Unfolded Ensemble Research Articles

Comparison of hydration behavior and conformational preferences of the Trp-cage mini-protein in different rigid-body water models.

The secondary structure conformational properties and hydration shell metrics of the Trp-cage mini-protein are examined in the folded and unfolded ensembles in mTIP3P, TIP4P, and TIP4P-Ew water models with the CHARMM22 force-field using molecular dynamics simulations at 250 K. Upon changing the water model, the conformational order metrics of the peptide show significant differences in the unfolded rather than in the folded ensemble. The unfolding temperatures for Trp-cage are observed to be around 460, 470, and 430 K in mTIP3P, TIP4P, and TIP4P-Ew, respectively. Upon comparing the results with a previous study on a 16-residue β-hairpin fragment of the 2GB1 protein, the same set of conformational order metrics are found to be insufficient in describing the free energy landscape of peptides having a distinct native secondary structure. However, the hydration shell properties of the peptide have been found to be independent of the sequence of the peptide and it changes in conformation upon unfolding. Our calculations reveal that for a particular water model, the secondary structure preferences in the unfolded ensembles of the two peptides are qualitatively different. The unfolded structures of Trp-cage prefer extended and compact structures in TIP4P-Ew and mTIP3P water, respectively, whereas the β-hairpin peptide prefers extended unfolded structures in mTIP3P. The conformational preferences of the unfolded peptide in a given water model have been found to depend on the peptide sequence, where the binding energies of the water molecules around the polar residues in the unfolded conformations show sensitivity to the multipole moments of the water models. The significance of an accurate description of peptide-solvent interactions in the parametrization of biomolecular force-fields, to obtain an accurate description of conformational preferences, in particular in the unfolded ensembles of proteins, is highlighted.

Protein Transfer Free Energy Obeys Entropy-Enthalpy Compensation.

We have found significant entropy-enthalpy compensation for the transfer of a diverse set of two-state folding proteins from water into water containing a diverse set of cosolutes, including osmolytes, denaturants, and crowders. In extracting thermodynamic parameters from experimental data, we show the potential importance of accounting for the cosolute concentration-dependence of the heat capacity change upon unfolding, as well as the potential importance of the temperature-dependence of the heat capacity change upon unfolding. We introduce a new Monte Carlo method to estimate the experimental uncertainty in the thermodynamic data and use this to show by bootstrapping methods that entropy-enthalpy compensation is statistically significant, in spite of large, correlated scatter in the data. We show that plotting the data at the transition midpoint provides the most accurate experimental values by avoiding extrapolation errors due to uncertainty in the heat capacity, and that this representation exhibits the strongest evidence of compensation. Entropy-enthalpy compensation is still significant at lab temperature however. We also find that compensation is still significant when considering variations due to heat capacity models, as well as typical measurement discrepancies lab-to-lab when such data is available. Extracting transfer entropy and enthalpy along with their uncertainties can provide a valuable consistency check between experimental data and simulation models, which may involve tests of simulated unfolded ensembles and/or models of the transfer free energy; we include specific applications to cold shock protein and protein L.

Hairpins participating in folding of human telomeric sequence quadruplexes studied by standard and T-REMD simulations.

DNA G-hairpins are potential key structures participating in folding of human telomeric guanine quadruplexes (GQ). We examined their properties by standard MD simulations starting from the folded state and long T-REMD starting from the unfolded state, accumulating ∼130 μs of atomistic simulations. Antiparallel G-hairpins should spontaneously form in all stages of the folding to support lateral and diagonal loops, with sub-μs scale rearrangements between them. We found no clear predisposition for direct folding into specific GQ topologies with specific syn/anti patterns. Our key prediction stemming from the T-REMD is that an ideal unfolded ensemble of the full GQ sequence populates all 4096 syn/anti combinations of its four G-stretches. The simulations can propose idealized folding pathways but we explain that such few-state pathways may be misleading. In the context of the available experimental data, the simulations strongly suggest that the GQ folding could be best understood by the kinetic partitioning mechanism with a set of deep competing minima on the folding landscape, with only a small fraction of molecules directly folding to the native fold. The landscape should further include non-specific collapse processes where the molecules move via diffusion and consecutive random rare transitions, which could, e.g. structure the propeller loops.

