Multiple Alanine Substitutions Research Articles

Biocatalytic cascade to polysaccharide amination

BackgroundChitin, the main form of aminated polysaccharide in nature, is a biocompatible, polycationic, and antimicrobial biopolymer used extensively in industrial processes. Despite the abundance of chitin, applications thereof are hampered by difficulties in feedstock harvesting and limited structural versatility. To address these problems, we proposed a two-step cascade employing carbohydrate oxidoreductases and amine transaminases for plant polysaccharide aminations via one-pot reactions. Using a galactose oxidase from Fusarium graminearum for oxidation, this study compared the performance of CvATA (from Chromobacterium violaceum) and SpATA (from Silicibacter pomeroyi) on a range of oxidized carbohydrates with various structures and sizes. Using a rational enzyme engineering approach, four point mutations were introduced on the SpATA surface, and their effects on enzyme activity were evaluated.ResultsHerein, a quantitative colorimetric assay was developed to enable simple and accurate time-course measurement of the yield of transamination reactions. With higher operational stability, SpATA produced higher product yields in 36 h reactions despite its lower initial activity. Successful amination of oxidized galactomannan by SpATA was confirmed using a deuterium labeling method; higher aminated carbohydrate yields achieved with SpATA compared to CvATA were verified using HPLC and XPS. By balancing the oxidase and transaminase loadings, improved operating conditions were identified where the side product formation was largely suppressed without negatively impacting the product yield. SpATA mutants with multiple alanine substitutions besides E407A showed improved product yield. The E407A mutation reduced SpATA activity substantially, supporting its predicted role in maintaining the dimeric enzyme structure.ConclusionsUsing oxidase–amine transaminase cascades, the study demonstrated a fully enzymatic route to polysaccharide amination. Although the activity of SpATA may be further improved via enzyme engineering, the low operational stability of characterized amine transaminases, as a result of low retention of PMP cofactors, was identified as a key factor limiting the yield of the designed cascade. To increase the process feasibility, future efforts to engineer improved SpATA variants should focus on improving the cofactor affinity, and thus the operational stability of the enzyme.Graphical

Complex and Dynamic Interactions between Parvovirus Capsids, Transferrin Receptors, and Antibodies Control Cell Infection and Host Range.

Antibody and receptor binding are key virus-host interactions that control host range and determine the success of infection. Canine and feline parvovirus capsids bind the transferrin receptor type 1 (TfR) to enter host cells, and specific structural interactions appear necessary to prepare the stable capsids for infection. Here, we define the details of binding, competition, and occupancy of wild-type and mutant parvovirus capsids with purified receptors and antibodies. TfR-capsid binding interactions depended on the TfR species and varied widely, with no direct relationship between binding affinity and infection. Capsids bound feline, raccoon, and black-backed jackal TfRs at high affinity but barely bound canine TfRs, which mediated infection efficiently. TfRs from different species also occupied capsids to different levels, with an estimated 1 to 2 feline TfRs but 12 black-backed jackal TfRs binding each capsid. Multiple alanine substitutions within loop 1 on the capsid surface reduced TfR binding but substitutions within loop 3 did not, suggesting that loop 1 directly engaged the TfR and loop 3 sterically affected that interaction. Binding and competition between different TfRs and/or antibodies showed complex relationships. Both antibodies 14 and E competed capsids off TfRs, but antibody E could also compete capsids off itself and antibody 14, likely by inducing capsid structural changes. In some cases, the initial TfR or antibody binding event affected subsequent TfR binding, suggesting that capsid structure changes occur after TfR or antibody binding and may impact infection. This shows that precise, host-specific TfR-capsid interactions, beyond simple attachment, are important for successful infection.IMPORTANCE Host receptor binding is a key step during viral infection and may control both infection and host range. In addition to binding, some viruses require specific interactions with host receptors in order to infect, and anti-capsid antibodies can potentially disrupt these interactions, leading to neutralization. Here, we examine the interactions between parvovirus capsids, the receptors from different hosts, and anti-capsid antibodies. We show that interactions between parvovirus capsids and host-specific TfRs vary in both affinity and in the numbers of receptors bound, with complex effects on infection. In addition, antibodies binding to two sites on the capsids had different effects on TfR-capsid binding. These experiments confirm that receptor and antibody binding to parvovirus capsids are complex processes, and the infection outcome is not determined simply by the affinity of attachment.

