nano-differential-scanning-fluorimetry-for-screening-fragment-based

Nano-Differential Scanning Fluorimetry for Screening in Fragment-based Lead Discovery

Thermal shift assays (TSAs) examine how the melting temperature (Tm) of a target protein changes in response to changes in its environment (e.g., buffer ...

MutS plays a critical role in DNA mismatch repair in Escherichia coli by binding to mismatches and initiating repair in an ATP-dependent manner. Mutational analysis of a highly conserved glutamate, Glu38, has revealed its role in mismatch recognition by enabling MutS to discriminate between homoduplex and mismatched DNA. Crystal structures of MutS have shown that Glu38 forms a hydrogen bond to one of the mismatched bases. In this study, we have analyzed the crystal structures, DNA binding and the response to ATP binding of three Glu38 mutants. While confirming the role of the negative charge in initial discrimination, we show that in vivo mismatch repair can proceed even when discrimination is low. We demonstrate that the formation of a hydrogen bond by residue 38 to the mismatched base authorizes repair by inducing intramolecular signaling, which results in the inhibition of rapid hydrolysis of distally bound ATP. This allows formation of the stable MutS-ATP-DNA clamp, a key intermediate in triggering downstream repair events.

Dual role of MutS glutamate 38 in DNA mismatch discrimination and in the authorization of repair.

Survivin plays separate roles during different phases of the cell cycle. In mitosis, Survivin is a key regulator of cell division, while in interphase, Survivin is able to protect cells from apoptosis. Survivin shuttles between nucleus and cytoplasm under the influence of one or more nuclear export signals (NESs). Paradoxically, our data show that Survivin poorly binds CRM1 in vitro because hydrophobic residues of the NES are occupied in homodimer contacts. We show that NES-preserving dimerization mutants behave as monomers in solution, show dramatically increased CRM1 binding and are more efficiently exported in vivo than wild-type Survivin. These data indicate that Survivin contains a monomer-specific NES and that dimerization modulates cytoplasmic access of the protein. Our findings have implications for both the mitotic and interphase roles of survivin.

Homodimerization antagonizes nuclear export of survivin.

CRM1 exports proteins that carry a short leucine-rich peptide signal, the nuclear export signal (NES), from the nucleus. Regular NESs must have low affinity for CRM1 to function optimally. We previously generated artificial NESs with higher affinities for CRM1, termed supraphysiological NESs. Here we identify a supraphysiological NES in an endogenous protein, the NS2 protein of parvovirus Minute Virus of Mice (MVM). NS2 interacts with CRM1 without the requirement of RanGTP, whereas addition of RanGTP renders the complex highly stable. Mutation of a single hydrophobic residue that inactivates regular NESs lowers the affinity of the NS2 NES for CRM1 from supraphysiological to regular. Mutant MVM harboring this regular NES is compromised in viral nuclear export and productivity. In virus-infected mouse fibroblasts we observe colocalization of NS2, CRM1 and mature virions, which is dependent on the supraphysiological NS2 NES. We conclude that supraphysiological NESs exist in nature and that the supraphysiological NS2 NES has a critical role in active nuclear export of mature MVM particles before cell lysis.

A supraphysiological nuclear export signal is required for parvovirus nuclear export.

Posttranslational modification with small ubiquitin-related modifier, SUMO, is a widespread mechanism for rapid and reversible changes in protein function. Considering the large number of known targets, the number of enzymes involved in modification seems surprisingly low: a single E1, a single E2, and a few distinct E3 ligases. Here we show that autosumoylation of the mammalian E2-conjugating enzyme Ubc9 at Lys14 regulates target discrimination. While not altering its activity toward HDAC4, E2-25K, PML, or TDG, sumoylation of Ubc9 impairs its activity on RanGAP1 and strongly activates sumoylation of the transcriptional regulator Sp100. Enhancement depends on a SUMO-interacting motif (SIM) in Sp100 that creates an additional interface with the SUMO conjugated to the E2, a mechanism distinct from Ubc9 approximately SUMO thioester recruitment. The crystal structure of sumoylated Ubc9 demonstrates how the newly created binding interface can provide a gain in affinity otherwise provided by E3 ligases.

Ubc9 sumoylation regulates SUMO target discrimination.

