Alpha-helical Transmembrane Segments Research Articles

Aquaporin 5 in Alzheimer's disease: a link between oral and brain pathology?

Aquaporin 5 in Alzheimer's disease: a link between oral and brain pathology?

A three-pronged “Pitchfork” strategy enables an extensive description of the human membrane proteome and the identification of missing proteins

Integral membrane proteins are under-represented in standard proteomic analyses, mostly because of their low expression and absence of trypsin-cleavage sites in their hydrophobic transmembrane segments. Novel and effective strategies for membrane proteomic analysis aim at soluble N-glycosylated segments of integral membrane proteins (CSC, SPEG, N-glyco-FASP) or selectively target the hydrophobic transmembrane alpha-helical segments employing chemical peptide cleavage by CNBr (hpTC). We combined a solid phase enrichment of glycopeptides (SPEG) with a transmembrane segment-oriented hpTC method and a standard “detergent and trypsin” approach into a three-pronged “Pitchfork” strategy to maximize the membrane proteome coverage in human lymphoma cells. This strategy enabled the identification of >1200 integral membrane proteins from all cellular compartments, including 105 CD antigens, 24 G protein-coupled receptors, and 141 solute carrier transporters. The advantage of the combination lies in the complementarity of the methods. SPEG and hpTC target different sets of membrane proteins. HpTC provided identifications of proteins and peptides with significantly higher hydrophobicity compared to SPEG and detergent-trypsin approaches. Among all identified proteins, we observed 32 so-called “missing proteins”. The Pitchfork strategy presented here is universally applicable and enables deep and fast description of membrane proteomes in only 3 LC-MS/MS runs per replicate. SignificanceIntegral membrane proteins (IMPs) are encoded by roughly a quarter of human coding genes. Their functions and their specific localization makes IMPs highly attractive drug targets. In fact, roughly half of the currently approved drugs in medicine target IMPs. Our knowledge of membrane proteomes is, however, limited. We present a new strategy for the membrane proteome analysis that combines three complementary methods targeting different features of IMPs. Using the combined strategy, we identified over 1200 IMPs in human lymphoma tissue from all sub-cellular compartments in only 3 LC-MS/MS runs per replicate. The three-pronged “Pitchfork” strategy is universally applicable, and offers a fast way toward a reasonably concise description of membrane proteomes in multiple samples.

Statistical Mechanics of Integral Membrane Protein Assembly

During the synthesis of integral membrane proteins (IMPs), the hydrophobic amino acids of the polypeptide sequence are partitioned mostly into the membrane interior and hydrophilic amino acids mostly into the aqueous exterior. Using a many-body statistical mechanics model, we analyze the minimum free energy state of polypeptide sequences partitioned into α-helical transmembrane (TM) segments and the role of thermal fluctuations. Results suggest that IMP TM segment partitioning shares important features with general theories of protein folding. For random polypeptide sequences, the minimum free energy state at room temperature is characterized by fluctuations in the number of TM segments with very long relaxation times. Moreover, simple assembly scenarios do not produce a unique number of TM segments due to jamming phenomena. On the other hand, for polypeptide sequences corresponding to actual IMPs, the minimum free energy structure with the wild-type number of segments is free of number fluctuations due to an anomalously large gap in the energy spectrum. Now, simple assembly scenarios do reproduce the minimum free energy state without jamming. Finally, we find a threshold number of random point mutations where the size of the anomalous gap is reduced to the point that the wild-type ground state is destabilized and number fluctuations reappear.

Defense Against Cannibalism: The SdpI Family of Bacterial Immunity/Signal Transduction Proteins