Electrophysiological Analysis of PapC Mutants Provides Insights into the Mechanism of Plug Displacement

The PapC usher is a twin beta barrel pore of the outer membrane of uropathogenic E. coli used for the assembly of the P pilus, a key virulence factor in bacterial colonization of human kidney cells. The usher catalyzes the translocation and ordered addition of folded pilus subunits delivered by the chaperone PapD to the growing pilus. Each PapC monomer is a 24-stranded beta barrel, flanked by N- and C-terminal globular domains and occluded by a large plug domain (PD). An alpha helix and the beta 5-6 hairpin loop are additional structural components that may play a role in controlling plug dynamics. Indeed, structural studies have revealed that the PD is released to the periplasmic side during pilus biogenesis, but the exact mechanism for PD displacement has not yet been elucidated. Several key residues that may be critical for plug stabilization have been proposed. They cluster in regions at the interface of the plug, the barrel, the alpha helix and the hairpin, and appear to belong to either electrostatic or allosteric networks. In order to assess the roles of these residues in plug displacement, we have used planar lipid bilayer and patch-clamp electrophysiology to compare the activity of the wildtype channel with that of mutant channels with either single or multiple alanine substitutions at these sites. Many mutants showed an increased propensity at plug displacement, as witnessed by openings with a conductance similar to that of the previously characterized plugless mutant (∼ 3 nS). Others displayed quieter than WT activity. In addition, evidence of modal gating was observed in WT and some mutants. Together, these mutants provide insight into the molecular mechanism of PD displacement for pilus assembly and translocation through the PapC usher.

Functionally Essential Interaction between Yersinia YscO and the T3S4 Domain of YscP

The type III secretion (T3S) system is essential to the virulence of a large number of Gram-negative bacterial pathogens, including Yersinia. YscO is required for T3S in Yersinia and is known to interact with several other T3S proteins, including the chaperone SycD and the needle length regulator YscP. To define which interactions of YscO are required for T3S, we pursued model-guided mutagenesis: three conserved and surface-exposed regions of modeled YscO were targeted for multiple alanine substitutions. Most of the mutations abrogated T3S and did so in a recessive manner, consistent with a loss of function. Both functional and nonfunctional YscO mutant proteins interacted with SycD, indicating that the mutations had not affected protein stability. Likewise, both functional and nonfunctional versions of YscO were exclusively intrabacterial. Functional and nonfunctional versions of YscO were, however, distinguishable with respect to interaction with YscP. This interaction was observed only for wild-type YscO and a T3S-proficient mutant of YscO but not for the several T3S-deficient mutants of YscO. Evidence is presented that the YscO-YscP interaction is direct and that the type III secretion substrate specificity switch (T3S4) domain of YscP is sufficient for this interaction. These results provide evidence that the interaction of YscO with YscP, and in particular the T3S4 domain of YscP, is essential to type III secretion.

Structure-Based Mutational Analysis of the Highly Conserved Domain IV of Glycoprotein H of Pseudorabies Virus

