The polypyrimidine tract binding protein (PTB) is a 58-kilodalton RNA binding protein involved in multiple aspects of messenger RNA metabolism, including the repression of alternative exons. We have determined the solution structures of the four RNA binding domains (RBDs) of PTB, each bound to a CUCUCU oligonucleotide. Each RBD binds RNA with a different binding specificity. RBD3 and RBD4 interact, resulting in an antiparallel orientation of their bound RNAs. Thus, PTB will induce RNA looping when bound to two separated pyrimidine tracts within the same RNA. This leads to structural models for how PTB functions as an alternative-splicing repressor.

SummaryThe centriole, and the related basal body, is an ancient organelle characterized by a universal 9-fold radial symmetry and is critical for generating cilia, flagella, and centrosomes. The mechanisms directing centriole formation are incompletely understood and represent a fundamental open question in biology. Here, we demonstrate that the centriolar protein SAS-6 forms rod-shaped homodimers that interact through their N-terminal domains to form oligomers. We establish that such oligomerization is essential for centriole formation in C. elegans and human cells. We further generate a structural model of the related protein Bld12p from C. reinhardtii, in which nine homodimers assemble into a ring from which nine coiled-coil rods radiate outward. Moreover, we demonstrate that recombinant Bld12p self-assembles into structures akin to the central hub of the cartwheel, which serves as a scaffold for centriole formation. Overall, our findings establish a structural basis for the universal 9-fold symmetry of centrioles.

Collagen and fibronectin are major components of vertebrate extracellular matrices. Their association and distribution control the development and properties of diverse tissues, but thus far no structural information has been available for the complex formed. Here, we report binding of a peptide, derived from the ␣1 chain of type I collagen, to the gelatin-binding domain of human fibronectin and present the crystal structure of this peptide in complex with the 8 -9 FnI domain pair. Both gelatin-binding domain subfragments, 6 FnI 1-2 FnII 7 FnI and 8 -9 FnI, bind the same specific sequence on D-period 4 of collagen I ␣1, adjacent to the MMP-1 cleavage site. 8 -9 FnI also binds the equivalent sequence of the ␣2 chain. The collagen peptide adopts an antiparallel ␤-strand conformation, similar to structures of proteins from pathogenic bacteria bound to FnI domains. Analysis of the type I collagen sequence suggests multiple putative fibronectin-binding sites compatible with our structural model. We demonstrate, by kinetic unfolding experiments, that the triple-helical collagen state is destabilized by 8 -9 FnI. This finding suggests a role for fibronectin in collagen proteolysis and tissue remodeling.collagen destabilization ͉ extracellular matrix ͉ protein structure C ollagen is the most abundant protein in mammals, accounting for Ϸ25% of the body-protein content. It is crucial for effects as diverse as cell differentiation, cell migration, and mechanical properties of tissues. Many human diseases have their origin in mutations that affect interactions of collagen with other extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules and cell receptors (1). Type I collagen fibrils form spontaneously in vitro; in vivo, however, formation requires integrin receptors and fibronectin (FN) (2). FN is a large glycosylated protein composed of multiple copies of 3 classes of domains, FnI, FnII, and FnIII, that forms fibrils in the ECM (3). It plays a role in many important physiological processes, such as embryogenesis, wound healing, hemostasis, and thrombosis (4), and disruption of the FN gene is embryonic lethal in mice (5).The interaction of these 2 proteins has long been demonstrated in vitro by using denatured collagen (gelatin) (6, 7) and isolated collagen type I chains or chain fragments (8, 9). The collagen-binding site on FN has been localized to the 42-kDa gelatin-binding domain (GBD; for an overview of FN and collagen fragments see Fig. 1) (10, 11), and anti-GBD antibodies inhibit collagen organization in fibroblast cultures (12). Similarly, experiments in cultures have identified the collagenase/ MMP-1 (13) cleavage site in type I collagen as important for FN-mediated attachment of fibroblasts to collagen ECM (14). Peptides spanning that region (15) or MMP-1 cleavage at this site (6) inhibit attachment. However, attempts to reconstitute the FN-collagen interaction in vitro by using synthetic peptides failed to find strong, specific, interactions (8,9), and the precise sequence determinants for FN-binding to collagen remained unknown...

