scholarly journals Biosynthesis of lanthionine-constrained agonists of G protein-coupled receptors

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (5) ◽  
pp. 2195-2203
Author(s):  
Gert N. Moll ◽  
Anneke Kuipers ◽  
Rick Rink ◽  
Tjibbe Bosma ◽  
Louwe de Vries ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
G Protein ◽  
Intramolecular Interactions ◽  
Leader Peptide ◽  
Gram Positive ◽  
Clinical Phase ◽  
Proteolytic Resistance ◽  
C Terminus ◽  
Precursor Peptide ◽  
Cross Links ◽  
G Protein Coupled

The conformation with which natural agonistic peptides interact with G protein-coupled receptor(s) (GPCR(s)) partly results from intramolecular interactions such as hydrogen bridges or is induced by ligand–receptor interactions. The conformational freedom of a peptide can be constrained by intramolecular cross-links. Conformational constraints enhance the receptor specificity, may lead to biased activity and confer proteolytic resistance to peptidic GPCR agonists. Chemical synthesis allows to introduce a variety of cross-links into a peptide and is suitable for bulk production of relatively simple lead peptides. Lanthionines are thioether bridged alanines of which the two alanines can be introduced at different distances in chosen positions in a peptide. Thioether bridges are much more stable than disulfide bridges. Biosynthesis of lanthionine-constrained peptides exploiting engineered Gram-positive or Gram-negative bacteria that contain lanthionine-introducing enzymes constitutes a convenient method for discovery of lanthionine-stabilized GPCR agonists. The presence of an N-terminal leader peptide enables dehydratases to dehydrate serines and threonines in the peptide of interest after which a cyclase can couple the formed dehydroamino acids to cysteines forming (methyl)lanthionines. The leader peptide also guides the export of the formed lanthionine-containing precursor peptide out of Gram-positive bacteria via a lanthipeptide transporter. An engineered cleavage site in the C-terminus of the leader peptide allows to cleave off the leader peptide yielding the modified peptide of interest. Lanthipeptide GPCR agonists are an emerging class of therapeutics of which a few examples have demonstrated high efficacy in animal models of a variety of diseases. One lanthipeptide GPCR agonist has successfully passed clinical Phase Ia.

scholarly journals Yeast-Based Directed-Evolution For High-Throughput Structural Stabilization of G Protein-Coupled Receptors (GPCRs)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
May Meltzer ◽  
Zvagelsky Tatiana ◽  
Niv Papo ◽  
Stanislav Engel
Keyword(s):  
G Protein ◽  
Resistant Cell ◽  
Single Step ◽  
G Protein Coupled Receptors ◽  
Structural Basis ◽  
Diffusion Method ◽  
Structural Stabilization ◽  
C Terminus ◽  
Screening Platform ◽  
G Protein Coupled

Abstract The immense potential of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) as targets for drug discovery is not fully realized due to the enormous difficulties associated with structure elucidation of these profoundly unstable membrane proteins. The existing methods of GPCR stability-engineering are cumbersome and low-throughput; in addition, the scope of GPCRs that could benefit from these techniques is limited. Here, we presented a yeast-based screening platform for a single-step isolation of GRCR variants stable in the presence of short-chain detergents, a feature essential for their successful crystallization using vapor diffusion method. The detergent-resistant cell wall of yeast provides a unique compartmentalization opportunity to physically link the receptor phenotype to its encoding DNA, and thus enable discovery of stable GPCR variants with unprecedent efficiency. The scope of mutations identified by the method offers important insights into the structural basis of GPCR stability, questioning the inherent instability of the GPCR scaffold, and revealing the potential role of the C-terminus in receptor stabilization.

scholarly journals Novel fluorescent GPCR biosensor detects retinal equilibrium binding to opsin and active G protein and arrestin signaling conformations

2020 ◽  
Vol 295 (51) ◽  
pp. 17486-17496
Author(s):  
Christopher T. Schafer ◽  
Anthony Shumate ◽  
David L. Farrens
Keyword(s):  
G Protein ◽  
Protein Activation ◽  
Canonical Class ◽  
Equilibrium Binding ◽  
C Terminus ◽  
G Protein Activation ◽  
Ligand Discovery ◽  
Pharmaceutical Agents ◽  
G Protein Coupled ◽  
Covalently Bound

Rhodopsin is a canonical class A photosensitive G protein–coupled receptor (GPCR), yet relatively few pharmaceutical agents targeting this visual receptor have been identified, in part due to the unique characteristics of its light-sensitive, covalently bound retinal ligands. Rhodopsin becomes activated when light isomerizes 11-cis-retinal into an agonist, all-trans-retinal (ATR), which enables the receptor to activate its G protein. We have previously demonstrated that, despite being covalently bound, ATR can display properties of equilibrium binding, yet how this is accomplished is unknown. Here, we describe a new approach for both identifying compounds that can activate and attenuate rhodopsin and testing the hypothesis that opsin binds retinal in equilibrium. Our method uses opsin-based fluorescent sensors, which directly report the formation of active receptor conformations by detecting the binding of G protein or arrestin fragments that have been fused onto the receptor's C terminus. We show that these biosensors can be used to monitor equilibrium binding of the agonist, ATR, as well as the noncovalent binding of β-ionone, an antagonist for G protein activation. Finally, we use these novel biosensors to observe ATR release from an activated, unlabeled receptor and its subsequent transfer to the sensor in real time. Taken together, these data support the retinal equilibrium binding hypothesis. The approach we describe should prove directly translatable to other GPCRs, providing a new tool for ligand discovery and mutant characterization.

