Loss Of Chaperone Activity Research Articles

Loss of Function of mtHsp70 Chaperone Variants Leads to Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Congenital Sideroblastic Anemia.

Congenital Sideroblastic Anemias (CSA) is a group of rare genetic disorders characterized by the abnormal accumulation of iron in erythrocyte precursors. A common hallmark underlying these pathological conditions is mitochondrial dysfunction due to altered protein homeostasis, heme biosynthesis, and oxidative phosphorylation. A clinical study on congenital sideroblastic anemia has identified mutations in mitochondrial Hsp70 (mtHsp70/Mortalin). Mitochondrial Hsp70 plays a critical role in maintaining mitochondrial function by regulating several pathways, including protein import and folding, and iron-sulfur cluster synthesis. Owing to the structural and functional homology between human and yeast mtHsp70, we have utilized the yeast system to delineate the role of mtHsp70 variants in the etiology of CSA’s. Analogous mutations in yeast mtHsp70 exhibited temperature-sensitive growth phenotypes under non-respiratory and respiratory conditions. In vivo analyses indicate a perturbation in mitochondrial mass and functionality accompanied by an alteration in the organelle network and cellular redox levels. Preliminary in vitro biochemical studies of mtHsp70 mutants suggest impaired import function, altered ATPase activity and substrate interaction. Together, our findings suggest the loss of chaperone activity to be a pivotal factor in the pathophysiology of congenital sideroblastic anemia.

Asp isomerization increases aggregation of α-crystallin and decreases its chaperone activity in human lens of various ages

α-Crystallin, comprising 40–50 subunits of αA- and αB-subunits, is a long-lived major soluble chaperone protein in lens. During aging, α-crystallin forms aggregates of high molecular weight (HMW) protein and eventually becomes water-insoluble (WI). Isomerization of Asp in α-crystallin has been proposed as a trigger of protein aggregation, ultimately leading to cataract formation. Here, we have investigated the relationship between protein aggregation and Asp isomerization of αA-crystallin by a series of analyses of the soluble α-crystallin, HMW and WI fractions from human lens samples of different ages (10–76 years). Analytical ultracentrifugation showed that the HMW fraction had a peak sedimentation coefficient of 40 S and a wide distribution of values (10–450 S) for lens of all ages, whereas the α-crystallin had a much smaller peak sedimentation coefficient (10–20 S) and was less heterogeneous, regardless of lens age. Measurement of the ratio of isomers (Lα-, Lβ-, Dα-, Dβ-) at Asp58, Asp91/92 and Asp151 in αA-crystallin by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry showed that the proportion of isomers at all three sites increased in order of aggregation level (α-crystallin < HMW < WI fractions). Among the abnormal isomers of Asp58 and Asp151, Dβ-isomers were predominant with a very few exceptions. Notably, the chaperone activity of HMW protein was minimal for lens of all ages, whereas that of α-crystallin decreased with increasing lens age. Thus, abnormal aggregation caused by Asp isomerization might contribute to the loss of chaperone activity of α-crystallin in aged human lens.

Trimethylamine N-oxide abolishes the chaperone activity of \u03b1-casein: an intrinsically disordered protein

Osmolytes (small molecules that help in circumventing stresses) are known to promote protein folding and prevent aggregation in the case of globular proteins. However, the effect of such osmolytes on the structure and function of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) has not been clearly understood. Here we have investigated the effect of methylamine osmolytes on α-casein (an IDP present in mammalian milk) and discovered that TMAO (Trimethylamine-N-oxide) but not other methylamines renders α-casein functionless. We observed that the loss of chaperone activity of α-casein in presence of TMAO was due to the induction of an unstable aggregation-prone intermediate. The results indicate that different osmolytes may have different structural and functional consequences on IDPs, and therefore might have clinical implications for a large number of human diseases (e.g., amyloidosis, cancer, diabetes, and neurodegeneration) where IDPs are involved.

Alzheimer's and Danish dementia peptides induce cataract and perturb retinal architecture in rats.