Development of the cellular antiviral response requires nuclear translocation of multiple transcription factors and activation of a wide variety of cellular genes. To counteract the antiviral response, several viruses have developed an efficient means of inhibiting nucleocytoplasmic traffic. In this study, we demonstrate that the pathogenic strain of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) has developed a unique mechanism of nuclear import inhibition. Its capsid protein forms a tetrameric complex with the nuclear export receptor CRM1 and the nuclear import receptor importin alpha/beta. This unusual complex accumulates in the center channel of the nuclear pores and blocks nuclear import mediated by different karyopherins. The inhibitory function of VEEV capsid protein is determined by a short 39-amino-acid-long peptide that contains both nuclear import and supraphysiological nuclear export signals. Mutations in these signals or in the linker peptide attenuate or completely abolish capsid-specific inhibition of nuclear traffic. The less pathogenic VEEV strains contain a wide variety of mutations in this peptide that affect its inhibitory function in nuclear import. Thus, these mutations appear to be the determinants of this attenuated phenotype. This novel mechanism of inhibiting nuclear transport also shows that the nuclear pore complex is vulnerable to unusual cargo receptor complexes and sheds light on the importance of finely adjusted karyopherin-nucleoporin interactions for efficient cargo translocation.

Venezuelan equine Encephalitis virus capsid protein forms a tetrameric complex with CRM1 and importin alpha/beta that obstructs nuclear pore complex function.

We demonstrate that oxime ligation is an efficient, straightforward, and generally applicable strategy for generating nonhydrolyzable ubiquitin (Ub)-isopeptide isosteres. We synthesized nonhydrolyzable K48- and K63-linked Ub-isopeptide isosteres to investigate the selectivity of deubiquitinating enzymes for specific linkages employing surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy. The results indicate that deubiquitinating enzymes specifically recognize the local peptide sequence flanking Ub-branched lysine residues in target proteins. The described strategy allows the systematic investigation of sequence requirements for substrate selectivity of deubiquitinating enzymes.

Nonhydrolyzable ubiquitin-isopeptide isosteres as deubiquitinating enzyme probes.

Several mechanisms have been proposed for the synthesis of substrate-linked ubiquitin chains. HECT ligases directly catalyse protein ubiquitination and have been found to non-covalently interact with ubiquitin. We report crystal structures of the Nedd4 HECT domain, alone and in complex with ubiquitin, which show a new binding mode involving two surfaces on ubiquitin and both subdomains of the HECT N-lobe. The structures suggest a model for HECT-to-substrate ubiquitin transfer, in which the growing chain on the substrate is kept close to the catalytic cysteine to promote processivity. Mutational analysis highlights differences between the processes of substrate polyubiquitination and self-ubiquitination.

Structure of the HECT:ubiquitin complex and its role in ubiquitin chain elongation.

USP4 is a member of the ubiquitin-specific protease (USP) family of deubiquitinating enzymes that has a role in spliceosome regulation. Here, we show that the crystal structure of the minimal catalytic domain of USP4 has the conserved USP-like fold with its typical ubiquitin-binding site. A ubiquitin-like (Ubl) domain inserted into the catalytic domain has autoregulatory function. This Ubl domain can bind to the catalytic domain and compete with the ubiquitin substrate, partially inhibiting USP4 activity against different substrates. Interestingly, other USPs, such as USP39, could relieve this inhibition.

Ubiquitin-specific protease 4 is inhibited by its ubiquitin-like domain.

