Studying GGDEF Domain in the Act: Minimize Conformational Frustration to Prevent Artefacts
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life Article Studying GGDEF Domain in the Act: Minimize Conformational Frustration to Prevent Artefacts Federico Mantoni 1,†, Chiara Scribani Rossi 1,2,†, Alessandro Paiardini 1,2, Adele Di Matteo 3 , Loredana Cappellacci 4 , Riccardo Petrelli 4 , Massimo Ricciutelli 4, Alessio Paone 1,2, Francesca Cutruzzolà 1,2, Giorgio Giardina 1,2,* and Serena Rinaldo 1,2,* 1 Department of Biochemical Sciences “A. Rossi Fanelli”, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; [email protected] (F.M.); [email protected] (C.S.R.); [email protected] (A.P.); [email protected] (A.P.); [email protected] (F.C.) 2 Laboratory Affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia—Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, 00185 Rome, Italy 3 Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, CNR, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; [email protected] 4 Medicinal Chemistry Unit, School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, Via S. Agostino 1, 62032 Camerino, Italy; [email protected] (L.C.); [email protected] (R.P.); [email protected] (M.R.) * Correspondence: [email protected] (G.G.); [email protected] (S.R.) † These authors contributed equally to the work. Abstract: GGDEF-containing proteins respond to different environmental cues to finely modulate cyclic diguanylate (c-di-GMP) levels in time and space, making the allosteric control a distinctive trait of the corresponding proteins. The diguanylate cyclase mechanism is emblematic of this control: two GGDEF domains, each binding one GTP molecule, must dimerize to enter catalysis and yield c-di-GMP. The need for dimerization makes the GGDEF domain an ideal conformational switch in Citation: Mantoni, F.; Scribani Rossi, multidomain proteins. A re-evaluation of the kinetic profile of previously characterized GGDEF C.; Paiardini, A.; Di Matteo, A.; domains indicated that they are also able to convert GTP to GMP: this unexpected reactivity occurs Cappellacci, L.; Petrelli, R.; Ricciutelli, when conformational issues hamper the cyclase activity. These results create new questions regarding M.; Paone, A.; Cutruzzolà, F.; the characterization and engineering of these proteins for in solution or structural studies. Giardina, G.; et al. Studying GGDEF Domain in the Act: Minimize Keywords: enzyimatic assay; GGDEF; c-di-GMP; allostery; protein engineering Conformational Frustration to Prevent Artefacts. Life 2021, 11, 31. https://doi.org/10.3390/life11010031 1. Introduction Received: 1 December 2020 Accepted: 3 January 2021 Bacterial biofilm depends on the modulation of cyclic diguanylate (c-di-GMP) levels Published: 6 January 2021 in response to environmental cues. This second messenger is also involved in bacte- rial signal transduction, regulation, virulence and antibiotic resistance. It is synthesized Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neu- by diguanylate cyclases (DGCs) harboring the GGDEF domain, starting from two GTP tral with regard to jurisdictional clai- molecules. Conversely, it is degraded by dedicated phosphodiesterases (PDEs), belonging 0 0 0 ms in published maps and institutio- to two families namely EAL and HD-GYP, to 5 -phosphoguanylyl-(3 -5 )-guanosine (pGpG). nal affiliations. Moreover, the HD-GYP family is also able to carry out a second hydrolytic cleavage to produce GMP through the so-called PDE-B activity, via the c-di-GMP ! pGpG ! GMP pathway (Scheme1)[ 1]. GGDEF, EAL and HD-GYP are named according to the sequence signature in the active site. These enzymatic domains are very often fused to a plethora Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. Li- of regulatory domains (e.g., REC; GAF; PAS; PAC; HAMP), and a large number of ho- censee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. mologous but non-redundant multidomain enzymes per species exist, whose response to This article is an open access article environmental stimuli is either direct or mediated by protein-protein interaction with other distributed under the terms and con- sensors [1]. Many receptors able to sense the cellular levels of the dinucleotide have been ditions of the Creative Commons At- tribution (CC BY) license (https:// identified, including transcription factors, PilZ domains, degenerate DGCs or PDEs, and creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ also riboswitches [2]. 4.0/). Life 2021, 11, 31. https://doi.org/10.3390/life11010031 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/life LifeLifeLife 20212021 2021,, 1111,,, 11x 31 FOR, x FOR PEER PEER REVIEW REVIEW 22 of of2 13 13of 13 SchemeSchemeScheme 1. 