Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) are ubiquitous proteins that are disordered entirely or partly and play important roles in diverse biological phenomena. Their structure dynamically samples a ...multitude of conformational states, thus rendering their structural analysis very difficult. Here we explore the potential of high-speed atomic force microscopy (HS-AFM) for characterizing the structure and dynamics of IDPs. Successive HS-AFM images of an IDP molecule can not only identify constantly folded and constantly disordered regions in the molecule, but can also document disorder-to-order transitions. Moreover, the number of amino acids contained in these disordered regions can be roughly estimated, enabling a semiquantitative, realistic description of the dynamic structure of IDPs.
The split-Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) reassembly assay is a powerful approach to study protein–protein interactions (PPIs). In this assay, two proteins, respectively, fused to the first seven and ...the last four β-strands of GFP are co-expressed in E. coli where they can bind to each other, which reconstitutes the full-length GFP. Thus, the fluorescence of the bacteria co-expressing the two fusion proteins accounts for the interaction of the two proteins of interest. The first split-GFP reassembly assay was devised in the early 2000s in Regan’s lab. During the last ten years, we have been extensively using this assay to study the interactions of an intrinsically disordered protein (IDP) with two globular partners. Over that period, in addition to accumulating molecular information on the specific interactions under study, we progressively modified the original technique and tested various parameters. In those previous studies, however, we focused on the mechanistic insights provided by the approach, rather than on the method itself. Since methodological aspects deserve attention and the best bipartite reporter to study PPIs involving IDPs remains to be identified, we herein focus on technical aspects. To this end, we first revisit our previous modifications of the original method and then investigate the impact of a panel of additional parameters. The present study unveiled a few critical parameters that deserve consideration to avoid pitfalls and obtain reliable results.
Mutations in the transcription factor FOXA1 define a unique subset of prostate cancers but the functional consequences of these mutations and whether they confer gain or loss of function is unknown
. ...Here, by annotating the landscape of FOXA1 mutations from 3,086 human prostate cancers, we define two hotspots in the forkhead domain: Wing2 (around 50% of all mutations) and the highly conserved DNA-contact residue R219 (around 5% of all mutations). Wing2 mutations are detected in adenocarcinomas at all stages, whereas R219 mutations are enriched in metastatic tumours with neuroendocrine histology. Interrogation of the biological properties of wild-type FOXA1 and fourteen FOXA1 mutants reveals gain of function in mouse prostate organoid proliferation assays. Twelve of these mutants, as well as wild-type FOXA1, promoted an exaggerated pro-luminal differentiation program, whereas two different R219 mutants blocked luminal differentiation and activated a mesenchymal and neuroendocrine transcriptional program. Assay for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing (ATAC-seq) of wild-type FOXA1 and representative Wing2 and R219 mutants revealed marked, mutant-specific changes in open chromatin at thousands of genomic loci and exposed sites of FOXA1 binding and associated increases in gene expression. Of note, ATAC-seq peaks in cells expressing R219 mutants lacked the canonical core FOXA1-binding motifs (GTAAAC/T) but were enriched for a related, non-canonical motif (GTAAAG/A), which was preferentially activated by R219-mutant FOXA1 in reporter assays. Thus, FOXA1 mutations alter its pioneering function and perturb normal luminal epithelial differentiation programs, providing further support for the role of lineage plasticity in cancer progression.
Genetic studies have identified recurrent somatic mutations in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients, including in the Wilms' tumor 1 (WT1) gene. The molecular mechanisms by which WT1 mutations ...contribute to leukemogenesis have not yet been fully elucidated. We investigated the role of Wt1 gene dosage in steady-state and pathologic hematopoiesis. Wt1 heterozygous loss enhanced stem cell self-renewal in an age-dependent manner, which increased stem cell function over time and resulted in age-dependent leukemic transformation. Wt1-haploinsufficient leukemias were characterized by progressive genetic and epigenetic alterations, including those in known leukemia-associated alleles, demonstrating a requirement for additional events to promote hematopoietic transformation. Consistent with this observation, we found that Wt1 depletion cooperates with Flt3-ITD mutation to induce fully penetrant AML. Our studies provide insight into mechanisms of Wt1-loss leukemogenesis and into the evolutionary events required to induce transformation of Wt1-haploinsufficient stem/progenitor cells.
