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At least 1,351 records · Page 75

A positive feedback loop involving the Spa2 SHD domain contributes to focal polarization

Focal polarization is necessary for finely arranged cell-cell interactions. The yeast mating projection, with its punctate polarisome, is a good model system for this process. We explored the critical role of the polarisome scaffold protein Spa2 during yeast mating with a hypothesis motivated by mathematical modeling and tested by in vivo experiments. Our simulations predicted that two positive feedback loops generate focal polarization, including a novel feedback pathway involving the N-terminal domain of Spa2. We characterized the latter using loss-of-function and gain-of-function mutants. The N-terminal region contains a Spa2 Homology Domain (SHD) which is conserved from yeast to humans, and when mutated largely reproduced the spa2Δ phenotype. Our work together with published data show that the SHD domain recruits Msb3/4 that stimulates Sec4-mediated transport of Bud6 to the polarisome. There, Bud6 activates Bni1-catalyzed actin cable formation, recruiting more Spa2 and completing the positive feedback loop. We demonstrate that disrupting this loop at any point results in morphological defects. Gain-of-function perturbations partially restored focal polarization in a spa2 loss-of-function mutant without restoring localization of upstream components, thus supporting the pathway order. Thus, we have collected data consistent with a novel positive feedback loop that contributes to focal polarization during pheromone-induced polarization in yeast.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Tracking ebolavirus genomic drift with a resequencing microarray

Filoviruses are emerging pathogens that cause acute fever with high fatality rate and present a global public health threat. During the 2013–2016 Ebola virus outbreak, genome sequencing allowed the study of virus evolution, mutations affecting pathogenicity and infectivity, and tracing the viral spread. In 2018, early sequence identification of the Ebolavirus as EBOV in the Democratic Republic of the Congo supported the use of an Ebola virus vaccine. However, field-deployable sequencing methods are needed to enable a rapid public health response. Resequencing microarrays (RMA) are a targeted method to obtain genomic sequence on clinical specimens rapidly, and sensitively, overcoming the need for extensive bioinformatic analysis. This study presents the design and initial evaluation of an ebolavirus resequencing microarray (Ebolavirus-RMA) system for sequencing the major genomic regions of four Ebolaviruses that cause disease in humans. The design of the Ebolavirus-RMA system is described and evaluated by sequencing repository samples of three Ebolaviruses and two EBOV variants. The ability of the system to identify genetic drift in a replicating virus was achieved by sequencing the ebolavirus glycoprotein gene in a recombinant virus cultured under pressure from a neutralizing antibody. Comparison of the Ebolavirus-RMA results to the Genbank database sequence file with the accession number given for the source RNA and Ebolavirus-RMA results compared to Next Generation Sequence results of the same RNA samples showed up to 99% agreement.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

SARS-CoV-2 spike protein variant binding affinity to an angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 fusion glycoproteins

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, continues to evolve and circulate globally. Current prophylactic and therapeutic countermeasures against Covid-19 infection include vaccines, small molecule drugs, and neutralizing monoclonal antibodies. SARS-CoV-2 infection is mainly mediated by the viral spike glycoprotein binding to angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) on host cells for viral entry. As emerging mutations in the spike protein evade efficacy of spike-targeted countermeasures, a potential strategy to counter SARS-CoV-2 infection is to competitively block the spike protein from binding to the host ACE2 using a soluble recombinant fusion protein that contains a human ACE2 and an IgG1-Fc domain (ACE2-Fc). Here, we have established Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cell lines that stably express ACE2-Fc proteins in which the ACE2 domain either has or has no catalytic activity. The fusion proteins were produced and purified to partially characterize physicochemical properties and spike protein binding. Our results demonstrate the ACE2-Fc fusion proteins are heavily N-glycosylated, sensitive to thermal stress, and actively bind to five spike protein variants (parental, alpha, beta, delta, and omicron) with different affinity. Our data demonstrates a proof-of-concept production strategy for ACE2-Fc fusion glycoproteins that can bind to different spike protein variants to support the manufacture of potential alternative countermeasures for emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Identification of residues involved in allosteric signal transmission from amino acid binding site of pyruvate kinase muscle isoform 2

