scholarly journals Crystal structure of human PACRG in complex with MEIG1

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nimra Khan ◽  
Dylan Pelletier ◽  
Simon Veyron ◽  
Nathalie Croteau ◽  
Muneyoshi Ichikawa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Crystal Structure ◽  
Electron Tomography ◽  
3D Structure ◽  
Helical Structure ◽  
Adaptor Proteins ◽  
Bidirectional Promoter ◽  
Mitochondrial Quality Control ◽  
Cryo Electron Tomography ◽  
Junction Formation ◽  
Microtubule Doublet

AbstractIn human, the Parkin Co-Regulated Gene (PACRG) shares a bidirectional promoter with Parkin, a gene involved in Parkinson’s disease, mitochondrial quality control and inflammation. The PACRG protein is essential to the formation of the inner junction between doublet microtubules of the axoneme, a structure found in flagella and cilia. PACRG interacts with tubulin as well as the meiosis expressed gene 1 (MEIG1) protein, which is essential for spermiogenesis in mice. However, the 3D structure of human PACRG is unknown. Here, we report the crystal structure of the C-terminal domain of human PACRG in complex with MEIG1 at 2.1 Å resolution. PACRG adopts an α-helical structure with a loop insertion that mediates a conserved network of interactions with MEIG1. Using the cryo-electron tomography structure of the axonemal doublet microtubule from the flagellated protozoan Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, we generate a model of a mammalian microtubule doublet inner junction, which reveals how PACRG interacts with tubulin subunits in both the A- and B-tubules. Furthermore, the model shows that MEIG1 interacts with β-tubulin on the outer surface of the B-tubule, facing towards the central pair of the axoneme. We also model the PACRG-like protein (PACRGL), a homolog of PACRG with potential roles in microtubule remodelling and axonemal inner junction formation. Finally, we explore the evolution of the PACRG and Parkin head-to-head gene structure and analyze the tissue distribution of their transcripts. Our work establishes a framework to assess the function of the PACRG family of proteins and its adaptor proteins in the function of motile and non-motile cilia.

scholarly journals 3D structure determination of native mammalian cells using cryo-FIB and cryo-electron tomography

2012 ◽  
Vol 180 (2) ◽  
pp. 318-326 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ke Wang ◽  
Korrinn Strunk ◽  
Gongpu Zhao ◽  
Jennifer L. Gray ◽  
Peijun Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Structure Determination ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Electron Tomography ◽  
3D Structure ◽  
Cryo Electron Tomography ◽  
3D Structure Determination

scholarly journals In situ structure of virus capsids within cell nuclei by correlative light and cryo-electron tomography

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Swetha Vijayakrishnan ◽  
Marion McElwee ◽  
Colin Loney ◽  
Frazer Rixon ◽  
David Bhella
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Structure Determination ◽  
Electron Tomography ◽  
3D Structure ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Cell Nuclei ◽  
Nuclear Egress ◽  
Virus Capsids ◽  
Cryo Electron Tomography

Abstract Cryo electron microscopy (cryo-EM), a key method for structure determination involves imaging purified material embedded in vitreous ice. Images are then computationally processed to obtain three-dimensional structures approaching atomic resolution. There is increasing interest in extending structural studies by cryo-EM into the cell, where biological structures and processes may be imaged in context. The limited penetrating power of electrons prevents imaging of thick specimens (> 500 nm) however. Cryo-sectioning methods employed to overcome this are technically challenging, subject to artefacts or involve specialised and costly equipment. Here we describe the first structure of herpesvirus capsids determined by sub-tomogram averaging from nuclei of eukaryotic cells, achieved by cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) of re-vitrified cell sections prepared using the Tokuyasu method. Our reconstructions confirm that the capsid associated tegument complex is present on capsids prior to nuclear egress. We demonstrate that this method is suited to both 3D structure determination and correlative light/electron microscopy, thus expanding the scope of cryogenic cellular imaging.

scholarly journals 9Å structure of the COPI coat reveals that the Arf1 GTPase occupies two contrasting molecular environments

eLife ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Svetlana O Dodonova ◽  
Patrick Aderhold ◽  
Juergen Kopp ◽  
Iva Ganeva ◽  
Simone Röhling ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Tomography ◽  
Molecular Model ◽  
Adaptor Proteins ◽  
Small Gtpase ◽  
Coated Vesicle ◽  
Cryo Electron Tomography ◽  
Target Membrane ◽  
Clathrin Adaptor ◽  
Subtomogram Averaging