•Wt1 heterozygous loss enhanced stem cell self-renewal in an age-dependent manner.•Wt1-haploinsufficient leukemias require additional events to promote hematopoietic transformation.
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Despite the partial disorder‐to‐order transition that intrinsically disordered proteins often undergo upon binding to their partners, a considerable amount of residual disorder may be retained in the ...bound form, resulting in a fuzzy complex. Fuzzy regions flanking molecular recognition elements may enable partner fishing through non‐specific, transient contacts, thereby facilitating binding, but may also disfavor binding through various mechanisms. So far, few computational or experimental studies have addressed the effect of fuzzy appendages on partner recognition by intrinsically disordered proteins. In order to shed light onto this issue, we used the interaction between the intrinsically disordered C‐terminal domain of the measles virus (MeV) nucleoprotein (NTAIL) and the X domain (XD) of the viral phosphoprotein as model system. After binding to XD, the N‐terminal region of NTAIL remains conspicuously disordered, with α‐helical folding taking place only within a short molecular recognition element. To study the effect of the N‐terminal fuzzy region on NTAIL/XD binding, we generated N‐terminal truncation variants of NTAIL, and assessed their binding abilities towards XD. The results revealed that binding increases with shortening of the N‐terminal fuzzy region, with this also being observed with hsp70 (another MeV NTAIL binding partner), and for the homologous NTAIL/XD pairs from the Nipah and Hendra viruses. Finally, similar results were obtained when the MeV NTAIL fuzzy region was replaced with a highly dissimilar artificial disordered sequence, supporting a sequence‐independent inhibitory effect of the fuzzy region.
Filamentous fungi are the predominant source of lignocellulolytic enzymes used in industry for the transformation of plant biomass into high-value molecules and biofuels. The rapidity with which new ...fungal genomic and post-genomic data are being produced is vastly outpacing functional studies. This underscores the critical need for developing platforms dedicated to the recombinant expression of enzymes lacking confident functional annotation, a prerequisite to their functional and structural study. In the last decade, the yeast Pichia pastoris has become increasingly popular as a host for the production of fungal biomass-degrading enzymes, and particularly carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes). This study aimed at setting-up a platform to easily and quickly screen the extracellular expression of biomass-degrading enzymes in P. pastoris. We first used three fungal glycoside hydrolases (GHs) that we previously expressed using the protocol devised by Invitrogen to try different modifications of the original protocol. Considering the gain in time and convenience provided by the new protocol, we used it as basis to set-up the facility and produce a suite of fungal CAZymes (GHs, carbohydrate esterases and auxiliary activity enzyme families) out of which more than 70% were successfully expressed. The platform tasks range from gene cloning to automated protein purifications and activity tests, and is open to the CAZyme users' community.
Error-prone PCR (epPCR) libraries are one of the tools used in directed evolution. The Gateway® technology allows constructing epPCR libraries virtually devoid of any background (i.e., of insert-free ...plasmid), but requires two steps: the BP and the LR reactions and the associated E. coli cell transformations and plasmid purifications.
We describe a method for making epPCR libraries in Gateway® plasmids using an LR reaction without intermediate BP reaction. We also describe a BP-free and LR-free sub-cloning method for in-frame transferring the coding sequence of selected clones from the plasmid used to screen the library to another one devoid of tag used for screening (such as the green fluorescent protein). We report preliminary results of a directed evolution program using this method.
The one-step method enables producing epPCR libraries of as high complexity and quality as does the regular, two-step, protocol for half the amount of work. In addition, it contributes to preserve the original complexity of the epPCR product.
