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The Decapping Scavenger Enzyme Dcs-1 Controls Microrna Levels In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Gabriel Bosse, Stefan Ruegger, Maria Ow, Alejandro Vasquez-Rifo, Evelyne Rondeau, Victor Ambros, Helge Grosshans, Martin Simard Oct 2015

The Decapping Scavenger Enzyme Dcs-1 Controls Microrna Levels In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Gabriel Bosse, Stefan Ruegger, Maria Ow, Alejandro Vasquez-Rifo, Evelyne Rondeau, Victor Ambros, Helge Grosshans, Martin Simard

Victor R. Ambros

In metazoans, microRNAs play a critical role in the posttranscriptional regulation of genes required for cell proliferation and differentiation. MicroRNAs themselves are regulated by a multitude of mechanisms influencing their transcription and posttranscriptional maturation. However, there is only sparse knowledge on pathways regulating the mature, functional form of microRNA. Here, we uncover the implication of the decapping scavenger protein DCS-1 in the control of microRNA turnover. In Caenorhabditis elegans, mutations in dcs-1 increase the levels of functional microRNAs. We demonstrate that DCS-1 interacts with the exonuclease XRN-1 to promote microRNA degradation in an independent manner from its known decapping scavenger …


Micrornas: Genetically Sensitized Worms Reveal New Secrets, Victor Ambros Oct 2015

Micrornas: Genetically Sensitized Worms Reveal New Secrets, Victor Ambros

Victor R. Ambros

Why do many microRNA gene mutants display no evident phenotype? Multiply mutant worms that are selectively impaired in genetic regulatory network activities have been used to uncover previously unknown functions for numerous Caenorhabditis elegans microRNAs.


A Conserved Three-Nucleotide Core Motif Defines Musashi Rna Binding Specificity, Nancy Zearfoss, Laura Deveau, Carina Clingman, Eric Schmidt, Emily Johnson, Francesca Massi, Sean Ryder Sep 2015

A Conserved Three-Nucleotide Core Motif Defines Musashi Rna Binding Specificity, Nancy Zearfoss, Laura Deveau, Carina Clingman, Eric Schmidt, Emily Johnson, Francesca Massi, Sean Ryder

Sean P. Ryder

Musashi (MSI) family proteins control cell proliferation and differentiation in many biological systems. They are overexpressed in tumors of several origins, and their expression level correlates with poor prognosis. MSI proteins control gene expression by binding RNA and regulating its translation. They contain two RNA recognition motif (RRM) domains, which recognize a defined sequence element. The relative contribution of each nucleotide to the binding affinity and specificity is unknown. We analyzed the binding specificity of three MSI family RRM domains using a quantitative fluorescence anisotropy assay. We found that the core element driving recognition is the sequence UAG. Nucleotides outside …


The Fly Camta Transcription Factor Potentiates Deactivation Of Rhodopsin, A G Protein-Coupled Light Receptor, Junhai Han, Ping Gong, Keith Reddig, Mirna Mitra, Peiyi Guo, Hong-Sheng Li Jul 2015

The Fly Camta Transcription Factor Potentiates Deactivation Of Rhodopsin, A G Protein-Coupled Light Receptor, Junhai Han, Ping Gong, Keith Reddig, Mirna Mitra, Peiyi Guo, Hong-Sheng Li

Peiyi Guo

Control of membrane-receptor activity is required not only for the accuracy of sensory responses, but also to protect cells from excitotoxicity. Here we report the isolation of two noncomplementary fly mutants with slow termination of photoresponses. Genetic and electrophysiological analyses of the mutants revealed a defect in the deactivation of rhodopsin, a visual G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR). The mutant gene was identified as the calmodulin-binding transcription activator (dCAMTA). The known rhodopsin regulator Arr2 does not mediate this visual function of dCAMTA. A genome-wide screen identified five dCAMTA target genes. Of these, overexpression of the F box gene dFbxl4 rescued the …


Mutation Of A Tadr Protein Leads To Rhodopsin And Gq-Dependent Retinal Degeneration In Drosophila, Lina Ni, Peiyi Guo, Keith Reddig, Mirna Mitra, Hong-Sheng Li Jul 2015

Mutation Of A Tadr Protein Leads To Rhodopsin And Gq-Dependent Retinal Degeneration In Drosophila, Lina Ni, Peiyi Guo, Keith Reddig, Mirna Mitra, Hong-Sheng Li