The SdpI family consists of putative bacterial toxin immunity and signal transduction proteins. One member of the family in Bacillus subtilis, SdpI, provides immunity to cells from cannibalism in times of nutrient limitation. SdpI family members are transmembrane proteins with 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 12 putative transmembrane α-helical segments (TMSs). These varied topologies appear to be genuine rather than artifacts due to sequencing or annotation errors. The basic and most frequently occurring element of the SdpI family has 6 TMSs. Homologues of all topological types were aligned to determine the homologous TMSs and loop regions, and the positive-inside rule was used to determine sidedness. The two most conserved motifs were identified between TMSs 1 and 2 and TMSs 4 and 5 of the 6 TMS proteins. These showed significant sequence similarity, leading us to suggest that the primordial precursor of these proteins was a 3 TMS–encoding genetic element that underwent intragenic duplication. Various deletional and fusional events, as well as intragenic duplications and inversions, may have yielded SdpI homologues with topologies of varying numbers and positions of TMSs. We propose a specific evolutionary pathway that could have given rise to these distantly related bacterial immunity proteins. We further show that genes encoding SdpI homologues often appear in operons with genes for homologues of SdpR, SdpI’s autorepressor. Our analyses allow us to propose structure–function relationships that may be applicable to most family members.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00232-010-9260-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

SDS Micelles as a Membrane-Mimetic Environment for Transmembrane Segments

An inherent dilemma in the study of the structural biology of membrane proteins is that it is often necessary to use detergents to mimic the native lipid bilayer environment. This situation is of particular interest because the generation of high-resolution structures (through X-ray crystallography and solution NMR) has overwhelmingly relied upon identification of detergents in which membrane proteins may be solubilized without denaturation into a nonbiological state. While sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) is perhaps the most widely employed micelle-forming detergent for laboratory procedures involving membrane proteins, it has generally been regarded as a "harsh" detergent synonymous with membrane protein denaturation. Here we investigate systematically the SDS-solubilized states of a series of model alpha-helical transmembrane (TM) segments of varying Ala and Ile content in conjunction with selected single-Asn polar substitutions. Using Lys-tagged peptides typified by KKKKK-FAIAIAIIAWAIAIIAIAIAI-KKKKK in a series of circular dichroism, fluorescence, TOXCAT dimerization assay, and SDS-PAGE migration experiments, we find that both the local environment of the individual peptide helical surfaces and the formation of oligomeric states within the SDS-peptide complex are highly sensitive to point changes in peptide sequence, particularly with respect to local segment hydrophobicity and polar residue position. The overall results suggest that detergent micelles formed from SDS are largely capable of mimicking the tertiary interactions of protein-, lipid-, and aqueous-exposed helical surfaces that arise in the folded TM domains of proteins. The molecular characteristics of SDS-peptide complexes may thus portend a corresponding role for similar TM sequences in the in vivo assembly of polytopic membrane proteins.

Membrane topology of theSalmonella entericaserovar Typhimurium Group B O-antigen translocase Wzx

The O-antigen translocase, Wzx, is involved in translocation of bacterial polysaccharide repeat units across the cytoplasmic membrane, and is an unusually diverse, highly hydrophobic protein, with high numbers of predicted alpha-helical transmembrane segments (TMS). The Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium Group B O-antigen Wzx was an ideal candidate for topological study as the O-antigen gene cluster is one of only a few that have been well characterized. The topology profile prediction for this protein was determined using five programs, with different recognition parameters, which consistently predict that 12 TMS are present. A membrane topology model was constructed by analysis of lacZ and phoA gene fusions at randomly selected and targeted fusion sites within wzx. Enzyme activity of these, and full-length C-terminal fusion proteins, confirmed the 12-TMS topology for this Wzx, and also indicated that the C-terminus was located within the cytoplasm, which is consistent with the predicted topology.

Role of TMS5: staphylococcal multidrug-efflux protein QacA

QacA, a main exporter mediating the multidrug-resistance of Staphylococcus aureus to a variety of antiseptics and disinfectants, possesses a topology of 14 alpha-helical transmembrane segments (TMS). Our study aimed to determine the importance and topology of amino acid residues in and flanking the cytoplasmic end of TMS5. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to mutate 5 residues, including L146, A147, V148, W149 and S150, into cysteine. A minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and transport assay with or without N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) were performed to analyse the function of these mutants. All of the mutants showed comparable protein expression levels. MIC analysis suggested that mutant W149C showed low resistance levels to the drugs, but the mutations at L146, A147, V148, and S150C had little or no effect on the resistance level. And the results of the fluorimetric transport assay were in agreement with those of MIC analysis, that is to say, W149C did not allow transport to the substrates to be tested, while the other mutants retained significant transport ability. The reaction of the different mutant proteins with Fluorescein-NEM revealed that the mutant L146C was highly reactive with NEM; the W149C and S150C mutants were moderately reactive; A147C was barely reactive and V148C showed no reactivity. The study identified that residues W149 and S150 situated at the interface of the aqueous: lipid junction as functionally important residues, probably involved in the substrate binding and translocation of QacA.

