化学修饰对川泽泻凝集素生物学活性和构象的影响

用特异性化学修饰和荧光光谱的方法分析川泽泻凝集素(APL)活性位点氨基酸的分布情况.研究结果发现,色氨酸的化学修饰使活性降低80%,统计出每分子APL含有2个色氨酸残基,一个色氨酸位于凝集活性中心,另一个位于分子表面的疏水袋中,与凝集活性无关.精氨酸的化学修饰使活性降低50%,半胱氨酸的化学修饰使活性完全丧失.天冬氨酸、谷氨酸、酪氨酸、丝氨酸/苏氨酸等化学修饰后凝集活性无明显变化.表明色氨酸、精氨酸和半胱氨酸对凝集素的凝集活性中心的构成起重要作用,天冬氨酸、谷氨酸、酪氨酸、丝氨酸/苏氨酸等氨基酸位于凝集素的凝集活性中心附近,只是在维持凝集素分子的构象上具有一定的作用.     

自分泌运动因子(ATX)抑制剂结合位点的预测及其与rPAI-1的分子对接

利用复合物指纹的虚拟筛选预测自分泌运动因子(ATX)抑制剂的结合位点,并通过与24个抑制剂(10个脂质和脂基抑制剂,14个小分子抑制剂)分子对接和动力学模拟表明,Thr209,Asp172,Tyr306,Phe210,Leu243,Leu213和Phe274是抑制剂结合位点的重要残基,且这些残基均通过侧链与抑制剂作用.利用3D-partner预测出与ATX结合的蛋白为纤溶酶原激活物抑制剂1(rPAI-1),并通过同源模拟,得到rPAI-1的分子结构.利用软件GRAMM将ATX与rPAI-1分子结构相结合,并通过分子动力学模拟确定与大分子抑制剂rPAI-1作用的ATX重要残基Glu155和Ala158.     

Probing the calcium-induced conformational transition of troponin C with site-directed mutants

The contraction of skeletal muscle is regulated by calcium binding to troponin C (TnC). TnC consists of two spatially independent domains, each of which contains two metal ion binding sites. Calcium binding to the regulatory sites of the N-terminal domain triggers muscle contraction by a series of conformational changes. Site-directed mutagenesis offers a means of elucidating the links in this signal path between TnC and actin-myosin crossbridges. Such mapping is possible if the mutants shift the equilibrium between 'on' and 'off' states of the regulatory complex while maintaining the coupling between calcium binding and tension development. Candidate amino-acid residues for yielding this information would be in positions remote from the calcium-binding sites and from the site of development of tension. Analysis of the crystal structure of TnC and of the model of the calcium-activated molecule has enabled us to identify two such residues: Glu 57 and Glu 88. In separate experiments we have replaced each of these residues by lysines. The resulting reduction in calcium affinity indicates that these residues have a long-range effect on calcium binding. This result may reflect the formation of a salt bridge between positions 57 and 88 that is not present in the native molecule. Moreover, the level of tension recovery when the mutants are incorporated into muscle suggests that the interaction between TnC and other muscle components has also been altered. Thus, these residues may participate in the contraction signal transmission.     

Location of high affinity Ca2+-binding sites within the predicted transmembrane domain of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase

Cation pumps bind and translocate ions with the intermediate formation of a phosphoenzyme. In spite of extensive knowledge of the primary and even secondary structures of several of these cation transport enzymes, however, no high affinity cation binding sites have yet been determined. Here we report the use of oligonucleotide-directed, site-specific mutagenesis to identify the amino acids involved in Ca2+ binding in one of these transport enzymes, the Ca2+-ATPase of sarcoplasmic reticulum. Alteration of Glu 309, Glu 771, Asn 796, Thr 799, Asp 800 or Glu 908, each of which is predicted to lie near the centre of the transmembrane domain in putative transmembrane sequences M4, M5, M6 and M8 resulted in complete loss of Ca2+ transport function and of Ca2+-dependent phosphorylation of the enzyme by ATP. Phosphorylation of each of the mutant enzymes with inorganic phosphate was observed, however, even in the presence of Ca2+, which inhibits phosphorylation in the wild-type enzyme possessing an intact high affinity Ca2+-binding site. These results suggest that at least six polar, oxygen-containing residues lying near the centre of the transmembrane domain provide ligands for one or both of the two high affinity Ca2+ binding sites in the Ca2+-ATPase.     

