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H E Hamm

Publications and source records attributed to H E Hamm.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

The 2.0 A crystal structure of a heterotrimeric G protein.

The structure of a heterotrimeric G protein reveals the mechanism of the nucleotide-dependent engagement of the alpha and beta gamma subunits that regulates their interaction with receptor and effector molecules. The interaction involves two distinct interfaces and dramatically alters the conformation of the alpha but not of the beta gamma subunits. The location of the known sites for post-translational modification and receptor coupling suggest a plausible orientation with respect to the membrane surface and an activated heptahelical receptor.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

Crystal structure of a G-protein beta gamma dimer at 2.1A resolution.

Many signalling cascades use seven-helical transmembrane receptors coupled to heterotrimeric G proteins (G alpha beta gamma) to convert extracellular signals into intracellular responses. Upon nucleotide exchange catalysed by activated receptors, heterotrimers dissociate into GTP-bound G alpha subunits and G beta gamma dimers, either of which can modulate many downstream effectors. Here we use multiwavelength anomalous diffraction data to solve the crystal structure of the beta gamma dimer of the G protein transducin. The beta-subunit is primarily a seven-bladed beta-propeller that is partially encircled by an extended gamma-subunit. The beta-propeller, which contains seven structurally similar WD repeats, defines the stereochemistry of the WD repeat and the probable architecture of all WD-repeat-containing domains. The structure details interactions between G protein beta- and gamma-subunits and highlights regions implicated in effector modulation for the conserved family of G protein beta gamma dimers.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

Cyclic AMP-dependent phosphoprotein components I and II interact with beta gamma subunits of transducin in frog rod outer segments.

Components I and II (CI&II) in frog rod outer segments (ROS) are prominent cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PK-A) substrates. Their phosphorylation level is high in the dark, and illumination causes dephosphorylation. In order to understand their physiological role in phototransduction, biochemical characterization of CI&II phosphorylation was performed. Fractionation of phosphorylated ROS proteins showed that CI&II in the soluble fraction were highly phosphorylated by endogenous PK-A, whereas those in the membrane-associated protein fractions were not. The latter proteins could be phosphorylated by purified catalytic subunit of PK-A (PK-Acat) while the former proteins were not, suggesting that membrane-bound CI&II are normally much less phosphorylated. Treatments that dissociate the alpha subunit (alpha t) of transducin (Gt) from beta gamma subunits (beta gamma t) and thus produce excess free subunits of Gt in the soluble fraction caused inhibition of CI&II phosphorylation in the soluble fraction and enhancement of CI&II phosphorylation in the peripheral membrane fractions containing less Gt. Unphosphorylated CI&II tightly associated with the washed ROS membranes could be extracted after phosphorylation by PK-Acat. Phosphorylation also caused elution of beta gamma t from the membrane under the same conditions. Cross-linking by the maleimidobenzoyl-N-hydroxysuccinimide ester of the peripheral membrane fraction produced a distinct phosphorylated 50 kDa product with concurrent disappearance of the beta subunit of transducin (beta t) and phosphorylated CI&II. This phosphorylated cross-linked product was not recognized by a monoclonal anti-alpha t antibody but was recognized by antiserum against beta t, suggesting that the 50 kDa protein is a complex of beta gamma t and CI&II. Amino terminal sequencing of components I and II suggests that they are identical proteins with a unique sequence unrelated to other proteins in protein data bases. Phosphopeptide mapping of phosphorylated CI&II in the soluble fraction yielded two trypsinized phosphopeptides, while that in the peripheral membrane fractions showed only one phosphopeptide. These data suggest that multiple phosphorylation of CI&II alters their cellular localization. We conclude that phosphorylation of CI&II controls their localization in frog ROS and an interaction of CI&II with subunits of Gt regulates their phosphorylation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

Potent peptide analogues of a G protein receptor-binding region obtained with a combinatorial library.