Base J (β-D-glucosyl-hydroxymethyluracil) was discovered in the nuclear DNA of some pathogenic protozoa, such as trypanosomes and Leishmania, where it replaces a fraction of base T. We have found a J-Binding Protein 1 (JBP1) in these organisms, which contains a unique J-DNA binding domain (DB-JBP1) and a thymidine hydroxylase domain involved in the first step of J biosynthesis. This hydroxylase is related to the mammalian TET enzymes that hydroxylate 5-methylcytosine in DNA. We have now studied the binding of JBP1 and DB-JBP1 to oligonucleotides containing J or glucosylated 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (glu-5-hmC) using an equilibrium fluorescence polarization assay. We find that JBP1 binds glu-5-hmC-DNA with an affinity about 40-fold lower than J-DNA (~400 nM), which is still 200 times higher than the JBP1 affinity for T-DNA. The discrimination between glu-5-hmC-DNA and T-DNA by DB-JBP1 is about 2-fold less, but enough for DB-JBP1 to be useful as a tool to isolate 5-hmC-DNA. Pre-steady state kinetic data obtained in a stopped-flow device show that the initial binding of JBP1 to glucosylated DNA is very fast with a second order rate constant of 70 μM(-1) s(-1) and that JBP1 binds to J-DNA or glu-5-hmC-DNA in a two-step reaction, in contrast to DB-JBP1, which binds in a one-step reaction. As the second (slower) step in binding is concentration independent, we infer that JBP1 undergoes a conformational change upon binding to DNA. Global analysis of pre-steady state and equilibrium binding data supports such a two-step mechanism and allowed us to determine the kinetic parameters that describe it. This notion of a conformational change is supported by small-angle neutron scattering experiments, which show that the shape of JBP1 is more elongated in complex with DNA. The conformational change upon DNA binding may allow the hydroxylase domain of JBP1 to make contact with the DNA and hydroxylate T's in spatial proximity, resulting in regional introduction of base J into the DNA.

Binding of the J-binding protein to DNA containing glucosylated hmU (base J) or 5-hmC: evidence for a rapid conformational change upon DNA binding.

Autotaxin (ATX) is a secreted lysophospholipase D that generates the lipid mediator lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), playing a key role in diverse physiological and pathological processes. ATX exists in distinct splice variants, but isoform-specific functions remain elusive. Here we characterize the ATXα isoform, which differs from the canonical form (ATXβ) in having a 52-residue polybasic insertion of unknown function in the catalytic domain. We find that the ATXα insertion is susceptible to cleavage by extracellular furin-like endoproteases, but cleaved ATXα remains structurally and functionally intact due to strong interactions within the catalytic domain. Through ELISA and surface plasmon resonance assays, we show that ATXα binds specifically to heparin with high affinity (K(d) ~10(-8) M), whereas ATXβ does not; furthermore, heparin moderately enhanced the lysophospholipase D activity of ATXα. We further show that ATXα, but not ATXβ, binds abundantly to SKOV3 carcinoma cells. ATXα binding was abolished after treating the cells with heparinase III, but not after chondroitinase treatment. Thus, the ATXα insertion constitutes a cleavable heparin-binding domain that mediates interaction with heparan sulfate proteoglycans, thereby targeting LPA production to the plasma membrane.

The polybasic insertion in autotaxin α confers specific binding to heparin and cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans.

Late endosomes and lysosomes are dynamic organelles that constantly move and fuse to acquire cargo from early endosomes, phagosomes and autophagosome. Defects in lysosomal dynamics cause severe neurodegenerative and developmental diseases, such as Niemann-Pick type C disease and ARC syndrome, yet little is known about the regulation of late endosomal fusion in a mammalian system. Mammalian endosomes destined for fusion need to be transported over very long distances before they tether to initiate contact. Here, we describe that lysosomal tethering and transport are combined processes co-regulated by one multi-protein complex: RAB7-RILP-ORP1L. We show that RILP directly and concomitantly binds the tethering HOPS complex and the p150(Glued) subunit of the dynein motor. ORP1L then functions as a cholesterol-sensing switch controlling RILP-HOPS-p150(Glued) interactions. We show that RILP and ORP1L control Ebola virus infection, a process dependent on late endosomal fusion. By combining recruitment and regulation of both the dynein motor and HOPS complex into a single multiprotein complex, the RAB7-RILP-ORP1L complex efficiently couples and regulates the timing of microtubule minus-end transport and fusion, two major events in endosomal biology. 

Late endosomal transport and tethering are coupled processes controlled by RILP and the cholesterol sensor ORP1L.

Dimeric avidins are a newly discovered subgroup of the avidin family that bind biotin with high affinity. Their dimeric configuration is a quaternary substructure of the classical tetrameric avidins which lacks the requirement of the critical Trp that defines the tetramer and dictates the tenacious interaction with biotin. Hoefavidin, derived from the bacterium Hoeflea phototrophica DFL-43(T), is the third characterized member of the dimeric avidin subfamily. Like the other members of this group, hoefavidin is a thermostable protein that contains a disulfide bridge between Cys57 and Cys88, thereby connecting and stabilizing the L3,4 and L5,6 loops. This represents a distinctive characteristic of dimeric avidins that compensates for the lack of Trp and enables their dimeric configuration. The X-ray structure of the intact hoefavidin revealed unique crystal packing generated by an octameric cylindrical structure wherein the C-termini segments of each monomer is introduced into the entrance of the biotin-binding site of an adjacent non-canonical monomer. This anomaly in the protein structure served as a lead toward the design of specific binding peptides. We screened for specific hoefavidin binding peptides derived from the C-terminal region and two peptides were obtained that bind a truncated form of hoefavidin (lacking the last 10 amino acids) with dissociation constants of 10(-5)M. The crystal structure of short hoefavidin complexed with a C-terminal derived peptide revealed the mode of binding. These peptides may form the basis of novel and reversible binders for dimeric avidins. 