Familial Danish dementias (FDDs) are autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorders that are associated with visual defects. In some aspects, FDD is similar to Alzheimer's disease (AD)- the amyloid deposits in FDD and AD are made of short peptides: amyloid β (Aβ) in AD and ADan in FDD. Previously, we demonstrated an interaction between the dementia peptides and α-crystallin leading to lens opacification in organ culture due to impaired chaperone activity of α-crystallin. Herein, we report the in vivo effects of ADan and Aβ on the eye. ADan [reduced (ADan-red) and oxidized (ADan-oxi)] and Aβ (Aβ1-40 and Aβ1-42) were injected intravitreally in rats. The onset of cataract was seen after injection of all the peptides, but the cataract matured by 2 weeks in the case of ADan-red, 5 weeks for ADan-oxi and 6 weeks for Aβ1-40, while Aβ1-42 had minimal effect on cataract progression. The severity of cataract is associated with insolubilization and alterations in crystallins and loss of chaperone activity of α-crystallin. Further, disruption of the architecture of the retina was evident from a loss of rhodopsin, increased gliosis, and the thinning of the retina. These results provide a basis for the dominant heredo-otoophthalmo-encephalopathy (HOOE)/FDD syndrome and indicate that ADan peptides are more potent than Aβpeptides in inflicting visual impairment.

A Functional DnaK Dimer Is Essential for the Efficient Interaction with Hsp40 Heat Shock Protein

Highly conserved molecular chaperone Hsp70 heat shock proteins play a key role in maintaining protein homeostasis (proteostasis). DnaK, a major Hsp70 in Escherichia coli, has been widely used as a paradigm for studying Hsp70s. In the absence of ATP, purified DnaK forms low-ordered oligomer, whereas ATP binding shifts the equilibrium toward the monomer. Recently, we solved the crystal structure of DnaK in complex with ATP. There are two molecules of DnaK-ATP in the asymmetric unit. Interestingly, the interfaces between the two molecules of DnaK are large with good surface complementarity, suggesting functional importance of this crystallographic dimer. Biochemical analyses of DnaK protein supported the formation of dimer in solution. Furthermore, our cross-linking experiment based on the DnaK-ATP structure confirmed that DnaK forms specific dimer in an ATP-dependent manner. To understand the physiological function of the dimer, we mutated five residues on the dimer interface. Four mutations, R56A, T301A, N537A, and D540A, resulted in loss of chaperone activity and compromised the formation of dimer, indicating the functional importance of the dimer. Surprisingly, neither the intrinsic biochemical activities, the ATP-induced allosteric coupling, nor GrpE co-chaperone interaction is affected appreciably in all of the mutations except for R56A. Unexpectedly, the interaction with co-chaperone Hsp40 is significantly compromised. In summary, this study suggests that DnaK forms a transient dimer upon ATP binding, and this dimer is essential for the efficient interaction of DnaK with Hsp40.

Nucleic Acid Chaperone Activity Associated with the Arginine-Rich Domain of Human Hepatitis B Virus Core Protein

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA replication occurs within the HBV icosahedral core particles. HBV core protein (HBc) contains an arginine-rich domain (ARD) at its carboxyl terminus. This ARD domain of HBc 149-183 is known to be important for viral replication but not known to have a structure. Recently, nucleocapsid proteins of several viruses have been shown to contain nucleic acid chaperone activity, which can facilitate structural rearrangement of viral genome. Major features of nucleic acid chaperones include highly basic amino acid residues and flexible protein structure. To test the nucleic acid chaperone hypothesis for HBc ARD, we first used the disassembled full-length HBc from Escherichia coli to analyze the nucleic acid annealing and strand displacement activities. To exclude the potential contamination of chaperones from E. coli, we designed synthetic HBc ARD peptides with different lengths and serine phosphorylations. We demonstrated that HBc ARD peptide can behave like a bona fide nucleic acid chaperone and that the chaperone activity depends on basic residues of the ARD domain. The loss of chaperone activity by arginine-to-alanine substitutions in the ARD can be rescued by restoring basic residues in the ARD. Furthermore, the chaperone activity is subject to regulation by phosphorylation and dephosphorylation at the HBc ARD. Interestingly, the HBc ARD can enhance in vitro cleavage activity of RNA substrate by a hammerhead ribozyme. We discuss here the potential significance of the HBc ARD chaperone activity in the context of viral DNA replication, in particular, at the steps of primer translocations and circularization of linear replicative intermediates. Hepatitis B virus is a major human pathogen. At present, no effective treatment can completely eradicate the virus from patients with chronic hepatitis B. We report here a novel chaperone activity associated with the viral core protein. Our discovery could lead to a new drug design for more effective treatment against hepatitis B virus in the future.

