AlphaFold2 captures the conformational landscape of the HAMP signaling domain

Abstract

In this study, we present a conformational landscape of 5000 AlphaFold2 models of the Histidine kinases, Adenyl cyclases, Methyl‐accepting proteins and Phosphatases (HAMP) domain, a short helical bundle that transduces signals from sensors to effectors in two‐component signaling proteins such as sensory histidine kinases and chemoreceptors. The landscape reveals the conformational variability of the HAMP domain, including rotations, shifts, displacements, and tilts of helices, many combinations of which have not been observed in experimental structures. HAMP domains belonging to a single family tend to occupy a defined region of the landscape, even when their sequence similarity is low, suggesting that individual HAMP families have evolved to operate in a specific conformational range. The functional importance of this structural conservation is illustrated by poly‐HAMP arrays, in which HAMP domains from families with opposite conformational preferences alternate, consistent with the rotational model of signal transduction. The only poly‐HAMP arrays that violate this rule are predicted to be of recent evolutionary origin and structurally unstable. Finally, we identify a family of HAMP domains that are likely to be dynamic due to the presence of a conserved pi‐helical bulge. All code associated with this work, including a tool for rapid sequence‐based prediction of the rotational state in HAMP domains, is deposited at https://github.com/labstructbioinf/HAMPpred.

Atomic insights into the signaling landscape ofE. coliPhoQ Histidine Kinase from Molecular Dynamics simulations

“…This observation lends further support to the previously proposed allosteric coupling model [60] between these domains, where communication occurs through subtle structural changes rather than a single, concerted conformational shift. Notably, a slight bend in the cytoplasmic S-helix, aligning with solved structures of similar domains [44], and a scissoring motion observed in the HAMP domain, consistent with proposed signaling of HAMP domain [61], [62], appear sufficient to transmit these signals towards the catalytic domain. Furthermore, the catalytic domain exhibited higher mobility in the (repressed state) simulations.…”