scholarly journals Structural basis for the transport mechanism of the human glutamine transporter SLC1A5 (ASCT2)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaodi Yu ◽  
Olga Plotnikova ◽  
Paul D. Bonin ◽  
Timothy A. Subashi ◽  
Thomas J. McLellan ◽  
...  

AbstractAlanine-serine-cysteine transporter 2 (ASCT2, SLC1A5) is the primary transporter of glutamine in cancer cells and regulates the mTORC1 signaling pathway. The SLC1A5 function involves finely tuned orchestration of two domain movements that include the substrate-binding transport domain and the scaffold domain. Here, we present cryo-EM structures of human SLC1A5 and its complex with the substrate, L-glutamine in an outward-facing conformation. These structures reveal insights into the conformation of the critical ECL2a loop which connects the two domains, thus allowing rigid body movement of the transport domain throughout the transport cycle. Furthermore, the structures provide new insights into substrate recognition, which involves conformational changes in the HP2 loop. A putative cholesterol binding site was observed near the domain interface in the outward-facing state. Comparison with the previously determined inward-facing structure of SCL1A5 provides a basis for a more integrated understanding of substrate recognition and transport mechanism in the SLC1 family. Our structures are likely to aid the development of potent and selective SLC1A5 inhibitors for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune disorders.

eLife ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaodi Yu ◽  
Olga Plotnikova ◽  
Paul D Bonin ◽  
Timothy A Subashi ◽  
Thomas J McLellan ◽  
...  

Alanine-serine-cysteine transporter 2 (ASCT2, SLC1A5) is the primary transporter of glutamine in cancer cells and regulates the mTORC1 signaling pathway. The SLC1A5 function involves finely tuned orchestration of two domain movements that include the substrate-binding transport domain and the scaffold domain. Here, we present cryo-EM structures of human SLC1A5 and its complex with the substrate, L-glutamine in an outward-facing conformation. These structures reveal insights into the conformation of the critical ECL2a loop which connects the two domains, thus allowing rigid body movement of the transport domain throughout the transport cycle. Furthermore, the structures provide new insights into substrate recognition, which involves conformational changes in the HP2 loop. A putative cholesterol binding site was observed near the domain interface in the outward-facing state. Comparison with the previously determined inward-facing structure of SCL1A5 provides a basis for a more integrated understanding of substrate recognition and transport mechanism in the SLC1 family.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qin Yu ◽  
Dongchun Ni ◽  
Julia Kowal ◽  
Ioannis Manolaridis ◽  
Scott M. Jackson ◽  
...  

ABCG2 is a multidrug transporter expressed widely in the human body. Its physiological substrates include steroid derivatives and uric acid. In addition, it extrudes many structurally diverse cytotoxic drugs from various cells, thus affecting drug pharmacokinetics and contributing to multidrug resistance of cancer cells. Previous studies have revealed structures of ABCG2 bound to transport substrates, nucleotides, small-molecule inhibitors and inhibitory antibodies. However, the transport mechanism is not well-understood because all previous structures described trapped states, where the reaction cycle was halted by the absence of substrates or ATP, mutation of catalytic residues, or the presence of inhibitors. Here we present cryo-EM structures of nanodisc-reconstituted human ABCG2 under turnover conditions containing either the endogenous substrate estrone-3-sulfate or the exogenous substrate topotecan. We found two distinct conformational states in which both the transport substrates and ATP are bound. Whereas the state turnover-1 features more widely separated NBDs and an accessible cavity between the TMDs, turnover-2 features semi-closed NBDs and an almost fully occluded cavity between the TMDs. The transition from turnover-1 to turnover-2 includes conformational changes that link the binding of ATP by the NBDs to the closing of the cytoplasmic side of the TMDs. The size of the substrate appears to control which turnover state corresponds to the main state in the transport cycle. The transition from turnover-1 to turnover-2 is the likely bottleneck or rate-limiting step of the reaction cycle, where the discrimination of substrates and inhibitors occurs. Our results provide a structural basis of substrate specificity of ABCG2 and provide key insight to understand the transport cycle.


Author(s):  
Balaji Selvam ◽  
Ya-Chi Yu ◽  
Liqing Chen ◽  
Diwakar Shukla

<p>The SWEET family belongs to a class of transporters in plants that undergoes large conformational changes to facilitate transport of sugar molecules across the cell membrane. However, the structures of their functionally relevant conformational states in the transport cycle have not been reported. In this study, we have characterized the conformational dynamics and complete transport cycle of glucose in OsSWEET2b transporter using extensive molecular dynamics simulations. Using Markov state models, we estimated the free energy barrier associated with different states as well as 1 for the glucose the transport mechanism. SWEETs undergoes structural transition to outward-facing (OF), Occluded (OC) and inward-facing (IF) and strongly support alternate access transport mechanism. The glucose diffuses freely from outside to inside the cell without causing major conformational changes which means that the conformations of glucose unbound and bound snapshots are exactly same for OF, OC and IF states. We identified a network of hydrophobic core residues at the center of the transporter that restricts the glucose entry to the cytoplasmic side and act as an intracellular hydrophobic gate. The mechanistic predictions from molecular dynamics simulations are validated using site-directed mutagenesis experiments. Our simulation also revealed hourglass like intermediate states making the pore radius narrower at the center. This work provides new fundamental insights into how substrate-transporter interactions actively change the free energy landscape of the transport cycle to facilitate enhanced transport activity.</p>


