Tairan Yuwen

Probing conformational dynamics in biomolecules via chemical exchange saturation transfer: a primer

Although Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer (CEST) type NMR experiments have been used to study chemical exchange processes in molecules since the early 1960s, there has been renewed interest in the past several years in using this approach to study biomolecular conformational dynamics. The methodology is particularly powerful for the study of sparsely populated, transiently formed conformers that are recalcitrant to investigation using traditional biophysical tools, and it is complementary to relaxation dispersion and magnetization transfer experiments that have traditionally been used to study chemical exchange processes. Here we discuss the concepts behind the CEST experiment, focusing on practical aspects as well, we review some of the pulse sequences that have been developed to characterize protein and RNA conformational dynamics, and we discuss a number of examples where the CEST methodology has provided important insights into the role of dynamics in biomolecular function.

Enhancing the Sensitivity of CPMG Relaxation Dispersion to Conformational Exchange Processes by Multiple-Quantum Spectroscopy.

A triple-quantum (1) H Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill NMR relaxation dispersion experiment is presented that uses methyl group probes as reporters of conformational exchange in highly deuterated, methyl-protonated proteins. Significantly larger dispersion profiles, by as much as a factor of nine, can be obtained relative to single-quantum approaches, thus offering very significant advantages in applications involving interconverting conformers with only small changes in structure or in studies of rare states that are at very low populations. Applications to a number of protein systems are presented where the utility of the method, including its improved sensitivity to chemical exchange processes, is established.

Separating Dipolar and Chemical Exchange Magnetization Transfer Processes in 1H-CEST

An amide 1 H-Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer (CEST) experiment is presented for studies of conformational exchange in proteins. The approach, exploiting spin-state-selective magnetization transfer, completely suppresses undesired NOE-based dips in CEST profiles so that chemical exchange processes can be studied. The methodology is demonstrated with applications involving proteins that interconvert on the millisecond timescale between major and invisible minor states, and accurate amide 1 H chemical shifts of the minor conformer are obtained in each case. The spin-state-selective magnetization transfer approach offers unique possibilities for quantitative studies of protein exchange through 1 H-CEST.

The RNF168 paralog RNF169 defines a new class of ubiquitylated histone reader involved in the response to DNA damage

Site-specific histone ubiquitylation plays a central role in orchestrating the response to DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). DSBs elicit a cascade of events controlled by the ubiquitin ligase RNF168, which promotes the accumulation of repair factors such as 53BP1 and BRCA1 on the chromatin flanking the break site. RNF168 also promotes its own accumulation, and that of its paralog RNF169, but how they recognize ubiquitylated chromatin is unknown. Using methyl-TROSY solution NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations, we present an atomic resolution model of human RNF169 binding to a ubiquitylated nucleosome, and validate it by electron cryomicroscopy. We establish that RNF169 binds to ubiquitylated H2A-Lys13/Lys15 in a manner that involves its canonical ubiquitin-binding helix and a pair of arginine-rich motifs that interact with the nucleosome acidic patch. This three-pronged interaction mechanism is distinct from that by which 53BP1 binds to ubiquitylated H2A-Lys15 highlighting the diversity in site-specific recognition of ubiquitylated nucleosomes. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.23872.001

Longitudinal relaxation optimized amide 1H-CEST experiments for studying slow chemical exchange processes in fully protonated proteins

Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer (CEST) experiments are increasingly used to study slow timescale exchange processes in biomolecules. Although 15N- and 13C-CEST have been the approaches of choice, the development of spin state selective 1H-CEST pulse sequences that separate the effects of chemical and dipolar exchange [T. Yuwen, A. Sekhar and L. E. Kay, Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2016 doi: 10.1002/anie.201610759 (Yuwen et al. 2017)] significantly increases the utility of 1H-based experiments. Pulse schemes have been described previously for studies of highly deuterated proteins. We present here longitudinal-relaxation optimized amide 1H-CEST experiments for probing chemical exchange in protonated proteins. Applications involving a pair of proteins are presented establishing that accurate 1H chemical shifts of sparsely populated conformers can be obtained from simple analyses of 1H-CEST profiles. A discussion of the inherent differences between 15N-/13C- and 1H-CEST experiments is presented, leading to an optimal strategy for recording 1H-CEST experiments.

Probing slow timescale dynamics in proteins using methyl 1 H CEST

Although 15N- and 13C-based chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) experiments have assumed an important role in studies of biomolecular conformational exchange, 1H CEST experiments are only beginning to emerge. We present a methyl-TROSY 1H CEST experiment that eliminates deleterious 1H–1H NOE dips so that CEST profiles can be analyzed robustly to extract methyl proton chemical shifts of rare protein conformers. The utility of the experiment, along with a version that is optimized for 13CHD2 labeled proteins, is established through studies of exchanging protein systems. A comparison between methyl 1H CEST and methyl 1H CPMG approaches is presented to highlight the complementarity of the two experiments.

Investigating the Dynamics of Destabilized Nucleosomes Using Methyl-TROSY NMR

The nucleosome core particle (NCP), comprised of histone proteins wrapped with ∼146 base pairs of DNA, provides both protection and controlled access to DNA so as to regulate vital cellular processes. High-resolution structures of nucleosomes and nucleosome complexes have afforded a clear understanding of the structural role of NCPs, but a detailed description of the dynamical properties that facilitate DNA-templated processes is only beginning to emerge. Using methyl-TROSY NMR approaches we evaluate the effect of point mutations designed to perturb key histone interfaces that become destabilized during nucleosome remodeling in an effort to probe NCP plasticity. Notably the NCP retains its overall structural integrity, yet relaxation experiments of mutant nucleosomes reveal significant dynamics within a central histone interface associated with alternative NCP conformations populated to as much as 15% under low salt conditions. This work highlights the inherent plasticity of NCPs and establishes methyl-TROSY NMR as a valuable compliment to current single molecule methods in quantifying NCP dynamic properties.

Probing Conformational Exchange in Weakly Interacting, Slowly Exchanging Protein Systems via Off-Resonance R1ρ Experiments: Application to Studies of Protein Phase Separation

R1ρ relaxation dispersion experiments are increasingly used in studies of protein dynamics on the micro- to millisecond time scale. Traditional R1ρ relaxation dispersion approaches are typically predicated on changes in chemical shifts between corresponding probe spins, ΔωGE, in the interconverting states. Here, we present a new application of off-resonance 15N R1ρ relaxation dispersion that enables the quantification of slow exchange processes even in the limit where ΔωGE = 0 so long as the spins in the exchanging states have different intrinsic transverse relaxation rates (ΔR2 = R2,E - R2,G ≠ 0). In this limit, the dispersion profiles become inverted relative to those measured in the case where ΔωGE ≠ 0, ΔR2 = 0. The theoretical background to understand this effect is presented, along with a simplified exchange matrix that is valid in the limits that are germane here. An application to the study of the dynamics of the germ granule protein Ddx4 in a highly concentrated phase-separated state is described. Notably, exchange-based dispersion profiles can be obtained despite the fact that ΔωGE ≈ 0 and ΔR2 is small, ∼20-30 s-1. Our results are consistent with the formation of a significantly populated excited conformational state that displays increased contacts between adjacent protein molecules relative to the major conformer in solution, leading to a decrease in overall motion of the protein backbone. A complete set of exchange parameters is obtained from analysis of a single set of 15N off-resonance R1ρ measurements recorded at a single static magnetic field and with a single spin-lock radio frequency field strength. This new approach holds promise for studies of weakly interacting systems, especially those involving intrinsically disordered proteins that form phase-separated organelles, where little change to chemical shifts between interconverting states would be expected, but where finite ΔR2 values are observed.

Measuring Solvent Hydrogen Exchange Rates by Multifrequency Excitation 15N CEST: Application to Protein Phase Separation

Solvent exchange rates provide important information about the structural and dynamical properties of biomolecules. A large number of NMR experiments have been developed to measure such rates in proteins, the great majority of which quantify the buildup of signals from backbone amides after initial perturbation of water magnetization. Here we present a different approach that circumvents the main limitations that result from these classical hydrogen exchange NMR experiments. Building on recent developments that enable rapid recording of chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) pseudo-3D data sets, we describe a 15N-based CEST scheme for measurement of solvent exchange in proteins that exploits the one-bond 15N deuterium isotope shift. The utility of the approach is verified with an application to a 236 residue intrinsically disordered protein domain under conditions where it phase separates and a second application involving a mutated form of the domain that does not phase separate, establishing very similar hydrogen exchange rates for both samples. The methodology is well suited for studies of hydrogen exchange in any 15N-labeled biomolecule. A discussion of the merits of the CEST experiment in relation to the popular CLEANEX-PM scheme is presented.

Exploring methods to expedite the recording of CEST datasets using selective pulse excitation

Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer (CEST) has emerged as a powerful tool for studies of biomolecular conformational exchange involving the interconversion between a major, visible conformer and one or more minor, invisible states. Applications typically entail recording a large number of 2D datasets, each of which differs in the position of a weak radio frequency field, so as to generate a CEST profile for each nucleus from which the chemical shifts of spins in the invisible state(s) are obtained. Here we compare a number of band-selective CEST schemes for speeding up the process using either DANTE or cosine-modulated excitation approaches. We show that while both are essentially identical for applications such as 15N CEST, in cases where the probed spins are dipolar or scalar coupled to other like spins there can be advantages for the cosine-excitation scheme.