Nucleotide-dependent substrate recognition by the AAA+ HslUV protease

ATP-dependent protein degradation is controlled principally by substrate recognition. The AAA+ HslU ATPase is thought to bind protein substrates, denature them, and translocate the unfolded polypeptide into the HslV peptidase. The lack of well-behaved high-affinity substrates for HslUV (ClpYQ) has hampered understanding of the rules and mechanism of substrate engagement. We show that HslUV efficiently degrades Arc repressor, especially at heat-shock temperatures. Degradation depends on sequences near the N terminus of Arc. Fusion protein and peptide-binding experiments demonstrate that this sequence is a degradation tag that binds directly to HslU. Strong binding of this tag to the enzyme requires ATP and Mg(2+). Furthermore, fusion of this sequence to a protein with marked mechanical stability leads to complete degradation. Thus, these experiments demonstrate that HslUV is a powerful protein unfoldase and that initial substrate engagement by the HslU ATPase must occur after ATP binding.     

Nucleotide-dependent conformational changes and assembly of the AAA ATPase SKD1/VPS4B

SKD1/VPS4B belongs to the adenosine triphosphatases associated with diverse cellular activities (AAA) family and regulates multivesicular body (MVB) biogenesis. SKD1 changes its oligomeric state during the ATPase cycle and subsequently releases endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) complexes from endosomes during the formation of MVBs. In this study, we describe domain motions in monomeric SKD1 on ATP and ADP binding. Nucleotides bind between the alpha/beta and the alpha-helical domains of SKD1, inducing a approximately 20 degrees domain rotation and closure of the binding site, which are similar to the changes observed in the AAA+ ATPase, HslU. Gel filtration and small-angle X-ray scattering experiments showed that the ATP-bound form of SKD1 oligomerizes in solution, whereas ADP-bound and apo forms of SKD1 exist as monomers, even though the conformations of the ADP- and ATP-bound forms are nearly identical. Nucleotide-bound SKD1 structures are compatible with a hexameric ring arrangement reminiscent of the AAA ATPase p97 D1 ring. In the hexameric ring model of SKD1, Arg290 from a neighboring molecule binds to the gamma-phosphate of ATP, which promotes oligomerization of the ATP-bound form. ATP hydrolysis would eliminate this interaction and subsequent nucleotide release causes the domains to rotate, which together lead to the disassembly of the SKD1 oligomer.     

Nucleotide-dependent substrate handoff from the SspB adaptor to the AAA+ ClpXP protease

The SspB adaptor enhances ClpXP degradation by binding the ssrA degradation tag of substrates and the AAA+ ClpX unfoldase. To probe the mechanism of substrate delivery, we engineered a disulfide bond between the ssrA tag and SspB and demonstrated otherwise normal interactions by solving the crystal structure. Although the covalent link prevents adaptor.substrate dissociation, ClpXP degraded GFP-ssrA that was disulfide bonded to the adaptor. Thus, crosslinked substrate must be handed directly from SspB to ClpX. The ssrA tag in the covalent adaptor complex interacted with ClpX.ATPgammaS but not ClpX.ADP, suggesting that handoff occurs in the ATP bound enzyme. By contrast, SspB alone bound ClpX in both nucleotide states. Similar handoff mechanisms will undoubtedly be used by many AAA+ adaptors and enzymes, allowing assembly of delivery complexes in either nucleotide state, engagement of the recognition tag in the ATP state, and application of an unfolding force to the attached protein following hydrolysis.     

Nucleotide-dependent conformational changes in a protease-associated ATPase HsIU.

BACKGROUND: The bacterial heat shock locus ATPase HslU is an AAA(+) protein that has structures known in many nucleotide-free and -bound states. Nucleotide is required for the formation of the biologically active HslU hexameric assembly. The hexameric HslU ATPase binds the dodecameric HslV peptidase and forms an ATP-dependent HslVU protease. RESULTS: We have characterized four distinct HslU conformational states, going sequentially from open to closed: the empty, SO(4), ATP, and ADP states. The nucleotide binds at a cleft formed by an alpha/beta domain and an alpha-helical domain in HslU. The four HslU states differ by a rotation of the alpha-helical domain. This classification leads to a correction of nucleotide identity in one structure and reveals the ATP hydrolysis-dependent structural changes in the HslVU complex, including a ring rotation and a conformational change of the HslU C terminus. This leads to an amended protein unfolding-coupled translocation mechanism. CONCLUSIONS: The observed nucleotide-dependent conformational changes in HslU and their governing principles provide a framework for the mechanistic understanding of other AAA(+) proteins.     