The combined effect of acetylation and glycation on the chaperone and anti-apoptotic functions of human α-crystallin

Nε-acetylation occurs on select lysine residues in α-crystallin of the human lens and alters its chaperone function. In this study, we investigated the effect of Nε-acetylation on advanced glycation end product (AGE) formation and consequences of the combined Nε-acetylation and AGE formation on the function of α-crystallin. Immunoprecipitation experiments revealed that Nε-acetylation of lysine residues and AGE formation co-occurs in both αA- and αB-crystallin of the human lens. Prior acetylation of αA- and αB-crystallin with acetic anhydride (Ac2O) before glycation with methylglyoxal (MGO) resulted in significant inhibition of the synthesis of two AGEs, hydroimidazolone (HI) and argpyrimidine. Similarly, synthesis of ascorbate-derived AGEs, pentosidine and Nε-carboxymethyl lysine (CML), was inhibited in both proteins by prior acetylation. In all cases, inhibition of AGE synthesis was positively related to the degree of acetylation. While prior acetylation further increased the chaperone activity of MGO-glycated αA-crystallin, it inhibited the loss of chaperone activity by ascorbate-glycation in both proteins. BioPORTER-mediated transfer of αA- and αB-crystallin into CHO cells resulted in significant protection against hyperthermia-induced apoptosis. This effect was enhanced in acetylated and MGO-modified αA- and αB-crystallin. Caspase-3 activity was reduced in α-crystallin transferred cells. Glycation of acetylated proteins with either MGO or ascorbate produced no significant change in the anti-apoptotic function. Collectively, these data demonstrate that lysine acetylation and AGE formation can occur concurrently in α-crystallin of human lens, and that lysine acetylation improves anti-apoptotic function of α-crystallin and prevents ascorbate-mediated loss of chaperone function.

Abstract 217: Modulation of Hsp90 chaperone activity by hypoxic condition: Hypoxia stimulates ARD1-mediated Hsp90 post-translational modification

Abstract Arrest defective-1 protein (ARD1, also known Naa10p) is an N-acetyltransferase known to be involved in cell cycle control. Several reports have implicated ARD1 in regulation of cell proliferation and apoptosis in mammalian cells. Although a potential role for ARD1 in controlling cell proliferation and apoptosis has been identified, little is known about the relevance of ARD1 to cancer development. Heat Shock Protein 90 (Hsp90), an essential molecular chaperone in eukaryotic cells, maintains the functional conformation of a subset of proteins that are typically key components of multiple regulatory and signaling networks mediating cancer cell proliferation, survival and metastasis. Reversible acetylation has been implicated as a regulatory post-translational modification of Hsp90. Although an acetyltransferase responsible for acetylating Hsp90 has yet to be identified, several groups recently identified Histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) as an one of the Hsp90 deacetylase. This study, we show that hypoxia leads to increased Hsp90 acetylation via ARD1 binding to Hsp90 and disrupted interaction between Hsp90 and client proteins and co-chaperone proteins. We found that treatment with the HDAC inhibitor trichostatin A (TSA) or sodium butyrate (NaB) enhanced Hsp90 acetylation and led to the dissociation of Hsp90 and client protein Hif-1a. To gain further insight into protein acetylation in the cytoplasm, we searched cellular targets for Hypoxia. By using an immunoprecipitation approach, we identified ARD1 as a prominent Hsp90 interacting partner. Transfection of ARD1 leads to Hsp90 hyperacetylation, its dissociation from an essential co-chaperone proteins and a loss of chaperone activity. Transfected ARD1 and Hsp90 can be abundantly and specifically co-immunoprecipitated under hypoxia condition. Those interactions prevented the formation of the Hsp90 chaperon complex, resulting in reduced chaperone function of Hsp90. We suggest that ARD1 functions as a tumor suppressor by disrupting the function of Hsp90, and thus inactivating of PI3K/Akt pathway and Hif-1a in cancer cells under hypoxic condition. We conclude that a coordinated interaction between Hsp90 and ARD1 under hypoxic condition may be an important mechanism for hypoxic cell signal to homeostasis. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 217. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-217