Thermodynamics of protein destabilization in live cells

Although protein folding and stability have been well explored under simplified conditions in vitro, it is yet unclear how these basic self-organization events are modulated by the crowded interior of live cells. To find out, we use here in-cell NMR to follow at atomic resolution the thermal unfolding of a β-barrel protein inside mammalian and bacterial cells. Challenging the view from in vitro crowding effects, we find that the cells destabilize the protein at 37 °C but with a conspicuous twist: While the melting temperature goes down the cold unfolding moves into the physiological regime, coupled to an augmented heat-capacity change. The effect seems induced by transient, sequence-specific, interactions with the cellular components, acting preferentially on the unfolded ensemble. This points to a model where the in vivo influence on protein behavior is case specific, determined by the individual protein's interplay with the functionally optimized "interaction landscape" of the cellular interior.

β-Structure within the Denatured State of the Helical Protein Domain BBL

Protein denatured states are the origin of both healthy and toxic conformational species. Denatured states of ultrafast folding proteins are of interest in mechanistic studies because they are energetically close to the kinetic bottleneck of folding. However, their transient nature makes them elusive to experiment. Here, we generated the denatured state of the helical domain BBL that is poised to fold in microseconds by a single-point mutation and combined circular dichroism spectroscopy, single-molecule fluorescence fluctuation analysis, and computer simulation to characterize its structure and dynamics. Circular dichroism showed a largely unfolded ensemble with marginal helix but significant β-sheet content. Main-chain structure and dynamics were unaffected by side-chain interactions that stabilize the native state, as revealed by site-directed mutagenesis and nanosecond loop closure kinetics probed by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy. Replica-exchange and constant-temperature molecular dynamics simulations showed a highly collapsed, hydrogen-bonded denatured state containing turn and β-sheet structure and few nucleating helices in an otherwise unfolded ensemble. An irregular β-hairpin element that connects helices in the native fold was poised to be formed. The surprising observation of β-structure in regions that form helices in the native state is reconciled by a generic low-energy pathway from the northwest quadrant of Ramachandran space to the helical basin present under folding conditions, proposed recently. Our results show that, indeed, rapid nucleation of helix emanates from β-structure formed early within a collapsed ensemble of unfolded conformers.

(13)CHD2-CEST NMR spectroscopy provides an avenue for studies of conformational exchange in high molecular weight proteins.

An NMR experiment for quantifying slow (millisecond) time-scale exchange processes involving the interconversion between visible ground state and invisible, conformationally excited state conformers is presented. The approach exploits chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) and makes use of (13)CHD2 methyl group probes that can be readily incorporated into otherwise highly deuterated proteins. The methodology is validated with an application to a G48A Fyn SH3 domain that exchanges between a folded conformation and a sparsely populated and transiently formed unfolded ensemble. Experiments on a number of different protein systems, including a 360kDa half-proteasome, establish that the sensitivity of this (13)CHD2 (13)C-CEST technique can be upwards of a factor of 5 times higher than for a previously published (13)CH3 (13)C-CEST approach (Bouvignies and Kay in J Biomol NMR 53:303-310, 2012), suggesting that the methodology will be powerful for studies of conformational exchange in high molecular weight proteins.

Conformational Heterogeneity Determined by Folding and Oligomer Assembly Routes of the Interferon Response Inhibitor NS1 Protein, Unique to Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus.

