Profound redox sensitivity of peptidyl-prolyl isomerase activity in Arabidopsis thylakoid lumen

Proteomic, enzymatic, and mutant analyses revealed that peptidyl-prolyl isomerase (PPIase) activity in the chloroplast thylakoid lumen of Arabidopsis is determined by two immunophilins: AtCYP20-2 and AtFKBP13. These two enzymes are responsible for PPIase activity in both soluble and membrane-associated fractions of thylakoid lumen suggesting that other lumenal immunophilins are not active towards the peptide substrates. In thiol-reducing conditions PPIase activity of the isolated AtFKBP13 and of the total thylakoid lumen is suppressed several fold. Profound redox-dependence of PPIase activity implies oxidative activation of protein folding catalysis under oxidative stress and photosynthetic oxygen production in the thylakoid lumen of plant chloroplasts.     

Requirements for peptidyl-prolyl isomerization activity: a comprehensive mutational analysis of the substrate-binding cavity of FK506-binding protein 12

Peptidyl-prolyl isomerase (PPIase) activity is exhibited by many proteins belonging to the PPIase family. However, the catalytic mechanism of this activity remains to be completely elucidated. Here, we selected human FK506-binding protein 12 (FKBP12) as the model PPIase and investigated the nature of amino acid residues essential for the activity. The crystal structures of several complexes of PPIase with short peptides revealed that the residues Asp37, Arg42, Phe46, Val55, Trp59, and Tyr82 in the substrate-binding cavity of FKBP12 appear to play key roles in the PPIase activity. Each of these six residues was substituted by 20 common amino acid residues. The activity of each mutant protein was measured using a peptide analog by the chymotrypsin digestion assay and then compared with wild-type FKBP12. It was found that site-specific interactions by the side chains of amino acid residues constituting the substrate-binding cavity were not essential for the PPIase activity, although the 37th, 55th, and 82nd amino acid residues significantly contributed to the activity. This suggests that the PPIase activity requires only the hydrophobic cavity that captures the Pro-containing peptide.     

Characterization of an Escherichia coli rotA mutant, affected in periplasmic peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerase

The rotA gene of Escherichia coli encodes a peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerase (PPlase), which is supposed to catalyse protein folding in the periplasm. To investigate the importance of the enzyme, the rotA gene was cloned and a chromosomal deletion mutant was created. The rotA mutant was normally viable. No residual PPlase activity could be detected in the periplasmic fraction of the mutant. Comparison of the patterns of periplasmic and outer membrane proteins by SDS-PAGE revealed no differences in protein composition between the rotA mutant and its parental strain. Similarly, the kinetics of periplasmic protein folding and outer membrane protein assembly appeared unaffected by the rotA mutation. Our results show that the periplasmic PPlase of E. coli is not essential and that the protein does not play an important role in protein folding.     

Active site mutants of human cyclophilin A separate peptidyl-prolyl isomerase activity from cyclosporin A binding and calcineurin inhibition.

Based on recent X-ray structural information, six site-directed mutants of human cyclophilin A (hCyPA) involving residues in the putative active site--H54, R55, F60, Q111, F113, and H126--have been constructed, overexpressed, and purified from Escherichia coli to homogeneity. The proteins W121A (Liu, J., Chen, C.-M., & Walsh, C.T., 1991a, Biochemistry 30, 2306-2310), H54Q, R55A, F60A, Q111A, F113A, and H126Q were assayed for cis-trans peptidyl-prolyl isomerase (PPIase) activity, their ability to bind the immunosuppressive drug cyclosporin A (CsA), and protein phosphatase 2B (calcineurin) inhibition in the presence of CsA. Results indicate that H54Q, Q111A, F113A, and W121A retain 3-15% of the catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km) of wild-type recombinant hCyPA. The remaining three mutants (R55A, F60A, and H126Q) each retain less than 1% of the wild-type catalytic efficiency, indicating participation by these residues in PPIase catalysis. Each of the mutants bound to a CsA affinity matrix. The mutants R55A, F60A, F113A, and H126Q inhibited calcineurin in the presence of CsA, whereas W121A did not. Although CsA is a competitive inhibitor of PPIase activity, it can complex with enzymatically inactive cyclophilins and inhibit the phosphatase activity of calcineurin.     

