scholarly journals Effect of Conformational Diversity on the Bioactivity of µ-Conotoxin PIIIA Disulfide Isomers

Marine Drugs ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (7) ◽  
pp. 390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ajay Abisheck Paul George ◽  
Pascal Heimer ◽  
Enrico Leipold ◽  
Thomas Schmitz ◽  
Desiree Kaufmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Disulfide Bonds ◽  
Significant Loss ◽  
Conformational Ensemble ◽  
Dynamic Simulations ◽  
Solution Structures ◽  
Folded Structure ◽  
Blocking Activity ◽  
Electrophysiological Measurements ◽  
And Function ◽  
Nmr Solution Structures

Cyclic µ-conotoxin PIIIA, a potent blocker of skeletal muscle voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.4, is a 22mer peptide stabilized by three disulfide bonds. Combining electrophysiological measurements with molecular docking and dynamic simulations based on NMR solution structures, we investigated the 15 possible 3-disulfide-bonded isomers of µ-PIIIA to relate their blocking activity at NaV1.4 to their disulfide connectivity. In addition, three µ-PIIIA mutants derived from the native disulfide isomer, in which one of the disulfide bonds was omitted (C4-16, C5-C21, C11-C22), were generated using a targeted protecting group strategy and tested using the aforementioned methods. The 3-disulfide-bonded isomers had a range of different conformational stabilities, with highly unstructured, flexible conformations with low or no channel-blocking activity, while more constrained molecules preserved 30% to 50% of the native isomer’s activity. This emphasizes the importance and direct link between correct fold and function. The elimination of one disulfide bond resulted in a significant loss of blocking activity at NaV1.4, highlighting the importance of the 3-disulfide-bonded architecture for µ-PIIIA. µ-PIIIA bioactivity is governed by a subtle interplay between an optimally folded structure resulting from a specific disulfide connectivity and the electrostatic potential of the conformational ensemble.

Comparison of the NMR solution structures of cyclosporin A determined by different techniques

1991 ◽  
Vol 92 (3) ◽  
pp. 468-479 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth Pachter ◽  
Russ B Altman ◽  
Jerzy Czaplicki ◽  
Oleg Jardetzky
Keyword(s):  
Cyclosporin A ◽  
Solution Structures ◽  
Nmr Solution Structures

scholarly journals NMR Solution Structures of Bistranded Abasic Site Lesions in DNA†‡

Biochemistry ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 47 (46) ◽  
pp. 11909-11919 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raphael D. Hazel ◽  
Kegui Tian ◽  
Carlos de los Santos
Keyword(s):  
Abasic Site ◽  
Solution Structures ◽  
Nmr Solution Structures

scholarly journals Structure and antimicrobial activity of NCR169, a nodule-specific cysteine-rich peptide of Medicago truncatula

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Noriyoshi Isozumi ◽  
Yuya Masubuchi ◽  
Tomohiro Imamura ◽  
Masashi Mori ◽  
Hironori Koga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Activity ◽  
Medicago Truncatula ◽  
Mechanism Of Action ◽  
Disulfide Bonds ◽  
Sinorhizobium Meliloti ◽  
Bound State ◽  
Disulfide Linkage ◽  
Model Legume ◽  
Nmr Structures ◽  
And Function

AbstractA model legume, Medicago truncatula, has over 600 nodule-specific cysteine-rich (NCR) peptides required for symbiosis with rhizobia. Among them, NCR169, an essential factor for establishing symbiosis, has four cysteine residues that are indispensable for its function. However, knowledge of NCR169 structure and mechanism of action is still lacking. In this study, we solved two NMR structures of NCR169 caused by different disulfide linkage patterns. We show that both structures have a consensus C-terminal β-sheet attached to an extended N-terminal region with dissimilar features; one moves widely, whereas the other is relatively stapled. We further revealed that the disulfide bonds of NCR169 contribute to its structural stability and solubility. Regarding the function, one of the NCR169 oxidized forms could bind to negatively charged bacterial phospholipids. Furthermore, the positively charged lysine-rich region of NCR169 may be responsible for its antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Sinorhizobium meliloti. This active region was disordered even in the phospholipid bound state, suggesting that the disordered conformation of this region is key to its function. Morphological observations suggested the mechanism of action of NCR169 on bacteria. The present study on NCR169 provides new insights into the structure and function of NCR peptides.