The nonstructural NS1 protein is an essential virulence factor of the human respiratory syncytial virus, with a predominant role in the inhibition of the host antiviral innate immune response. This inhibition is mediated by multiple protein-protein interactions and involves the formation of large oligomeric complexes. There is neither a structure nor sequence or functional homologues of this protein, which points to a distinctive mechanism for blocking the interferon response among viruses. The NS1 native monomer follows a simple unfolding kinetics via a nativelike transition state ensemble, with a half-life of 45 min, in agreement with a highly stable core structure at equilibrium. Refolding is a complex process that involves several slowly interconverting species compatible with proline isomerization. However, an ultrafast folding event with a half-life of 0.2 ms is indicative of a highly folding compatible species within the unfolded state ensemble. On the other hand, the oligomeric assembly route from the native monomer, which does not involve unfolding, shows a monodisperse and irreversible end-point species triggered by a mild temperature change, with half-lives of 160 and 26 min at 37 and 47 °C, respectively, and at a low protein concentration (10 μM). A large secondary structure change into β-sheet structure and the formation of a dimeric nucleus precede polymerization by the sequential addition of monomers at the surprisingly low rate of one monomer every 34 s. The polymerization phase is followed by the binding to thioflavin-T indicative of amyloid-like, albeit soluble, repetitive β-sheet quaternary structure. The overall process is reversible only up until ~8 min, a time window in which most of the secondary structure change takes place. NS1's multiple binding activities must be accommodated in a few binding interfaces at most, something to be considered remarkable given its small size (15 kDa). Thus, conformational heterogeneity, and in particular oligomer formation, may provide a means of expand its binding repertoire. These equilibria will be determined by variables such as macromolecular crowding, protein-protein interactions, expression levels, turnover, or specific subcellular localization. The irreversible and quasi-spontaneous nature of the oligomer assembly, together with the fact that NS1 is the most abundant viral protein in infected cells, makes its accumulation highly conceivable under conditions compatible with the cellular milieu. The implications of NS1 oligomers in the viral life cycle and the inhibition of host innate immune response remain to be determined.

The Energetics of a Three‐State Protein Folding System Probed by High‐Pressure Relaxation Dispersion NMR Spectroscopy

AbstractThe energetic and volumetric properties of a three‐state protein folding system, comprising a metastable triple mutant of the Fyn SH3 domain, have been investigated using pressure‐dependent 15N‐relaxation dispersion NMR from 1 to 2500 bar. Changes in partial molar volumes (ΔV) and isothermal compressibilities (ΔκT) between all the states along the folding pathway have been determined to reasonable accuracy. The partial volume and isothermal compressibility of the folded state are 100 mL mol−1 and 40 μL mol−1 bar−1, respectively, higher than those of the unfolded ensemble. Of particular interest are the findings related to the energetic and volumetric properties of the on‐pathway folding intermediate. While the latter is energetically close to the unfolded state, its volumetric properties are similar to those of the folded protein. The compressibility of the intermediate is larger than that of the folded state reflecting the less rigid nature of the former relative to the latter.

The energetics of a three-state protein folding system probed by high-pressure relaxation dispersion NMR spectroscopy.

The energetic and volumetric properties of a three-state protein folding system, comprising a metastable triple mutant of the Fyn SH3 domain, have been investigated using pressure-dependent (15) N-relaxation dispersion NMR from 1 to 2500 bar. Changes in partial molar volumes (ΔV) and isothermal compressibilities (ΔκT ) between all the states along the folding pathway have been determined to reasonable accuracy. The partial volume and isothermal compressibility of the folded state are 100 mL mol(-1) and 40 μL mol(-1) bar(-1) , respectively, higher than those of the unfolded ensemble. Of particular interest are the findings related to the energetic and volumetric properties of the on-pathway folding intermediate. While the latter is energetically close to the unfolded state, its volumetric properties are similar to those of the folded protein. The compressibility of the intermediate is larger than that of the folded state reflecting the less rigid nature of the former relative to the latter.

First Passage Times, Lifetimes, and Relaxation Times of Unfolded Proteins.