PKM2 is a rate-limiting enzyme in the glycolytic process and is involved in regulating tumor proliferation. Several amino acids (AAs) such as Asn, Asp, Val, and Cys have been shown to bind to the AA binding pocket of PKM2 and modulate its oligomeric state, substrate binding affinity, and activity. Although previous studies have attributed that the main chain and side chain of bound AAs are responsible for initiating signal to regulate PKM2, the signal transduction pathway remains elusive. To identify the residues involved in signal transfer process, N70 and N75 located at two ends of a β strand connecting the active site and AA binding pocket were altered. Biochemical studies of these variants with various AA ligands (Asn, Asp, Val, and Cys), illustrate that N70 and N75, along with β1 connecting these residues are part of the signal transduction pathway between the AA binding pocket and the active site. The results demonstrate that mutation of N70 to D prevents the transfer of the inhibitory signal mediated by Val and Cys, whereas N75 to L alteration blocks the activating signal initiated by Asn and Asp. Taken together, this study confirms that N70 is one of the residues responsible for transmitting the inhibitory signal and N75 is involved in the activation signal flow.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Precision engineering of biological function with large-scale measurements and machine learning

As synthetic biology expands and accelerates into real-world applications, methods for quantitatively and precisely engineering biological function become increasingly relevant. This is particularly true for applications that require programmed sensing to dynamically regulate gene expression in response to stimuli. However, few methods have been described that can engineer biological sensing with any level of quantitative precision. Here, we present two complementary methods for precision engineering of genetic sensors: in silico selection and machine-learning-enabled forward engineering. Both methods use a large-scale genotype-phenotype dataset to identify DNA sequences that encode sensors with quantitatively specified dose response. First, we show that in silico selection can be used to engineer sensors with a wide range of dose-response curves. To demonstrate in silico selection for precise, multi-objective engineering, we simultaneously tune a genetic sensor’s sensitivity (EC 50 ) and saturating output to meet quantitative specifications. In addition, we engineer sensors with inverted dose-response and specified EC 50 . Second, we demonstrate a machine-learning-enabled approach to predictively engineer genetic sensors with mutation combinations that are not present in the large-scale dataset. We show that the interpretable machine learning results can be combined with a biophysical model to engineer sensors with improved inverted dose-response curves.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Structure of puromycin-sensitive aminopeptidase and polyglutamine binding

Puromycin-sensitive aminopeptidase (E.C. 3.4.11.14, UniProt P55786), a zinc metallopeptidase belonging to the M1 family, degrades a number of bioactive peptides as well as peptides released from the proteasome, including polyglutamine. We report the crystal structure of PSA at 2.3 Å. Overall, the enzyme adopts a V-shaped architecture with four domains characteristic of the M1 family aminopeptidases, but it is in a less compact conformation compared to most M1 enzymes of known structure. A microtubule binding sequence is present in a C-terminal HEAT repeat domain of the enzyme in a position where it might serve to mediate interaction with tubulin. In the catalytic metallopeptidase domain, an elongated active site groove lined with aromatic and hydrophobic residues and a large S1 subsite may play a role in broad substrate recognition. The structure with bound polyglutamine shows a possible interacting mode of this peptide, which is supported by mutation.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Biophysical and biochemical evidence for the role of acetate kinases (AckAs) in an acetogenic pathway in pathogenic spirochetes

