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The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is fading, however its etiologic agent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues posing - despite the availability of licensed vaccines – a global health threat, due to the potential emergence of vaccine-resistant SARS-CoV-2 variants. This makes the development of new drugs against COVID-19 a persistent urgency and sets as research priority the validation of novel therapeutic targets within the SARS-CoV-2 proteome. Among these, a promising one is the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) phosphoprotein, a major structural component of the virion with indispensable role in packaging the viral genome into a ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex, which also contributes to SARS-CoV-2 innate immune evasion by inhibiting the host cell type-I interferon (IFN-I) response. By combining miniaturized differential scanning fluorimetry with microscale thermophoresis, we found that the 100-year-old drug Suramin interacts with SARS-CoV-2 N-terminal domain (NTD) and C-terminal domain (CTD), thereby inhibiting their single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) binding function with low-micromolar Kd and IC50 values. Molecular docking suggests that Suramin interacts with basic NTD cleft and CTD dimer interface groove, highlighting three potentially druggable ssRNA binding sites. Electron microscopy shows that Suramin inhibits the formation in vitro of RNP complex-like condensates by SARS-CoV-2 N with a synthetic ssRNA. In a dose-dependent manner, Suramin also reduced SARS-CoV-2-induced cytopathic effect on Vero E6 and Calu-3 cells, partially reverting the SARS-CoV-2 N-inhibited IFN-I production in 293T cells. Our findings indicate that Suramin inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication by hampering viral genome packaging, thereby representing a starting model for design of new COVID-19 antivirals.

Native single-wavelength anomalous dispersion (SAD) is an attractive experimental phasing technique as it exploits weak anomalous signals from intrinsic light scatterers (Z < 20). The anomalous signal of sulfur in particular, is enhanced at long wavelengths, however the absorption of diffracted X-rays owing to the crystal, the sample support and air affects the recorded intensities. Thereby, the optimal measurable anomalous signals primarily depend on the counterplay of the absorption and the anomalous scattering factor at a given X-ray wavelength. Here, the benefit of using a wavelength of 2.7 over 1.9 Å is demonstrated for native-SAD phasing on a 266 kDa multiprotein-ligand tubulin complex (T2R-TTL) and is applied in the structure determination of an 86 kDa helicase Sen1 protein at beamline BL-1A of the KEK Photon Factory, Japan. Furthermore, X-ray absorption at long wavelengths was controlled by shaping a lysozyme crystal into spheres of defined thicknesses using a deep-UV laser, and a systematic comparison between wavelengths of 2.7 and 3.3 Å is reported for native SAD. The potential of laser-shaping technology and other challenges for an optimized native-SAD experiment at wavelengths >3 Å are discussed.

Cytosolic nucleotidases (cNs) catalyze dephosphorylation of nucleoside 5’-monophosphates and thereby contribute to the regulation of nucleotide levels in cells. cNs have also been shown to dephosphorylate several therapeutically relevant nucleotide analogues. cN-IIIB has shown in vitro a distinctive activity towards 7-mehtylguanosine monophosphate (m7GMP), which is one key metabolites of mRNA cap. Consequently, it has been proposed that cN-IIIB participates in mRNA cap turnover and prevents undesired accumulation and salvage of m7GMP. Here, we sought to develop molecular tools enabling more advanced studies on the cellular role of cN-IIIB. To that end, we performed substrate and inhibitor property profiling using a library of 41 substrate analogs. The most potent hit compounds (identified among m7GMP analogs) were used as a starting point for structure–activity relationship studies. As a result, we identified several 7-benzylguanosine 5’-monophosphate (Bn7GMP) derivatives as potent, unhydrolyzable cN-IIIB inhibitors. The mechanism of inhibition was elucidated using X-ray crystallography and molecular docking. Finally, we showed that compounds that potently inhibit recombinant cN-IIIB have the ability to inhibit m7GMP decay in cell lysates.

Oligomeric assemblies of intraflagellar transport (IFT) particles build cilia through sequential recruitment and transport of ciliary cargo proteins within cilia. Here we present the 1.8 Å resolution crystal structure of the Chlamydomonas IFT-B protein IFT80, which reveals the architecture of two N-terminal β-propellers followed by an α-helical extension. The N-terminal β-propeller tethers IFT80 to the IFT-B complex via IFT38 whereas the second β-propeller and the C-terminal α-helical extension result in IFT80 homo-dimerization. Using CRISPR/Cas to create biallelic Ift80 frameshift mutations in IMCD3 mouse cells, we demonstrate that IFT80 is absolutely required for ciliogenesis. Structural mapping and rescue experiments reveal that human disease-causing missense mutations do not cluster within IFT80 and form functional IFT particles. Unlike missense mutant forms of IFT80, deletion of the C-terminal dimerization domain prevented rescue of ciliogenesis. Taken together our results may provide a first insight into higher order IFT complex formation likely required for IFT train formation.

