Polyamines are organic polycations essential for cell growth and differentiation; their aberrant accumulation is often associated with diseases, including many types of cancer. To maintain polyamine homeostasis, the catalytic activity and protein abundance of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), the committed enzyme for polyamine biosynthesis, are reciprocally controlled by the regulatory proteins antizyme isoform 1 (Az 1 ) and antizyme inhibitor (AzIN). Az 1 suppresses polyamine production by inhibiting the assembly of the functional ODC homodimer and, most uniquely, by targeting ODC for ubiquitin-independent proteolytic destruction by the 26S proteasome. In contrast, AzIN positively regulates polyamine levels by competing with ODC for Az 1 binding. The structural basis of the Az 1 -mediated regulation of polyamine homeostasis has remained elusive. Here we report crystal structures of human Az 1 complexed with either ODC or AzIN. Structural analysis revealed that Az 1 sterically blocks ODC homodimerization. Moreover, Az 1 binding triggers ODC degradation by inducing the exposure of a cryptic proteasome-interacting surface of ODC, which illustrates how a substrate protein may be primed upon association with Az 1 for ubiquitin-independent proteasome recognition. Dynamic and functional analyses further indicated that the Az 1 -induced binding and degradation of ODC by proteasome can be decoupled, with the intrinsically disordered C-terminal tail fragment of ODC being required only for degradation but not binding. Finally, the AzIN-Az 1 structure suggests how AzIN may effectively compete with ODC for Az 1 to restore polyamine production. Taken together, our findings offer structural insights into the Az-mediated regulation of polyamine homeostasis and proteasomal degradation.polyamine homeostasis | ornithine decarboxylase | antizyme | antizyme inhibitor | ubiquitin-independent proteolysis P olyamines are multivalent organic cations that are ubiquitous and essential in eukaryotes (1). With their polycationic characteristics, these compounds are known to modulate the structural and functional properties of nucleic acids and proteins via electrostatic interactions, in turn affecting cell growth and differentiation by influencing the underlying cellular processes (1, 2). Consistent with their crucial regulatory roles, fluctuations in intracellular polyamine levels are rigorously controlled during cell growth and differentiation via fine-tuning the balance between the biosynthesis, degradation, and uptake of polyamines. Aberrant accumulation of polyamines is associated with pathological consequences, including many types of cancer (3-5).Regulation of polyamine homeostasis is achieved mainly by adjusting the catalytic activity and protein abundance of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), a homodimeric and pyridoxal 5ʹ-phosphatedependent enzyme that catalyzes the committed and rate-limiting step in polyamine biosynthesis, through the actions of the regulatory proteins antizyme isoform 1 (Az 1 ) and antizyme inhibitor (AzIN) (3, 6). E...

Type IIA topoisomerases (Top2s) manipulate the handedness of DNA crossovers by introducing a transient and protein-linked double-strand break in one DNA duplex, termed the DNA-gate, whose opening allows another DNA segment to be transported through to change the DNA topology. Despite the central importance of this gate-opening event to Top2 function, the DNA-gate in all reported structures of Top2-DNA complexes is in the closed state. Here we present the crystal structure of a human Top2 DNA-gate in an open conformation, which not only reveals structural characteristics of its DNA-conducting path, but also uncovers unexpected yet functionally significant conformational changes associated with gate-opening. This structure further implicates Top2’s preference for a left-handed DNA braid and allows the construction of a model representing the initial entry of another DNA duplex into the DNA-gate. Steered molecular dynamics calculations suggests the Top2-catalyzed DNA passage may be achieved by a rocker-switch-type movement of the DNA-gate.

The Cdk8 kinase module (CKM) in Mediator, comprising Med13, Med12, CycC, and Cdk8, regulates RNA polymerase II transcription through kinase-dependent and -independent functions. Numerous pathogenic mutations causative for neurodevelopmental disorders and cancer congregate in CKM subunits. However, the structure of the intact CKM and the mechanism by which Cdk8 is non-canonically activated and functionally affected by oncogenic CKM alterations are poorly understood. Here, we report a cryo–electron microscopy structure of Saccharomyces cerevisiae CKM that redefines prior CKM structural models and explains the mechanism of Med12-dependent Cdk8 activation. Med12 interacts extensively with CycC and activates Cdk8 by stabilizing its activation (T-)loop through conserved Med12 residues recurrently mutated in human tumors. Unexpectedly, Med13 has a characteristic Argonaute-like bi-lobal architecture. These findings not only provide a structural basis for understanding CKM function and pathological dysfunction, but also further impute a previously unknown regulatory mechanism of Mediator in transcriptional modulation through its Med13 Argonaute-like features.

Human type II topoisomerase (Top2) isoforms, hTop2α and hTop2β, are targeted by some of the most successful anticancer drugs. These drugs induce Top2-mediated DNA cleavage to trigger cell-death pathways. The potency of these drugs correlates positively with their efficacy in stabilizing the enzyme-mediated DNA breaks. Structural analysis of hTop2α and hTop2β revealed the presence of methionine residues in the drug-binding pocket, we therefore tested whether a tighter Top2-drug association may be accomplished by introducing a methionine-reactive Pt2+ into a drug to further stabilize the DNA break. Herein, we synthesized an organoplatinum compound, etoplatin-N2β, by replacing the methionine-juxtaposing group of the drug etoposide with a cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum(II) moiety. Compared to etoposide, etoplatin-N2β more potently inhibits both human Top2s. While the DNA breaks arrested by etoposide can be rejoined, those captured by etoplatin-N2β are practically irreversible. Crystallographic analyses of hTop2β complexed with DNA and etoplatin-N2β demonstrate coordinate bond formation between Pt2+ and a flanking methionine. Notably, this stable coordinate tether can be loosened by disrupting the structural integrity of drug-binding pocket, suggesting that Pt2+ coordination chemistry may allow for the development of potent inhibitors with protein conformation-dependent reversibility. This approach may be exploited to achieve isoform-specific targeting of human Top2s.

A series of alkanethiols, n-decanethiol (C10SH), n-dodecanethiol (C12SH), n-tetradecanethiol (C14SH), n-hexadecanethiol (C16SH), and n-octadecanethiol (C18SH), were introduced to study the reactivity of the laser-prepared Cu nanoparticles. The colloidal solutions containing alkanethiols resulted in the disulfide (RSSR) formation. In particular, the colorless and the lathy crystals were generated from the C14SH, C16SH, and C18SH. The psuedo-one-dimensional lathlike structures were resolved by the X-ray crystallographic analysis. UV−vis, TEM, high-resolution XRD, and proton NMR were carried out to characterize the Cu nanoparticles and the disulfide products. XPS and XANES measurements were employed to identify the Cu identity, as well. The laser-prepared Cu particles were mainly +0 charge with the possible formation of a thin Cu2O layer on the copper surfaces. It was interpreted that the disulfides resulted from the Cu and/or Cu (core)/Cu2O (thin shell) particles.