Constitutive regulatory activity of an evolutionarily excluded riboswitch variant

The exquisite specificity of the adenine-responsive riboswitch toward its cognate metabolite has been shown to arise from the formation of a Watson-Crick interaction between the adenine ligand and residue U65. A recent crystal structure of a U65C adenine aptamer variant has provided a rationale for the phylogenetic conservation observed at position 39 for purine aptamers. The G39-C65 variant adopts a compact ligand-free structure in which G39 is accommodated by the ligand binding site and is base-paired to the cytosine at position 65. Here, we demonstrate using a combination of biochemical and biophysical techniques that the G39-C65 base pair not only severely impairs ligand binding but also disrupts the functioning of the riboswitch in vivo by constitutively activating gene expression. Folding studies using single-molecule FRET revealed that the G39-C65 variant displays a low level of dynamic heterogeneity, a feature reminiscent of ligand-bound wild-type complexes. A restricted conformational freedom together with an ability to significantly fold in monovalent ions are exclusive to the G39-C65 variant. This work provides a mechanistic framework to rationalize the evolutionary exclusion of certain nucleotide combinations in favor of sequences that preserve ligand binding and gene regulation functionalities.     

The conserved asparagine in the HNH motif serves an important structural role in metal finger endonucleases

The HNH motif is a small nucleic acid binding and cleavage module, widespread in metal finger endonucleases in all life kingdoms. Here we studied a non-specific endonuclease, the nuclease domain of ColE7 (N-ColE7), to decipher the role of the conserved asparagine and histidine residues in the HNH motif. We found, using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) assays, that the DNA hydrolysis activity of H545 N-ColE7 mutants was completely abolished while activities of N560 and H573 mutants varied from 6.9% to 83.2% of the wild-type activity. The crystal structures of three N-ColE7 mutants in complex with the inhibitor Im7, N560A-Im7, N560D-Im7 and H573A-Im7, were determined at a resolution of 1.9 A to 2.2 A. H573 is responsible for metal ion binding in the wild-type protein, as the zinc ion is still partially associated in the structure of H573A, suggesting that H573 plays a supportive role in metal binding. Both N560A and N560D contain a disordered loop in the HNH motif due to the disruption of the hydrogen bond network surrounding the side-chain of residue 560, and as a result, the imidazole ring of the general base residue H545 is tilted slightly and the scissile phosphate is shifted, leading to the large reductions in hydrolysis activities. These results suggest that the highly conserved asparagine in the HNH motif, in general, plays a structural role in constraining the loop in the metal finger structure and keeping the general base histidine and scissile phosphate in the correct position for DNA hydrolysis.     

Fluorescence resonance energy transfer in ferritin labeled with multiple fluorescent dyes

We simultaneously labeled ferritin with two Alexa Fluor fluorophores (AF350 and AF430). When both fluorophores label the same ferritin subunit, fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) takes place from the excited AF350 to the acceptor AF430. By varying the number and the ratio of labeling fluorophores, we can modulate FRET such that the ferritin particles can exhibit multiple colors under UV illumination. Labeling of the ferritin shell does not affect the properties of the metallic core. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Protein biosensors based on the principle of fluorescence resonance energy transfer for monitoring cellular dynamics

Genetically-coded, fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) biosensors are widely used to study molecular events from single cells to whole organisms. They are unique among biosensors because of their spontaneous fluorescence and targeting specificity to both organelles and tissues. In this review, we discuss the theoretical basis of FRET with a focus on key parameters responsible for designing FRET biosensors that have the highest sensitivity. Next, we discuss recent applications that are grouped into four common biosensor design patterns—intermolecular FRET, intramolecular FRET, FRET from substrate cleavage and FRET using multiple colour fluorescent proteins. Lastly, we discuss recent progress in creating fluorescent proteins suitable for FRET purposes. Together these advances in the development of FRET biosensors are beginning to unravel the interconnected and intricate signalling processes as they are occurring in living cells and organisms.     

Fluorescence labels as sensors for oxygen binding of arthropod hemocyanins

The molecular basis of high cooperativity in multi-subunit proteins is still unknown in most cases. Oxygen binding by multi-subunit hemocyanins produces two intrinsic spectroscopic signals which are, however, either limited to the UV or are very weak. Here we demonstrate that fluorescence labels emitting in the visible can be used as sensors for cooperative oxygen binding of hemocyanins. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer to the oxygenated active sites quenches the emission of the labels by roughly 50% upon oxygenation of the protein. The labels give strong and photo-stable emission, allowing imaging of single hemocyanin molecules. Therefore, this study opens up a new perspective for investigating the molecular basis of cooperative oxygen binding at the single-molecule level. In addition, another novel application is provided by these labels, i.e., the investigation of the influence of effectors by recording simultaneously the binding of oxygen in the visible and of effectors in the UV.     

