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The wide variety of protein structures and functions results from the diverse properties of the 20 canonical amino acids. The generally accepted hypothesis is that early protein evolution was associated with enrichment of a primordial alphabet, thereby enabling increased protein catalytic efficiencies and functional diversification. Aromatic amino acids were likely among the last additions to genetic code. The main objective of this study was to test whether enzyme catalysis can occur without the aromatic residues (aromatics) by studying the structure and function of dephospho-CoA kinase (DPCK) following aromatic residue depletion. We designed two variants of a putative DPCK from Aquifex aeolicus by substituting (i) Tyr, Phe and Trp or (ii) all aromatics (including His). Their structural characterization indicates that substituting the aromatics does not markedly alter their secondary structures but does significantly loosen their side chain packing and increase their sizes. Both variants still possess ATPase activity, although with 150-300 times lower efficiency in comparison with the wild-type phosphotransferase activity. The transfer of the phosphate group to the dephospho-CoA substrate becomes heavily uncoupled and only the His-containing variant is still able to perform the phosphotransferase reaction. These data support the hypothesis that proteins in the early stages of life could support catalytic activities, albeit with low efficiencies. An observed significant contraction upon ligand binding is likely important for appropriate organization of the active site. Formation of firm hydrophobic cores, which enable the assembly of stably structured active sites, is suggested to provide a selective advantage for adding the aromatic residues. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Antigens displayed on self-assembling nanoparticles can stimulate strong immune responses and have been playing an increasingly prominent role in structure-based vaccines. However, the development of such immunogens is often complicated by inefficiencies in their production. To alleviate this issue, we developed a plug-and-play platform using the spontaneous isopeptide-bond formation of the SpyTag:SpyCatcher system to display trimeric antigens on self-assembling nanoparticles, including the 60-subunit Aquifex aeolicus lumazine synthase (LuS) and the 24-subunit Helicobacter pylori ferritin. LuS and ferritin coupled to SpyTag expressed well in a mammalian expression system when an N-linked glycan was added to the nanoparticle surface. The respiratory syncytial virus fusion (F) glycoprotein trimer—stabilized in the prefusion conformation and fused with SpyCatcher—could be efficiently conjugated to LuS-SpyTag or ferritin-SpyTag, enabling multivalent display of F trimers with prefusion antigenicity. Similarly, F-glycoprotein trimers from human parainfluenza virus-type 3 and spike-glycoprotein trimers from SARS-CoV-2 could be displayed on LuS nanoparticles with decent yield and antigenicity. Notably, murine vaccination with 0.08 µg of SARS-CoV-2 spike-LuS nanoparticle elicited similar neutralizing responses as 2.0 µg of spike, which was ~ 25-fold higher on a weight-per-weight basis. The versatile platform described here thus allows for multivalent plug-and-play presentation on self-assembling nanoparticles of trimeric viral antigens, with SARS-CoV-2 spike-LuS nanoparticles inducing particularly potent neutralizing responses.

Creatine is a crucial metabolite that plays a fundamental role in ATP homeostasis in tissues with high-energy demands. The creatine transporter (CreaT, SLC6A8) belongs to the solute carrier 6 (SLC6) transporters family, and more particularly to the GABA transporters (GATs) subfamily. Understanding the molecular determinants of specificity within the SLC6 transporters in general, and the GATs in particular is very challenging due to the high similarity of these proteins. In the study presented here, our efforts focused on finding key structural features involved in binding selectivity for CreaT using structure-based computational methods. Due to the lack of three-dimensional structures of SLC6A8, our approach was based on the realization of two reliable homology models of CreaT using the structures of two templates, i.e. the human serotonin transporter (hSERT) and the prokaryotic leucine transporter (LeuT). Our models reveal that an optimal complementarity between the shape of the binding site and the size of the ligands is necessary for transport. These findings provide a framework for a deeper understanding of substrate selectivity of the SLC6 family and other LeuT fold transporters.

Ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) is an essential enzyme with a complex mechanism of allosteric regulation found in nearly all living organisms. Class I RNRs are composed of two proteins, a large α-subunit (R1) and a smaller β-subunit (R2) that exist as homodimers, that combine to form an active heterotetramer. Aquifex aeolicus is a hyperthermophilic bacterium with an unusual RNR encoding a 346-residue intein in the DNA sequence encoding its R2 subunit. We present the first structures of the A. aeolicus R1 and R2 (AaR1 and AaR2, respectively) proteins as well as the biophysical and biochemical characterization of active and inactive A. aeolicus RNR. While the active oligomeric state and activity regulation of A. aeolicus RNR are similar to those of other characterized RNRs, the X-ray crystal structures also reveal distinct features and adaptations. Specifically, AaR1 contains a β-hairpin hook structure at the dimer interface, which has an interesting π-stacking interaction absent in other members of the NrdAh subclass, and its ATP cone houses two ATP molecules. We determined structures of two AaR2 proteins: one purified from a construct lacking the intein (AaR2) and a second purified from a construct including the intein sequence (AaR2_genomic). These structures in the context of metal content analysis and activity data indicate that AaR2_genomic displays much higher iron occupancy and activity compared to AaR2, suggesting that the intein is important for facilitating complete iron incorporation, particularly in the Fe2 site of the mature R2 protein, which may be important for the survival of A. aeolicus in low-oxygen environments.