Glycoprotein H (gH) is an envelope protein conserved in the Herpesviridae. Together with glycoprotein B (gB), the heterodimeric complex of gH and glycoprotein L (gL) mediates penetration and direct viral cell-to-cell spread. In herpes simplex and pseudorabies virus (PrV), coexpression of gH/gL, gB, and gD induces membrane fusion to form polykaryocytes. The recently determined crystal structure of a core fragment of PrV gH revealed marked structural similarity to other gH proteins (M. Backovic et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 107:22635-22640, 2010). Within the membrane-proximal part (domain IV), a conserved negatively charged surface loop (flap) is flanked by intramolecular disulfide bonds. Together with an N-linked carbohydrate moiety, this flap covers an underlying patch of hydrophobic residues. To investigate the functional relevance of these structures, nonconservative amino acid substitutions were introduced by site-directed mutagenesis. The mutated proteins were tested for correct expression, fusion activity, and functional complementation of gH-deleted PrV. Several single amino acid changes within the flap and the hydrophobic patch were tolerated, and deletion of the glycosylation site had only minor effects. However, multiple alanine substitutions within the flap or the hydrophobic patch led to significant defects. gH function was also severely affected by disruption of the disulfide bond at the C terminus of the flap and after introduction of cysteine pairs designed to bridge the central part of the flap with the hydrophobic patch. Interestingly, all mutated gH proteins were able to complement gH-deleted PrV, but fusion-deficient gH mutants resulted in a pronounced delay in virus entry.

Novel C-terminal Motif within Sec7 Domain of Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors Regulates ADP-ribosylation Factor (ARF) Binding and Activation

ADP-ribosylation factors (ARFs) and their activating guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) play key roles in membrane traffic and signaling. All ARF GEFs share a ∼200-residue Sec7 domain (Sec7d) that alone catalyzes the GDP to GTP exchange that activates ARF. We determined the crystal structure of human BIG2 Sec7d. A C-terminal loop immediately following helix J (loop>J) was predicted to form contacts with helix H and the switch I region of the cognate ARF, suggesting that loop>J may participate in the catalytic reaction. Indeed, we identified multiple alanine substitutions within loop>J of the full length and/or Sec7d of two large brefeldin A-sensitive GEFs (GBF1 and BIG2) and one small brefeldin A-resistant GEF (ARNO) that abrogated binding of ARF and a single alanine substitution that allowed ARF binding but inhibited GDP to GTP exchange. Loop>J sequences are highly conserved, suggesting that loop>J plays a crucial role in the catalytic activity of all ARF GEFs. Using GEF mutants unable to bind ARF, we showed that GEFs associate with membranes independently of ARF and catalyze ARF activation in vivo only when membrane-associated. Our structural, cell biological, and biochemical findings identify loop>J as a key regulatory motif essential for ARF binding and GDP to GTP exchange by GEFs and provide evidence for the requirement of membrane association during GEF activity.

Identification of the site of binding of sulfated, low molecular weight lignins on thrombin

Sulfated, low molecular weight lignins (LMWLs), designed recently as macromolecular mimetics of the low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs), were found to exhibit a novel allosteric mechanism of inhibition of human thrombin, factor Xa and plasmin, which translates into potent human blood anticoagulation potential. To identify the site of binding of sulfated LMWLs, a panel of site-directed thrombin mutants was studied. Substitution of alanine for Arg93 or Arg175 induced a 7–8-fold decrease in inhibition potency, while Arg165Ala, Lys169Ala, Arg173Ala and Arg233Ala thrombin mutants displayed a 2–4-fold decrease. Other exosite 2 residues including those that play an important role in heparin binding, such as Arg101, Lys235, Lys236 and Lys240, did not induce any deficiency in sulfated LMWL activity. Thrombin mutants with multiple alanine substitution of basic residues showed a progressively greater defect in inhibition potency. Comparison of thrombin, factor Xa, factor IXa and factor VIIa primary sequences reiterated Arg93 and Arg175 as residues likely to be targeted by sulfated LMWLs. The identification of a novel site on thrombin with capability of allosteric modulation is expected to greatly assist the design of new regulators based on the sulfated LMWL scaffold.