The phagosomal nutrient transporter (Pht) family.

Phagosomal transporters (Phts), required for intracellular growth of Legionella pneumophila, comprise a novel family of multispanning alpha-helical proteins within the major facilitator superfamily (MFS). The members of this family derive exclusively from bacteria. Multiple paralogues are present in a restricted group of Alpha- and Gammaproteobacteria, but single members were also found in Chlamydia and Cyanobacteria. Their protein sequences were aligned, yielding a phylogenetic tree showing the relations of the proteins to each other. Topological analyses revealed a probable 12 alpha-helical transmembrane segment (TMS) topology. Motif identification and statistical analyses provided convincing evidence that these proteins arose from a six TMS precursor by intragenic duplication. The phylogenetic tree revealed some potential orthologous relationships, suggestive of common function. However, several probable examples of lateral transfer of the encoding genetic material between bacteria were identified and analysed. The Pht family most closely resembles a smaller MFS family (the UMF9 family) with no functionally characterized members. However, the UMF9 family occurs in a broader range of prokaryotic organism types, including Archaea. These two families differ in that organisms bearing members of the Pht family often have numerous paralogues, whereas organisms bearing members of the UMF9 family never have more than two. This work serves to characterize two novel families within the MFS and provides compelling evidence for horizontal transfer of some of the family members.

Peptides as transmembrane segments: Decrypting the determinants for helix–helix interactions in membrane proteins

Although the structural analysis of membrane proteins is advancing, an understanding of the basic principles that underlie their folding and assembly remains limited because of the high insolubility intrinsic to these molecules and concomitant challenges in obtaining crystals. Fortunately, from an experimental standpoint, membrane protein folding can be approximated as the rigid-body docking of pre-formed alpha-helical transmembrane segments one with another to form the final functional protein structure. Peptides derived from the sequences of native alpha-helical transmembrane segments and those that mimic their properties are therefore valuable in the experimental evaluation of protein folding within the membrane. Here we present an overview of the progress made in our laboratory and elsewhere in using peptide models toward defining the sequence requirements and forces stabilizing membrane protein folds.

Glycine-Rich Transmembrane Helix 10 in the Staphylococcal Tetracycline Transporter TetA(K) Lines a Solvent-Accessible Channel

The staphylococcal TetA(K) tetracycline exporter is classified within the major facilitator superfamily of transport proteins and contains 14 alpha-helical transmembrane segments (TMS). Using cysteine-scanning mutagenesis, 27 amino acid residues across and flanking putative TMS 10 of the TetA(K) transporter were individually replaced with cysteine. The level of solvent accessibility to each of the targeted amino acid positions was determined as a measure of fluorescein maleimide reactivity and demonstrated that TMS 10 of TetA(K) has a cytoplasmic boundary at G313 and is likely to extend from at least V298 on the periplasmic side. TMS 10 was found to be amphiphilic containing at least partially solvent accessible amino acid residues along the length of one helical face, suggesting that this helix may line a solvent-exposed channel. Functional analyses of these cysteine mutants demonstrated a significant role for a number of amino acid residues, including a predominance of glycine residues which were further analyzed by alanine substitution. These residues are postulated to allow interhelical interactions between TMS 10 and distal parts of TetA(K) that are likely to be required for the tetracycline transport mechanism in TetA(K) and may be a general feature required by bacterial tetracycline transporters for activity.