COPI coated vesicles mediate trafficking within the Golgi apparatus and between the Golgi and the endoplasmic reticulum. Assembly of a COPI coated vesicle is initiated by the small GTPase Arf1 that recruits the coatomer complex to the membrane, triggering polymerization and budding. The vesicle uncoats before fusion with a target membrane. Coat components are structurally conserved between COPI and clathrin/adaptor proteins. Using cryo-electron tomography and subtomogram averaging, we determined the structure of the COPI coat assembled on membranes in vitro at 9 Å resolution. We also obtained a 2.57 Å resolution crystal structure of βδ-COP. By combining these structures we built a molecular model of the coat. We additionally determined the coat structure in the presence of ArfGAP proteins that regulate coat dissociation. We found that Arf1 occupies contrasting molecular environments within the coat, leading us to hypothesize that some Arf1 molecules may regulate vesicle assembly while others regulate coat disassembly.

scholarly journals The molecular structure of primary cilia revealed by cryo-electron tomography

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petra Kiesel ◽  
Gonzalo Alvarez Viar ◽  
Nikolai Tsoy ◽  
Riccardo Maraspini ◽  
Alf Honigmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Structure ◽  
Primary Cilium ◽  
Actin Filaments ◽  
Primary Cilia ◽  
Electron Tomography ◽  
3D Structure ◽  
Molecular Composition ◽  
Structural Investigations ◽  
Cryo Electron Tomography ◽  
Motile Cilia

AbstractPrimary cilia are microtubule-based organelles involved in key signaling and sensing processes in eukaryotic cells. Unlike motile cilia, which have been thoroughly studied, the structure and the composition of primary cilia remain largely unexplored despite their fundamental role in development and homeostasis. They have for long been falsely regarded as simplified versions of motile cilia because they lack distinctive elements such as dynein arms, radial spokes, and central pair complex. However, revealing the detailed molecular composition and 3D structure of primary cilia is necessary in order to understand the mechanisms that govern their functions. Such structural investigations are so far being precluded by the challenging preparation of primary cilia for cryo-electron microscopy. Here, we developed an enabling method for investigating the structure of primary cilia at molecular resolution by cryo-electron tomography. We show that the well-known “9+0” arrangement of microtubule doublets is present only at the base of the primary cilium. A few microns away from the base the ciliary architecture changes into an unstructured bundle of EB1-decorated microtubule singlets and some actin filaments. Our results suggest the existence of a previously unobserved crosstalk between actin filaments and microtubules in the primary cilium. Our work provides unprecedented insights into the molecular structure of primary cilia and a general framework for uncovering their molecular composition and function in health and disease. This opens up new possibilities to study aspects of this important organelle that have so far been out of reach.

scholarly journals In situ structure determination of virus capsids imaged within cell nuclei by correlative light and cryo-electron tomography

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Swetha Vijayakrishnan ◽  
Marion McElwee ◽  
Colin Loney ◽  
Frazer Rixon ◽  
David Bhella
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Structure Determination ◽  
Electron Tomography ◽  
3D Structure ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Cell Nuclei ◽  
Nuclear Egress ◽  
Virus Capsids ◽  
Cryo Electron Tomography

AbstractCryo electron microscopy (cryo-EM), a key method for structure determination involves imaging purified material embedded in vitreous ice. Images are then computationally processed to obtain three-dimensional structures at atomic resolution. There is increasing interest in extending structural studies by cryo-EM into the cell, where biological structures and processes may be imaged in context. The limited penetrating power of electrons prevents imaging of thick specimens (>500 nm) however. Cryo-sectioning methods employed to overcome this are technically challenging, subject to artefacts or involve specialised equipment of limited availability. Here we describe the first structure of herpesvirus capsids determined by sub-tomogram averaging from nuclei of eukaryotic cells, achieved by cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) of re-vitrified cell sections prepared using the Tokuyasu method. Our reconstructions reveal that the capsid associated tegument complex is present on capsids prior to nuclear egress. We show that this approach to cryogenic imaging of cells is suited to both correlative light/electron microscopy and 3D structure determination.

scholarly journals Structural organization of the C1b projection within the ciliary central apparatus

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kai Cai ◽  
Yanhe Zhao ◽  
Lei Zhao ◽  
Nhan Phan ◽  
George Witman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Tomography ◽  
3D Structure ◽  
Protein Composition ◽  
Ciliary Motility ◽  
Cryo Electron Tomography ◽  
Radial Spokes ◽  
Candidate Protein ◽  
Central Apparatus ◽  
Subtomogram Averaging ◽  
Subunit Organization