The dynamics of proteins in the unfolded state can be quantified in computer simulations by calculating a spectrum of relaxation times which describes the time scales over which the population fluctuations decay to equilibrium. If the unfolded state space is discretized, we can evaluate the relaxation time of each state. We derive a simple relation that shows the mean first passage time to any state is equal to the relaxation time of that state divided by the equilibrium population. This explains why mean first passage times from state to state within the unfolded ensemble can be very long but the energy landscape can still be smooth (minimally frustrated). In fact, when the folding kinetics is two-state, all of the unfolded state relaxation times within the unfolded free energy basin are faster than the folding time. This result supports the well-established funnel energy landscape picture and resolves an apparent contradiction between this model and the recently proposed kinetic hub model of protein folding. We validate these concepts by analyzing a Markov state model of the kinetics in the unfolded state and folding of the miniprotein NTL9 (where NTL9 is the N-terminal domain of the ribosomal protein L9), constructed from a 2.9 ms simulation provided by D. E. Shaw Research.

Charged Termini on the Trp-Cage Roughen the Folding Energy Landscape.

We study the energy landscape and thermodynamics of the zwitterionic variant of the widely studied TC5b Trp-cage protein using replica exchange molecular dynamics simulations. We show that the addition of two charge groups at the termini has dramatic consequences to the folding landscape. First, the addition of charged ends increases the equilibration time of the simulation by a factor of 2.5 over a variant with terminal capping. Second, we identify the formation of two long-lived metastable states not present in the capped ends variant structural ensemble. The population of these metastable states is higher at lower temperatures; furthermore, these states are determined to be low energy states, relative to the folded state. The first of the metastable states is a folding intermediate structure which is characterized by a non-native charge pair. The second is characterized by significant β sheet content. We show through potential of mean force (PMF) calculations that the PMF between two charge groups is a poor predictor of the prevalence of a particular ion pair in the unfolded structural ensemble. Finally, by analyzing the energy differences between the folded state, unfolded states, and the metastable states, we show that the stabilization of these metastable states is not only due to favorable Coulomb interactions but also due to strain in the dihedral angles. Our results show that, even for a simple protein, the folding landscape can be extremely complex and significantly altered by simple changes to the charge states of the sequence.

Molecular Simulations of Unfolded and Intrinsically Disordered Proteins

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) lack well-defined solution structure under physiological conditions but still have biologically relevant function in the cell. A significant fraction of eukaryotic proteins are fully or partially disordered. Additionally, the unfolded state of proteins has attracted prominent interest for decades, for better understanding of the protein folding problem. In this work we address the most fundamental question: are IDPs different from unfolded states of globular proteins? We simulated five different protein sequences in aqueous solution for the systematic investigation of their characteristic polymer properties. An accurate all-atom protein model with explicit solvent (Amber03w) is used, which naturally captures temperature-dependent solvation effects. We found that the qualitative scaling behavior of the protein chains matches expectations from theory under ambient conditions. We also observe experimentally known temperature-induced collapse of polypeptide chains in our simulations. Detailed analysis suggests that this collapse originates from the change in hydration propensity of individual residues as a function of temperature. Furthermore, we find that the unfolded ensembles of proteins at different temperatures are remarkably similar due to temperature-induced collapse.We also address a key issue in the single molecule Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) experiments to study the properties of unfolded and intrinsically disordered proteins, i.e., are the properties of the unfolded chain affected by the presence of chromophore dyes? We find that the secondary structure and long-range contacts are largely the same in the presence or absence of the fluorophores, and that the dimensions of the chain with and without chromophores are similar. We also find that the dye orientational factor, kappa2, has an average value and equilibrium distribution very close to that expected for isotropic orientations, which supports one of the assumptions frequently made when interpreting FRET efficiencies in terms of distances.

