Cellulose synthase 'class specific regions' are intrinsically disordered and functionally undifferentiated.

Cellulose synthases (CESAs) are glycosyltransferases that catalyze formation of cellulose microfibrils in plant cell walls. Seed plant CESA isoforms cluster in six phylogenetic clades, whose non-interchangeable members play distinct roles within cellulose synthesis complexes (CSCs). A 'class specific region' (CSR), with higher sequence similarity within versus between functional CESA classes, has been suggested to contribute to specific activities or interactions of different isoforms. We investigated CESA isoform specificity in the moss, Physcomitrella patens (Hedw.) B. S. G. to gain evolutionary insights into CESA structure/function relationships. Like seed plants, P. patens has oligomeric rosette-type CSCs, but the PpCESAs diverged independently and form a separate CESA clade. We showed that P. patens has two functionally distinct CESAs classes, based on the ability to complement the gametophore-negative phenotype of a ppcesa5 knockout line. Thus, non-interchangeable CESA classes evolved separately in mosses and seed plants. However, testing of chimeric moss CESA genes for complementation demonstrated that functional class-specificity is not determined by the CSR. Sequence analysis and computational modeling showed that the CSR is intrinsically disordered and contains predicted molecular recognition features, consistent with a possible role in CESA oligomerization and explaining the evolution of class-specific sequences without selection for class-specific function.

Computational and genetic evidence that different structural conformations of a non-catalytic region affect the function of plant cellulose synthase.

The ß-1,4-glucan chains comprising cellulose are synthesized by cellulose synthases in the plasma membranes of diverse organisms including bacteria and plants. Understanding structure-function relationships in the plant enzymes involved in cellulose synthesis (CESAs) is important because cellulose is the most abundant component in the plant cell wall, a key renewable biomaterial. Here, we explored the structure and function of the region encompassing transmembrane helices (TMHs) 5 and 6 in CESA using computational and genetic tools. Ab initio computational structure prediction revealed novel bi-modal structural conformations of the region between TMH5 and 6 that may affect CESA function. Here we present our computational findings on this region in three CESAs of Arabidopsis thaliana (AtCESA1, 3, and 6), the Atcesa3(ixr1-2) mutant, and a novel missense mutation in AtCESA1. A newly engineered point mutation in AtCESA1 (Atcesa1(F954L) ) that altered the structural conformation in silico resulted in a protein that was not fully functional in the temperature-sensitive Atcesa1(rsw1-1) mutant at the restrictive temperature. The combination of computational and genetic results provides evidence that the ability of the TMH5-6 region to adopt specific structural conformations is important for CESA function.

The relationship between enhanced enzyme activity and structural dynamics in ionic liquids: a combined computational and experimental study.

Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB) is an efficient biocatalyst for hydrolysis, esterification, and polymerization reactions. In order to understand how to control enzyme activity and stability we performed a combined experimental and molecular dynamics simulation study of CALB in organic solvents and ionic liquids (ILs). Our results demonstrate that the conformational changes of the active site cavity are directly related to enzyme activity and decrease in the following order: [Bmim][TfO] > tert-butanol > [Bmim][Cl]. The entrance to the cavity is modulated by two isoleucines, ILE-189 and ILE-285, one of which is located on the α-10 helix. The α-10 helix can substantially change its conformation due to specific interactions with solvent molecules. This change is acutely evident in [Bmim][Cl] where interactions of LYS-290 with chlorine anions caused a conformational switch between α-helix and turn. Disruption of the α-10 helix structure results in a narrow cavity entrance and, thus, reduced the activity of CALB in [Bmim][Cl]. Finally, our results show that the electrostatic energy between solvents in this study and CALB is correlated with the structural changes leading to differences in enzyme activity.

Tertiary model of a plant cellulose synthase.

A 3D atomistic model of a plant cellulose synthase (CESA) has remained elusive despite over forty years of experimental effort. Here, we report a computationally predicted 3D structure of 506 amino acids of cotton CESA within the cytosolic region. Comparison of the predicted plant CESA structure with the solved structure of a bacterial cellulose-synthesizing protein validates the overall fold of the modeled glycosyltransferase (GT) domain. The coaligned plant and bacterial GT domains share a six-stranded ß-sheet, five α-helices, and conserved motifs similar to those required for catalysis in other GT-2 glycosyltransferases. Extending beyond the cross-kingdom similarities related to cellulose polymerization, the predicted structure of cotton CESA reveals that plant-specific modules (plant-conserved region and class-specific region) fold into distinct subdomains on the periphery of the catalytic region. Computational results support the importance of the plant-conserved region and/or class-specific region in CESA oligomerization to form the multimeric cellulose-synthesis complexes that are characteristic of plants. Relatively high sequence conservation between plant CESAs allowed mapping of known mutations and two previously undescribed mutations that perturb cellulose synthesis in Arabidopsis thaliana to their analogous positions in the modeled structure. Most of these mutation sites are near the predicted catalytic region, and the confluence of other mutation sites supports the existence of previously undefined functional nodes within the catalytic core of CESA. Overall, the predicted tertiary structure provides a platform for the biochemical engineering of plant CESAs.