The C terminus of the G protein alpha subunit represents an important site of interaction between heterotrimeric G proteins and their cognate receptors. We have screened a combinatorial peptide library based on the C terminus of the alpha subunit of Gt (340-350) and have identified unique sequences that bind rhodopsin with high affinity. Six of these sequences, as both fusion proteins and synthetic peptides, were significantly more potent than the parent sequence in binding to and stabilization of metarhodopsin II. These sequences provide information about which residues are required for appropriate receptor interaction. We observed that in all the high affinity sequences, a positively charged residue at position 341 was changed to a neutral one. Thus, it appears that the receptor-G protein interaction was designed to be low affinity to ensure efficient catalysis of G protein activation. We also observed Cys-347 and Gly-348 to be invariant, and hydrophobic residues were always located at positions 340, 344, 349, and 350, demonstrating the critical nature of these residues. A composite of the structures of the high affinity sequences was modeled based upon the structure of rhodopsin-bound trNOESY NMR of this region of Gt alpha (Dratz, E. D., Fursteneau, J. E., Lambert, C. G., Thireault, D. L., Rarick, H., Schepers, T., Pakhlevaniants, S., and Hamm, H. E. (1993) Nature 363, 276-280) and provides insight into the complementary G protein-binding surface of the receptor.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

Mapping of effector binding sites of transducin alpha-subunit using G alpha t/G alpha i1 chimeras.

The G protein transducin has been an often-used model for biochemical, structural, and mechanistic studies of G protein function. Experimental studies have been limited, however, by the inability to express quantities of mutants in heterologous systems with ease. In this study we have made a series of G alpha t/G alpha i1 chimeras differing at as few as 11 positions from native G alpha t. Ten chimeras are properly folded, contain GDP, can assume an A1F4(-)-induced activated conformation, and interact with beta gamma t and light-activated rhodopsin. They differ dramatically in their affinity for GDP, from Gi-like (initial rates 225 mumol/mol s) to Gt-like (initial rates 4.9 mumol/mol s). We have used these chimeras to define contact sites on G alpha t with the effector enzyme cGMP phosphodiesterase. G alpha t GTP but not G alpha t GDP activates it by removing the phosphodiesterase (PDE) gamma inhibitory subunit. In solution, G alpha t GTP interacts with PDE gamma (Kd 12 nM), while G alpha t GDP binds PDE gamma more weakly (Kd 0.88 microM). The interaction of G alpha i GDP with PDE gamma is undetectable, but G alpha i GDP-A1F4- interacts weakly with PDE gamma (Kd 2.4 microM). Using defined G alpha t/G alpha i chimeras, we have individuated the regions on G alpha t most important for interaction with PDE gamma in the basal and activated states. The G alpha t sequence encompassing alpha helix 3 and the alpha 3/beta 5 loop contributes most binding energy to interaction with PDE gamma. Another composite P gamma interaction site is the conserved switch, through which the GTP-bound G alpha t as well as G alpha i1 interact with P gamma. Competition studies between PDE gamma and truncated regions of PDE gamma provide evidence for the point-to-point interactions between the two proteins. The amino-terminal 1-45 segment containing the central polycationic region binds to G alpha t's alpha 3 helix and alpha 3/beta 5 loop, while the COOH-terminal region of P gamma, 63-87, binds in concert to the conserved switch regions. The first interaction provides specific interaction with both the GDP- and GTP-liganded G alpha t, while the second one is conserved between G alpha t and G alpha i1 and dependent on the activated conformation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1995

An effector site that stimulates G-protein GTPase in photoreceptors.

Heterotrimeric G-proteins mediate between receptors and effectors, acting as molecular clocks. G-protein interactions with activated receptors catalyze the replacement of GDP bound to the alpha-subunit with GTP. alpha-Subunits then modulate the activity of downstream effectors until the bound GTP is hydrolyzed. In several signal transduction pathways, including the cGMP cascade of photoreceptor cells, the relatively slow GTPase activity of heterotrimeric G-proteins can be significantly accelerated when they are complexed with corresponding effectors. In the phototransduction cascade the GTPase activity of photoreceptor G-protein, transducin, is substantially accelerated in a complex with its effector, cGMP phosphodiesterase. Here we characterize the stimulation of transducin GTPase by a set of 23 mutant phosphodiesterase gamma-subunits (PDE gamma) containing single alanine substitutions within a stretch of the 25 C-terminal amino acid residues known to be primarily responsible for the GTPase regulation. The substitution of tryptophan at position 70 completely abolished the acceleration of GTP hydrolysis by transducin in a complex with this mutant. This mutation also resulted in a reduction of PDE gamma affinity for transducin, but did not affect PDE gamma interactions with the phosphodiesterase catalytic subunits. Single substitutions of 7 other hydrophobic amino acids resulted in a 50-70% reduction in the ability of PDE gamma to stimulate transducin GTPase, while substitutions of charged and polar amino acids had little or no effect. These observations suggest that the role of PDE gamma in activation of the transducin GTPase rate may be based on multiple hydrophobic interactions between these molecules.

