scholarly journals Molecular Mechanism Underlying Inhibition of Intrinsic ATPase Activity in a Ski2-like RNA Helicase

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva Absmeier ◽  
Karine F. Santos ◽  
Markus C. Wahl

SUMMARYRNA-dependent NTPases can act as RNA/RNA-protein remodeling enzymes and typically exhibit low NTPase activity in the absence of RNA/RNA-protein substrates. How futile intrinsic NTP hydrolysis is prevented is frequently not known. The ATPase/RNA helicase Brr2 belongs to the Ski2-like family of nucleic acid-dependent NTPases and is an integral component of the spliceosome. Comprehensive nucleotide binding and hydrolysis studies are not available for a member of the Ski2-like family. We present crystal structures of Chaetomium thermophilum Brr2 in the apo, ADP-bound and ATPyS-bound states, revealing nucleotide-induced conformational changes and a hitherto unknown ATPyS binding mode. Our results in conjunction with Brr2 structures in other molecular contexts reveal multiple molecular mechanisms that contribute to the inhibition of intrinsic ATPase activity, including an N-terminal region that restrains the RecA-like domains in an open conformation and exclusion of an attacking water molecule, and suggest how RNA substrate binding can lead to ATPase stimulation.HIGHLIGHTSCrystal structures of Brr2 in complex with different adenine nucleotides.The Brr2 N-terminal region counteracts conformational changes induced by ATP binding.Brr2 excludes an attacking water molecule in the absence of substrate RNA.Different helicase families resort to different NTPase mechanisms.

2021 ◽  
Vol 118 (30) ◽  
pp. e2100370118
Author(s):  
Lena M. Grass ◽  
Jan Wollenhaupt ◽  
Tatjana Barthel ◽  
Iwan Parfentev ◽  
Henning Urlaub ◽  
...  

Many bacteria harbor RNA-dependent nucleoside-triphosphatases of the DEAH/RHA family, whose molecular mechanisms and cellular functions are poorly understood. Here, we show that the Escherichia coli DEAH/RHA protein, HrpA, is an ATP-dependent 3 to 5′ RNA helicase and that the RNA helicase activity of HrpA influences bacterial survival under antibiotics treatment. Limited proteolysis, crystal structure analysis, and functional assays showed that HrpA contains an N-terminal DEAH/RHA helicase cassette preceded by a unique N-terminal domain and followed by a large C-terminal region that modulates the helicase activity. Structures of an expanded HrpA helicase cassette in the apo and RNA-bound states in combination with cross-linking/mass spectrometry revealed ratchet-like domain movements upon RNA engagement, much more pronounced than hitherto observed in related eukaryotic DEAH/RHA enzymes. Structure-based functional analyses delineated transient interdomain contact sites that support substrate loading and unwinding, suggesting that similar conformational changes support RNA translocation. Consistently, modeling studies showed that analogous dynamic intramolecular contacts are not possible in the related but helicase-inactive RNA-dependent nucleoside-triphosphatase, HrpB. Our results indicate that HrpA may be an interesting target to interfere with bacterial tolerance toward certain antibiotics and suggest possible interfering strategies.


2020 ◽  
Vol 295 (30) ◽  
pp. 10136-10137
Author(s):  
Yongli Zhang ◽  
Jie Yang

SNARE proteins are essential for exocytosis, mediating the fusion of vesicles with their target membrane. Tethering factors play a key role in chaperoning SNARE assembly; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms are not well-understood. Here, Travis et al. report two crystal structures of a yeast tethering factor, the Dsl1 complex, bound with two SNARE proteins, revealing new insights into how tethering factors bridge vesicles to target membranes, recruit multiple SNARE proteins, trigger their conformational changes, and facilitate SNARE assembly.


2014 ◽  
Vol 70 (a1) ◽  
pp. C853-C853
Author(s):  
Driss Mountassif ◽  
Lucien Fabre ◽  
Kaustuv Basu ◽  
Mihnea Bostina ◽  
Slavica Jonic ◽  
...  