Multidrug and toxic compound extrusion (MATE) transporters are widespread in all domains of life. Bacterial MATE transporters confer multidrug resistance by utilizing an electrochemical gradient of H(+) or Na(+) to export xenobiotics across the membrane. Despite the availability of X-ray structures of several MATE transporters, a detailed understanding of the transport mechanism has remained elusive. Here we report the crystal structure of a MATE transporter from Aquifex aeolicus at 2.0-Å resolution. In light of its phylogenetic placement outside of the diversity of hitherto-described MATE transporters and the lack of conserved acidic residues, this protein may represent a subfamily of prokaryotic MATE transporters, which was proven by phylogenetic analysis. Furthermore, the crystal structure and substrate docking results indicate that the substrate binding site is located in the N bundle. The importance of residues surrounding this binding site was demonstrated by structure-based site-directed mutagenesis. We suggest that Aq_128 is functionally similar but structurally diverse from DinF subfamily transporters. Our results provide structural insights into the MATE transporter, which further advances our global understanding of this important transporter family.

NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase, respiratory complex I, plays a central role in cellular energy metabolism. As a major source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) it affects ageing and mitochondrial dysfunction. The novel inhibitor NADH-OH specifically blocks NADH oxidation and ROS production by complex I in nanomolar concentrations. Attempts to elucidate its structure by NMR spectroscopy have failed. Here, by using X-ray crystallographic analysis, we report the structure of NADH-OH bound in the active site of a soluble fragment of complex I at 2.0 Å resolution. We have identified key amino acid residues that are specific and essential for binding NADH-OH. Furthermore, the structure sheds light on the specificity of NADH-OH towards the unique Rossmann-fold of complex I and indicates a regulatory role in mitochondrial ROS generation. In addition, NADH-OH acts as a lead-structure for the synthesis of a novel class of ROS suppressors.

Adenylate kinases (AK) play a pivotal role in the regulation of cellular energy. The aim of our work was to achieve the overproduction and purification of AKs from two groups of bacteria and to determine, for the first time, the comprehensive biochemical and kinetic properties of adenylate kinase from Gram-negative

Escherichia coli replication initiator protein DnaA binds ATP with high affinity but the amount of ATP required to initiate replication greatly exceeds the amount required for binding. Previously, we showed that ATP-DnaA, not ADP-DnaA, undergoes a conformational change at the higher nucleotide concentration, which allows DnaA oligomerization at the replication origin but the association state remains unclear. Here, we used Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) to investigate oligomerization of DnaA in solution. Whereas ADP-DnaA was predominantly monomeric, AMP–PNP–DnaA (a non-hydrolysable ATP-analog bound-DnaA) was oligomeric, primarily dimeric. Functional studies using DnaA mutants revealed that DnaA(H136Q) is defective in initiating replication in vivo. The mutant retains high-affinity ATP binding, but was defective in producing replication-competent initiation complexes. Docking of ATP on a structure of E. coli DnaA, modeled upon the crystallographic structure of Aquifex aeolicus DnaA, predicts a hydrogen bond between ATP and imidazole ring of His136, which is disrupted when Gln is present at position 136. SAXS performed on AMP–PNP–DnaA (H136Q) indicates that the protein has lost its ability to form oligomers. These results show the importance of high ATP in DnaA oligomerization and its dependence on the His136 residue.

Several accessory proteins are required for the assembly of the metal centers in hydrogenases. In NiFe-hydrogenases, CO and CN− are coordinated to the Fe in the NiFe dinuclear cluster of the active center. Though these diatomic ligands are biosynthesized enzymatically, detail mechanisms of their biosynthesis remain unclear. Here, we report the structural characterization of HypX responsible for CO biosynthesis to assemble the active site of NiFe hydrogenase. CoA is constitutionally bound in HypX. Structural characterization of HypX suggests that the formyl-group transfer will take place from N10-formyl-THF to CoA to form formyl-CoA in the N-terminal domain of HypX, followed by decarbonylation of formyl-CoA to produce CO in the C-terminal domain though the direct experimental results are not available yet. The conformation of CoA accommodated in the continuous cavity connecting the N- and C-terminal domains will interconvert between the extended and the folded conformations for HypX catalysis., Muraki et al. determine the crystal structures of HypX, which is an accessory protein required to assemble the active site of NiFe hydrogenase, to investigate the mechanism of carbon monoxide (CO) biosynthesis. This study suggests the reaction scheme of CO biosynthesis and provides insight into how CoA is accommodated during this process.

Phospholipid biosynthesis begins with the acylation of glycerol 3-phosphate (G3P). In most Gram-positive bacteria including many pathogens, a membrane protein called PlsY is the only acylt...

An antibody fragment that recognizes the tertiary structure of a target protein with high affinity can be utilized as a crystallization chaperone. Difficulties in establishing conformation‐specific antibodies, however, limit the applicability of antibody fragment‐assisted crystallization. Here, we attempted to establish an alternative method to promote the crystallization of target proteins using an already established anti‐tag antibody. The monoclonal antibody NZ‐1 recognizes the PA tag with an extremely high affinity. It was also established that the PA tag is accommodated in the antigen‐binding pocket in a bent conformation, compatible with an insertion into loop regions on the target. We, therefore, explored the application of NZ‐1 Fab as a crystallization chaperone that complexes with a target protein displaying a PA tag. Specifically, we inserted the PA tag into the β‐hairpins of the PDZ tandem fragment of a bacterial Site‐2 protease. We crystallized the PA‐inserted PDZ tandem mutants with the NZ‐1 Fab and solved the co‐crystal structure to analyze their interaction modes. Although the initial insertion designs produced only moderate‐resolution structures, eliminating the solvent‐accessible space between the NZ‐1 Fab and target PDZ tandem improved the diffraction qualities remarkably. Our results demonstrate that the NZ‐1‐PA system efficiently promotes crystallization of the target protein. The present work also suggests that β‐hairpins are suitable sites for the PA insertion because the PA tag contains a Pro‐Gly sequence with a propensity for a β‐turn conformation.