Designing Out Disulfide Bonds of Leech Carboxypeptidase Inhibitor: Implications for Its Folding, Stability and Function

2009 ◽  
Vol 392 (2) ◽  
pp. 529-546 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joan L. Arolas ◽  
Virginia Castillo ◽  
Sílvia Bronsoms ◽  
Francesc X. Aviles ◽  
Salvador Ventura
Keyword(s):  
Disulfide Bonds ◽  
Carboxypeptidase Inhibitor ◽  
And Function

scholarly journals Optimised production of disulfide-bonded fungal effectors in E. coli using CyDisCo and FunCyDisCo co-expression approaches

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Yu ◽  
Megan A Outram ◽  
Emma Creen ◽  
Ashley Smith ◽  
Yi-Chang Sung ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Disulfide Bond ◽  
Disulfide Bonds ◽  
Fungal Pathogens ◽  
Sequence Similarity ◽  
Expression System ◽  
Pathogenic Fungi ◽  
Efficient Production ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Functional Studies ◽  
Folded Structure

Effectors are a key part of the arsenal of plant pathogenic fungi and promote pathogen virulence and disease. Effectors typically lack sequence similarity to proteins with known functional domains and motifs, limiting our ability to predict their functions and understand how they are recognised by plant hosts. As a result, cross-disciplinary approaches involving structural biology and protein biochemistry are often required to decipher and better characterise effector function. These approaches are reliant on high yields of relatively pure protein, which often requires protein production using a heterologous expression system. For some effectors, establishing an efficient production system can be difficult, particularly those that require multiple disulfide bonds to achieve their naturally folded structure. Here, we describe the use of a co-expression system within the heterologous host E. coli termed CyDisCo (cytoplasmic disulfide bond formation in E. coli) to produce disulfide bonded fungal effectors. We demonstrate that CyDisCo and a naturalised co-expression approach termed FunCyDisCo (Fungi-CyDisCo) can significantly improve the production yields of numerous disulfide bonded effectors from diverse fungal pathogens. The ability to produce large quantities of functional recombinant protein has facilitated functional studies and crystallisation of several of these reported fungal effectors. We suggest this approach could be broadly useful in the investigation of the function and recognition of a broad range of disulfide-bond containing effectors.

scholarly journals Role of Age-Related Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Sarcopenia

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (15) ◽  
pp. 5236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evelyn Ferri ◽  
Emanuele Marzetti ◽  
Riccardo Calvani ◽  
Anna Picca ◽  
Matteo Cesari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Skeletal Muscle ◽  
Cellular Senescence ◽  
Significant Loss ◽  
Muscle Aging ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Mitochondrial Functions ◽  
Health Quality ◽  
Skeletal Muscle Aging ◽  
And Function

Skeletal muscle aging is associated with a significant loss of skeletal muscle strength and power (i.e., dynapenia), muscle mass and quality of life, a phenomenon known as sarcopenia. This condition affects nearly one-third of the older population and is one of the main factors leading to negative health outcomes in geriatric patients. Notwithstanding the exact mechanisms responsible for sarcopenia are not fully understood, mitochondria have emerged as one of the central regulators of sarcopenia. In fact, there is a wide consensus on the assumption that the loss of mitochondrial integrity in myocytes is the main factor leading to muscle degeneration. Mitochondria are also key players in senescence. It has been largely proven that the modulation of mitochondrial functions can induce the death of senescent cells and that removal of senescent cells improves musculoskeletal health, quality, and function. In this review, the crosstalk among mitochondria, cellular senescence, and sarcopenia will be discussed with the aim to elucidate the role that the musculoskeletal cellular senescence may play in the onset of sarcopenia through the mediation of mitochondria.

NMR solution structures of two mutants of desulforedoxin

2003 ◽  
Vol 93 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 100-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
B.J. Goodfellow ◽  
F. Rusnak ◽  
I. Moura ◽  
C.S Ascenso ◽  
J.J.G. Moura
Keyword(s):  
Solution Structures ◽  
Nmr Solution Structures

scholarly journals Coarse-grained dynamic RNA titration simulations

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 20180066 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Pasquali ◽  
E. Frezza ◽  
F. L. Barroso da Silva
Keyword(s):  
Electrostatic Interactions ◽  
Molecular Organization ◽  
Coarse Grained ◽  
Solution Ph ◽  
Dynamic Simulations ◽  
Rna Molecules ◽  
Coarse Grained Model ◽  
Constant Ph ◽  
Conformational Plasticity ◽  
And Function