3',5'-Cyclic-GMP Phosphodiesterases↗
PubMed1995

The carboxyl terminus of the gamma-subunit of rod cGMP phosphodiesterase contains distinct sites of interaction with the enzyme catalytic subunits and the alpha-subunit of transducin.

The interaction between the GTP-bound form of the transducin alpha-subunit (G alpha t) and the gamma-subunit (P gamma) of cGMP phosphodiesterase (PDE) is a key event in effector activation during photon signal transduction. The carboxyl-terminal half of P gamma is involved in interaction with G alpha t as well as in inhibition of PDE activity. Here we have utilized a combination of synthetic peptide and mutagenesis approaches to localize specific regions of the carboxyl-terminal region of P gamma interacting with G alpha t and P alpha beta and have determined residues involved in inhibition of PDE activity. We found that synthetic peptide corresponding to residues 68-87 of P gamma completely inhibit trypsin-activated PDE. The peptide P gamma-63-87 bound to G alpha t GTP gamma S with a Kd of 2.5 microM, whereas the binding of P gamma-68-87 to G alpha tGTP gamma S was approximately 15-fold less (Kd = 40 microM) suggesting that carboxyl-terminal P gamma region 68-87 contains a site for interaction with P alpha beta and also a part of the alpha t binding site. To map G alpha t and P alpha beta sites more precisely within the carboxyl-terminal region, a set of carboxyl-terminal mutants was generated by site-directed mutagenesis. Deletion of residues 63-69 and 70-76 diminished the binding of mutants to alpha t while binding to carboxyl-terminally truncated mutants lacking up to 11 amino acid residues was unchanged. In contrast, carboxyl-terminal truncations of P gamma from delta 1 to delta 11 resulted in a gradual decrease of its inhibitory activity. Thus, the extreme carboxyl-terminal hydrophobic sequence -Ile86-Ile87 together with 9 adjacent residues provides inhibitory interaction of P gamma with P alpha beta. The carboxyl-terminal G alpha tGTP gamma S binding site of P gamma is different from but adjacent to its PDE inhibitory site. During the visual transduction process, G alpha tGTP likely binds to this region of P gamma inducing a displacement of the extreme carboxyl terminus from the inhibitory site on P alpha beta, leading to PDE activation.

3',5'-Cyclic-GMP Phosphodiesterases↗
PubMed1995

Structural and functional relationships of heterotrimeric G-proteins.

Heterotrimeric GTP-binding proteins (G-proteins) are a critical component of signal transduction pathways that carry information received at the cell surface to the appropriate cellular effector system, ultimately achieving a specific cellular response. Heterotrimeric G-proteins consist of an alpha-subunit, which contains the guanine nucleotide binding site and intrinsic GTPase activity, and an inseparable beta gamma-subunit complex. G-proteins act to define the specificity by which a receptor regulates a particular intracellular signaling system, as well as to regulate the duration of the signal. A great deal of structural and functional insight into how G-protein-mediated signal transduction occurs has recently been achieved. This review will discuss the structural features of G-proteins, as well as detail the mechanism by which G-proteins interact with receptors and effectors.

GTP-Binding Proteins↗
PubMed1994

GTPase mechanism of Gproteins from the 1.7-A crystal structure of transducin alpha-GDP-AIF-4.

Aluminium fluoride (AIF-4) activates members of the heterotrimeric G-protein (G alpha beta gamma) family by binding to inactive G alpha.GDP near the site occupied by the gamma-phosphate in G alpha.GTP (ref. 3). Here we describe the crystal structure of transducin alpha.GDP activated with aluminium fluoride (Gt alpha.GDP.AIF-4.H2O) at 1.7 A, a resolution sufficient to establish the coordination geometry of the bound aluminium fluoride as well as the extensive network of direct and water-mediated interactions that stabilize it. These observations are derived from three independent representations in the asymmetric unit, eliminating any chance of drawing conclusions based on stereochemistry imposed by crystal packing. Surprisingly, aluminium fluoride activates G alpha.GDP by binding with a geometry resembling a pentavalent intermediate for GTP hydrolysis. The stabilizing interactions involve not only residues that interact with the gamma-phosphate in Gt alpha.GTP gamma S, but also conserved residues for GTPase activity. Thus the Gt alpha.GDP.AIF-4.H2O structure provides new insight into the mechanism of GTP hydrolysis.