Endonucleolytic removal of 5’-leader sequences from tRNA precursor transcripts (pre-tRNAs) by RNase P is essential for protein synthesis. Beyond RNA-based RNase P enzymes, protein-only versions of the enzyme exert this function in various Eukarya (there termed PRORPs) and in some bacteria (Aquifex aeolicus and close relatives); both enzyme types belong to distinct subgroups of the PIN domain metallonuclease superfamily. Homologs of Aquifex RNase P (HARPs) are also expressed in some other bacteria and many archaea, where they coexist with RNA-based RNase P and do not represent the main RNase P activity. Here we solved the structure of the bacterial HARP from Halorhodospira halophila by cryo-EM revealing a novel screw-like dodecameric assembly. Biochemical experiments demonstrate that oligomerization is required for RNase P activity of HARPs. We propose that the tRNA substrate binds to an extended spike-helix (SH) domain that protrudes from the screw-like assembly to position the 5’-end in close proximity to the active site of the neighboring dimer subunit. The structure suggests that eukaryotic PRORPs and prokaryotic HARPs recognize the same structural elements of pre-tRNAs (tRNA elbow region and cleavage site). Our analysis thus delivers the structural and mechanistic basis for pre-tRNA processing by the prokaryotic HARP system.

New drugs with novel antibacterial targets for Gram-negative bacterial pathogens are desperately needed. The protein LpxC is a vital enzyme for the biosynthesis of lipid A, an outer membrane component of Gram-negative bacterial pathogens. The ACHN-975 molecule has high enzymatic inhibitory capacity against the infectious diseases, which are caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria, but clinical research was halted because of its inflammatory response in previous studies. In this work, the structure of the recombinant UDP-3-O-(R-3-hydroxymyristol)-N-acetylglucosamine deacetylase from Aquifex aeolicus in complex with ACHN-975 was determined to a resolution at 1.21 Å. According to the solved complex structure, ACHN-975 was docked into the AaLpxC’s active site, which occupied the site of AaLpxC substrate. Hydroxamate group of ACHN-975 forms five-valenced coordination with resides His74, His226, Asp230, and the long chain part of ACHN-975 containing the rigid alkynyl groups docked in further to interact with the hydrophobic area of AaLpxC. We employed isothermal titration calorimetry for the measurement of affinity between AaLpxC mutants and ACHN-975, and the results manifest the key residues (His74, Thr179, Tyr212, His226, Asp230 and His253) for interaction. The determined AaLpxC crystal structure in complex with ACHN-975 is expected to serve as a guidance and basis for the design and optimization of molecular structures of ACHN-975 analogues to develop novel drug candidates against Gram-negative bacteria.

The neurotransmitter:sodium symporter (NSS) homolog LeuT from Aquifex aeolicus has proven to be a valuable model for studying the transport mechanism of the NSS family. Crystal structures have captured LeuT in key conformations visited during the transport cycle, allowing for the construction of a nearly complete model of transport, with much of the conformational dynamics studied by computational simulations. Here, we report crystal structures of LeuT representing new intermediate conformations between the outward-facing open and occluded states. These structures, combined with binding and accessibility studies, reveal details of conformational dynamics that can follow substrate binding at the central substrate binding site (S1) of LeuT in outward-facing states, suggesting a potential competition for direction between the outward-open and outward-occluded states at this stage during substrate transport. Our structures further support an intimate interplay between the protonation state of Glu290 and binding of Na1 that may ultimately regulate the outward-open-to-occluded transition.

Viruses are ubiquitous pathogens of global impact. Prompted by the hypothesis that their earliest progenitors recruited host proteins for virion formation, we have used stringent laboratory evolution to convert a bacterial enzyme that lacks affinity for nucleic acids into an artificial nucleocapsid that efficiently packages and protects multiple copies of its own encoding messenger RNA. Revealing remarkable convergence on the molecular hallmarks of natural viruses, the accompanying changes reorganized the protein building blocks into an interlaced 240-subunit icosahedral capsid that is impermeable to nucleases, and emergence of a robust RNA stem-loop packaging cassette ensured high encapsidation yields and specificity. In addition to evincing a plausible evolutionary pathway for primordial viruses, these findings highlight practical strategies for developing nonviral carriers for diverse vaccine and delivery applications., Science, 372 (6547), ISSN:0036-8075, ISSN:1095-9203

FtsH is a membrane-bound protease that plays a crucial role in proteolytic regulation of many cellular functions. It is universally conserved in bacteria and responsible for the degradation of misfolded or misassembled proteins. A recent study has determined the structure of bacterial FtsH in detergent micelles. To properly study the function of FtsH in a native-like environment, we reconstituted the FtsH complex into lipid nanodiscs. We found that FtsH in membrane scaffold protein (MSP) nanodiscs maintains its native hexameric conformation and is functionally active. We further investigated the effect of the lipid bilayer composition (acyl chain length, saturation, head group charge and size) on FtsH proteolytic activity. We found that the lipid acyl chain length influences AaFtsH activity in nanodiscs, with the greatest activity in a bilayer of di-C18:1 PC. We conclude that MSP nanodiscs are suitable model membranes for further in vitro studies of the FtsH protease complex.