Interactions of cations with RNA loop-loop complexes.

RNA loop-loop interactions are essential in many biological processes, including initiation of RNA folding into complex tertiary shapes, promotion of dimerization, and viral replication. In this article, we examine interactions of metal ions with five RNA loop-loop complexes of unique biological significance using explicit-solvent molecular-dynamics simulations. These simulations revealed the presence of solvent-accessible tunnels through the major groove of loop-loop interactions that attract and retain cations. Ion dynamics inside these loop-loop complexes were distinctly different from the dynamics of the counterion cloud surrounding RNA and depend on the number of basepairs between loops, purine sequence symmetry, and presence of unpaired nucleotides. The cationic uptake by kissing loops depends on the number of basepairs between loops. It is interesting that loop-loop complexes with similar functionality showed similarities in cation dynamics despite differences in sequence and loop size.

Dipolar coupling between nitroxide spin labels: the development and application of a tether-in-a-cone model.

A tether-in-a-cone model is developed for the simulation of electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of dipolar coupled nitroxide spin labels attached to tethers statically disordered within cones of variable halfwidth. In this model, the nitroxides adopt a range of interprobe distances and orientations. The aim is to develop tools for determining both the distance distribution and the relative orientation of the labels from experimental spectra. Simulations demonstrate the sensitivity of electron paramagnetic resonance spectra to the orientation of the cones as a function of cone halfwidth and other parameters. For small cone halfwidths (< approximately 40 degrees ), simulated spectra are strongly dependent on the relative orientation of the cones. For larger cone halfwidths, spectra become independent of cone orientation. Tether-in-a-cone model simulations are analyzed using a convolution approach based on Fourier transforms. Spectra obtained by the Fourier convolution method more closely fit the tether-in-a-cone simulations as the halfwidth of the cone increases. The Fourier convolution method gives a reasonable estimate of the correct average distance, though the distance distribution obtained can be significantly distorted. Finally, the tether-in-a-cone model is successfully used to analyze experimental spectra from T4 lysozyme. These results demonstrate the utility of the model and highlight directions for further development.

Structural rationalization of a large difference in RNA affinity despite a small difference in chemistry between two 2'-O-modified nucleic acid analogues.

Chemical modification of nucleic acids at the 2'-position of ribose has generated antisense oligonucleotides (AONs) with a range of desirable properties. Electron-withdrawing substituents such as 2'-O-[2-(methoxy)ethyl] (MOE) confer enhanced RNA affinity relative to that of DNA by conformationally preorganizing an AON for pairing with the RNA target and by improving backbone hydration. 2'-Substitution of the ribose has also been shown to increase nuclease resistance and cellular uptake via changes in lipophilicity. Interestingly, incorporation of either 2'-O-[2-(methylamino)-2-oxoethyl]- (NMA) or 2'-O-(N-methylcarbamate)-modified (NMC) residues into AONs has divergent effects on RNA affinity. Incorporation of 2'-O-NMA-T considerably improves RNA affinity while incorporation of 2'-O-NMC-T drastically reduces RNA affinity. Crystal structures at high resolution of A-form DNA duplexes containing either 2'-O-NMA-T or 2'-O-NMC-T shed light on the structural origins of the surprisingly large difference in stability given the relatively minor difference in chemistry between NMA and NMC. NMA substituents adopt an extended conformation and use either their carbonyl oxygen or amino nitrogen to trap water molecules between phosphate group and sugar. The conformational properties of NMA and the observed hydration patterns are reminiscent of those found in the structures of 2'-O-MOE-modified RNA. Conversely, the carbonyl oxygen of NMC and O2 of T are in close contact, providing evidence that an unfavorable electrostatic interaction and the absence of a stable water structure are the main reasons for the loss in thermodynamic stability as a result of incorporation of 2'-O-NMC-modified residues.