Ligand-induced monomerization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Allochromatium vinosum</Emphasis> cytochrome <Emphasis Type="Italic">c</Emphasis>′ studied using native mass spectrometry and fluorescence resonance energy transfer

Cytochrome c' from Allochromatium vinosum is an attractive model protein to study ligand-induced conformational changes. This homodimeric protein dissociates into monomers upon binding of NO, CO or CN(-) to the iron of its covalently attached heme group. While ligand binding to the heme has been well characterized using a variety of spectroscopic techniques, direct monitoring of the subsequent monomerization has not been reported previously. Here we have explored two biophysical techniques to simultaneously monitor ligand binding and monomerization. Native mass spectrometry allowed the detection of the dimeric and monomeric forms of cytochrome c' and even showed the presence of a CO-bound monomer. The kinetics of the ligand-induced monomerization were found to be significantly enhanced in the gas phase compared with the kinetics in solution, however. Ligand binding to the heme and the dissociation of the dimer in solution were also studied using energy transfer from a fluorescent probe to both heme groups of the protein. Comparison of ligand binding kinetics as observed with UV-vis spectroscopy with changes in fluorescence suggested that binding of one CO molecule per dimer could be sufficient for monomerization.     

Assay to mechanically tune and optically probe fibrillar fibronectin conformations from fully relaxed to breakage

In response to growing needs for quantitative biochemical and cellular assays that address whether the extracellular matrix (ECM) acts as a mechanochemical signal converter to co-regulate cellular mechanotransduction processes, a new assay is presented where plasma fibronectin fibers are manually deposited onto elastic sheets, while force-induced changes in protein conformation are monitored by fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). Fully relaxed assay fibers can be stretched at least 5-6 fold, which involves Fn domain unfolding, before the fibers break. In native fibroblast ECM, this full range of stretch-regulated conformations coexists in every field of view confirming that the assay fibers are physiologically relevant model systems. Since alterations of protein function will directly correlate with their extension in response to force, the FRET vs. strain curves presented herein enable the mapping of fibronectin strain distributions in 2D and 3D cell cultures with high spatial resolution. Finally, cryptic sites for fibronectin's N-terminal 70-kD fragment were found to be exposed at relatively low strain, demonstrating the assay's potential to analyze stretch-regulated protein-protein interactions.     

Fluorescence resonance energy transfer in single enzyme molecules with a quantum dot as donor

H(+)-ATPsynthases couple a transmembrane proton transport with ATP synthesis and ATP hydrolysis. Previously, the relative subunit movement during this process has been measured by fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between two organic fluorophores covalently bound to different subunits. To improve the photophysical stability, a luminescent CdSe/ZnS nanocrystal (quantum dot) was bound to the enzyme and an organic fluorophore, Alexa568, was used as fluorescence acceptor. Single-molecule spectroscopy with the membrane integrated labeled H(+)-ATPsynthase was carried out. Single-pair FRET indicates three different conformations of the enzyme. During ATP hydrolysis relative intramolecular subunit movements are observed in real time.     

Chromatin Remodelers Act Globally, Sequence Positions Nucleosomes Locally

The precise placement of nucleosomes has large regulatory effects on gene expression. Recent work suggests that nucleosome placement is regulated in part by the affinity of the underlying DNA sequence for the histone octamer. Nucleosome locations are also regulated by several different ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling enzymes. This raises the question of whether DNA sequence influences the activity of chromatin remodeling enzymes. DNA sequence could most simply regulate nucleosome remodeling through its effect on nucleosome stability. In such a model, unstable nucleosomes would be remodeled faster than stable nucleosomes. It is also possible that certain DNA elements could regulate remodeling by inhibiting the interaction of nucleosomes with the remodeling enzyme. A third possibility is that DNA sequence could regulate the outcome of remodeling by influencing how reaction intermediates collapse into a particular set of stable nucleosomal positions. Here we dissect the contribution from these potential mechanisms to the activities of yeast RSC and human ACF, which are representative members of two major classes of remodeling complexes. We find that varying the histone-DNA affinity over 3 orders of magnitude has negligible effects on the rates of nucleosome remodeling and ATP hydrolysis by these two enzymes. This suggests that the rate-limiting step for nucleosome remodeling may not involve the disruption of histone-DNA contacts. We further find that a specific curved DNA element previously hypothesized to inhibit ACF activity does not inhibit substrate binding or remodeling by ACF. The element, however, does influence the distribution of nucleosome positions generated by ACF. Our data support a model in which remodeling enzymes move nucleosomes to new locations by a general sequence-independent mechanism. However, consequent to the rate-limiting remodeling step, the local DNA sequence promotes a collapse of remodeling intermediates into highly resolved positions that are dictated by thermodynamic differences between adjacent positions.     

