Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri--Columbia, 2000. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 133-147). Also available on the Internet.

Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation, a covalent modification of proteins catalyzed by poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARPs), plays a crucial role in regulating DNA repair, DNA replication, and cell death. Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase-1 (PARP-1) is a nuclear zinc-finger DNA-binding protein that is the most extensively studied member of the PARP family. The activation of PARP-1 depends on the N-terminal DNA-binding domain, which consists of two unusually long zinc finger-like motifs (termed FI and FII) of the form CX₂CX₂₈/₃₀HX₂C and a newly discovered zinc-ribbon motif (FIII). Though zinc is indispensible for PARP-1 activity, the metal binding affinities of the unusual zinc fingers of PARP-1 is not yet known. In this dissertation, the second zinc finger of PARP-1 was used as a model peptide to study the binding properties of several divalent metal ions (Co²⁺, Cd²⁺, Zn²⁺, and Pb²⁺). Metal-induced protein folding was investigated by circular dichroism, and the effects of the metal ions on PARP-1 activity were investigated by poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation activity assays. This study represents the first detailed biochemical characterization of the PARP zinc fingers. The functional role of each zinc finger in DNA damage recognition is critical for understanding how PARP-1 is involved in DNA repair. Thus, we constructed a series of PARP-1 zinc finger variant proteins and investigated their DNA binding properties and their effects on PARP activity. Using a combination of southwestern blotting and activity assays, we demonstrated that FII is more important for DNA binding, while FI and FIII seem to facilitate PARP activity. The DNA sequence-independent binding properties of PARP-1 were further characterized using DNA probes bearing defined secondary structures. Together, our results indicate that the zinc fingers help position the enzyme at specific DNA damage sites, and also help to activate the catalytic domain upon DNA binding. PARP-1 is involved in caspase-independent apoptosis, and the translocation of apoptosis inducing factor (AIF) out of the mitochondrial matrix has been shown to require PARP-1 activity. However, it is not readily apparent how the catalytic activity of PARP-1 (a nuclear protein) triggers the release of AIF from the mitochondrial matrix. In an attempt to understand the relationship between PARP-1 activity and caspase-independent apoptosis, we demonstrate here that AIF is an in vitro protein substrate for PARP-1. The possible implications of this finding will be discussed. / text

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karolinska institutet, 2007. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2004. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2006. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri--Columbia, 1998. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves : 325-355). Also available on the Internet.

For survival and successful propagation, every organism has to maintain the genomic integrity of the cell. The information content, in the form of nucleotide bases, is constantly threatened by endogenous agents and environmental pollutants. In particular, pathogenic mycobacteria are constantly exposed to DNA-damaging assaults such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen intermediate (RNI), in their habitat which is inside host macrophage. In addition, the genome of Mycobacterium tuberculosis makes it more susceptible for guanine oxidation and cytosine deamination as it is G-C rich. Therefore DNA repair mechanisms are extremely important for the mycobacterium. An important enzyme involved in DNA repair is uracil-DNA glycosylase (Ung). To access the genomic information, during repair as well as DNA replication and recombination, dsDNA must unwind to form single stranded (ss) intermediates. ssDNA is more prone to chemical and nuclease attacks that can produce breaks or lesions and can also inappropriately self associate. In order to preserve ssDNA intermediates, cells have evolved a specialized class of ssDNA-binding proteins (SSB) that associate with ssDNA with high affinity. As part of a major programme on mycobacterial proteins in this laboratory, structural studies on mycobacterial uracil-DNA glycosylase (Ung) and single-stranded DNA binding protein (SSB) have been carried out. The structures were solved using the well-established techniques of protein X-ray crystallography. The hanging drop vapour diffusion and microbatch methods were used for crystallization in all cases. X-ray intensity data were collected on a MAR Research imaging plate mounted on a Rigaku RU200 X-ray generator. The data were processed using the HKL program suite. The structures were solved by the molecular replacement method using the program PHASER and AMoRe. Structure