Two-Dimensional Fluorescence Lifetime Correlation Spectroscopy on the Folding Mechanism of B Domain of Protein A

Molecular-level description of the folding process of proteins is of fundamental importance for understanding how proteins acquire their unique conformations to show various biological functions. Elucidation of the folding mechanism requires quantitative analysis with a high time-resolution. To this aim, we recently developed two-dimensional fluorescence lifetime correlation spectroscopy (2D FLCS)1,2. This method enables us to examine the microsecond conformational dynamics of proteins at the single-molecule level, through the analysis of the fluorescence lifetime correlation. In this study, we applied 2D FLCS to study the folding mechanism of B domain of protein A (BdpA). This small protein was believed to show a two-state folding process in which the native state unfolds without exhibiting any intermediate states. However, a recent single-molecule study suggested that the folding mechanism of BdpA is not so simple3. To quantitatively analyze the complex folding process of BdpA, we performed 2D FLCS for two FRET mutants of BdpA. The results showed that the conformations of both the native and unfolded states are highly heterogeneous and that the conformational dynamics within each conformational ensemble occurs on a time scale shorter than ten microseconds. Furthermore, our results indicated that the conformational distribution in the native and unfolded ensembles gradually change with the change of the denaturant concentration.[1] Ishii and Tahara, 2013. J. Phys.Chem. B. 117, 11414-11422.[2] Ishii and Tahara, 2013. J. Phys.Chem. B. 117, 11423-11432.[3] Oikawa et al., 2013. Sci. Rep. 3, 2151.

Connecting Thermal and Mechanical Protein (Un)folding Landscapes

Molecular dynamics simulations supplement single-molecule pulling experiments by providing the possibility of examining the full free energy landscape using many coordinates. Here, we use an all-atom structure-based model to study the force and temperature dependence of the unfolding of the protein filamin by applying force at both termini. The unfolding time-force relation τ(F) indicates that the force-induced unfolding behavior of filamin can be characterized into three regimes: barrier-limited low- and intermediate-force regimes, and a barrierless high-force regime. Slope changes of τ(F) separate the three regimes. We show that the behavior of τ(F) can be understood from a two-dimensional free energy landscape projected onto the extension X and the fraction of native contacts Q. In the low-force regime, the unfolding rate is roughly force-independent due to the small (even negative) separation in X between the native ensemble and transition state ensemble (TSE). In the intermediate-force regime, force sufficiently separates the TSE from the native ensemble such that τ(F) roughly follows an exponential relation. This regime is typically explored by pulling experiments. While X may fail to resolve the TSE due to overlap with the unfolded ensemble just below the folding temperature, the overlap is minimal at lower temperatures where experiments are likely to be conducted. The TSE becomes increasingly structured with force, whereas the average order of structural events during unfolding remains roughly unchanged. The high-force regime is characterized by barrierless unfolding, and the unfolding time approaches a limit of ∼10 μs for the highest forces we studied. Finally, a combination of X and Q is shown to be a good reaction coordinate for almost the entire force range.

Structural Heterogeneity and Dynamics of the Unfolded Ensemble

AbstractSignificant efforts have been devoted to understanding the structural and physicochemical properties of unfolded and intrinsically disordered proteins. Combining experimental measurements with molecular simulations and polymer theory calculations has emerged as a powerful route to accurately characterize the rapidly interchanging conformations of the unfolded ensemble. We review a selection of recent works on the dynamics of unfolded and intrinsically disordered proteins, focusing primarily on computer simulation and theoretical approaches. We use the energy landscapes paradigm to highlight various computational techniques and to outline several directions for future research. One major, immediate challenge is to gain deeper insights into the nature of the energy barriers that determine the roughness of the energy landscape of unfolded proteins. A second important challenge is to better characterize and understand the functional role of partial ordering, or alternatively, disorder‐to‐disorder transitions, between various phases of the unfolded state.

Evidence for the sequential folding mechanism in RNase H from an ensemble-based model.

