The molecular chaperone αB-crystallin, the major player in maintaining the transparency of the eye lens, prevents stress-damaged and aging lens proteins from aggregation. In nonlenticular cells, it is involved in various neurological diseases, diabetes, and cancer. Given its structural plasticity and dynamics, structure analysis of αB-crystallin presented hitherto a formidable challenge. Here we present a pseudoatomic model of a 24-meric αB-crystallin assembly obtained by a triple hybrid approach combining data from cryoelectron microscopy, NMR spectroscopy, and structural modeling. The model, confirmed by cross-linking and mass spectrometry, shows that the subunits interact within the oligomer in different, defined conformations. We further present the molecular architectures of additional well-defined αB-crystallin assemblies with larger or smaller numbers of subunits, provide the mechanism how "heterogeneity" is achieved by a small set of defined structural variations, and analyze the factors modulating the oligomer equilibrium of αB-crystallin and thus its chaperone activity.T he most prominent member of the small heat-shock protein (sHsp) family, α-crystallin, is expressed at high concentrations in the vertebrate eye lens (1) where it plays a major role in maintaining lens transparency (2). Moreover, it protects lens epithelial cells from environmental stress by preventing aggregation of stress-damaged proteins (3). In the low protein turnover milieu of the eye lens, proteins gradually deteriorate throughout the lifespan due to posttranslational modifications and become increasingly prone to aggregation leading to opacity. Thus, the chaperone action of α-crystallin is vital for maintaining the eye lens transparency. Lenticular α-crystallin is composed of two homologous polypeptides, αA-and αB-crystallin, which comprise 173 and 175 amino acid residues, respectively (1, 4). Both proteins possess a three-domain organization consisting of the α-crystallin domain (ACD), a consensus sequence of approximately 90 amino acids common to all sHsps, flanked by a diverse N-terminal region and a moderately conserved C-terminal extension (5, 6).Of the two constituents of α-crystallin, αB-crystallin is the more widespread chaperone with versatile functions: Besides the eye lens, it is abundantly expressed in other tissues (7) and upregulated by various stresses (8). There is growing evidence for its implications in several neuropathological diseases (9) including Parkinson disease, Alzheimer's disease, and multiple sclerosis (10, 11) as well as in cancer (12). In vitro, αB-crystallin prevents the stress-induced aggregation of partially folded polypeptides (3, 13).The αB-crystallin assembles into homooligomers with a variable number of subunits, primarily 24-32 (14-16), and the subunits exchange between homooligomers (17). These properties have hampered high-resolution structural studies on the functionally assembled, full-length protein. An earlier cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) study (18) presented at low resolution (3...
The small heat shock protein αB-crystallin is an oligomeric molecular chaperone that binds aggregation-prone proteins. As a component of the proteostasis system, it is associated with cataract, neurodegenerative diseases, and myopathies. The structural determinants for the regulation of its chaperone function are still largely elusive. Combining different experimental approaches, we show that phosphorylation-induced destabilization of intersubunit interactions mediated by the N-terminal domain (NTD) results in the remodeling of the oligomer ensemble with an increase in smaller, activated species, predominantly 12-mers and 6-mers. Their 3D structures determined by cryo-electron microscopy and biochemical analyses reveal that the NTD in these species gains flexibility and solvent accessibility. These modulated properties are accompanied by an increase in chaperone activity in vivo and in vitro and a more efficient cooperation with the heat shock protein 70 system in client folding. Thus, the modulation of the structural flexibility of the NTD, as described here for phosphorylation, appears to regulate the chaperone activity of αB-crystallin rendering the NTD a conformational sensor for nonnative proteins.olecular chaperones share the ability to bind nonnative, aggregation-prone polypeptides and assist their folding and assembly (1-3). Among these, the small heat shock protein (sHsp) αB-crystallin (also HspB5) is one of the major constituents of the vertebrate eye lens where it functions both as a chaperone and structural protein (4, 5). In nonlenticular tissues, αB-crystallin (αB) participates in sustaining cellular proteostasis. The involvement in neurodegenerative diseases (6, 7), multiple sclerosis (8), myopathies (9), as well as in cell cycle control, apoptosis, and cancer (10, 11) underlines its importance for cellular proteostasis.αB exhibits a tripartite organization (Fig. 1A) with a central α-crystallin domain (ACD) flanked by an N-terminal domain (NTD) and a short C-terminal extension (CTE) (12, 13). The ACD forms stable dimers (14-16) that further assemble into higher-order oligomers via interactions mediated by the NTD and CTE (17)(18)(19). αB forms dynamic populations of multimers with a variable number of subunits (20,21). Structural studies indicate that the variety of oligomeric states including a symmetric 24-mer (22) is created by addition of subunits to (or subtraction from) existing oligomers (17, 18). As for many other sHsps (23), the polydispersity of αB is coupled to spontaneous subunit exchange of yet undetermined units. αB quaternary dynamics was attributed to fluctuations of the intersubunit contacts mediated by the C-terminal IXI motif (24). However, given its involvement in oligomer formation, the NTD must also play a decisive role.In general, sHsps including αB recognize aggregation-prone, partially unfolded substrates (4, 25, 26) and keep them in a refolding-competent state (27, 28). The substrate binding sites of sHsps have not been defined yet. Recent studies suggest the involvement ...
Background: Hypochlorite is strongly bactericidal and used as disinfectant; yet, a response regulator allowing adaptation to the inflicted stress is so far unknown. Results: The transcription factor YjiE specifically confers hypochlorite resistance and is an atypical dodecameric regulator that undergoes DNA-induced dissociation to dimers and tetramers. Conclusion: YjiE protects cells from hypochlorite-induced oxidative damage by triggering a specific stress response. Significance: This is the first described hypochlorite-specific regulator.
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