scholarly journals Conversion between parallel and antiparallel β-sheets in wild-type and Iowa mutant fibrils

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenhui Xi ◽  
Ulrich H.E. Hansmann
Keyword(s):  
Replica Exchange ◽  
Mutant Form ◽  
Salt Bridges ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Β Sheets

AbstractUsing a variant of Hamilton-Replica-Exchange we study for wild type and Iowa mutant Aβ40 the conversion between fibrils with antiparallel β-sheets, and such with parallel β-sheets. We show that wild type and mutant form distinct salt bridges that in turn stabilize different fibril organizations. The conversion between the two fibril forms leads to the release of small aggregates that in the Iowa mutant may shift the equilibrium from fibrils to more toxic oligomers.

scholarly journals Wild-Type and Mutant FUS Expression Reduce Proliferation and Neuronal Differentiation Properties of Neural Stem Progenitor Cells

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (14) ◽  
pp. 7566
Author(s):  
Eleonora Stronati ◽  
Stefano Biagioni ◽  
Mario Fiore ◽  
Mauro Giorgi ◽  
Giancarlo Poiana ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Progenitor Cells ◽  
Neuronal Differentiation ◽  
Neuronal Cell Death ◽  
Neuronal Cell ◽  
Nervous System Development ◽  
Mutant Form ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Fused In Sarcoma ◽  
Glial Lineage

Nervous system development involves proliferation and cell specification of progenitor cells into neurons and glial cells. Unveiling how this complex process is orchestrated under physiological conditions and deciphering the molecular and cellular changes leading to neurological diseases is mandatory. To date, great efforts have been aimed at identifying gene mutations associated with many neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Mutations in the RNA/DNA binding protein Fused in Sarcoma/Translocated in Liposarcoma (FUS/TLS) have been associated with motor neuron degeneration in rodents and humans. Furthermore, increased levels of the wild-type protein can promote neuronal cell death. Despite the well-established causal link between FUS mutations and ALS, its role in neural cells remains elusive. In order to shed new light on FUS functions we studied its role in the control of neural stem progenitor cell (NSPC) properties. Here, we report that human wild-type Fused in Sarcoma (WT FUS), exogenously expressed in mouse embryonic spinal cord-derived NSPCs, was localized in the nucleus, caused cell cycle arrest in G1 phase by affecting cell cycle regulator expression, and strongly reduced neuronal differentiation. Furthermore, the expression of the human mutant form of FUS (P525L-FUS), associated with early-onset ALS, drives the cells preferentially towards a glial lineage, strongly reducing the number of developing neurons. These results provide insight into the involvement of FUS in NSPC proliferation and differentiation into neurons and glia.

scholarly journals Familial Parkinson's Disease Mutant E46K α-Synuclein Localizes to Membranous Structures, Forms Aggregates, and Induces Toxicity in Yeast Models

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Fiske ◽  
Michael White ◽  
Stephanie Valtierra ◽  
Sara Herrera ◽  
Keith Solvang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Mutant Form ◽  
Phospholipid Membrane ◽  
Endomembrane System ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Significant Toxicity ◽  
Familial Parkinson’S Disease

In Parkinson’s disease (PD), midbrain dopaminergic neuronal death is linked to the accumulation of aggregated α-synuclein. The familial PD mutant form of α-synuclein, E46K, has not been thoroughly evaluated yet in an organismal model system. Here, we report that E46K resembled wild-type (WT) α-synuclein in Saccharomyces cerevisiae in that it predominantly localized to the plasma membrane, and it did not induce significant toxicity or accumulation. In contrast, in Schizosaccharomyces pombe, E46K did not associate with the plasma membrane. Instead, in one strain, it extensively aggregated in the cytoplasm and was as toxic as WT. Remarkably, in another strain, E46K extensively associated with the endomembrane system and was more toxic than WT. Our studies recapitulate and extend aggregation and phospholipid membrane association properties of E46K previously observed in vitro and cell culture. Furthermore, it supports the notion that E46K generates toxicity partly due to increased association with endomembrane systems within cells.

scholarly journals Structural Mechanism for Regulation of Bcl-2 protein Noxa by phosphorylation

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine B. Karim ◽  
L. Michel Espinoza-Fonseca ◽  
Zachary M. James ◽  
Eric A. Hanse ◽  
Jeffrey S. Gaynes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Md Simulations ◽  
Salt Bridges ◽  
Binding Assays ◽  
Peptide Backbone ◽  
Structural Mechanism ◽  
Binding Partner ◽  
Flexible Loop ◽  
Bh3 Domain ◽  
N Terminus ◽  
Β Sheets