Residues Arg568 and Phe592 contribute to an antigenic surface for anti-ADAMTS13 antibodies in the spacer domain

The majority of patients diagnosed with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura have autoantibodies directed towards the spacer domain of ADAMTS13. In this study we explored the epitope specificity and immunoglobulin class and immunoglobulin G subclass distribution of anti-ADAMTS13 antibodies. The epitope specificity of anti-spacer domain antibodies was examined using plasma from 48 patients with acute acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura by means of immunoprecipitation of ADAMTS13 variants containing single or multiple alanine substitutions. Using similar methods, we also determined the presence of anti-TSP2-8 and CUB1-2 domain antibodies in this cohort of patients. Antibody profiling revealed that anti-ADAMTS13 immunoglobulin G1 and immunoglobulin G4 predominate in plasma of patients with acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. Analysis of anti-spacer domain antibodies revealed that Arg568 and Phe592, in addition to residues Arg660, Tyr661, and Tyr665, also contribute to an antigenic surface in the spacer domain. The majority of patients (90%) lost reactivity towards the spacer domain following introduction of multiple alanine substitutions at Arg568, Phe592, Arg660, Tyr661 and Tyr665. Anti-TSP2-8 and anti-CUB1-2 domain-directed antibodies were present in, respectively, 17% and 35% of the patients' samples analyzed. Immunoglobulin G directed towards a single antigenic surface comprising residues Arg568, Phe592, Arg660, Tyr661 and Tyr665 predominates in the plasma of patients with acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.

Structure-Based Functional Studies of the Effects of Amino Acid Substitutions in GerBC, the C Subunit of the Bacillus subtilis GerB Spore Germinant Receptor

Highly conserved amino acid residues in the C subunits of the germinant receptors (GRs) of spores of Bacillus and Clostridium species have been identified by amino acid sequence comparisons, as well as structural predictions based on the high-resolution structure recently determined for the C subunit of the Bacillus subtilis GerB GR (GerBC). Single and multiple alanine substitutions were made in these conserved residues in three regions of GerBC, and the effects of these changes on B. subtilis spore germination via the GerB GR alone or in concert with the GerK GR, as well as on germination via the GerA GR, were determined. In addition, levels of the GerBC variants in the spore inner membrane were measured, and a number of the GerBC proteins were expressed and purified and their solubility and aggregation status were assessed. This work has done the following: (i) identified a number of conserved amino acids that are crucial for GerBC function in spore germination via the GerB GR and that do not alter spores' levels of these GerBC variants; (ii) identified other conserved GerBC amino acid essential for the proper folding of the protein and/or for assembly of GerBC in the spore inner membrane; (iii) shown that some alanine substitutions in GerBC significantly decrease the GerA GR's responsiveness to its germinant l-valine, consistent with there being some type of interaction between GerA and GerB GR subunits in spores; and (iv) found no alanine substitutions that specifically affect interaction between the GerB and GerK GRs.

IgG Antibodies Directed towards a Single Antigenic Surface In the Spacer Domain of ADAMTS13 Predominate In Plasma of Patients with Acquired TTP.

AbstractAbstract 1438 Background:The majority of patients diagnosed with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) have primarily autoantibodies directed towards the spacer domain of ADAMTS13. Previously, we have shown that residues Arg660, Tyr661 and Tyr665 are involved in binding of anti-ADAMTS13 antibodies. Inspection of the three-dimensional structure of the spacer domain reveals that Arg658 and Phe592 are in close proximity to Arg660, Tyr661 and Tyr665. Objective:In this study we explored whether Arg658 and Phe592 contribute to a previously identified antigenic surface in the spacer domain. We also addressed Ig class distribution as well as the contribution of antibodies directed towards the carboxy-terminal TSP2-8 and CUB1-2 domains in a large cohort of patients. Methods:The epitope specificity of anti-spacer domain directed antibodies was examined using two recombinant anti-spacer domain directed antibodies I-9 and II-1 and plasma of 48 patients with acute acquired TTP by means of immunoprecipitation of ADAMTS13 variants containing single or multiple alanine substitutions. Reactivity of patient-derived antibodies directed towards the TSP2-8 and CUB1-2 domains was also addressed by immunoprecipitation. Quantitative Ig class analysis was performed using human monoclonal antibody II-1 as an internal reference. Results:Plasma from all 48 patients included in this study contained anti-ADAMTS13 antibodies of subclass IgG; plasma of 5 patients contained anti-ADAMTS13 IgM and in plasma of 9 patients had anti-ADAMTS13 antibodies of subclass IgA1. No anti-ADAMTS13 antibodies of subclass IgA2 were observed. Plasma of some patients contained anti-TSP2-8 (∼17%) and anti-CUB1-2 (∼35%) domain directed antibodies. Analysis of anti-spacer domain antibodies revealed that residues Arg568 and Phe592 contribute to an antigenic surface in the spacer domain. The majority of patients (90%) lost the reactivity towards the spacer domain of ADAMTS13 through the introduction of multiple alanine substitutions at positions Arg568, Phe592, Arg660, Tyr661 and Tyr665. Conclusions:IgG antibodies directed towards a single antigenic surface in the spacer domain of ADAMTS13 predominate in plasma of patients with acquired TTP. Disclosures:No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Crystal structure of an extensively simplified variant of bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor in which over one-third of the residues are alanines

