Structure-based design of a second-generation Lyme disease vaccine based on a C-terminal fragment of Borrelia burgdorferi OspA

Here, we describe a structure-based approach to reduce the size of an antigen protein for a subunit vaccine. Our method consists of (i) determining the three-dimensional structure of an antigen, (ii) identifying protective epitopes, (iii) generation of an antigen fragment that contains the protective epitope, and (iv) rational design to compensate for destabilization caused by truncation. Using this approach we have successfully developed a second-generation Lyme disease vaccine. Outer surface protein A (OspA) from the Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi elicits protective immunity that blocks transmission of Borrelia from the tick vector to the vaccinated animal, and thus has been a focus of vaccine development. OspA has two globular domains that are connected via a unique single-layer beta-sheet. All anti-OspA monoclonal antibodies that block Borrelia transmission bind to conformational epitopes in the C-terminal domain of OspA, suggesting the possibility of using the C-terminal domain alone as a recombinant protein-based vaccine. The removal of ineffective parts from the OspA antigen may reduce side effects and lead to a safer vaccine. We prepared a C-terminal fragment of OspA by removing approximately 45% of residues from the N terminus. Although the fragment retained the native conformation and affinity to a protective antibody, its vaccine efficacy and conformational stability were significantly reduced with respect to full-length OspA. We successfully stabilized the fragment by replacing amino acid residues involved in buried salt-bridges with residues promoting hydrophobic interactions. The mutations promoted the vaccine efficacy of the redesigned fragment to a level comparable to that of the full-length protein, demonstrating the importance of the antigen stability for OspA's vaccine efficacy. Our strategy should be useful for further refining OspA-based vaccines and developing recombinant vaccines for other diseases.     

The interactions of molecular chaperones with client proteins: why are they so weak?

The major classes of molecular chaperones have highly variable sequences, sizes, and shapes, yet they all bind to unfolded proteins, limit their aggregation, and assist in their folding. Despite the central importance of this process to protein homeostasis, it has not been clear exactly how chaperones guide this process or whether the diverse families of chaperones use similar mechanisms. For the first time, recent advances in NMR spectroscopy have enabled detailed studies of how unfolded, “client” proteins interact with both ATP-dependent and ATP-independent classes of chaperones. Here, we review examples from four distinct chaperones, Spy, Trigger Factor, DnaK, and HscA-HscB, highlighting the similarities and differences between their mechanisms. One striking similarity is that the chaperones all bind weakly to their clients, such that the chaperone–client interactions are readily outcompeted by stronger, intra- and intermolecular contacts in the folded state. Thus, the relatively weak affinity of these interactions seems to provide directionality to the folding process. However, there are also key differences, especially in the details of how the chaperones release clients and how ATP cycling impacts that process. For example, Spy releases clients in a largely folded state, while clients seem to be unfolded upon release from Trigger Factor or DnaK. Together, these studies are beginning to uncover the similarities and differences in how chaperones use weak interactions to guide protein folding.     

Observation of carbon labelling in cell metabolites using proton spin echo NMR

A heteronuclear spin echo experiment is described which allows detection of both ¹²C and ¹³C labelled species in a ¹H spectrum. Fractional labelling of ¹³C labelled metabolites can thus be observed. The method is illustrated with a study of the exchange of ¹³C label between the methyl groups of alanine and pyruvate catalysed by the enzyme alanine aminotransferase (E.C. 2.6.1.2) both in the human erythrocyte and $\text{in}\text{,}\text{vitro}$.     

A study of the interactions among adenosine triphosphate, epinephrine, and magnesium ions

The interactions among adenosine triphosphate, Mg⁺², and epinephrine at pH's below 7.0 have been studied by observing the effects of these interactions on the chemical shifts and line widths of their ¹H and ³¹P nuclear magnetic resonance spectra. Mg⁺² is tightly bound by the β- and γ-phosphate groups of adenosine triphosphate and there is a weak association between this chelate and epinephrine. In the ternary complex, the aromatic ring of epinephrine overlaps the purine ring of adenosine triphosphate and there appears to be an ionic interaction between the protonated amino group and the α-phosphate of adenosine triphosphate. It was also found that dichloroisoproterenol forms essentially the same type of ternary complex.     

钙调素的结构生物学研究进展

介绍了Apo-CaM、Ca²⁺-CaM以及CaM与其靶肽及拮抗剂复合体的空间结构.钙调素(calmodulin, CaM)作为细胞多功能的Ca²⁺受体,在细胞信号转导过程中发挥重要作用.近几年对它的空间结构有了较清楚的了解,使人们能够更明确地认识CaM的Ca²⁺激活及CaM与其靶酶的作用机制.     

Determination of all NOes in 1H–13C–Me-ILV-U−2H–15N Proteins with Two Time-Shared Experiments

We present two time-shared experiments that enable the characterization of all nOes in ¹H–¹³C-ILV methyl-labelled proteins that are otherwise uniformly deuterated and ¹⁵N enriched and possibly selectively protonated for distinct residue types. A 3D experiment simultaneously provides the spectra of a 3D NOESY-HN-TROSY and of a 3D NOESY-HC-PEP-HSQC. Thus, nOes from any protons to methyl or amide protons are dispersed with respect to ¹⁵N and ¹³C chemical shifts, respectively. The single 4D experiment presented here yields simultaneously the four 4D experiments HC-HSQC-NOESY-HC-PEP-HSQC, HC-HSQC-NOESY-HN-TROSY, HN-HSQC-NOESY-HN-TROSY and HN-HSQC-NOESY-HC-PEP-HSQC. This allows for the unambiguous determination of all nOes involving amide and methyl protons. The method was applied to a (¹H,¹³C)-ILV−(¹H)-FY-(U−²H,¹⁵N) sample of a 37 kDa di-domain of the E. coli enterobactin synthetase module EntF.     

Steric Crowding of the Turn Region Alters the Tertiary Fold of Amyloid-β18–35 and Makes It Soluble

Aβ self-assembles into parallel cross-β fibrillar aggregates, which is associated with Alzheimer''s disease pathology. A central hairpin turn around residues 23–29 is a defining characteristic of Aβ in its aggregated state. Major biophysical properties of Aβ, including this turn, remain unaltered in the central fragment Aβ_18–35. Here, we synthesize a single deletion mutant, ΔG25, with the aim of sterically hindering the hairpin turn in Aβ_18–35. We find that the solubility of the peptide goes up by more than 20-fold. Although some oligomeric structures do form, solution state NMR spectroscopy shows that they have mostly random coil conformations. Fibrils ultimately form at a much higher concentration but have widths approximately twice that of Aβ_18–35, suggesting an opening of the hairpin bend. Surprisingly, two-dimensional solid state NMR shows that the contact between Phe¹⁹ and Leu³⁴ residues, observed in full-length Aβ and Aβ_18–35, is still intact in these fibrils. This is possible if the monomers in the fibril are arranged in an antiparallel β-sheet conformation. Indeed, IR measurements, supported by tyrosine cross-linking experiments, provide a characteristic signature of the antiparallel β-sheet. We conclude that the self-assembly of Aβ is critically dependent on the hairpin turn and on the contact between the Phe¹⁹ and Leu³⁴ regions, making them potentially sensitive targets for Alzheimer''s therapeutics. Our results show the importance of specific conformations in an aggregation process thought to be primarily driven by nonspecific hydrophobic interactions.