Crystal structures of multicopper oxidase CueO bound to copper(I) and silver(I): functional role of a methionine-rich sequence

The multicopper oxidase CueO oxidizes toxic Cu(I) and is required for copper homeostasis in Escherichia coli. Like many proteins involved in copper homeostasis, CueO has a methionine-rich segment that is thought to be critical for copper handling. How such segments function is poorly understood. Here, we report the crystal structure of CueO at 1.1 Å with the 45-residue methionine-rich segment fully resolved, revealing an N-terminal helical segment with methionine residues juxtaposed for Cu(I) ligation and a C-terminal highly mobile segment rich in methionine and histidine residues. We also report structures of CueO with a C500S mutation, which leads to loss of the T1 copper, and CueO with six methionines changed to serine. Soaking C500S CueO crystals with Cu(I), or wild-type CueO crystals with Ag(I), leads to occupancy of three sites, the previously identified substrate-binding site and two new sites along the methionine-rich helix, involving methionines 358, 362, 368, and 376. Mutation of these residues leads to a ∼4-fold reduction in k_cat for Cu(I) oxidation. Ag(I), which often appears with copper in nature, strongly inhibits CueO oxidase activities in vitro and compromises copper tolerance in vivo, particularly in the absence of the complementary copper efflux cus system. Together, these studies demonstrate a role for the methionine-rich insert of CueO in the binding and oxidation of Cu(I) and highlight the interplay among cue and cus systems in copper and silver homeostasis.     

Complexes between copper(I) halides and 1,2-phenylenediamine

Two copper(I) compounds containing 1,2-phenylenediamine have been prepared and characterised by means of crystal structure determination. The compounds catena-μ-1,2-phenylenediamine(acetonitrile)chlorocopper(I) (1) and catena-μ-1,2-phenylenediamine(acetonitrile)bromocopper(I) (2) are isostructural, bridging to form polymeric chains being effected solely by the aromatic amine and not by halide. Copper(I) exhibits distorted tetrahedral coordination geometry in both complexes. The chains are interconnected to form layers through short intermolecular X?H interactions of 2.3-2.6 Å, involving amine hydrogen atoms and the terminal chloride or bromide bonded to copper(I). Neither compound is prone to decomposition by loss of the acetonitrile ligand, the reason for this being apparent from inspection of their crystal structures.     

Crystal structures of α- and β-(1,10-phenanthroline)tetrahydroborato(triphenylphosphine)copper(I) and (2,9-dimethyl-4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline)tetrahydroboratocopper(I)

Copper(I) is five coordinate in (1,10-phenanthroline)tetrahydroborato(triphenylphosphine)copper(I). This compound crystallizes from either toluene as the yellow, α-form, a = 16.247(8), b = 9.750(7), c = 9.322(5) Å, α = 62.92(4), β = 84.77(4), γ = 84.34(5)°, triclinic P$\text{1}$, Z = 2, or from a xylene/methylene chloride mixture as the red β-form, X-ray cell, a = 13.675(11), b = 10.115(8), c = 9.700(7) Å, α = 95.22(6), β = 96.22(6), γ = 101.02(6)°; neutron cell, as the tetradeuteroborate, a = 13.703(1), b = 10.096(8), c = 9.74(1) Å, α = 95.23(9), β = 96.51(8), γ = 101.04(2)°, triclinic, P$\text{1}$, Z = 2. For both forms, unidentate triphenylphosphine, bidentate 1,10-phenanthroline and unsymmetrical bidentate BH₄^? completes the copper(I) coordination but there are subtle differences between the two. When the ligand 2,9-dimethyl-4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline, dmdp, replaces 1,10-phenanthroline, the compound obtained is four coordinate with no tpp in the crystal. [C(dmdp)BH₄] is monoclinic, Cc, a = 14.522(4), b = 20.07(2), c = 7.718(2) Å, β = 106.17(2)°, Z = 4.     

Response to copper stress in Streptomyces lividans extends beyond genes under direct control of a copper-sensitive operon repressor protein (CsoR)

A copper-sensitive operon repressor protein (CsoR) has been identified in Streptomyces lividans (CsoR^Sl) and found to regulate copper homeostasis with attomolar affinity for Cu(I). Solution studies reveal apo- and Cu^I-CsoR^Sl to be a tetramer assembly, and a 1.7-Å resolution crystal structure of apo-CsoR^Sl reveals that a significant conformational change is necessary to enable Cu(I) binding. In silico prediction of the CsoR regulon was confirmed in vitro (EMSA) and in vivo (RNA-seq), which highlighted that next to the csoR gene itself, the regulon consists of two Cu(I) efflux systems involving a CopZ-like copper metallochaperone protein and a CopA P₁-type ATPase. Although deletion of csoR has only minor effects on S. lividans development when grown under high copper concentrations, mutations of the Cu(I) ligands decrease tolerance to copper as a result of the Cu(I)-CsoR mutants failing to disengage from the DNA targets, thus inhibiting the derepression of the regulon. RNA-seq experiments carried out on samples incubated with exogenous copper and a ΔcsoR strain showed that the set of genes responding to copper stress is much wider than anticipated and largely extends beyond genes targeted by CsoR. This suggests more control levels are operating and directing other regulons in copper homeostasis beside the CsoR regulon.     

