scholarly journals PeSA: A Software Tool for Peptide Specificity Analysis

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emine Topcu ◽  
Kyle K. Biggar

ABSTRACTThe discovery of molecular interactions is crucial towards a better understanding of complex biological functions. Particularly protein-protein interactions (i.e., PPIs), which are responsible for a variety of cellular functions from epigenetic modifications to enzyme-substrate specificity, have been studied extensively over the past decades. Position-specific scoring matrices (PSSM) in particular are used extensively to help determine interaction specificity or candidate interaction motifs. However, not all studies successfully report their results as a candidate interaction motif. In many cases, this is the result of a lack of analysis tools for simple analysis and motif generation. Peptide Specificity Analyst (PeSA) is developed with the goal of filling this gap and providing an analysis software to aid peptide array analysis and subsequent motif generation. PeSA utilizes two models of motif creation: (1) frequency-based using a peptide list, and (2) weight-based using a quantified matrix. The ability to generate motifs effortlessly will make analyzing, interpreting and sharing peptide specificity study results in a simple and straightforward process.GRAPHICAL ABSTRACTHIGHLIGHTSBiological motifs are widely used representations for peptide specificity analysis.PeSA populates a list of peptides matching a set threshold from a quantified matrix.Frequency-based motif using a peptide list to spot residue patterns.Use of quantified matrices to create weight-based motifs using residue positions.

1996 ◽  
Vol 132 (3) ◽  
pp. 359-370 ◽  
Author(s):  
E F Smith ◽  
P A Lefebvre

Several studies have indicated that the central pair of microtubules and their associated structures play a significant role in regulating flagellar motility. To begin a molecular analysis of these components we have generated central apparatus-defective mutants in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii using insertional mutagenesis. One paralyzed mutant recovered in our screen, D2, is an allele of a previously identified mutant, pf16. Mutant cells have paralyzed flagella, and the C1 microtubule of the central apparatus is missing in isolated axonemes. We have cloned the wild-type PF16 gene and confirmed its identity by rescuing pf16 mutants upon transformation. The rescued pf16 cells were wild-type in motility and in axonemal ultrastructure. A full-length cDNA clone for PF16 was obtained and sequenced. Database searches using the predicted 566 amino acid sequence of PF16 indicate that the protein contains eight contiguous armadillo repeats. A number of proteins with diverse cellular functions also contain armadillo repeats including pendulin, Rch1, importin, SRP-1, and armadillo. An antibody was raised against a fusion protein expressed from the cloned cDNA. Immunofluorescence labeling of wild-type flagella indicates that the PF16 protein is localized along the length of the flagella while immunogold labeling further localizes the PF16 protein to a single microtubule of the central pair. Based on the localization results and the presence of the armadillo repeats in this protein, we suggest that the PF16 gene product is involved in protein-protein interactions important for C1 central microtubule stability and flagellar motility.


Cancers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 1579 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ainsley Mike Antao ◽  
Apoorvi Tyagi ◽  
Kye-Seong Kim ◽  
Suresh Ramakrishna

Since the discovery of the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS), the roles of ubiquitinating and deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) have been widely elucidated. The ubiquitination of proteins regulates many aspects of cellular functions such as protein degradation and localization, and also modifies protein-protein interactions. DUBs cleave the attached ubiquitin moieties from substrates and thereby reverse the process of ubiquitination. The dysregulation of these two paramount pathways has been implicated in numerous diseases, including cancer. Attempts are being made to identify inhibitors of ubiquitin E3 ligases and DUBs that potentially have clinical implications in cancer, making them an important target in the pharmaceutical industry. Therefore, studies in medicine are currently focused on the pharmacological disruption of DUB activity as a rationale to specifically target cancer-causing protein aberrations. Here, we briefly discuss the pathophysiological and physiological roles of DUBs in key cancer-related pathways. We also discuss the clinical applications of promising DUB inhibitors that may contribute to the development of DUBs as key therapeutic targets in the future.


