@article {2018|2087, title = {The major β-catenin/E-cadherin junctional binding site is a primary molecular mechano-transductor of differentiation .}, journal = {Elife}, volume = {7}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 07 19}, abstract = {

, the primary molecular mechanotransductive events mechanically initiating cell differentiation remain unknown. Here we find the molecular stretching of the highly conserved Y654-β-catenin-D665-E-cadherin binding site as mechanically induced by tissue strain. It triggers the increase of accessibility of the Y654 site, target of the Src42A kinase phosphorylation leading to irreversible unbinding. Molecular dynamics simulations of the β-catenin/E-cadherin complex under a force mimicking a 6 pN physiological mechanical strain predict a local 45\% stretching between the two α-helices linked by the site and a 15\% increase in accessibility of the phosphorylation site. Both are quantitatively observed using FRET lifetime imaging and non-phospho Y654 specific antibody labelling, in response to the mechanical strains developed by endogenous and magnetically mimicked early mesoderm invagination of gastrulating embryos. This is followed by the predicted release of 16\% of β-catenin from junctions, observed in FRAP, which initiates the mechanical activation of the β-catenin pathway process.

}, keywords = {Amino Acid Sequence, Animals, Armadillo Domain Proteins, Binding Sites, Cadherins, Cell Differentiation, Drosophila melanogaster, Drosophila Proteins, Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer, Mechanotransduction, Cellular, Molecular Dynamics Simulation, Phosphorylation, Protein Binding, Protein Conformation, Proto-Oncogene Proteins pp60(c-src), Sequence Homology, Transcription Factors}, issn = {2050-084X}, doi = {10.7554/eLife.33381}, author = {R{\"o}per, Jens-Christian and Mitrossilis, D{\'e}mosth{\`e}ne and Guillaume Stirnemann and Waharte, Fran{\c c}ois and Brito, Isabel and Fernandez-Sanchez, Maria-Elena and Marc Baaden and Salamero, Jean and Farge, Emmanuel} } @article {2018|2129, title = {Probing the quality control mechanism of the twin-arginine translocase with folding variants of a -designed heme protein.}, journal = {J Biol Chem}, volume = {293}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 05 04}, pages = {6672-6681}, abstract = {

Protein transport across the cytoplasmic membrane of bacterial cells is mediated by either the general secretion (Sec) system or the twin-arginine translocase (Tat). The Tat machinery exports folded and cofactor-containing proteins from the cytoplasm to the periplasm by using the transmembrane proton motive force as a source of energy. The Tat apparatus apparently senses the folded state of its protein substrates, a quality-control mechanism that prevents premature export of nascent unfolded or misfolded polypeptides, but its mechanistic basis has not yet been determined. Here, we investigated the innate ability of the model Tat system to recognize and translocate -designed protein substrates with experimentally determined differences in the extent of folding. Water-soluble, four-helix bundle maquette proteins were engineered to bind two, one, or no heme cofactors, resulting in a concomitant reduction in the extent of their folding, assessed with temperature-dependent CD spectroscopy and one-dimensional H NMR spectroscopy. Fusion of the archetypal N-terminal Tat signal peptide of the trimethylamine--oxide (TMAO) reductase (TorA) to the N terminus of the protein maquettes was sufficient for the Tat system to recognize them as substrates. The clear correlation between the level of Tat-dependent export and the degree of heme -induced folding of the maquette protein suggested that the membrane-bound Tat machinery can sense the extent of folding and conformational flexibility of its substrates. We propose that these artificial proteins are ideal substrates for future investigations of the Tat system\&$\#$39;s quality-control mechanism.