refinements were carried out using the programs CNS and REFMAC. Model building was carried out using COOT. PROCHECK, ALIGN, INSIGHT and NACCESS were used for structure validation and analysis of the refined structures. MD simulations were performed using the software package GROMACS v 3.3.1. Uracil-DNA glycosylase (UNG), a repair enzyme involved in the excision of uracil from DNA, from mycobacteria differs from UNGs from other sources, particularly in the sequence in the catalytically important loops. The structure of the enzyme from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MtUng) in complex with a proteinaceous inhibitor (Ugi) has been determined by X-ray analysis of a crystal containing seven crystallographically independent copies of the complex. This structure provides the first geometric characterization of a mycobacterial UNG. A comparison of the structure with those of other UNG proteins of known structure shows that a central core region of the molecule is relatively invariant in structure and sequence, while the N- and C-terminal tails exhibit high variability. The tails are probably important in folding and stability. The mycobacterial enzyme exhibits differences in UNG-Ugi interactions compared with those involving UNG from other sources. The MtUng-DNA complex modelled on the basis of the known structure of the complex involving the human enzyme indicates a domain closure in the enzyme when binding to DNA. The binding involves a larger burial of surface area than is observed in binding by human UNG. The DNA-binding site of MtUng is characterized by the presence of a higher proportion of arginyl residues than is found in the binding site of any other UNG of known structure. In addition to the electrostatic effects produced by the arginyl residues, the hydrogen bonds in which they are involved compensate for the loss of some interactions arising from changes in amino-acid residues, particularly in the catalytic loops. The results arising from the present investigation represent unique features of the structure and interaction of mycobacterial Ungs. To gain further insights, the structure of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Ung (MtUng) in its free form was also determined. Comparison with appropriate structures indicate that the two domain enzyme slightly closes up when binding to DNA while it slightly opens up when binding to its proteinaceous inhibitor Ugi. The structural changes on complexation in the catalytic loops reflect the special features of their structure in the mycobacterial protein. A comparative analysis of available sequences of the enzyme from different sources indicates high conservation of amino acid residues in the catalytic loops. The uracil binding pocket in the structure is occupied by a citrate ion. The interactions of the citrate ion with the protein mimic those of uracil in addition to providing insights into other possible interactions that inhibitors could be involved in. SSB is an essential accessory protein required during DNA replication, repair and recombination, and various other DNA transactions. Eubacteral single stranded DNA binding (SSB) proteins constitute an extensively studied family of proteins. The variability in the quaternary association in these tetrameric proteins was first demonstrated through the X-ray analysis of the crystal structure of Mycobacterium tuberculosis SSB (MtSSB) and Mycobacterium smegmatis (MsSSB) in this laboratory. Subsequent studies on these proteins elsewhere have further explored this variability, but attention was solely concentrated on the variability in the relative orientation of the two dimers that constitute the tetramer. Furthermore, the effect of this variability on the properties of the tetrameric molecule was not adequately addressed. In order to further explore this variability and strengthen structural information on mycobacterial SSBs in particular, and on SSB proteins in general, the crystal structures of two forms of Mycobacterium leprae single stranded DNA-binding protein (MlSSB) has been determined. Comparison of the structures with other eubacterial SSB structures indicates considerable variation in their quaternary association although the DNA binding domains in all of them exhibit the same OB-fold. This variation has no linear correlation with sequence variation, but it appears to correlate well with variation in protein stability. Molecular dynamics simulations have been carried out on tetrameric molecules derived from the two forms and the prototype E. coli SSB and the individual subunits of both the proteins. The X-ray studies and molecular dynamics simulations together yield information on the relatively rigid and flexible regions of the molecule and the effect of oligomerization on flexibility. The simulations provide insights into the changes in the subunit structure on oligomerization. They also provide insights into the stability and time evolution of the hydrogen bonds/water-bridges that connect two pairs of monomers in the tetramer. In continuation of our