Protein Glutathionylation in the Regulation of Peroxiredoxins: A Family of Thiol-Specific Peroxidases That Function As Antioxidants, Molecular Chaperones, and Signal Modulators

Reversible protein glutathionylation plays an important role in cellular regulation, signaling transduction, and antioxidant defense. This redox-sensitive mechanism is involved in regulating the functions of peroxiredoxins (Prxs), a family of ubiquitously expressed thiol-specific peroxidase enzymes. Glutathionylation of certain Prxs at their active-site cysteines not only provides reducing equivalents to support their peroxidase activity but also protects Prxs from irreversible hyperoxidation. Typical 2-Cys Prx also functions as a molecular chaperone when it exists as a decamer and/or higher molecular weight complexes. The hyperoxidized sulfinic derivative of 2-Cys Prx is reactivated by sulfiredoxin (Srx). In this review, the roles of glutathionylation in the regulation of Prxs are discussed with respect to their molecular structure and functions as antioxidants, molecular chaperones, and signal modulators. Recent findings reveal that glutathionylation regulates the quaternary structure of Prx. Glutathionylation of Prx I at Cys(83) converts the decameric Prx to its dimers with the loss of chaperone activity. The findings that dimer/oligomer structure specific Prx I binding proteins, e.g., phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) and mammalian Ste20-like kinase-1 (MST1), regulate cell cycle and apoptosis, respectively, suggest a possible link between glutathionylation and those signaling pathways. Knowing how glutathionylation affects the interaction between Prx I and its nearly 20 known interacting proteins, e.g., PTEN and MST1 kinase, would reveal new insights on the physiological functions of Prx. In vitro studies reveal that Prx oligomerization is linked to its functional changes. However, in vivo dynamics, including the effect by glutathionylation, and its physiological significance remain to be investigated.

Glutathionylation of Peroxiredoxin I Induces Decamer to Dimers Dissociation with Concomitant Loss of Chaperone Activity

Reversible protein glutathionylation, a redox-sensitive regulatory mechanism, plays a key role in cellular regulation and cell signaling. Peroxiredoxins (Prxs), a family of peroxidases that is involved in removing H(2)O(2) and organic hydroperoxides, are known to undergo a functional change from peroxidase to molecular chaperone upon overoxidation of its catalytic cysteine. The functional change is caused by a structural change from low molecular weight oligomers to high molecular weight complexes that possess molecular chaperone activity. We reported earlier that Prx I can be glutathionylated at three of its cysteine residues, Cys52, -83, and -173 [Park et al. (2009) J. Biol. Chem., 284, 23364]. In this study, using analytical ultracentrifugation analysis, we reveal that glutathionylation of Prx I, WT, or its C52S/C173S double mutant shifted its oligomeric status from decamers to a population consisting mainly of dimers. Cys83 is localized at the putative dimer-dimer interface, implying that the redox status of Cys83 may play an important role in stabilizing the oligomeric state of Prx I. Studies with the Prx I (C83S) mutant show that while Cys83 is not essential for the formation of high molecular weight complexes, it affects the dimer-decamer equilibrium. Glutathionylation of the C83S mutant leads to accumulation of dimers and monomers. In addition, glutathionylation of Prx I, both the WT and C52S/C173S mutants, greatly reduces their molecular chaperone activity in protecting citrate synthase from thermally induced aggregation. Together, these results reveal that glutathionylation of Prx I promotes changes in its quaternary structure from decamers to smaller oligomers and concomitantly inactivates its molecular chaperone function.