AAA+ proteases are degradation machines that use ATP hydrolysis to unfold protein substrates and translocate them through a central pore toward a degradation chamber. FtsH, a bacterial membrane-anchored AAA+ protease, plays a vital role in membrane protein quality control. How substrates reach the FtsH central pore is an open key question that is not resolved by the available atomic structures of cytoplasmic and periplasmic domains. In this work, we used both negative stain TEM and cryo-EM to determine 3D maps of the full-length Aquifex aeolicus FtsH protease. Unexpectedly, we observed that detergent solubilization induces the formation of fully active FtsH dodecamers, which consist of two FtsH hexamers in a single detergent micelle. The striking tilted conformation of the cytosolic domain in the FtsH dodecamer visualized by negative stain TEM suggests a lateral substrate entrance between the membrane and cytosolic domain. Such a substrate path was then resolved in the cryo-EM structure of the FtsH hexamer. By mapping the available structural information and structure predictions for the transmembrane helices to the amino acid sequence we identified a linker of ~20 residues between the second transmembrane helix and the cytosolic domain. This unique polypeptide appears to be highly flexible and turned out to be essential for proper functioning of FtsH as its deletion fully eliminated the proteolytic activity of FtsH.

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The heme‐copper oxidase superfamily comprises cytochrome c and ubiquinol oxidases. These enzymes catalyze the transfer of electrons from different electron donors onto molecular oxygen. A B‐family cytochrome c oxidase from the hyperthermophilic bacterium Aquifex aeolicus was discovered previously to be able to use both cytochrome c and naphthoquinol as electron donors. Its molecular mechanism as well as the evolutionary significance are yet unknown. Here we solved its 3.4 Å resolution electron cryo‐microscopic structure and discovered a novel dimeric structure mediated by subunit I (CoxA2) that would be essential for naphthoquinol binding and oxidation. The unique structural features in both proton and oxygen pathways suggest an evolutionary adaptation of this oxidase to its hyperthermophilic environment. Our results add a new conceptual understanding of structural variation of cytochrome c oxidases in different species., The 3.4 Å structure of cytochrome c oxidase from the hyperthermophilic bacterium Aquifex aeolicus (AaCcO) has been solved. The molecular mechanism that AaCcO uses involves both cytochrome c and quinol as electron donors through the native quinol molecules (NQs) bound at the dimeric interface.

The microaerophilic bacterium Aquifex aeolicus is a chemolitoautotroph that uses sulfur compounds as electron sources. The model of oxidation of the energetic sulfur compounds in this bacterium predicts that sulfite would probably be a metabolic intermediate released in the cytoplasm. In this work, we purified and characterized a membrane-bound sulfite dehydrogenase, identified as an SoeABC enzyme, that was previously described as a sulfur reductase. It is a member of the DMSO-reductase family of molybdenum enzymes. This type of enzyme was identified a few years ago but never purified, and biochemical data and kinetic properties were completely lacking. An enzyme catalyzing sulfite oxidation using Nitro-blue tetrazolium as artificial electron acceptor was extracted from the membrane fraction of Aquifex aeolicus. The purified enzyme is a dimer of trimer (αβγ)2 of about 390 kDa. The KM for sulfite and kcat values were 34 μM and 567 s−1 respectively, at pH 8.3 and 55 °C. We furthermore showed that SoeABC reduces a UQ10 analogue, the decyl-ubiquinone, as well, with a KM of 2.6 μM and a kcat of 52.9 s−1. It seems to specifically oxidize sulfite but can work in the reverse direction, reduction of sulfur or tetrathionate, using reduced methyl viologen as electron donor. The close phylogenetic relationship of Soe with sulfur and tetrathionate reductases that we established, perfectly explains this enzymatic ability, although its bidirectionality in vivo still needs to be clarified. Oxygen-consumption measurements confirmed that electrons generated by sulfite oxidation in the cytoplasm enter the respiratory chain at the level of quinones.

Heme A is a vital redox cofactor unique for the terminal cytochrome c oxidase in mitochondria and many microorganisms. It plays a key role in oxygen reduction by serving as an electron carrier and as the oxygen-binding site. Heme A is synthesized from heme O by an integral membrane protein, heme A synthase (HAS). Defects in HAS impair cellular respiration and have been linked to various human diseases, e.g., fatal infantile hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and Leigh syndrome. HAS exists as a stable oligomeric complex, and studies have shown that oligomerization of eukaryotic HAS is necessary for its proper function. However, the molecular architecture of the HAS oligomeric complex has remained uncharacterized. The present study shows that HAS forms trimers and reveals how the oligomeric arrangement contributes to the complex stability and flexibility, enabling HAS to perform its catalytic function effectively. This work provides the basic understanding for future studies on heme A biosynthesis., The integral membrane protein heme A synthase (HAS) catalyzes the biosynthesis of heme A, which is a prerequisite for cellular respiration in a wide range of aerobic organisms. Previous studies have revealed that HAS can form homo-oligomeric complexes, and this oligomerization appears to be evolutionarily conserved among prokaryotes and eukaryotes and is shown to be essential for the biological function of eukaryotic HAS. Despite its importance, little is known about the detailed structural properties of HAS oligomers. Here, we aimed to address this critical issue by analyzing the oligomeric state of HAS from Aquifex aeolicus (AaHAS) using a combination of techniques, including size exclusion chromatography coupled with multiangle light scattering (SEC-MALS), cross-linking, laser-induced liquid bead ion desorption mass spectrometry (LILBID-MS), and single-particle electron cryomicroscopy (cryo-EM). Our results show that HAS forms a thermostable trimeric complex. A cryo-EM density map provides information on the oligomerization interface of the AaHAS trimer. These results provide structural insights into HAS multimerization and expand our knowledge of this important enzyme.