Regulation of Pin1 peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerase activity by its WW binding module on a multi-phosphorylated peptide of Tau protein

The WW module of the peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerase Pin1 targets specifically phosphorylated proteins involved in the cell cycle through the recognition of phospho-Thr(Ser)-Pro motifs. When the microtubule-associated Tau protein becomes hyperphosphorylated, it equally becomes a substrate for Pin1, with two recognition sites described around the phosphorylated Thr212 and Thr231. The Pin1 WW domain binds both sites with moderate affinity, but only the Thr212-Pro213 bond is isomerized by the catalytic domain of Pin1. We show here that, in a peptide carrying a single recognition site, the WW module increases significantly the enzymatic isomerase activity of Pin1. However, with addition of a second recognition motif, the affinity of both the WW and catalytic domain for the substrate increases, but the isomerization efficacy decreases. We therefore conclude that the WW domain can act as a negative regulator of enzymatic activity when multiple phosphorylation is present, thereby suggesting a subtle mechanism of its functional regulation.     

淋病奈瑟菌肽基脯氨酰异构酶的原核表达及其作为候选疫苗的初步评价

【背景】淋病是我国主要的性传播疾病之一,感染淋病奈瑟菌可促进人类免疫缺陷病毒(human immunodeficiency virus, HIV)的传播和感染。目前我国淋病发病人数呈上升趋势,随着多重耐药菌株的出现,亟须研发保护性疫苗来防治淋病的传播和感染。【目的】分析淋病奈瑟菌(Neisseria gonorrhoeae, NG)肽基脯氨酰异构酶(peptidyl-prolyl isomerase, PPIase)蛋白的高级结构和表位,探讨其作为疫苗和分子诊断靶点的潜力。【方法】利用生物信息学软件分析PPIase蛋白的极性、亲水性、柔韧性、表面可及性、二级和三级结构,以及T、B细胞表位等;用pET32a(+)质粒构建PPIase蛋白的原核表达系统并纯化蛋白,用纯化的重组蛋白和超声波破碎的NG全菌抗原分别免疫BALB/c小鼠,收获免疫血清;制备NG全细胞抗原,分别以全细胞抗原酶联免疫吸附试验(enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, ELISA)和间接免疫荧光试验检测重组PPIase蛋白血清抗体与NG全细胞表面抗原的结合情况。【结果】生物信息学分析结果显示,...     

Structural and functional studies of an intermediate on the pathway to operator binding by Escherichia coli MetJ

We present the results of in vitro DNA-binding assays for a mutant protein (Q44K) of the E. coli methionine repressor, MetJ, as well as the crystal structure at 2.2 A resolution of the apo-mutant bound to a 10-mer oligonucleotide encompassing an 8 bp met-box sequence. The wild-type protein binds natural operators co-operatively with respect to protein concentration forming at least a dimer of repressor dimers along operator DNAs. The minimum operator length is thus 16 bp, each MetJ dimer interacting with a single met-box site. In contrast, the Q44K mutant protein can also bind stably as a single dimer to 8 bp target sites, in part due to additional contacts made to the phosphodiester backbone outside the 8 bp target via the K44 side-chains. Protein-protein co-operativity in the mutant is reduced relative to the wild-type allowing the properties of an intermediate on the pathway to operator site saturation to be examined for the first time. The crystal structure of the decamer complex shows a unique conformation for the protein bound to the single met-box site, possibly explaining the reduced protein-protein co-operativity. In both the extended and minimal DNA complexes formed, the mutant protein makes slightly different contacts to the edges of DNA base-pairs than the wild-type, even though the site of amino acid substitution is distal from the DNA-binding motif. Quantitative binding assays suggest that this is not due to artefacts caused by the crystallisation conditions but is most likely due to the relatively small contribution of such direct contacts to the overall binding energy of DNA-protein complex formation, which is dominated by sequence-dependent distortions of the DNA duplex and by the protein-protein contact between dimers.     

Three-dimensional solution structure of an archaeal FKBP with a dual function of peptidyl prolyl cis-trans isomerase and chaperone-like activities

Here we report the solution structure of an archaeal FK506-binding protein (FKBP) from a thermophilic archaeum, Methanococcus thermolithotrophicus (MtFKBP17), which has peptidyl prolyl cis-trans isomerase (PPIase) and chaperone-like activities, to reveal the structural basis for the dual function. In addition to a typical PPIase domain, a newly identified domain is formed in the flap loop by a 48-residue insert that is required for the chaperone-like activity. The new domain, called IF domain (the Insert in the Flap), is a novel-folding motif and exposes a hydrophobic surface, which we consider to play an important role in the chaperone-like activity.     

Folding of barstar C40A/C82A/P27A and catalysis of the peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerization by human cytosolic cyclophilin (Cyp18).