scholarly journals Thermostability of a recombinant G protein-coupled receptor expressed at high level in mammalian cell culture

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexei Yeliseev ◽  
Arjen van den Berg ◽  
Lioudmila Zoubak ◽  
Kirk Hines ◽  
Sam Stepnowski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
G Protein ◽  
Mammalian Cell ◽  
Rational Design ◽  
Mammalian Cell Culture ◽  
High Yield ◽  
Pharmaceutical Drugs ◽  
C Terminus ◽  
Mammalian Cell Cultures ◽  
High Level ◽  
G Protein Coupled

Abstract Rational design of pharmaceutical drugs targeting integral membrane G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) requires thorough understanding of ligand binding and mechanism of activation through high resolution structural studies of purified proteins. Due to inherent conformational flexibility of GPCR, stabilization of these proteins solubilized from cell membranes into detergents is a challenging task. Here, we take advantage of naturally occurring post-translational modifications for stabilization of purified GPCR in detergent micelles. The recombinant cannabinoid CB2 receptor was expressed at high yield in Expi293F mammalian cell cultures, solubilized and purified in Façade detergent. We report superior stability of the mammalian cell-expressed receptor compared to its E.coli-expressed counterpart, due to contributions from glycosylation of the N terminus and palmitoylation of the C terminus of CB2. Finally, we demonstrate that the mammalian Expi293F amino acid labelling kit is suitable for preparation of multi-milligram quantities of high quality, selectively stable isotope-labeled GPCR for studies by nuclear magnetic resonance.

scholarly journals Plasma Membrane and Nuclear Localization of G Protein–coupled Receptor Kinase 6A

2007 ◽  
Vol 18 (8) ◽  
pp. 2960-2969 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoshan Jiang ◽  
Jeffrey L. Benovic ◽  
Philip B. Wedegaertner
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
G Protein ◽  
Nuclear Localization ◽  
Nuclear Export ◽  
Amphipathic Helix ◽  
G Protein Coupled Receptor ◽  
C Terminus ◽  
Acidic Residues ◽  
G Protein Coupled

G protein–coupled receptor (GPCR) kinases (GRKs) specifically phosphorylate agonist-occupied GPCRs at the inner surface of the plasma membrane (PM), leading to receptor desensitization. Here we show that the C-terminal 30 amino acids of GRK6A contain multiple elements that either promote or inhibit PM localization. Disruption of palmitoylation by individual mutation of cysteine 561, 562, or 565 or treatment of cells with 2-bromopalmitate shifts GRK6A from the PM to both the cytoplasm and nucleus. Likewise, disruption of the hydrophobic nature of a predicted amphipathic helix by mutation of two leucines to alanines at positions 551 and 552 causes a loss of PM localization. Moreover, acidic amino acids in the C-terminus appear to negatively regulate PM localization; mutational replacement of several acidic residues with neutral or basic residues rescues PM localization of a palmitoylation-defective GRK6A. Last, we characterize the novel nuclear localization, showing that nuclear export of nonpalmitoylated GRK6A is sensitive to leptomycin B and that GRK6A contains a potential nuclear localization signal. Our results suggest that the C-terminus of GRK6A contains a novel electrostatic palmitoyl switch in which acidic residues weaken the membrane-binding strength of the amphipathic helix, thus allowing changes in palmitoylation to regulate PM versus cytoplasmic/nuclear localization.

scholarly journals High-mass MALDI-MS unravels ligand-mediated G protein–coupling selectivity to GPCRs

2021 ◽  
Vol 118 (31) ◽  
pp. e2024146118
Author(s):  
Na Wu ◽  
Agnieszka M. Olechwier ◽  
Cyrill Brunner ◽  
Patricia C. Edwards ◽  
Ching-Ju Tsai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Complex Formation ◽  
G Protein ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Maldi Ms ◽  
High Mass ◽  
Ionization Mass ◽  
Binding Affinities ◽  
C Terminus ◽  
Protein Complex Formation ◽  
G Protein Coupled

