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The worldwide COVID-19 pandemic is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Nonstructural protein 3 (nsp3) has 1945 residues and is the largest protein encoded by SARS-CoV-2. It comprises more than a dozen independent domains with various functions. Many of these domains were studied in the closely-related virus SARS-CoV following an earlier outbreak. Nonetheless structural and functional information on the C-terminal region of nsp3 containing two transmembrane and three extra-membrane domains remains incomplete. This part of the protein appears to be involved in initiation of double membrane vesicle (DMV) formation, membranous organelles the virus builds to hide its replication-transcription complex from host immune defenses. Here we present the near-complete backbone and Ile, Leu, and Val methyl group chemical shift assignments of the most C-terminal domain of nsp3, CoV-Y. As the exact function and binding partners of CoV-Y remain unknown, our data provide a basis for future NMR studies of protein–protein interactions to elucidate the molecular mechanism of DMV formation.

Gated entry of lipophilic ligands into the enclosed hydrophobic pocket in stand-alone Sec14 domain proteins often links lipid metabolism to membrane trafficking. Similar domains occur in multidomain mammalian proteins that activate small GTPases and regulate actin dynamics. The neuronal RhoGEF Kalirin, a central regulator of cytoskeletal dynamics, contains a Sec14 domain (Kal

Metal binding by members of the growth hormone (GH) family of hematopoietic cytokines has been a subject of considerable interest. However, beyond appreciation of its role in reversible packing of GH proteins in secretory granules, the molecular mechanisms of metal binding and granule formation remain poorly understood. Here, we investigate metal binding by a GH family member prolactin (PRL) using paramagnetic metal titration and chelation experiments. Cu(2+)-mediated paramagnetic relaxation enhancement measurements identified two partial metal-binding sites on the opposite faces of PRL composed of residues H30/H180 and E93/H97, respectively. Coordination of metal ions by these two sites causes formation of inter-molecular bridges between the PRL protomers and enables formation of reversible higher aggregates. These findings in vitro suggest a model for reversible packaging of PRL in secretory granules. The proposed mechanism of metal-promoted PRL aggregation lends insight and support to the previously suggested role of metal coordination in secretory granule formation by GH proteins.

Alphavirus nsP3 proteins contains long, intrinsically disordered, hypervariable domains, HVD, which serve as hubs for interaction with many cellular proteins. Here, we have deciphered the mechanism and function of HVD interaction with host factors in alphavirus replication. Using NMR spectroscopy, we show that CHIKV HVD contains two SH3 domain-binding sites. Using an innovative chemical shift perturbation signature approach, we demonstrate that CD2AP interaction with HVD is mediated by its SH3-A and SH3-C domains, and this leaves the SH3-B domain available for interaction with other cellular factor(s). This cooperative interaction with two SH3 domains increases binding affinity to CD2AP and possibly induces long-range allosteric affects in HVD. Our data demonstrate that BIN1, CD2AP and SH3KBP1 play redundant roles in initiation of CHIKV replication. Point mutations in both CHIKV HVD binding sites abolish its interaction with all three proteins, CD2AP, BIN1 and SH3KBP1. This results in strong inhibition of viral replication initiation.

Sugar cane defensin 5 (Sd5) is a small antifungal protein, whose structure is held together by four conserved disulfide bridges. Sd5 and other proteins sharing a cysteine-stabilized α-β (CSαβ) fold lack a regular hydrophobic core. Instead, they are stabilized by tertiary contacts formed by surface-exposed hydrophilic and hydrophobic residues. Despite excessive cross-links, Sd5 exhibits complex millisecond conformational dynamics involving all secondary structure elements. We used Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) NMR relaxation dispersion (RD) measurements performed at different temperatures and denaturant concentrations to probe brief excursions of Sd5 to a sparsely populated "excited" state. Temperature-dependent CPMG RD experiments reveal that the excited state is enthalpically unfavorable, suggesting a rearrangement of stabilizing contacts formed by surface-exposed side chains and/or secondary structure, while the experiments performed at different denaturant concentrations suggest a decrease in accessible surface area of Sd5 in the excited state. The measured backbone

The nucleation-condensation mechanism represents a major paradigm to understand the folding process of many small globular proteins. Although substantial evidence has been acquired for this mechanism, it has remained very challenging to characterize the initial events leading to the formation of a folding nucleus. To achieve this goal, we used a combination of relaxation dispersion NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations to determine ensembles of conformations corresponding to the denatured, transition, and native states in the folding of the activation domain of human procarboxypeptidase A2 (ADA2h). We found that the residues making up the folding nucleus tend to interact in the denatured state in a transient manner and not simultaneously, thereby forming incomplete and distorted versions of the folding nucleus. Only when all the contacts between these key residues are eventually formed can the protein reach the transition state and continue folding. Overall, our results elucidate the mechanism of formation of the folding nucleus of a protein and provide insights into how its folding rate can be modified during evolution by mutations that modulate the strength of the interactions between the residues forming the folding nucleus.