We report the high-resolution crystal structures of an extensively simplified variant of bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor containing 20 alanines (BPTI-20st) and a reference single-disulfide-bonded variant (BPTI-[5,55]st) at, respectively, 1.39 and 1.09 A resolutions. The sequence was simplified based on the results of an alanine scanning experiment, as reported previously. The effects of the multiple alanine substitutions on the overall backbone structure were surprisingly small (C(alpha) atom RMSD of 0.53 A) being limited to small local structural perturbations. Both BPTI variants retained a wild-type level of trypsin inhibitory activity. The side-chain configurations of residues buried in the hydrophobic cores (<30% accessible surface area) were almost perfectly retained in both BPTI-20st and BPTI-[5,55]st, indicating that neither multiple alanine replacements nor the removal of the disulfide bonds affected their precise placements. However, the side chains of three partially buried residues (Q31, R20, and to some extent Y21) and several unburied residues rearranged into alternative dense-packing structures, suggesting some plasticity in their shape complementarity. These results indicate that a protein sequence simplified over its entire length can retain its densely packed, native side-chain structure, and suggest that both the design and fold recognition of natively folded proteins may be easier than previously thought.

Identification of amino acid residues essential for reconstitutive activity of subunit IV of the cytochrome bc1 complex from Rhodobacter sphaeroides

A region of subunit IV comprising residues 77–85 is identified as essential for interaction with the core complex to restore the bc 1 activity (reconstitutive activity). Recombinant subunit IV mutants with single or multiple alanine substitution at this region were generated and characterized to identify the essential amino acid residues. Residues 81–84, with sequence of YRYR, are required for reconstitutive activity of subunit IV, because a mutant with these four residues substituted with alanine has little activity, while a mutant with alanine substitution at residues 77–80 and 85 have the same reconstitutive activity as that of the wild-type IV. The positively charged group at R-82 and R-84 and both the hydroxyl group and aromatic group at Y-81 and Y-83 are essential. The interactions between these four residues of subunit IV and residues of core subunits are also responsible for the stability of the complex. However, these interactions are not essential for the incorporation of subunit IV into the bc 1 complex.

Direct Binding of Translation Initiation Factor eIF2γ-G Domain to Its GTPase-activating and GDP-GTP Exchange Factors eIF5 and eIF2Bϵ