Abstract We showed previously that phosphorylation of Noxa, a 54-residue Bcl-2 protein, at serine 13 (Ser13) inhibited its ability to promote apoptosis through interactions with canonical binding partner, Mcl-1. Using EPR spectroscopy, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and binding assays, we offer evidence that a structural alteration caused by phosphorylation partially masks Noxa’s BH3 domain, inhibiting the Noxa-Mcl-1 interaction. EPR of unphosphorylated Noxa, with spin-labeled amino acid TOAC incorporated within the BH3 domain, revealed equilibrium between ordered and dynamically disordered states. Mcl-1 further restricted the ordered component for non-phosphorylated Noxa, but left the pSer13 Noxa profile unchanged. Microsecond MD simulations indicated that the BH3 domain of unphosphorylated Noxa is housed within a flexible loop connecting two antiparallel β-sheets, flanked by disordered N- and C-termini and Ser13 phosphorylation creates a network of salt-bridges that facilitate the interaction between the N-terminus and the BH3 domain. EPR showed that a spin label inserted near the N-terminus was weakly immobilized in unphosphorylated Noxa, consistent with a solvent-exposed helix/loop, but strongly constrained in pSer13 Noxa, indicating a more ordered peptide backbone, as predicted by MD simulations. Together these studies reveal a novel mechanism by which phosphorylation of a distal serine inhibits a pro-apoptotic BH3 domain and promotes cell survival.

scholarly journals Prospects for p53-based cancer therapy.

2005 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 321-328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomasz Stokłosa ◽  
Jakub Gołab
Keyword(s):  
Human Tumor ◽  
P53 Gene ◽  
Great Promise ◽  
Mutant Form ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
P53 Pathway ◽  
Cycle Arrest ◽  
Stress Signals ◽  
Near Future

The p53 tumor suppressor plays the role of a cellular hub which gathers stress signals such as damage to DNA or hypoxia and translates them into a complex response. p53 exerts its action mainly as a potent transcription factor. The two major outcomes of p53 activity are highlighted: cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. During malignant transformation p53 or p53-pathway related molecules are disabled extremely often. Mutations in p53 gene are present in every second human tumor. A mutant form of p53 may not only negate the wild type p53 function but may play additional role in tumor progression. Therefore p53 represents a relatively unique and specific target for anticancer drug design. Current approaches include several different molecules able to restore p53 wild-type conformation and activity. Such small molecule drugs hold great promise in treating human tumors with dysfunction of p53 pathway in the near future.

Proteolysis of cubitus interruptus in Drosophila requires phosphorylation by protein kinase A

Development ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 126 (19) ◽  
pp. 4331-4339 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.A. Price ◽  
D. Kalderon
Keyword(s):  
Protein Kinase ◽  
Protein Kinase A ◽  
Hedgehog Signaling ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
Ectopic Expression ◽  
Full Length ◽  
Mutant Form ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Cubitus Interruptus ◽  
Kinase A

The Hedgehog signal transduction pathway is involved in diverse patterning events in many organisms. In Drosophila, Hedgehog signaling regulates transcription of target genes by modifying the activity of the DNA-binding protein Cubitus interruptus (Ci). Hedgehog signaling inhibits proteolytic cleavage of full-length Ci (Ci-155) to Ci-75, a form that represses some target genes, and also converts the full-length form to a potent transcriptional activator. Reduction of protein kinase A (PKA) activity also leads to accumulation of full-length Ci and to ectopic expression of Hedgehog target genes, prompting the hypothesis that PKA might normally promote cleavage to Ci-75 by directly phosphorylating Ci-155. Here we show that a mutant form of Ci lacking five potential PKA phosphorylation sites (Ci5m) is not detectably cleaved to Ci-75 in Drosophila embryos. Moreover, changes in PKA activity dramatically altered levels of full-length wild-type Ci in embryos and imaginal discs, but did not significantly alter full-length Ci5m levels. We corroborate these results by showing that Ci5m is more active than wild-type Ci at inducing ectopic transcription of the Hh target gene wingless in embryos and that inhibition of PKA enhances induction of wingless by wild-type Ci but not by Ci5m. We therefore propose that PKA phosphorylation of Ci is required for the proteolysis of Ci-155 to Ci-75 in vivo. We also show that the activity of Ci5m remains Hedgehog responsive if expressed at low levels, providing further evidence that the full-length form of Ci undergoes a Hedgehog-dependent activation step.