Refolding of b*C40A/C82A/P27A is comprised of several kinetically detectable folding phases. The slowest phase in refolding originates from trans-->cis isomerization of the Tyr47-Pro48 peptide bond being in cis conformation in the native state. This refolding phase can be accelerated by the peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerase human cytosolic cyclophilin (Cyp18) with a kcat/K(M) of 254,000 M(-1) s(-1). The fast refolding phase is not influenced by the enzyme.     

FKBP25, a novel regulator of the p53 pathway, induces the degradation of MDM2 and activation of p53

The p53 tumour suppressor protein is tightly controlled by the E3 ubiquitin ligase, mouse double minute 2 (MDM2), but maintains MDM2 expression as part of a negative feedback loop. We have identified the immunophilin, 25 kDa FK506-binding protein (FKBP25), previously shown to be regulated by p53-mediated repression, as an MDM2-interacting partner. We show that FKBP25 stimulates auto-ubiquitylation and proteasomal degradation of MDM2, leading to the induction of p53. Depletion of FKBP25 by siRNA leads to increased levels of MDM2 and a corresponding reduction in p53 and p21 levels. These data are consistent with the idea that FKBP25 contributes to regulation of the p53-MDM2 negative feedback loop.

Structured summary

MINT-6823686:MDM2 (uniprotkb:Q00987) physically interacts (MI:0218) with FKBP25 (uniprotkb:Q00688) by anti bait coimmunoprecipitation (MI:0006)MINT-6823707, MINT-6823722:MDM2 (uniprotkb:Q00987) physically interacts (MI:0218) with FKBP25 (uniprotkb:Q62446) by pull down (MI:0096)MINT-6823775:P53 (uniprotkb:Q04637) physically interacts (MI:0218) with MDM2 (uniprotkb:Q00987) by anti bait coimmunoprecipitation (MI:0006)MINT-6823735, MINT-6823749:FKBP25 (uniprotkb:Q62446) binds (MI:0407) to MDM2 (uniprotkb:Q00987) by pull down (MI:0096)MINT-6823761:Ubiquitin (UNIPROTKB:62988)P physically interacts (MI:0218) with MDM2 (uniprotkb:Q00987) by pull down (MI:0096)MINT-6823669:MDM2 (uniprotkb:Q00987) physically interacts (MI:0218) with FKBP25 (uniprotkb:Q00688) by two hybrid (MI:0018)     

Solution structure of Escherichia coli Par10: The prototypic member of the Parvulin family of peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerases

E. coli Par10 is a peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerase (PPIase) from Escherichia coli catalyzing the isomerization of Xaa-Pro bonds in oligopeptides with a broad substrate specificity. The structure of E. coli Par10 has been determined by multidimensional solution-state NMR spectroscopy based on 1207 conformational constraints (1067 NOE-derived distances, 42 vicinal coupling-constant restraints, 30 hydrogen-bond restraints, and 68 phi/psi restraints derived from the Chemical Shift Index). Simulated-annealing calculations with the program ARIA and subsequent refinement with XPLOR yielded a set of 18 convergent structures with an average backbone RMSD from mean atomic coordinates of 0.50 A within the well-defined secondary structure elements. E. coli Par10 is the smallest known PPIase so far, with a high catalytic efficiency comparable to that of FKBPs and cyclophilins. The secondary structure of E. coli Par10 consists of four helical regions and a four-stranded antiparallel beta-sheet. The N terminus forms a beta-strand, followed by a large stretch comprising three alpha-helices. A loop region containing a short beta-strand separates these helices from a fourth alpha-helix. The C terminus consists of two more beta-strands completing the four-stranded anti-parallel beta-sheet with strand order 2143. Interestingly, the third beta-strand includes a Gly-Pro cis peptide bond. The curved beta-strand forms a hydrophobic binding pocket together with alpha-helix 4, which also contains a number of highly conserved residues. The three-dimensional structure of Par10 closely resembles that of the human proteins hPin1 and hPar14 and the plant protein Pin1At, belonging to the same family of highly homologous proteins.     

Ng-MIP, a surface-exposed lipoprotein of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, has a peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerase (PPIase) activity and is involved in persistence in macrophages

Macrophage infectivity potentiators (MIPs) are a family of surface-exposed virulence factors of intracellular microorganisms such as Legionella, Chlamydia and Trypanosoma. These proteins display peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerase (PPIase) activity that is inhibited by immunosuppressants FK506 and rapamycin. Here we describe the identification and characterization in Neisseria gonorrhoeae of Ng-MIP, a surface-exposed lipoprotein with high homology to MIPs. The protein is an homodimer with rapamycin-inhibited PPIase activity confirming that it is a functional member of the MIP family. A knock-out strain, generated by deletion of the mip gene in N. gonorrhoeae F62 strain, was evaluated for its role in infection of mouse and human macrophages. We show that Ng-MIP promotes the intracellular survival of N. gonorrhoeae in macrophages, highlighting a possible role of this protein in promoting the persistence of gonococcal infection.     