The GTP-binding eukaryotic translation initiation factor eIF2 delivers initiator methionyl-tRNA to the 40 S ribosomal subunit. The factor eIF5 stimulates hydrolysis of GTP by eIF2 upon AUG codon recognition, whereas the factor eIF2B promotes guanine nucleotide exchange on eIF2 to recycle the factor for additional rounds of translation initiation. The GTP-binding (G) domain resides in the gamma subunit of the heterotrimeric eIF2; however, only eIF2beta, and not eIF2gamma, has been reported to directly bind to eIF5 or eIF2B. Using proteins expressed in yeast or recombinant systems we show that full-length yeast eIF2gamma, as well as its isolated G domain, binds directly to eIF5 and the epsilon subunit of eIF2B, and we map the interaction sites to the catalytically important regions of these factors. Consistently, an internal deletion of residues 50-100 of yeast eIF5 impairs the interaction with recombinant eIF2gamma-G domain and abolishes the ability of eIF5 to stimulate eIF2 GTPase activity in translation initiation complexes in vitro. Thus, rather than allosterically regulating eIF2gamma-G domain function via eIF2beta, our data support a model in which the GTPase-activating factor eIF5 and the guanine-nucleotide exchange factor eIF2B modulate eIF2 function through direct interactions with the eIF2gamma-G domain.

Design of RANTES-derived Peptides With Enhanced HIV-inhibitory Activity and Derivation of Resistant HIV-1 Strains

We previously identified the major structural determinants of CCR5 binding and HIV blockade in RANTES, describing linear RANTES-derived peptides with biological activity in the low micromolar range (Nardese et al., 2001). To deepen our understanding of RANTES structure-function relations and obtain more potent antiviral peptido-mimetics, we have extensively mutagenized the prototypic peptide, R11-29. This presents two clusters of hydrophobic residues at its termini, (corresponding to RANTES N-loop and b1-strand) connected by a positivelycharged linker. Single or multiple alanine substitutions within the Nor C-terminal hydrophobic clusters resulted in a dramatic loss of antiviral activity, whereas deletion of selected residues within the hydrophilic linker had no major functional consequences. Based on RANTES 3D structure, we designed a series of modified peptides, resulting in a progressive increase in specific antiviral activity. These peptides also displayed anti-inflammatory properties blocking RANTES-elicited lymphocyte chemotaxis. Through serial passages in culture in the presence of increasing concentrations of the most effective antiviral peptides, we have derived variants of the R5 HIV-1 isolate BaL resistant to the peptide inhibitory activity. Complete sequencing of the envelope genes from such variants is currently underway. Our results provide new insights into the structure of the receptor-binding region of RANTES and identify new antiviral peptides that may be instrumental in the development of effective HIV-1 entry inhibitors. from 2005 International Meeting of The Institute of Human Virology Baltimore, USA, 29 August – 2 September 2005

Folding and Binding Integrity of Variants of a Prototype Ligand-Binding Module from the LDL Receptor Possessing Multiple Alanine Substitutions

The LA repeats that comprise the ligand-binding domain of the LDL receptor are among the most common autonomously structured extracellular modules found in the nonredundant protein sequence database. Here, we investigate the information content of the amino acid sequence of a typical LA module by constructing sequences with alanine residues at nonconserved positions in the module. Starting with the sequence of the fifth ligand-binding repeat of the LDL receptor (LA5), we created generic LA modules with alanine substitutions of nonconserved residues in only the N-terminal lobe, only the C-terminal lobe, and throughout both lobes of the module. LA variants with alanine residues at as many as 18 of 37 positions fold to a preferred disulfide isomer in the presence of calcium. Indeed, the six cysteines, the C-terminal calcium coordinating residues, two hydrophobic residues involved in packing, two glycines, and five other residues that form side chain-intramodule hydrogen bonds are alone sufficient to specify the fold of an LA module when alanine residues are present at all other positions. The LA variants with multiple alanines in either the N- or C-terminal lobe were then exploited to identify residues of LA5 that contribute to the binding of apoE-containing ligands in LDL receptor-derived "minireceptors", implicating nonconserved residues of the N-terminal lobe of LA5 in recognition of apoE-DMPC. Our library of LA modules with multiple alanine substitutions should be generally useful for probing the roles of nonconserved side chains in ligand recognition by proteins of the LDL receptor family.

