Protease structure might have adjured presence of exposed SBP which is dynamically coupled to YIGV groove for efficient allosteric signal propagation to the distal active site. Direct binding of small molecules at YIGV supports this hypothesis as they could be accommodated in the Title Loaded From File classical binding groovewithout requirement of any initial conformational change as it might be with the larger peptide activators. Interestingly, although catalytic efficiency for N-SPD has been found to be 3.4 fold less as compared to the wildtype, its Km value suggests slight increase in substrate affinity for the enzyme (Table 4). This increase in substrate affinity might be due toAllosteric Regulation of HtrAFigure 4. Graphical representation of root mean square fluctuation (RMSF) and loop movements upon peptide binding. a. MD simulation trajectory for unbound HtrA2. b. RMSF graph for GQYYFV bound HtrA2. c. RMSF graph for GSAWFSF bound HtrA2. d. Comparison of fluctuations in loops LA, L1, L2 and LD in the GQYYFV peptide bound (pink) and unbound structure (green). The loops in the bound and unbound forms are 18325633 displayed in red and yellow respectively. e. Comparison of fluctuations in loops LA, L1, L2 and LD in the GSAWFSF peptide bound (pink) and unbound structure (green). The loops in the bound and unbound forms are displayed in red and yellow respectively. The catalytic triad residues are shown in both panels d. and e. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0055416.gabsence of PDZ surrounding the active site region resulting in greater substrate accessibility. However in N-SPD, kcat was found to be 5 fold less than that of wild type highlighting the role of PDZ in initiating conformational changes near the active site pocket as well as in the oxyanion hole so as to increase overall enzyme stability. However, in the full length monomeric mutant of HtrA2 (F16D), there is a two fold increase in Km with significant decrease in turnover rate and hence catalytic efficiency (Table 4) whichTable 3. Comparison of distances between atoms of the catalytic triad in the peptide bound and unbound forms of HtrA2.emphasizes importance of intermolecular crosstalk between PDZ and protease domains in Title Loaded From File trimeric HtrA2 structure. The importance of intermolecular interaction between PDZ* and SPD has also been manifested in our MD studies where structural analyses show binding of peptide activator (GQYYFV) at the SBP alters PDZ orientation and brings a5 helix of PDZ from one subunit in close proximity to the protease domain of the adjacent subunit. The helix moves towards LD loop of the protease domain, thereby shifting the orientation of the phenyl ring of F170 which is a part of oxyanion hole towards H65 of the catalytic triad (Figure 6a) so as to accommodate the loop. These rearrangements result in a more stable and catalytically competent HtrA2 formation with a proper oxyanion hole. Thus the full length trimeric HtrA2 is more active than trimeric N-SPD, where the activation pocket is not stable in absence of PDZ.Protein ComplexNE2 (His) ?OG (Ser) Bound Unbound 4.1 4.ND1 (His) ?OD1(Asp) Bound 2.6 2.7 Unbound 2.9 2.DiscussionOur aim was to understand the structural dynamics that regulates activation and specificity of HtrA2. This multidomain trimeric protease has unique proapoptotic properties as it is associated with both caspase-dependent and independent cellHtrA2 (GSAWFSF)5.2 HtrA2 (GQYYFV) 5.doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0055416.tAllosteric Regulation of HtrAFigure 5. Steady state kinetic para.Protease structure might have adjured presence of exposed SBP which is dynamically coupled to YIGV groove for efficient allosteric signal propagation to the distal active site. Direct binding of small molecules at YIGV supports this hypothesis as they could be accommodated in the classical binding groovewithout requirement of any initial conformational change as it might be with the larger peptide activators. Interestingly, although catalytic efficiency for N-SPD has been found to be 3.4 fold less as compared to the wildtype, its Km value suggests slight increase in substrate affinity for the enzyme (Table 4). This increase in substrate affinity might be due toAllosteric Regulation of HtrAFigure 4. Graphical representation of root mean square fluctuation (RMSF) and loop movements upon peptide binding. a. MD simulation trajectory for unbound HtrA2. b. RMSF graph for GQYYFV bound HtrA2. c. RMSF graph for GSAWFSF bound HtrA2. d. Comparison of fluctuations in loops LA, L1, L2 and LD in the GQYYFV peptide bound (pink) and unbound structure (green). The loops in the bound and unbound forms are 18325633 displayed in red and yellow respectively. e. Comparison of fluctuations in loops LA, L1, L2 and LD in the GSAWFSF peptide bound (pink) and unbound structure (green). The loops in the bound and unbound forms are displayed in red and yellow respectively. The catalytic triad residues are shown in both panels d. and e. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0055416.gabsence of PDZ surrounding the active site region resulting in greater substrate accessibility. However in N-SPD, kcat was found to be 5 fold less than that of wild type highlighting the role of PDZ in initiating conformational changes near the active site pocket as well as in the oxyanion hole so as to increase overall enzyme stability. However, in the full length monomeric mutant of HtrA2 (F16D), there is a two fold increase in Km with significant decrease in turnover rate and hence catalytic efficiency (Table 4) whichTable 3. Comparison of distances between atoms of the catalytic triad in the peptide bound and unbound forms of HtrA2.emphasizes importance of intermolecular crosstalk between PDZ and protease domains in trimeric HtrA2 structure. The importance of intermolecular interaction between PDZ* and SPD has also been manifested in our MD studies where structural analyses show binding of peptide activator (GQYYFV) at the SBP alters PDZ orientation and brings a5 helix of PDZ from one subunit in close proximity to the protease domain of the adjacent subunit. The helix moves towards LD loop of the protease domain, thereby shifting the orientation of the phenyl ring of F170 which is a part of oxyanion hole towards H65 of the catalytic triad (Figure 6a) so as to accommodate the loop. These rearrangements result in a more stable and catalytically competent HtrA2 formation with a proper oxyanion hole. Thus the full length trimeric HtrA2 is more active than trimeric N-SPD, where the activation pocket is not stable in absence of PDZ.Protein ComplexNE2 (His) ?OG (Ser) Bound Unbound 4.1 4.ND1 (His) ?OD1(Asp) Bound 2.6 2.7 Unbound 2.9 2.DiscussionOur aim was to understand the structural dynamics that regulates activation and specificity of HtrA2. This multidomain trimeric protease has unique proapoptotic properties as it is associated with both caspase-dependent and independent cellHtrA2 (GSAWFSF)5.2 HtrA2 (GQYYFV) 5.doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0055416.tAllosteric Regulation of HtrAFigure 5. Steady state kinetic para.