Integral membrane proteins in the mitochondrial outer membrane of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Mitochondria evolved from a bacterial endosymbiont ancestor in which the integral outer membrane proteins would have been beta-barrel structured within the plane of the membrane. Initial proteomics on the outer membrane from yeast mitochondria suggest that while most of the protein components are integral in the membrane, most of these mitochondrial proteins behave as if they have alpha-helical transmembrane domains, rather than beta-barrels. These proteins are usually predicted to have a single alpha-helical transmembrane segment at either the N- or C-terminus, however, more complex topologies are also seen. We purified the novel outer membrane protein Om14 and show it is encoded in the gene YBR230c. Protein sequencing revealed an intron is spliced from the transcript, and both transcription from the YBR230c gene and steady-state level of the Om14 protein is dramatically less in cells grown on glucose than in cells grown on nonfermentable carbon sources. Hydropathy predictions together with data from limited protease digestion show three alpha-helical transmembrane segments in Om14. The alpha-helical outer membrane proteins provide functions derived after the endosymbiotic event, and require the translocase in the outer mitochondrial membrane complex for insertion into the outer membrane.

A Novel-type Substrate-selectivity Filter and ER-exit Determinants in the UapA Purine Transporter

We present a functional analysis of the last alpha-helical transmembrane segment (TMS12) of UapA, a uric acid-xanthine/H+ symporter in Aspergillus nidulans and member of the nucleobase-ascorbate transporter (NAT) family. First, we performed a systematic mutational analysis of residue F528, located in the middle of TMS12, which was known to be critical for UapA specificity. Substitution of F528 with non-aromatic amino acid residues (Ala, Thr, Ser, Gln, Asn) did not affect significantly the kinetics of UapA for its physiological substrates, but allowed high-capacity transport of several novel purines and pyrimidines. Allele-specific combinations of F528 substitutions with mutations in Q408, a residue involved in purine binding, led to an array of UapA molecules with different kinetic and specificity profiles. We propose that F528 plays the role of a novel-type selectivity filter, which, in conjunction with a distinct purine-binding site, control UapA-mediated substrate translocation. We further studied the role of TMS12 by analysing the effect of its precise deletion and chimeric molecules in which TMS12 was substituted with analogous domains from other NATs. The presence of any of the TMS12 tested was necessary for ER-exit while their specific amino acid composition affected the kinetics of chimeras.

Determination of Membrane Protein Structure and Dynamics by Magic-Angle-Spinning Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy

It is shown that molecular structure and dynamics of a uniformly labeled membrane protein can be studied under magic-angle-spinning conditions. For this purpose, dipolar recoupling experiments are combined with novel through-bond correlation schemes that probe mobile protein segments. These NMR schemes are demonstrated on a uniformly [13C,15N] variant of the 52-residue polypeptide phospholamban. When reconstituted in lipid bilayers, the NMR data are consistent with an alpha-helical trans-membrane segment and a cytoplasmic domain that exhibits a high degree of structural disorder.

Residual backbone and side-chain 13C and 15N resonance assignments of the intrinsic transmembrane light-harvesting 2 protein complex by solid-state Magic Angle Spinning NMR spectroscopy

This study reports the sequence specific chemical shifts assignments for 76 residues of the 94 residues containing monomeric unit of the photosynthetic light-harvesting 2 transmembrane protein complex from Rhodopseudomonas acidophila strain 10050, using Magic Angle Spinning (MAS) NMR in combination with extensive and selective biosynthetic isotope labeling methods. The sequence specific chemical shifts assignment is an essential step for structure determination by MAS NMR. Assignments have been performed on the basis of 2-dimensional proton-driven spin diffusion (13)C-(13)C correlation experiments with mixing times of 20 and 500 ms and band selective (13)C-(15)N correlation spectroscopy on a series of site-specific biosynthetically labeled samples. The decreased line width and the reduced number of correlation signals of the selectively labeled samples with respect to the uniformly labeled samples enable to resolve the narrowly distributed correlation signals of the backbone carbons and nitrogens involved in the long alpha-helical transmembrane segments. Inter-space correlations between nearby residues and between residues and the labeled BChl a cofactors, provided by the (13)C-(13)C correlation experiments using a 500 ms spin diffusion period, are used to arrive at sequence specific chemical shift assignments for many residues in the protein complex. In this way it is demonstrated that MAS NMR methods combined with site-specific biosynthetic isotope labeling can be used for sequence specific assignment of the NMR response of transmembrane proteins.