Unraveling the metabolism of Treponema pallidum is a key component to understanding the pathogenesis of the human disease that it causes, syphilis. For decades, it was assumed that glucose was the sole carbon/energy source for this parasitic spirochete. But the lack of citric-acid-cycle enzymes suggested that alternative sources could be utilized, especially in microaerophilic host environments where glycolysis should not be robust. Recent bioinformatic, biophysical, and biochemical evidence supports the existence of an acetogenic energy-conservation pathway in T . pallidum and related treponemal species. In this hypothetical pathway, exogenous D-lactate can be utilized by the bacterium as an alternative energy source. Herein, we examined the final enzyme in this pathway, acetate kinase (named TP0476), which ostensibly catalyzes the generation of ATP from ADP and acetyl-phosphate. We found that TP0476 was able to carry out this reaction, but the protein was not suitable for biophysical and structural characterization. We thus performed additional studies on the homologous enzyme (75% amino-acid sequence identity) from the oral pathogen Treponema vincentii , TV0924. This protein also exhibited acetate kinase activity, and it was amenable to structural and biophysical studies. We established that the enzyme exists as a dimer in solution, and then determined its crystal structure at a resolution of 1.36 Å, showing that the protein has a similar fold to other known acetate kinases. Mutation of residues in the putative active site drastically altered its enzymatic activity. A second crystal structure of TV0924 in the presence of AMP (at 1.3 Å resolution) provided insight into the binding of one of the enzyme’s substrates. On balance, this evidence strongly supported the roles of TP0476 and TV0924 as acetate kinases, reinforcing the hypothesis of an acetogenic pathway in pathogenic treponemes.

Deka, Ranjit K.↗

Using intrahost single nucleotide variant data to predict SARS-CoV-2 detection cycle threshold values

Over the last four years, each successive wave of the COVID-19 pandemic has been caused by variants with mutations that improve the transmissibility of the virus. Despite this, we still lack tools for predicting clinically important features of the virus. In this study, we show that it is possible to predict the PCR cycle threshold (Ct) values from clinical detection assays using sequence data. Ct values often correspond with patient viral load and the epidemiological trajectory of the pandemic. Using a collection of 36,335 high quality genomes, we built models from SARS-CoV-2 intrahost single nucleotide variant (iSNV) data, computing XGBoost models from the frequencies of A, T, G, C, insertions, and deletions at each position relative to the Wuhan-Hu-1 reference genome. Our best model had an R 2 of 0.604 [0.593–0.616, 95% confidence interval] and a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 5.247 [5.156–5.337], demonstrating modest predictive power. Overall, we show that the results are stable relative to an external holdout set of genomes selected from SRA and are robust to patient status and the detection instruments that were used. This study highlights the importance of developing modeling strategies that can be applied to publicly available genome sequence data for use in disease prevention and control.

COVID19↗

Pressurized DNA state inside herpes capsids—A novel antiviral target

Drug resistance in viruses represents one of the major challenges of healthcare. As part of an effort to provide a treatment that avoids the possibility of drug resistance, we discovered a novel mechanism of action (MOA) and specific compounds to treat all nine human herpesviruses and animal herpesviruses. The novel MOA targets the pressurized genome state in a viral capsid, “turns off” capsid pressure, and blocks viral genome ejection into a cell nucleus, preventing viral replication. This work serves as a proof-of-concept to demonstrate the feasibility of a new antiviral target—suppressing pressure-driven viral genome ejection —that is likely impervious to developing drug resistance. This pivotal finding presents a platform for discovery of a new class of broad-spectrum treatments for herpesviruses and other viral infections with genome-pressure-dependent replication. A biophysical approach to antiviral treatment such as this is also a vital strategy to prevent the spread of emerging viruses where vaccine development is challenged by high mutation rates or other evasion mechanisms.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

“The structure of the Type III secretion system export gate with CdsO, an ATPase lever arm”