NMR studies of intrinsically disordered proteins and other complex biomolecular systems require spectra with the highest resolution and dimensionality. An efficient approach, extra‐large NMR spectroscopy, is presented for experimental data collection, reconstruction, and handling of very large NMR spectra by a combination of the radial and non‐uniform sampling, a new processing algorithm, and rigorous statistical validation. We demonstrate the first high‐quality reconstruction of a full seven‐dimensional HNCOCACONH and two five‐dimensional HACACONH and HN(CA)CONH experiments for a representative intrinsically disordered protein α‐synuclein. XLSY will significantly enhance the NMR toolbox in challenging biomolecular studies.

Translesion synthesis (TLS) is a mutagenic branch of cellular DNA damage tolerance that enables bypass replication over DNA lesions carried out by specialized low-fidelity DNA polymerases. The replicative bypass of most types of DNA damage is performed in a two-step process of Rev1/Polζ-dependent TLS. In the first step, a Y-family TLS enzyme, typically Polη, Polι, or Polκ, inserts a nucleotide across a DNA lesion. In the second step, a four-subunit B-family DNA polymerase Polζ (Rev3/Rev7/PolD2/PolD3 complex) extends the distorted DNA primer-template. The coordinated action of error-prone TLS enzymes is regulated through their interactions with the two scaffold proteins, the sliding clamp PCNA and the TLS polymerase Rev1. Rev1 interactions with all other TLS enzymes are mediated by its C-terminal domain (Rev1-CT), which can simultaneously bind the Rev7 subunit of Polζ and Rev1-interacting regions (RIRs) from Polη, Polι, or Polκ. In this work, we identified a previously unknown RIR motif in the C-terminal part of PolD3 subunit of Polζ whose interaction with the Rev1-CT is among the tightest mediated by RIR motifs. Three-dimensional structure of the Rev1-CT/PolD3-RIR complex determined by NMR spectroscopy revealed a structural basis for the relatively high affinity of this interaction. The unexpected discovery of PolD3-RIR motif suggests a mechanism of "inserter" to "extender" DNA polymerase switch upon Rev1/Polζ-dependent TLS, in which the PolD3-RIR binding to the Rev1-CT (i) helps displace the "inserter" Polη, Polι, or Polκ from its complex with Rev1, and (ii) facilitates assembly of the four-subunit "extender" Polζ through simultaneous interaction of Rev1-CT with Rev7 and PolD3 subunits.

The structural characterization of low populated states of proteins with accuracy comparable to that achievable for native states is important for understanding the mechanisms of protein folding and function, as well as misfolding and aggregation. Because of the transient nature of these low populated states, they are seldom detected directly under conditions that favor folding. The activation domain of human procarboxypeptidase A2 (ADA2h) is an α/β-protein that forms amyloid fibrils at low pH, presumably initiated from a denatured state with a considerable amount of residual structure. Here we used Carr-Parcell-Meiboom-Gill relaxation dispersion (CPMG RD) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to characterize the structure of the denatured state of the ADA2h I71V mutant under conditions that favor folding. Under these conditions, the lifetime of the denatured state of I71V ADA2h is on the order of milliseconds and its population is approximately several percent, which makes this mutant amenable to studies by CPMG RD methods. The nearly complete set of CPMG RD-derived backbone (15)N, (13)C, and (1)H NMR chemical shifts in the I71V ADA2h denatured state reveals that it retains a significant fraction (up to 50-60%) of nativelike α-helical structure, while the regions encompassing native β-strands are structured to a much lesser extent. The nativelike α-helical structure of the denatured state can bring together hydrophobic residues on the same sides of α-helices, making them available for intra- or intermolecular interactions. CPMG RD data analysis thus allowed a detailed structural characterization of the ADA2h denatured state under folding conditions not previously achieved for this protein.