Peiyi Guo

The Drosophila photoreceptor is a model system for genetic study of retinal degeneration. Many gene mutations cause fly photoreceptor degeneration, either because of excessive stimulation of the visual transduction (phototransduction) cascade, or through apoptotic pathways that in many cases involve a visual arrestin Arr2. Here we report a gene named tadr (for torn and diminished rhabdomeres), which, when mutated, leads to photoreceptor degeneration through a different mechanism. Degeneration in the tadr mutant is characterized by shrunk and disrupted rhabdomeres, the light sensory organelles of photoreceptor. The TADR protein interacted in vitro with the major light receptor Rh1 rhodopsin, and genetic …


Protein Gq Modulates Termination Of Phototransduction And Prevents Retinal Degeneration, Wen Hu, Didi Wan, Xiaoming Yu, Jinguo Cao, Peiyi Guo, Hong-Sheng Li, Junhai Han Jul 2015

Protein Gq Modulates Termination Of Phototransduction And Prevents Retinal Degeneration, Wen Hu, Didi Wan, Xiaoming Yu, Jinguo Cao, Peiyi Guo, Hong-Sheng Li, Junhai Han

Peiyi Guo

Appropriate termination of the phototransduction cascade is critical for photoreceptors to achieve high temporal resolution and to prevent excessive Ca(2+)-induced cell toxicity. Using a genetic screen to identify defective photoresponse mutants in Drosophila, we isolated and identified a novel Galpha(q) mutant allele, which has defects in both activation and deactivation. We revealed that G(q) modulates the termination of the light response and that metarhodopsin/G(q) interaction affects subsequent arrestin-rhodopsin (Arr2-Rh1) binding, which mediates the deactivation of metarhodopsin. We further showed that the Galpha(q) mutant undergoes light-dependent retinal degeneration, which is due to the slow accumulation of stable Arr2-Rh1 complexes. Our study …


The N-Terminal Peptide Of The Syntaxin Tlg2p Modulates Binding Of Its Closed Conformation To Vps45p, Melonnie Furgason, Chris Macdonald, Scott Shanks, Sean Ryder, Nia Bryant, Mary Munson May 2015

The N-Terminal Peptide Of The Syntaxin Tlg2p Modulates Binding Of Its Closed Conformation To Vps45p, Melonnie Furgason, Chris Macdonald, Scott Shanks, Sean Ryder, Nia Bryant, Mary Munson

Sean P. Ryder

The Sec1/Munc18 (SM) protein family regulates intracellular trafficking through interactions with individual SNARE proteins and assembled SNARE complexes. Revealing a common mechanism of this regulation has been challenging, largely because of the multiple modes of interaction observed between SM proteins and their cognate syntaxin-type SNAREs. These modes include binding of the SM to a closed conformation of syntaxin, binding to the N-terminal peptide of syntaxin, binding to assembled SNARE complexes, and/or binding to nonsyntaxin SNAREs. The SM protein Vps45p, which regulates endosomal trafficking in yeast, binds the conserved N-terminal peptide of the syntaxin Tlg2p. We used size exclusion chromatography and …


Evolution Of The Influenza A Virus Genome During Development Of Oseltamivir Resistance In Vitro, Nicholas Renzette, Daniel Caffrey, Konstantin Zeldovich, Ping Liu, Glen Gallagher, Daniel Aiello, Alyssa Porter, Evelyn Kurt-Jones, Daniel Bolon, Yu-Ping Poh, Jeffrey Jensen, Celia Schiffer, Timothy Kowalik, Robert Finberg, Jennifer Wang Mar 2015

Evolution Of The Influenza A Virus Genome During Development Of Oseltamivir Resistance In Vitro, Nicholas Renzette, Daniel Caffrey, Konstantin Zeldovich, Ping Liu, Glen Gallagher, Daniel Aiello, Alyssa Porter, Evelyn Kurt-Jones, Daniel Bolon, Yu-Ping Poh, Jeffrey Jensen, Celia Schiffer, Timothy Kowalik, Robert Finberg, Jennifer Wang

