Rajeshwer S. Sankhala

The Major Protein of Bovine Seminal Plasma, PDC-109, Is a Molecular Chaperone

The major protein of bovine seminal plasma, PDC-109, binds to choline phospholipids on the sperm plasma membrane and induces the efflux of cholesterol and choline phospholipids, which is an important step in sperm capacitation. The high abundance, polydisperse nature and reversibility of thermal unfolding of PDC-109 suggest significant similarities to chaperone-like proteins such as spectrin, alpha-crystallin, and alpha-synuclein. In the present study, biochemical and biophysical approaches were employed to investigate the chaperone-like activity of PDC-109. The effect of various stress factors such as high temperature, chemical denaturant (urea), and acidic pH on target proteins such as lactate dehydrogenase, alcohol dehydrogenase, and insulin were studied in both the presence and absence of PDC-109. The results obtained indicate that PDC-109 exhibits chaperone-like activity, as evidenced by its ability to suppress the nonspecific aggregation of target proteins and direct them into productive folding. Atomic force microscopic studies demonstrate that PDC-109 effectively prevents the fibrillation of insulin, which is of considerable significance since amyloidogenesis has been reported to be a serious problem during sperm maturation in certain species. Binding of phosphorylcholine or high ionic strength in the medium inhibited the chaperone-like activity of PDC-109, suggesting that most likely the aggregation state of the protein is important for the chaperone function. These observations show that PDC-109 functions as a molecular chaperone in vitro, suggesting that it may assist the proper folding of proteins involved in the bovine sperm capacitation pathway. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study reporting chaperone-like activity of a seminal plasma protein.

Biophysical investigations on the interaction of the major bovine seminal plasma protein, PDC-109, with heparin.

PDC-109, the major bovine seminal plasma protein, binds to sperm plasma membrane and modulates capacitation in the presence of heparin. In view of this, the PDC-109/heparin interaction has been investigated employing various biophysical approaches. Isothermal titration calorimetric studies yielded the association constant and changes in enthalpy and entropy for the interaction at 25 °C (pH 7.4) as 1.92 (±0.2) × 10(5) M(-1), 18.6 (±1.6) kcal M(-1), and 86.5 (±5.1) cal M(-1) K(-1), respectively, whereas differential scanning calorimetric studies indicated that heparin binding results in a significant increase in the thermal stability of PDC-109. The affinity decreases with increase in pH and ionic strength, consistent with the involvement of electrostatic forces in this interaction. Circular dichroism spectroscopic studies indicated that PDC-109 retains its conformational features even up to 70-75 °C in the presence of heparin, whereas the native protein unfolds at about 55 °C. Atomic force microscopic studies demonstrated that large oligomeric structures are formed upon binding of PDC-109 to heparin, indicating an increase in the local density of the protein, which may be relevant to the ability of heparin to potentiate PDC-109 induced sperm capacitation.

Structure of human PIR1, an atypical dual-specificity phosphatase.

PIR1 is an atypical dual-specificity phosphatase (DSP) that dephosphorylates RNA with a higher specificity than phosphoproteins. Here we report the atomic structure of a catalytically inactive mutant (C152S) of the human PIR1 phosphatase core (PIR1-core, residues 29–205), refined at 1.20 Å resolution. PIR1-core shares structural similarities with DSPs related to Vaccinia virus VH1 and with RNA 5′-phosphatases such as the baculovirus RNA triphosphatase and the human mRNA capping enzyme. The PIR1 active site cleft is wider and deeper than that of VH1 and contains two bound ions: a phosphate trapped above the catalytic cysteine C152 exemplifies the binding mode expected for the γ-phosphate of RNA, and ∼6 Å away, a chloride ion coordinates the general base R158. Two residues in the PIR1 phosphate-binding loop (P-loop), a histidine (H154) downstream of C152 and an asparagine (N157) preceding R158, make close contacts with the active site phosphate, and their nonaliphatic side chains are essential for phosphatase activity in vitro. These residues are conserved in all RNA 5′-phosphatases that, analogous to PIR1, lack a “general acid” residue. Thus, a deep active site crevice, two active site ions, and conserved P-loop residues stabilizing the γ-phosphate of RNA are defining features of atypical DSPs that specialize in dephosphorylating 5′-RNA.