Structural and functional analyses of phosphoglucose isomerase from Vibrio vulnificus and its lysyl aminopeptidase activity

Phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI) with a novel lysyl aminopeptidase (LysAP) activity was recently isolated and partially characterized from the human pathogen, Vibrio vulnificus. This PGI is a heterodimer consisting of 60.8- and 23.4-kDa subunits, which together provide LysAP activity. The present study further characterizes the complex structure and functions of Vibrio PGI and draws parallels with rabbit and human PGI. A Proscan search of Vibrio PGI revealed 194 different structural motifs of which 124 and 127 were also found in rabbit and human PGI, respectively. Vibrio PGI contains motifs for the serine, histidine and aspartic acid active sites of the subtilase family of serine proteases which form a putative catalytic triad consisting of His534 and Ser159 on the 60.8-kDa subunit and Asp53 on the 23.4-kDa subunit. Together, they form one LysAP site for each heterodimer. Each active site motif is overlapped by motifs for EF-hand calcium binding domains. The LysAP activity was inhibited by the addition of ≥10 μM Ca²⁺, suggesting that the EF-hand calcium-binding domain may be a natural regulatory region for LysAP activity. In contrast, PGI's isomerase activity was enhanced at Ca²⁺ concentrations >100 μM. PGI-LysAP cleaved the amino-terminal lysyl residue from des-Arg¹⁰-kallidin producing des-Arg⁹-bradykinin; therefore, Vibrio PGI-LysAP may serve as a virulence factor to enhance Vibrio invasiveness. Together, these data provide a framework to account for PGI's LysAP activity and further demonstrate the structural complexity and functional importance of this molecule.     

NMR solution structure and dynamics of the peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase domain of the trigger factor from Mycoplasma genitalium compared to FK506-binding protein

We have solved the solution structure of the peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase (PPIase) domain of the trigger factor from Mycoplasma genitalium by homo- and heteronuclear NMR spectroscopy. Our results lead to a well-defined structure with a backbone rmsd of 0.23 A. As predicted, the PPIase domain of the trigger factor adopts the FK506 binding protein (FKBP) fold. Furthermore, our NMR relaxation data indicate that the dynamic behavior of the trigger factor PPIase domain and of FKBP are similar. Structural variations when compared to FKBP exist in the flap region and within the bulges of strand 5 of the beta sheet. Although the active-site crevice is similar to that of FKBP, subtle steric variations in this region can explain why FK506 does not bind to the trigger factor. Sequence variability (27% identity) between trigger factor and FKBP results in significant differences in surface charge distribution and the absence of the first strand of the central beta sheet. Our data indicate, however, that this strand may be partially structured as "nascent" beta strand. This makes the trigger factor PPIase domain the most minimal representative of the FKBP like protein family of PPIases.     

The periplasmic Escherichia coli peptidylprolyl cis,trans-isomerase FkpA. I. Increased functional expression of antibody fragments with and without cis-prolines

The production of recombinant proteins in the periplasm of Escherichia coli can be limited by folding problems, leading to periplasmic aggregates. We used a selection system for periplasmic chaperones based on the coexpression of an E. coli library with a poorly expressing antibody single-chain Fv (scFv) fragment displayed on filamentous phage (Bothmann, H., and Plückthun, A. (1998) Nature Biotechnol. 16, 376-380). By selection for a functional antibody, the protein Skp had been enriched previously and shown to improve periplasmic expression of a wide range of scFv fragments. This selection strategy was now repeated with a library constructed from the genomic DNA of an skp-deficient strain, leading to enrichment of the periplasmic peptidylprolyl cis,trans-isomerase (PPIase) FkpA. Coexpression of FkpA increased the amount of fusion protein displayed on the phage and dramatically improved functional periplasmic expression even of scFv fragments not containing cis-prolines. In contrast, the coexpression of the periplasmic PPIases PpiA and SurA showed no increase in the functional scFv fragment level in the periplasm or displayed on phage. Together with the in vitro data in the accompanying paper (Ramm, K., and Plückthun, A. (2000) J. Biol. Chem. 275, 17106-17113), we conclude that the effect of FkpA is independent of its PPIase activity.     