Type III protein secretion systems (T3SS) deliver effector proteins from the Gram-negative bacterial cytoplasm into a eukaryotic host cell through a syringe-like, multi-protein nanomachine. Cytosolic components of T3SS include a portion of the export apparatus, which traverses the inner membrane and features the opening of the secretion channel, and the sorting complex for substrate recognition and for providing the energetics required for protein secretion. Two components critical for efficient effector export are the export gate protein and the ATPase, which are proposed to be linked by the central stalk protein of the ATPase. We present the structure of the soluble export gate homo-nonamer, CdsV, in complex with the central stalk protein, CdsO, of its cognate ATPase, both derived from Chlamydia pneumoniae. This structure defines the interface between these essential T3S proteins and reveals that CdsO engages the periphery of the export gate that may allow the ATPase to catalyze an opening between export gate subunits to allow cargo to enter the export apparatus. We also demonstrate through structure-based mutagenesis of the homologous export gate in Pseudomonas aeruginosa that mutation of this interface disrupts effector secretion. These results provide novel insights into the molecular mechanisms governing active substrate recognition and translocation through a T3SS.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Antibody recognition of the Pneumovirus fusion protein trimer interface

Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is a leading cause of viral respiratory infection in children, and can cause severe lower respiratory tract infection in infants, the elderly, and immunocompromised patients. However, there remain no licensed vaccines or specific treatments for hMPV infection. Although the hMPV fusion (F) protein is the sole target of neutralizing antibodies, the immunological properties of hMPV F remain poorly understood. To further define the humoral immune response to the hMPV F protein, we isolated two new human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), MPV458 and MPV465. Both mAbs are neutralizing in vitro and were determined to target a unique antigenic site using competitive biolayer interferometry. We determined both MPV458 and MPV465 have higher affinity for monomeric hMPV F than trimeric hMPV F. MPV458 was co-crystallized with hMPV F, and the mAb primarily interacts with an alpha helix on the F2 region of the hMPV F protein. Surprisingly, the major epitope for MPV458 lies within the trimeric interface of the hMPV F protein, suggesting significant breathing of the hMPV F protein must occur for host immune recognition of the novel epitope. In addition, significant glycan interactions were observed with a somatically mutated light chain framework residue. The data presented identifies a novel epitope on the hMPV F protein for epitope-based vaccine design, and illustrates a new mechanism for human antibody neutralization of viral glycoproteins.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

The N-terminus of varicella-zoster virus glycoprotein B has a functional role in fusion

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is a medically important alphaherpesvirus that induces fusion of the virion envelope and the cell membrane during entry, and between cells to form polykaryocytes within infected tissues during pathogenesis. All members of the Herpesviridae , including VZV, have a conserved core fusion complex composed of glycoproteins, gB, gH and gL. The ectodomain of the primary fusogen, gB, has five domains, DI-V, of which DI contains the fusion loops needed for fusion function. We recently demonstrated that DIV is critical for fusion initiation, which was revealed by a 2.8Å structure of a VZV neutralizing mAb, 93k, bound to gB and mutagenesis of the gB-93k interface. To further assess the mechanism of mAb 93k neutralization, the binding site of a non-neutralizing mAb to gB, SG2, was compared to mAb 93k using single particle cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM). The gB-SG2 interface partially overlapped with that of gB-93k but, unlike mAb 93k, mAb SG2 did not interact with the gB N-terminus, suggesting a potential role for the gB N-terminus in membrane fusion. The gB ectodomain structure in the absence of antibody was defined at near atomic resolution by single particle cryo-EM (3.9Å) of native, full-length gB purified from infected cells and by X-ray crystallography (2.4Å) of the transiently expressed ectodomain. Both structures revealed that the VZV gB N-terminus (aa72-114) was flexible based on the absence of visible structures in the cryo-EM or X-ray crystallography data but the presence of gB N-terminal peptides were confirmed by mass spectrometry. Notably, N-terminal residues 109 KSQD 112 were predicted to form a small α-helix and alanine substitution of these residues abolished cell-cell fusion in a virus-free assay. Importantly, transferring the 109 AAAA 112 mutation into the VZV genome significantly impaired viral propagation. These data establish a functional role for the gB N-terminus in membrane fusion broadly relevant to the Herpesviridae .

