Preparation of High-Temperature Sample Grids for Cryo-EM

The sample grids for cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) experiments are usually prepared at a temperature optimal for the storage of biological samples, ...

National Central University

hubei university

Extracellular deposits of amyloid β (Aβ) aggregates in the brain is the hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. We present the configurations (location and conformation) and the interfacial folding and membrane insertion mechanisms of Aβ fragments, wild-type Aβ(25-35), Aβ(35-25), and a sequence-shuffled peptide [Aβ(25-35)-shuffled] from Aβ(25-35) within membranes by replica-exchange molecular dynamics simulations. Although these peptides have the same amino acid composition, simulations show they have distinct locations and conformations within membranes. Moreover, our in vitro experiments show that these peptides have distinct neurotoxicities. We rationalize the distinct neurotoxicities of these peptides in terms of their simulated locations and conformations in membranes. This work provides another view that complements the general hydrophobicity-toxicity views, to better explain the neurotoxicity of Aβ peptides.

Location and conformation of amyloid β(25-35) peptide and its sequence-shuffled peptides within membranes: implications for aggregation and toxicity in PC12 cells.

Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases are housekeeping enzymes essential for protein synthesis. We herein present evidence that the yeast Vanderwaltozyma polyspora possesses two paralogous glycyl-tRNA synthetase (GlyRS) genes-GRS1 and GRS2. Paradoxically, GRS1 provided functions in both the cytoplasm and mitochondria, while GRS2 was essentially silent under normal growth conditions. Expression of GRS2 could be activated by stresses such as high pH or ethanol and most effectively by high temperature. The expressed GlyRS2 protein was exclusively found in the cytoplasm and more stable under heat-shock conditions (37°C) than under normal growth conditions (30°C) in vivo. In addition, GRS2 effectively rescued the cytoplasmic defect of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae GRS1 knockout strain when expressed from a constitutive promoter. Moreover, the purified GlyRS2 enzyme was fairly active at both 30°C and 37°C in glycylation of yeast tRNA in vitro. However, unexpectedly, the purified GlyRS2 enzyme was practically inactive at temperature above 40°C in vitro. Our study suggests that GRS2 is an inducible gene that acts under stress conditions where GlyRS1 may be insufficient, unavailable, or rendered inactive.

Vanderwaltozyma polyspora possesses two glycyl-tRNA synthetase genes: one constitutive and one inducible.

Molecular mechanisms underlying the repair of nitrosylated [Fe-S] clusters by the microbial protein YtfE remain poorly understood. The X-ray crystal structure of YtfE, in combination with EPR, magnetic circular dichroism (MCD), UV, and (17) O-labeling electron spin echo envelope modulation measurements, show that each iron of the oxo-bridged Fe(II) -Fe(III) diiron core is coordinatively unsaturated with each iron bound to two bridging carboxylates and two terminal histidines in addition to an oxo-bridge. Structural analysis reveals that there are two solvent-accessible tunnels, both of which converge to the diiron center and are critical for capturing substrates. The reactivity of the reduced-form Fe(II) -Fe(II) YtfE toward nitric oxide demonstrates that the prerequisite for N2 O production requires the two iron sites to be nitrosylated simultaneously. Specifically, the nitrosylation of the two iron sites prior to their reductive coupling to produce N2 O is cooperative. This result suggests that, in addition to any repair of iron centers (RIC) activity, YtfE acts as an NO-trapping scavenger to promote the NO to N2 O transformation under low NO flux, which precedes nitrosative stress. 

Crystal Structure Analysis of the Repair of Iron Centers Protein YtfE and Its Interaction with NO.