Twisting of the Second Transmembrane α-Helix of the Mitochondrial ADP/ATP Carrier during the Transition between Two Carrier Conformational States

To investigate the structural and functional features of the second alpha-helical transmembrane segment (TM2) of the mitochondrial ADP/ATP carrier (AAC), we adopted cysteine scanning mutagenesis analysis. Single-cysteine mutations of yeast AAC were systematically introduced at residues 98-106 in TM2, and the mutants were treated with the fluorescent SH reagent eosin-5-maleimide (EMA). EMA modified different amino acid residues of alpha-helical TM2 between the two distinct carrier conformations, called the m-state and the c-state, in which the substrate recognition site faces the matrix and cytosol, respectively. When amino acids in the helix were projected on a wheel plot, these EMA-modified amino acids were observed at distinct sides of the wheel. Since the SH reagent specifically modified cysteine in the water-accessible environment, these results indicate that distinct helical surfaces of TM2 faced the water-accessible space between the two conformations, possibly as a result of twisting of this helix. In the recently reported crystal structure of bovine AAC, several amino acids faced cocrystallized carboxyatractyloside (CATR), a specific inhibitor of the carrier. These residues correspond to those modified with EMA in the yeast carrier in the c-state. Since the binding site of CATR is known to overlap that of the transport substrate, the water-accessible space was thought to be a substrate transport pathway, and hence, the observed twisting of TM2 between the m-state and the c-state may be involved in the process of substrate translocation. On the basis of the results, the roles of TM2 in the transport function of AAC were discussed.

A three-dimensional model for the substrate binding domain of the multidrug ATP binding cassette transporter LmrA.

Multidrug resistance presents a major obstacle to the treatment of infectious diseases and cancer. LmrA, a bacterial ATP-dependent multidrug transporter, mediates efflux of hydrophobic cationic substrates, including antibiotics. The substrate-binding domain of LmrA was identified by using photo-affinity ligands, proteolytic degradation of LmrA, and identification of ligand-modified peptide fragments with matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization/time of flight mass spectrometry. In the nonenergized state, labeling occurred in the alpha-helical transmembrane segments (TM) 3, 5 and 6 of the membrane-spanning domain. Upon nucleotide binding, the accessibility of TM5 for substrates increased, whereas that of TM6 decreased. Inverse changes were observed upon ATP-hydrolysis. An atomic-detail model of dimeric LmrA was generated based on the template structure of the homologous transporter MsbA from Vibrio cholerae, allowing a three-dimensional visualization of the substrate-binding domain. Labeling of TM3 of one monomer occurred in a predicted area of contact with TM5 or TM6 of the opposite monomer, indicating substrate-binding at the monomer/monomer interface. Inverse changes in the reactivity of TM segments 5 and 6 suggest that substrate binding and release involves a repositioning of these helices during the catalytic cycle.

Cross-linking of glycine receptor transmembrane segments two and three alters coupling of ligand binding with channel opening.

Contact points between transmembrane segments (TMs) two and three of the glycine receptor are undefined and may play an important role in channel gating. We tested whether two amino acids in TM2 (S267) and TM3 (A288), known to be critical for alcohol and volatile anesthetic action, could cross-link by mutating both to cysteines and expressing the receptors in Xenopus laevis oocytes. In contrast with the wild-type receptor and single cysteine mutants, the S267C/A288C double mutant displayed unusual responses, including a tonic leak activity that was closed by strychnine and a run-down of the response upon repeated applications of glycine. We hypothesized that these characteristics were due to cross-linking of the two cysteines on opposing faces of these adjacent, alpha helical TMs. This would alter the movement of these two regions required for normal gating. To test this hypothesis, we used dithiothreitol to reduce the putative S267C-A288C disulfide bond. Reduction abolished the leak current and provided normal responses to glycine. Subsequent application of the cross-linking agent mercuric chloride caused the initial characteristics to return. These data demonstrate that S267 and A288 are near-neighbors and provide insight towards the location and role of the TM2-TM3 interface in ligand-gated ion channels.

