Project description:Volume-regulated anion channels participate in the cellular response to osmotic swelling. These membrane proteins are heteromers of LRRC8 family members whose composition determines permeation properties. Although structures of the obligatory LRRC8A subunit have previously defined the architecture of VRACs, the organization of heteromeric channels has remained elusive. Here we have closed this gap by the structural characterization of channels consisting of LRRC8A and C. Like homomeric LRRC8A, these proteins assemble as hexamers. Despite the twelve possible arrangements, we find a single predominant species with an A/C ratio of two. In this assembly, the four LRRCA subunits cluster in their preferred conformation observed in homomers as pairs of closely interacting proteins that stabilize a closed state of the channel. In contrast, the two interacting LRRC8C-subunits show a larger flexibility, underlining their role in the destabilization of the tightly packed A subunits, thereby enhancing the activation properties of the protein.
Project description:Isotopic enrichment of pharmacologically relevant protein targets is crucial for structural studies by nucleIsotopic enrichment of pharmacologically relevant protein targets is crucial for structural studies by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and plays a key role in advancing structure-guided drug discovery. Many clinically important drug targets require expression in eukaryotic systems-such as mammalian, yeast, or insect cells-rather than prokaryotic hosts. This requirement limits the feasibility of high-throughput isotopic labeling and poses challenges for obtaining uniformly isotope-labeled proteins suitable for NMR analysis. While several enrichment strategies have been developed, no broadly applicable enrichment platform has emerged for eukaryotic expression systems. In this study, we introduce Cupriavidus necator as an alternative biological source for 15N and 13C isotopic enrichment to support protein production in eukaryotic systems. To evaluate this approach, we selected the kinase domain of EPHA2, a receptor tyrosine kinase implicated in colorectal cancer progression and an important target for therapeutic inhibitor development. Isotopic incorporation was quantified using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), revealing enrichment levels of 79% for 15N and 69% for 13C. These results demonstrate that Cupriavidus necator can serve as a robust and flexible platform for generating isotopically enriched biomolecules compatible with eukaryotic protein expression, thereby enabling NMR investigations of disease-relevant protein targets.
Project description:Cellular functionality relies on a well-balanced, but highly dynamic proteome. Dysfunctionof mitochondrial protein import leads to the cytosolic accumulation of mitochondrial precursor proteins which compromise cellular proteostasis and trigger the mitoprotein-induced stress response. To dissect the effects of mitochondrial dysfunction on the cellular proteome as a whole, we developed pre-post thermal proteome profiling (ppTPP). This multiplexed time-resolved proteome-wide thermal stability profiling approach with isobaric peptide tags in combination with a pulse SILAC labeling elucidated dynamic proteostasis changes in several dimensions: In addition to adaptations in protein abundance, we observed rapid modulations of the thermal stability of individual cellular proteins. Strikingly, different functional groups of proteins showed characteristic response patterns and reacted with group-specific kinetics, allowing the identification of the functional modules that are relevant for mitoprotein-induced stress. Thus, our new ppTPP approach uncovered a complex response network that orchestrates proteome homeostasis in eukaryotic cells by time-controlled adaptations of protein abundance and protein stability.
Project description:Formation of the eukaryotic ribosomal subunits follows a strict regime to assemble ribosomal proteins (r-protein) with ribosomal RNAs (rRNA) while removing internal (ITS) and external (ETS) transcribed rRNA spacers. During early stages of large subunit (LSU) formation, ITS2 together with six assembly factors forms the characteristic foot structure of early nuclear pre-LSU particles. Here, we address the function of this foot structure during early stages of ribosome assembly. We present cryo-EM structures from wild-type cells and cells depleted for the foot structure factor Rlp7. We show that compaction of domain I of the 25S rRNA is strictly dependent on the presence of foot factors, while domain II folds independently. Furthermore, Rlp7-depletion accumulated small subunit (SSU) processome intermediates prior A1 cleavage and compaction of the individual domains of the 18S rRNA, providing also novel insights into the SSU-assembly process. SILAC labeling and affinity purification of co-transcriptional assembled pre-ribosomes enabled us to resolve the assembly line of the r-proteins step by step. This showed that incorporation of r-proteins in eukaryotes neither follows the bacterial regime nor a strict linear co-transcriptional mode. Instead, seed r-proteins might structurally define the individual rRNA domains before their compaction and fixation in the context of the SSU processome.
Project description:Global high-throughput phosphoproteomic profiling is increasingly being applied to cancer specimens as a means to identify the oncogenic signaling cascades responsible for promoting disease initiation and disease progression; pathways that are often invisible to genomics analysis. Hence, phosphoproteomic profiling has enormous potential to inform and improve individualized anti-cancer treatment strategies. However, to achieve the adequate phosphoproteomic depth and coverage necessary to identify the activated, and hence, targetable kinases responsible for driving oncogenic signaling pathways; affinity phosphopeptide enrichment techniques are required and often coupled with offline high-pressure liquid chromatographic (HPLC) separation prior to nanoflow liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (nLC-MS/MS). These complex and time-consuming procedures, limit the utility of phosphoproteomics for the analysis of individual cancer patient specimens in real-time, and restrict phosphoproteomics to specialized laboratories often outside of the clinical setting. To address these limitations, here we have optimized a new protocol, phospho-Heavy-labeled-spiketide FAIMS Stepped-CV DDA (pHASED), that employs online phosphoproteome deconvolution using high-field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS) and internal phosphopeptide standards to provide accurate label-free quantitation (LFQ) data in real-time. Compared with traditional LFQ using shotgun phosphoproteomics workflows, pHASED provided increased phosphoproteomic depth and coverage (phosphopeptides = 4,617 pHASED, 2,789 LFQ), whilst eliminating the variability associated with offline prefractionation. pHASED was optimized using tyrosine kinase inhibitor (sorafenib) resistant isogenic FLT3-mutant acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell line models. Bioinformatic analysis identified differential activation of the Serine/threonine protein kinase ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) pathway, responsible for sensing and repairing DNA damage in sorafenib-resistant AML cell line models, thereby uncovering a potential therapeutic opportunity. Herein, we have optimized a rapid, reproducible, and flexible protocol for the characterization of complex cancer phosphoproteomes in real-time; a step towards the implementation of phosphoproteomics in the clinic to aid in the selection of anti-cancer therapies for patients.