Is sequence conservation in interferons due to selection for functional proteins?

The human alpha-interferon (IFN-alpha) gene family consists of at least 14 potentially functional non-allelic members; the amino acid sequences they encode differ from each other by up to approximately 20% of their residues. Human IFN-beta, which is encoded by a single gene, is distantly related to the IFN-alpha family; it differs in 67% of its residues from IFN-alpha 2. There is considerable evidence that IFN-alpha and -beta compete for the same receptors on their target cells. Comparison of 14 non-allelic human IFN-alpha sequences and the IFN-beta sequence has revealed that 37 of 166 residues are completely conserved and that several of these are arranged in clusters, for example at positions 29-33, 47-50 and 136-150. It is commonly held that evolutionary conservation of amino acids indicates that the residues in question are essential for function. To test this hypothesis in the case of IFNs, we have introduced single site-directed point mutations into the strictly conserved codons 48 and 49 of the IFN-alpha 2 gene which form part of the longest uninterrupted cluster (position 47-50). We report here that the mutant proteins, containing Tyr, Ser and Cys instead of Phe48, or His instead of Gln49, have biological activities indistinguishable from those of wild-type IFN-alpha. In addition, when Glu62, a residue conserved in all known alpha and beta IFNs of man, mouse and cattle, was replaced by Lys, antiviral activity remained unchanged.     

Evolutionary origin of a calcium-dependent protease by fusion of genes for a thiol protease and a calcium-binding protein?

Calcium-dependent protease (calcium protease) is apparently involved in a variety of cellular processes. Here we have attempted to clarify the role and regulatory mechanism of calcium protease by analysing its structure. The complete primary structure of calcium protease (relative molecular mass (Mr) 80,000 (80K), 705 amino acids) was deduced from the nucleotide sequence of cloned complementary DNA. The protein contains four distinct domains, and we have observed a marked similarity between the second and fourth domains and the papain-like thiol proteases and calmodulin-like calcium-binding proteins, respectively. This finding suggests that calcium protease arose from the fusion of genes for proteins of completely different function and evolutionary origin. Further, it provides functional insight into cellular regulatory mechanisms mediated by Ca2+ through calcium-binding proteins.     

虚拟筛选竞争性抑制NDRG3与L-Lactate结合的小分子研究

竞争性抑制NDRG3(N-myc downstream regulated gene 3)蛋白与L-Lactate结合可有效阻遏NDRG3介导的低氧反应. 文中通过同源模建技术构建NDRG3蛋白的三维结构,并将L-Lactate对接到NDRG3蛋白的潜在活性位点中,发现L-Lactate主要通过与Asn133、Ala162、His163、His164、Ser235、Pro236及Ala237等氨基酸相互作用结合于NDRG3. 对近3 000个化合物进行虚拟筛选,选择4种竞争性抑制最强的化合物作为参考分子分析相互作用关系,结果发现:部分化合物和不同氨基酸能够通过不同的作用力与NDRG3蛋白结合,占据NDRG3蛋白的活性位点,从而竞争性抑制L-Lactate与NDRG3蛋白结合. 例如,它们能够与Lys139、Asp143、His163、Arg203产生静电作用;它们与His163形成-堆积作用;它们与Phe165、Ala237等产生疏水作用;它们与Asn133、Asp135、Gly140、Arg203、Ser235、Ala237等形成氢键作用. 以上数据表明:这些化合物可能成为阻遏NDRG3介导的低氧反应及靶向治疗低氧诱导疾病的候选药物.     