Aluminum Compounds↗
PubMed1994

Synthetic peptides as probes for G protein function. Carboxyl-terminal G alpha s peptides mimic Gs and evoke high affinity agonist binding to beta-adrenergic receptors.

The molecular interfaces between Gs and the beta-adrenergic receptor were investigated using synthetic peptides corresponding to various regions of its alpha subunit, alpha s. These experiments were carried out on saponin-permeable C6 glioma cells in which the beta-adrenergic receptor appears tightly coupled to Gs. Synthetic site-specific peptides from alpha s (corresponding to amino acids 15-29, 354-372, and 384-394) and alpha i (8-22, 315-324, and 345-455) were tested for their ability to interfere with coupling between the beta-adrenergic receptor and Gs. The two carboxyl-terminal peptides from alpha s blocked beta-adrenergic stimulation of adenylyl cyclase in permeable cells. However, only alpha s-354-372 had this effect in C6 membranes. It is suggested that the partial uncoupling of Gs, which occurs subsequent to cell disruption, may be related to a change in the interaction of the alpha s carboxyl terminus with the beta-adrenoreceptor. Two carboxyl-terminal peptides, 354-372 and 384-394, could also mimic the effect of Gs to increase agonist affinity for the beta-adrenergic receptor. In combination, alpha s-354-372 and alpha s-384-394 increased the ability of isoproterenol to compete with 125I-pindolol binding in a partially additive manner. Synthetic peptides from alpha i and amino-terminal peptides from alpha s had no effect on beta-agonist binding, suggesting a high specificity of peptide effects. Two findings suggest that these peptides bind directly to the beta-adrenergic receptor and stabilize its high agonist affinity conformation. First, GTP and hydrolysis-resistant GTP analogs did not alter the high affinity binding in the presence of high concentrations of the peptides. Second, in S49 lymphoma cyc- cells, which lack Gs, these peptides evoked the high affinity agonist binding state of the beta-receptor. Neither peptide had an effect on antagonist binding affinity, as measured by propranolol displacement of 125I-pindolol. These data suggest that at least two regions on the alpha subunit of Gs participate in high affinity Gs binding to the beta-adrenergic receptor. The fact that these small peptides could mimic the holo-Gs effect on the receptor is rather surprising, and the specificity of the effect suggests that the primary and secondary structure of small regions of alpha s contain much of the information for specific interaction with beta-adrenergic receptors.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗
PubMed1994

Regulation of transducin GTPase activity in bovine rod outer segments.

The photoreceptor G-protein, transducin, belongs to the class of heterotrimeric GTP-binding proteins that transfer information from activated seven-span membrane receptors to effector enzymes or ion channels. Like other G-proteins, transducin acts as a molecular clock. It is activated by photoexcited rhodopsin which catalyzes the exchange of transducin-bound GDP for GTP and then stays active until bound GTP is hydrolyzed by an intrinsic GTPase activity. Our previous study on the components of the amphibian phototransduction cascade (Arshavsky, V. Y., and Bownds, M. D. (1992) Nature 357, 416-417) has shown that transducin GTPase can be significantly accelerated by the target enzyme, cGMP phosphodiesterase (PDE), and more specifically its gamma-subunit (PDE gamma). Here we report that an analogous mechanism is present in bovine photoreceptors. Addition of recombinant PDE gamma to the test photoreceptor membranes which retain transducin but are depleted of endogenous PDE causes a significant acceleration of transducin GTPase activity. A similar effect was observed with the PDE holoenzyme, but not with the complex of PDE alpha- and beta-subunits prepared by a limited proteolysis of PDE with trypsin. The activating effect of PDE gamma is increased as test membrane concentration increases, exceeding 20-fold at rhodopsin concentrations over 80 microM and approaching the rate of the photoresponse turnoff. This suggests either that photoreceptor membranes contain a further factor which is essential for PDE-dependent regulation of transducin-bound GTP hydrolysis or that components of the phototransduction cascade interact in a cooperative manner. We also report that the GTPase-activating epitope is located within the C-terminal third of PDE gamma: the peptide corresponding to the 25 C-terminal amino acid residues of PDE gamma can accelerate transducin GTPase almost as well as the full-length PDE gamma. A part of the GTPase activating epitope is located within the 3 C-terminal amino acid residues: the truncation PDE gamma mutant lacking these residues accelerates transducin GTPase considerably less than the whole length PDE gamma.