Glen R. Gallagher

Influenza A virus (IAV) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. Current antiviral therapies include oseltamivir, a neuraminidase inhibitor that prevents the release of nascent viral particles from infected cells. However, the IAV genome can evolve rapidly, and oseltamivir resistance mutations have been detected in numerous clinical samples. Using an in vitro evolution platform and whole-genome population sequencing, we investigated the population genomics of IAV during the development of oseltamivir resistance. Strain A/Brisbane/59/2007 (H1N1) was grown in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells with or without escalating concentrations of oseltamivir over serial passages. Following drug treatment, the H274Y …


Amino Acids 270 To 510 Of The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Spike Protein Are Required For Interaction With Receptor, Gregory Babcock, Diana Esshaki, William Thomas, Donna Ambrosino Aug 2013

Amino Acids 270 To 510 Of The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Spike Protein Are Required For Interaction With Receptor, Gregory Babcock, Diana Esshaki, William Thomas, Donna Ambrosino

William D Thomas Jr

A novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), has recently been identified as the causative agent of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). SARS-CoV appears similar to other coronaviruses in both virion structure and genome organization. It is known for other coronaviruses that the spike (S) glycoprotein is required for both viral attachment to permissive cells and for fusion of the viral envelope with the host cell membrane. Here we describe the construction and expression of a soluble codon-optimized SARS-CoV S glycoprotein comprising the first 1,190 amino acids of the native S glycoprotein (S(1190)). The codon-optimized and native S glycoproteins …


Dsarm/Sarm1 Is Required For Activation Of An Injury-Induced Axon Death Pathway, Jeannette Osterloh, Jing Yang, Timothy Rooney, A. Fox, Robert Adalbert, Eric Powell, Amy Sheehan, Michelle Avery, Rachel Hackett, Mary Logan, Jennifer Macdonald, Jennifer Ziegenfuss, Stefan Milde, Ying-Ju Hou, Carl Nathan, Aihao Ding, Robert Brown, Laura Comforti, Michael Coleman, Marc Tessier-Lavigne, Stephan Zuchner, Marc Freeman Dec 2012

Dsarm/Sarm1 Is Required For Activation Of An Injury-Induced Axon Death Pathway, Jeannette Osterloh, Jing Yang, Timothy Rooney, A. Fox, Robert Adalbert, Eric Powell, Amy Sheehan, Michelle Avery, Rachel Hackett, Mary Logan, Jennifer Macdonald, Jennifer Ziegenfuss, Stefan Milde, Ying-Ju Hou, Carl Nathan, Aihao Ding, Robert Brown, Laura Comforti, Michael Coleman, Marc Tessier-Lavigne, Stephan Zuchner, Marc Freeman

Dr Robert Brown

Axonal and synaptic degeneration is a hallmark of peripheral neuropathy, brain injury, and neurodegenerative disease. Axonal degeneration has been proposed to be mediated by an active autodestruction program, akin to apoptotic cell death; however, loss-of-function mutations capable of potently blocking axon self-destruction have not been described. Here, we show that loss of the Drosophila Toll receptor adaptor dSarm (sterile alpha/Armadillo/Toll-Interleukin receptor homology domain protein) cell-autonomously suppresses Wallerian degeneration for weeks after axotomy. Severed mouse Sarm1 null axons exhibit remarkable long-term survival both in vivo and in vitro, indicating that Sarm1 prodegenerative signaling is conserved in mammals. Our results provide direct …


Targeted Mutation Of Mouse Skeletal Muscle Sodium Channel Produces Myotonia And Potassium-Sensitive Weakness, Lawrence Hayward, Joanna Kim, Ming-Yang Lee, Hongru Zhou, Ji Kim, Kumudini Misra, Mohammad Salajegheh, Fen-Fen Wu, Shinji Matsuda, Valerie Reid, Didier Cros, Eric Hoffman, Jean-Marc Renaud, Stephen Cannon, Robert Brown Dec 2012

Targeted Mutation Of Mouse Skeletal Muscle Sodium Channel Produces Myotonia And Potassium-Sensitive Weakness, Lawrence Hayward, Joanna Kim, Ming-Yang Lee, Hongru Zhou, Ji Kim, Kumudini Misra, Mohammad Salajegheh, Fen-Fen Wu, Shinji Matsuda, Valerie Reid, Didier Cros, Eric Hoffman, Jean-Marc Renaud, Stephen Cannon, Robert Brown