The Sso7c4 from Sulfolobus solfataricus forms a dimer, which is believed to function as a chromosomal protein involved in genomic DNA compaction and gene regulation. Here, we present the crystal structure of wild-type Sso7c4 at a high resolution of 1.63 Å, showing that the two basic C-termini are disordered. Based on the fluorescence polarization (FP) binding assay, two arginine pairs, R11/R22' and R11'/R22, on the top surface participate in binding DNA. As shown in electron microscopy (EM) images, wild-type Sso7c4 compacts DNA through bridging and bending interactions, whereas the binding of C-terminally truncated proteins rigidifies and opens DNA molecules, and no compaction of the DNA occurs. Moreover, the FP, EM and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) data indicated that the two basic and flexible C-terminal arms of the Sso7c4 dimer play a crucial role in binding and bending DNA. Sso7c4 has been classified as a repressor-like protein because of its similarity to Escherichia coli Ecrep 6.8 and Ecrep 7.3 as well as Agrobacterium tumefaciens ACCR in amino acid sequence. Based on these data, we proposed a model of the Sso7c4-DNA complex using a curved DNA molecule in the catabolite activator protein-DNA complex. The DNA end-to-end distance measured with FRET upon wild-type Sso7c4 binding is almost equal to the distance measured in the model, which supports the fidelity of the proposed model. The FRET data also confirm the EM observation showing that the binding of wild-type Sso7c4 reduces the DNA length while the C-terminal truncation does not. A functional role for Sso7c4 in the organization of chromosomal DNA and/or the regulation of gene expression through bridging and bending interactions is suggested.

The Arginine Pairs and C-Termini of the Sso7c4 from Sulfolobus solfataricus Participate in Binding and Bending DNA.

Citrobacter sp. has been shown to degrade 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT). However, the mechanism of its TNT biodegradation is poorly understood. An integrated proteome and transcriptome analysis was performed for investigating the differential genes and differential proteins in bacterial growth at the onset of experiments and after 12 h treatment with TNT. With the RNA sequencing, we found a total of 3792 transcripts and 569 differentially expressed genes (≥2 fold, P < 0.05) by. Genes for amino acid transport, cellular metabolism and stress-shock proteins were up-regulated, while carbohydrate transport and metabolism were down-regulated. A total of 42 protein spots (≥1.5 fold, P < 0.05) showed differential expression on two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and these proteins were identified by mass spectrometry. The most prominent proteins up-regulated were involved in energy production and conversion, amino acid transport and metabolism, posttranslational modification, protein turnover and chaperones. Proteins involved in carbohydrate transport and metabolism were down-regulated. Most notably, we observed that nemA encoding N-ethylmaleimide reductase was the most up-regulated gene involved in TNT degradation, and further proved that it can transform TNT to 4-amino-2,6-dinitrotoluene (4-ADNT) and 2-amino-4,6-dinitrotoluene (2-ADNT). This study highlights the molecular mechanisms of Citrobacter sp. for TNT removal.

The integrated analysis of transcriptome and proteome for exploring the biodegradation mechanism of 2, 4, 6-trinitrotoluene by Citrobacter sp.

Ketol-acid reductoisomerase (KARI) is a bifunctional enzyme in the second step of branched-chain amino acids biosynthetic pathway. Most KARIs prefer NADPH as a cofactor. However, KARI with a preference for NADH is desirable in industrial applications including anaerobic fermentation for the production of branched-chain amino acids or biofuels. Here, we characterize a thermoacidophilic archaeal Sac-KARI from Sulfolobus acidocaldarius and present its crystal structure at a 1.75-Å resolution. By comparison with other holo-KARI structures, one sulphate ion is observed in each binding site for the 2'-phosphate of NADPH, implicating its NADPH preference. Sac-KARI has very high affinity for NADPH and NADH, with K  values of 0.4 μM for NADPH and 6.0 μM for NADH, suggesting that both are good cofactors at low concentrations although NADPH is favoured over NADH. Furthermore, Sac-KARI can catalyze 2(S)-acetolactate (2S-AL) with either cofactor from 25 to 60 °C, but the enzyme has higher activity by using NADPH. In addition, the catalytic activity of Sac-KARI increases significantly with elevated temperatures and reaches an optimum at 60 °C. Bi-cofactor utilization and the thermoactivity of Sac-KARI make it a potential candidate for use in metabolic engineering or industrial applications under anaerobic or harsh conditions.