'9+2' motile cilia contain 9 doublet microtubules and a central apparatus (CA) composed of two singlet microtubules with associated projections. The CA plays crucial roles in regulating ciliary motility. Defects in CA assembly or function usually result in motility-impaired or paralyzed cilia, which in humans causes disease. Despite their importance, the protein composition and functions of most CA projections remain largely unknown. Here, we combined genetic approaches and quantitative proteomics with cryo-electron tomography and subtomogram averaging to compare the CA of wild-type Chlamydomonas with those of two CA mutants. Our results show that two conserved proteins, FAP42 and FAP246, are localized to the L-shaped C1b projection of the CA. We also identified another novel CA candidate protein, FAP413, which interacts with both FAP42 and FAP246. FAP42 is a large protein that forms the peripheral 'beam' of the C1b projection, and the FAP246-FAP413 subcomplex serves as the 'bracket' between the beam (FAP42) and the C1b 'pillar' that attaches the projection to the C1 microtubule. The FAP246-FAP413-FAP42 complex is essential for stable assembly of both the C1b and C1f projections, and loss of any of these proteins leads to ciliary motility defects. Our results provide insight into the subunit organization and 3D structure of the C1b projection, suggesting that the FAP246-FAP413-FAP42 subcomplex is part of a large interconnected CA-network that provides mechanical support and may play a role in mechano-signaling between the CA and radial spokes to regulate dynein activity and ciliary beating.

scholarly journals Structural organization of the C1a-e-c supercomplex within the ciliary central apparatus

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gang Fu ◽  
Lei Zhao ◽  
Erin Dymek ◽  
Yuqing Hou ◽  
Kangkang Song ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Electron Tomography ◽  
3D Structure ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Protein Composition ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Ciliary Motility ◽  
Cryo Electron Tomography ◽  
Central Apparatus ◽  
Subunit Organization

AbstractNearly all motile cilia contain a central apparatus (CA) composed of two connected singlet-microtubules with attached projections that play crucial roles in regulating ciliary motility. Defects in CA assembly usually result in motility-impaired or paralyzed cilia, which in humans causes disease. Despite their importance, the protein composition and functions of the CA projections are largely unknown. Here, we integrated biochemical and genetic approaches with cryo-electron tomography to compare the CA of wild type Chlamydomonas with CA mutants. We identified a large (>2 MDa) complex, the C1a-e-c supercomplex, that requires the PF16 protein for assembly and contains the CA components FAP76, FAP81, FAP92, and FAP216. We localized these subunits within the supercomplex using nanogold-labeling and show that loss of any one of them results in impaired ciliary motility. These data provide insight into the subunit organization and three-dimensional (3D) structure of the CA, which is a prerequisite for understanding the molecular mechanisms by which the CA regulates ciliary beating.SummaryFu et al. use a wild-type vs. mutant comparison and cryo-electron tomography of Chlamydomonas flagella to identify central apparatus (CA) subunits and visualize their location in the native 3D CA structure. The study provides a better understanding of the CA and how it regulates ciliary motility.

scholarly journals The Morphology and Assembly of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Revealed by Cryo-Electron Tomography

Viruses ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 446 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zunlong Ke ◽  
Rebecca Dillard ◽  
Tatiana Chirkova ◽  
Fredrick Leon ◽  
Christopher Stobart ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Syncytial Virus ◽  
Electron Tomography ◽  
Rna Virus ◽  
3D Structure ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Cryo Electron Tomography ◽  
Infected Cells ◽  
Syncytial Virus ◽  
Tract Disease

Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of lower respiratory tract disease in young children. With repeat infections throughout life, it can also cause substantial disease in the elderly and in adults with compromised cardiac, pulmonary and immune systems. RSV is a pleomorphic enveloped RNA virus in the Pneumoviridae family. Recently, the three-dimensional (3D) structure of purified RSV particles has been elucidated, revealing three distinct morphological categories: spherical, asymmetric, and filamentous. However, the native 3D structure of RSV particles associated with or released from infected cells has yet to be investigated. In this study, we have established an optimized system for studying RSV structure by imaging RSV-infected cells on transmission electron microscopy (TEM) grids by cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET). Our results demonstrate that RSV is filamentous across several virus strains and cell lines by cryo-ET, cryo-immuno EM, and thin section TEM techniques. The viral filament length varies from 0.5 to 12 μm and the average filament diameter is approximately 130 nm. Taking advantage of the whole cell tomography technique, we have resolved various stages of RSV assembly. Collectively, our results can facilitate the understanding of viral morphogenesis in RSV and other pleomorphic enveloped viruses.

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