In humans, mutations in genes encoding homologs of the DNA mismatch repair endonuclease MutL cause a hereditary cancer that is known as Lynch syndrome. Here, we determined the crystal structures of the N-terminal domain (NTD) of MutL from the thermophilic eubacterium Aquifex aeolicus (aqMutL) complexed with ATP analogs at 1.69–1.73 A. The structures revealed significant structural similarities to those of a human MutL homolog, postmeiotic segregation increased 2 (PMS2). We introduced five Lynch syndrome-associated mutations clinically found in human PMS2 into the aqMutL NTD and investigated the protein stability, ATPase activity, and DNA-binding ability of these protein variants. Among the mutations studied, the most unexpected results were obtained for the residue Ser34. Ser34 (Ser46 in PMS2) is located at a previously identified Bergerat ATP-binding fold. We found that the S34I aqMutL NTD retains ATPase and DNA-binding activities. Interestingly, CD spectrometry and trypsin-limited proteolysis indicated the disruption of a secondary structure element of the S34I NTD, destabilizing the overall structure of the aqMutL NTD. In agreement with this, the recombinant human PMS2 S46I NTD was easily digested in the host Escherichia coli cells. Moreover, other mutations resulted in reduced DNA-binding or ATPase activity. In summary, using the thermostable aqMutL protein as a model molecule, we have experimentally determined the effects of the mutations on MutL endonuclease; we discuss the pathological effects of the corresponding mutations in human PMS2.

In our previous papers, we proposed the idea that programs predicting intrinsically disordered regions in amino acid sequences can be used for finding weakened sites in proteins. The regions predicted by such programs are suitable targets for the introduction of protein-stabilizing mutations. However, for each specific protein, it remains unclear what determines protein stabilization - the amino acid sequence (and accordingly, prediction of weakened sites) or the 3D structure. To answer this question, it is necessary to study two proteins with similar structures but different amino acid sequences and, consequently, different predictions of weakened regions. By introducing identical mutations into identical elements of the two proteins, we will be able to reveal whether predictions of the weakened sites or the 3D protein structure are the key factors in the protein stability increase. Here, we have chosen ribosomal proteins L1 from the halophilic archaeon Haloarcula marismortui (HmaL1) and extremophilic bacterium Aquifex aeolicus (AaeL1). These proteins are identical in their structure but different in amino acid sequences. A disulfide bond introduced into the region predicted as the structured one in AaeL1 did not lead to the increase in the protein melting temperature. At the same time, a disulfide bond introduced into the same region in HmaL1 that was predicted as a weakened one, resulted in the increase in the protein melting temperature by approximately 10°C.

Neurotransmitter:sodium symporters (NSS) are conserved from bacteria to man and serve as targets for drugs, including antidepressants and psychostimulants. Here we report the X-ray structure of the prokaryotic NSS member, LeuT, in a Na+/substrate-bound, inward-facing occluded conformation. To obtain this structure, we were guided by findings from single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations indicating that L-Phe binding and mutation of the conserved N-terminal Trp8 to Ala both promote an inward-facing state. Compared to the outward-facing occluded conformation, our structure reveals a major tilting of the cytoplasmic end of transmembrane segment (TM) 5, which, together with release of the N-terminus but without coupled movement of TM1, opens a wide cavity towards the second Na+ binding site. The structure of this key intermediate in the LeuT transport cycle, in the context of other NSS structures, leads to the proposal of an intracellular release mechanism of substrate and ions in NSS proteins., Neurotransmitter:sodium symporters (NSS) serve as targets for drugs including antidepressants and psychostimulants. Here authors report the X-ray structure of the prokaryotic NSS member, LeuT, in a Na+/substrate-bound, inward-facing occluded conformation which is a key intermediate in the LeuT transport cycle.

Neurotransmitter:sodium symporters are highly expressed in the human brain and catalyze the uptake of substrate through the plasma membrane by using the electrochemical gradient of sodium as the energy source. The bacterial homolog LeuT, a small amino acid transporter isolated from the bacteria Aquifex aeolicus, is the founding member of the family and has been crystallized in three conformations. The N-terminus is structurally well defined and strongly interacts with the transporter core in the outward-facing conformations. However, it could not be resolved in the inward-facing conformation, which indicates enhanced mobility. Here we investigate conformations and dynamics of the N-terminus, by combining molecular dynamics simulations with experimental verification using distance measurements and accessibility studies. We found strongly increased dynamics of the N-terminus, but also that helix TM1A is subject to enhanced mobility. TM1A moves towards the transporter core in the membrane environment, reaching a conformation that is closer to the structure of LeuT with wild type sequence, indicating that the mutation introduced to create the inward-facing structure might have altered the position of helix TM1A. The mobile N-terminus avoids entering the open vestibule of the inward-facing state, as accessibility studies do not show any reduction of quenching by iodide of a fluorophore attached to the N-terminus.

In the preceding article, we present a flexibility analysis of the voltage-gated ion channel (VGIC) superfamily. In this study, we describe in detail the flexibility profile of the voltage-sensor domain (VSD) and the pore domain (PD) concerning the evolution of 6TM ion channels. In particular, we highlight the role of flexibility in the emergence of CNG channels and describe a significant level of sequence similarity between the archetypical VSD and the TolQ proteins. A highly flexible S4-like segment exhibiting Lys instead Arg for these membrane proteins is reported. Sequence analysis indicates that, in addition to this S4-like segment, TolQ proteins also show similarity with specific motifs in S2 and S3 from typical V-sensors. Notably, S3 flexibility profiles from typical VSDs and S3-like in TolQ proteins are also similar. Interestingly, TolQ from early divergent prokaryotes are comparatively more flexible than those in modern counterparts or true V-sensors. Regarding the PD, we also found that 2TM K+-channels in early prokaryotes are considerably more flexible than the ones in modern microbes, and such flexibility is comparable to the one present in CNG channels. Voltage dependence is mainly exhibited in prokaryotic CNG channels whose VSD is rigid whereas the eukaryotic CNG channels are considerably more flexible and poorly V-dependent. The implication of the flexibility present in CNG channels, their sensitivity to cyclic nucleotides and the cation selectivity are discussed. Finally, we generated a structural model of the putative cyclic nucleotide-modulated ion channel, which we coined here as AqK, from the thermophilic bacteria Aquifex aeolicus, one of the earliest diverging prokaryotes known. Overall, our analysis suggests that V-sensors in CNG-like channels were essentially rigid in early prokaryotes but raises the possibility that this module was probably part of a very flexible stator protein of the bacterial flagellum motor complex.

