Structural Insights into the Mechanism of Base Excision by MBD4

DNA glycosylases remove damaged or modified nucleobases by cleaving the N-glycosyl bond and the correct nucleotide is restored through subsequent base excision repair. In addition to excising threatening lesions, DNA glycosylases contribute to epigenetic regulation by mediating DNA demethylation and perform other important functions. However, the catalytic mechanism remains poorly defined for many glycosylases, including MBD4 (methyl-CpG binding domain IV), a member of the helix-hairpin-helix (HhH) superfamily. MBD4 excises thymine from G·T mispairs, suppressing mutations caused by deamination of 5-methylcytosine, and it removes uracil and modified uracils (e.g., 5-hydroxymethyluracil) mispaired with guanine. To investigate the mechanism of MBD4 we solved high-resolution structures of enzyme-DNA complexes at three stages of catalysis. Using a non-cleavable substrate analog, 2′-deoxy-pseudouridine, we determined the first structure of an enzyme-substrate complex for wild-type MBD4, which confirms interactions that mediate lesion recognition and suggests that a catalytic Asp, highly conserved in HhH enzymes, binds the putative nucleophilic water molecule and stabilizes the transition state. Observation that mutating the Asp (to Gly) reduces activity by 2700-fold indicates an important role in catalysis, but probably not one as the nucleophile in a double-displacement reaction, as previously suggested. Consistent with direct-displacement hydrolysis, a structure of the enzyme-product complex indicates a reaction leading to inversion of configuration. A structure with DNA containing 1-azadeoxyribose models a potential oxacarbenium-ion intermediate and suggests the Asp could facilitate migration of the electrophile towards the nucleophilic water. Finally, the structures provide detailed snapshots of the HhH motif, informing how these ubiquitous metal-binding elements mediate DNA binding.     

Structure–antimicrobial activity of some natural isocoumarins and their analogues

Three naturally occurring isocoumarins (paepalantine, paepalantine 9-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside and paepalantine 9-O-beta-D-allopyranosyl(1 --> 6) glucopyranoside) and two semi-synthetic analogues, 9,10-acylated compound and 9-OH-10-methylated compound, structurally similar to paepalantine, were evaluated for antimicrobial activity using a spectrophotometric microdilution technique. The paepalantine was active against S. aureus, S. epidermidis, and E. faecalis while the other four compounds proved ineffective against all microorganisms tested at concentrations of 500 microg/ml. Variations in phenolic substitution at OH-9 and/or OH-10 in the paepalantine molecule resulted in compounds without antimicrobial activity. A combination of structural features, two phenolic groups as cathecolic system, forms an oxygenated system arrangement that may reflect the potentially antimicrobial properties of paepalantine.     

Sequence heterogeneity and anomalous electrophoretic mobility of kinetoplast minicircle DNA from Leishmania tarentolae

Several unit-length minicircles from the kinetoplast DNA of Leishmania tarentolae were cloned into pBR322 and into M13 phage vectors. The complete nucleotide sequences of three different partially homologous minicircles were obtained. The molecules contained a region of approx. 80% sequence homology extending for 160–270 bp and a region unique to each minicircle. A 14-mer was found to be conserved in all kinetoplast minicircle sequences reported to date. The frequency distributions of various minicircle sequence classes in L. tarentolae were obtained by quantitative gel electrophoresis and by examination of the “T ladder” patterns of minicircles randomly cloned into M13 at several sites. By these methods we could assign approx. 50% of the total minicircle DNA into a minimum of five sequence classes. A sequence-dependent polyacrylamide gel migration abnormality was observed with several minicircle fragments both cloned and uncloned. The abnormality was dependent on the presence of a portion of the conserved region of the minicircle.     

Targeting age‐specific changes in CD4+ T cell metabolism ameliorates alloimmune responses and prolongs graft survival

Age impacts alloimmunity. Effects of aging on T‐cell metabolism and the potential to interfere with immunosuppressants have not been explored yet. Here, we dissected metabolic pathways of CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells in aging and offer novel immunosuppressive targets. Upon activation, CD4⁺ T cells from old mice failed to exhibit adequate metabolic reprogramming resulting into compromised metabolic pathways, including oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and glycolysis. Comparable results were also observed in elderly human patients. Although glutaminolysis remained the dominant and age‐independent source of mitochondria for activated CD4⁺ T cells, old but not young CD4⁺ T cells relied heavily on glutaminolysis. Treating young and old murine and human CD4⁺ T cells with 6‐diazo‐5‐oxo‐l‐norleucine (DON), a glutaminolysis inhibitor resulted in significantly reduced IFN‐γ production and compromised proliferative capacities specifically of old CD4⁺ T cells. Of translational relevance, old and young mice that had been transplanted with fully mismatched skin grafts and treated with DON demonstrated dampened Th1‐ and Th17‐driven alloimmune responses. Moreover, DON diminished cytokine production and proliferation of old CD4⁺ T cells in vivo leading to a significantly prolonged allograft survival specifically in old recipients. Graft prolongation in young animals, in contrast, was only achieved when DON was applied in combination with an inhibition of glycolysis (2‐deoxy‐d‐glucose, 2‐DG) and OXPHOS (metformin), two alternative metabolic pathways. Notably, metabolic treatment had not been linked to toxicities. Remarkably, immunosuppressive capacities of DON were specific to CD4⁺ T cells as adoptively transferred young CD4⁺ T cells prevented immunosuppressive capacities of DON on allograft survival in old recipients. Depletion of CD8⁺ T cells did not alter transplant outcomes in either young or old recipients. Taken together, our data introduce an age‐specific metabolic reprogramming of CD4⁺ T cells. Targeting those pathways offers novel and age‐specific approaches for immunosuppression.     

Profiling SARS-CoV-2 HLA-I peptidome reveals T cell epitopes from out-of-frame ORFs

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Dynamic and Reversible Aggregation of the Human CAP Superfamily Member GAPR-1 in Protein Inclusions in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Many proteins that can assemble into higher order structures termed amyloids can also concentrate into cytoplasmic inclusions via liquid–liquid phase separation. Here, we study the assembly of human Golgi-Associated plant Pathogenesis Related protein 1 (GAPR-1), an amyloidogenic protein of the Cysteine-rich secretory proteins, Antigen 5, and Pathogenesis-related 1 proteins (CAP) protein superfamily, into cytosolic inclusions in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Overexpression of GAPR-1-GFP results in the formation GAPR-1 oligomers and fluorescent inclusions in yeast cytosol. These cytosolic inclusions are dynamic and reversible organelles that gradually increase during time of overexpression and decrease after promoter shut-off. Inclusion formation is, however, a regulated process that is influenced by factors other than protein expression levels. We identified N-myristoylation of GAPR-1 as an important determinant at early stages of inclusion formation. In addition, mutations in the conserved metal-binding site (His54 and His103) enhanced inclusion formation, suggesting that these residues prevent uncontrolled protein sequestration. In agreement with this, we find that addition of Zn²⁺ metal ions enhances inclusion formation. Furthermore, Zn²⁺ reduces GAPR-1 protein degradation, which indicates stabilization of GAPR-1 in inclusions. We propose that the properties underlying both the amyloidogenic properties and the reversible sequestration of GAPR-1 into inclusions play a role in the biological function of GAPR-1 and other CAP family members.     

An NK-like CAR T cell transition in CAR T cell dysfunction

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Stem-like intestinal Th17 cells give rise to pathogenic effector T cells during autoimmunity

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