The polypyrimidine tract binding protein (PTB) is a 58 kDa protein involved in many aspects of RNA metabolism. In this study, we focused our attention on the structure of the two C-terminal RNA recognition motifs (RRM3 and RRM4) of PTB. In a previous study, it was found that the two RRMs are independent in the free state. We recently determined the structure of the same fragment in complex with RNA and found that the two RRMs interact extensively. This difference made us re-evaluate in detail the free protein structure and in particular the interdomain interface. We used a combination of NMR spectroscopy and segmental isotopic labeling to unambiguously study and characterize the interdomain interactions. An improved segmental isotopic labeling protocol was used, enabling us to unambiguously identify 130 interdomain NOEs between the two RRMs and to calculate a very precise structure. The structure reveals a large interdomain interface, resulting in a very unusual positioning of the two RRM domains relative to one another.

Uniquely among malaria parasites, Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes (iRBCs) develop membrane protrusions, known as knobs, where the parasite adhesion receptor P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1) clusters. Knob formation and the associated iRBC adherence to host endothelium are directly linked to the severity of malaria and are functional manifestations of protein export from the parasite to the iRBC. A family of exported proteins featuring Plasmodium helical interspersed subtelomeric (PHIST) domains has attracted attention, with members being implicated in host-parasite protein interactions and differentially regulated in severe disease and among parasite isolates. Here, we show that PHIST member PFE1605w binds the PfEMP1 intracellular segment directly with Kd = 5 ± 0.6 μM, comigrates with PfEMP1 during export, and locates in knobs. PHIST variants that do not locate in knobs (MAL8P1.4) or bind PfEMP1 30 times more weakly (PFI1780w) used as controls did not display the same pattern. We resolved the first crystallographic structure of a PHIST protein and derived a partial model of the PHIST-PfEMP1 interaction from nuclear magnetic resonance. We propose that PFE1605w reinforces the PfEMP1-cytoskeletal connection in knobs and discuss the possible role of PHIST proteins as interaction hubs in the parasite exportome.—Oberli, A., Slater, L. M., Cutts, E., Brand, F., Mundwiler-Pachlatko, E., Rusch, S., Masik, M. F. G., Erat, M. C., Beck, H.-P., Vakonakis, I. A Plasmodium falciparum PHIST protein binds the virulence factor PfEMP1 and comigrates to knobs on the host cell surface.

SummaryCentrioles are evolutionarily conserved eukaryotic organelles composed of a protein scaffold surrounded by sets of microtubules organized with a 9-fold radial symmetry. CPAP, a centriolar protein essential for microtubule recruitment, features a C-terminal domain of unknown structure, the G-box. A missense mutation in the G-box reduces affinity for the centriolar shuttling protein STIL and causes primary microcephaly. Here, we characterize the molecular architecture of CPAP and determine the G-box structure alone and in complex with a STIL fragment. The G-box comprises a single elongated β sheet capable of forming supramolecular assemblies. Structural and biophysical studies highlight the conserved nature of the CPAP-STIL complex. We propose that CPAP acts as a horizontal “strut” that joins the centriolar scaffold with microtubules, whereas G-box domains form perpendicular connections.

Centrioles are evolutionary conserved organelles that give rise to cilia and flagella as well as centrosomes. Centrioles display a characteristic ninefold symmetry imposed by the spindle assembly abnormal protein 6 (SAS-6) family. SAS-6 from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Danio rerio was shown to form ninefold symmetric, ring-shaped oligomers in vitro that were similar to the cartwheels observed in vivo during early steps of centriole assembly in most species. Here, we report crystallographic and EM analyses showing that, instead, Caenorhabotis elegans SAS-6 self-assembles into a spiral arrangement. Remarkably, we find that this spiral arrangement is also consistent with ninefold symmetry, suggesting that two distinct SAS-6 oligomerization architectures can direct the same output symmetry. Sequence analysis suggests that SAS-6 spirals are restricted to specific nematodes. This oligomeric arrangement may provide a structural basis for the presence of a central tube instead of a cartwheel during centriole assembly in these species.X-ray crystallography | electron microscopy | structure | centriolar architecture | SAS-5

Structured non-coding RNAs underline fundamental cellular processes, but determining their 3D structures remains challenging. We demonstrate herein that integrating NMR 1H chemical shift data with Rosetta de novo modeling can consistently return high-resolution RNA structures. On a benchmark set of 23 noncanonical RNA motifs, including 11 blind targets, Chemical-Shift-ROSETTA for RNA (CS-ROSETTA-RNA) recovered the experimental structures with high accuracy (0.6 to 2.0 Å all-heavy-atom rmsd) in 18 cases.