The number of distinct protein folding pathways starting from an unfolded ensemble, and hence, the folding mechanism is an intricate function of protein size, sequence complexity, and stability conditions. This has traditionally been a contentious issue particularly because of the ensemble nature of conventional experiments that can mask the complexity of the underlying folding landscape. Recent hydrogen-exchange experiments combined with mass spectrometry (HX-MS) reveal that the folding of RNase H proceeds in a hierarchical fashion with distinct intermediates and following a single discrete path. In our current work, we provide computational evidence for this unique folding mechanism by employing a structure-based statistical mechanical model. Upon calibrating the energetic terms of the model with equilibrium measurements, we predict multiple intermediate states in the folding of RNase H that closely resemble experimental observations. Remarkably, a simplified landscape representation adequately captures the folding complexity and predicts the possibility of a well-defined sequence of folding events. We supplement the statistical model study with both explicit solvent molecular simulations of the helical units and electrostatic calculations to provide structural and energetic insights into the early and late stages of RNase H folding that hint at the frustrated nature of its folding landscape.

Multistage Unfolding of an SH3 Domain: An Initial Urea-Filled Dry Molten Globule Precedes a Wet Molten Globule with Non-Native Structure

The unfolding of the SH3 domain of the PI3 kinase in aqueous urea has been studied using a synergistic experiment-simulation approach. The experimental observation of a transient wet molten globule intermediate, IU, with an unusual non-native burial of the sole Trp residue, W53, provides the benchmark for the unfolding simulations performed (eight in total, each at least 0.5 μs long). The simulations reveal that the partially unfolded IU ensemble is preceded by an early native-like molten globule intermediate ensemble I*. In the very initial stage of unfolding, dry globule conformations with the protein core filled with urea instead of water are transiently observed within the I* ensemble. Water penetration into the urea-filled core of dry globule conformations is frequently accompanied by very transient burial of W53. Later during gradual unfolding, W53 is seen to again become transiently buried in the IU ensemble for a much longer time. In the structurally heterogeneous IU ensemble, conformational flexibility of the C-terminal β-strands enables W53 burial by the formation of non-native, tertiary contacts with hydrophobic residues, which could serve to protect the protein from aggregation during unfolding.

Structural Mapping of a Chaperone–Substrate Interaction Surface

AbstractNMR spectroscopy is used to detect site‐specific intermolecular short‐range contacts in a membrane–protein–chaperone complex. This is achieved by an “orthogonal” isotope‐labeling scheme that permits the unambiguous detection of intermolecular NOEs between the well‐folded chaperone and the unfolded substrate ensemble. The residues involved in these contacts are part of the chaperone–substrate contact interface. The approach is demonstrated for the 70 kDa bacterial Skp‐tOmpA complex.

Structural Mapping of a Chaperone–Substrate Interaction Surface

NMR spectroscopy is used to detect site-specific intermolecular short-range contacts in a membrane-protein-chaperone complex. This is achieved by an "orthogonal" isotope-labeling scheme that permits the unambiguous detection of intermolecular NOEs between the well-folded chaperone and the unfolded substrate ensemble. The residues involved in these contacts are part of the chaperone-substrate contact interface. The approach is demonstrated for the 70 kDa bacterial Skp-tOmpA complex.

Expected Distributions of Root-Mean-Square Positional Deviations in Proteins

The atom positional root-mean-square deviation (RMSD) is a standard tool for comparing the similarity of two molecular structures. It is used to characterize the quality of biomolecular simulations, to cluster conformations, and as a reaction coordinate for conformational changes. This work presents an approximate analytic form for the expected distribution of RMSD values for a protein or polymer fluctuating about a stable native structure. The mean and maximum of the expected distribution are independent of chain length for long chains and linearly proportional to the average atom positional root-mean-square fluctuations (RMSF). To approximate the RMSD distribution for random-coil or unfolded ensembles, numerical distributions of RMSD were generated for ensembles of self-avoiding and non-self-avoiding random walks. In both cases, for all reference structures tested for chains more than three monomers long, the distributions have a maximum distant from the origin with a power-law dependence on chain length. The purely entropic nature of this result implies that care must be taken when interpreting stable high-RMSD regions of the free-energy landscape as "intermediates" or well-defined stable states.