Single-Molecule Imaging Reveals the Mechanism Underlying Histone Loading of Schizosaccharomyces pombe AAA+ ATPase Abo1

Chromatin dynamics is essential for maintaining genomic integrity and regulating gene expression. Conserved bromodomain-containing AAA+ ATPases play important roles in nucleosome organization as histone chaperones. Recently, the high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy structures of Schizosaccharomyces pombe Abo1 revealed that it forms a hexameric ring and undergoes a conformational change upon ATP hydrolysis. In addition, single-molecule imaging demonstrated that Abo1 loads H3-H4 histones onto DNA in an ATP hydrolysis-dependent manner. However, the molecular mechanism by which Abo1 loads histones remains unknown. Here, we investigated the details concerning Abo1-mediated histone loading onto DNA and the Abo1-DNA interaction using single-molecule imaging techniques and biochemical assays. We show that Abo1 does not load H2A-H2B histones. Interestingly, Abo1 deposits multiple copies of H3-H4 histones as the DNA length increases and requires at least 80 bp DNA. Unexpectedly, Abo1 weakly binds DNA regardless of ATP, and neither histone nor DNA stimulates the ATP hydrolysis activity of Abo1. Based on our results, we propose an allosteric communication model in which the ATP hydrolysis of Abo1 changes the configuration of histones to facilitate their deposition onto DNA.     

Nucleotide-induced switch in oligomerization of the AAA+ ATPase ClpB

ClpB is a member of the bacterial protein-disaggregating chaperone machinery and belongs to the AAA(+) superfamily of ATPases associated with various cellular activities. The mechanism of ClpB-assisted reactivation of strongly aggregated proteins is unknown and the oligomeric state of ClpB has been under discussion. Sedimentation equilibrium and sedimentation velocity show that, under physiological ionic strength in the absence of nucleotides, ClpB from Escherichia coli undergoes reversible self-association that involves protein concentration-dependent populations of monomers, heptamers, and intermediate-size oligomers. Under low ionic strength conditions, a heptamer becomes the predominant form of ClpB. In contrast, ATP gamma S, a nonhydrolyzable ATP analog, as well as ADP stabilize hexameric ClpB. Consistently, electron microscopy reveals that ring-type oligomers of ClpB in the absence of nucleotides are larger than those in the presence of ATP gamma S. Thus, the binding of nucleotides without hydrolysis of ATP produces a significant change in the self-association equilibria of ClpB: from reactions supporting formation of a heptamer to those supporting a hexamer. Our results show how ClpB and possibly other related AAA(+) proteins can translate nucleotide binding into a major structural transformation and help explain why previously published electron micrographs of some AAA(+) ATPases detected both six- and sevenfold particle symmetry.     

Domain stability in the AAA+ ATPase ClpB from Escherichia coli

ClpB is a heat-shock protein that reactivates aggregated proteins in cooperation with the DnaK chaperone system. ClpB belongs to the family of AAA+ ATPases and forms ring-shaped oligomers: heptamers in the absence of nucleotides and hexamers in the presence of nucleotides. We investigated the thermodynamic stability of ClpB in its monomeric and oligomeric forms. ClpB contains six distinct structural domains: the N-terminal domain involved in substrate binding, two AAA+ ATP-binding modules, each consisting of two domains, and a coiled-coil domain inserted between the AAA+ modules. We produced seven variants of ClpB, each containing a single Trp located in each of the ClpB domains and measured the changes in Trp fluorescence during the equilibrium urea-induced unfolding of ClpB. We found that two structural domains: the small domain of the C-terminal AAA+ module and the coiled-coil domain were destabilized in the oligomeric form of ClpB, which indicates that only those domains change their conformation and/or interactions during formation of the ClpB rings.     

Biosynthesis of the dystonia-associated AAA+ ATPase torsinA at the endoplasmic reticulum

TorsinA is a widely expressed AAA(+) (ATPases associated with various cellular activities) ATPase of unknown function. Previous studies have described torsinA as a type II protein with a cleavable signal sequence, a single membrane spanning domain, and its C-terminus located in the ER (endoplasmic reticulum) lumen. However, in the present study we show that torsinA is not in fact an integral membrane protein. Instead we find that the mature protein associates peripherally with the ER membrane, most likely through an interaction with an integral membrane protein. Consistent with this model, we provide evidence that the signal peptidase complex cleaves the signal sequence of torsinA, and we show that the region previously suggested to form a transmembrane domain is translocated into the lumen of the ER. The finding that torsinA is a peripheral, and not an integral membrane protein as previously thought, has important implications for understanding the function of this novel ATPase.     

