Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Solution Structure and Functional Behavior of the Human Proton Channel.

The human voltage-gated proton channel [Hv1(1) or VSDO(2)] plays an important role in the human innate immune system. Its structure differs considerably from those of other cation channels. It is built solely of a voltage-sensing domain and thus lacks the central pore domain, which is essential for other cation channels. Here, we determined the solution structure of an N- and C-terminally truncated human Hv1 (Δ-Hv1) in the resting state by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Δ-Hv1 comprises the typical voltage-sensing antiparallel four-helix bundle (S1-S4) preceded by an amphipathic helix (S0). The solution structure corresponds to an intermediate state between resting and activated forms of voltage-sensing domains. Furthermore, Zn2+-induced closing of proton channel Δ-Hv1 was studied with two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy, which showed that characteristic large scale dynamics of open Δ-Hv1 are absent in the closed state of the channel. Additionally, pH titration studies demonstrated that a higher H+ concentration is required for the protonation of side chains in the Zn2+-induced closed state than in the open state. These observations demonstrate both structural and dynamical changes involved in the process of voltage gating of the Hv1 channel and, in the future, may help to explain the unique properties of unidirectional conductance and the exceptional ion selectivity of the channel.

Nucleotide interactions of the human voltage-dependent anion channel.

The voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC) mediates and gates the flux of metabolites and ions across the outer mitochondrial membrane and is a key player in cellular metabolism and apoptosis. Here we characterized the binding of nucleotides to human VDAC1 (hVDAC1) on a single-residue level using NMR spectroscopy and site-directed mutagenesis. We find that hVDAC1 possesses one major binding region for ATP, UTP, and GTP that partially overlaps with a previously determined NADH binding site. This nucleotide binding region is formed by the N-terminal α-helix, the linker connecting the helix to the first ß-strand and adjacent barrel residues. hVDAC1 preferentially binds the charged forms of ATP, providing support for a mechanism of metabolite transport in which direct binding to the charged form exerts selectivity while at the same time permeation of the Mg(2+)-complexed ATP form is possible.

Facile backbone structure determination of human membrane proteins by NMR spectroscopy.

Although nearly half of today's major pharmaceutical drugs target human integral membrane proteins (hIMPs), only 30 hIMP structures are currently available in the Protein Data Bank, largely owing to inefficiencies in protein production. Here we describe a strategy for the rapid structure determination of hIMPs, using solution NMR spectroscopy with systematically labeled proteins produced via cell-free expression. We report new backbone structures of six hIMPs, solved in only 18 months from 15 initial targets. Application of our protocols to an additional 135 hIMPs with molecular weight <30 kDa yielded 38 hIMPs suitable for structural characterization by solution NMR spectroscopy without additional optimization.

Tetrakis(diisopropyl amide) substituted norbornadiene and quadricyclane are highly barium selective ligands.

Tetrakis(diisopropyl amide) substituted norbornadiene and quadricyclane derivatives were investigated for their extraction and transport capabilities with alkaline earth metal cations. Both amides exhibited a remarkably high preference of Ba(2+) over any other alkali metal or alkaline earth cation. The binding geometries were determined by quantum chemical DFT calculations.

A receptor-based switch that regulates anthrax toxin pore formation.

Cellular receptors can act as molecular switches, regulating the sensitivity of microbial proteins to conformational changes that promote cellular entry. The activities of these receptor-based switches are only partially understood. In this paper, we sought to understand the mechanism that underlies the activity of the ANTXR2 anthrax toxin receptor-based switch that binds to domains 2 and 4 of the protective antigen (PA) toxin subunit. Receptor-binding restricts structural changes within the heptameric PA prepore that are required for pore conversion to an acidic endosomal compartment. The transfer cross-saturation (TCS) NMR approach was used to monitor changes in the heptameric PA-receptor contacts at different steps during prepore-to-pore conversion. These studies demonstrated that receptor contact with PA domain 2 is weakened prior to pore conversion, defining a novel intermediate in this pathway. Importantly, ANTXR2 remained bound to PA domain 4 following pore conversion, suggesting that the bound receptor might influence the structure and/or function of the newly formed pore. These studies provide new insights into the function of a receptor-based molecular switch that controls anthrax toxin entry into cells.