Dr Robert Brown

Hyperkalemic periodic paralysis (HyperKPP) produces myotonia and attacks of muscle weakness triggered by rest after exercise or by K+ ingestion. We introduced a missense substitution corresponding to a human familial HyperKPP mutation (Met1592Val) into the mouse gene encoding the skeletal muscle voltage-gated Na+ channel NaV1.4. Mice heterozygous for this mutation exhibited prominent myotonia at rest and muscle fiber-type switching to a more oxidative phenotype compared with controls. Isolated mutant extensor digitorum longus muscles were abnormally sensitive to the Na+/K+ pump inhibitor ouabain and exhibited age-dependent changes, including delayed relaxation and altered generation of tetanic force. Moreover, rapid and sustained weakness …


Decomposing The Energetic Impact Of Drug-Resistant Mutations: The Example Of Hiv-1 Protease-Drv Binding, Yufeng Cai, Celia Schiffer Oct 2012

Decomposing The Energetic Impact Of Drug-Resistant Mutations: The Example Of Hiv-1 Protease-Drv Binding, Yufeng Cai, Celia Schiffer

Celia A. Schiffer

HIV-1 protease is a major drug target for AIDS therapy. With the appearance of drug-resistant HIV-1 protease variants, understanding the mechanism of drug resistance becomes critical for rational drug design. Computational methods can provide more details about inhibitor-protease binding than crystallography and isothermal titration calorimetry. The latest FDA-approved HIV-1 protease inhibitor is Darunavir (DRV). Herein, each DRV atom is evaluated by free energy component analysis for its contribution to the binding affinity with wild-type protease and ACT, a drug-resistant variant. This information can contribute to the rational design of new HIV-1 protease inhibitors.


Hydrophobic Core Flexibility Modulates Enzyme Activity In Hiv-1 Protease, Seema Mittal, Yufeng Cai, Madhavi Nalam, Daniel Bolon, Celia Schiffer Oct 2012

Hydrophobic Core Flexibility Modulates Enzyme Activity In Hiv-1 Protease, Seema Mittal, Yufeng Cai, Madhavi Nalam, Daniel Bolon, Celia Schiffer

Celia A. Schiffer

Human immunodeficiency virus Type-1 (HIV-1) protease is crucial for viral maturation and infectivity. Studies of protease dynamics suggest that the rearrangement of the hydrophobic core is essential for enzyme activity. Many mutations in the hydrophobic core are also associated with drug resistance and may modulate the core flexibility. To test the role of flexibility in protease activity, pairs of cysteines were introduced at the interfaces of flexible regions remote from the active site. Disulfide bond formation was confirmed by crystal structures and by alkylation of free cysteines and mass spectrometry. Oxidized and reduced crystal structures of these variants show the …


36 Degrees Step Size Of Proton-Driven C-Ring Rotation In Fof1-Atp Synthase, Monika Düser, Nawid Zarrabi, Daniel Cipriano, Stefan Ernst, Gary Glick, Stanley Dunn, Michael Börsch Oct 2012

36 Degrees Step Size Of Proton-Driven C-Ring Rotation In Fof1-Atp Synthase, Monika Düser, Nawid Zarrabi, Daniel Cipriano, Stefan Ernst, Gary Glick, Stanley Dunn, Michael Börsch

Stanley D Dunn

Synthesis of adenosine triphosphate ATP, the 'biological energy currency', is accomplished by F(o)F(1)-ATP synthase. In the plasma membrane of Escherichia coli, proton-driven rotation of a ring of 10 c subunits in the F(o) motor powers catalysis in the F(1) motor. Although F(1) uses 120 degrees stepping during ATP synthesis, models of F(o) predict either an incremental rotation of c subunits in 36 degrees steps or larger step sizes comprising several fast substeps. Using single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer, we provide the first experimental determination of a 36 degrees sequential stepping mode of the c-ring during ATP synthesis.