Insight into the structure-function relationship of membrane proteins is important to understand basic cell function and inform drug development, as these are common targets for drugs. Hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) is an established technique for the study of protein conformational dynamics and has shown compatibility with membrane proteins. However, the digestion and mass analysis of peptides from membrane proteins can be challenging, severely limiting the HDX-MS experiment. Here we compare the digestion of four integral membrane proteins-Cl-/H+ exchange transporter (ClC-ec1), leucine transporter (LeuT), dopamine transporter (DAT), and serotonin transporter (SERT)-by the use of porcine pepsin and three alternative aspartic proteases either in-solution or immobilized on-column in an optimized HDX-MS-compatible workflow. Pepsin was the most favorable for the digestion of ClC-ec1 and LeuT, providing coverage of 82.2 and 33.2% of the respective protein sequence; however, the alternative proteases surpassed pepsin for the digestion of DAT and SERT. By also screening quench solution additives, we observe that the denaturant urea was beneficial, resulting in improved sequence coverage of all membrane proteins, in contrast to guanidine hydrochloride. Furthermore, significant improvements in sequence coverage were achieved by tailoring the chromatography to handle hydrophobic peptides. Overall, we demonstrate that the susceptibility of membrane proteins to proteolytic digestion during HDX-MS is highly protein-specific. Our results highlight the importance of having multiple proteases and different quench buffer additives in the HDX-MS toolbox and the need to carefully screen a range of digestion conditions to successfully optimize the HDX-MS analysis of integral membrane proteins.

Detergents are widely used to isolate membrane proteins from lipid bilayers, but many proteins solubilized in conventional detergents are structurally unstable. Thus, there is major interest in the development of novel amphiphiles to facilitate membrane protein research. In this study, we have designed and synthesized novel amphiphiles with a rigid scyllo-inositol core, designated scyllo-inositol glycosides (SIGs). Varying the headgroup structure allowed the preparation of three sets of SIGs that were evaluated for their effects on membrane protein stability. When tested with a few model membrane proteins, representative SIGs conferred enhanced stability to the membrane proteins compared to a gold standard conventional detergent (DDM). Of the novel amphiphiles, a SIG designated STM-12 was most effective at preserving the stability of the multiple membrane proteins tested here. In addition, a comparative study of the three sets suggests that several factors, including micelle size and alkyl chain length, need to be considered in the development of novel detergents for membrane protein research. Thus, this study not only describes new detergent tools that are potentially useful for membrane protein structural study but also introduces plausible correlations between the chemical properties of detergents and membrane protein stabilization efficacy.

Nanoemulsions are used as drug delivery carriers for different types of systems. Nanoemulsions can enhance solubilization property of poorly water-soluble drugs and increase the drug loading. In this study, we used a nanoemulsion composed of benzalkonium chloride as surfactant, cyclohexane as oil phase, and ethanol as co-surfactant in water, to load small interfering RNA (siRNA) molecule. The system was investigated by three coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations. The results showed that siRNA attached to benzalkonium chloride on the surface of the nanoemulsion and the oil beads were located in the hydrophobic core of the nanoemulsion, which made its size larger. The ethanol beads distributed throughout the system and did not enter to the hydrophilic shell of the nanoemulsion. The nanoemulsion structure was a compact prolate ellipsoid shape, before and after carrying the siRNA. The average value of radius of gyration of the nanoemulsion was 1.68 nm before and after joining siRNA and the average value of physical radius was 2.17 nm.

The mature 5'-ends of tRNAs are generated by RNase P in all domains of life. The ancient form of the enzyme is a ribonucleoprotein consisting of a catalytic RNA and one or more protein subunits. However, in the hyperthermophilic bacterium Aquifex aeolicus and close relatives, RNase P is a protein-only enzyme consisting of a single type of polypeptide (Aq_880, ~23 kDa). In many archaea, homologs of Aq_880 were identified (termed HARPs for Homologs of Aquifex RNase P) in addition to the RNA-based RNase P, raising the question about the functions of HARP and the classical RNase P in these archaea. Here we investigated HARPs from two euryarchaeotes, Haloferax volcanii and Methanosarcina mazei. Archaeal strains with HARP gene knockouts showed no growth phenotypes under standard conditions, temperature and salt stress (H. volcanii) or nitrogen deficiency (M. mazei). Recombinant H. volcanii and M. mazei HARPs were basically able to catalyse specific tRNA 5'-end maturation in vitro. Furthermore, M. mazei HARP was able to rescue growth of an Escherichia coli RNase P depletion strain with comparable efficiency as Aq_880, while H. volcanii HARP was unable to do so. In conclusion, both archaeal HARPs showed the capacity (in at least one functional assay) to act as RNases P. However, the ease to obtain knockouts of the singular HARP genes and the lack of growth phenotypes upon HARP gene deletion contrasts with the findings that the canonical RNase P RNA gene cannot be deleted in H. volcanii, and a knockdown of RNase P RNA in H. volcanii results in severe tRNA processing defects. We conclude that archaeal HARPs do not make a major contribution to global tRNA 5'-end maturation in archaea, but may well exert a specialised, yet unknown function in (t)RNA metabolism. © 2019 IUBMB Life, 2019 © 2019 IUBMB Life, 71(8):1109-1116, 2019.

