Structural insights into TAZ2 domain-mediated CBP/p300 recruitment by transactivation domain 1 of the lymphopoietic transcription factor E2A.

The E-protein transcription factors guide immune cell differentiation, with E12 and E47 (hereafter called E2A) being essential for B-cell specification and maturation. E2A and the oncogenic chimera E2A-PBX1 contain three transactivation domains (ADs), with AD1 and AD2 having redundant, independent, and cooperative functions in a cell-dependent manner. AD1 and AD2 both mediate their functions by binding to the KIX domain of the histone acetyltransferase paralogues CREB-binding protein (CBP) and E1A-binding protein P300 (p300).

Diverse modes of galacto-specific carbohydrate recognition by a family 31 glycoside hydrolase from Clostridium perfringens.

Clostridium perfringens is a commensal member of the human gut microbiome and an opportunistic pathogen whose genome encodes a suite of putative large, multi-modular carbohydrate-active enzymes that appears to play a role in the interaction of the bacterium with mucin-based carbohydrates. Among the most complex of these is an enzyme that contains a presumed catalytic module belonging to glycoside hydrolase family 31 (GH31). This large enzyme, which based on its possession of a GH31 module is a predicted α-glucosidase, contains a variety of non-catalytic ancillary modules, including three CBM32 modules that to date have not been characterized.

Structure of the Single-lobe Myosin Light Chain C in Complex with the Light Chain-binding Domains of Myosin-1C Provides Insights into Divergent IQ Motif Recognition.

Myosin light chains are key regulators of class 1 myosins and typically comprise two domains, with calmodulin being the archetypal example. They bind IQ motifs within the myosin neck region and amplify conformational changes in the motor domain. A single lobe light chain, myosin light chain C (MlcC), was recently identified and shown to specifically bind to two sequentially divergent IQ motifs of the Dictyostelium myosin-1C.

Structure of the small Dictyostelium discoideum myosin light chain MlcB provides insights into MyoB IQ motif recognition.

Dictyostelium discoideum MyoB is a class I myosin involved in the formation and retraction of membrane projections, cortical tension generation, membrane recycling, and phagosome maturation. The MyoB-specific, single-lobe EF-hand light chain MlcB binds the sole IQ motif of MyoB with submicromolar affinity in the absence and presence of Ca(2+). However, the structural features of this novel myosin light chain and its interaction with its cognate IQ motif remain uncharacterized.

Functional redundancy between the transcriptional activation domains of E2A is mediated by binding to the KIX domain of CBP/p300.

The E-protein transcription factors play essential roles in lymphopoiesis, with E12 and E47 (hereafter called E2A) being particularly important in B cell specification and maturation. The E2A gene is also involved in a chromosomal translocation that results in the leukemogenic oncoprotein E2A-PBX1. The two activation domains of E2A, AD1 and AD2, display redundant, independent, and cooperative functions in a cell-dependent manner.

An unusual mode of galactose recognition by a family 32 carbohydrate-binding module.

Carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs) are ancillary modules commonly associated with carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) that function to mediate the adherence of the parent enzyme to its carbohydrate substrates. CBM family 32 (CBM32) is one of the most diverse CBM families, whose members are commonly found in bacterial CAZymes that modify eukaryotic glycans. One such example is the putative μ-toxin, CpGH84A, of the family 84 glycoside hydrolases, which comprises an N-terminal putative β-N-acetylglucosaminidase catalytic module and four tandem CBM32s.

Intramolecular clasp of the cellulosomal Ruminococcus flavefaciens ScaA dockerin module confers structural stability.

The cellulosome is a large extracellular multi-enzyme complex that facilitates the efficient hydrolysis and degradation of crystalline cellulosic substrates. During the course of our studies on the cellulosome of the rumen bacterium Ruminococcus flavefaciens, we focused on the critical ScaA dockerin (ScaADoc), the unique dockerin that incorporates the primary enzyme-integrating ScaA scaffoldin into the cohesin-bearing ScaB adaptor scaffoldin. In the absence of a high-resolution structure of the ScaADoc module, we generated a computational model, and, upon its analysis, we were surprised to discover a putative stacking interaction between an N-terminal Trp and a C-terminal Pro, which we termed intramolecular clasp.

Atypical cohesin-dockerin complex responsible for cell surface attachment of cellulosomal components: binding fidelity, promiscuity, and structural buttresses.

