ABSTRACT
G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) activate heterotrimeric G proteins by stimulating guanine nucleotide exchange in the Gα subunit1. To visualize this mechanism, we developed a time-resolved cryo-EM approach that examines the progression of ensembles of pre-steady-state intermediates of a GPCR-G-protein complex. By monitoring the transitions of the stimulatory Gs protein in complex with the ß2-adrenergic receptor at short sequential time points after GTP addition, we identified the conformational trajectory underlying G-protein activation and functional dissociation from the receptor. Twenty structures generated from sequential overlapping particle subsets along this trajectory, compared to control structures, provide a high-resolution description of the order of main events driving G-protein activation in response to GTP binding. Structural changes propagate from the nucleotide-binding pocket and extend through the GTPase domain, enacting alterations to Gα switch regions and the α5 helix that weaken the G-protein-receptor interface. Molecular dynamics simulations with late structures in the cryo-EM trajectory support that enhanced ordering of GTP on closure of the α-helical domain against the nucleotide-bound Ras-homology domain correlates with α5 helix destabilization and eventual dissociation of the G protein from the GPCR. These findings also highlight the potential of time-resolved cryo-EM as a tool for mechanistic dissection of GPCR signalling events.
Subject(s)
Cryoelectron Microscopy , GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gs , Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2 , Humans , Binding Sites , GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gs/chemistry , GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gs/drug effects , GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gs/metabolism , GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gs/ultrastructure , Guanosine Triphosphate/metabolism , Guanosine Triphosphate/pharmacology , Models, Molecular , Molecular Dynamics Simulation , Protein Binding , Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2/metabolism , Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2/chemistry , Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2/ultrastructure , Time Factors , Enzyme Activation/drug effects , Protein Domains , Protein Structure, Secondary , Signal Transduction/drug effectsABSTRACT
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) activate heterotrimeric G proteins by stimulating the exchange of guanine nucleotide in the Gα subunit. To visualize this mechanism, we developed a time-resolved cryo-EM approach that examines the progression of ensembles of pre-steady-state intermediates of a GPCR-G protein complex. Using variability analysis to monitor the transitions of the stimulatory Gs protein in complex with the ß 2 -adrenergic receptor (ß 2 AR) at short sequential time points after GTP addition, we identified the conformational trajectory underlying G protein activation and functional dissociation from the receptor. Twenty transition structures generated from sequential overlapping particle subsets along this trajectory, compared to control structures, provide a high-resolution description of the order of events driving G protein activation upon GTP binding. Structural changes propagate from the nucleotide-binding pocket and extend through the GTPase domain, enacting alterations to Gα Switch regions and the α5 helix that weaken the G protein-receptor interface. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations with late structures in the cryo-EM trajectory support that enhanced ordering of GTP upon closure of the alpha-helical domain (AHD) against the nucleotide-bound Ras-homology domain (RHD) correlates with irreversible α5 helix destabilization and eventual dissociation of the G protein from the GPCR. These findings also highlight the potential of time-resolved cryo-EM as a tool for mechanistic dissection of GPCR signaling events.
ABSTRACT
Adhesion G protein-coupled receptors (aGPCRs)/family B2 GPCRs execute critical tasks during development and the operation of organs, and their genetic lesions are associated with human disorders, including cancers. Exceptional structural aGPCR features are the presence of a tethered agonist (TA) concealed within a GPCR autoproteolysis-inducing (GAIN) domain and their non-covalent heteromeric two-subunit layout. How the TA is poised for activation while maintaining this delicate receptor architecture is central to conflicting signaling paradigms that either involve or exclude aGPCR heterodimer separation. We investigated this matter in five mammalian aGPCR homologs (ADGRB3, ADGRE2, ADGRE5, ADGRG1, and ADGRL1) and demonstrate that intact aGPCR heterodimers exist at the cell surface, that the core TA region becomes unmasked in the cleaved GAIN domain, and that intra-GAIN domain movements regulate the level of tethered agonist exposure, thereby likely controlling aGPCR activity. Collectively, these findings delineate a unifying mechanism for TA-dependent signaling of intact aGPCRs.
Subject(s)
Antigens, CD/chemistry , Nerve Tissue Proteins/chemistry , Peptides/chemistry , Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled/chemistry , Receptors, Peptide/chemistry , Amino Acid Sequence , Animals , Antigens, CD/genetics , Antigens, CD/metabolism , Binding Sites , COS Cells , Chlorocebus aethiops , Crystallography, X-Ray , Gene Expression , HEK293 Cells , Humans , Molecular Dynamics Simulation , Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics , Nerve Tissue Proteins/metabolism , Peptides/genetics , Peptides/metabolism , Protein Binding , Protein Conformation, alpha-Helical , Protein Conformation, beta-Strand , Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs , Protein Multimerization , Proteolysis , Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled/genetics , Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled/metabolism , Receptors, Peptide/genetics , Receptors, Peptide/metabolism , Recombinant Proteins/chemistry , Recombinant Proteins/genetics , Recombinant Proteins/metabolism , Sequence Alignment , Sequence Homology, Amino Acid , Signal TransductionABSTRACT
The ß2-adrenergic receptor (ß2AR) is a prototypical G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) that preferentially couples to the stimulatory G protein Gs and stimulates cAMP formation. Functional studies have shown that the ß2AR also couples to inhibitory G protein Gi, activation of which inhibits cAMP formation [R. P. Xiao, Sci. STKE 2001, re15 (2001)]. A crystal structure of the ß2AR-Gs complex revealed the interaction interface of ß2AR-Gs and structural changes upon complex formation [S. G. Rasmussen et al., Nature 477, 549-555 (2011)], yet, the dynamic process of the ß2AR signaling through Gs and its preferential coupling to Gs over Gi is still not fully understood. Here, we utilize solution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and supporting molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to monitor the conformational changes in the G protein coupling interface of the ß2AR in response to the full agonist BI-167107 and Gs and Gi1 These results show that BI-167107 stabilizes conformational changes in four transmembrane segments (TM4, TM5, TM6, and TM7) prior to coupling to a G protein, and that the agonist-bound receptor conformation is different from the G protein coupled state. While most of the conformational changes observed in the ß2AR are qualitatively the same for Gs and Gi1, we detected distinct differences between the ß2AR-Gs and the ß2AR-Gi1 complex in intracellular loop 2 (ICL2). Interactions with ICL2 are essential for activation of Gs These differences between the ß2AR-Gs and ß2AR-Gi1 complexes in ICL2 may be key determinants for G protein coupling selectivity.
Subject(s)
GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gi-Go/metabolism , GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gs/metabolism , Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2/metabolism , Benzoxazines/pharmacology , Binding Sites/physiology , GTP-Binding Proteins/metabolism , Humans , Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy/methods , Molecular Dynamics Simulation , Signal Transduction/drug effects , Signal Transduction/physiologyABSTRACT
Apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (Ape1) is an important metal-dependent enzyme in the base excision repair mechanism, responsible for the backbone cleavage of abasic DNA through a phosphate hydrolysis reaction. Molecular dynamics simulations of Ape1 complexed to its substrate DNA performed for models containing 1 or 2 Mg2+ -ions as cofactor located at different positions show a complex with 1 metal ion bound on the leaving group site of the scissile phosphate to be the most likely reaction-competent conformation. Active-site residue His309 is found to be protonated based on pKa calculations and the higher conformational stability of the Ape1-DNA substrate complex compared to scenarios with neutral His309. Simulations of the D210N mutant further support the prevalence of protonated His309 and strongly suggest Asp210 as the general base for proton acceptance by a nucleophilic water molecule.