NADH/NADPH bi-cofactor-utilizing and thermoactive ketol-acid reductoisomerase from Sulfolobus acidocaldarius.

Programmed cell death 5 (PDCD5) is a vital signaling protein in the apoptosis pathway in eukaryotes. It is known that there are two dissociated N-terminal regions and a triple-helix core in eukaryotic PDCD5. Structural and functional studies of PDCD5 from hyperthermophilic archaea have been limited to date. Here, the PDCD5 homolog Sso0352 (SsoPDCD5) was identified in Sulfolobus solfataricus, the SsoPDCD5 protein was expressed and crystallized, and the phase was identified by single-wavelength anomalous diffraction. The native SsoPDCD5 crystal belonged to space group C2 and diffracted to 1.49 Å resolution. This is the first crystal structure of a PDCD5 homolog to be solved. SsoPDCD5 shares a similar triple-helix bundle with eukaryotic PDCD5 but has a long α-helix in the N-terminus. A structural search and biochemical data suggest that SsoPDCD5 may function as a DNA-binding protein.

Crystal structure of the programmed cell death 5 protein from Sulfolobus solfataricus.

While cryo-EM is revolutionizing structural biology, its impact on enzymology is yet to be fully demonstrated. The ketol-acid reductoisomerase (KARI) catalyzes conversion of (2 S)-acetolactate or (2 S)-aceto-2-hydroxybutyrate to 2,3-dihydroxy-3-alkylbutyrate. We found that KARI from archaea Sulfolobus solfataricus (Sso-KARI) is unusual in being a dodecamer, bispecific to NADH and NADPH, and losing activity above pH 7.8. While crystals were obtainable only at pH 8.5, cryo-EM structures were solved at pH 7.5 and 8.5 for Sso-KARI:2Mg. The results showed that the distances of the two catalytic Mg ions are lengthened in both structures at pH 8.5. We next solved cryo-EM structures of two Sso-KARI complexes, with NADH+inhibitor and NADPH+inhibitor at pH 7.5, which indicate that the bispecificity can be attributed to a unique asparagine at the cofactor binding loop. Unexpectedly, Sso-KARI also differs from other KARI enzymes in lacking "induced-fit", reflecting structural rigidity. Thus, cryo-EM is powerful for structural and mechanistic enzymology.

Use of Cryo-EM To Uncover Structural Bases of pH Effect and Cofactor Bispecificity of Ketol-Acid Reductoisomerase.

Na/K-ATPase α1 was reported to directly interact with and recruit FGF2 (fibroblast growth factor 2), a vital cell signaling protein implicated in angiogenesis, to the inner plasma membrane for subsequent secretion. Cardenolides, a class of cardiac glycosides, were reported to downregulate FGF2 secretion upon binding to Na/K-ATPase α1 in a cell system with ectopically expressed FGF2 and Na/K-ATPase α1. Herein, we disclose that the cardenolides ouabain and reevesioside A significantly enhance the secretion/release of FGF2 and the phosphorylation of FGFR1 (fibroblast growth factor receptor 1) in a time- and dose-dependent manner, in A549 carcinoma cells. A pharmacological approach was used to elucidate the pertinent upstream effectors. Only the ERK1/2 inhibitor U0126 but not the other inhibitors examined (including those inhibiting the unconventional secretion of FGF2) was able to reduce ouabain-induced FGF2 secretion and FGFR1 activation. ERK1/2 phosphorylation was increased upon ouabain treatment, a process found to be mediated through upstream effectors including ouabain-induced phosphorylated EGFR and a reduced MKP1 protein level. Therefore, at least two independent lines of upstream effectors are able to mediate ouabain-induced ERK1/2 phosphorylation and the subsequent FGF2 secretion and FGFR1 activation. These finding constitute unprecedent insights into the regulation of FGF2 secretion by cardenolides.