Identification and characterization of a copper-binding site in αA-crystallin

Previous studies have shown that both αA- and αB-crystallins bind Cu2+, suppress the formation of Cu2+-mediated active oxygen species, and protect ascorbic acid from oxidation by Cu2+. αA- and αB-crystallins are small heat shock proteins with molecular chaperone activity. In this study we show that the mini-αA-crystallin, a peptide consisting of residues 71–88 of αA-crystallin, prevents copper-induced oxidation of ascorbic acid. Evaluation of binding of copper to mini-αA-crystallin showed that each molecule of mini-αA-crystallin binds one copper molecule. Isothermal titration calorimetry and nanospray mass spectrometry revealed dissociation constants of 10.72 and 9.9μM, respectively. 1,1′-Bis(4-anilino)naphthalene-5,5′-disulfonic acid interaction with mini-αA-crystallin was reduced after binding of Cu2+, suggesting that the same amino acids interact with these two ligands. Circular dichroism spectrometry showed that copper binding to mini-αA-crystallin peptide affects its secondary structure. Substitution of the His residue in mini-αA-crystallin with Ala abolished the redox-suppression activity of the peptide. During the Cu2+-induced ascorbic acid oxidation assay, a deletion mutant, αAΔ70–77, showed about 75% loss of ascorbic acid protection compared to the wild-type αA-crystallin. This difference indicates that the 70–77 region is the primary Cu2+-binding site(s) in human native full-size αA-crystallin. The role of the chaperone site in Cu2+ binding in native αA-crystallin was confirmed by the significant loss of chaperone activity by the peptide after Cu2+ binding.

Specific Basic and Aromatic Residues Optimize the Nucleic Acid Chaperone Activity of HIV-1 Nucleocapsid Protein

As an efficient nucleic acid chaperone protein, the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) nucleocapsid (NC) protein facilitates the rearrangement of nucleic acid secondary structure during reverse transcription and recombination. The biophysical basis for NC's chaperone activity includes the ability to strongly aggregate nucleic acids, destabilize nucleic acid secondary structure, and facilitate rapid protein-nucleic acid interaction kinetics. HIV-1 NC contains only 55 amino acids, with 11 basic residues throughout its structure as well as two zinc fingers, each having a single aromatic residue (F16 and W37), which is highly conserved among retroviral NC proteins. Despite its simple structure, HIV-1 NC facilitates nucleic acid rearrangement efficiently. To determine the mechanism behind this high efficiency, we performed single-molecule DNA stretching experiments in the presence of wild-type and mutant HIV-NC. We measured the ability of the proteins to aggregate and destabilize dsDNA and determined their ability to facilitate nucleic acid annealing. We show that mutant F16W and F16W-W37F exhibit similar properties as wild-type NC. In contrast, the single aromatic substitutions W37A and F16A significantly reduce NC's rapid DNA interaction kinetics, while retaining a portion of its dsDNA destabilization capability. Furthermore, removing both aromatics leads to a complete loss of chaperone activity. Thus, we can conclude that both aromatic residues significantly contribute to HIV-1 NC's optimal chaperone activity. Moreover, experiments on basic residue mutants show that positively charged residues play a very important role in protein binding. While mutating basic residues in any region of the protein significantly reduces reannealing kinetics, residues in the zinc fingers and in the N-terminus are particularly important for rapid protein-nucleic acid interaction kinetics. This work was funded in part by Federal Funds from NCI, NIH under contract N01-CO-12400 (RJG).