The affinity of yeast and bacterial SCO proteins for CU(I) and CU(II). A capture and release strategy for copper transfer

SCO (Synthesis of Cytochrome c Oxidase) proteins are present in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, and are often required for efficient synthesis of the respiratory enzyme cytochrome c oxidase. The Bacillus subtilis version of SCO (i.e., BsSCO) has much greater affinity for Cu(II) than it does for Cu(I) (Davidson and Hill, 2009), and this has been contrasted to mitochondrial SCO proteins that are characterized as being specific for Cu(I) (Nittis, George and Winge, 2001). This differential affinity has been proposed to reflect the different physiological environments in which these two members of the SCO protein family reside. In this study the affinity of mitochondrial SCO1 from yeast is compared directly to that of BsSCO in vitro. We find that the yeast SCO1 protein has similar preference for Cu(II) over Cu(I), as does BsSCO. We propose a mechanism for SCO function which would involve high-affinity binding to capture Cu(II), and relatively weak binding of Cu(I) to facilitate copper transfer.     

Copper complexes of some potentially binucleating tetradentate phthalazine-hydrazone ligands. Spontaneous reduction to form copper(I) derivatives

The tetradentate phthalazine-hydrazone ligands PHT and DMPH, formed by the reaction of 1,4-dihydrazinophthalazine (DHPH) and p-tolualdehyde and 2,5-dimethylbenzaldehyde respectively form predominantly copper(I) derivatives when reacted with copper(II) salts in solvents containing small amounts of water. The derivatives Cu(I)(PHT)X (X=NO₃⁻, ClO₄⁻) were produced by reaction of copper(II) salts with PHT in methanol, while in aqueous acetonitrile ligand hydrolysis occurred with no complex formation. In aqueous acetonitrile the hydrolysis occurs at one azomethine centre, generating initially a hydrazino derivative and p-tolualdehyde, followed by copper(II) reduction and nitrogen evolution and the formation of p-toluic acid and a cyanobenzene derivative (A) resulting from phthalazine ring cleavage. The copper(I) complexes of both PHT and DMPH can also be synthesized directly by reaction of copper(I) salts with the ligands in acetonitrile and copper(II) complexes of PHT can be synthesized with electronegative and coordinating anionic groups, e.g. Cl, Br.     

Coordination modes of N-(2-hydroxyphenyl)methyl-bis-(2-pyridylmethyl)amine with copper (I) and (II) halides

The title ligand, N-(2-hydroxyphenyl)methyl-bis-(2-pyridylmethyl)amine, was prepared via a condensation-reduction synthetic route. The compounds, CuCl(C₁₉H₁₉N₃O) and [CuBr(C₁₉H₁₉N₃O)]⁺Br⁻ · 3H₂O, were readily synthesized from the reaction of CuCl or CuBr₂ and the ligand in acetonitrile. The title copper(I) compound is an O-H ? Cl hydrogen-bonded linear chain of tetrahedrally coordinated copper centers, and the title copper(II) compound exists as two strongly tetragonally distorted dibromide bridged metal cations in a dimer with the phenol hydroxyl groups weakly bound in a trans-fashion to one of the bridging bromides. In the copper(I) complex the phenoxy group acts only as a hydrogen bond donor, whereas in the copper(II) complex it acts both as a ligand and a hydrogen bond donor.     

A dithiocarbamate-stabilized copper(I) cube

The disproportionation reaction between the copper(II) complexes, Cu(ClO₄)₂ · 6H₂O and [Cu(S₂CNR₂)₂] is a well-established route to copper(III) complexes [Cu(S₂CNR₂)₂][ClO₄] but to date the nature of the copper(I) species generated has remained a mystery. We now show that with [Cu(S₂CNPr₂)₂] this is the copper(I) cluster, [Cu₈(μ²,μ²-S₂CNPr₂)₆][ClO₄]₂, which contains a cubic array of copper atoms, each face cube being capped by a dithiocarbamate ligand such that the sulfur atoms define an icosahedron and the backbone carbons an octahedron around the cube centroid. A crystal structure of [Cu₄(μ²,η¹-S₂CNBu₂)₄] is also presented for comparison.     