2019 ◽  
Vol 167 (3) ◽  
pp. 225-231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takumi Koshiba ◽  
Hidetaka Kosako

Abstract Protein–protein interactions are essential biologic processes that occur at inter- and intracellular levels. To gain insight into the various complex cellular functions of these interactions, it is necessary to assess them under physiologic conditions. Recent advances in various proteomic technologies allow to investigate protein–protein interaction networks in living cells. The combination of proximity-dependent labelling and chemical cross-linking will greatly enhance our understanding of multi-protein complexes that are difficult to prepare, such as organelle-bound membrane proteins. In this review, we describe our current understanding of mass spectrometry-based proteomics mapping methods for elucidating organelle-bound membrane protein complexes in living cells, with a focus on protein–protein interactions in mitochondrial subcellular compartments.


eLife ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jutta Keicher ◽  
Nina Jaspert ◽  
Katrin Weckermann ◽  
Claudia Möller ◽  
Christian Throm ◽  
...  

Eukaryotic 14-3-3 proteins have been implicated in the regulation of diverse biological processes by phosphorylation-dependent protein-protein interactions. The Arabidopsis genome encodes two groups of 14-3-3s, one of which – epsilon – is thought to fulfill conserved cellular functions. Here, we assessed the in vivo role of the ancestral 14-3-3 epsilon group members. Their simultaneous and conditional repression by RNA interference and artificial microRNA in seedlings led to altered distribution patterns of the phytohormone auxin and associated auxin transport-related phenotypes, such as agravitropic growth. Moreover, 14-3-3 epsilon members were required for pronounced polar distribution of PIN-FORMED auxin efflux carriers within the plasma membrane. Defects in defined post-Golgi trafficking processes proved causal for this phenotype and might be due to lack of direct 14-3-3 interactions with factors crucial for membrane trafficking. Taken together, our data demonstrate a fundamental role for the ancient 14-3-3 epsilon group members in regulating PIN polarity and plant development.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shengya Cao ◽  
Nadia Martinez-Martin

Technological improvements in unbiased screening have accelerated drug target discovery. In particular, membrane-embedded and secreted proteins have gained attention because of their ability to orchestrate intercellular communication. Dysregulation of their extracellular protein–protein interactions (ePPIs) underlies the initiation and progression of many human diseases. Practically, ePPIs are also accessible for modulation by therapeutics since they operate outside of the plasma membrane. Therefore, it is unsurprising that while these proteins make up about 30% of human genes, they encompass the majority of drug targets approved by the FDA. Even so, most secreted and membrane proteins remain uncharacterized in terms of binding partners and cellular functions. To address this, a number of approaches have been developed to overcome challenges associated with membrane protein biology and ePPI discovery. This chapter will cover recent advances that use high-throughput methods to move towards the generation of a comprehensive network of ePPIs in humans for future targeted drug discovery.


2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaotong Yao ◽  
Shuvadeep Maity ◽  
Shashank Gandhi ◽  
Marcin Imielenski ◽  
Christine Vogel

AbstractPost-translational modifications by the Small Ubiquitin-like Modifier (SUMO) are essential for diverse cellular functions. Large-scale experiment and sequence-based predictions have identified thousands of SUMOylated proteins. However, the overlap between the datasets is small, suggesting many false positives with low functional relevance. Therefore, we integrated ~800 sequence features and protein characteristics such as cellular function and protein-protein interactions in a machine learning approach to score likely functional SUMOylation events (iSUMO). iSUMO is trained on a total of 24 large-scale datasets, and it predicts 2,291 and 706 SUMO targets in human and yeast, respectively. These estimates are five times higher than what existing sequence-based tools predict at the same 5% false positive rate. Protein-protein and protein-nucleic acid interactions are highly predictive of protein SUMOylation, supporting a role of the modification in protein complex formation. We note the marked prevalence of SUMOylation amongst RNA-binding proteins. We validate iSUMO predictions by experimental or other evidence. iSUMO therefore represents a comprehensive tool to identify high-confidence, functional SUMOylation events for human and yeast.