Escherichia coli phosphoglucose isomerase can be substituted by members of the PGI family, the PGI/PMI family, and the cPGI family

The Escherichia coli strain Pgi-UdhA, a mutant of the strain MG1655, is deficient in both the pgi gene and the udhA gene and cannot grow on glucose as carbon and energy source. This strain was transformed with different pET-plasmids containing archaeal or bacterial pgi, cpgi or pgi/pmi genes from the three known PGI families (PGI, PGI/PMI, cPGI). Growth could be restored upon plasmid-based expression of pgi, pgi/pmi or cpgi genes indicating that these heterologous proteins can substitute for E. coli PGI. However, complete restoration of the growth rate could not be obtained by any of the PGIs, PGI/PMIs, or cPGIs used. The data indicate that the PGI function of the three PGI families is functionally exchangeable in glycolysis.     

Cloning,expression and characterization of xylose isomerase from the marine bacterium Fulvimarina pelagi in Escherichia coli

Production of a xylose isomerase (XI) with high tolerance to the inhibitors xylitol and calcium, and high activity at the low pH and temperature conditions characteristic of yeast fermentations, is desirable for a simultaneous isomerization/fermentation process for cellulosic ethanol production. A putative XI gene (xylA) from the marine bacterium Fulvimarina pelagi was identified by sequence analysis of the F. pelagi genome, and was PCR amplified, cloned, and expressed in Escherichia coli. The rXI was produced in shake flask and fed‐batch fermentations using glucose as the growth substrate. The optimum pH for rXI was approximately 7, although activity was evident at pH as low as 5.5. The purified rXI had a molecular weight in 160 kDA, a V_max of 0.142 U/mg purified rXI, and a K_M for xylose in the range of 1.75–4.17 mM/L at pH 6.5 and a temperature of 35°C. The estimated calcium and xylitol K_I values for rXI in cell‐free extracts were 2,500 mg/L and >50 mM, respectively. The low K_M of the F. pelagi xylose isomerase is consistent with the low nutrient conditions of the pelagic environment. These results indicate that Ca²⁺ and xylitol are not likely to be inhibitory in applications employing the rXI from F. pelagi to convert xylose to xylulose in fermentations of complex biomass hydrolysates. A higher V_max at low pH (<6) and temperature (30°C) would be preferable for use in biofuels production. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 32:1230–1237, 2016     

Structural and functional coupling of Hsp90- and Sgt1-centred multi-protein complexes

Sgt1 is an adaptor protein implicated in a variety of processes, including formation of the kinetochore complex in yeast, and regulation of innate immunity systems in plants and animals. Sgt1 has been found to associate with SCF E3 ubiquitin ligases, the CBF3 kinetochore complex, plant R proteins and related animal Nod-like receptors, and with the Hsp90 molecular chaperone. We have determined the crystal structure of the core Hsp90–Sgt1 complex, revealing a distinct site of interaction on the Hsp90 N-terminal domain. Using the structure, we developed mutations in Sgt1 interfacial residues, which specifically abrogate interaction with Hsp90, and disrupt Sgt1-dependent functions in vivo, in plants and yeast. We show that Sgt1 bridges the Hsp90 molecular chaperone system to the substrate-specific arm of SCF ubiquitin ligase complexes, suggesting a role in SCF assembly and regulation, and providing multiple complementary routes for ubiquitination of Hsp90 client proteins.     

The prolyl isomerase domain of PpiD from Escherichia coli shows a parvulin fold but is devoid of catalytic activity

PpiD is a periplasmic folding helper protein of Escherichia coli. It consists of an N‐terminal helix that anchors PpiD in the inner membrane near the SecYEG translocon, followed by three periplasmic domains. The second domain (residues 264–357) shows homology to parvulin‐like prolyl isomerases. This domain is a well folded, stable protein and follows a simple two‐state folding mechanism. In its solution structure, as determined by NMR spectroscopy, it resembles most closely the first parvulin domain of the SurA protein, which resides in the periplasm of E. coli as well. A previously reported prolyl isomerase activity of PpiD could not be reproduced when using improved protease‐free peptide assays or assays with refolding proteins as substrates. The parvulin domain of PpiD interacts, however, with a proline‐containing tetrapeptide, and the binding site, as identified by NMR resonance shift analysis, colocalized with the catalytic sites of other parvulins. In its structure, the parvulin domain of PpiD resembles most closely the inactive first parvulin domain of SurA, which is part of the chaperone unit of this protein and presumably involved in substrate recognition.