Human cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) mediates the net transfer of cholesteryl ester mass from atheroprotective high-density lipoproteins to atherogenic low-density lipoproteins by an unknown mechanism. Delineating this mechanism would be an important step toward the rational design of new CETP inhibitors for treating cardiovascular diseases. Using EM, single-particle image processing and molecular dynamics simulation, we discovered that CETP bridges a ternary complex with its N-terminal β-barrel domain penetrating into high-density lipoproteins and its C-terminal domain interacting with low-density lipoprotein or very-low-density lipoprotein. In our mechanistic model, the CETP lipoprotein-interacting regions, which are highly mobile, form pores that connect to a hydrophobic central cavity, thereby forming a tunnel for transfer of neutral lipids from donor to acceptor lipoproteins. These new insights into CETP transfer provide a molecular basis for analyzing mechanisms for CETP inhibition.

DNA base pairing has been used for many years to direct the arrangement of inorganic nanocrystals into small groupings and arrays with tailored optical and electrical properties. The control of DNA-mediated assembly depends crucially on a better understanding of three-dimensional structure of DNA-nanocrystal-hybridized building blocks. Existing techniques do not allow for structural determination of these flexible and heterogeneous samples. Here we report cryo-electron microscopy and negative-staining electron tomography approaches to image, and three-dimensionally reconstruct a single DNA-nanogold conjugate, an 84-bp double-stranded DNA with two 5-nm nanogold particles for potential substrates in plasmon-coupling experiments. By individual-particle electron tomography reconstruction, we obtain 14 density maps at ∼2-nm resolution. Using these maps as constraints, we derive 14 conformations of dsDNA by molecular dynamics simulations. The conformational variation is consistent with that from liquid solution, suggesting that individual-particle electron tomography could be an expected approach to study DNA-assembling and flexible protein structure and dynamics.

Cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) mediates the net transfer of cholesteryl esters from atheroprotective high-density lipoproteins to atherogenic low-density lipoproteins or very-low-density lipoproteins. Inhibition of CETP raises high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (good cholesterol) levels and reduces low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (bad cholesterol) levels, making it a promising drug target for the prevention and treatment of coronary heart disease. Although the crystal structure of CETP has been determined, the molecular mechanism mediating cholesteryl esters transfer is still unknown, even the structural features of CETP in a physiological environment remain elusive. We performed molecular dynamics simulations to explore the structural features of CETP in an aqueous solution. Results show that the distal portion flexibility of N-terminal β-barrel domain is considerably greater in solution than in crystal; conversely, the flexibility of helix X is slightly less. During the simulations the distal end of C-terminal β-barrel domain expanded while the hydrophilic surface increasing more than the hydrophobic surface. In addition a new surface pore was generated in this domain. This surface pore and all cavities in CETP are stable. These results suggest that the formation of a continuous tunnel within CETP by connecting cavities is permitted in solution.

Cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) mediates cholesteryl ester (CE) transfer from the atheroprotective high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol to the atherogenic low density lipoprotein cholesterol. In the past decade, this property has driven the development of CETP inhibitors, which have been evaluated in large scale clinical trials for treating cardiovascular diseases. Despite the pharmacological interest, little is known about the fundamental mechanism of CETP in CE transfer. Recent electron microscopy (EM) experiments have suggested a tunnel mechanism, and molecular dynamics simulations have shown that the flexible N-terminal distal end of CETP penetrates into the HDL surface and takes up a CE molecule through an open pore. However, it is not known whether a CE molecule can completely transfer through an entire CETP molecule. Here, we used all-atom molecular dynamics simulations to evaluate this possibility. The results showed that a hydrophobic tunnel inside CETP is sufficient to allow a CE molecule to completely transfer through the entire CETP within a predicted transfer time and at a rate comparable with those obtained through physiological measurements. Analyses of the detailed interactions revealed several residues that might be critical for CETP function, which may provide important clues for the effective development of CETP inhibitors and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.