Cobra cytotoxins (CTs) belong to the three-fingered protein family. They are classified into S- and P-types, the latter exhibiting higher membrane-perturbing capacity. In this work, we investigated the interaction of CTs with phospholipid bilayers, using coarse-grained (CG) and full-atom (FA) molecular dynamics (MD). The object of this work is a CT of an S-type, cytotoxin I (CT1) from N.oxiana venom. Its spatial structure in aqueous solution and in the micelles of dodecylphosphocholine (DPC) were determined by 1H-NMR spectroscopy. Then, via CG- and FA MD-computations, we evaluated partitioning of CT1 molecule into palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylcholine (POPC) membrane, using the toxin spatial models, obtained either in aqueous solution, or detergent micelle. The latter model exhibits minimal structural changes upon partitioning into the membrane, while the former deviates from the starting conformation, loosing the tightly bound water molecule in the loop-2. These data show that the structural changes elicited by CT1 molecule upon incorporation into DPC micelle take place likely in the lipid membrane, although the mode of the interaction of this toxin with DPC micelle (with the tips of the all three loops) is different from its mode in POPC membrane (primarily with the tip of the loop-1 and both the tips of the loop-1 and loop-2).

Rev1 is a translesion synthesis (TLS) DNA polymerase essential for DNA damage tolerance in eukaryotes. In the process of TLS stalled high-fidelity replicative DNA polymerases are temporarily replaced by specialized TLS enzymes that can bypass sites of DNA damage (lesions), thus allowing replication to continue or postreplicational gaps to be filled. Despite its limited catalytic activity, human Rev1 plays a key role in TLS by serving as a scaffold that provides an access of Y-family TLS polymerases polη, ι, and κ to their cognate DNA lesions and facilitates their subsequent exchange to polζ that extends the distorted DNA primer-template. Rev1 interaction with the other major human TLS polymerases, polη, ι, κ, and the regulatory subunit Rev7 of polζ, is mediated by Rev1 C-terminal domain (Rev1-CT). We used NMR spectroscopy to determine the spatial structure of the Rev1-CT domain (residues 1157-1251) and its complex with Rev1 interacting region (RIR) from polη (residues 524-539). The domain forms a four-helix bundle with a well-structured N-terminal β-hairpin docking against helices 1 and 2, creating a binding pocket for the two conserved Phe residues of the RIR motif that upon binding folds into an α-helix. NMR spin-relaxation and NMR relaxation dispersion measurements suggest that free Rev1-CT and Rev1-CT/polη-RIR complex exhibit μs-ms conformational dynamics encompassing the RIR binding site, which might facilitate selection of the molecular configuration optimal for binding. These results offer new insights into the control of TLS in human cells by providing a structural basis for understanding the recognition of the Rev1-CT by Y-family DNA polymerases.

Growth factor receptor tyrosine kinases of the ErbB family play a significant role in vital cellular processes and various cancers. During signal transduction across plasma membrane, ErbB receptors are involved in lateral homodimerization and heterodimerization with proper assembly of their extracellular single-span transmembrane (TM) and cytoplasmic domains. The ErbB1/ErbB2 heterodimer appears to be the strongest and most potent inducer of cellular transformation and mitogenic signaling compared to other ErbB homodimers and heterodimers. Spatial structure of the heterodimeric complex formed by TM domains of ErbB1 and ErbB2 receptors embedded into lipid bicelles was obtained by solution NMR. The ErbB1 and ErbB2 TM domains associate in a right-handed alpha-helical bundle through their N-terminal double GG4-like motif T(648)G(649)X(2)G(652)A(653) and glycine zipper motif T(652)X(3)S(656)X(3)G(660), respectively. The described heterodimer conformation is believed to support the juxtamembrane and kinase domain configuration corresponding to the receptor active state. The capability for multiple polar interactions, along with hydrogen bonding between TM segments, correlates with the observed highest affinity of the ErbB1/ErbB2 heterodimer, implying an important contribution of the TM helix-helix interaction to signal transduction.

The human epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) of HER/ErbB receptor tyrosine kinase family mediates a broad spectrum of cellular responses transducing biochemical signals via lateral dimerization in plasma membrane, while inactive receptors can exist in both monomeric and dimeric forms. Recently, the dimeric conformation of the helical single-span transmembrane domains of HER/ErbB employing the relatively polar N-terminal motifs in a fashion permitting proper kinase activation was experimentally determined. Here we describe the EGFR transmembrane domain dimerization via an alternative weakly polar C-terminal motif A 661 xxxG 665 presumably corresponding to the inactive receptor state. During association, the EGFR transmembrane helices undergo a structural adjustment with adaptation of inter-molecular polar and hydrophobic interactions depending upon the surrounding membrane properties that directly affect the transmembrane helix packing. This might imply that signal transduction through membrane and allosteric regulation are inclusively mediated by coupled protein–protein and protein–lipid interactions, elucidating paradoxically loose linkage between ligand binding and kinase activation.