Synthesis, vibrational spectra and X-ray structures of copper(I) thiourea complexes

Complex formation of thiourea with copper takes place as an intermediate step in the preparation of copper sulfide thin films by spray pyrolysis starting from aqueous solutions of copper(II) chloride and thiourea. The stoichiometry of the complex and that of the resulting thin film primarily depends on the molecular ratio of the starting materials. For comparison, the structures of all copper(I) thiourea complexes found in the Cambridge Structural Database are classified in this paper. In addition, syntheses, structural (single crystal XRD also at low temperature 193 K) and spectroscopic studies (FTIR and Raman) of six copper-thiourea complexes are now reported. The copper to thiourea stoichiometric ratio is 1:3 in four of these complexes, but their structures are basically different as dimerization or polymer formation takes place depending on whether the water of crystallisation is present or absent. The structure of bis(μ-thiourea)tetrakis(thiourea)dicopper(I) dichloride dihydrate, [Cu₂(tu)₆]Cl₂ · 2H₂O (1) was determined at room and also at low temperature. Bis(μ-thiourea)tetrakis(thiourea)dicopper(I) dibromide dihydrate, [Cu₂(tu)₆]Br₂ · 2H₂O (2) is isomorphous with 1, like the anhydrous compounds chlorotris(thiourea)copper(I), [Cu(tu)₃]Cl (3) and bromotris(thiourea)copper(I), [Cu(tu)₃]Br (4) are isomorphous. In the third isomorphous pair of complexes the copper to thiourea stoichiometric ratio is 1:1, viz. chloro(thiourea)copper(I) hemihydrate, [Cu(tu)]Cl · 0.5H₂O (5) and bromo(thiourea)copper(I) hemihydrate, [Cu(tu)]Br · 0.5H₂O (6). During the preparation of chloro(thiourea)copper(I) hemihydrate (5) a reaction by product α,α^′-dithiobisformamidinium dichloride, [SC(NH₂)₂]₂Cl₂ (7) was identified and structurally characterized which made it possible to suggest a reaction path leading to complex formation.     

Copper(I) and copper(II) complexes of biologically relevant tridentate ligands

The preparation of a series of tridentate ligands of formulae X(CH₂C₇H₅N₂)₂ (X = NH, S, O, S₂) is described. The ligands contain two benzimidazole moieties and one of NH, S, O, or S₂ as the donor groups. Cu(I) and Cu(II) complexes of these ligands are prepared and characterized. Spectroscopic and X-ray data imply that the geometric constraints of these ligands impose a distorted coordination geometry at copper. The implications and relevance of this chemistry to copper proteins is discussed.     

In vivo Molecular Imaging and Radionuclide (131I) Therapy of Human Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Cells Transfected with a Lentivirus Expressing Sodium Iodide Symporter

Introduction

Despite recent improvements in the survival rates for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), novel treatment strategies are required to improve distant metastasis-free survival. The sodium iodine symporter (NIS) gene has been applied for in vivo imaging and cancer therapy. In this study, we examined the potential of NIS gene therapy as a therapeutic approach in NPC by performing non-invasive imaging using ¹²⁵I and ¹³¹I therapy in vivo.

Methods

We constructed a lentiviral vector expressing NIS and enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) under the control of the human elongation factor-1α (EF1α) promoter, and stably transfected the vector into CNE-2Z NPC cells to create CNE-2Z-NIS cells. CNE-2Z and CNE-2Z-NIS tumor xenografts were established in nude mice; ¹²⁵I uptake, accumulation and efflux were measured using micro-SPECT/CT imaging; the therapeutic effects of treatment with ¹³¹I were assessed over 25 days by measuring tumor volume and immunohistochemical staining of the excised tumors.

Results

qPCR, immunofluorescence and Western blotting confirmed that CNE-2Z-NIS cells expressed high levels of NIS mRNA and protein. CNE-2Z-NIS cells and xenografts took up and accumulated significantly more ¹²⁵I than CNE-2Z cells and xenografts. In vitro, ¹³¹I significantly reduced the clonogenic survival of CNE-2Z-NIS cells. In vivo, ¹³¹I effectively inhibited the growth of CNE-2Z-NIS xenografts. At the end of ¹³¹I therapy, CNE-2Z-NIS xenograft tumor cells expressed higher levels of NIS and caspase-3 and lower levels of Ki-67.

Conclusion

Lentiviruses effectively delivered and mediated long-lasting expression of NIS in CNE-2Z cells which enabled uptake and accumulation of radioisotopes and provided a significant therapeutic effect in an in vivo model of NPC. NIS-mediated radioiodine treatment merits further investigation as a potentially effective, low toxicity therapeutic strategy for NPC.     

Synthesis,Cellular Delivery and In vivo Application of Dendrimer-based pH Sensors

The development of fluorescent indicators represented a revolution for life sciences. Genetically encoded and synthetic fluorophores with sensing abilities allowed the visualization of biologically relevant species with high spatial and temporal resolution. Synthetic dyes are of particular interest thanks to their high tunability and the wide range of measureable analytes. However, these molecules suffer several limitations related to small molecule behavior (poor solubility, difficulties in targeting, often no ratiometric imaging allowed). In this work we introduce the development of dendrimer-based sensors and present a procedure for pH measurement in vitro, in living cells and in vivo. We choose dendrimers as ideal platform for our sensors for their many desirable properties (monodispersity, tunable properties, multivalency) that made them a widely used scaffold for several biomedical devices. The conjugation of fluorescent pH indicators to the dendrimer scaffold led to an enhancement of their sensing performances. In particular dendrimers exhibit reduced cell leakage, improved intracellular targeting and allow ratiometric measurements. These novel sensors were successfully employed to measure pH in living HeLa cells and in vivo in mouse brain.     

Non-Invasive Imaging of Phosphoinositide-3-Kinase-Catalytic-Subunit-Alpha (PIK3CA) Promoter Modulation in Small Animal Models

Activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway, a critical step for survival in cancer cells is often associated with decreased sensitivity to several chemotherapeutic drugs. PIK3CA gene amplification is observed in 16–24% of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients in conjunction with p53 mutations. A 900 bp long PIK3CA promoter is shown to be negatively regulated by p53 in ovarian surface epithelial cells but the consequence of chemotherapeutic drug treatments on this promoter in ovarian cancer cells is largely unknown. We aim to study the modulation of this promoter by cisplatin using an improved fusion reporter in ovarian cancer cells and tumor xenografts by non-invasive imaging approach. A PIK3CA sensor was developed using a bi-fusion reporter from a newly constructed library of bi- and tri-fusion vectors comprising of two mutant far red fluorescent proteins (mcherry/mch and tdTomato/tdt), a mutant firefly luciferase (fluc2), and a PET reporter protein (ttk). In vivo imaging of mice implanted with 293T cells transiently expressing these bi- and tri-fusion reporters along with respective controls revealed comparable activity of each reporter in the fusion background and fluc2-tdt as the most sensitive one. Repression of the PIK3CA sensor by drugs was inversely proportional to cellular p53 level in a germline (PA1) and in an EOC (A2780) cell line but not in a p53 deficient EOC (SKOV3) cell line. Bioluminescence imaging of tumor xenografts stably expressing the PIK3CA sensor in PA1 and A2780 cells exhibited attenuating activity without any change in SKOV3 tumors expressing the PIK3CA sensor after cisplatin treatment. Sequential mutation at p53 binding sites showed gradual increase in promoter activity and decreased effects of the drugs. These newly developed PIK3CA-fluc2-tdt and the mutant reporter sensors thus would be extremely useful for screening new drugs and for functional assessment of PIK3CA expression from intact cells to living subjects.     

Synthesis and functional characterization of a fluorescent peptide probe for non invasive imaging of collagen in live tissues

Targeted molecular imaging to detect changes in the structural and functional organization of tissues, at the molecular level, is a promising approach for effective and early diagnosis of diseases. Quantitative and qualitative changes in type I collagen, which is a major component in the extra cellular matrix (ECM) of skin and other vital organs like lung, liver, heart and kidneys, are often associated with the pathophysiology of these organs. We have synthesized a fluorescent probe that comprises collagelin, a specific collagen binding peptide, coupled to fluorescent porphyrin that can effectively detect abnormal deposition of collagen in live tissues by emitting fluorescence in the near infra red (NIR) region. In this report we have presented the methodology for coupling of 5-(4-carboxy phenyl)-10, 15, 20-triphenyl porphyrin (C-TPP) to the N-terminal of collagelin or to another mutant peptide (used as a control). We have evaluated the efficacy of these fluorescent peptides to detect collagen deposition in live normal and abnormal tissues. Our results strongly suggest that porphyrin-tagged collagelin can be used as an effective probe for the non invasive in vivo detection of tissue fibrosis, especially in the liver.     