The rumen bacterium Ruminococcus flavefaciens produces a highly organized multienzyme cellulosome complex that plays a key role in the degradation of plant cell wall polysaccharides, notably cellulose. The R. flavefaciens cellulosomal system is anchored to the bacterial cell wall through a relatively small ScaE scaffoldin subunit, which bears a single type IIIe cohesin responsible for the attachment of two major dockerin-containing scaffoldin proteins, ScaB and the cellulose-binding protein CttA.

Lysophosphatidic acid targets vascular and oncogenic pathways via RAGE signaling.

The endogenous phospholipid lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) regulates fundamental cellular processes such as proliferation, survival, motility, and invasion implicated in homeostatic and pathological conditions. Hence, delineation of the full range of molecular mechanisms by which LPA exerts its broad effects is essential. We report avid binding of LPA to the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE), a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily, and mapping of the LPA binding site on this receptor.

Structural and functional characterization of a novel type-III dockerin from Ruminococcus flavefaciens.

Phylogenetic analysis of known dockerins in Ruminococcus flavefaciens revealed a novel subtype, type-III, in the scaffoldin proteins, ScaA, ScaB, ScaC and ScaE. In this study, we explored the Ca²⁺-binding properties of the type-III dockerin from the ScaA scaffoldin (ScaADoc) using a battery of structural and biophysical approaches including circular dichroism spectroscopy, isothermal titration calorimetry, differential scanning calorimetry, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Despite the lack of a second canonical Ca²⁺-binding loop, the behaviour of ScaADoc is similar with respect to other dockerin protein modules in terms of its responsiveness to Ca²⁺ and affinity for the cohesin from the ScaB scaffoldin.

Conformational analysis of StrH, the surface-attached exo-β-D-N-acetylglucosaminidase from Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a serious human pathogen that presents on its surface numerous proteins involved in the host-bacterium interaction. The carbohydrate-active enzymes are particularly well represented among these surface proteins, and many of these are known virulence factors, highlighting the importance of carbohydrate processing by this pathogen. StrH is a surface-attached exo-β-D-N-acetylglucosaminidase that cooperates with the sialidase NanA and the β-galactosidase BgaA to sequentially degrade the nonreducing terminal arms of complex N-linked glycans.

Structural basis of CBP/p300 recruitment in leukemia induction by E2A-PBX1.

E-proteins are critical transcription factors in B-cell lymphopoiesis. E2A, 1 of 3 E-protein-encoding genes, is implicated in the induction of acute lymphoblastic leukemia through its involvement in the chromosomal translocation 1;19 and consequent expression of the E2A-PBX1 oncoprotein. An interaction involving a region within the N-terminal transcriptional activation domain of E2A-PBX1, termed the PCET motif, which has previously been implicated in E-protein silencing, and the KIX domain of the transcriptional coactivator CBP/p300, critical for leukemogenesis.

Mapping acetylation sites in E2A identifies a conserved lysine residue in activation domain 1 that promotes CBP/p300 recruitment and transcriptional activation.

E-proteins are basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors that function in cell type specification. The gene E2A encodes two E-proteins, E12 and E47, which are required in B-lymphopoiesis. E2A proteins can interact directly with the transcriptional co-activators and lysine acetyltranferases (KATs) CBP, p300 and PCAF to induce target gene transcription.

1H, 15N and 13C backbone and side-chain resonance assignments of a family 32 carbohydrate-binding module from the Clostridium perfringens NagH.

The Gram-positive anaerobe Clostridium perfringens is an opportunistic bacterial pathogen that secretes a battery of enzymes involved in glycan degradation. These glycoside hydrolases are thought to be involved in turnover of mucosal layer glycans, and in the spread of major toxins commonly associated with the development of gastrointestinal diseases and gas gangrene in humans. These enzymes employ multi-modularity and carbohydrate-binding function to degrade extracellular eukaryotic host sugars.

Nutrient metal sequestration by calprotectin inhibits bacterial superoxide defense, enhancing neutrophil killing of Staphylococcus aureus.

By sequestering manganese and zinc, the neutrophil protein calprotectin plays a crucial role in host defense against bacterial and fungal pathogens. However, the essential processes disrupted by calprotectin remain unknown. We report that calprotectin enhances the sensitivity of Staphylococcus aureus to superoxide through inhibition of manganese-dependent bacterial superoxide defenses, thereby increasing superoxide levels within the bacterial cell.

A novel strategy for NMR resonance assignment and protein structure determination.