Membrane Fusion Proteins Are Required For Oskar Mrna Localization In The Drosophila Egg Chamber, Douglas Ruden, Vincent Sollars, Xiaoyan Wang, Daisuke Mori, Marina Alterman, Xiangyi Lu Aug 2012

Membrane Fusion Proteins Are Required For Oskar Mrna Localization In The Drosophila Egg Chamber, Douglas Ruden, Vincent Sollars, Xiaoyan Wang, Daisuke Mori, Marina Alterman, Xiangyi Lu

Vincent E Sollars

We used a genetic screen in Drosophila to identify mutations which disrupt the localization of oskar mRNA during oogenesis. Based on the hypothesis that some cytoskeletal components which are required during the mitotic divisions will also be required for oskar mRNA localization during oogenesis, we designed the following genetic screen. We screened for P-element insertions in genes which slow down the blastoderm mitotic divisions. A secondary genetic screen was to generate female germ-line clones of these potential cell division cycle genes and to identify those which cause the mislocalization of oskar mRNA. We identified mutations in ter94 which disrupt the …


A Mutant Yeast Deficient In Golgi Transport Of Uridine Diphosphate N-Acetylglucosamine, Claudia Abeijon, Elisabet Mandon, Phillips Robbins, Carlos Hirschberg Feb 2012

A Mutant Yeast Deficient In Golgi Transport Of Uridine Diphosphate N-Acetylglucosamine, Claudia Abeijon, Elisabet Mandon, Phillips Robbins, Carlos Hirschberg

Elisabet Mandon

Mannan chains of Kluyveromyces lactis mannoproteins are similar to those of Saccharomyces cerevisiae except that they have terminal alpha1-->2-linked N-acetylglucosamine and lack mannose phosphate. In a previous study, Douglas and Ballou (Douglas, R. K., and Ballou, C. E. (1982) Biochemistry 21, 1561-1570) characterized a mutant, mnn2-2, which lacked terminal N-acetylglucosamine in its mannoproteins. The mutant had normal levels of N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase activity, and the partially purified enzyme from wild-type and mutant cells had the same apparent size, heat stability, affinity for substrates, metal requirement, and subcellular location. No qualitative or quantitative differences were found between mutant and wild-type cells in …


An Interaction Between The Srp Receptor And The Translocon Is Critical During Cotranslational Protein Translocation, Ying Jiang, Zhiliang Cheng, Elisabet Mandon, Reid Gilmore Feb 2012

An Interaction Between The Srp Receptor And The Translocon Is Critical During Cotranslational Protein Translocation, Ying Jiang, Zhiliang Cheng, Elisabet Mandon, Reid Gilmore

Elisabet Mandon

The signal recognition particle (SRP)-dependent targeting pathway facilitates rapid, efficient delivery of the ribosome-nascent chain complex (RNC) to the protein translocation channel. We test whether the SRP receptor (SR) locates a vacant protein translocation channel by interacting with the yeast Sec61 and Ssh1 translocons. Surprisingly, the slow growth and cotranslational translocation defects caused by deletion of the transmembrane (TM) span of yeast SRbeta (SRbeta-DeltaTM) are exaggerated when the SSH1 gene is disrupted. Disruption of the SBH2 gene, which encodes the beta subunit of the Ssh1p complex, likewise causes a growth defect when combined with SRbeta-DeltaTM. Cotranslational translocation defects in the …


Guanosine Diphosphatase Is Required For Protein And Sphingolipid Glycosylation In The Golgi Lumen Of Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Claudia Abeijon, Ken Yanagisawa, Elisabet Mandon, Alex Hausler, Kelley Moremen, Carlos Hirschberg, Phillips Robbins Feb 2012

Guanosine Diphosphatase Is Required For Protein And Sphingolipid Glycosylation In The Golgi Lumen Of Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Claudia Abeijon, Ken Yanagisawa, Elisabet Mandon, Alex Hausler, Kelley Moremen, Carlos Hirschberg, Phillips Robbins

Elisabet Mandon

Current models for nucleotide sugar use in the Golgi apparatus predict a critical role for the lumenal nucleoside diphosphatase. After transfer of sugars to endogenous macromolecular acceptors, the enzyme converts nucleoside diphosphates to nucleoside monophosphates which in turn exit the Golgi lumen in a coupled antiporter reaction, allowing entry of additional nucleotide sugar from the cytosol. To test this model, we cloned the gene for the S. cerevisiae guanosine diphosphatase and constructed a null mutation. This mutation should reduce the concentrations of GDP-mannose and GMP and increase the concentration of GDP in the Golgi lumen. The alterations should in turn …


Nitric Oxide-Mediated Inhibition Of Hdm2-P53 Binding, Christopher Schonhoff, Marie-Claire Daou, Stephen Jones, Celia Schiffer, Alonzo Ross Nov 2011