The AAA+ ATPase Thorase regulates AMPA receptor-dependent synaptic plasticity and behavior

The synaptic insertion or removal of AMPA receptors (AMPAR) plays critical roles in the regulation of synaptic activity reflected in the expression of long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD). The cellular events underlying this important process in learning and memory are still being revealed. Here we describe and characterize the AAA+ ATPase Thorase, which regulates the expression of surface AMPAR. In an ATPase-dependent manner Thorase mediates the internalization of AMPAR by disassembling the AMPAR-GRIP1 complex. Following genetic deletion of Thorase, the internalization of AMPAR is substantially reduced, leading to increased amplitudes of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents, enhancement of LTP, and elimination of LTD. These molecular events are expressed as deficits in learning and memory in Thorase null mice. This study identifies an AAA+ ATPase that plays a critical role in regulating the surface expression of AMPAR and thereby regulates synaptic plasticity and learning and memory.     

Reverse-chaperoning activity of an AAA+ protein

Speed and processivity of replicative DNA polymerases can be enhanced via coupling to a sliding clamp. Due to the closed ring shape of the clamp, a clamp loader protein, belonging to the AAA+ class of ATPases, needs to open the ring-shaped clamp before loading it to DNA. Here, we developed real-time fluorescence assays to study the clamp (PCNA) and the clamp loader (RFC) from the mesophilic archaeon Methanosarcina acetivorans. Unexpectedly, we discovered that RFC can assemble a PCNA ring from monomers in solution. A motion-based DNA polymerization assay showed that the PCNA assembled by RFC is functional. This PCNA assembly activity required the ATP-bound conformation of RFC. Our work demonstrates a reverse-chaperoning activity for an AAA+ protein that can act as a template for the assembly of another protein complex.     

Architecture and characterization of a thermostable MoxR family AAA+ ATPase from Thermococcus kodakarensis KOD1

AAA⁺ ATPases are ubiquitous enzymes that can function as molecular chaperones, employing the energy obtained from ATP hydrolysis to remodel macromolecules. In this report, the MoxR enzyme from Thermococcus kodakarensis KOD1 (TkMoxR) was shown to have two native forms: a two-stack hexameric ring and a hexameric structure, under physiological conditions and cold stress, respectively. TkMoxR was altered to a microtubule-like form in the presence of ATP and tightly interacted with dsDNA molecules of various lengths. In addition, the two-stack hexameric protein catalyzed dsDNA decomposition to form and then release ssDNA, whereas the hexamer TkMoxR structure interacted with but did not release dsDNA. These results suggest that TkMoxR has DNA helicase activity involved in gene expression control.     

Structure of the AAA ATPase p97

p97, an abundant hexameric ATPase of the AAA family, is involved in homotypic membrane fusion. It is thought to disassemble SNARE complexes formed during the process of membrane fusion. Here, we report two structures: a crystal structure of the N-terminal and D1 ATPase domains of murine p97 at 2.9 A resolution, and a cryoelectron microscopy structure of full-length rat p97 at 18 A resolution. Together, these structures show that the D1 and D2 hexamers pack in a tail-to-tail arrangement, and that the N domain is flexible. A comparison with NSF D2 (ATP complex) reveals possible conformational changes induced by ATP hydrolysis. Given the D1 and D2 packing arrangement, we propose a ratchet mechanism for p97 during its ATP hydrolysis cycle.     

Development of p97 AAA ATPase inhibitors

Specific p97 inhibitors are valuable research tools to carry out mechanistic and cellular investigations of p97 biology. p97 is an abundant, ubiquitin-selective chaperone that has multiple functions and is essential for life. Therefore, genetic methods that require long incubations like siRNA or expression of dominant-negative p97 mutants are likely to generate complicated outcomes due to secondary consequences that arise upon slow depletion of p97 activity. We recently identified a small molecule p97 inhibitor, N²,N⁴-dibenzylquinazoline-2,4-diamine (DBeQ), and documented its effects on blocking autophagic degradation of LC3-II and proteasomal degradation of a p97-dependent ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) substrate. What distinguishes DBeQ from conventional proteasome inhibitors is that DBeQ affects both the UPS and autophagic protein degradation pathways and rapidly activates cell death. Whether DBeQ activates autophagic and/or apoptotic cell death will require further work to evaluate its detailed mechanism of action. An exciting goal for the future will be to generate p97 inhibitors that affect one or the other pathway. We propose that generation of ‘separation of function’ inhibitors will be a challenging adventure for chemical biologists but will yield extremely powerful tools to study p97 and enable evaluation of the therapeutic potential of targeting distinct p97 complexes.