}, keywords = {Amino Acid Sequence, Bacterial Proteins, Circular Dichroism, Escherichia coli, Escherichia coli Proteins, Heme-Binding Proteins, Hemeproteins, Membrane Transport Proteins, Methylamines, Models, Molecular, Oxidoreductases, N-Demethylating, Periplasm, Protein Folding, Protein Sorting Signals, Protein Stability, Protein Transport, Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, Substrate Specificity, Temperature}, issn = {1083-351X}, doi = {10.1074/jbc.RA117.000880}, author = {Sutherland, George A and Grayson, Katie J and Adams, Nathan B P and Mermans, Daphne M J and Jones, Alexander S and Robertson, Angus J and Auman, Dirk B and Brindley, Amanda A and Sterpone, Fabio and Tuffery, Pierre and Philippe Derreumaux and Dutton, P Leslie and Robinson, Colin and Hitchcock, Andrew and Hunter, C Neil} } @article {2017|2036, title = {VLITL is a major cross-β-sheet signal for fibrinogen Aα-chain frameshift variants.}, journal = {Blood}, volume = {130}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 12 21}, pages = {2799-2807}, abstract = {

The first case of hereditary fibrinogen Aα-chain amyloidosis was recognized \>20 years ago, but disease mechanisms still remain unknown. Here we report detailed clinical and proteomics studies of a French kindred with a novel amyloidogenic fibrinogen Aα-chain frameshift variant, Phe521Leufs, causing a severe familial form of renal amyloidosis. Next, we focused our investigations to elucidate the molecular basis that render this Aα-chain variant amyloidogenic. We show that a 49-mer peptide derived from the C-terminal part of the Phe521Leufs chain is deposited as fibrils in the patient\&$\#$39;s kidneys, establishing that only a small portion of Phe521Leufs directly contributes to amyloid formation in vivo. In silico analysis indicated that this 49-mer Aα-chain peptide contained a motif (VLITL), with a high intrinsic propensity for β-aggregation at residues 44 to 48 of human renal fibrils. To experimentally verify the amyloid propensity of VLITL, we generated synthetic Phe521Leufs-derived peptides and compared their capacity for fibril formation in vitro with that of their VLITL-deleted counterparts. We show that VLITL forms typical amyloid fibrils in vitro and is a major signal for cross-β-sheet self-association of the 49-mer Phe521Leufs peptide identified in vivo, whereas its absence abrogates fibril formation. This study provides compelling evidence that VLITL confers amyloidogenic properties to Aα-chain frameshift variants, yielding a previously unknown molecular basis for the pathogenesis of Aα-chain amyloidosis.

}, keywords = {Amino Acid Motifs, Amino Acid Sequence, Amyloid, Amyloidosis, Familial, Fibrinogen, Frameshift Mutation, Humans, Kidney, Protein Conformation, beta-Strand}, issn = {1528-0020}, doi = {10.1182/blood-2017-07-796185}, author = {Garnier, Cyrille and Briki, Fatma and Nedelec, Brigitte and Le Pogamp, Patrick and Dogan, Ahmet and Rioux-Leclercq, Nathalie and Goude, Renan and Beugnet, Caroline and Martin, Laurent and Delpech, Marc and Bridoux, Frank and Grateau, Gilles and Doucet, Jean and Philippe Derreumaux and Valleix, Sophie} } @article {2014|1645, title = {Type VI secretion and bacteriophage tail tubes share a common assembly pathway.}, journal = {Embo Rep.}, volume = {15}, year = {2014}, month = {mar}, pages = {315{\textendash}21}, abstract = {

The Type VI secretion system (T6SS) is a widespread macromolecular structure that delivers protein effectors to both eukaryotic and prokaryotic recipient cells. The current model describes the T6SS as an inverted phage tail composed of a sheath-like structure wrapped around a tube assembled by stacked Hcp hexamers. Although recent progress has been made to understand T6SS sheath assembly and dynamics, there is no evidence that Hcp forms tubes in vivo. Here we show that Hcp interacts with TssB, a component of the T6SS sheath. Using a cysteine substitution approach, we demonstrate that Hcp hexamers assemble tubes in an ordered manner with a head-to-tail stacking that are used as a scaffold for polymerization of the TssB/C sheath-like structure. Finally, we show that VgrG but not TssB/C controls the proper assembly of the Hcp tubular structure. These results highlight the conservation in the assembly mechanisms between the T6SS and the bacteriophage tail tube/sheath.

