CIISB Research Highlights Archive

PNAS 2017

A model of RNA polymerase II bound to the transcription termination factor Rtt103. The structural model was created using integrative structural biology.

Richard Štefl Research Group

Significance

RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) not only transcribes protein coding genes and many noncoding RNA, but also coordinates transcription and RNA processing. This coordination is mediated by a long C-terminal domain (CTD) of the largest RNAPII subunit, which serves as a binding platform for many RNA/protein-binding factors involved in transcription regulation. In this work, we used a hybrid approach to visualize the architecture of the full-length CTD in complex with the transcription termination factor Rtt103. Specifically, we first solved the structures of the isolated subcomplexes at high resolution and then arranged them into the overall envelopes determined at low resolution by small-angle X-ray scattering. The reconstructed overall architecture of the Rtt103–CTD complex reveals how Rtt103 decorates the CTD platform.

Jasnovidova, O.; Klumpler, T.; Kubicek, K.; Kalynych, S.; Plevka, P. & Stefl, R.: Structure and dynamics of the RNAPII CTDsome with Rtt103, PNAS 2017 114 (42) 11133-11138; doi:10.1073/pnas.1712450114
Nucleic Acids Res. 2017

Cryo-EM structure of the spinach chloroplast ribosome reveals the location of plastid-specific ribosomal proteins and extensions.

Daniel N. Wilson Research Group

Significance

Ribosomes are the protein synthesizing machines of the cell. Recent advances in cryo-EM have led to the determination of structures from a variety of species, including bacterial 70S and eukaryotic 80S ribosomes as well as mitoribosomes from eukaryotic mitochondria, however, to date high resolution structures of plastid 70S ribosomes have been lacking. Here we present a cryo-EM structure of the spinach chloroplast 70S ribosome, with an average resolution of 5.4 Å for the small 30S subunit and 3.6 Å for the large 50S ribosomal subunit. The structure reveals the location of the plastid-specific ribosomal proteins (RPs) PSRP1, PSRP4, PSRP5 and PSRP6 as well as the numerous plastid-specific extensions of the RPs. We discover many features by which the plastid-specific extensions stabilize the ribosome via establishing additional interactions with surrounding ribosomal RNA and RPs. Moreover, we identify a large conglomerate of plastid-specific protein mass adjacent to the tunnel exit site that could facilitate interaction of the chloroplast ribosome with the thylakoid membrane and the protein-targeting machinery. Comparing the Escherichia coli 70S ribosome with that of the spinach chloroplast ribosome provides detailed insight into the co-evolution of RP and rRNA.

Graf, M.; Arenz, S.; Huter, P.; Dönhöfer, A.; Nováček, J. & Wilson D. N.: Cryo-EM structure of the spinach chloroplast ribosome reveals the location of plastid-specific ribosomal proteins and extensions. Nucleic Acids Research 45, 2887-2896, doi:10.1093/nar/gkw1272 (2017).
PNAS 2017

The virus structure of deformed wing virus of honeybees determined by cryo-electron microscopy. (A) Surface of the virus is rainbow-colored according to its distance from the particle center. (B) Cartoon representation of structure of the P-domain that decorates deformed wing virus surface is rainbow-colored from residue 260 in blue to 416 in red. The background shows image of the deformed wing virus particles from electron microscope.

Pavel Plevka Research Group

Significance

Honey bee populations in Europe and North America have been decreasing since the 1950s. Deformed wing virus (DWV), which is undergoing a worldwide epidemic, causes the deaths of individual honey bees and collapse of whole colonies. Three-dimensional structures of DWV determined at different conditions shows that the virus surface is decorated with protruding globular extensions of capsid proteins. The protruding domains contain a putative catalytic site that is probably required for the entry of the virus into the host cell. In addition, parts of the DWV RNA genome interact with the inside of the virus capsid. Identifying the RNA binding and catalytic sites within the DWV virion offers prospects for the development of antiviral treatments.

Skubnik, K.; Novacek, J.; Füzik, T.; Pridal, A.; Paxton, R. J. & Plevka, P., Structure of deformed wing virus, a major honey bee pathogen, PNAS, 114, 3210-3215 (2017) DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1615695114
EMBO Rep. 2017

NMR structure shows how the CTD-interacting domain of Rtt103p recognizes threonine-4 phosphorylated CTD of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII).