Delay of diabetic cataract in rats by the antiglycating potential of cumin through modulation of α-crystallin chaperone activity

α-Crystallin, a molecular chaperone of the eye lens, plays an important role in maintaining the transparency of the lens by preventing the aggregation/inactivation of several proteins and enzymes in addition to its structural role. α-Crystallin is a long-lived protein and is susceptible to several posttranslational modifications during aging, more so in certain clinical conditions such as diabetes. Nonenzymatic glycation of lens proteins and decline in the chaperone-like function of α-crystallin have been reported in diabetic conditions. Therefore, inhibitors of nonenzymatic protein glycation appear to be a potential target to preserve the chaperone activity of α-crystallin and to combat cataract under hyperglycemic conditions. In this study, we investigated the antiglycating potential of cumin in vitro and its ability to modulate the chaperone-like activity of α-crystallin vis-à-vis the progression of diabetic cataract in vivo. Aqueous extract of cumin was tested for its antiglycating ability against fructose-induced glycation of goat lens total soluble protein (TSP), α-crystallin from goat lens and a nonlenticular protein bovine serum albumin (BSA). The antiglycating potential of cumin was also investigated by feeding streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats with diet containing 0.5% cumin powder. The aqueous extract of cumin prevented in vitro glycation of TSP, α-crystallin and BSA. Slit lamp examination revealed that supplementation of cumin delayed progression and maturation of STZ-induced cataract in rats. Cumin was effective in preventing glycation of TSP and α-crystallin in diabetic lens. Interestingly, feeding of cumin to diabetic rats not only prevented loss of chaperone activity but also attenuated the structural changes of α-crystallin in lens. These results indicated that cumin has antiglycating properties that may be attributed to the modulation of chaperone activity of α-crystallin, thus delaying cataract in STZ-induced diabetic rats.

A novel mutation in AlphaA-crystallin (CRYAA) caused autosomal dominant congenital cataract in a large Chinese family

Hereditary cataract is a phenotypically and genetically heterogeneous lens disease that is responsible for a significant proportion of the visual impairment and blindness that occurs in children. In a five-generation Chinese family with autosomal dominant inherited congenital cataract, clinical examination showed three cataract phenotypes: punctuate, nuclear, and total cataracts. Linkage analysis was performed and positive two-point LOD scores (with maximum of 4.43 and 4.27 at theta=0) were obtained for markers D21S1411 and D21S1890 on chromosome 21q22.3, flanking the CRYAA (alphaA-crystallin-encoding gene) locus. Sequencing of CRYAA revealed a novel heterozygous G>A transition (c.346G>A) in exon 3 that cosegregated with the disease phenotype and results in a conservative substitution of Arg to His at codon 116 (p.R116H). To understand the molecular basis of cataract formation, mutant and wild-type alphaA-crystallins were expressed in E. coli. RP-HPLC (reverse phase-high-performance liquid chromatography) suggested an increased hydrophobicity of the mutant recombinant protein, compared to that of wild-type alphaA-crystallins. Furthermore, loss of chaperone activity of the mutant was seen in DTT (DL-dithiothreitol)-induced insulin aggregation assay. FPLC (fast protein liquid chromatography) purification showed that the His-116 mutant protein had increased binding affinity to lysozyme. Gain of activated lysozyme binding, elevation of hydrophobicity and loss of chaperone activity of the mutant protein may be some of the molecular mechanisms underlying cataract in this large family.

Truncation of αB-Crystallin by the Myopathy-causing Q151X Mutation Significantly Destabilizes the Protein Leading to Aggregate Formation in Transfected Cells

Here we investigate the effects of a myopathy-causing mutation in alphaB-crystallin, Q151X, upon its structure and function. This mutation removes the C-terminal domain of alphaB-crystallin, which is expected to compromise both its oligomerization and chaperone activity. We compared this to two other alphaB-crystallin mutants (450delA, 464delCT) and also to a series of C-terminal truncations (E164X, E165X, K174X, and A171X). We find that the effects of the Q151X mutation were not always as predicted. Specifically, we have found that although the Q151X mutation decreased oligomerization of alphaB-crystallin and even increased some chaperone activities, it also significantly destabilized alphaB-crystallin causing it to self-aggregate. This conclusion was supported by our analyses of both the other disease-causing mutants and the series of C-terminal truncation constructs of alphaB-crystallin. The 450delA and 464delCT mutants could only be refolded and assayed as a complex with wild type alphaB-crystallin, which was not the case for Q151X alphaB-crystallin. From these studies, we conclude that all three disease-causing mutations (450delA, 464delCT, and Q151X) in the C-terminal extension destabilize alphaB-crystallin and increase its tendency to self-aggregate. We propose that it is this, rather than a catastrophic loss of chaperone activity, which is a major factor in the development of the reported diseases for the three disease-causing mutations studied here. In support of this hypothesis, we show that Q151X alphaB-crystallin is found mainly in the insoluble fraction of cell extracts from transient transfected cells, due to the formation of cytoplasmic aggregates.