}, keywords = {Amino Acid Sequence, Bacterial Secretion Systems, Escherichia coli, Escherichia coli Proteins, Molecular Sequence Data, Protein Binding, Protein Multimerization, Protein Structure, Tertiary, Virulence Factors}, issn = {1469-3178}, doi = {10.1002/embr.201337936}, author = {Brunet, Yannick R and J{\'e}r{\^o}me H{\'e}nin and Celia, Herv{\'e} and Cascales, Eric} } @article {2009|1830, title = {Replica exchange molecular dynamics simulations of coarse-grained proteins in implicit solvent.}, journal = {J. Phys. Chem. B}, volume = {113}, number = {1}, year = {2009}, month = {jan}, pages = {267{\textendash}274}, keywords = {Amino Acid Sequence, Computer Simulation, Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, Molecular Sequence Data, Peptides, Protein Folding, Protein Structure, Proteins, Secondary, Solvents, Temperature, Thermodynamics}, doi = {10.1021/jp805309e}, author = {Y Chebaro and Xiao Dong and Rozita Laghaei and Philippe Derreumaux and Normand Mousseau} } @article {2009|2009, title = {Structural diversity of the soluble trimers of the human amylin(20-29) peptide revealed by molecular dynamics simulations}, journal = {J. Chem. Phys.}, volume = {130}, number = {12}, year = {2009}, month = {mar}, pages = {125101}, keywords = {Amino Acid Sequence, Amyloid, Humans, Models, Molecular, Molecular Sequence Data, Peptide Fragments, Protein Multimerization, Protein Structure, Quaternary, Solubility, Solvents}, doi = {10.1063/1.3097982}, author = {Mo, Yuxiang and Lu, Yan and Wei, Guanghong and Philippe Derreumaux} } @article {2009|2019, title = {Thermodynamics and dynamics of amyloid peptide oligomerization are sequence dependent}, journal = {Proteins: Struct., Funct., Bioinf.}, volume = {75}, number = {4}, year = {2009}, month = {jun}, pages = {954{\textendash}963}, keywords = {Amino Acid Sequence, Amyloid beta-Protein, beta 2-Microglobulin, Cluster Analysis, Computer Simulation, Models, Molecular, Peptide Fragments, Protein Multimerization, Protein Structure, Secondary, Structure-Activity Relationship, Thermodynamics}, doi = {10.1002/prot.22305}, author = {Lu, Yan and Philippe Derreumaux and Guo, Zhi and Mousseau, Normand and Wei, Guanghong} } @article {2006|1935, title = {HDAC1 acetylation is linked to progressive modulation of steroid receptor-induced gene transcription.}, journal = {Mol. Cell}, volume = {22}, number = {5}, year = {2006}, month = {jun}, pages = {669{\textendash}679}, publisher = {Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Building 41, B602, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.}, abstract = {Although histone deacetylases (HDACs) are generally viewed as corepressors, we show that HDAC1 serves as a coactivator for the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). Furthermore, a subfraction of cellular HDAC1 is acetylated after association with the GR, and this acetylation event correlates with a decrease in promoter activity. HDAC1 in repressed chromatin is highly acetylated, while the deacetylase found on transcriptionally active chromatin manifests a low level of acetylation. Acetylation of purified HDAC1 inactivates its deacetylase activity, and mutation of the critical acetylation sites abrogates HDAC1 function in vivo. We propose that hormone activation of the receptor leads to progressive acetylation of HDAC1 in vivo, which in turn inhibits the deacetylase activity of the enzyme and prevents a deacetylation event that is required for promoter activation. These findings indicate that HDAC1 is required for the induction of some genes by the GR, and this activator function is dynamically modulated by acetylation.}, keywords = {Acetylation, Amino Acid Sequence, Animals, Binding Sites, Cell Cycle Proteins, Chromatin, Down-Regulation, genetics/metabolism, Hela Cells, Histone Acetyltransferases, Histone Deacetylases, Humans, immunology/metabolism, metabolism}, doi = {10.1016/j.molcel.2006.04.019}, author = {Yi Qiu and Yingming Zhao and Matthias Becker and Sam John and Bhavin S Parekh and Suming Huang and Anindya Hendarwanto and Elisabeth D Martinez and Yue Chen and Hanxin Lu and Nicholas L Adkins and Diana A Stavreva and Malgorzata Wiench and Philippe T Geor} }