1.Synthesis Synthesis 1. Synthesis and and degradationand degradation degradation of of cyclic cyclicof cyclic diguanylate diguanylate diguanylate (c-di-GMP). (c- di(c-GMP).di-GMP). TheTheThe variety variety variety of domainof domain architecturesarchitectures architectures inin c-di-GMP cin-di c--diGMP-GMP metabolizing metabolizing metabolizing enzymes enzymes enzymes and and theand the hetero- the het- het- erogeneitygeneityerogeneity of itsof receptors,ofits itsreceptors, receptors, allow allow bacteriaallow bacteria bacteria to react to toreact promptly react promptly promptly to many to tomany different many different different environmental environ- environ- mentalconditionsmental conditions conditions by modulating by bymodulating modulating their c-di-GMP their their c-di c based--diGMP-GMP adaptation based based adaptation adaptation strategy. strategy. As strategy. a consequence, As As a conse- a conse- it quence,hasquence, been it very hasit has been hard been very to very draw hard hard a uniqueto todraw draw mechanism a unique a unique mechanism for mechanism the c-di-GMP-mediated for for the the c-di c--diGMP-GMP regulation.-mediated-mediated regulation.Theregulation. only general The The only rule only general that general has rule emerged rule that that has to has emerged date, emerged is that to date,to the date, c-di-GMP is that is that the dependentthe c-di c--diGMP-GMP modulationdependent dependent modulationofmodulation protein function of proteinof protein occurs function function mainly occurs viaoccurs restriction mainly mainly via ofvia restriction the restriction possible of theof conformations the possible possible conformations conformations accessible to accessibletheseaccessible multi-domain to theseto these multi ormulti multi-subunit-domain-domain or ormulti proteinsmulti-subunit-subunit [3,4 ].proteins proteins [3,4]. [3,4]. TheTheThe GGDEF GGDEF GGDEF domain domain domain of of DGCsof DGCsDGCs is emblematic is emblematic of thisof of this thiscontrol; control; control; since since since only only onlyone one GTP one GTP mol- GTP mol- eculemoleculeecule can can bind can bind bindin thein inthe active the active active site, site, a site, dimerization a dimerization a dimerization step step is step mandatoryis mandatory is mandatory for for the forthe cyclization thecyclization cyclization reac- reac- tionreactiontion to tooccur to occur occur and and and yield yield yield c- dic c-di-GMP.--diGMP.-GMP. Consequently, Consequently,Consequently, multidomain multidomainmultidomain DGCs DGCs DGCs usually usually usually regulate regulate regulate theirtheirtheir activity activity activity by by byallowing allowing allowing the the the GGDEF GGDEF GGDEF domains domains domains to to dimerizeto dimerize dimerize (active (active (active dimer) dimer) dimer) or or orforc forcing forcinging them them them apartapartapart (inactive (inactive (inactive conformations), conformations), conformations), functioning functioning functioning as as asconformational conformational conformational switches switches switches (Scheme (Scheme (Scheme 22).). 2). Scheme 2. (A) In order to yield c-di-GMP, two GTP molecules must come in close proximity. Since SchemeScheme 2. 2.(A ()A In) In order order to to yield yield c-di-GMP, c-di-GMP, two two GTP GTP molecules molecules must must come come in in close close proximity. proximity. Since Since eacheach GGEDF GGEDF domain domain binds binds only only one one GTP GTP molecule, molecule, for forthe the condensatio condensation reactionn reaction to occurto occur two two each GGEDF domain binds only one GTP molecule, for the condensation reaction to occur two GGDEFGGDEF domain domain must must dimerize dimerize as shownas shown in panelin panel (B). ( BThe). The GGDEF GGDEF containing containing enzymes enzymes respond respond to to GGDEF domain must dimerize as shown in panel (B). The GGDEF containing enzymes respond to environmentalenvironmental stimuli stimuli by byswitching switching from from an anactive active conformation conformation (B) ( toB) anto aninactive inactive one one in whichin which theenvironmentalthe two two GGDEF GGDEF stimuli domain domain by are switching are not not able able fromto interactto aninteract active (panel ( conformationpanel (C )).(C )). (B) to an inactive one in which the two GGDEF domain are not able to interact (panel (C)). OnOn the the other other hand, hand, although although in inprinciple principle the the hydrolysis hydrolysis of ofc-di c--diGMP-GMP could could be beper- per- On the other hand, although in principle the hydrolysis of c-di-GMP could be per- formedformed by bya single a single EAL EAL domain, domain, EAL EAL containing containing proteins proteins have have been been also also shown shown to func-to func- formed by a single EAL domain, EAL containing proteins have been also shown to function tiontion as asdimers dimers and, and, as asthe the GGDEF GGDEF domains, domains, to functionto function as asconformational conformational switches switches [5– [58].–