Identification of a protein altered in mutants resistant to microtubule inhibitors as a member of the major heat shock protein (hsp70) family

1990 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 5160-5165
Author(s):  
S Ahmad ◽  
R Ahuja ◽  
T J Venner ◽  
R S Gupta
Keyword(s):  
Heat Shock ◽  
Heat Shock Protein ◽  
Cho Cells ◽  
Chinese Hamster ◽  
Immunofluorescent Staining ◽  
Mutant Form ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Cho Cell ◽  
Microtubule Inhibitors

A major cellular protein (P2; approximately 70 kilodaltons) which is altered in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell mutants resistant to the microtubule inhibitors colchicine and podophyllotoxin has been shown to correspond to the constitutive form of the 70-kilodalton heat shock protein (hsc70). The inference that P2 and hsc70 are the same protein is based on the following observations: (i) migration of P2 in two-dimensional polyacrylamide gels in the same position as that reported for hsc70; (ii) cross-reactivity of a monoclonal antibody which reacts with both the constitutive and induced forms of hsp70 with the P2 spot from wild-type CHO cells and with both P2 and a mutant form of P2 in a CHO cell mutant; (iii) specific reactivity of a polyclonal antibody to P2 with both the constitutive and heat-induced forms of hsp70 in human cells; (iv) identical immunofluorescent staining of dot/patchlike structures with both P2 and hsp70 antibodies in human and CHO cells; and (v) a cDNA clone for hsc70 has been isolated and sequenced from wild-type CHO cells. The in vitro transcription and translation product of this cDNA has been shown to comigrate with the P2 protein spot in two-dimensional gels, indicating their identity. The fact that there is an alteration in hsc70 in mutants resistant to antimitotic drugs suggests a role for this protein in the in vivo assembly and function of microtubules.

1183Beta-Adrenoceptor activation increases cardiac galectin-3 levels via the hippo signaling pathway

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
X.-J Du ◽  
W B Zhao ◽  
Q Lu ◽  
M N Nguyen ◽  
M Ziemann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hippo Pathway ◽  
Fold Increase ◽  
Signalling Pathway ◽  
Mutant Form ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Galectin 3 ◽  
Β Blockers ◽  
The Hippo Pathway ◽  
Hippo Signalling

Abstract Background Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is a clinical biomarker for risk of cardiovascular disease and a disease mediator forming a therapeutic target. However, the mechanism(s) that regulate cardiac expression of Gal-3 remains unknown. Activation of the sympatho-β-adrenergic system is a hallmark of heart disease, but the relationship of βAR activation and cardiac content of Gal-3 remains unknown. Purpose To determine the role of βAR activation in regulating cardiac Gal-3 level and the responsible mechanism focusing on the Hippo signalling pathway. Methods Wild-type and Gal-3 gene deleted (Gal3-KO) mice were used. To test the role of the Hippo pathway, we used transgenic (TG) mouse strains with cardiac overexpression of mammalian-20-like sterile kinase 1 (Mst1, mammalian orthology of Drosophila Hippo kinase) either in wild-type form (TG-Mst1) or dominative-negative kinase dead mutant form (TG-dnMst1). Effects of β-antagonist (isoprenaline, ISO) and antagonists were determined. We measured phosphorylation (Ser127) of YAP as a transcription co-regulator acting as the main signal output of the Hippo pathway. Results In wild-type mice, treatment with ISO led to a time- and dose-dependent increase in cardiac expression of Gal-3 (Fig. A) accompanied by elevated circulating Gal-3 levels (Fig. B). ISO treatment stimulated cardiac expression of Mst1 and YAP hyper-phosphorylation (i.e. inactivation, Fig. C), indicating activation of the Hippo signalling. These effects of ISO were inhibited by β-blockers (propranolol, Prop; carvedilol, Carv; Fig. D,E). Relative to non-TG controls, ISO-induced expression of Gal-3 was inhibited by 75% in TG-dnMst1 mice (inactivated Mst1), but exaggerated by 7-fold in TG-Mst1 mice (activated Mst1). Mst1-TG mice had a 45-fold increase in Gal-3 content, YAP hyper-phosphorylation and enhanced pro-fibrotic signaling. In Mst1-TG mice, whilst blood Gal-3 level was unchanged, treatment with ISO (6 mg, 2 days) evoked a marked increase in cardiac and blood Gal-3 levels. Using rat cardiomyoblasts, we showed that ISO-mediated Mst1 expression and YAP phosphorylation were PKA-dependent and that siRNA-mediated YAP knockdown led to Gal-3 upregulation. The role of Gal-3 in mediating ISO-induced cardiomyopathy was examined by treating wild-type and Gal3-KO mice with ISO (30 mg/kg, 7 days). ISO-treated wild-type mice had 8-fold increase in cardiac Gal-3, ventricular dysfunction, fibrosis, hypertrophy and activated inflammatory or fibrotic signalling. All these changes, except hypertrophy, were abolished by Gal3-KO. beta-AR regulates galectin-3 Conclusion βAR stimulation increases cardiac expression of Gal-3 through activation of the Hippo signalling pathway. This is accompanied by elevated circulating Gal-3 level. βAR antagonists inhibited βAR-Mst1 (Hippo) signalling and cardiac Gal-3 expression, actions likely contributing to the overall efficacy of β-blockers. Acknowledgement/Funding NHMRC of Australia; Nature Science Fund of China