Measles virus (MeV) and all Paramyxoviridae members rely on a complex polymerase machinery to ensure viral transcription and replication. Their polymerase associates the phosphoprotein (P) and the L ...protein that is endowed with all necessary enzymatic activities. To be processive, the polymerase uses as template a nucleocapsid made of genomic RNA entirely wrapped into a continuous oligomer of the nucleoprotein (N). The polymerase enters the nucleocapsid at the 3'end of the genome where are located the promoters for transcription and replication. Transcription of the six genes occurs sequentially. This implies ending and re-initiating mRNA synthesis at each intergenic region (IGR). We explored here to which extent the binding of the X domain of P (XD) to the C-terminal region of the N protein (NTAIL) is involved in maintaining the P/L complex anchored to the nucleocapsid template during the sequential transcription. Amino acid substitutions introduced in the XD-binding site on NTAIL resulted in a wide range of binding affinities as determined by combining protein complementation assays in E. coli and human cells and isothermal titration calorimetry. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that XD binding to NTAIL involves a complex network of hydrogen bonds, the disruption of which by two individual amino acid substitutions markedly reduced the binding affinity. Using a newly designed, highly sensitive dual-luciferase reporter minigenome assay, the efficiency of re-initiation through the five measles virus IGRs was found to correlate with NTAIL/XD KD. Correlatively, P transcript accumulation rate and F/N transcript ratios from recombinant viruses expressing N variants were also found to correlate with the NTAIL to XD binding strength. Altogether, our data support a key role for XD binding to NTAIL in maintaining proper anchor of the P/L complex thereby ensuring transcription re-initiation at each intergenic region.
Leukemias exhibit a dysregulated developmental program mediated through both genetic and epigenetic mechanisms. Although IKZF2 is expressed in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), we found that it is ...dispensable for mouse and human HSC function. In contrast to its role as a tumor suppressor in hypodiploid B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia, we found that IKZF2 is required for myeloid leukemia. IKZF2 is highly expressed in leukemic stem cells (LSCs), and its deficiency results in defective LSC function. IKZF2 depletion in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells reduced colony formation, increased differentiation and apoptosis, and delayed leukemogenesis. Gene expression, chromatin accessibility, and direct IKZF2 binding in MLL-AF9 LSCs demonstrate that IKZF2 regulates a HOXA9 self-renewal gene expression program and inhibits a C/EBP-driven differentiation program. Ectopic HOXA9 expression and CEBPE depletion rescued the effects of IKZF2 depletion. Thus, our study shows that IKZF2 regulates the AML LSC program and provides a rationale to therapeutically target IKZF2 in myeloid leukemia.
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•IKZF2 is a chromatin remodeler, highly expressed in leukemic stem cells•IKZF2 maintains self-renewal and inhibits differentiation in leukemic stem cells•CUT&RUN assay shows that IKZF2 binds to IKZF2 motifs adjacent to HOXA9 and CEBPD/E motifs•IKZF2 regulates accessibility of HOXA9 and CEBPD/E motifs, modulating gene expression
Park et al. find that IKZF2 regulates chromatin accessibility of self-renewal and differentiation genes in leukemic stem cells. Depletion of IKZF2 has preferential effect in leukemic stem cells compared to normal hematopoietic stem cells, providing a new strategy for targeting leukemic stem cells.
Cadmium poses a significant threat to human health due to its toxicity. In mammals and in bakers' yeast, cadmium is detoxified by ATP-binding cassette transporters after conjugation to glutathione. ...In fission yeast, phytochelatins constitute the co-substrate with cadmium for the transporter SpHMT1. In plants, a detoxification mechanism similar to the one in fission yeast is supposed, but the molecular nature of the transporter is still lacking. To investigate further the relationship between SpHMT1 and its co-substrate, we overexpressed the transporter in a Schizosaccharomyces pombe strain deleted for the phytochelatin synthase gene and heterologously in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and in Escherichia coli. In all organisms, overexpression of SpHMT1 conferred a markedly enhanced tolerance to cadmium but not to Sb(III), AgNO3, As(III), As(V), CuSO4, or HgCl2. Abolishment of the catalytic activity by expression of SpHMT1K623M mutant suppressed the cadmium tolerance phenotype independently of the presence of phytochelatins. Depletion of the glutathione pool inhibited the SpHMT1 activity but not that of AtHMA4, a P-type ATPase, indicating that GSH is necessary for the SpHMT1-mediated cadmium resistance. In E. coli, SpHMT1 was targeted to the periplasmic membrane and led to an increased amount of cadmium in the periplasm. These results demonstrate that SpHMT1 confers cadmium tolerance in the absence of phytochelatins but depending on the presence of GSH and ATP. Our results challenge the dogma of the two separate cadmium detoxification pathways and demonstrate that a common highly conserved mechanism has been selected during the evolution from bacteria to humans.
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