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Engineering well-expressed, V2-immunofocusing HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein membrane trimers for use in heterologous prime-boost vaccine regimens

HIV-1 vaccine immunofocusing strategies may be able to induce broadly-reactive neutralizing antibodies (NAbs). Here, we engineered a panel of diverse, membrane-resident native HIV-1 trimers vulnerable to two broad targets—the V2 apex and fusion peptide (FP). Selection criteria included i) high expression and ii) infectious function, so that trimer neutralization sensitivity can be profiled in pseudovirus (PV) assays. Initially, we boosted the expression of 17 candidate trimers by truncating gp41 and introducing a gp120-gp41 SOS disulfide to prevent gp120 shedding. "Repairs" were made to fill glycan holes and eliminate other strain-specific aberrations. A new neutralization assay allowed PV infection when our standard assay was insufficient. Trimers with exposed V3 loops, a target of non-NAbs, were discarded. To try to increase V2-sensitivity, we removed clashing glycans and modified the C-strand. Notably, a D167N mutation improved V2-sensitivity in several cases. Glycopeptide analysis of JR-FL trimers revealed near complete sequon occupation and that filling the N197 glycan hole was well-tolerated. In contrast, sequon optimization and inserting/removing glycans at other positions frequently had global "ripple" effects on glycan maturation and sequon occupation throughout the gp120 outer domain and gp41. V2 MAb CH01 selectively bound to trimers with small high mannose glycans near the base of the V1 loop, thereby avoiding clashes. Knocking in a rare N49 glycan was found to perturb gp41 glycans, increasing FP NAb sensitivity—and sometimes improving expression. Finally, a biophysical analysis of VLPs revealed that i) ~25% of particles bear Env spikes, ii) spontaneous particle budding is high and only increases 4-fold upon Gag transfection, and iii) Env+ particles express ~30–40 spikes. Taken together, we identified 7 diverse trimers with a range of sensitivities to two targets to allow rigorous testing of immunofocusing vaccine concepts.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Binding of adenovirus species C hexon to prothrombin and the influence of hexon on vector properties in vitro and in vivo

The majority of adenovirus (Ad) vectors are based on human Ad type 5, which is a member of Ad species C. Species C also includes the closely-related types 1, 2, 6, 57 and 89. It is known that coagulation factors bind to Ad5 hexon and play a key role in the liver tropism of Ad5 vectors, but it is unclear how coagulation factors affect vectors derived from other species C Ads. We evaluated species C Ad vectors both in vitro and following intravenous injection in mice. To assess the impact of hexon differences, we constructed chimeric Ad5 vectors that contain the hexon hypervariable regions from other species C types, including vectors with hexon mutations that decreased coagulation factor binding. After intravenous injection into mice, vectors with Ad5 or Ad6 hexon had strong liver tropism, while vectors with chimeric hexon from other Ad types had weaker liver tropism due to inhibition by natural antibodies and complement. In addition, we discovered a novel ability of hexon to bind prothrombin, which is the most abundant coagulation factor in blood, and we found striking differences in the affinity of Ads for human, mouse and bovine coagulation factors. When compared to Ad5, vectors with non-Ad5 species C hexons had considerably higher affinity for both human and mouse prothrombin. Most of the vectors tested were strongly dependent on coagulation factors for liver transduction, but vectors with chimeric Ad6 hexon showed much less dependence on coagulation factors than other vectors. We found that in vitro neutralization experiments with mouse serum predicted in vivo behavior of Ad5 vectors, but in vitro experiments did not predict the in vivo behavior of vectors based on other Ad types. In sum, hexons from different human Ad species C viruses confer diverse properties on vectors, including differing abilities to target the liver.