3',5'-Cyclic-GMP Phosphodiesterases↗
PubMed1994

Structural determinants for activation of the alpha-subunit of a heterotrimeric G protein.

The 1.8 A crystal structure of transducin alpha.GDP, when compared to that of the activated complex with GTP-gamma S, reveals the nature of the conformational changes that occur on activation of a heterotrimeric G-protein alpha-subunit. Structural changes initiated by direct contacts with the terminal phosphate of GTP propagate to regions that have been implicated in effector activation. The changes are distinct from those observed in other members of the GTPase superfamily.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Arrestin-rhodopsin interaction. Multi-site binding delineated by peptide inhibition.

Visual arrestin modulates the intracellular response of retinal rod cells to light by specifically binding to the phosphorylated light-activated form of the photoreceptor rhodopsin (P-Rh*). In order to characterize the molecular interaction between rhodopsin and arrestin, we have studied the ability of synthetic peptides from the proposed cytoplasmic loops of rhodopsin to inhibit arrestin binding. A third cytoplasmic loop peptide competed most effectively for arrestin binding to P-Rh*, exhibiting an IC50 of 34 microM, while a first cytoplasmic loop peptide weakly inhibited binding with an IC50 of approximately 1100 microM. The first and third cytoplasmic loop peptides also inhibited P-Rh* interaction with both ARR[delta (2-16)-404], an arrestin mutant that lacks residues 2-16, and ARR[1-191], a mutant that contains only the amino half of arrestin. However, the third loop peptide had an approximately 5-fold lower affinity at inhibiting the binding of ARR[1-191] to P-Rh*. While the first and third loop peptides also inhibited arrestin binding to light-activated rhodopsin and a truncated rhodopsin lacking its C-terminal sites of phosphorylation, the peptides modestly enhanced arrestin binding to phosphorylated dark rhodopsin. These results suggest that the third and, to a lesser extent, the first cytoplasmic loops of rhodopsin may play an important role in arrestin binding to light-activated forms of rhodopsin.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

The 2.2 A crystal structure of transducin-alpha complexed with GTP gamma S.

The 2.2 A crystal structure of activated rod transducin, Gt alpha.GTP gamma S, shows the bound GTP gamma S molecule occluded deep in a cleft between a domain structurally homologous to small GTPases and a helical domain unique to heterotrimeric G proteins. The structure, when combined with biochemical and genetic studies, suggests: how an activated receptor might open this cleft to allow nucleotide exchange; a mechanism for GTP-induced changes in effector and receptor binding surfaces; and a mechanism for GTPase activity not evident from previous data.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

A site on transducin alpha-subunit of interaction with the polycationic region of cGMP phosphodiesterase inhibitory subunit.

Activation of cGMP phosphodiesterase (PDE) by the rod G-protein transducin is a key event in visual signal transduction in vertebrate photoreceptor cells. Interaction between the GTP-bound form of the alpha-subunit of transducin (alpha t*) and the PDE inhibitory gamma-subunit (P gamma) is a major component of PDE activation. The central polycationic region of P gamma, P gamma-24-45, has been implicated as one of the sites involved in alpha t*.P gamma interaction. Here we determine the site on alpha t* that interacts with P gamma-24-45 using a photo-cross-linking approach. The synthetic peptides Cys(ACM)Tyr-P gamma-24-45-Cys (where ACM indicates acetamidomethyl group) and Cys-P gamma-24-45 were labeled with 4-(N-maleimido)benzophenone at the COOH and NH2 termini, respectively, and then cross-linked to alpha t. When the photoprobe was attached to the COOH terminus of the peptide, a specific high yield cross-linked product (80%) was formed between the peptide and alpha t GTP gamma S (guanosine 5'-O-(thiotriphosphate)). A lower yield of cross-linking (35%) was seen between the peptide and alpha t GDP. The site of cross-linking between Cys(ACM)Tyr-P gamma-24-45-Cys and alpha t GTP gamma S was localized to within alpha t-306-310 using a variety of chemical and proteolytic cleavages of the cross-linked product, analysis of the fragments with SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry.

3',5'-Cyclic-GMP Phosphodiesterases↗