p97, a member of the AAA (ATPase Associated with various Activities) ATPase family, is essential and centrally involved in a wide variety of cellular processes. Single amino-acid substitutions in p97 have been associated with the severe degenerative disorder of Inclusion Body Myopathy associated with Paget disease of bone and Frontotemporal Dementia (IBMPFD) as well as amytropic leteral sclerosis (ALS). Current models propose that p97 acts as a motor transmitting the energy from the ATPase cycle to conformational changes of substrate protein complexes causing segregation, remodeling or translocation. Mutations at the interface between the N and the D1 domains impact the ATPase activity and the conformation of D2 on the opposite side of the protein complex, suggesting intermolecular communication. Because of limited structural information, the molecular mechanisms on how p97 drives its activities and the molecular basis for transmission of information within the molecule remain elusive. Structural heterogeneity is observed in vitro and is likely relevant for the in vivo biological function of p97. Single particle cryo-EM is the method of choice to study a flexible complex. The technique allows study in solution and also deals with sample heterogeneity by image classification. We have set-up the characterization of the conformational heterogeneity in WT and disease relevant p97 mutant using multi-likelihood classification and Hybrid Electron Microscopy Normal Mode Analysis HEMNMA. The multi-likelihood analysis shows a link between the conformations of the N and D2 domains. HEMNMA allows the analysis of the asymmetry of the conformational changes. Together these studies describe the structural flexibility of p97 and the coupling of the ATPase activity with conformational changes in health and in disease. Study of this model system also allows the development of new methods to understand the conformational heterogeneity of other protein complexes.


2014 ◽  
Vol 70 (a1) ◽  
pp. C1490-C1490
Author(s):  
Peter Czabotar ◽  
Jason Brouwer ◽  
Dana Westphal ◽  
Geoff Thompson ◽  
Peter Colman

A key event in apoptosis is the conversion of Bax or Bak from inert monomers into cytotoxic mitochondrial membrane perforating oligomers. Certain BH3-only relatives can initiate this step through direct interactions, yet the means by which conformational changes are invoked, the nature of the conformational changes themselves, the mechanism by which they insert into membranes and the process by which they perforate these barriers has largely remained a mystery. Our recent structural studies provided the first insights into this process for Bax [1]. We found that BH3 domains activate Bax by binding to a hydrophobic groove on its surface. Crystal structures of these complexes revealed an unexpected conformational change involving dissociation of a previously unrecognized "core" domain from a "latch' domain. A further structure of the freed Bax "core" domains revealed that these form dimers that possess a surface of aromatic residues which we hypothesis engage the outer leaflet of the mitochondrial membrane and induce curvature. We have now extended our studies to include structures of Bax bound to alternative BH3-only proteins providing new insights into key interactions occurring at this interface. Additionally, we have solved structures of activated Bak and of the freed Bak "core" domain dimers. These results further our understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which these highly dynamic proteins engage the mitochondrial membrane and thus control the life/death switch in cells.


Author(s):  
Karolina Michalska ◽  
Youngchang Kim ◽  
Robert Jedrzejczak ◽  
Natalia I. Maltseva ◽  
Lucy Stols ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTAmong 15 nonstructural proteins (Nsps), the newly emerging SARS-CoV-2 encodes a large, multidomain Nsp3. One of its units is ADP-ribose phosphatase domain (ADRP, also known as macrodomain) which is believed to interfere with the host immune response. Such a function appears to be linked to the protein’s ability to remove ADP-ribose from ADP-ribosylated proteins and RNA, yet the precise role and molecular targets of the enzyme remains unknown. Here, we have determined five, high resolution (1.07 - 2.01 Å) crystal structures corresponding to the apo form of the protein and complexes with 2-(N-morpholino)ethanesulfonic acid (MES), AMP and ADPr. We show that the protein undergoes conformational changes to adapt to the ligand in a manner previously observed before for in close homologs from other viruses. We also identify a conserved water molecule that may participate in hydrolysis. This work builds foundations for future structure-based research of the ADRP, including search for potential antiviral therapeutics.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (12) ◽  
pp. 4421
Author(s):  
Yurii S. Borovikov ◽  
Armen O. Simonyan ◽  
Stanislava V. Avrova ◽  
Vladimir V. Sirenko ◽  
Charles S. Redwood ◽  
...  

Substitution of Ala for Glu residue in position 173 of γ-tropomyosin (Tpm3.12) is associated with muscle weakness. Here we observe that this mutation increases myofilament Ca2+-sensitivity and inhibits in vitro actin-activated ATPase activity of myosin subfragment-1 at high Ca2+. In order to determine the critical conformational changes in myosin, actin and tropomyosin caused by the mutation, we used the technique of polarized fluorimetry. It was found that this mutation changes the spatial arrangement of actin monomers and myosin heads, and the position of the mutant tropomyosin on the thin filaments in muscle fibres at various mimicked stages of the ATPase cycle. At low Ca2+ the E173A mutant tropomyosin shifts towards the inner domains of actin at all stages of the cycle, and this is accompanied by an increase in the number of switched-on actin monomers and myosin heads strongly bound to F-actin even at relaxation. Contrarily, at high Ca2+ the amount of the strongly bound myosin heads slightly decreases. These changes in the balance of the strongly bound myosin heads in the ATPase cycle may underlie the occurrence of muscle weakness. W7, an inhibitor of troponin Ca2+-sensitivity, restores the increase in the number of myosin heads strongly bound to F-actin at high Ca2+ and stops their strong binding at relaxation, suggesting the possibility of using Ca2+-desensitizers to reduce the damaging effect of the E173A mutation on muscle fibre contractility.