Tian, Jie↗

Demonstrating the importance of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus papain-like protease 2 deubiquitinating activity in viral replication by structure-guided mutagenesis

Deubiquitination of cellular substrates by viral proteases is a mechanism used to interfere with host cellular signaling processes, shared between members of the coronavirus- and arterivirus families. In the case of Arteriviruses, deubiquitinating and polyprotein processing activities are accomplished by the virus-encoded papain-like protease 2 (PLP2). Several studies have implicated the deubiquitinating activity of the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) PLP2 in the downregulation of cellular interferon production, however to date, the only arterivirus PLP2 structure described is that of equine arteritis virus (EAV), a distantly related virus. Here we describe the first crystal structure of the PRRSV PLP2 domain both in the presence and absence of its ubiquitin substrate, which reveals unique structural differences in this viral domain compared to PLP2 from EAV. To probe the role of PRRSV PLP2 deubiquitinating activity in host immune evasion, we selectively removed this activity from the domain by mutagenesis and found that the viral domain could no longer downregulate cellular interferon production. Interestingly, unlike EAV, and also unlike the situation for MERS-CoV, we found that recombinant PRRSV carrying PLP2 DUB-specific mutations faces significant selective pressure to revert to wild-type virus in MARC-145 cells, suggesting that the PLP2 DUB activity, which in PRRSV is present as three different versions of viral protein nsp2 expressed during infection, is critically important for PRRSV replication.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Structure and antigenicity of the divergent human astrovirus VA1 capsid spike

Human astrovirus (HAstV) is a known cause of viral gastroenteritis in children worldwide, but HAstV can cause also severe and systemic infections in immunocompromised patients. There are three clades of HAstV: classical, MLB, and VA/HMO. While all three clades are found in gastrointestinal samples, HAstV-VA/HMO is the main clade associated with meningitis and encephalitis in immunocompromised patients. To understand how the HAstV-VA/HMO can infect the central nervous system, we investigated its sequence-divergent capsid spike, which functions in cell attachment and may influence viral tropism. Here we report the high-resolution crystal structures of the HAstV-VA1 capsid spike from strains isolated from patients with gastrointestinal and neuronal disease. The HAstV-VA1 spike forms a dimer and shares a core beta-barrel structure with other astrovirus capsid spikes but is otherwise strikingly different, suggesting that HAstV-VA1 may utilize a different cell receptor, and an infection competition assay supports this hypothesis. Furthermore, by mapping the capsid protease cleavage site onto the structure, the maturation and assembly of the HAstV-VA1 capsid is revealed. Finally, comparison of gastrointestinal and neuronal HAstV-VA1 sequences, structures, and antigenicity suggests that neuronal HAstV-VA1 strains may have acquired immune escape mutations. Overall, our studies on the HAstV-VA1 capsid spike lay a foundation to further investigate the biology of HAstV-VA/HMO and to develop vaccines and therapeutics targeting it.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Lineage frequency time series reveal elevated levels of genetic drift in SARS-CoV-2 transmission in England

Genetic drift in infectious disease transmission results from randomness of transmission and host recovery or death. The strength of genetic drift for SARS-CoV-2 transmission is expected to be high due to high levels of superspreading, and this is expected to substantially impact disease epidemiology and evolution. However, we don’t yet have an understanding of how genetic drift changes over time or across locations. Furthermore, noise that results from data collection can potentially confound estimates of genetic drift. To address this challenge, we develop and validate a method to jointly infer genetic drift and measurement noise from time-series lineage frequency data. Our method is highly scalable to increasingly large genomic datasets, which overcomes a limitation in commonly used phylogenetic methods. We apply this method to over 490,000 SARS-CoV-2 genomic sequences from England collected between March 2020 and December 2021 by the COVID-19 Genomics UK (COG-UK) consortium and separately infer the strength of genetic drift for pre-B.1.177, B.1.177, Alpha, and Delta. We find that even after correcting for measurement noise, the strength of genetic drift is consistently, throughout time, higher than that expected from the observed number of COVID-19 positive individuals in England by 1 to 3 orders of magnitude, which cannot be explained by literature values of superspreading. Our estimates of genetic drift suggest low and time-varying establishment probabilities for new mutations, inform the parametrization of SARS-CoV-2 evolutionary models, and motivate future studies of the potential mechanisms for increased stochasticity in this system.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