The UDP-2,3-diacylglucosamine pyrophosphatase LpxH in the Raetz pathway of lipid A biosynthesis is an essential enzyme in the vast majority of Gram-negative pathogens and an excellent novel antibiotic target. The (32)P-radioautographic thin-layer chromatography assay has been widely used for analysis of LpxH activity, but it is inconvenient for evaluation of a large number of LpxH inhibitors over an extended time period. Here, we report a coupled, nonradioactive LpxH assay that utilizes the recently discovered Aquifex aeolicus lipid A 1-phosphatase LpxE for quantitative removal of the 1-phosphate from lipid X, the product of the LpxH catalysis; the released inorganic phosphate is subsequently quantified by the colorimetric malachite green assay, allowing the monitoring of the LpxH catalysis. Using such a coupled enzymatic assay, we report the biochemical characterization of a series of sulfonyl piperazine LpxH inhibitors. Our analysis establishes a preliminary structure–activity relationship for this class of compounds and reveals a pharmacophore of two aromatic rings, two hydrophobic groups, and one hydrogen-bond acceptor. We expect that our findings will facilitate the development of more effective LpxH inhibitors as potential antibacterial agents.

Enzyme-based processes promise a sustainable and environmentally-friendly solution to the pollution that results from industrial technologies. Thermozymes are extremely temperature-stable biocatalysts that broaden the application horizon of enzymes. Thermophiles and hyperthermophiles belonging to several genera viz. Bacillus, Clostridium, Pyrococcus, Thermus, Thermotoga, and Aquifex have been explored for thermozymes. Thermozymes, in addition to offering thermostability, are also equipped with properties such as solvent tolerance, resistance to denaturants, substrate-selectivity, and higher reaction rates; thus, making them potentially more suitable for applications as compared with mesozymes. Adaptive mechanisms of thermozymes include modifications in amino acid sequence/composition, hydrogen bonding patterns, electrostatic interactions, disulfide bonds, hydrophobic interactions, and metal binding ability, resulting in superior conformational structure. Investigation of thermostable biocatalysts could help simplify the molecular basis of stability, and may help in crafting designer enzymes via bioengineering and computational approaches. Such tailored biocatalysts may be candidates for potentially novel industrial process applications.

International audience; Cytochrome bc1 complexes are energy-transducing enzymes and key components of respiratory electron chains. They contain Rieske 2Fe-2S proteins that absorb very weakly in the visible absorption region compared to the heme cofactors of the cytochromes, but are known to yield photoproducts. Here, the photoreactions of isolated Rieske proteins from the hyperthermophilic bacterium Aquifex aeolicus are studied in two redox states using ultrafast transient fluorescence and absorption spectroscopy. We provide evidence, for the first time in iron-sulfur proteins, of very weak fluorescence of the excited state, in the oxidized as well as the reduced state. The excited states of the oxidized and reduced forms decay in 1.5 ps and 30 picoseconds, respectively. In both cases they give rise to product states with lifetimes beyond 1 nanosecond, reflecting photo-reduction of oxidized centers as well as photo-oxidation of reduced centers. Potential reaction partners are discussed and studied using site-directed mutagenesis. For the reduced state, a nearby disulfide bridge is suggested as an electron acceptor. The resulting photoproducts in either state may play a role in photoactivation processes.

The free-living Gram-negative bacterium Oligotropha carboxidovorans (formerly: Pseudomonas carboxydovorans), isolated from wastewater, is able to live in aerobic and, facultatively, in autotrophic conditions, utilizing carbon monoxide or hydrogen as a source of energy. The structure of O. carboxidovorans lipid A, a hydrophobic part of lipopolysaccharide, was studied using NMR spectroscopy and high-resolution mass spectrometry (MALDI-ToF MS) techniques. It was demonstrated that the lipid A backbone is composed of two d-GlcpN3N residues connected by a &beta, (1&rarr, 6) glycosidic linkage, substituted by galacturonic acids (d-GalpA) at C-1 and C-4&rsquo, positions. Both diaminosugars are symmetrically substituted by 3-hydroxy fatty acids (12:0(3-OH) and 18:0(3-OH)). Ester-linked secondary acyl residues (i.e., 18:0, and 26:0(25-OH) and a small amount of 28:0(27-OH)) are located in the distal part of lipid A. These very long-chain hydroxylated fatty acids (VLCFAs) were found to be almost totally esterified at the (&omega, 1)-OH position with malic acid. Similarities between the lipid A of O. carboxidovorans and Mesorhizobium loti, Rhizobium leguminosarum, Caulobacter crescentus as well as Aquifex pyrophylus were observed and discussed from the perspective of the genomic context of these bacteria.

A hallmark of Gram-negative bacteria is an asymmetric outer membrane containing lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in the extracellular leaflet. LPS molecules consist of lipid-A that is connected to the inner and outer core oligosaccharides. This LPS core structure is extended in the periplasm by the O antigen, a variable and serotype-defining polysaccharide. In the ABC transporter-dependent LPS biosynthesis pathway, the WzmWzt transporter secretes the complete O antigen across the inner membrane for ligation to the LPS core. In some O antigen transporters, the nucleotide binding domain (NBD) of Wzt is fused C terminally to a carbohydrate-binding domain (CBD) that interacts with the O antigen chain. Here, we present the crystal structure of the Aquifex aeolicus CBD that reveals a conserved flat and variable twisted jelly-roll surface. The CBD dimer is stabilized by mutual β-strand exchange. Microbial glycan array binding studies with the isolated CBD provide insights into its interaction with complex carbohydrates.