Cyclic nucleotide binding domains (CNB) confer allosteric regulation by cAMP or cGMP to many signaling proteins, including PKA and PKG. PKA of phylogenetically distant Trypanosoma is the first exception as it is cyclic nucleotide-independent and responsive to nucleoside analogues (Bachmaier et al., 2019). Here, we show that natural nucleosides inosine, guanosine and adenosine are nanomolar affinity CNB ligands and activators of PKA orthologs of the important tropical pathogens Trypanosoma brucei, Trypanosoma cruzi, and Leishmania. The sequence and structural determinants of binding affinity, -specificity and kinase activation of PKAR were established by structure-activity relationship (SAR) analysis, co-crystal structures and mutagenesis. Substitution of two to three amino acids in the binding sites is sufficient for conversion of CNB domains from nucleoside to cyclic nucleotide specificity. In addition, a trypanosomatid-specific C-terminal helix (αD) is required for high affinity binding to CNB-B. The αD helix functions as a lid of the binding site that shields ligands from solvent. Selectivity of guanosine for CNB-B and of adenosine for CNB-A results in synergistic kinase activation at low nanomolar concentration. PKA pulldown from rapid lysis establishes guanosine as the predominant ligand in vivo in T. brucei bloodstream forms, whereas guanosine and adenosine seem to synergize in the procyclic developmental stage in the insect vector. We discuss the versatile use of CNB domains in evolution and recruitment of PKA for novel nucleoside-mediated signaling.

Abstract Calcium in interstitial fluids is central to systemic physiology and a crucial ion pool for entry into cells through numerous plasma membrane channels. Its study has been limited by the scarcity of methods that allow monitoring in tight inter-cell spaces of living tissues. Here we present high performance ultra-low affinity genetically encoded calcium biosensors named GreenT-ECs. GreenT-ECs combine large fluorescence changes upon calcium binding and binding affinities (Kds) ranging from 0.8 mM to 2.9 mM, making them tuned to calcium concentrations in extracellular organismal fluids. We validated GreenT-ECs in rodent hippocampal neurons and transgenic zebrafish in vivo, where the sensors enabled monitoring homeostatic regulation of tissue interstitial calcium. GreenT-ECs may become useful for recording very large calcium transients and for imaging calcium homeostasis in inter-cell structures in live tissues and organisms.

Iridoid compounds are an important class of natural products. Here, the authors report on the discovery and engineering of nepetalactol-related short chain reductases and their application for the biosynthesis of nepetalactol or nepetalactone stereoisomers, as a versatile system for the production of the iridoid natural product scaffold.

The human RNA exosome contains a nuclear co-factor MTR4, which unwinds structural RNAs and recruits adaptors for different RNA processing and decay pathways. Here the authors uncover new variations of the arch-interacting motif (AIM) in NVL and ZCCHC8 and characterise their interaction with MTR4.

Protein kinase A (PKA) is typically activated by cAMP. Here, Bachmaier et al. show that PKA of Trypanosoma is activated by nucleoside-related ligands, explain the ligand selectivity swap by a co-crystal structure of trypanosome PKAR, and identify potential downstream targets by phosphoproteomics.

The yeast THO complex is recruited to active genes and interacts with the RNA-dependent ATPase Sub2 to facilitate the formation of mature export-competent messenger ribonucleoprotein particles and to prevent the co-transcriptional formation of RNA:DNA-hybrid-containing structures. How THO-containing complexes function at the mechanistic level is unclear. Here, we elucidated a 3.4 Å resolution structure of Saccharomyces cerevisiae THO-Sub2 by cryo-electron microscopy. THO subunits Tho2 and Hpr1 intertwine to form a platform that is bound by Mft1, Thp2, and Tex1. The resulting complex homodimerizes in an asymmetric fashion, with a Sub2 molecule attached to each protomer. The homodimerization interfaces serve as a fulcrum for a seesaw-like movement concomitant with conformational changes of the Sub2 ATPase. The overall structural architecture and topology suggest the molecular mechanisms of nucleic acid remodeling during mRNA biogenesis.

The nuclear RNA exosome complex mediates the processing of structured RNAs and the decay of aberrant non-coding RNAs, an important function particularly in human cells. Most mechanistic studies to date have focused on the yeast system. Here, we reconstituted and studied the properties of a recombinant 14-subunit human nuclear exosome complex. In biochemical assays, the human exosome embeds a longer RNA channel than its yeast counterpart. The 3.8 Å resolution cryo-EM structure of the core complex bound to a single-stranded RNA reveals that the RNA channel path is formed by two distinct features of the hDIS3 exoribonuclease: an open conformation and a domain organization more similar to bacterial RNase II than to yeast Rrp44. The cryo-EM structure of the holo-complex shows how obligate nuclear cofactors position the hMTR4 helicase at the entrance of the core complex, suggesting a striking structural conservation from lower to higher eukaryotes.

The DEAD-box protein DDX6 is a central component of translational repression mechanisms in maternal mRNA storage in oocytes and microRNA-mediated silencing in somatic cells. DDX6 interacts with the CCR4-NOT complex and functions in concert with several post-transcriptional regulators, including Edc3, Pat1, and 4E-T. We show that the conserved CUP-homology domain (CHD) of human 4E-T interacts directly with DDX6 in both the presence and absence of the central MIF4G domain of CNOT1. The 2.1-Å resolution structure of the corresponding ternary complex reveals how 4E-T CHD wraps around the RecA2 domain of DDX6 and contacts CNOT1. Although 4E-T CHD lacks recognizable sequence similarity with Edc3 or Pat1, it shares the same DDX6-binding surface. In contrast to 4E-T, however, the Edc3 and Pat1 FDF motifs dissociate from DDX6 upon CNOT1 MIF4G binding in vitro. The results underscore the presence of a complex network of simultaneous and/or mutually exclusive interactions in DDX6-mediated repression.