A novel calcium binding site in the galactose-binding protein of bacterial transport and chemotaxis

The refined 1.9-A resolution structure of the periplasmic D-galactose-binding protein (GBP) reveals a calcium ion surrounded by seven ligands, all protein oxygen atoms. A nine-residue loop (amino-acid positions 134-142), which is preceded by a beta-turn and followed by a beta-strand, provides five ligands from every second residue. The last two ligands are supplied by the carboxylate group of Glu 205. The entire GBP Ca2+-binding site adopts a conformation very similar to the site in the 'helix-loop-helix' or 'EF-hand' unit commonly found in intracellular calcium-binding proteins, but without the two helices. Structural analyses have also uncovered the sugar-binding site some 30 A from the calcium and a site for interacting with the membrane-bound trg chemotactic signal transducer approximately 45 A from the calcium. Our results show that a common tight calcium binding site of ancient origin can be tethered to different secondary structures. They also provide the first demonstration of a metal-binding site in a protein which is involved in bacterial active transport and chemotaxis.     

Three-dimensional structure of calmodulin

The three-dimensional structure of calmodulin has been determined crystallographically at 3.0 A resolution. The molecule consists of two globular lobes connected by a long exposed alpha-helix. Each lobe binds two calcium ions through helix-loop-helix domains similar to those of other calcium-binding proteins. The long helix between the lobes may be involved in interactions of calmodulin with drugs and various proteins.     

Structural basis for EGFR ligand sequestration by Argos

Members of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) or ErbB/HER family and their activating ligands are essential regulators of diverse developmental processes. Inappropriate activation of these receptors is a key feature of many human cancers, and its reversal is an important clinical goal. A natural secreted antagonist of EGFR signalling, called Argos, was identified in Drosophila. We showed previously that Argos functions by directly binding (and sequestering) growth factor ligands that activate EGFR. Here we describe the 1.6-A resolution crystal structure of Argos bound to an EGFR ligand. Contrary to expectations, Argos contains no EGF-like domain. Instead, a trio of closely related domains (resembling a three-finger toxin fold) form a clamp-like structure around the bound EGF ligand. Although structurally unrelated to the receptor, Argos mimics EGFR by using a bipartite binding surface to entrap EGF. The individual Argos domains share unexpected structural similarities with the extracellular ligand-binding regions of transforming growth factor-beta family receptors. The three-domain clamp of Argos also resembles the urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) receptor, which uses a similar mechanism to engulf the EGF-like module of uPA. Our results indicate that undiscovered mammalian counterparts of Argos may exist among other poorly characterized structural homologues. In addition, the structures presented here define requirements for the design of artificial EGF-sequestering proteins that would be valuable anti-cancer therapeutics.     

Structural basis for acidic-cluster-dileucine sorting-signal recognition by VHS domains

Specific sorting signals direct transmembrane proteins to the compartments of the endosomal-lysosomal system. Acidic-cluster-dileucine signals present within the cytoplasmic tails of sorting receptors, such as the cation-independent and cation-dependent mannose-6-phosphate receptors, are recognized by the GGA (Golgi-localized, gamma-ear-containing, ADP-ribosylation-factor-binding) proteins. The VHS (Vps27p, Hrs and STAM) domains of the GGA proteins are responsible for the highly specific recognition of these acidic-cluster-dileucine signals. Here we report the structures of the VHS domain of human GGA3 complexed with signals from both mannose-6-phosphate receptors. The signals bind in an extended conformation to helices 6 and 8 of the VHS domain. The structures highlight an Asp residue separated by two residues from a dileucine sequence as critical recognition elements. The side chains of the Asp-X-X-Leu-Leu sequence interact with subsites consisting of one electropositive and two shallow hydrophobic pockets, respectively. The rigid spatial alignment of the three binding subsites leads to high specificity.     

Coupling of agonist binding to channel gating in the GABA(A) receptor

Neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine and GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) mediate rapid synaptic transmission by activating receptors belonging to the gene superfamily of ligand-gated ion channels (LGICs). These channels are pentameric proteins that function as signal transducers, converting chemical messages into electrical signals. Neurotransmitters activate LGICs by interacting with a ligand-binding site, triggering a conformational change in the protein that results in the opening of an ion channel. This process, which is known as 'gating', occurs rapidly and reversibly, but the molecular rearrangements involved are not well understood. Here we show that optimal gating in the GABA(A) receptor, a member of the LGIC superfamily, is dependent on electrostatic interactions between the negatively charged Asp 57 and Asp 149 residues in extracellular loops 2 and 7, and the positively charged Lys 279 residue in the transmembrane 2-3 linker region of the alpha1-subunit. During gating, Asp 149 and Lys 279 seem to move closer to one another, providing a potential mechanism for the coupling of ligand binding to opening of the ion channel.     

A bacterial calcium-binding protein homologous to calmodulin

Many of the effects of calcium ions in eukaryotic cells are mediated by calcium-binding regulatory proteins such as calmodulin, in which each calcium-binding site has a distinctive helix-loop-helix conformation termed the EF hand. Protein S from the spore coat of the Gram-negative bacterium Myxococcus xanthus has been shown to resemble calmodulin in its internally-duplicated structure and ability to bind calcium. However, it has a beta-sheet secondary structure rather than the helix-loop-helix arrangement of the eukaryotic proteins. We have determined the complete amino-acid sequence of a calcium-binding protein from the Gram-positive bacterium "Streptomyces erythraeus" by cloning and sequencing the corresponding gene. It contains four EF-hand motifs bearing remarkable sequence similarity to the calcium-binding sites in calmodulin. This implies that the EF-hand super-family may have evolved from ancient proteins present in prokaryotes.     

Clathrin self-assembly is mediated by a tandemly repeated superhelix.

Clathrin is a triskelion-shaped cytoplasmic protein that polymerizes into a polyhedral lattice on intracellular membranes to form protein-coated membrane vesicles. Lattice formation induces the sorting of membrane proteins during endocytosis and organelle biogenesis by interacting with membrane-associated adaptor molecules. The clathrin triskelion is a trimer of heavy-chain subunits (1,675 residues), each binding a single light-chain subunit, in the hub domain (residues 1,074-1,675). Light chains negatively modulate polymerization so that intracellular clathrin assembly is adaptor-dependent. Here we report the atomic structure, to 2.6 A resolution, of hub residues 1,210-1,516 involved in mediating spontaneous clathrin heavy-chain polymerization and light-chain association. The hub fragment folds into an elongated coil of alpha-helices, and alignment analyses reveal a 145-residue motif that is repeated seven times along the filamentous leg and appears in other proteins involved in vacuolar protein sorting. The resulting model provides a three-dimensional framework for understanding clathrin heavy-chain self-assembly, light-chain binding and trimerization.     

Prediction of a common neutralizing epitope of H5N1 avian influenza virus by in silico molecular docking

The H5N1 avian influenza virus (AIV) has widely spread in Asia, Europe and Africa, making a large amount of economic loss. Recently, our research group has screened a common neutralizing mono- clonal antibody named 8H5, which can neutralize almost all H5 subtype AIV ever isolated so far. Obvi- ously, this monoclonal antibody would benefit for research and development of the universal AIV vac- cine and design of the drug against H5N1 AIV in high mutation rate. In this study, the homology mod- eling was applied to generate the 3D structure of 8H5 Fab fragment, and "canonical structure" method was used to define the specified loop conformation of CDR regions. The model was subjected to en- ergy minimization in cvff force field with Discovery module in Insight II program. The resulting model has correct stereochemistry as gauged from the Ramachandran plot calculation and good 3D-structure compatibility as assessed by interaction energy analysis, solvent accessible surface (SAS) analysis, and Profiles-3D approach. Furthermore, the 8H5 Fab model was subjected to docking with three H5 subtype hemagglutinin (HA) structures deposited in PDB (ID No: 1jsm, 2ibx and 2fk0) respectively. The result indicates that the three docked complexes share a common binding interface, but differ in bind- ing angle related with HA structure similarity between viral subtypes. In the light of the three HA inter- faces with structural homology analysis, the common neutralizing epitope on HA recognized by 8H5 consists of 9 incontinuous amino acid residues: Asp68, Asn72, Glu112, Lys113, Ile114, Pro118, Ser120, Tyr137, Tyr252 (numbered as for 1jsm sequence). The primary purpose of the present work is to provide some insight into structure and binding details of a common neutralizing epitope of H5N1 AIV, thereby aiding in the structure-based design of universal AIV vaccines and anti-virus therapeutic drugs.     

Point mutation in FGF receptor eliminates phosphatidylinositol hydrolysis without affecting mitogenesis.

Stimulation of growth factor receptors with tyrosine kinase activity is followed by rapid receptor dimerization, tyrosine autophosphorylation and phosphorylation of signalling molecules such as phospholipase C gamma (PLC gamma) and the ras GTPase-activating protein. PLC gamma and GTPase-activating protein bind to specific tyrosine-phosphorylated regions in growth factor receptors through their src-homologous SH2 domains. Growth factor-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of PLC gamma is essential for stimulation of phosphatidylinositol hydrolysis in vitro and in vivo. We have shown that a short phosphorylated peptide containing tyrosine at position 766 from a conserved region of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptor is a binding site for the SH2 domain of PLC gamma (ref. 8). Here we show that an FGF receptor point mutant in which Tyr 766 is replaced by a phenylalanine residue (Y766F) is unable to associate with and tyrosine-phosphorylate PLC gamma or to stimulate hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol. Nevertheless, the Y766F FGF receptor mutant can be autophosphorylated, and can phosphorylate several cellular proteins and stimulate DNA synthesis. Our data show that phosphorylation of the conserved Tyr 766 of the FGF receptor is essential for phosphorylation of PLC gamma and for hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol, but that elimination of this hydrolysis does not affect FGF-induced mitogenesis.     

A conserved XIAP-interaction motif in caspase-9 and Smac/DIABLO regulates caspase activity and apoptosis

X-linked inhibitor-of-apoptosis protein (XIAP) interacts with caspase-9 and inhibits its activity, whereas Smac (also known as DIABLO) relieves this inhibition through interaction with XIAP. Here we show that XIAP associates with the active caspase-9-Apaf-1 holoenzyme complex through binding to the amino terminus of the linker peptide on the small subunit of caspase-9, which becomes exposed after proteolytic processing of procaspase-9 at Asp315. Supporting this observation, point mutations that abrogate the proteolytic processing but not the catalytic activity of caspase-9, or deletion of the linker peptide, prevented caspase-9 association with XIAP and its concomitant inhibition. We note that the N-terminal four residues of caspase-9 linker peptide share significant homology with the N-terminal tetra-peptide in mature Smac and in the Drosophila proteins Hid/Grim/Reaper, defining a conserved class of IAP-binding motifs. Consistent with this finding, binding of the caspase-9 linker peptide and Smac to the BIR3 domain of XIAP is mutually exclusive, suggesting that Smac potentiates caspase-9 activity by disrupting the interaction of the linker peptide of caspase-9 with BIR3. Our studies reveal a mechanism in which binding to the BIR3 domain by two conserved peptides, one from Smac and the other one from caspase-9, has opposing effects on caspase activity and apoptosis.     

昆虫几丁质酶的进化与保守性质的比较基因组学研究

昆虫几丁质酶家族属于第18家族糖苷键水解酶,主要参与昆虫蜕皮、细胞增殖和免疫等生理过程。在7个物种基因组数据中通过BLASTP和PSI-BLAST的方法获得131条chitinase和chitinase-like的同源蛋白质,利用隐马尔科夫算法,找到了几丁质蛋白的保守模体区域。通过进化树分析,将所选的蛋白分为9组,与糖苷水解酶18催化结构域和几丁质结合结构域的特性一致。通过PAML软件计算出几丁质酶的正向选择位点,发现了豌豆蚜虫中的A.pisum xp003243674.1为一条新的几丁质酶蛋白。对深入研究昆虫几丁质酶结构与功能很有帮助。     

Inhibition of mutant troponin C activity by an intra-domain disulphide bond

Triggering of contraction in striated muscles involves a conformational transition in the N-terminal domain of troponin C, the calcium-binding component of thin filaments. We have designed a mutant troponin C in which the key conformational transition and the calcium-regulatory activity are reversibly blocked by the formation of a disulphide bridge. Our results may be applicable to other proteins of the same family of calcium-binding proteins.