Very simple combination of TROSY, CRINEPT and multiple quantum coherence for signal enhancement in an HN(CO)CA experiment for large proteins.

Sensitivity enhancement in liquid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) triple resonance experiments for the sequential assignment of proteins is important for the investigation of large proteins or protein complexes. We present here the 3D TROSY-MQ/CRINEPT-HN(CO)CA which makes use of a ¹5N-¹H-TROSY element and a ¹³C'-¹³CA CRINEPT step combined with a multiple quantum coherence during the ¹³CA evolution period. Because of the introduction of these relaxation-optimized elements and 10 less pulses required, when compared with the conventional TROSY-HN(CO)CA experiment an average signal enhancement of a factor of 1.8 was observed for the membrane protein-detergent complex KcsA with a rotational correlation time τ(c) of around 60 ns.

Structure of the human voltage-dependent anion channel.

The voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC), also known as mitochondrial porin, is the most abundant protein in the mitochondrial outer membrane (MOM). VDAC is the channel known to guide the metabolic flux across the MOM and plays a key role in mitochondrially induced apoptosis. Here, we present the 3D structure of human VDAC1, which was solved conjointly by NMR spectroscopy and x-ray crystallography. Human VDAC1 (hVDAC1) adopts a beta-barrel architecture composed of 19 beta-strands with an alpha-helix located horizontally midway within the pore. Bioinformatic analysis indicates that this channel architecture is common to all VDAC proteins and is adopted by the general import pore TOM40 of mammals, which is also located in the MOM.

Production of recombinant Conkunitzin-S1 in Escherichia coli.

Conkunitzin-S1 from the cone snail Conus striatus is the first member of a new neurotoxin family with a canonical Kunitz domain fold. Conk-S1 is 60 amino acids long and lacks one of the three conserved disulfide bonds typically found in Kunitz domain modules. It binds specifically to voltage activated potassium channels of the Shaker family. The peptide was expressed in insoluble form in fusion with an N-terminal intein. Refolding in the presence of glutathione followed by pH shift-induced cleavage of the fusion protein resulted in a functional toxin as demonstrated by voltage-clamp measurements.

Conkunitzin-S1 is the first member of a new Kunitz-type neurotoxin family. Structural and functional characterization.

Conkunitzin-S1 (Conk-S1) is a 60-residue neurotoxin from the venom of the cone snail Conus striatus that interacts with voltage-gated potassium channels. Conk-S1 shares sequence homology with Kunitz-type proteins but contains only two out of the three highly conserved cysteine bridges, which are typically found in these small, basic protein modules. In this study the three-dimensional structure of Conk-S1 has been solved by multidimensional NMR spectroscopy. The solution structure of recombinant Conk-S1 shows that a Kunitz fold is present, even though one of the highly conserved disulfide cross-links is missing. Introduction of a third, homologous disulfide bond into Conk-S1 results in a functional toxin with similar affinity for Shaker potassium channels. The affinity of Conk-S1 can be enhanced by a pore mutation within the Shaker channel pore indicating an interaction of Conk-S1 with the vestibule of potassium channels.

Solid-phase synthesis of thioether-linked glycopeptide mimics for application to glycoprotein semisynthesis.

[reaction: see text]. Glycoproteins are particularly suited to protein semisynthesis since homogeneous samples for biological analyses are not readily available using traditional recombinant techniques. Here we apply glycosyl iodoacetamides, normally used for the modification of bacterially derived proteins, to solid-phase glycopeptide synthesis. This provides access to glycopeptide alpha-thioesters, which may lend themselves to the semisynthesis of homogeneous N-linked glycoprotein mimics and novel glycopeptide libraries.