Fluorescence as a method to reveal structures and membrane-interactions of amyloidogenic proteins

Amyloidogenesis is a characteristic feature of the 40 or so known protein deposition diseases, and accumulating evidence strongly suggests that self-association of misfolded proteins into either fibrils, protofibrils, or soluble oligomeric species is cytotoxic. The most likely mechanism for toxicity is through perturbation of membrane structure, leading to increased membrane permeability and eventual cell death. There have been a rather limited number of investigations of the interactions of amyloidogenic polypeptides and their aggregated states with membranes; these are briefly reviewed here. Amyloidogenic proteins discussed include A-beta from Alzheimer's disease, the prion protein, α-synuclein from Parkinson's disease, transthyretin (FAP, SSA amyloidosis), immunoglobulin light chains (primary (AL) amyloidosis), serum amyloid A (secondary (AA) amyloidosis), amylin or IAPP (Type 2 diabetes) and apolipoproteins. This review highlights the significant role played by fluorescence techniques in unraveling the nature of amyloid fibrils and their interactions and effects on membranes. Fluorescence spectroscopy is a valuable and versatile method for studying the complex mechanisms of protein aggregation, amyloid fibril formation and the interactions of amyloidogenic proteins with membranes. Commonly used fluorescent techniques include intrinsic and extrinsic fluorophores, fluorescent probes incorporated in the membrane, steady-state and lifetime measurements of fluorescence emission, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, fluorescence anisotropy and polarization, fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), fluorescence quenching, and fluorescence microscopy.     

Single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer studies of RNA structure, dynamics and function

Single-molecule fluorescence microscopy experiments on RNA molecules brought to light the highly complex dynamics of key biological processes, including RNA folding, catalysis of ribozymes, ligand sensing of riboswitches and aptamers, and protein synthesis in the ribosome. By using highly advanced biophysical spectroscopy techniques in combination with sophisticated biochemical synthesis approaches, molecular dynamics of individual RNA molecules can be observed in real time and under physiological conditions in unprecedented detail that cannot be achieved with bulk experiments. Here, we review recent advances in RNA folding and functional studies of RNA and RNA-protein complexes addressed by using single-molecule Förster (fluorescence) resonance energy transfer (smFRET) technique.     

Periodic acceptor excitation spectroscopy of single molecules

Alternating-laser excitation (ALEX) spectroscopy has recently been added to the single-molecule spectroscopy toolkit. ALEX monitors interaction and stoichiometry of biomolecules, reports on biomolecular structure by measuring accurate Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) efficiencies, and allows sorting of subpopulations on the basis of stoichiometry and FRET. Here, we demonstrate that a simple combination of one continuous-wave donor-excitation laser and one directly modulated acceptor-excitation laser (Periodic Acceptor eXcitation) is sufficient to recapitulate the capabilities of ALEX while minimizing the cost and complexity associated with use of modulation techniques.     

A homogeneous, high-throughput fluorescence resonance energy transfer-based DNA polymerase assay

A homogeneous, fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based DNA polymerase assay that is suitable for high-throughput screening for inhibitors, and can also be used for steady-state kinetic investigations, is described. The activity, kinetic mechanism, and processivity of the isolated alpha subunit of DNA polymerase III, the product of the dnaE gene, from the gram-negative pathogen Haemophilus influenzae were investigated using the FRET assay.     

Continuous assay of protein tyrosine phosphatases based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer

An assay method that continuously measures the protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP)-catalyzed dephosphorylation reaction based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) was developed as an improvement of our previously reported discontinuous version [M. Nishikata, K. Suzuki, Y. Yoshimura, Y. Deyama, A. Matsumoto, Biochem. J. 343 (1999) 385-391]. The assay uses oligopeptide substrates that contain (7-methoxycoumarin-4-yl)acetyl (Mca) group as a fluorescence donor and 2,4-dinitrophenyl (DNP) group as a fluorescence acceptor, in addition to a phosphotyrosine residue located between these two groups. In the assay, a PTP solution is added to a buffer solution containing a FRET substrate and chymotrypsin. The PTP-catalyzed dephosphorylation of the substrate and subsequent chymotryptic cleavage of the dephosphorylated substrate results in a disruption of FRET, thereby increasing Mca fluorescence. In this study, we used FRET substrates that are much more susceptible to chymotryptic cleavage after dephosphorylation than the substrate used in our discontinuous assay, thus enabling the continuous assay without significant PTP inactivation by chymotrypsin. The rate of fluorescence increase strictly reflected the rate of dephosphorylation at appropriate chymotrypsin concentrations. Since the continuous assay allows the measurement of initial rate of dephosphorylation reaction, kinetic parameters for the dephosphorylation reactions of FRET substrates by Yersinia, T-cell and LAR PTPs were determined. The continuous assay was compatible with the measurement of very low PTP activity in a crude enzyme preparation and was comparable in sensitivity to assays that use radiolabeled substrates.     

Leakage and slow allostery limit performance of single drug-sensing aptazyme molecules based on the hammerhead ribozyme

Engineered “aptazymes” fuse in vitro selected aptamers with ribozymes to create allosteric enzymes as biosensing components and artificial gene regulatory switches through ligand-induced conformational rearrangement and activation. By contrast, activating ligand is employed as an enzymatic cofactor in the only known natural aptazyme, the glmS ribozyme, which is devoid of any detectable conformational rearrangements. To better understand this difference in biosensing strategy, we monitored by single molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) and 2-aminopurine (AP) fluorescence the global conformational dynamics and local base (un)stacking, respectively, of a prototypical drug-sensing aptazyme, built from a theophylline aptamer and the hammerhead ribozyme. Single molecule FRET reveals that a catalytically active state with distal Stems I and III of the hammerhead ribozyme is accessed both in the theophylline-bound and, if less frequently, in the ligand-free state. The resultant residual activity (leakage) in the absence of theophylline contributes to a limited dynamic range of the aptazyme. In addition, site-specific AP labeling shows that rapid local theophylline binding to the aptamer domain leads to only slow allosteric signal transduction into the ribozyme core. Our findings allow us to rationalize the suboptimal biosensing performance of the engineered compared to the natural aptazyme and to suggest improvement strategies. Our single molecule FRET approach also monitors in real time the previously elusive equilibrium docking dynamics of the hammerhead ribozyme between several inactive conformations and the active, long-lived, Y-shaped conformer.     

基于C6流式细胞仪平台应用FRET技术在活细胞中研究蛋白质相互作用

荧光共振能量转移(fluorescence resonance energy transfer,FRET)显微镜技术被广泛应用于在活细胞中研究蛋白质相互作用。随着流式细胞术(fluorescence activated cell sorting,FACS)的发展与应用,FACS-FRET技术不但可以检测活细胞中蛋白质相互作用,还可以进行定量统计分析。由于流式细胞仪价格昂贵、FRET技术对荧光基团发光光谱的特殊要求等原因,目前为止FACS-FRET技术仅仅被应用到一些特殊的科学研究。为了解决这些问题,构建了一对新的FRET荧光基团EGFP-m Cherry,并且在小型流式细胞仪C6上检测了EGFP-m Cherry融合蛋白的FRET信号,最后使用已明确有相互作用关系的p53蛋白和MDM2蛋白做验证,证明了所构建的EGFPm Cherry可以作为检测FRET信号的荧光基团。不仅促进了FACS-FRET技术的发展,还为人类疾病治疗的药物作用靶点研究提供了有利的研究手段。     

FRET evidence that an isoform of caspase-7 binds but does not cleave its substrate

A caspase-7 biosensor (vDEVDc) based on FRET (fluorescence resonance energy transfer) was used to study the proteolytic properties of caspase-7, an executioner protease in cellular apoptosis. An active isoform of caspase-7 with the 56 N-terminal residues truncated (57casp7) cleaved vDEVDc at the recognition sequence, resulting in a FRET efficiency decrease of 61%. In contrast, an isoform with the 23 N-terminal residues truncated (24casp7) bound to vDEVDc but did not cleave the substrate, resulting in a FRET increase of 15%. Kinetic results showed an exponential substrate cleavage and binding curve for the 57casp7 and 24casp7 isoforms, respectively. FRET changes of the vDEVDc biosensor were also monitored in cos-7 cells upon STS-induced apoptosis. Finally, we modeled caspase-7 binding to vDEVDc and estimated a FRET emission ratio increase of 31.7%, which agrees with the 15% experimental result. We showed that two differently truncated isoforms of caspase-7 exhibit different enzymatic properties, namely binding by 24casp7 and hydrolysis by 57casp7.