Electrostatic interactions play a pivotal role in many biomolecular processes. The molecular organization and function in biological systems are largely determined by these interactions. Owing to the highly negative charge of RNA, the effect is expected to be more pronounced in this system. Moreover, RNA base pairing is dependent on the charge of the base, giving rise to alternative secondary and tertiary structures. The equilibrium between uncharged and charged bases is regulated by the solution pH, which is therefore a key environmental condition influencing the molecule’s structure and behaviour. By means of constant-pH Monte Carlo simulations based on a fast proton titration scheme, coupled with the coarse-grained model HiRE-RNA, molecular dynamic simulations of RNA molecules at constant pH enable us to explore the RNA conformational plasticity at different pH values as well as to compute electrostatic properties as local p K a values for each nucleotide.

scholarly journals Effects of the SOS (A501C/T605C) and DS (I201C/A433C) Disulfide Bonds on HIV-1 Membrane Envelope Glycoprotein Conformation and Function

2019 ◽  
Vol 93 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanh T. Nguyen ◽  
Nirmin Alsahafi ◽  
Andrés Finzi ◽  
Joseph G. Sodroski
Keyword(s):  
Envelope Glycoprotein ◽  
Disulfide Bonds ◽  
Virus Entry ◽  
Envelope Proteins ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Membrane Envelope ◽  
And Function ◽  
State 1 ◽  
Hiv 1

ABSTRACTMost broadly neutralizing antibodies and many entry inhibitors target the pretriggered (state 1) conformation of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) envelope glycoprotein (Env). Here we examine two previously reported Env mutants designed to be stabilized in this conformation by the introduction of artificial disulfide bonds: A501C/T605C (called SOS) and I201C/A433C (called DS). SOS Env supported virus entry and cell-cell fusion only after exposure to a reducing agent, dithiothreitol (DTT). Deletion of the Env cytoplasmic tail improved the efficiency with which the SOS Env supported virus infection in a reducing environment. The antigenicity of the SOS Env was similar to that of the unmodified Env, except for greater sensitivity to some state 1-preferring ligands. In contrast, viruses with the DS Env were not infectious, even after DTT treatment. The proteolytic maturation of the DS Env on both cell surfaces and virions was severely compromised compared with that of the unmodified Env. The DS Env exhibited detectable cell-fusing activity when DTT was present. However, the profiles of cell-surface Env recognition and cell-cell fusion inhibition by antibodies differed for the DS Env and the unmodified Env. Thus, the DS Env appears to be stabilized in an off-pathway conformation that is nonfunctional on the virus. The SOS change exerted more subtle, context-dependent effects on Env conformation and function.IMPORTANCEThe human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) envelope proteins (Envs) bind receptors on the host cell and change shape to allow the virus to enter the cell. Most virus-inhibiting antibodies and drugs recognize a particular shape of Env called state 1. Disulfide bonds formed by cysteine residues have been introduced into soluble forms of the flexible envelope proteins in an attempt to lock them into state 1 for use in vaccines and as research tools. We evaluated the effect of these cysteine substitutions on the ability of the membrane Env to support virus entry and on susceptibility to inhibition by antibodies and small molecules. We found that the conformation of the envelope proteins with the cysteine substitutions differed from that of the unmodified membrane envelope proteins. Awareness of these effects can assist efforts to create stable HIV-1 Env complexes that more closely resemble the state 1 conformation.

scholarly journals THE EFFECT OF DEPRIVATION OF GLUCOSE ON THE ULTRASTRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF THE SUPERIOR CERVICAL GANGLION OF THE RAT IN VITRO

1966 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 267-285 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Nicolescu ◽  
M. Dolivo ◽  
C. Rouiller ◽  
C. Foroglou-Kerameus
Keyword(s):  
Synaptic Transmission ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Glucose Deprivation ◽  
Axonal Conduction ◽  
Electrophysiological Measurements ◽  
Cervical Ganglion ◽  
Cervical Sympathetic ◽  
Ultrastructure And Function ◽  
And Function

The superior cervical sympathetic ganglion of the rat kept in vitro in a bicarbonate-buffered Krebs' solution retains its capacity for synaptic transmission and axonal conduction during more than 36 hr. After glucose withdrawal, synaptic transmission is lost in 2½ hr and this loss is irreversible; on the other hand, axonal conduction can still be measured on the postganglionic nerve for more than 24 hr after glucose deprivation. Electrophysiological measurements as well as electron microscope studies revealed specific changes at the level of the presynaptic terminal processes, while the ganglion cells and the satellite cells remained relatively unaltered. The presynaptic lesion due to lack of glucose can be prevented by keeping the preparation in vitro at 6°C. This strongly suggests that this lesion results from a major disturbance of the metabolism of the presynaptic fibers.

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