Green-coloured sediments in low-temperature geothermal surface features are typically indicative of photosynthetic activity. A near-boiling (89-93°C), alkali-chloride spring in the Taupō Volcanic Zone, New Zealand, was observed to have dark green sediments despite being too hot to support any known photosynthetic organisms. Analysis of aqueous and sediment microbial communities via 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing revealed them to be dominated by Aquifex spp., a genus of known hyperthermophilic hydrogen-oxidisers (69%-91% of operational taxonomic units (OTUs)), followed by groups within the Crenarchaeota (3%-20%), including the known iron-reducing genus Pyrobaculum. Cultivation experiments suggest that the green colouration of clay sediments in this spring may be due in part to ferruginous clays and associated compounds serving as substrates for the iron-reducing activity of low-abundance Pyrobaculum spp. These findings demonstrate the dynamic nature of microbe-mineral interactions in geothermal environments, and the potential ability of the rarer biosphere (1%-2% of observed sequences, cell densities of 450-33 000 g-1 sediment) to influence mineral formation at a macro-scale.

RNase P is an essential tRNA-processing enzyme in all domains of life. We identified an unknown type of protein-only RNase P in the hyperthermophilic bacterium Aquifex aeolicus: Without an RNA subunit and the smallest of its kind, the 23-kDa polypeptide comprises a metallonuclease domain only. The protein has RNase P activity in vitro and rescued the growth of Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains with inactivations of their more complex and larger endogenous ribonucleoprotein RNase P. Homologs of Aquifex RNase P (HARP) were identified in many Archaea and some Bacteria, of which all Archaea and most Bacteria also encode an RNA-based RNase P; activity of both RNase P forms from the same bacterium or archaeon could be verified in two selected cases. Bioinformatic analyses suggest that A. aeolicus and related Aquificaceae likely acquired HARP by horizontal gene transfer from an archaeon.

Crystal structures of the cytoplasmic domain of FlhB from S. typhimurium and A. aeolicus were solved at 2.45 and 2.55 Å resolution, respectively. The deletion of a short loop in the cytoplasmic domain of Salmonella FlhB completely abolishes secretion by the type III secretion system. A molecular-dynamics simulation shows that the deletion of the loop affects the flexibility of a linker between the transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains of FlhB., The membrane protein FlhB is a highly conserved component of the flagellar secretion system. It is composed of an N-­terminal transmembrane domain and a C-terminal cytoplasmic domain (FlhBC). Here, the crystal structures of FlhBC from Salmonella typhimurium and Aquifex aeolicus are described at 2.45 and 2.55 Å resolution, respectively. These flagellar FlhBC structures are similar to those of paralogues from the needle type III secretion system, with the major difference being in a linker that connects the transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains of FlhB. It was found that deletion of a short flexible loop in a globular part of Salmonella FlhBC leads to complete inhibition of secretion by the flagellar secretion system. Molecular-dynamics calculations demonstrate that the linker region is the most flexible part of FlhBC and that the deletion of the loop reduces this flexibility. These results are in good agreement with previous studies showing the importance of the linker in the function of FlhB and provide new insight into the relationship between the different parts of the FlhBC molecule.

Ribonuclease III cleaves double-stranded (ds) structures in bacterial RNAs and participates in diverse RNA maturation and decay pathways. Essential insight on the RNase III mechanism of dsRNA cleavage has been provided by crystallographic studies of the enzyme from the hyperthermophilic bacterium, Aquifex aeolicus. However, the biochemical properties of A. aeolicus (Aa)-RNase III and the reactivity epitopes of its substrates are not known. The catalytic activity of purified recombinant Aa-RNase III exhibits a temperature optimum of ∼70–85°C, with either Mg2+ or Mn2+ supporting efficient catalysis. Small hairpins based on the stem structures associated with the Aquifex 16S and 23S rRNA precursors are cleaved at sites that are consistent with production of the immediate precursors to the mature rRNAs. Substrate reactivity is independent of the distal box sequence, but is strongly dependent on the proximal box sequence. Structural studies have shown that a conserved glutamine (Q157) in the Aa-RNase III dsRNA-binding domain (dsRBD) directly interacts with a proximal box base pair. Aa-RNase III cleavage of the pre-16S substrate is blocked by the Q157A mutation, which reflects a loss of substrate binding affinity. Thus, a highly conserved dsRBD-substrate interaction plays an important role in substrate recognition by bacterial RNase III.

Hot environments are between the supporting life extreme niches that appear to have maintained some degree of pristine quality and of special biotechnological interest. Knowledge on biodiversity in terrestrial hot springs is still scanty and has not been compared in the light of the specificity of those extreme ecological niches. Study on diversity of thermophilic bacteria inhabiting a hot spring located in Rupi Basin (RB), South-West Bulgaria, revealed a high phylogenetic richness in it (genotypic diversity is 0.37). A total of 120 clones were examined, and grouped in 28 phylogenetic types by their RFLP profile. 16S rRNA gene analysis allowed the identification of nine divisions from the domain Bacteria and one Candidate division. Ten of the retrieved bacterial sequences representing one third of the sequence types showed less than 97% similarity to the closest neighbor and were referred as new sequences. Four of them were distantly related to validly described bacteria (showed ≤90% similarity) suggesting new taxons on at least genus level. Comparison of biodiversity in the spring from Rupi Basin, Bulgaria with that described from other terrestrial hot springs revealed that Proteobacteria, Hydrogenobacter/Aquifex and Thermus are common bacterial groups for terrestrial hot springs. Simultaneously, specific bacterial taxons were observed in different springs.