I03-Macromolecular Crystallography
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[18598]
Open Access
Abstract: Toxin-antitoxin systems play key roles in bacterial adaptation, including protection from antibiotic assault and infection by bacteriophages. The type IV toxin-antitoxin system AbiE encodes a DUF1814 nucleotidyltransferase-like toxin, and a two-domain antitoxin. In Streptococcus agalactiae, the antitoxin AbiEi negatively autoregulates abiE expression through positively co-operative binding to inverted repeats within the promoter. The human pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis encodes four DUF1814 putative toxins, two of which have antitoxins homologous to AbiEi. One such M.tuberculosis antitoxin, named Rv2827c, is required for growth and whilst the structure has previously been solved, the mode of regulation is unknown. To complete the gaps in our understanding, we first solved the structure of S. agalactiae AbiEi to 1.83 Å resolution for comparison with M.tuberculosis Rv2827c. AbiEi contains an N-terminal DNA binding domain and C-terminal antitoxicity domain, with bilateral faces of opposing charge. The overall AbiEi fold is similar to Rv2827c, though smaller, and with a 65º difference in C-terminal domain orientation. We further demonstrate that, like AbiEi, Rv2827c can autoregulate toxin-antitoxin operon expression. In contrast to AbiEi, the Prv2827c promoter contains two sets of inverted repeats, which bind Rv2827c with differing affinities depending on the sequence consensus. Surprisingly, Rv2827c bound with negative co-operativity to the full Prv2827c promoter, demonstrating an unexpectedly complex form of transcriptional regulation.
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Jun 2020
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I04-Macromolecular Crystallography
I24-Microfocus Macromolecular Crystallography
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[307, 10369, 19248]
Open Access
Abstract: Nek7 is a serine/threonine-protein kinase required for proper spindle formation and cytokinesis. Elevated Nek7 levels have been observed in several cancers, and inhibition of Nek7 might provide a route to the development of cancer therapeutics. To date, no selective and potent Nek7 inhibitors have been identified. Nek7 crystal structures exhibit an improperly formed regulatory-spine (R-spine), characteristic of an inactive kinase. We reasoned that the preference of Nek7 to crystallise in this inactive conformation might hinder attempts to capture Nek7 in complex with Type I inhibitors. Here, we have introduced aromatic residues into the R-spine of Nek7 with the aim to stabilise the active conformation of the kinase through R-spine stacking. The strong R-spine mutant Nek7SRS retained catalytic activity and was crystallised in complex with compound 51, an ATP-competitive inhibitor of Nek2 and Nek7. Subsequently, we obtained the same crystal form for wild-type Nek7WT in apo form and bound to compound 51. The R-spines of the three well-ordered Nek7WT molecules exhibit variable conformations while the R-spines of the Nek7SRS molecules all have the same, partially stacked configuration. Compound 51 bound to Nek2 and Nek7 in similar modes, but differences in the precise orientation of a substituent highlights features that could be exploited in designing inhibitors that are selective for particular Nek family members. Although the SRS mutations are not required to obtain a Nek7–inhibitor structure, we conclude that it is a useful strategy for restraining the conformation of a kinase in order to promote crystallogenesis.
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Apr 2020
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I03-Macromolecular Crystallography
I04-Macromolecular Crystallography
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[17212]
Open Access
Abstract: Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) is best known for its formation of the vasopressor angiotensin II that controls blood pressure but is also involved in other physiological functions through the hydrolysis of a variety of peptide substrates. The enzyme contains two catalytic domains (nACE and cACE) that have different affinities for ACE substrates and inhibitors. We investigated whether nACE inhibitor backbones contain a unique property which allows them to take advantage of the hinging of nACE. Kinetic analysis showed that mutation of unique nACE residues in both the S2 pocket and around the prime subsites (S′) to their C-domain counterparts each resulted in a decrease in affinity of nACE specific inhibitors (SG6, 33RE and ketoACE-13), but it required the combined S2_S′ mutant to abrogate nACE-selectivity. However, this was not observed with the non-domain-selective inhibitors enalaprilat and omapatrilat. High resolution structures were determined for the minimally glycosylated nACE with the combined S2_S′ mutations in complex with the ACE inhibitors 33RE (1.8 Å), omapatrilat (1.8 Å) and SG6 (1.7 Å). These confirmed that the affinities of the nACE-selective SG6, 33RE and ketoACE-13 are not only affected by direct interactions with the immediate environment of the binding site, but also by more distal residues. This study provides evidence for a more general mechanism of ACE inhibition involving synergistic effects of not only the S2, S1′ and S2′ subsites, but also residues involved in the subdomain interface that effect the unique ways in which the two domains stabilise active site loops to favour inhibitor binding.