The cardenolides ouabain and reevesioside A promote FGF2 secretion and subsequent FGFR1 phosphorylation via converged ERK1/2 activation.

Protein functions are temperature-dependent, but protein structures are usually solved at a single (often low) temperature because of limitations on the conditions of crystal growth or protein vitrification. Here we demonstrate the feasibility of solving cryo-EM structures of proteins vitrified at high temperatures, solve 12 structures of an archaeal ketol-acid reductoisomerase (KARI) vitrified at 4-70 °C, and show that structures of both the Mg form (KARI:2Mg) and its ternary complex (KARI:2Mg:NADH:inhibitor) are temperature-dependent in correlation with the temperature dependence of enzyme activity. Furthermore, structural analyses led to dissection of the induced-fit mechanism into ligand-induced and temperature-induced effects and to capture of temperature-resolved intermediates of the temperature-induced conformational change. The results also suggest that it is preferable to solve cryo-EM structures of protein complexes at functional temperatures. These studies should greatly expand the landscapes of protein structure-function relationships and enhance the mechanistic analysis of enzymatic functions.

Temperature-Resolved Cryo-EM Uncovers Structural Bases of Temperature-Dependent Enzyme Functions.

A zinc-based metal organic framework, Zn-MOF-74, which has a unique one-dimensional (1D) channel and nanoscale aperture size, was rapidly obtained in 10 min using a  mild water-based system at room temperature, which is an example of green and sustainable chemistry. First, catalase (CAT) enzyme was encapsulated into Zn-MOF-74 (denoted as CAT@Zn-MOF-74), and comparative assays of biocatalysis, size-selective protection, and framework-confined effects were investigated. Electron microscopy and powder X-ray diffraction were used for characterization, while electrophoresis and confocal microscopy confirmed the immobilization of CAT molecules inside the single hexagonal MOF crystals at loading of ∼15 wt %. Furthermore, the CAT@Zn-MOF-74 hybrid was exposed to a denaturing reagent (urea) and proteolytic conditions (proteinase K) to evaluate its efficacy. The encapsulated CAT maintained its catalytic activity in the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide (HO), even when exposed to 0.05 M urea and proteinase K, yielding an apparent observed rate constant () of 6.0 × 10 and 6.6 × 10 s, respectively. In contrast, free CAT exhibited sharply decreased activity under these conditions. Additionally, the bioactivity of CAT@Zn-MOF-74 for HO decomposition was over three times better than that of the biocomposites based on zeolitic imidazolate framework 90 (ZIF-90) owing to the nanometer-scaled apertures, 1D channel, and less confinement effects in Zn-MOF-74 crystallites. To demonstrate the general applicability of this strategy, another enzyme, α-chymotrypsin (CHT), was also encapsulated in Zn-MOF-74 (denoted as CHT@Zn-MOF-74) for action against a substrate larger than HO. In particular, CHT@Zn-MOF-74 demonstrated a biological function in the hydrolysis of l-phenylalanine -nitroanilide (HPNA), the activity of ZIF-90-encapsulated CHT was undetectable due to aperture size limitations. Thus, we not only present a rapid eco-friendly approach for Zn-MOF-74 synthesis but also demonstrate the broader feasibility of enzyme encapsulation in MOFs, which may help to meet the increasing demand for their industrial applications.

Chin-Yu Chen

Department of Life Sciences

National Central University

Preparation of High-Temperature Sample Grids for Cryo-EM

Chin-Yu Chen

.css-o250i3{font-size:18px;font-family:Open Sans,sans-serif;line-height:21.6px;}Department of Life Sciences

National Central University

Preparation of High-Temperature Sample Grids for Cryo-EM

Department of Life Sciences