effort to understand structure-function relationships of mycobacterial SSBs, the structure of MsSSB complexed with a 31-mer polydeoxy-cytidine single stranded DNA (ssDNA) was determined. The mode of ssDNA binding in the MsSSB is different from the modes in the known structures of similar complexes of the proteins from E. coli (EcSSB) and Helicobacter pylori (HpSSB). The modes in the EcSSB and HpSSB also exhibit considerable differences between them. A comparison of the three structures reveals the promiscuity of DNA-binding to SSBs from different species in terms of symmetry and the path followed by the bound DNA chain. It also reveals commonalities within the diversity. The regions of the protein molecule involved in DNA-binding and the nature of the residues which interact with the DNA, exhibit substantial similarities. The regions which exhibit similarities are on the central core of the subunit which is unaffected by tetramerisation. The variable features of DNA binding are associated with the periphery of the subunit, which is involved in oligomerization. Thus, there is some correlation between variability in DNA-binding and the known variability in tetrameric association in SSBs. In addition to the work on Ung and SSB, the author was involved in X-ray studies on crystals of horse methemoglobin at different levels of hydration, which is described in the Appendix of the thesis. The crystal structure of high-salt horse methaemoglobin has been determined at environmental relative humidities (r.h.) of 88, 79, 75 and 66%. The molecule is in the R state in the native and the r.h. 88% crystals. At r.h.79% the molecule appears to move towards the R2 state. The crystal structure at r.h.66% is similar, but not identical, to that at r.h.75%. Thus variation in hydration leads to variation in the quaternary structure. Furthermore, partial dehydration appears to shift the structure from the R state to the R2 state. This observation is in agreement with the earlier conclusion that the changes in protein structure that accompany partial dehydration are similar to those that occur during protein action. A part of the work presented in the thesis has been reported in the following publications. 1. Singh, P., Talawar, R.K., Krishna, P.D., Varshney, U. & Vijayan, M. (2006). Overexpression, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of uracil N-glycosylase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis in complex with a proteinaceous inhibitor. Acta Crystallogr. F62, 1231-1234. 2. Kaushal, P.S., Talawar, R.K., Krishna, P.D., Varshney, U. & Vijayan, M. (2008). Unique features of the structure and interactions of mycobacterial uracil-DNA glycosylase: structure of a complex of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis enzyme in comparison with those from other sources. Acta Crystallogr. D64, 551-560. 3. Kaushal, P.S., Sankaranarayanan, R. & Vijayan, M. (2008). Water-mediated variability in the structure of relaxed-state haemoglobin. Acta Crystallogr. F64, 463-469.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / SETMAR is a chimeric protein that originates from the fusion of a SET domain to the mariner Hsmar1 transposase. This fusion event occurred approximately 50 million years ago, after the split of an anthropoid primate ancestor from the prosimians. Thus, SETMAR is only expressed in anthropoid primates, such as humans, apes, and New World monkeys. Evolutionary sequence analyses have revealed that the DNA-binding domain, one of the two functional domains in the Hsmar1 transposase, has been subjected to a strong purifying selection. Consistent with these analyses, SETMAR retains robust binding specificity to its ancestral terminal inverted repeat (TIR) DNA. In the human genome, this TIR sequence is dispersed in over 1500 perfect or nearly perfect sites. Given that many DNA-binding domains of transcriptional regulators are derived from transposases, we hypothesized that SETMAR may play a role in gene regulation. In this thesis, we determined the crystal structures of the DNA-binding domain bound to both its ancestral TIR DNA and a variant TIR DNA sequence at 2.37 and 3.07 Å, respectively. Overall, the DNA-binding domain contains two helix-turn-helix (HTH) motifs linked by two AT-hook motifs and dimerizes through its HTH1 motif. In both complexes, minor groove interactions with the AT-hook motifs are similar, and major groove interactions with HTH1 involve a single residue. However, four residues from HTH2 participate in nucleobase-specific interactions with the TIR and only two with the variant DNA sequence. Despite these differences in nucleobase-specific interactions, the DNA-binding affinities of SETMAR to TIR or variant TIR differ by less than two-fold. From cell-based studies, we found that SETMAR represses firefly luciferase gene expression while the DNA-binding deficient mutant does not. A chromatin immunoprecipitation assay further confirms that SETMAR binds the TIR sequence in cells. Collectively, our studies suggest that SETMAR functions in gene regulation.