Richard Štefl Research Group

Significance

Phosphorylation patterns of the C‐terminal domain (CTD) of largest subunit of RNApolymerase II (called the CTD code) orchestrate the recruitment of RNA processing and transcription factors. Recent studies showed that not only serines and tyrosines but also threonines of the CTD can be phosphorylated with a number of functional consequences, including the interaction with yeast transcription termination factor, Rtt103p. The solution structure of the Rtt103p CTD‐interacting domain (CID) bound to Thr4 phosphorylated CTD has been obtained by NMR. The structure reveals a direct recognition of the phospho‐Thr4 mark by Rtt103p CID and shows extensive interactions involving residues from three repeats of the CTD heptad. The structural data suggests that the recruitment of a CID‐containing CTD‐binding factor may be coded by more than one letter of the CTD code.

Jasnovidova, O.; Krejcikova, M.; Kubicek, K. & Stefl, R. Structural insight into recognition of phosphorylated threonine-4 of RNA polymerase II C-terminal domain by Rtt103p. Embo Reports 18, 906-913, doi:10.15252/embr.201643723 (2017).

Highlights of Coronavirus Structural Studies

15 May 2020

Crystal structure of Nsp15 endoribonuclease NendoU from SARS-CoV-2

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is rapidly spreading around the world. There is no existing vaccine or proven drug to pre- vent infections and stop virus proliferation. Although this virus is similar to human and animal SARS-CoVs and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoVs), the detailed information about SARS-CoV-2 proteins structures and functions is urgently needed to rapidly develop effective vaccines, antibodies, and antivirals. Andrzej Joachimiak et. al applied high-throughput protein production and structure determination pipeline at the Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases, Argonne National Laboratory, to produce SARS-CoV-2 proteins and structures. In the Protein Science paper they report two high-resolution crystal structures of endoribonuclease Nsp15/NendoU and compare these structures with previously reported homologs from SARS and MERS coronaviruses.

5 May 2020

Structural basis for the recognition of SARS-CoV-2 by full-length human ACE2

Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the cellular receptor for severe acute respiratory syndrome– coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that is causing the serious coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic. The Science article by Qiang Zhou et. al. presents cryo–electron microscopy structures of full-length human ACE2 in the presence of the neutral amino acid transporter B0AT1 with or without the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the surface spike glycoprotein (S protein) of SARS-CoV-2, both at an overall resolution of 2.9 angstroms, with a local resolution of 3.5 angstroms at the ACE2-RBD interface. The ACE2-B0AT1 complex is assembled as a dimer of heterodimers, with the collectrin-like domain of ACE2 mediating homodimerization. The RBD is recognized by the extracellular peptidase domain
of ACE2 mainly through polar residues. These findings provide important insights into the molecular basis for coronavirus recognition and infection.

5 May 2020

Crystal structure of SARS-CoV-2 main protease provides a basis for design of improved a-ketoamide inhibitors Crystal structure of SARS-CoV-2 main protease provides a basis for design of improved a-ketoamide inhibitors

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome– coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a global health emergency. An attractive drug target among coronaviruses is the main protease (Mpro, also called 3CLpro) because of its essential role in processing the polyproteins that are translated from the viral RNA. Rolf Hingenfeld et. al. report in Science the x-ray structures of the unliganded SARS-CoV-2 Mpro and its complex with an a-ketoamide inhibitor. This was derived from a previously designed inhibitor but with the P3-P2 amide bond incorporated into a pyridone ring to enhance the half-life of the compound in plasma. On the basis of the unliganded structure, they developed the lead compound into a potent inhibitor of the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro. The pharmacokinetic characterization of the optimized inhibitor reveals a pronounced lung tropism and suitability for administration by the inhalative route.

5 May 2020

Structure, Function, and Antigenicity of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Glycoprotein

The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 has resulted in >90,000 infections and >3,000 deaths. Coronavirus spike (S) glycoproteins promote entry into cells and are the main target of antibodies. We show that SARS-CoV-2 S uses ACE2 to enter cells and that the receptor-binding domains of SARS-CoV-2 S and SARS-CoV S bind with similar affinities to human ACE2, correlating with the efficient spread of SARS-CoV-2 among humans. We found that the SARS-CoV-2 S glycoprotein harbors a furin cleavage site at the boundary between the S₁/S₂ subunits, which is processed during biogenesis and sets this virus apart from SARS-CoV and SARS-related CoVs. In the study published in Cell, David Veesler with coworkers determined cryo-EM structures of the SARS-CoV-2 S ectodomain trimer, providing a blueprint for the design of vaccines and inhibitors of viral entry. Finally, they demonstrate that SARS-CoV S murine polyclonal antibodies potently inhibited SARS-CoV-2 S mediated entry into cells, indicating that cross-neutralizing antibodies targeting conserved S epitopes can be elicited upon vaccination.