Nitric Oxide-Mediated Inhibition Of Hdm2-P53 Binding, Christopher Schonhoff, Marie-Claire Daou, Stephen Jones, Celia Schiffer, Alonzo Ross

Celia A. Schiffer

It has become increasingly evident that nitric oxide exerts its effects, in part, by S-nitrosylation of cysteine residues. We tested in vitro whether nitric oxide may indirectly control p53 by S-nitrosylation and inactivation of the p53 negative regulator, Hdm2. Treatment of Hdm2 with a nitric oxide donor inhibits Hdm2-p53 binding, a critical step in Hdm2 regulation of p53. The presence of excess amounts of cysteine or dithiothreitol blocks this inhibition of binding. Moreover, nitric oxide inhibition of Hdm2-p53 binding was found to be reversible. Sulfhydryl sensitivity and reversibility are consistent with nitrosylation. Finally, we have identified a critical cysteine residue …


Evaluation Of The Substrate Envelope Hypothesis For Inhibitors Of Hiv-1 Protease, Sripriya Chellappan, Visvaldas Kairys, Miguel Fernandes, Celia Schiffer, Michael Gilson Nov 2011

Evaluation Of The Substrate Envelope Hypothesis For Inhibitors Of Hiv-1 Protease, Sripriya Chellappan, Visvaldas Kairys, Miguel Fernandes, Celia Schiffer, Michael Gilson

Celia A. Schiffer

Crystallographic data show that various substrates of HIV protease occupy a remarkably uniform region within the binding site; this region has been termed the substrate envelope. It has been suggested that an inhibitor that fits within the substrate envelope should tend to evade viral resistance because a protease mutation that reduces the affinity of the inhibitor will also tend to reduce the affinity of substrate, and will hence decrease the activity of the enzyme. Accordingly, inhibitors that fit the substrate envelope better should be less susceptible to clinically observed resistant mutations, since these must also allow substrates to bind. The …


Discovery Of Hiv-1 Protease Inhibitors With Picomolar Affinities Incorporating N-Aryl-Oxazolidinone-5-Carboxamides As Novel P2 Ligands, Akbar Ali, G. S. Kiran Kumar Reddy, Hong Cao, Saima Anjum, Madhavi Nalam, Celia Schiffer, Tariq Rana Nov 2011

Discovery Of Hiv-1 Protease Inhibitors With Picomolar Affinities Incorporating N-Aryl-Oxazolidinone-5-Carboxamides As Novel P2 Ligands, Akbar Ali, G. S. Kiran Kumar Reddy, Hong Cao, Saima Anjum, Madhavi Nalam, Celia Schiffer, Tariq Rana

Celia A. Schiffer

Here, we describe the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of novel HIV-1 protease inhibitors incorporating N-phenyloxazolidinone-5-carboxamides into the (hydroxyethylamino)sulfonamide scaffold as P2 ligands. Series of inhibitors with variations at the P2 phenyloxazolidinone and the P2' phenylsulfonamide moieties were synthesized. Compounds with the (S)-enantiomer of substituted phenyloxazolidinones at P2 show highly potent inhibitory activities against HIV-1 protease. The inhibitors possessing 3-acetyl, 4-acetyl, and 3-trifluoromethyl groups at the phenyl ring of the oxazolidinone fragment are the most potent in each series, with K(i) values in the low picomolar (pM) range. The electron-donating groups 4-methoxy and 1,3-dioxolane are preferred at P2' phenyl ring, …


Association Of A Novel Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Protease Substrate Cleft Mutation, L23i, With Protease Inhibitor Therapy And In Vitro Drug Resistance, Elizabeth Johnston, Mark Winters, Soo-Yon Rhee, Thomas Merigan, Celia Schiffer, Robert Shafer Nov 2011

Association Of A Novel Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Protease Substrate Cleft Mutation, L23i, With Protease Inhibitor Therapy And In Vitro Drug Resistance, Elizabeth Johnston, Mark Winters, Soo-Yon Rhee, Thomas Merigan, Celia Schiffer, Robert Shafer

Celia A. Schiffer

We observed a previously uncharacterized mutation in the protease substrate cleft, L23I, in 31 of 4,303 persons undergoing human immunodeficiency virus type 1 genotypic resistance testing. In combination with V82I, L23I was associated with a sevenfold reduction in nelfinavir susceptibility and a decrease in replication capacity. In combination with other drug resistance mutations, L23I was associated with multidrug resistance and a compensatory increase in replication capacity.