Author(s):  
Xiaobao Chen ◽  
Chengliang Wang ◽  
Xuan Zhang ◽  
Tian Tian ◽  
Jianye Zang

CshA is a DEAD-box RNA helicase that belongs to the DExD/H-box family of proteins, which generally have an RNA-dependent ATPase activity. In Staphylococcus aureus, CshA was identified as a component of the RNA degradosome and plays important roles in RNA turnover. In this study, the crystal structures of the N-terminal RecA-like domain 1 of S. aureus CshA (SaCshAR1) and of its complex with AMP (SaCshAR1–AMP) are reported at resolutions of 1.5 and 1.8 Å, respectively. SaCshAR1 adopts a conserved α/β RecA-like structure with seven parallel strands surrounded by nine α-helices. The Q motif and motif I are responsible for the binding of the adenine group and phosphate group of AMP, respectively. Structure comparison of SaCshAR1–AMP and SaCshAR1 reveals that motif I undergoes a conformational change upon AMP binding. Isothermal titration calorimetry assays further conformed the essential roles of Phe22 in the Q motif and Lys52 in motif I for binding ATP, indicating a conserved substrate-binding mechanism in SaCshA compared with other DEAD-box RNA helicases.


Author(s):  
Alan Beckett

Low temperature scanning electron microscopy (LTSEM) has been evaluated with special reference to its application to the study of morphology and development in microorganisms. A number of criteria have been considered and have proved valuable in assessing the standard of results achieved. To further aid our understanding of these results, it has been necessary to compare those obtained by LTSEM with those from more conventional preparatory procedures such as 1) chemical fixation, dehydration and critical point-drying; 2) freeze-drying with or without chemical vapour fixation before hand.The criteria used for assessing LTSEM for the above purposes are as follows: 1)Specimen immobilization and stabilization2)General preservation of external morphology3)General preservation of internal morphology4)Exposure to solvents5)Overall dimensional changes6)Cell surface texture7)Differential conformational changes8)Etching frozen-hydrated material9)Beam damage10)Specimen resolution11)Specimen life


2019 ◽  
Vol 476 (21) ◽  
pp. 3227-3240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shanshan Wang ◽  
Yanxiang Zhao ◽  
Long Yi ◽  
Minghe Shen ◽  
Chao Wang ◽  
...  

Trehalose-6-phosphate (T6P) synthase (Tps1) catalyzes the formation of T6P from UDP-glucose (UDPG) (or GDPG, etc.) and glucose-6-phosphate (G6P), and structural basis of this process has not been well studied. MoTps1 (Magnaporthe oryzae Tps1) plays a critical role in carbon and nitrogen metabolism, but its structural information is unknown. Here we present the crystal structures of MoTps1 apo, binary (with UDPG) and ternary (with UDPG/G6P or UDP/T6P) complexes. MoTps1 consists of two modified Rossmann-fold domains and a catalytic center in-between. Unlike Escherichia coli OtsA (EcOtsA, the Tps1 of E. coli), MoTps1 exists as a mixture of monomer, dimer, and oligomer in solution. Inter-chain salt bridges, which are not fully conserved in EcOtsA, play primary roles in MoTps1 oligomerization. Binding of UDPG by MoTps1 C-terminal domain modifies the substrate pocket of MoTps1. In the MoTps1 ternary complex structure, UDP and T6P, the products of UDPG and G6P, are detected, and substantial conformational rearrangements of N-terminal domain, including structural reshuffling (β3–β4 loop to α0 helix) and movement of a ‘shift region' towards the catalytic centre, are observed. These conformational changes render MoTps1 to a ‘closed' state compared with its ‘open' state in apo or UDPG complex structures. By solving the EcOtsA apo structure, we confirmed that similar ligand binding induced conformational changes also exist in EcOtsA, although no structural reshuffling involved. Based on our research and previous studies, we present a model for the catalytic process of Tps1. Our research provides novel information on MoTps1, Tps1 family, and structure-based antifungal drug design.


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