Structural Determinants for G Protein Activation and Selectivity in the Second Intracellular Loop of the Thyrotropin Receptor

The TSH receptor (TSHR) activates mainly two signal transduction pathways, cAMP production and phosphoinositide turnover, mediated by Gs and Gq coupling, respectively. Several activating deletion and point mutations within intracellular loop 3 (ICL3) and the adjacent portion of transmembrane domain 6 (TM6) support a direct G protein activation by this receptor domain. The ICL3, however, is predicted by modeling to interact with other receptor domains, primarily ICL2, to form a pocket for G protein binding and to allow optimum interaction. Systematic mutagenesis was used to identify important sites within ICL2 and potential interactions between ICL2 and ICL3 of the TSHR required for G protein coupling. Deletions of four or five residues and their corresponding multiple alanine substitutions were introduced into ICL2. Residues I523-D530, comprising mainly the N-terminal half of ICL2, appeared to be critical for Gs- and Gq-mediated signaling. A single alanine substitution screening within ICL2 revealed hydrophobic residue M527 in particular and, to lesser extents, F525, R528, L529, and D530 as residues that selectively abolished or strongly impaired Gq activation. Molecular modeling suggests that F525 interacts with ICL3. To test this hypothesis, ICL2/ICL3 double mutants introducing strong complementary properties were constructed and tested for functional rescue of Gq-mediated signaling. Our results indicate that ICL2 interacts with ICL3 in close vicinity to F525 and T607, suggesting a conformational cooperation between ICL2 and ICL3 during Gq activation by TSHR.

Genetic analysis of the herpes simplex virus type 1 UL20 protein domains involved in cytoplasmic virion envelopment and virus-induced cell fusion.

The herpes simplex virus type 1 UL20 protein (UL20p) is an important determinant for cytoplasmic virion morphogenesis and virus-induced cell fusion. To delineate the functional domains of the UL20 protein, we generated a panel of single and multiple (cluster) alanine substitutions as well as UL20p carboxyl-terminal truncations. The UL20 mutant genes could be broadly categorized into four main groups: Group I UL20 mutant genes complemented for both virus production and virus-induced cell fusion; Group II UL20 mutant genes did not complement for either virus-induced cell fusion or infectious virus production; Group III UL20 mutant genes complemented for virus-induced cell fusion to variable extents but exhibited substantially decreased ability to complement UL20-null infectious virus production; Group IV mutant genes complemented for infectious virus production but had variable effects on virus-induced cell fusion; this group included two mutants that efficiently complemented for gBsyn3, but not for gKsyn1, virus-induced cell fusion. In addition, certain recombinant viruses with mutations in either the amino or carboxyl termini of UL20p produced partially syncytial plaques on Vero cells in the absence of any other virally encoded syncytial mutations. These studies indicated that the amino and carboxyl termini of UL20p contained domains that functioned both in infectious virus production and virus-induced cell fusion. Moreover, the data suggested that the UL20p's role in virus-induced cell fusion can be functionally separated from its role in cytoplasmic virion morphogenesis and that certain UL20p domains that function in gB-syn3 virus-induced cell fusion are distinct from those functioning in gKsyn1 virus-induced cell fusion.

Assessment of determinants affecting the dual topology of hepadnaviral large envelope proteins.

For functional diversity, the large (L) envelope protein of hepatitis B virus (HBV) acquires a dual transmembrane topology via co-translational membrane integration of the S region and partial post-translational translocation of the preS subdomain. Because each process requires the second transmembrane segment (TM2), we explored the action of this determinant by using protease protection analysis of mutant L proteins. We demonstrated that neither the disruption of a leucine zipper-like motif by multiple alanine substitutions nor the flanking charges of TM2 affected the topological reorientation of L. The dispensability of both putative subunit interaction modules argues against a link between preS post-translocation and envelope assembly. Phenotypic mixing experiments revealed that the preS and S protein domains of the related duck HBV L polypeptide failed to substitute functionally for the topogenic elements of HBV in directing the correct L topogenesis, implicating different translocation mechanisms used by the two hepadnavirus genera.