Toward The Design Of Mutation-Resistant Enzyme Inhibitors: Further Evaluation Of The Substrate Envelope Hypothesis, Visvaldas Kairys, Michael Gilson, Viney Lather, Celia Schiffer, Miguel Fernandes Nov 2011

Toward The Design Of Mutation-Resistant Enzyme Inhibitors: Further Evaluation Of The Substrate Envelope Hypothesis, Visvaldas Kairys, Michael Gilson, Viney Lather, Celia Schiffer, Miguel Fernandes

Celia A. Schiffer

Previous studies have shown the usefulness of the substrate envelope concept in the analysis and prediction of drug resistance profiles for human immunodeficiency virus protease mutants. This study tests its applicability to several other therapeutic targets: Abl kinase, chitinase, thymidylate synthase, dihydrofolate reductase, and neuraminidase. For the targets where many (> or =6) mutation data are available to compute the average mutation sensitivity of inhibitors, the total volume of an inhibitor molecule that projects outside the substrate envelope V(out), is found to correlate with average mutation sensitivity. Analysis of a locally computed volume suggests that the same correlation would hold …


Pten Enters The Nucleus By Diffusion, Fenghua Liu, Stefan Wagner, Robert Campbell, Jeffrey Nickerson, Celia Schiffer, Alonzo Ross Nov 2011

Pten Enters The Nucleus By Diffusion, Fenghua Liu, Stefan Wagner, Robert Campbell, Jeffrey Nickerson, Celia Schiffer, Alonzo Ross

Celia A. Schiffer

Despite much evidence for phosphatidylinositol phosphate (PIP)-triggered signaling pathways in the nucleus, there is little understanding of how the levels and activities of these proteins are regulated. As a first step to elucidating this problem, we determined whether phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) enters the nucleus by passive diffusion or active transport. We expressed various PTEN fusion proteins in tsBN2, HeLa, LNCaP, and U87MG cells and determined that the largest PTEN fusion proteins showed little or no nuclear localization. Because diffusion through nuclear pores is limited to proteins of 60,000 Da or less, this suggests that …


Dynamics Of Preferential Substrate Recognition In Hiv-1 Protease: Redefining The Substrate Envelope, Aysegul Ozen, Turkan Haliloglu, Celia Schiffer Nov 2011

Dynamics Of Preferential Substrate Recognition In Hiv-1 Protease: Redefining The Substrate Envelope, Aysegul Ozen, Turkan Haliloglu, Celia Schiffer

Celia A. Schiffer

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) protease (PR) permits viral maturation by processing the gag and gag-pro-pol polyproteins. HIV-1 PR inhibitors (PIs) are used in combination antiviral therapy but the emergence of drug resistance has limited their efficacy. The rapid evolution of HIV-1 necessitates consideration of drug resistance in novel drug design. Drug-resistant HIV-1 PR variants no longer inhibited efficiently, continue to hydrolyze the natural viral substrates. Though highly diverse in sequence, the HIV-1 PR substrates bind in a conserved three-dimensional shape we termed the substrate envelope. Earlier, we showed that resistance mutations arise where PIs protrude beyond the substrate …


Structural Stability Of Disulfide Mutants Of Basic Pancreatic Trypsin Inhibitor: A Molecular Dynamics Study, Celia Schiffer, Wilfred Van Gunsteren Nov 2011

Structural Stability Of Disulfide Mutants Of Basic Pancreatic Trypsin Inhibitor: A Molecular Dynamics Study, Celia Schiffer, Wilfred Van Gunsteren

Celia A. Schiffer

The structure and folding of basic pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI) has been studied extensively by experimental means. We report a computer simulation study of the structural stability of various disulfide mutants of BPTI, involving eight 250-psec molecular dynamics simulations of the proteins in water, with and without a phosphate counterion. The presence of the latter alters the relative stability of the single disulfide species [5-55] and [30-51]. This conclusion can explain results of mutational studies and the conservation of residues in homologues of BPTI, and suggests a possible role of ions in stabilizing one intermediate over another in unfolding or …


Structure Of A Phage Display-Derived Variant Of Human Growth Hormone Complexed To Two Copies Of The Extracellular Domain Of Its Receptor: Evidence For Strong Structural Coupling Between Receptor Binding Sites, Celia Schiffer, Mark Ultsch, Scott Walsh, William Somers, Abraham De Vos, Anthony Kossiakoff Nov 2011