The classification of neurodegenerative disorders is based on the major component of the protein aggregates in the brain. The most common altered proteins associated with neurodegeneration are Hyperphosphorylated tau (HPt), beta amyloid (Aβ), alpha-synclein (αS) and transactive response DNA binding protein 43 (TDP43). In this study we assessed the incidence and the neuroanatomical distribution of proteins associated with neurodegeneration in the brain tissue of cognitively unimpaired subjects. We demonstrated the early involvement of the Locus Coeruleus (LC) with HPt pathology in cognitively unimpaired mid aged subjects, a finding which supports the notion that LC is an initiation site of HPt pathology. This may suggest that development of clinical assessment techniques and radiological investigations reflecting early LC alterations may help in identifying subjects with early stages of neurodegeneration. Furthermore, we studied a large cohort of cognitively unimpaired subjects with age at death ≥50 years and we applied the National Institute on Aging –Alzheimer’s disease (AD) Association (NIA-AA) guidelines for the assessment of AD related neuropathological changes. Interestingly, a considerable percentage of the subjects were classified as having an intermediate level of AD pathology. We also showed that the altered proteins;  HPt , Aβ, αS, and TDP43 are frequently seen in the brain of cognitively unimpaired subjects with age at death ≥50 years, the incidence of these proteins increased significantly with age. This finding suggests that neurodegeneration has to be extensive to cause functional disturbance and clinical symptoms. Moreover, we investigated the correlation between AD related pathology in cortical biopsies, the AD / cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers and the Mini Mental State examination (MMSE) scores in a cohort of idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (iNPH) patients. We demonstrated that AD/ CSF biomarkers and MMSE scores reflect AD pathology in the cortical biopsies obtained from iNPH patients.  In conclusion, this study shows that the altered proteins associated with neurodegeneration are frequently seen in the brain tissue of cognitively unimpaired aged subjects. This fact should be considered while developing diagnostic biomarkers for identification of subjects at early stages of the disease, in order to introduce therapeutic intervention prior to the occurrence of significant cognitive impairment.

Protein-DNA interactions govern the fundamental cellular processes of DNA replication, transcription, repair, and chromosome organisation. Despite their importance, the detailed molecular mechanisms of protein-DNA interactions and their organisation in the cell remain elusive. The complexity of molecular biology demands new experimental concepts that resolve the structural and functional diversity of biomolecules. In this thesis, I describe fluorescence methods that give a direct view on protein-DNA interactions at the single-molecule level. These methods employ photoswitching to control the number of active fluorophores in the sample. Forster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) measures the distance between a donor and an acceptor fluorophore to report on biomolecular structure and dynamics in vitro. Because a single distance gives only limited structural information, I developed "switchable FRET" that employs photoswitching to sequentially probe multiple FRET pairs per molecule. Switchable FRET resolved two distances within static and dynamic DNA constructs and protein-DNA complexes. Towards application of switchable FRET, I investigated aspects of the nucleotide selection mechanism of DNA polymerase. I further explored application of single-molecule imaging in the complex environment of the living cell. Photoswitching was used to resolve the precise localisations of individual fluorophores. I constructed a super-resolution fluorescence microscope to image fixed cellular structures and track the movement of individual fluorescent fusion proteins in live bacteria. I applied the method to directly visualise DNA repair processes by DNA polymerase I and ligase, generating a quantitative account of their repair rates, search times, copy numbers, and spatial distribution in the cell. I validated the approach by tracking diffusion of replisome components and their association with the replication fork. Finally, super-resolution microscopy showed dense clusters of SMC (Structural Maintenance of Chromosomes) protein complexes in vivo that have previously been hidden by the limited resolution of conventional microscopy.