Residues in the hydrophilic face of putative helix 8 of oxytocin receptor are important for receptor function.

Oxytocin receptor (OTR) activates the GTP-binding protein Galpha(q). To investigate whether the N-terminal region of the fourth intracellular domain of this receptor, which forms putative helix 8, plays a role in coupling, its hydrophilic residues (H7.59, H7.62, E7.63, Q7.66, and R7.67) were mutated individually to alanine. In COSM6 cells, these mutants were expressed at equivalent concentrations, but at lower concentrations than OTR. Alanine substitution for H7.62 or Q7.66 did not substantially affect the affinity for OT (K(d) = 0.63 and 0.48 nM, respectively, vs 0.52 nM for the wild type), whereas substitution for H7.59, E7.63, or R7.67 reduced the affinity 5-6-fold. When expressed at equal concentrations, OTR-H7.62/A and OTR-Q7.66/A stimulated phosphatidylinositide turnover as well as OTR, whereas OTR-H7.59/A, OTR-E7.63/A, and OTR-R7.67/A exhibited an impaired ability to respond to OT. Therefore, residues H7.59, E7.63, and R7.67 within the putative hydrophilic interface appeared to influence both the OTR conformation and Galpha(q) coupling. To explore this further, five multiple alanine substitution mutants were constructed. Alanine modification at H7.62 and Q7.66 did not substantially affect the affinity for OT (K(d) = 0.75 nM), whereas any combination of alanine substitutions for H7.59, E7.63, and R7.67 produced mutant receptors that lost high-affinity ligand binding. While OTR-(H7.62,Q7.66)/A exhibited PLC activation equivalent to that of OTR, receptors with two or more changes in H7.59, E7.63, and R7.67 lost the ability to respond to OT in a dose-dependent manner. Five residues (L7.60, F7.61, L7.64, V7.65, and F7.68) in the opposite hydrophobic interface were also mutated to alanine. None of these substitutions affected ligand binding; only OTR-(L7.60,F7.61)/A had a somewhat weaker ability to activate PLC. These data are consistent with the prediction that these residues lie within an amphipathic alpha-helix and emphasize the importance of this hydrophilic interface, and particularly of H7.59, E7.63, and R7.67, in OTR function.

The extra fragment of the iron-sulfur protein (residues 96-107) of Rhodobacter sphaeroides cytochrome bc1 complex is required for protein stability.

Sequence alignment of the Rieske iron-sulfur protein (ISP) of cytochrome bc(1) complex from various sources reveals that bacterial ISPs contain an extra fragment. To study the role of this fragment in bacterial cytochrome bc(1) complex, Rhodobacter sphaeroides mutants expressing His-tagged cytochrome bc(1) complexes with deletion or single- or multiple-alanine substitution at various positions of this fragment (residues 96-107) were generated and characterized. The ISPDelta(96-107), ISP(96-107)A, and ISP(104-107)A mutant cells, in which residues 96-107 of ISP are deleted, and residues 96-107 and 104-107 are substituted with alanine, respectively, do not grow photosynthetically and show no bc(1) complex activity in intracytoplasmic membranes prepared from these mutant cells. The ISP(96-99)A, in which residues 96-99 are substituted with alanine, grows photosynthetically at a rate comparable to that of the complement cells, whereas ISP(100-103)A, in which residues 100-103 are substituted with alanine, has a longer lag period prior to photosynthetic growth. Chromatophores prepared from these two mutant cells have 48% and 9% of the bc(1) activity found in the complement chromatophores. The loss (or decrease) of bc(1) activity in these mutant membranes results from a lack (or decrease) of ISP in the membrane due to ISP protein instability and not from mutations affecting the assembly of cytochromes b and c(1) into the membrane, the binding affinity of cytochrome b to cytochrome c(1), or the ability of these two cytochromes to interact with ISP or subunit IV. The order of essentiality of residues in this fragment is residues 104-107 > residues 100-103 > residues 96-99.