Identification of the Primary Targets of Carbamylation in Bovine Lens Proteins by Mass Spectrometry

Purpose: Carbamylation, an important post-translational modification of proteins, inevitably causes conformational changes of lens proteins. It may increase aggregation between crystallin molecules and disrupt the close packing required for transparency thus leading to cataract. The aim of this study was to isolate the primary targets of carbamylation in the lens and identify them by mass spectrometry. Materials and Methods: Fresh intact bovine lenses were incubated with 100 mM potassium cyanate for 7 days. The proteins in the water-soluble fractions from the normal control and the cyanate-modified lens proteins were separated by two-dimensional (2-D) gel electrophoresis with identification after silver staining. Protein spots that differed between the normal and carbamylated groups were selected for further analysis using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). Results: The 2-D gel results showed that the major lens proteins were in the section of pI 5–8, with relative molecular masses of 20–35 kDa, and changes in the carbamylated fraction like strings of beads indicating modification. The mass spectrometry analysis and a database search identified carbamylated proteins originating from αA-crystallin, βB2- and γS-(βS)-crystallins. Conclusions: These crystallins may be vulnerable proteins targeted by carbamylation. The accumulated aggregation and loss of chaperone activity may contribute to cataract formation.

Role of the specifically targeted lysine residues in the glycation dependent loss of chaperone activity of αA- and αB-crystallins

Earlier studies have shown significant loss of chaperone activity in alpha-crystallin from diabetic lenses. In vitro glycation studies have suggested that glycation of alpha-crystallin could be the major cause of chaperone activity loss. The following lysine (K) residues in alpha-crystallin have been identified as the major glycation sites: K11, K78, and K166 in alpha A-crystallin and K90, K92, and K166 in alpha B-crystallin. The present study was aimed to assess the contribution of each of the above glycation site in the overall glycation and loss of chaperone activity by mutating them to threonine followed by in vitro glycation with fructose. Level of glycated protein (GP) was determined by phenylboronate affinity chromatography, advanced glycation end products (AGEs) by direct ELISA using anti-AGE polyclonal antibody, and chaperone activity by using alcohol dehydrogenase as the target protein. K11T, K78, and K166T mutants of alpha A showed 33, 17, and 27% decrease in GP and 32, 18, and 21% decrease in AGEs, respectively, as compared to alpha A-wt. Likewise, K90T, K92T, K90T/K92T, and K166T mutants of alpha B showed 18, 21, 29, and 12% decrease in GP and 22, 24, 32, and 16% decrease in AGEs, respectively. Chaperone activity also showed concomitant increase with decreasing glycation and AGEs formation. alpha A-K11T and alpha B-K90T/K92T mutants showed the largest decrease in glycation and increase in chaperone activity.