Hoefavidin: A dimeric bacterial avidin with a C-terminal binding tail.

GemC1, together with Idas and Geminin, an important regulator of DNA-replication licensing and differentiation decisions, constitute a superfamily sharing a homologous central coiled-coil domain. To better understand this family of proteins, the crystal structure of a GemC1 coiled-coil domain variant engineered for better solubility was determined to 2.2 Å resolution. GemC1 shows a less typical coiled coil compared with the Geminin homodimer and the Geminin-Idas heterodimer structures. It is also shown that both in vitro and in cells GemC1 interacts with Geminin through its coiled-coil domain, forming a heterodimer that is more stable that the GemC1 homodimer. Comparative analysis of the thermal stability of all of the possible superfamily complexes, using circular dichroism to follow the unfolding of the entire helix of the coiled coil, or intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence of a unique conserved N-terminal tryptophan, shows that the unfolding of the coiled coil is likely to take place from the C-terminus towards the N-terminus. It is also shown that homodimers show a single-state unfolding, while heterodimers show a two-state unfolding, suggesting that the dimer first falls apart and the helices then unfold according to the stability of each protein. The findings argue that Geminin-family members form homodimers and heterodimers between them, and this ability is likely to be important for modulating their function in cycling and differentiating cells.

The structure of the GemC1 coiled coil and its interaction with the Geminin family of coiled-coil proteins.

Cohesin stably holds together the sister chromatids from S phase until mitosis. To do so, cohesin must be protected against its cellular antagonist Wapl. Eco1 acetylates cohesin's Smc3 subunit, which locks together the sister DNAs. We used yeast genetics to dissect how Wapl drives cohesin from chromatin and identified mutants of cohesin that are impaired in ATPase activity but remarkably confer robust cohesion that bypasses the need for the cohesin protectors Eco1 in yeast and Sororin in human cells. We uncover a functional asymmetry within the heart of cohesin's highly conserved ABC-like ATPase machinery and find that both ATPase sites contribute to DNA loading, whereas DNA release is controlled specifically by one site. We propose that Smc3 acetylation locks cohesin rings around the sister chromatids by counteracting an activity associated with one of cohesin's two ATPase sites. 

Cohesin Releases DNA through Asymmetric ATPase-Driven Ring Opening.

Synthetic single-stranded DNA oligonucleotides (ssODNs) can be used to generate subtle genetic modifications in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells without the requirement for prior generation of DNA double-stranded breaks. However, DNA mismatch repair (MMR) suppresses the efficiency of gene modification by >100-fold. Here we present a commercially available ssODN design that evades MMR and enables subtle gene modification in MMR-proficient cells. The presence of locked nucleic acids (LNAs) in the ssODNs at mismatching bases, or also at directly adjacent bases, allowed 1-, 2-, or 3-bp substitutions in MMR-proficient mouse embryonic stem cells as effectively as in MMR-deficient cells. Additionally, in MMR-proficient Escherichia coli, LNA modification of the ssODNs enabled effective single-base-pair substitution. In vitro, LNA modification of mismatches precluded binding of purified E. coli MMR protein MutS. These findings make ssODN-directed gene modification particularly well suited for applications that require the evaluation of a large number of sequence variants with an easy selectable phenotype. 

LNA modification of single-stranded DNA oligonucleotides allows subtle gene modification in mismatch-repair-proficient cells.