Structure Of A Phage Display-Derived Variant Of Human Growth Hormone Complexed To Two Copies Of The Extracellular Domain Of Its Receptor: Evidence For Strong Structural Coupling Between Receptor Binding Sites, Celia Schiffer, Mark Ultsch, Scott Walsh, William Somers, Abraham De Vos, Anthony Kossiakoff

Celia A. Schiffer

The structure of the ternary complex between the phage display- optimized, high-affinity Site 1 variant of human growth hormone (hGH) and two copies of the extracellular domain (ECD) of the hGH receptor (hGHR) has been determined at 2.6 A resolution. There are widespread and significant structural differences compared to the wild-type ternary hGH hGHR complex. The hGH variant (hGH(v)) contains 15 Site 1 mutations and binds>10(2) tighter to the hGHR ECD (hGH(R1)) at Site 1. It is biologically active and specific to hGHR. The hGH(v) Site 1 interface is somewhat smaller and 20% more hydrophobic compared to the wild-type …


Lack Of Synergy For Inhibitors Targeting A Multi-Drug-Resistant Hiv-1 Protease, Nancy King, Laurence Melnick, Moses Prabu-Jeyabalan, Ellen Nalivaika, Shiow-Shong Yang, Yun Gao, Xiaoyi Nie, Charles Zepp, Donald Heefner, Celia Schiffer Nov 2011

Lack Of Synergy For Inhibitors Targeting A Multi-Drug-Resistant Hiv-1 Protease, Nancy King, Laurence Melnick, Moses Prabu-Jeyabalan, Ellen Nalivaika, Shiow-Shong Yang, Yun Gao, Xiaoyi Nie, Charles Zepp, Donald Heefner, Celia Schiffer

Celia A. Schiffer

The three-dimensional structures of indinavir and three newly synthesized indinavir analogs in complex with a multi-drug-resistant variant (L63P, V82T, I84V) of HIV-1 protease were determined to approximately 2.2 A resolution. Two of the three analogs have only a single modification of indinavir, and their binding affinities to the variant HIV-1 protease are enhanced over that of indinavir. However, when both modifications were combined into a single compound, the binding affinity to the protease variant was reduced. On close examination, the structural rearrangements in the protease that occur in the tightest binding inhibitor complex are mutually exclusive with the structural rearrangements …


Prediction Of Homologous Protein Structures Based On Conformational Searches And Energetics, Celia Schiffer, James Caldwell, Peter Kollman, Robert Stroud Nov 2011

Prediction Of Homologous Protein Structures Based On Conformational Searches And Energetics, Celia Schiffer, James Caldwell, Peter Kollman, Robert Stroud

Celia A. Schiffer

A "knowledge-based" method of predicting the unknown structure of a protein from a homologous known structure using energetics to determine a sidechain conformation is proposed. The method consists of exchanging the residues in the known structure for the sequence of the unknown protein. Then a conformational search with molecular mechanics energy minimization is done on the exchanged residues. The lowest energy conformer is the one picked to be the predicted structure. In the structure of bovine trypsin, the importance of including a solvation energy term in the search is demonstrated for solvent accessible residues, while molecular mechanics alone is enough …


Hydrophobic Sliding: A Possible Mechanism For Drug Resistance In Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Protease, Jennifer Foulkes-Murzycki, Walter Scott, Celia Schiffer Nov 2011

Hydrophobic Sliding: A Possible Mechanism For Drug Resistance In Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Protease, Jennifer Foulkes-Murzycki, Walter Scott, Celia Schiffer

Celia A. Schiffer

Hydrophobic residues outside the active site of HIV-1 protease frequently mutate in patients undergoing protease inhibitor therapy; however, the mechanism by which these mutations confer drug resistance is not understood. From analysis of molecular dynamics simulations, 19 core hydrophobic residues appear to facilitate the conformational changes that occur in HIV-1 protease. The hydrophobic core residues slide by each other, exchanging one hydrophobic van der Waal contact for another, with little energy penalty, while maintaining many structurally important hydrogen bonds. Such hydrophobic sliding may represent a general mechanism by which proteins undergo conformational changes. Mutation of these residues in HIV-1 protease …