The quality of protein structures determined by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is contingent on the number and quality of experimentally-derived resonance assignments, distance and angular restraints. Two key features of protein NMR data have posed challenges for the routine and automated structure determination of small to medium sized proteins; (1) spectral resolution - especially of crowded nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (NOESY) spectra, and (2) the reliance on a continuous network of weak scalar couplings as part of most common assignment protocols. In order to facilitate NMR structure determination, we developed a semi-automated strategy that utilizes non-uniform sampling (NUS) and multidimensional decomposition (MDD) for optimal data collection and processing of selected, high resolution multidimensional NMR experiments, combined it with an ABACUS protocol for sequential and side chain resonance assignments, and streamlined this procedure to execute structure and refinement calculations in CYANA and CNS, respectively.

Structural basis for ligand recognition and activation of RAGE.

The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) is a pattern recognition receptor involved in inflammatory processes and is associated with diabetic complications, tumor outgrowth, and neurodegenerative disorders. RAGE induces cellular signaling events upon binding of a variety of ligands, such as glycated proteins, amyloid-β, HMGB1, and S100 proteins. The X-ray crystal structure of the VC1 ligand-binding region of the human RAGE ectodomain was determined at 1.

S100A8/A9: a Janus-faced molecule in cancer therapy and tumorgenesis.

Correlations exist between the abundance of S100 proteins and disease pathologies. Indeed, this is evidenced by the heterodimeric S100 protein complex S100A8/A9 which has been shown to be involved in inflammatory and neoplastic disorders. However, S100A8/A9 appears as a Janus-faced molecule in this context.

The solution structure of the C-terminal modular pair from Clostridium perfringens mu-toxin reveals a noncellulosomal dockerin module.

The genome of the opportunistic pathogen Clostridium perfringens encodes a large number of secreted glycoside hydrolases. Their predicted activities indicate that they are involved in the breakdown of complex carbohydrates and other glycans found in the mucosal layer of the human gastrointestinal tract, within the extracellular matrix, and on the surface of host cells. One such group of these enzymes is the family 84 glycoside hydrolases, which has predicted hyaluronidase activity and comprises five members [C.

Three-dimensional structure of a putative non-cellulosomal cohesin module from a Clostridium perfringens family 84 glycoside hydrolase.

The genomes of myonecrotic strains of Clostridium perfringens encode a large number of secreted glycoside hydrolases. The activities of these enzymes are consistent with degradation of the mucosal layer of the human gastrointestinal tract, glycosaminoglycans and other cellular glycans found throughout the body. In many cases this is thought to aid in the propagation of the major toxins produced by C.

NMR assignment of backbone and side chain resonances for a dockerin-containing C-terminal fragment of the putative mu-toxin from Clostridium perfringens.

The mu-toxin of Clostridium perfringens, termed CpGH84A, is modular hydrolytic enzyme that contributes to the pathogenicity of this organism. Backbone and side chain 1H, 13C, and 15N resonance assignments have been determined for the C-terminal 15.5 kDa FIVAR-Doc modular pair of CpGH84A.

NMR assignment of backbone and side chain resonances for a putative protein-protein interaction module from a family 84 glycoside hydrolase of Clostridium perfringens.

A family of Clostridium perfringens glycoside hydrolases (CpGH84A-E), with a conserved family 84 catalytic module, are thought to target the gastric mucosal layer. Chemical shift assignments have been completed for a putative protein-protein interaction X82 module from CpGH84C.

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) solution structure, dynamics, and binding properties of the kringle IV type 8 module of apolipoprotein(a).

The plasma lipoprotein lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] comprises a low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-like particle covalently attached to the glycoprotein apolipoprotein(a) [apo(a)]. Apo(a) consists of multiple tandem repeating kringle modules, similar to plasminogen kringle IV (designated KIV1-KIV10), followed by modules homologous to the kringle V module and protease domain of plasminogen. The apo(a) KIV modules have been classified on the basis of their binding affinity for lysine and lysine analogues.

Identification and characterization of an 8-kDa light chain associated with Dictyostelium discoideum MyoB, a class I myosin.

Dictyostelium discoideum MyoB is a single-headed class I myosin. Analysis of purified MyoB by SDS-PAGE indicated the presence of an approximately 9-kDa light chain. A tryptic digest of MyoB yielded a partial sequence for the light chain that exactly matched a sequence in a 73-amino acid, 8,296-Da protein (dictyBase number DDB0188713).