Divergent Evolution of Nuclear Localization Signal Sequences in Herpesvirus Terminase Subunits.

The tripartite terminase complex of herpesviruses assembles in the cytoplasm of infected cells and exploits the host nuclear import machinery to gain access to the nucleus, where capsid assembly and genome-packaging occur. Here we analyzed the structure and conservation of nuclear localization signal (NLS) sequences previously identified in herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) large terminase and human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) small terminase. We found a monopartite NLS at the N terminus of large terminase, flanking the ATPase domain, that is conserved only in α-herpesviruses. In contrast, small terminase exposes a classical NLS at the far C terminus of its helical structure that is conserved only in two genera of the β-subfamily and absent in α- and γ-herpesviruses. In addition, we predicted a classical NLS in the third terminase subunit that is partially conserved among herpesviruses. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that both location and potency of NLSs in terminase subunits evolved more rapidly than the rest of the amino acid sequence despite the selective pressure to keep terminase gene products active and localized in the nucleus. We propose that swapping NLSs among terminase subunits is a regulatory mechanism that allows different herpesviruses to regulate the kinetics of terminase nuclear import, reflecting a mechanism of virus:host adaptation.

Dimeric Quaternary Structure of Human Laforin

Background: Laforin is an essential glycogen phosphatase often mutated in Lafora disease. Results: Human laforin adopts a dimeric quaternary structure. Conclusion: Dimerization generates a unique active site crevice essential to recognize and dephosphorylate glycogen. Significance: We derived a complete structural model of human laforin using hybrid structural methods. The phosphatase laforin removes phosphate groups from glycogen during biosynthetic activity. Loss-of-function mutations in the gene encoding laforin is the predominant cause of Lafora disease, a fatal form of progressive myoclonic epilepsy. Here, we used hybrid structural methods to determine the molecular architecture of human laforin. We found that laforin adopts a dimeric quaternary structure, topologically similar to the prototypical dual specificity phosphatase VH1. The interface between the laforin carbohydrate-binding module and the dual specificity phosphatase domain generates an intimate substrate-binding crevice that allows for recognition and dephosphorylation of phosphomonoesters of glucose. We identify novel molecular determinants in the laforin active site that help decipher the mechanism of glucan phosphatase activity.

Three-dimensional context rather than NLS amino acid sequence determines importin α subtype specificity for RCC1

Active nuclear import of Ran exchange factor RCC1 is mediated by importin α3. This pathway is essential to generate a gradient of RanGTP on chromatin that directs nucleocytoplasmic transport, mitotic spindle assembly and nuclear envelope formation. Here we identify the mechanisms of importin α3 selectivity for RCC1. We find this isoform binds RCC1 with one order of magnitude higher affinity than the generic importin α1, although the two isoforms share an identical NLS-binding groove. Importin α3 uses its greater conformational flexibility to wedge the RCC1 β-propeller flanking the NLS against its lateral surface, preventing steric clashes with its Armadillo-core. Removing the β-propeller, or inserting a linker between NLS and β-propeller, disrupts specificity for importin α3, demonstrating the structural context rather than NLS sequence determines selectivity for isoform 3. We propose importin α3 evolved to recognize topologically complex NLSs that lie next to bulky domains or are masked by quaternary structures.Importin α3 facilitates the nuclear transport of the Ran guanine nucleotide exchange factor RCC1. Here the authors reveal the molecular basis for the selectivity of RCC1 for importin α3 vs the generic importin α1 and discuss the evolution of importin α isoforms.