SHPRH (SNF2, histone linker, PHD, RING, helicase) is a SWI2/SNF2-family ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling factor, and one of E3 ubiquitin ligases responsible for Ubc13-Mms2-dependent K63 poly-ubiquitination of PCNA (proliferating cell nuclear antigen) that promotes error-free DNA damage tolerance in eukaryotes. In contrast to its functional homologues, S. cerevisiae Rad5 and human HLTF (helicase like transcription factor), SHPRH contains a PHD (plant homeodomain) finger embedded in the ‘minor’ insert region of the core helicase-like domain. PHD fingers are often found in proteins involved in chromatin remodeling and transcription regulation, and are generally considered as ‘readers’ of methylation state of histone tails, primarily the lysine 4 (K4) residue of histone H3 (H3K4). Here we report the solution NMR structure of the SHPRH PHD domain and investigate whether this domain is capable of recognizing H3K4 modifications. The domain adopts a canonical PHD-finger fold with a central two-stranded anti-parallel β-sheet flanked on both sides by the two interleaved zinc-binding sites. Despite the presence of a subset of aromatic residues characteristic for PHD-fingers that preferentially bind methylated H3K4, NMR titration experiments reveal that SHPRH PHD does not specifically interact with the H3-derived peptides irrespective of K4 methylation. This result suggests that the SHPRH PHD domain might have evolved a different function other than recognizing histone modifications.

Rev1 is a Y-family translesion synthesis (TLS) DNA polymerase involved in bypass replication across sites of DNA damage and postreplicational gap filling. In the process of TLS, high-fidelity replicative DNA polymerases stalled by DNA damage are replaced by error-prone TLS enzymes responsible for the majority of mutagenesis in eukaryotic cells. The polymerase exchange that gains low-fidelity TLS polymerases access to DNA is mediated by their interactions with proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Rev1 stands alone from other Y-family TLS enzymes since it lacks the consensus PCNA-interacting protein box (PIP-box) motif, instead utilizing other modular domains for PCNA binding. Here we report solution NMR structure of an 11-kDa BRCA1 C-terminus (BRCT) domain from Saccharomyces cerevisiae Rev1 and demonstrate with the use of transverse relaxation optimized spectroscopy (TROSY) NMR methods that Rev1-BRCT domain directly interacts with an 87-kDa PCNA in solution. The domain adopts α/β fold (β1-α1-β2-β3-α2-β4-α3-α4) typical for BRCT domain superfamily. PCNA-binding interface of the Rev1-BRCT domain comprises conserved residues of the outer surface of the α1-helix and the α1-β1, β2-β3 and β3-α2 loops. On the other hand, Rev1-BRCT binds to the inter-domain region of PCNA that overlaps with the binding site for the PIP-box motif. Furthermore, Rev1-BRCT domain bound to PCNA can be displaced by increasing amounts of the PIP-box peptide from TLS DNA polymerase polη, suggesting that Rev1-BRCT and polη PIP-box interactions with the same PCNA monomer are mutually exclusive. These results provide structural insights into PCNA recognition by TLS DNA polymerases that help better understand TLS regulation in eukaryotes.

Human Rev1 is a translesion synthesis (TLS) DNA polymerase involved in bypass replication across sites of DNA damage and postreplicational gap-filling. Rev1 plays an essential structural role in TLS by providing a binding platform for other TLS polymerases that insert nucleotides across DNA lesions (polη, polι, polκ) and extend the distorted primer-terminus (polς). We use NMR spectroscopy to demonstrate that the Rev1 C-terminal domain utilizes independent interaction interfaces to simultaneously bind a fragment of the ’inserter’ polη and Rev7 subunit of the ’extender’ polς, thereby serving as a cassette that may accommodate several polymerases making them instantaneously available for TLS.Structured summary of protein interactionsREV1, REV3 and REV7 physically interact by nuclear magnetic resonance (View interaction), molecular sieving (View interaction) and isothermal titration calorimetry (View interaction).REV3 and REV7 bind by molecular sieving (View interaction)REV1 and Polη-RIR peptide bind by nuclear magnetic resonance (View interaction)REV1, REV3, REV7 and Polη-RIR peptide physically interact by nuclear magnetic resonance (View interaction).