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Mar 2020
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I02-Macromolecular Crystallography
I03-Macromolecular Crystallography
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[19880]
Open Access
Abstract: Attenuating the function of protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs) is an objective for the investigation and treatment of several diseases including cardiovascular disease and cancer. Bisubstrate inhibitors that simultaneously target binding sites for arginine substrate and the co-factor (S-adenosylmethionine (SAM)) have potential utility, but structural information on their binding is required for their development. Evaluation of bisubstrate inhibitors featuring an isosteric guanidine replacement with two prominent enzymes PRMT1 and CARM1 (PRMT4) by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), activity assays and crystallography are reported. Key findings are that 2-aminopyridine is a viable replacement for guanidine, providing an inhibitor that binds more strongly to CARM1 than PRMT1. Moreover, a residue around the active site that differs between CARM1 (Asn-265) and PRMT1 (Tyr-160) is identified that affects the side chain conformation of the catalytically important neighbouring glutamate in the crystal structures. Mutagenesis data supports its contribution to the difference in binding observed for this inhibitor. Structures of CARM1 in complex with a range of seven inhibitors reveal the binding modes and show that inhibitors with an amino acid terminus adopt a single conformation whereas the electron density for equivalent amine-bearing inhibitors is consistent with preferential binding in two conformations. These findings inform the molecular basis of CARM1 ligand binding and identify differences between CARM1 and PRMT1 that can inform drug discovery efforts.
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Feb 2020
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I04-1-Macromolecular Crystallography (fixed wavelength)
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Marcin
Bielecki
,
Svetlana
Antonyuk
,
Richard W.
Strange
,
Klaudia
Siemińska
,
John W.
Smalley
,
Paweł
Mackiewicz
,
Michał
Śmiga
,
Megan
Cowan
,
Michael J.
Capper
,
Paulina
Ślęzak
,
Mariusz
Olczak
,
Teresa
Olczak
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[15991]
Open Access
Abstract: As part of the infective process, Porphyromonas gingivalis must acquire heme which is indispensable for life and enables the microorganism to survive and multiply at the infection site. This oral pathogenic bacterium uses a newly discovered novel hmu heme uptake system with a leading role played by the HmuY hemophore-like protein, responsible for acquiring heme and increasing virulence of this periodontopathogen. We demonstrated that Prevotella intermedia produces two HmuY homologs, termed PinO and PinA. Both proteins were produced at higher mRNA and protein levels when the bacterium grew under low-iron/heme conditions. PinO and PinA bound heme, but preferentially under reducing conditions, and in a manner different to that of the P. gingivalis HmuY. The analysis of the three-dimensional structures confirmed differences between apo-PinO and apo-HmuY, mainly in the fold forming the heme-binding pocket. Instead of two histidine residues coordinating heme iron in P. gingivalis HmuY, PinO and PinA could use one methionine residue to fulfil this function, with potential support of additional methionine residue/s. The P. intermedia proteins sequestered heme only from the host albumin-heme complex under reducing conditions. Our findings suggest that HmuY-like family might comprise proteins subjected during evolution to significant diversification, resulting in different heme coordination mode. The newer data presented in this manuscript on HmuY homologs produced by P. intermedia sheds more light on the novel mechanism of heme uptake, could be helpful in discovering their biological function, and in developing novel therapeutic approaches.
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Jan 2020
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I03-Macromolecular Crystallography
I23-Long wavelength MX
I24-Microfocus Macromolecular Crystallography
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[12579]
Open Access
Abstract: Under limiting sulfur availability, bacteria can assimilate sulfur from alkanesulfonates. Bacteria utilize ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters to internalise them for further processing to release sulfur. In gram-negative bacteria the TauABC and SsuABC ensure internalization, although, these two systems have common substrates, the former has been characterized as a taurine specific system. TauA and SsuA are substrate-binding proteins (SBPs) that bind and bring the alkanesulfonates to the ABC importer for transport. Here, we have determined the crystal structure of TauA and have characterized its thermodynamic binding parameters by isothermal titration calorimetry in complex with taurine and different alkanesulfonates. Our structures revealed that the coordination of the alkanesulfonates is conserved, with the exception of Asp205 that is absent from SsuA, but the thermodynamic parameters revealed a very high enthalpic penalty cost for binding of the other alkanesulfonates relative to taurine. Our molecular dynamic simulations indicated that the different levels of hydration of the binding site contributed to the selectivity for taurine over the other alkanesulfonates. Such selectivity mechanism is very likely to be employed by other SBPs of ABC transporters.
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Nov 2019
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I04-Macromolecular Crystallography
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[17212]
Open Access
Abstract: The mosquitoes of the Anopheles and Aedes genus are some of the most deadly insects to humans because of their effectiveness as vectors of malaria and a range of arboviruses, including yellow fever, dengue, chikungunya, West Nile and Zika. The use of insecticides from different chemical classes is a key component of the integrated strategy against An. gambiae and Ae. aegypti, but the problem of insecticide resistance means that new compounds with different modes of action are urgently needed to replace chemicals that fail to control resistant mosquito populations. We have previously shown that feeding inhibitors of peptidyl dipeptidase A to both An. gambiae and Ae. aegypti mosquito larvae lead to stunted growth and mortality. However, these compounds were designed to inhibit the mammalian form of the enzyme (angiotensin-converting enzyme, ACE) and hence can have lower potency and lack selectivity as inhibitors of the insect peptidase. Thus, for the development of inhibitors of practical value in killing mosquito larvae, it is important to design new compounds that are both potent and highly selective. Here, we report the first structures of AnoACE2 from An. gambiae in its native form and with a bound human ACE inhibitor fosinoprilat. A comparison of these structures with human ACE (sACE) and an insect ACE homologue from Drosophila melanogaster (AnCE) revealed that the AnoACE2 structure is more similar to AnCE. In addition, important elements that differ in these structures provide information that could potentially be utilised in the design of chemical leads for selective mosquitocide development.
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Nov 2019
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B23-Circular Dichroism
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[15094, 17698, 19120]
Open Access
Abstract: The light reactions of photosynthesis are hosted and regulated by the chloroplast thylakoid membrane (TM) — the central structural component of the photosynthetic apparatus of plants and algae. The two-dimensional and three-dimensional arrangement of the lipid–protein assemblies, aka macroorganisation, and its dynamic responses to the fluctuating physiological environment, aka flexibility, are the subject of this review. An emphasis is given on the information obtainable by spectroscopic approaches, especially circular dichroism (CD). We briefly summarise the current knowledge of the composition and three-dimensional architecture of the granal TMs in plants and the supramolecular organisation of Photosystem II and light-harvesting complex II therein. We next acquaint the non-specialist reader with the fundamentals of CD spectroscopy, recent advances such as anisotropic CD, and applications for studying the structure and macroorganisation of photosynthetic complexes and membranes. Special attention is given to the structural and functional flexibility of light-harvesting complex II in vitro as revealed by CD and fluorescence spectroscopy. We give an account of the dynamic changes in membrane macroorganisation associated with the light-adaptation of the photosynthetic apparatus and the regulation of the excitation energy flow by state transitions and non-photochemical quenching.
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Oct 2019
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I02-Macromolecular Crystallography
I03-Macromolecular Crystallography
I04-Macromolecular Crystallography
I24-Microfocus Macromolecular Crystallography
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Eidarus
Salah
,
Deep
Chatterjee
,
Alessandra
Beltrami
,
Anthony
Tumber
,
Franziska
Preuss
,
Peter
Canning
,
Apirat
Chaikuad
,
Petra
Knaus
,
Stefan
Knapp
,
Alex N.
Bullock
,
Sebastian
Mathea
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[6391, 10619]
Abstract: LIM domain kinase 1 (LIMK1) is a key regulator of actin dynamics. It is thereby a potential therapeutic target for the prevention of fragile X syndrome and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Herein, we use X-ray crystallography and activity assays to describe how LIMK1 accomplishes substrate specificity, to suggest a unique 'rock-and-poke' mechanism of catalysis and to explore the regulation of the kinase by activation loop phosphorylation. Based on these findings, a differential scanning fluorimetry assay and a RapidFire mass spectrometry activity assay were established, leading to the discovery and confirmation of a set of small-molecule LIMK1 inhibitors. Interestingly, several of the inhibitors were inactive towards the closely related isoform LIMK2. Finally, crystal structures of the LIMK1 kinase domain in complex with inhibitors (PF-477736 and staurosporine, respectively) are presented, providing insights into LIMK1 plasticity upon inhibitor binding.
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Oct 2019
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I02-Macromolecular Crystallography
I03-Macromolecular Crystallography
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[12342]
Open Access
Abstract: Human zinc-α2-glycoprotein (ZAG) is a 42 kDa adipokine which regulates body fat mass and is associated with cachexia and obesity. ZAG belongs to the major histocompatibility complex class I protein family and binds long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in its groove formed from the α1 and α2 domains. To identify the molecular basis of its lipid-binding function, we determined the first crystal structure at 2.49Å resolution for fatty acid-bound ZAG, where the ligand was the fluorescent 11-(dansylamino)undecanoic acid (DAUDA). The 192 kDa crystallographic asymmetric unit contained six ZAG and eight fatty acid molecules in unique conformations. Six fatty acid molecules were localised to the ZAG grooves, where its tails were bound in two distinct conformations. The carboxylate groups of three fatty acids projected out of the groove, while the fourth was hydrogen bonded with R73 inside the groove. Other ligand-residue contacts were primarily hydrophobic. A new fatty acid site was revealed for two further DAUDA molecules at the ZAG α3 domains. Following conformational changes from unbound ZAG, the α3 domains formed tetrameric β-barrel structures lined by fatty acid molecules that doubled the binding capacity of ZAG. Analytical ultracentrifugation revealed that ZAG in solution was a monomer in the absence of DAUDA, but formed small amounts of tetramers with DAUDA. By showing that ZAG binds fatty acids in different locations, we demonstrate an augmented mechanism for fatty acid binding in ZAG that is distinct from other known fatty acid binding proteins, and may be relevant to cachexia.
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Sep 2019
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