G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs) are important pharmaceutical targets for the treatment of a broad spectrum of diseases. Although there are structures of GPCRs in their active conformation with bound ligands and G proteins, the detailed molecular interplay between the receptors and their signaling partners remains challenging to decipher. To address this, we developed a high-sensitivity, high-throughput matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) method to interrogate the first stage of signal transduction. GPCR–G protein complex formation is detected as a proxy for the effect of ligands on GPCR conformation and on coupling selectivity. Over 70 ligand–GPCR–partner protein combinations were studied using as little as 1.25 pmol protein per sample. We determined the selectivity profile and binding affinities of three GPCRs (rhodopsin, beta-1 adrenergic receptor [β1AR], and angiotensin II type 1 receptor) to engineered Gα-proteins (mGs, mGo, mGi, and mGq) and nanobody 80 (Nb80). We found that GPCRs in the absence of ligand can bind mGo, and that the role of the G protein C terminus in GPCR recognition is receptor-specific. We exemplified our quantification method using β1AR and demonstrated the allosteric effect of Nb80 binding in assisting displacement of nadolol to isoprenaline. We also quantified complex formation with wild-type heterotrimeric Gαiβγ and β-arrestin-1 and showed that carvedilol induces an increase in coupling of β-arrestin-1 and Gαiβγ to β1AR. A normalization strategy allows us to quantitatively measure the binding affinities of GPCRs to partner proteins. We anticipate that this methodology will find broad use in screening and characterization of GPCR-targeting drugs.

scholarly journals The C Terminus of the Ca Channel α1BSubunit Mediates Selective Inhibition by G-Protein-Coupled Receptors

2001 ◽  
Vol 21 (19) ◽  
pp. 7587-7597 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arthur A. Simen ◽  
Chong C. Lee ◽  
Birgitte B. Simen ◽  
Vytautas P. Bindokas ◽  
Richard J. Miller
Keyword(s):  
G Protein ◽  
Selective Inhibition ◽  
G Protein Coupled Receptors ◽  
Ca Channel ◽  
C Terminus ◽  
G Protein Coupled

scholarly journals EXC-4/CLIC, Gα, and Rho/Rac signaling regulate tubulogenesis in C. elegans

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony F Arena ◽  
Daniel D Shaye
Keyword(s):  
G Protein ◽  
Small Gtpases ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
C Terminus ◽  
Evolutionarily Conserved ◽  
Rho Family Gtpases ◽  
Rho Family ◽  
Vessel Development ◽  
G Protein Coupled

The Rho-family of small GTPases, which play crucial roles in development and disease, are regulated by many signal-transduction cascades, including G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR)-heterotrimeric G-protein (Gα/β/γ) pathways. Using genetic approaches in C. elegans we identified a new role for Gα and Rho/Rac signaling in cell outgrowth during tubulogenesis and show that the Chloride Intracellular Channel (CLIC) protein EXC-4 is an evolutionarily-conserved player in this pathway. The gene exc-4 was identified by its role in tubulogenesis of the excretory canal (ExCa) cell: a unicellular tube required for osmoregulation and fluid clearance. We identified a new exc-4 loss-of-function allele that affects an evolutionarily conserved residue in the C-terminus. Using this mutant we identified genetic interactions between exc-4, Gα's and Rho-family GTPases, defining novel roles for Gα-encoding genes (gpa-12/Gα12/13, gpa-7/Gαi, egl-30/Gαq, and gsa-1/Gαs) and the Rho-family members ced-10/Rac and mig-2/RhoG in ExCa outgrowth. EXC-4 and human CLICs have conserved functions in tubulogenesis, and CLICs and Gα-Rho/Rac signaling regulate tubulogenesis during blood vessel development. Therefore, our work defines a primordial role for EXC-4/CLICs in Gα-Rho/Rac-signaling during tubulogenesis.

scholarly journals Gαi-derived peptide binds the µ-opioid receptor

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Piotr Kosson ◽  
Jolanta Dyniewicz ◽  
Piotr F. J. Lipiński ◽  
Joanna Matalinska ◽  
Aleksandra Misicka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
G Protein ◽  
Opioid Receptor ◽  
Protein Complexes ◽  
Active Form ◽  
Peptide Modification ◽  
C Terminus ◽  
External Stimuli ◽  
G Protein Coupled ◽  
Dose Dependent ◽  
Peptide Interaction

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) transduce external stimuli into the cell by G proteins via an allosteric mechanism. Agonist binding to the receptor stimulates GDP/GTP exchange within the heterotrimeric G protein complex. Whereas recent structures of GPCR-G protein complexes revealed that the H5, S1 and S2 domains of Gα are involved in binding the active receptor, earlier studies showed that a short peptide analogue derived from the C-terminus (H5) of the G protein transducin (Gt) is sufficient to stabilize rhodopsin in an active form. Here, we show that a Gαi-derived peptide of 12 amino acids binds the µ-opioid receptor (µOR) and acts as an allosteric modulator. The Gαi-derived peptide increases µOR affinity for its agonist morphine in a dose-dependent way. These results indicate that the GPCR-Gα peptide interaction observed so far for only rhodopsin can be extrapolated to µOR. In addition, we show that the C-terminal peptide of the Gαi subunit is sufficient to stabilize the active conformation of the receptor. Our approach opens the possibility to investigate the GPCR-G protein interface with peptide modification.

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