F1000Research ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 782 ◽  
Author(s):  
Virja Mehta ◽  
Laura Trinkle-Mulcahy

Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) underlie most, if not all, cellular functions. The comprehensive mapping of these complex networks of stable and transient associations thus remains a key goal, both for systems biology-based initiatives (where it can be combined with other ‘omics’ data to gain a better understanding of functional pathways and networks) and for focused biological studies. Despite the significant challenges of such an undertaking, major strides have been made over the past few years. They include improvements in the computation prediction of PPIs and the literature curation of low-throughput studies of specific protein complexes, but also an increase in the deposition of high-quality data from non-biased high-throughput experimental PPI mapping strategies into publicly available databases.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bryan M. Zhao ◽  
Megan Hogan ◽  
Michael S Lee ◽  
Beverly K. Dyas ◽  
Robert G. Ulrich

ABSTRACTThe VH1 protein encoded by the highly conserved H1 locus of orthopoxviruses is a dual-specificity phosphatase (DUSPs) that hydrolyzes phosphate groups from phosphorylated tyrosine, serine, and threonine residues of viral and host cell proteins. Because the DUSP activities are required for virus replication, VH1 is a prime target for the development of therapeutic inhibitors. However, the presentation of a shallow catalytic site has thwarted all drug development efforts. As an alternative to direct targeting of catalytic pockets, we describe surface contacts between VH1 and substrates that are essential for full activity and provide a new pathway for developing inhibitors of protein-protein interactions. Critical amino acid residues were manipulated by site-directed mutagenesis of VH1, and perturbation of peptide substrate interactions based on these mutations were assessed by high-throughput assays that employed surface plasmon resonance and phosphatase activities. Two positively-charged residues (Lys-20 and Lys-22) and the hydrophobic side chain of Met-60 appear to orient the polarity of the pTyr peptide on the VH1 surface, while additional amino acid residues that flank the catalytic site contribute to substrate recognition and productive dephosphorylation. We propose that the enzyme-substrate contact residues described here may serve as molecular targets for the development of inhibitors that specifically block VH1 catalytic activity and thus poxvirus replication.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 442 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Tanna ◽  
Louisa Goss ◽  
Calvin Ludwig ◽  
Pei-Wen Chen

Arf•GTPase-activating proteins (Arf•GAPs) control the activity of ADP-ribosylation factors (Arfs) by inducing GTP hydrolysis and participate in a diverse array of cellular functions both through mechanisms that are dependent on and independent of their Arf•GAP activity. A number of these functions hinge on the remodeling of actin filaments. Accordingly, some of the effects exerted by Arf•GAPs involve proteins known to engage in regulation of the actin dynamics and architecture, such as Rho family proteins and nonmuscle myosin 2. Circular dorsal ruffles (CDRs), podosomes, invadopodia, lamellipodia, stress fibers and focal adhesions are among the actin-based structures regulated by Arf•GAPs. Arf•GAPs are thus important actors in broad functions like adhesion and motility, as well as the specialized functions of bone resorption, neurite outgrowth, and pathogen internalization by immune cells. Arf•GAPs, with their multiple protein-protein interactions, membrane-binding domains and sites for post-translational modification, are good candidates for linking the changes in actin to the membrane. The findings discussed depict a family of proteins with a critical role in regulating actin dynamics to enable proper cell function.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beata M. Walter ◽  
Joanna Morcinek-Orłowska ◽  
Aneta Szulc ◽  
Andrew L. Lovering ◽  
Manuel Banzhaf ◽  
...  

AbstractProtein lysine acetylation regulates a wide range of cellular functions. It is controlled by a family of NAD-dependent protein deacetylases called sirtuins. In eukaryotes, sirtuins activity is coupled to spatiotemporally-controlled NAD+ level, whereas the mechanism of their regulation in bacteria is less clear. E. coli possesses a single sirtuin – CobB. However, it is unclear how CobB activity is coupled to NAD+ metabolism. In this work we show that this coordination is achieved in E. coli cells through a CobB interaction with PRPP synthase Prs, an enzyme necessary for NAD+ synthesis. Employing global analysis of protein-protein interactions formed by CobB, we demonstrate that it forms a stable complex with Prs. This assembly stimulates CobB deacetylase activity and partially protects it from inhibition by nicotinamide. We provide evidence that Prs acetylation is not necessary for CobB binding but affects the global acetylome in vivo. Our results show that CobB ameliorates Prs activity under conditions of Prs cofactors deficiency. Therefore, we propose that CobB-Prs crosstalk orchestrates the NAD+ metabolism and protein acetylation in response to environmental cues.


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