Structural Plasticity of the Protein Plug That Traps Newly Packaged Genomes in Podoviridae Virions

Bacterial viruses of the P22-like family encode a specialized tail needle essential for genome stabilization after DNA packaging and implicated in Gram-negative cell envelope penetration. The atomic structure of P22 tail needle (gp26) crystallized at acidic pH reveals a slender fiber containing an N-terminal “trimer of hairpins” tip. Although the length and composition of tail needles vary significantly in Podoviridae, unexpectedly, the amino acid sequence of the N-terminal tip is exceptionally conserved in more than 200 genomes of P22-like phages and prophages. In this paper, we used x-ray crystallography and EM to investigate the neutral pH structure of three tail needles from bacteriophage P22, HK620, and Sf6. In all cases, we found that the N-terminal tip is poorly structured, in stark contrast to the compact trimer of hairpins seen in gp26 crystallized at acidic pH. Hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry, limited proteolysis, circular dichroism spectroscopy, and gel filtration chromatography revealed that the N-terminal tip is highly dynamic in solution and unlikely to adopt a stable trimeric conformation at physiological pH. This is supported by the cryo-EM reconstruction of P22 mature virion tail, where the density of gp26 N-terminal tip is incompatible with a trimer of hairpins. We propose the tail needle N-terminal tip exists in two conformations: a pre-ejection extended conformation, which seals the portal vertex after genome packaging, and a postejection trimer of hairpins, which forms upon its release from the virion. The conformational plasticity of the tail needle N-terminal tip is built in the amino acid sequence, explaining its extraordinary conservation in nature.

Synergy of two low-affinity NLSs determines the high avidity of influenza A virus nucleoprotein NP for human importin α isoforms.

The influenza A virus nucleoprotein (NP) is an essential multifunctional protein that encapsidates the viral genome and functions as an adapter between the virus and the host cell machinery. NPs from all strains of influenza A viruses contain two nuclear localization signals (NLSs): a well-studied monopartite NLS1 and a less-characterized NLS2, thought to be bipartite. Through site-directed mutagenesis and functional analysis, we found that NLS2 is also monopartite and is indispensable for viral infection. Atomic structures of importin α bound to two variants of NLS2 revealed NLS2 primarily binds the major-NLS binding site of importin α, unlike NLS1 that associates with the minor NLS-pocket. Though peptides corresponding to NLS1 and NLS2 bind weakly to importin α, the two NLSs synergize in the context of the full length NP to confer high avidity for importin α7, explaining why the virus efficiently replicates in the respiratory tract that exhibits high levels of this isoform. This study, the first to functionally characterize NLS2, demonstrates NLS2 plays an important and unexpected role in influenza A virus infection. We propose NLS1 and NLS2 form a bipartite NLS in trans, which ensures high avidity for importin α7 while preventing non-specific binding to viral RNA.

Probing the Thermodynamics of Protein–Lipid Interactions by Isothermal Titration Calorimetry

Isothermal titration calorimetry is a highly sensitive technique for the study of molecular interactions. This method has been applied quite extensively to investigate the interaction of proteins with small ligands, other proteins, and nucleic acids as well as with drugs and metal ions. In this chapter, we describe the application of ITC for the investigation of thermodynamics of protein-lipid interaction. A number of parameters such as enthalpy of binding (ΔH), entropy of binding (ΔS), association constant (K (a)), binding stoichiometry (n), and free energy of binding (ΔG) can be obtained from a single calorimetric titration, providing a complete thermodynamic characterization of the interaction. The method is described in detail taking the major protein of the bovine seminal plasma, PDC-109, which exhibits a high preference for interaction with choline-containing lipids, as an example. The method can be applied to investigate the thermodynamics of the interaction of other soluble proteins with lipid membranes.

A Greasy Aid to Capsid Assembly: Lessons from a Salty Virus.

In this issue of Structure, Gil-Carton et al. (2015) use hybrid structural methods to investigate the architecture of the membrane-containing halovirus HHIV-2, a member of the PRD1-adenovirus lineage. This work sheds light on how lipid-proteins interactions guide the assembly of single β-barrel coat proteins to form an icosahedral capsid.