scholarly journals The dissociation mechanism of processive cellulases

2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (46) ◽  
pp. 23061-23067 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josh V. Vermaas ◽  
Riin Kont ◽  
Gregg T. Beckham ◽  
Michael F. Crowley ◽  
Mikael Gudmundsson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Crystal Structure ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Soluble Sugars ◽  
Dissociation Rate ◽  
Replica Exchange ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Replica Exchange Molecular Dynamics ◽  
Hamiltonian Replica Exchange ◽  
Biochemical Measurements ◽  
Rate Limiting

Cellulase enzymes deconstruct recalcitrant cellulose into soluble sugars, making them a biocatalyst of biotechnological interest for use in the nascent lignocellulosic bioeconomy. Cellobiohydrolases (CBHs) are cellulases capable of liberating many sugar molecules in a processive manner without dissociating from the substrate. Within the complete processive cycle of CBHs, dissociation from the cellulose substrate is rate limiting, but the molecular mechanism of this step is unknown. Here, we present a direct comparison of potential molecular mechanisms for dissociation via Hamiltonian replica exchange molecular dynamics of the model fungal CBH, Trichoderma reesei Cel7A. Computational rate estimates indicate that stepwise cellulose dethreading from the binding tunnel is 4 orders of magnitude faster than a clamshell mechanism, in which the substrate-enclosing loops open and release the substrate without reversing. We also present the crystal structure of a disulfide variant that covalently links substrate-enclosing loops on either side of the substrate-binding tunnel, which constitutes a CBH that can only dissociate via stepwise dethreading. Biochemical measurements indicate that this variant has a dissociation rate constant essentially equivalent to the wild type, implying that dethreading is likely the predominant mechanism for dissociation.

scholarly journals Huntington’s Disease—An Outlook on the Interplay of the HTT Protein, Microtubules and Actin Cytoskeletal Components

Cells ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 1514 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleksandra S. Taran ◽  
Lilia D. Shuvalova ◽  
Maria A. Lagarkova ◽  
Irina B. Alieva
Keyword(s):  
Huntington's Disease ◽  
Huntington’S Disease ◽  
Autosomal Dominant ◽  
Cell Physiology ◽  
Mutant Form ◽  
Striatal Neurons ◽  
Molecular Processes ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Cellular Processes ◽  
Cell Structures

Huntington’s disease is a severe and currently incurable neurodegenerative disease. An autosomal dominant mutation in the Huntingtin gene (HTT) causes an increase in the polyglutamine fragment length at the protein N-terminus. The consequence of the mutation is the death of neurons, mostly striatal neurons, leading to the occurrence of a complex of motor, cognitive and emotional-volitional personality sphere disorders in carriers. Despite intensive studies, the functions of both mutant and wild-type huntingtin remain poorly understood. Surprisingly, there is the selective effect of the mutant form of HTT even on nervous tissue, whereas the protein is expressed ubiquitously. Huntingtin plays a role in cell physiology and affects cell transport, endocytosis, protein degradation and other cellular and molecular processes. Our experimental data mining let us conclude that a significant part of the Huntingtin-involved cellular processes is mediated by microtubules and other cytoskeletal cell structures. The review attempts to look at unresolved issues in the study of the huntingtin and its mutant form, including their functions affecting microtubules and other components of the cell cytoskeleton.

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