Effect of glycation on α-crystallin structure and chaperone-like function

The chaperone-like activity of alpha-crystallin is considered to play an important role in the maintenance of the transparency of the eye lens. However, in the case of aging and in diabetes, the chaperone function of alpha-crystallin is compromized, resulting in cataract formation. Several post-translational modifications, including non-enzymatic glycation, have been shown to affect the chaperone function of alpha-crystallin in aging and in diabetes. A variety of agents have been identified as the predominant sources for the formation of AGEs (advanced glycation end-products) in various tissues, including the lens. Nevertheless, glycation of alpha-crystallin with various sugars has resulted in divergent results. In the present in vitro study, we have investigated the effect of glucose, fructose, G6P (glucose 6-phosphate) and MGO (methylglyoxal), which represent the major classes of glycating agents, on the structure and chaperone function of alpha-crystallin. Modification of alpha-crystallin with all four agents resulted in the formation of glycated protein, increased AGE fluorescence, protein cross-linking and HMM (high-molecular-mass) aggregation. Interestingly, these glycation-related profiles were found to vary with different glycating agents. For instance, CML [N(epsilon)-(carboxymethyl)lysine] was the predominant AGE formed upon glycation of alpha-crystallin with these agents. Although fructose and MGO caused significant conformational changes, there were no significant structural perturbations with glucose and G6P. With the exception of MGO modification, glycation with other sugars resulted in decreased chaperone activity in aggregation assays. However, modification with all four sugars led to the loss of chaperone activity as assessed using an enzyme inactivation assay. Glycation-induced loss of alpha-crystallin chaperone activity was associated with decreased hydrophobicity. Furthermore, alpha-crystallin isolated from glycated TSP (total lens soluble protein) had also increased AGE fluorescence, CML formation and diminished chaperone activity. These results indicate the susceptibility of alpha-crystallin to non-enzymatic glycation by various sugars and their derivatives, whose levels are elevated in diabetes. We also describe the effects of glycation on the structure and chaperone-like activity of alpha-crystallin.

Why molecular chaperones buffer mutational damage: a case study with a yeast Hsp40/70 system.

The malfunctioning of molecular chaperones may result in uncovering genetic variation. The molecular basis of this phenomenon remains largely unknown. Chaperones rescue proteins unfolded by environmental stresses and therefore they might also help to stabilize mutated proteins and thus mask damages. To test this hypothesis, we carried out a genomewide mutagenesis followed by a screen for mutations that were synthetically harmful when the RAC-Ssb1/2 cytosolic chaperones were inactive. Mutants with such a phenotype were found and mapped to single nucleotide substitutions. However, neither the genes identified nor the nature of genetic lesions implied that folding of the mutated proteins was being supported by the chaperones. In a second screen, we identified temperature-sensitive (ts) mutants, a phenotype indicative of structural instability of proteins. We tested these for an association with sensitivity to loss of chaperone activity but found no such correlation as might have been expected if the chaperones assisted the folding of mutant proteins. Thus, molecular chaperones can mask the negative effects of mutations but the mechanism of such buffering need not be direct. A plausible role of chaperones is to stabilize genetic networks, thus making them more tolerant to malfunctioning of their constituents.

Effect of Oxidation of αA- and αB-Crystallins on their Structure, Oligomerization and Chaperone Function

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of metal-catalyzed oxidation by H(2)O(2) on the structure, oligomerization, and chaperone function of alphaA- and alphaB-crystallins. Recombinant alphaA-and alphaB-crystallins were prepared by expressing them in E. coli and purifying by size-exclusion chromatography. They were incubated with 1.5 mM H(2)O(2) and 0.1 mM FeCl(3) at 37 ( composite function)C for 24 hrs and the reaction was stopped by adding catalase. Structural changes due to oxidation were ascertained by circular dichroism (CD) measurements and chaperone activity was assayed with alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and insulin as target proteins. The oligomeric nature of the oxidized proteins was assessed by molecular sieve HPLC. The secondary structure of the oxidized alphaA- and alphaB-crystallins has been substantially altered due to significant increase in random coils, in addition to decrease in beta-sheet or alpha-helix contents. The tertiary structure also showed significant changes indicative of different mode of folding of the secondary structural elements. Chaperone function was significantly compromised as supported by nearly 50% loss in chaperone activity. Oxidation also resulted in the formation of higher molecular weight (HMW) proteins as well as lower molecular weight (LMW) proteins. Thus, oxidation leads to disintegration of the oligomeric structure of alphaA- and alphaB-crystallins. Chaperone activity of the HMW fraction is normal whereas the LMW fraction lacks any chaperone activity. So, it appears that the formation of the LMW proteins is the primary cause of the chaperone activity loss due to oxidation.