Mono- and dinuclear copper(I) complexes with methyl-substituted pyrimidinethiones

The reaction of 4,6-dimethylpyrimidine-2(1H)-thione (dmpymtH) or its corresponding N-methylated form (dmpymt-NMe) with the parent complex [Cu(MeCN)₄][BF₄] (1) affords the mono- and dinuclear copper(I) complexes [Cu(dmpymt-NMe)₃][BF₄] (2) and [Cu(dmpymtH)₃]₂[BF₄]₂ · 2H₂O (3), respectively. The reaction of Cu₂O and the hydrochloride salt of dmpymtH gives the dinuclear complex [CuCl(dmpymtH)₂]₂ (4). The X-ray crystal structure reveals that 2 is coordinatively unsaturated and weak intermolecular interactions between Cu(I) and H atoms from methyl groups are involved. The complexes 3 and 4 are dinuclear in the solid state in which the copper atoms adopt distorted tetrahedral geometry. In both cases, the neutral dmpymtH is acting as a bridging ligand.     

X-ray structures of dinuclear copper(I) and polynuclear copper(II) complexes with the 2,4-bis(cyanamido)cyclobutane-1,3-dione dianion

From the 2,4-bis(cyanamido)cyclobutane-1,3-dione dianion (2,4-NCNsq²⁻), two copper complexes [Cu₂(PPh₃)₄(PhCN)₂(μ-2,4-NCNsq)] · PhCN (1) and [Cu(dien)(μ-2,4-NCNsq) · H₂O]_n (2) have been synthesized and characterized by IR and electronic absorption spectroscopies. Their structures have been determined by X-ray crystallography. Complex 1 is a dinuclear copper(I) compound with a 2,4-NCNsq²⁻ ligand bridging two copper atoms through the nitrile nitrogen atoms. Complex 2 appears as a 3D network constituted of copper(II) atoms bridged by 2,4-NCNsq²⁻ dianions. This complex presents an unexpected coordination mode of the bis(cyanamido) ligands which are both coordinated via the nitrile functions and via the amido nitrogen atoms of the NCN groups.     

The reaction mechanism of nitrosothiols with copper(I)

Copper and other transition metal ions and their complexes are catalysts for the decomposition of nitrosothiols. In this way they catalyze the biological functions of nitrosothiols. The kinetics and mechanism of the reaction of two nitrosothiols, S-nitrosothiolactic acid and S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO), with copper(I) are reported. The kinetics of the reaction of Cu(MeCN) _n ⁺ (n=0–3) with the nitrosothiols were studied. The results indicate that Cu⁺ _aq is the active species in the GSNO system, with k(Cu⁺ _aq+GSNO)=(9.4 ±2.0)×10⁷ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹. The results also indicate that the Cu(MeCN) _n ⁺ (n=0–3) complexes react with S-nitrosothiolactic acid. Transient species are formed in these processes. The results suggest that these species contain copper(I) and thiol. The results shed light on the catalytic role of copper complexes in the decomposition of S-nitrosothiols. Received 10 April 1999 / Accepted 17 December 1999     

Secondary ion mass spectrometry of nonvolatile isocyanide complexes of silver(I) and copper(I)

A series of silver and copper coordination complexes has been studied using secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Results are presented for the monomeric silver(I) complexes [Ag(CNR)₄]X, where R = cyclohexyl for X  ClO₄⁻, and R = methyl or t-butyl for X  PF₆⁻. Likewise, Cu(I) complexes [Cu(CNR)₄]PF₆, where R =methyl, t-butyl, or cyclohexyl, were examined. The presence of AgL₂⁺ (L represents the intact RNC ligand) and the absence of AgL₃⁺ and AgL₄⁺ species attests to the gas phase stability of two-coordinate silver(I). Similar results to these were obtained for the Cu(I) complexes, with the exception of [Cu(CNCH₃)₄]PF₆ whose spectrum contains CuL₄⁺, CuL₃⁺, CuL₂⁺, CuL⁺, and Cu⁺ ions. The latter result reflects the enhanced stability of the tetrahedral Cu(I) geometry compared to Ag(I) in the gas phase. Cross labeling experiments and isotopic labeling studies have provided insights into fragmentation mechanisms. Ligand exchange occurs when mixtures are examined. These exchange reactions provide evidence for extensive molecular mixing which can accompany SIMS even under low primary ion dose conditions. Cluster ion formation as well as the observation of α-cleavage of the NC bonds of RNC ligands have been observed and these results are discussed. Granulated graphite and ammonium chloride were employed to study matrix effects. Granulated graphite enhanced NC cleavage for the silver complexes but had little effect on the relative abundance of silver cluster ions. On the other hand, copper cluster ions were more sensitive to matrix effects.