Determination of membrane protein stability via thermodynamic coupling of folding to thiol-disulfide interchange.

Although progress has been made in understanding the thermodynamic stability of water-soluble proteins, our understanding of the folding of membrane proteins is at a relatively primitive level. A major obstacle to understanding the folding of membrane proteins is the discovery of systems in which the folding is in thermodynamic equilibrium, and the development of methods to quantitatively assess this equilibrium in micelles and bilayers. Here, we describe the application of disulfide cross-linking to quantitatively measure the thermodynamics of membrane protein association in detergent micelles. The method involves initiating disulfide cross-linking of a protein under reversible redox conditions in a thiol-disulfide buffer and quantitative assessment of the extent of cross-linking at equilibrium. The 19-46 alpha-helical transmembrane segment of the M2 protein from the influenza A virus was used as a model membrane protein system for this study. Previously it has been shown that transmembrane peptides from this protein specifically self-assemble into tetramers that retain the ability to bind to the drug amantadine. We used thiol-disulfide exchange to quantitatively measure the tetramerization equilibrium of this transmembrane protein in dodecylphosphocholine (DPC) detergent micelles. The association constants obtained agree remarkably well with those derived from analytical ultracentrifugation studies. The experimental method established herein should provide a broadly applicable tool for thermodynamic studies of folding, oligomerization and protein-protein interactions of membrane proteins.

Sequence and Phylogenetic Analyses of 4 TMS Junctional Proteins of Animals: Connexins, Innexins, Claudins and Occludins

Connexins and probably innexins are the principal constituents of gap junctions, while claudins and occludins are principal tight junctional constituents. All have similar topologies with four alpha-helical transmembrane segments (TMSs), and all exhibit well-conserved extracytoplasmic cysteines that either are known to or potentially can form disulfide bridges. We have conducted sequence, topological and phylogenetic analyses of the proteins that comprise the connexin, innexin, claudin and occludin families. A multiple alignment of the sequences of each family was used to derive average hydropathy and similarity plots as well as phylogenetic trees. Analyses of the data generated led to the following evolutionary and functional suggestions: (1) In all four families, the most conserved regions of the proteins from each family are the four TMSs although the extracytoplasmic loops between TMSs 1 and 2, and TMSs 3 and 4 are usually well conserved. (2) The phylogenetic trees revealed sets of orthologues except for the innexins where phylogeny primarily reflects organismal source, probably due to a lack of relevant organismal sequence data. (3) The two halves of the connexins exhibit similarities suggesting that they were derived from a common origin by an internal gene duplication event. (4) Conserved cysteyl residues in the connexins and innexins may point to a similar extracellular structure involved in the docking of hemichannels to create intercellular communication channels. (5) We suggest a similar role in homomeric interactions for conserved extracellular residues in the claudins and occludins. The lack of sequence or motif similarity between the four different families indicates that, if they did evolve from a common ancestral gene, they have diverged considerably to fulfill separate, novel functions. We suggest that internal duplication was a general evolutionary strategy used to generate new families of channels and junctions with unique functions. These findings and suggestions should serve as guides for future studies concerning the structures, functions and evolutionary origins of junctional proteins.

Tracing pathways of transport protein evolution.

We have conducted bioinformatic analyses of integral membrane transport proteins belonging to dozens of families. These families rarely include proteins that function in a capacity other than transport. Many transporters have arisen by intragenic duplication, triplication and quadruplication events, in which the numbers of transmembrane alpha-helical hydrophobic segments (TMSs) have increased. The elements multiplied may encode two, three, four, five, six, 10 or 12 TMSs and gave rise to proteins with four, six, seven, eight, nine, 10, 12, 20, 24 and 30 TMSs. Gene fusion, splicing, deletion and insertion events have also contributed to protein topological diversity. Amino acid substitutions have allowed membrane-embedded domains to become hydrophilic domains and vice versa. Some evidence suggests that amino acid substitutions occurring over evolutionary time may in some cases have drastically altered protein topology. The results summarized in this microreview establish the independent origins of many transporter families and allow postulation of the specific pathways taken for their appearance.