide repertoire needed for positive T cell selection.

Nature of Pharmacophore Influences Active Site Specificity of Proteasome Inhibitors

Proteasomes degrade most proteins in mammalian cells and are established targets of anti-cancer drugs. The majority of proteasome inhibitors are composed of short peptides with an electrophilic functionality (pharmacophore) at the C terminus. All eukaryotic proteasomes have three types of active sites as follows: chymotrypsin-like, trypsin-like, and caspase-like. It is widely believed that active site specificity of inhibitors is determined primarily by the peptide sequence and not the pharmacophore. Here, we report that active site specificity of inhibitors can also be tuned by the chemical nature of the pharmacophore. Specifically, replacement of the epoxyketone by vinyl sulfone moieties further improves the selectivity of β5-specific inhibitors NC-005, YU-101, and PR-171 (carfilzomib). This increase in specificity is likely the basis of the decreased cytotoxicity of vinyl sulfone-based inhibitors to HeLa cells as compared with that of epoxyketone-based inhibitors.

A general chemical ligation approach towards isopeptide-linked ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like assay reagents.

Ubiquitin (Ub) and ubiquitin-like proteins (Ubls) form a family of small and highly conserved post-translational modifiers that become linked to target proteins and thus modulate their function (such as degradation, trafficking and signalling).1 The linkage between a Ub(l) and a target protein most frequently consists of an isopeptide bond between the C-terminal carboxylate of Ub(l) and the e-amine of a lysine residue. Ub(l) ligation requires the concerted action of enzymes E1, E2 and E3, defined combinations of which provide specificity for the protein target.2 Next to human Ub, 17 Ubls from nine phylogenetic classes have been reported.3 Each has its own discrete conjugation and deconjugation enzymes and has a distinct effect on its cellular target. The best-studied Ubls are Nedd8 and SUMO. For example, neddylation of cullin–RING E3 ligases is required for their enzymatic activity.4 The three human SUMO proteins (SUMO-1, SUMO-2 and SUMO-3) are conjugated to diverse target proteins, thereby often altering their interaction with other proteins through interactions between SUMO and SUMO-binding motifs.5

Incorporation of Non-natural Amino Acids Improves Cell Permeability and Potency of Specific Inhibitors of Proteasome Trypsin-like Sites.

Proteasomes degrade the majority of proteins in mammalian cells by a concerted action of three distinct pairs of active sites. The chymotrypsin-like sites are targets of antimyeloma agents bortezomib and carfilzomib. Inhibitors of the trypsin-like site sensitize multiple myeloma cells to these agents. Here we describe systematic effort to develop inhibitors with improved potency and cell permeability, yielding azido-Phe-Leu-Leu-4-aminomethyl-Phe-methyl vinyl sulfone (4a, LU-102), and a fluorescent activity-based probe for this site. X-ray structures of 4a and related inhibitors complexed with yeast proteasomes revealed the structural basis for specificity. Nontoxic to myeloma cells when used as a single agent, 4a sensitized them to bortezomib and carfilzomib. This sensitizing effect was much stronger than the synergistic effects of histone acetylase inhibitors or additive effects of doxorubicin and dexamethasone, raising the possibility that combinations of inhibitors of the trypsin-like site with bortezomib or carfilzomib would have stronger antineoplastic activity than combinations currently used clinically.

A Cleavable Linker Based on the Levulinoyl Ester for Activity-Based Protein Profiling

The title linker is stable under various biological conditions and can be cleaved chemoselectively with hydrazine. Its use is demonstrated in the activity-based enrichment and identification of proteasome active subunits from cell extracts.

Poly(ethylene glycol)-Based Stable Isotope Labeling Reagents for the Quantitative Analysis of Low Molecular Weight Metabolites by LC−MS

Stable isotope labeling (SIL) in combination with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry is one of the most widely used quantitative analytical methods due to its sensitivity and ability to deal with extremely complex biological samples. However, SIL methods for metabolite analysis are still often limited in terms of multiplexing, the chromatographic properties of the derivatized analytes, or their ionization efficiency. Here we describe a new family of reagents for the SIL of primary amine-containing compounds based on pentafluorophenyl-activated esters of 13C-containing poly(ethylene glycol) chains (PEG) that addresses these shortcomings. A sequential buildup of the PEG chain allowed the introduction of various numbers of 13C atoms opening extended multiplexing possibilities. The PEG derivatives of rather hydrophilic molecules such as amino acids and glutathione were successfully retained on a standard C18 reversed-phase column, and their identification was facilitated based on m/z values and retention times using extracted ion chromatograms. The mass increase due to PEG derivatization moved low molecular weight metabolite signals out of the often noisy, low m/z region of the mass spectra, which resulted in enhanced overall sensitivity and selectivity. Furthermore, elution at increased retention times resulted in efficient electrospray ionization due to the higher acetonitrile content in the mobile phase. The method was successfully applied to the quantification of intracellular amino acids and glutathione in a cellular model of human lung epithelium exposed to cigarette smoke-induced oxidative stress. It was shown that the concentration of most amino acids increased upon exposure of A549 cells to gas-phase cigarette smoke with respect to air control and cigarette smoke extract and that free thiol-containing species (e.g., glutathione) decreased although disulfide bond formation was not increased. These labeling reagents should also prove useful for the labeling of peptides and other compounds containing primary amine functionalities.

Non-hydrolyzable Diubiquitin Probes Reveal Linkage-Specific Reactivity of Deubiquitylating Enzymes Mediated by S2 Pockets

Summary Ubiquitin chains are important post-translational modifications that control a large number of cellular processes. Chains can be formed via different linkages, which determines the type of signal they convey. Deubiquitylating enzymes (DUBs) regulate ubiquitylation status by trimming or removing chains from attached proteins. DUBs can contain several ubiquitin-binding pockets, which confer specificity toward differently linked chains. Most tools for monitoring DUB specificity target binding pockets on opposing sides of the active site; however, some DUBs contain additional pockets. Therefore, reagents targeting additional pockets are essential to fully understand linkage specificity. We report the development of active site-directed probes and fluorogenic substrates, based on non-hydrolyzable diubiquitin, that are equipped with a C-terminal warhead or a fluorogenic activity reporter moiety. We demonstrate that various DUBs in lysates display differential reactivity toward differently linked diubiquitin probes, as exemplified by the proteasome-associated DUB USP14. In addition, OTUD2 and OTUD3 show remarkable linkage-specific reactivity with our diubiquitin-based reagents.