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renjian Xiao ◽  
Zhuang Li ◽  
Shukun Wang ◽  
Ruijie Han ◽  
Leifu Chang

ABSTRACTCas12f, also known as Cas14, is an exceptionally small type V-F CRISPR-Cas nuclease that is roughly half the size of comparable nucleases of this type. To reveal the mechanisms underlying substrate recognition and cleavage, we determined the cryo-EM structures of the Cas12f-sgRNA-target DNA and Cas12f-sgRNA complexes at 3.1 Å and 3.9 Å, respectively. An asymmetric Cas12f dimer is bound to one sgRNA for recognition and cleavage of dsDNA substrate with a T-rich PAM sequence. Despite its dimerization, Cas12f adopts a conserved activation mechanism among the type V nucleases which requires coordinated conformational changes induced by the formation of the crRNA-target DNA heteroduplex, including the close-to-open transition in the lid motif of the RuvC domain. Only one RuvC domain in the Cas12f dimer is activated by substrate recognition, and the substrate bound to the activated RuvC domain is captured in the structure. Structure-assisted truncated sgRNA, which is less than half the length of the original sgRNA, is still active for target DNA cleavage. Our results expand our understanding of the diverse type V CRISPR-Cas nucleases and facilitate potential genome editing applications using the miniature Cas12f.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Balaji Selvam ◽  
Ya-Chi Yu ◽  
Liqing Chen ◽  
Diwakar Shukla

<p>The SWEET family belongs to a class of transporters in plants that undergoes large conformational changes to facilitate transport of sugar molecules across the cell membrane. However, the structures of their functionally relevant conformational states in the transport cycle have not been reported. In this study, we have characterized the conformational dynamics and complete transport cycle of glucose in OsSWEET2b transporter using extensive molecular dynamics simulations. Using Markov state models, we estimated the free energy barrier associated with different states as well as 1 for the glucose the transport mechanism. SWEETs undergoes structural transition to outward-facing (OF), Occluded (OC) and inward-facing (IF) and strongly support alternate access transport mechanism. The glucose diffuses freely from outside to inside the cell without causing major conformational changes which means that the conformations of glucose unbound and bound snapshots are exactly same for OF, OC and IF states. We identified a network of hydrophobic core residues at the center of the transporter that restricts the glucose entry to the cytoplasmic side and act as an intracellular hydrophobic gate. The mechanistic predictions from molecular dynamics simulations are validated using site-directed mutagenesis experiments. Our simulation also revealed hourglass like intermediate states making the pore radius narrower at the center. This work provides new fundamental insights into how substrate-transporter interactions actively change the free energy landscape of the transport cycle to facilitate enhanced transport activity.</p>


2021 ◽  
Vol 478 (4) ◽  
pp. 943-959
Author(s):  
Samar Ballabha Mohapatra ◽  
Narayanan Manoj

Members of the glycoside hydrolase family 4 (GH4) employ an unusual glycosidic bond cleavage mechanism utilizing NAD(H) and a divalent metal ion, under reducing conditions. These enzymes act upon a diverse range of glycosides, and unlike most other GH families, homologs here are known to accommodate both α- and β-anomeric specificities within the same active site. Here, we report the catalytic properties and the crystal structures of TmAgu4B, an α-d-glucuronidase from the hyperthermophile Thermotoga maritima. The structures in three different states include the apo form, the NADH bound holo form, and the ternary complex with NADH and the reaction product d-glucuronic acid, at 2.15, 1.97 and 1.85 Å resolutions, respectively. These structures reveal the step-wise route of conformational changes required in the active site to achieve the catalytically competent state, and illustrate the direct role of residues that determine the reaction mechanism. Furthermore, a structural transition of a helical region in the active site to a turn geometry resulting in the rearrangement of a unique arginine residue governs the exclusive glucopyranosiduronic acid recognition in TmAgu4B. Mutational studies show that modifications of the glycone binding site geometry lead to catalytic failure and indicate overlapping roles of specific residues in catalysis and substrate recognition. The data highlight hitherto unreported molecular features and associated active site dynamics that determine the structure–function relationships within the unique GH4 family.


Biomolecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 522 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elżbieta Wątor ◽  
Piotr Wilk ◽  
Przemysław Grudnik

Deoxyhypusine synthase (DHS) is a transferase enabling the formation of deoxyhypusine, which is the first, rate-limiting step of a unique post-translational modification: hypusination. DHS catalyses the transfer of a 4-aminobutyl moiety of polyamine spermidine to a specific lysine of eukaryotic translation factor 5A (eIF5A) precursor in a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)-dependent manner. This modification occurs exclusively on one protein, eIF5A, and it is essential for cell proliferation. Malfunctions of the hypusination pathway, including those caused by mutations within the DHS encoding gene, are associated with conditions such as cancer or neurodegeneration. Here, we present a series of high-resolution crystal structures of human DHS. Structures were determined as the apoprotein, as well as ligand-bound states at high-resolutions ranging from 1.41 to 1.69 Å. By solving DHS in complex with its natural substrate spermidine (SPD), we identified the mode of substrate recognition. We also observed that other polyamines, namely spermine (SPM) and putrescine, bind DHS in a similar manner as SPD. Moreover, we performed activity assays showing that SPM could to some extent serve as an alternative DHS substrate. In contrast to previous studies, we demonstrate that no conformational changes occur in the DHS structure upon spermidine-binding. By combining mutagenesis and a light-scattering approach, we show that a conserved “ball-and-chain” motif is indispensable to assembling a functional DHS tetramer. Our study substantially advances our knowledge of the substrate recognition mechanism by DHS and may aid the design of pharmacological compounds for potential applications in cancer therapy.


2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
William C. H. Chao ◽  
Benjamin O. Wade ◽  
Céline Bouchoux ◽  
Andrew W. Jones ◽  
Andrew G. Purkiss ◽  
...  

Abstract Sister-chromatid cohesion is established by Eco1-mediated acetylation on two conserved tandem lysines in the cohesin Smc3 subunit. However, the molecular basis of Eco1 substrate recognition and acetylation in cohesion is not fully understood. Here, we discover and rationalize the substrate specificity of Eco1 using mass spectrometry coupled with in-vitro acetylation assays and crystallography. Our structures of the X. laevis Eco2 (xEco2) bound to its primary and secondary Smc3 substrates demonstrate the plasticity of the substrate-binding site, which confers substrate specificity by concerted conformational changes of the central β hairpin and the C-terminal extension.


2016 ◽  
Vol 113 (26) ◽  
pp. 7148-7153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi Miao ◽  
Jennifer L. Tenor ◽  
Dena L. Toffaletti ◽  
Erica J. Washington ◽  
Jiuyu Liu ◽  
...  

Trehalose is a disaccharide essential for the survival and virulence of pathogenic fungi. The biosynthesis of trehalose requires trehalose-6-phosphate synthase, Tps1, and trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase, Tps2. Here, we report the structures of the N-terminal domain of Tps2 (Tps2NTD) fromCandida albicans, a transition-state complex of the Tps2 C-terminal trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase domain (Tps2PD) bound to BeF3and trehalose, and catalytically dead Tps2PD(D24N) fromCryptococcus neoformansbound to trehalose-6-phosphate (T6P). The Tps2NTD closely resembles the structure of Tps1 but lacks any catalytic activity. The Tps2PD–BeF3–trehalose and Tps2PD(D24N)–T6P complex structures reveal a “closed” conformation that is effected by extensive interactions between each trehalose hydroxyl group and residues of the cap and core domains of the protein, thereby providing exquisite substrate specificity. Disruption of any of the direct substrate–protein residue interactions leads to significant or complete loss of phosphatase activity. Notably, the Tps2PD–BeF3–trehalose complex structure captures an aspartyl-BeF3covalent adduct, which closely mimics the proposed aspartyl-phosphate intermediate of the phosphatase catalytic cycle. Structures of substrate-free Tps2PD reveal an “open” conformation whereby the cap and core domains separate and visualize the striking conformational changes effected by substrate binding and product release and the role of two hinge regions centered at approximately residues 102–103 and 184–188. Significantly,tps2Δ,tps2NTDΔ, andtps2D705Nstrains are unable to grow at elevated temperatures. Combined, these studies provide a deeper understanding of the substrate recognition and catalytic mechanism of Tps2 and provide a structural basis for the future design of novel antifungal compounds against a target found in three major fungal pathogens.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sue Im Sim ◽  
Sören von Bülow ◽  
Gerhard Hummer ◽  
Eunyong Park

Polyamines are small, organic polycations that are ubiquitous and essential to all forms of life. Currently, how polyamines are transported across membranes is not understood. Recent studies have suggested that ATP13A2 and its close homologs, collectively known as P5B-ATPases, are polyamine transporters at endo-/lysosomes. Loss-of-function mutations of ATP13A2 in humans cause hereditary early-onset Parkinson's disease. To understand the polyamine transport mechanism of ATP13A2, we determined high-resolution cryo-EM structures of human ATP13A2 in five distinct conformational intermediates, which together represent a near-complete transport cycle of ATP13A2. The structural basis of the polyamine specificity was revealed by an endogenous polyamine molecule bound to a narrow, elongated cavity within the transmembrane domain. The structures show an atypical transport path for a water-soluble substrate, where polyamines may exit within the cytosolic leaflet of the membrane. Our study provides important mechanistic insights into polyamine transport and a framework to understand functions and mechanisms of P5B-ATPases.


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