Faithful chromosome segregation depends on the ability of sister kinetochores to attach to spindle microtubules. The outer layer of kinetochores transiently expands in early mitosis to form a fibrous corona, and compacts following microtubule capture. Here we show that the dynein adaptor Spindly and the RZZ (ROD-Zwilch-ZW10) complex drive kinetochore expansion in a dynein-independent manner. C-terminal farnesylation and MPS1 kinase activity cause conformational changes of Spindly that promote oligomerization of RZZ-Spindly complexes into a filamentous meshwork in cells and in vitro. Concurrent with kinetochore expansion, Spindly potentiates kinetochore compaction by recruiting dynein via three conserved short linear motifs. Expanded kinetochores unable to compact engage in extensive, long-lived lateral microtubule interactions that persist to metaphase, and result in merotelic attachments and chromosome segregation errors in anaphase. Thus, dynamic kinetochore size regulation in mitosis is coordinated by a single, Spindly-based mechanism that promotes initial microtubule capture and subsequent correct maturation of attachments.

Dynamic kinetochore size regulation promotes microtubule capture and chromosome biorientation in mitosis.

Pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase 1 (PYCR1) is the final enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of proline and has been found to be upregulated in various forms of cancer. Due to the role of proline in maintaining the redox balance of cells and preventing apoptosis, PYCR1 is emerging as an attractive oncology target. Previous PYCR1 knockout studies led to a reduction in tumor growth. Accordingly, a small molecule inhibitor of PYCR1 could lead to new treatments for cancer, and a focused screening effort identified pargyline as a fragment-like hit. We report the design and synthesis of the first tool compounds as PYCR1 inhibitors, derived from pargyline, which were assayed to assess their ability to attenuate the production of proline. Structural activity studies have revealed the key determinants of activity, with the most potent compound (4) showing improved activity in vitro in enzyme (IC = 8.8 µM) and pathway relevant effects in cell-based assays.

Article	Year
Dual role of MutS glutamate 38 in DNA mismatch discrimination and in the authorization of repair. The EMBO journal\| PubMed ID: 16407973	2006
Homodimerization antagonizes nuclear export of survivin. Traffic (Copenhagen, Denmark)\| PubMed ID: 17714426	2007
A supraphysiological nuclear export signal is required for parvovirus nuclear export. Molecular biology of the cell\| PubMed ID: 18385513	2008
Ubc9 sumoylation regulates SUMO target discrimination. Molecular cell\| PubMed ID: 18691969	2008
Venezuelan equine Encephalitis virus capsid protein forms a tetrameric complex with CRM1 and importin alpha/beta that obstructs nuclear pore complex function. Journal of virology\| PubMed ID: 20147401	2010
Nonhydrolyzable ubiquitin-isopeptide isosteres as deubiquitinating enzyme probes. Journal of the American Chemical Society\| PubMed ID: 20540574	2010
Structure of the HECT:ubiquitin complex and its role in ubiquitin chain elongation. EMBO reports\| PubMed ID: 21399620	2011
Ubiquitin-specific protease 4 is inhibited by its ubiquitin-like domain. EMBO reports\| PubMed ID: 21415856	2011
Binding of the J-binding protein to DNA containing glucosylated hmU (base J) or 5-hmC: evidence for a rapid conformational change upon DNA binding. Journal of the American Chemical Society\| PubMed ID: 22775585
The polybasic insertion in autotaxin α confers specific binding to heparin and cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans. The Journal of biological chemistry\| PubMed ID: 23150666
Late endosomal transport and tethering are coupled processes controlled by RILP and the cholesterol sensor ORP1L. Journal of cell science\| PubMed ID: 23729732	2013
Hoefavidin: A dimeric bacterial avidin with a C-terminal binding tail. Journal of structural biology\| PubMed ID: 26126731	2015
The structure of the GemC1 coiled coil and its interaction with the Geminin family of coiled-coil proteins. Acta crystallographica. Section D, Biological crystallography\| PubMed ID: 26527144
Cohesin Releases DNA through Asymmetric ATPase-Driven Ring Opening. Molecular cell\| PubMed ID: 26895426	2016
LNA modification of single-stranded DNA oligonucleotides allows subtle gene modification in mismatch-repair-proficient cells. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America\| PubMed ID: 26951689	2016
Dynamic kinetochore size regulation promotes microtubule capture and chromosome biorientation in mitosis. Nature cell biology\| PubMed ID: 29915359
A fragment-like approach to PYCR1 inhibition. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry letters\| PubMed ID: 31362921	2019

Alexander Fish

Biography

JoVE Journal Publications

Other Publications