BNip3 is a prominent representative of apoptotic Bcl-2 proteins with rather unique properties initiating an atypical programmed cell death pathway resembling both necrosis and apoptosis. Many Bcl-2 family proteins modulate the permeability state of the outer mitochondrial membrane by forming homo- and hetero-oligomers. The structure and dynamics of the homodimeric transmembrane domain of BNip3 were investigated with the aid of solution NMR in lipid bicelles and molecular dynamics energy relaxation in an explicit lipid bilayer. The right-handed parallel helix-helix structure of the domain with a hydrogen bond-rich His-Ser node in the middle of the membrane, accessibility of the node for water, and continuous hydrophilic track across the membrane suggest that the domain can provide an ion-conducting pathway through the membrane. Incorporation of the BNip3 transmembrane domain into an artificial lipid bilayer resulted in pH-dependent conductivity increase. A possible biological implication of the findings in relation to triggering necrosis-like cell death by BNip3 is discussed.

GalNAcβ1-4GlcNAcβ and its mono- and di-O-sulfated derivatives have been synthesized as aminopropyl spacer glycosides allowing their covalent on-chip printing and conjugation with polymeric carriers.

12 pags., 4 figs., 3 tabs., SARS-CoV-2 (SCoV2) and its variants of concern pose serious challenges to the public health. The variants increased challenges to vaccines, thus necessitating for development of new intervention strategies including anti-virals. Within the international Covid19-NMR consortium, we have identified binders targeting the RNA genome of SCoV2. We established protocols for the production and NMR characterization of more than 80 % of all SCoV2 proteins. Here, we performed an NMR screening using a fragment library for binding to 25 SCoV2 proteins and identified hits also against previously unexplored SCoV2 proteins. Computational mapping was used to predict binding sites and identify functional moieties (chemotypes) of the ligands occupying these pockets. Striking consensus was observed between NMR-detected binding sites of the main protease and the computational procedure. Our investigation provides novel structural and chemical space for structure-based drug design against the SCoV2 proteome., Work at BMRZ is supported by the state of Hesse. Work in Covid19-NMR was supported by the Goethe Corona Funds, by the IWBEFRE-program 20007375 of state of Hesse, the DFG through CRC902: “Molecular Principles of RNA-based regulation.” and through infrastructure funds (project numbers: 277478796, 277479031, 392682309, 452632086, 70653611) and by European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program iNEXT-discovery under grant agreement No 871037. BY-COVID receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme under grant agreement number 101046203. “INSPIRED” (MIS 5002550) project, implemented under the Action “Reinforcement of the Research and Innovation Infrastructure,” funded by the Operational Program “Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship and Innovation” (NSRF 2014–2020) and co-financed by Greece and the EU (European Regional Development Fund) and the FP7 REGPOT CT-2011-285950—“SEE-DRUG” project (purchase of UPAT’s 700 MHz NMR equipment). The support of the CERM/CIRMMP center of Instruct-ERIC is gratefully acknowledged. This work has been funded in part by a grant of the Italian Ministry of University and Research (FISR2020IP_02112, ID-COVID) and by Fondazione CR Firenze. A.S. is supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft [SFB902/B16, SCHL2062/2-1] and the Johanna Quandt Young Academy at Goethe [2019/AS01]. M.H. and C.F. thank SFB902 and the Stiftung Polytechnische Gesellschaft for the Scholarship. L.L. work was supported by the French National Research Agency (ANR, NMR-SCoV2-ORF8), the Fondation de la Recherche Médicale (FRM, NMR-SCoV2-ORF8), FINOVI and the IR-RMN-THC Fr3050 CNRS. Work at UConn Health was supported by grants from the US National Institutes of Health (R01 GM135592 to B.H., P41 GM111135 and R01 GM123249 to J.C.H.) and the US National Science Foundation (DBI 2030601 to J.C.H.). Latvian Council of Science Grant No. VPP-COVID-2020/1-0014. National Science Foundation EAGER MCB-2031269. This work was supported by the grant Krebsliga KFS-4903-08-2019 and SNF-311030_192646 to J.O. P.G. (ITMP) The EOSC Future project is co-funded by the European Union Horizon Programme call INFRAEOSC-03-2020—Grant Agreement Number 101017536. Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL