Project description:The synthesis of complex sugars is a key aspect of microbial biology. Cyclic β-1,2-glucan (CβG) is a circular polysaccharide critical for host interactions of many bacteria, including major pathogens of humans (Brucella) and plants (Agrobacterium). CβG is produced by the cyclic glucan synthase (Cgs), a multi-domain membrane protein. So far, its structure as well as the mechanism underlining the synthesis have not been clarified. Here we use cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and functional approaches to study Cgs from A. tumefaciens. We determine the structure of this complex protein machinery and clarify key aspects of CβG synthesis, revealing a distinct mechanism that uses a tyrosine-linked oligosaccharide intermediate in cycles of polymerization and processing of the glucan chain. Our research opens possibilities for combating pathogens that rely on polysaccharide virulence factors and may lead to synthetic biology approaches for producing complex cyclic sugars.
Project description:To induce chronic IFN-I activation, we injected wildtype and Ifnar1–/– mice with five treatments of DMXAA, a STING agonist, followed by snRNA-seq analysis of hippocampal tissues. In wildtype mice, we showed that microglia had the strongest IFN response to STING activation of all cell types. Ablation of interferon alpha and beta receptor 1 (IFNAR1) abolished microglial IFN-I response and suppression of neuronal MEF2C transcriptional network
Project description:Catalytic modules of assembly-line polyketide synthases (PKSs) have previously been observed in two very different conformations-an "extended" architecture and an "arch-shaped" architecture-although the catalytic relevance of neither has been directly established. By the use of a fully human naïve antigen-binding fragment (Fab) library, a high-affinity antibody was identified that bound to the extended conformation of a PKS module, as verified by X-ray crystallography and tandem size-exclusion chromatography-small-angle X-ray scattering (SEC-SAXS). Kinetic analysis proved that this antibody-stabilized module conformation was fully competent for catalysis of intermodular polyketide chain translocation as well as intramodular polyketide chain elongation and functional group modification of a growing polyketide chain. Thus, the extended conformation of a PKS module is fully competent for all of its essential catalytic functions.
Project description:N-acetylglutamate (NAG) is a unique enzyme cofactor, essential for liver ureagenesis in mammals while it is the first committed substrate for de novo arginine biosynthesis in microorganisms and plants. The enzyme that produces NAG from glutamate and CoA, NAG synthase (NAGS), is allosterically inhibited by arginine in microorganisms and plants and activated in mammals. This transition of the allosteric effect occurred when tetrapods moved from sea to land. The first mammalian NAGS gene (from mouse) was cloned in 2002 and revealed significant differences from the NAGS ortholog in microorganisms. Almost all NAGS genes possess a C-terminus transferase domain in which the catalytic activity resides and an N-terminus kinase domain where arginine binds. The three-dimensional structure of NAGS shows two distinctly folded domains. The kinase domain binds arginine while the acetyltransferase domain contains the catalytic site. NAGS deficiency in humans leads to hyperammonemia and can be primary, due to mutations in the NAGS gene or secondary due to other mitochondrial aberrations that interfere with the normal function of the same enzyme. For either condition, N-carbamylglutamate (NCG), a stable functional analog of NAG, was found to either restore or improve the deficient urea-cycle function.
Project description:Fusicoccin A is a diterpene glucoside phytotoxin generated by the fungal pathogen Phomopsis amygdali that causes the plant disease constriction canker, first discovered in New Jersey peach orchards in the 1930s. Fusicoccin A is also an emerging new lead in cancer chemotherapy. The hydrocarbon precursor of fusicoccin A is the tricyclic diterpene fusicoccadiene, which is generated by a bifunctional terpenoid synthase. Here, we report X-ray crystal structures of the individual catalytic domains of fusicoccadiene synthase: the C-terminal domain is a chain elongation enzyme that generates geranylgeranyl diphosphate, and the N-terminal domain catalyzes the cyclization of geranylgeranyl diphosphate to form fusicoccadiene. Crystal structures of each domain complexed with bisphosphonate substrate analogues suggest that three metal ions and three positively charged amino acid side chains trigger substrate ionization in each active site. While in vitro incubations reveal that the cyclase domain can utilize farnesyl diphosphate and geranyl diphosphate as surrogate substrates, these shorter isoprenoid diphosphates are mainly converted into acyclic alcohol or hydrocarbon products. Gel filtration chromatography and analytical ultracentrifugation experiments indicate that full-length fusicoccadiene synthase adopts hexameric quaternary structure, and small-angle X-ray scattering data yield a well-defined molecular envelope illustrating a plausible model for hexamer assembly.
Project description:In bacteria, the biosynthesis of cysteine is accomplished by two enzymes that are encoged by the cysK and cysM genes. CysM is also able to incorporate thiosulfate to produce S-sulfocysteine. In plant cells, the biosynthesis of cysteine occurs in the cytosol, mitochondria and chloroplasts. Chloroplasts contain two O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase homologs, which are encoded by the OAS-B and CS26 genes. An in vitro enzymatic analysis of the recombinant CS26 protein demonstrated that this isoform possesses S-sulfocysteine synthase activity and lacks O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase activity. In vivo functional analysis of this enzyme in knockout mutants demonstrated that mutation of cs26 suppressed the S-sulfocysteine synthase activity that was detected in wild type; furthermore, the mutants exhibited a growth phenotype, but penetrance depended on the light regime. The cs26 mutant plants also had reductions in chlorophyll content and photosynthetic activity (neither of which were observed in oas-b mutants), as well as elevated glutathione levels. However, cs26 leaves were not able to properly detoxify ROS, which accumulated to high levels under long-day growth conditions. The transcriptional profile of the cs26 mutant revealed that the mutation had a pleiotropic effect on many cellular and metabolic processes. Our finding reveals that S-sulfocysteine and the activity of S-sulfocysteine synthase play an important role in chloroplast function and are essential for light-dependent redox regulation within the chloroplast.
Project description:In bacteria, the biosynthesis of cysteine is accomplished by two enzymes that are encoged by the cysK and cysM genes. CysM is also able to incorporate thiosulfate to produce S-sulfocysteine. In plant cells, the biosynthesis of cysteine occurs in the cytosol, mitochondria and chloroplasts. Chloroplasts contain two O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase homologs, which are encoded by the OAS-B and CS26 genes. An in vitro enzymatic analysis of the recombinant CS26 protein demonstrated that this isoform possesses S-sulfocysteine synthase activity and lacks O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase activity. In vivo functional analysis of this enzyme in knockout mutants demonstrated that mutation of cs26 suppressed the S-sulfocysteine synthase activity that was detected in wild type; furthermore, the mutants exhibited a growth phenotype, but penetrance depended on the light regime. The cs26 mutant plants also had reductions in chlorophyll content and photosynthetic activity (neither of which were observed in oas-b mutants), as well as elevated glutathione levels. However, cs26 leaves were not able to properly detoxify ROS, which accumulated to high levels under long-day growth conditions. The transcriptional profile of the cs26 mutant revealed that the mutation had a pleiotropic effect on many cellular and metabolic processes. Our finding reveals that S-sulfocysteine and the activity of S-sulfocysteine synthase play an important role in chloroplast function and are essential for light-dependent redox regulation within the chloroplast. Using the Affymetrix ATH1 GeneChips, we performed a comparative transcriptomic analysis on leaves of the cs26 and wild type plants under two different photoperiod conditions. Wild type and cs26 mutant plants were grown on soil under a long-day photoperiod (LD) or under a short-day photoperiod (SD). Total RNA was extracted from the leaves of 3-week-old plants grown under identical LD conditions, and from the leaves of 5-week-old plants grown under identical SD conditions. Three biological replicates were performed for each sample and hybridized to the chips. We made two different comparisons to classify the differently expressed genes in the mutant plant: cs26 leaves under LD versus wild-type leaves under LD and cs26 leaves under SD versus wild-type leaves under SD.
Project description:We have isolated, analyzed and compared the RNA content of various cell compartments including total RNA, nucleolplasmic RNA and nucleolar RNA. In addition, cells have been subjected to various treatment to specifically inhibit each of the RNA polymerases I, II and III, as well as protein synthesis. Cells were also treated with antisense oligos to induce the degradation of specific RNA transcripts. The whole RNA content of the cells after these specific treatments was isolated and sequenced.
Project description:Peptide pheromone cell-cell signaling (quorum sensing) regulates the expression of diverse developmental phenotypes (including virulence) in Firmicutes, which includes common human pathogens, e.g., Streptococcus pyogenes and Streptococcus pneumoniae. Cytoplasmic transcription factors known as "Rgg proteins" are peptide pheromone receptors ubiquitous in Firmicutes. Here we present X-ray crystal structures of a Streptococcus Rgg protein alone and in complex with a tight-binding signaling antagonist, the cyclic undecapeptide cyclosporin A. To our knowledge, these represent the first Rgg protein X-ray crystal structures. Based on the results of extensive structure-function analysis, we reveal the peptide pheromone-binding site and the mechanism by which cyclosporin A inhibits activation of the peptide pheromone receptor. Guided by the Rgg-cyclosporin A complex structure, we predicted that the nonimmunosuppressive cyclosporin A analog valspodar would inhibit Rgg activation. Indeed, we found that, like cyclosporin A, valspodar inhibits peptide pheromone activation of conserved Rgg proteins in medically relevant Streptococcus species. Finally, the crystal structures presented here revealed that the Rgg protein DNA-binding domains are covalently linked across their dimerization interface by a disulfide bond formed by a highly conserved cysteine. The DNA-binding domain dimerization interface observed in our structures is essentially identical to the interfaces previously described for other members of the XRE DNA-binding domain family, but the presence of an intermolecular disulfide bond buried in this interface appears to be unique. We hypothesize that this disulfide bond may, under the right conditions, affect Rgg monomer-dimer equilibrium, stabilize Rgg conformation, or serve as a redox-sensitive switch.
Project description:Biallelic genetic variants in N-acetylneuraminic acid synthase (NANS), a critical enzyme in endogenous sialic acid biosynthesis, are clinically associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. However, the mechanism underlying the neuropathological consequences has remained elusive. Here, we discovered that NANS mutation resulted in absence of both sialic acid and protein polysialylation in the cortical organoids and significantly reduced the proliferation and expansion of neural progenitors. NANS mutation dysregulated neural migration and differentiation, disturbed synapse formation, and weakened neuronal activity. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed that NANS loss-of-function markedly altered transcriptional programs involved in neuronal differentiation and ribosomal biogenesis in various neuronal cell types. Similarly, Nans heterozygous mice exhibited impaired cortical neurogenesis and neurobehavioral deficits. Collectively, our findings reveal a crucial role of NANS-mediated endogenous sialic acid biosynthesis in regulating multiple features of human cortical development, thus linking NANS mutation with its clinically relevant neurodevelopmental disorders.