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Siddhartha Roy

Publications and source records attributed to Siddhartha Roy.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2026

The chromatin reader ZMYND8 recruits the NuRD component GATAD2A through its MYND domain to regulate MAPT213 long noncoding RNA transcription.

The zinc finger MYND-type containing eight protein (ZMYND8) is a chromatin reader that regulates neuronal gene expression by controlling the microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) locus. Here, we investigate how ZMYND8 regulates expression of the long non-coding RNA MAPT213 through its interaction with GATA zinc finger domain containing 2A (GATAD2A), a component of the Nucleosome Remodelling and Deacetylase complex. ZMYND8 exhibits opposite regulatory effects on protein-coding MAPT and non-coding MAPT213 transcripts in a manner dependent on its MYND domain, promoting MAPT expression while suppressing MAPT213 levels. Chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments demonstrated that ZMYND8 specifically recruits GATAD2A to the MAPT213 internal regulatory region, establishing a direct link between protein binding and transcriptional control. We determined the crystal structure of the ZMYND8 coiled-coil MYND domain at high resolution, revealing a homodimeric architecture. The MYND domain specifically recognizes GATAD2A through direct interaction with proline-rich motifs in GATAD2A's central region. Structure-function analysis identified critical binding interface residues, while quantitative measurements revealed moderate-affinity interactions enhanced through multivalent binding mechanisms. These findings establish the molecular basis for ZMYND8-mediated recruitment of chromatin remodeling complexes to specific genomic loci and provide a structural framework for understanding transcriptional regulation of MAPT213.

Humans↗
PubMed2006

Solvation dynamics of a protein in the pre molten globule state.

The nature of solvent molecules around proteins in native and different non-native states is crucial for understanding the protein folding problem. We have characterized two compact denatured states of glutaminyl-tRNA synthetase (GlnRS) under equilibrium conditions in the presence of a naturally occurring osmolyte, l-glutamate. The solvation dynamics of the compact denatured states and the fully unfolded state has been studied using a covalently attached probe, acrylodan, near the active site. The solvation dynamics progressively becomes faster as the protein goes from the native to the molten globule to the pre molten globule to the fully unfolded state. Anisotropy decay measurements suggest that the pre-molten-globule intermediate is more flexible than the molten globule although the secondary structure is largely similar. Dynamic light scattering studies reveal that both the compact denatured states are aggregated under the measurement conditions. The implications of solvation dynamics in aggregated compact denatured states have been discussed.

Amino Acyl-tRNA Synthetases↗
PubMed2006

Cloning, expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of peptidyl-tRNA hydrolase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Peptidyl-tRNA hydrolase catalyses the cleavage of the ester link between the peptide and the tRNA in peptidyl-tRNAs that, for various reasons, have dropped off the translating ribosomes. This enzyme from Mycobacterium tuberculosis has been crystallized in three related but distinct forms: P2(1)2(1)2(1), unit-cell parameters a = 36.30, b = 61.85, c = 73.97 A, P2(1), a = 35.83, b = 73.79, c = 59.79 A, beta = 92.3 degrees , and P2(1)2(1)2(1), a = 35.84, b = 57.06, c = 72.59 A. X-ray data have been collected from all three forms.

Bacterial Proteins↗
PubMed2006

Small cationic protein from a marine turtle has beta-defensin-like fold and antibacterial and antiviral activity.

Egg white of marine turtle Caretta caretta contains a small cationic protein but lacks lysozyme. The protein was sequenced by a combination of sequential Edman degradation, carboxypeptidase digestion, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. The protein contains 36 amino acid residues of which six are half-cysteines. The three-dimensional structure of the protein was deduced from two-dimensional NMR experiments and was observed to be similar to vertebrate beta-defensins. However, disulfide connectivity is C1-C6/C2-C5/C3-C4; different from that of the vertebrate beta-defensins. The protein showed strong antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium. The protein also showed significant antiviral activity against an enveloped rhabdovirus, Chandipura virus, which is an emerging human pathogen. This virus is also closely related to the vesicular stomatitis virus, whose growth was also inhibited. This small cationic protein is part of the innate immunity of this organism and replaces lysozyme in the egg. It has the potential to be developed as an antibacterial and antiviral agent.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

X-ray studies of crystalline complexes involving amino acids and peptides. XLIII. Adipic acid complexes of L- and DL-lysine.

The asymmetric unit of the DL-lysine complex of adipic acid [bis(DL-lysinium) adipate], 2C6H15N2O2+.C6H8O(4)2-, contains a zwitterionic singly charged lysinium cation and half a doubly charged adipate anion (the complete anion has inversion symmetry). That of the L-lysine complex (lysinium hydrogen adipate), C6H15N2O2+.C6H9O4-, consists of a lysinium cation and a singly charged hydrogen adipate anion. In both structures, the lysinium cations organize into layers interconnected by adipate or hydrogen adipate anions. However, the arrangement of the molecular ions in the layer is profoundly different in the DL- and L-lysine complexes. The hydrogen adipate anions in the L-lysine complex form linear arrays in which adjacent ions are interconnected by a symmetric O...H...O hydrogen bond.

Adipates↗
PubMed2005

Switching DNA-binding specificity by unnatural amino acid substitution.

The specificity of protein-nucleic acid recognition is believed to originate largely from hydrogen bonding between protein polar atoms, primarily side-chain and polar atoms of nucleic acid bases. One way to design new nucleic acid binding proteins of novel specificity is by structure-guided alterations of the hydrogen bonding patterns of a nucleic acid-protein complex. We have used cI repressor of bacteriophage lambda as a model system. In the lambda-repressor-DNA complex, the epsilon-NH(2) group (hydrogen bond donor) of lysine-4 of lambda-repressor forms hydrogen bonds with the amide carbonyl atom of asparagine-55 (acceptor) and the O6 (acceptor) of CG6 of operator site O(L)1. Substitution of lysine-4 (two donors) by iso-steric S-(2-hydroxyethyl)-cysteine (one donor and one acceptor), by site-directed mutagenesis and chemical modification, leads to switch of binding specificity of lambda-repressor from C:G to T:A at position 6 of O(L)1. This suggests that unnatural amino acid substitutions could be a simple way of generating nucleic acid binding proteins of altered specificity.

Amino Acid Substitution↗
PubMed2005

Slow solvation dynamics at the active site of an enzyme: implications for catalysis.

Solvation dynamics at the active site of an enzyme, glutaminyl-tRNA synthetase (GlnRS), was studied using a fluorescence probe, acrylodan, site-specifically attached at cysteine residue C229, near the active site. The picosecond time-dependent fluorescence Stokes shift indicates slow solvation dynamics at the active site of the enzyme, in the absence of any substrate. The solvation dynamics becomes still slower when the substrate (glutamine or tRNA(Gln)) binds to the enzyme. A mutant Y211H-GlnRS was constructed in which the glutamine binding site is disrupted. The mutant Y211H-GlnRS labeled at C229 with acrylodan exhibited significantly different solvent relaxation, thus demonstrating that the slow dynamics is indeed associated with the active site. Implications for catalysis and specificity have been discussed.

Amino Acyl-tRNA Synthetases↗
PubMed2005

Gal repressor-operator-HU ternary complex: pathway of repressosome formation.

DNA transaction reactions require formation of nucleoprotein complexes that involve multifaceted DNA-protein and protein-protein interactions. Genetic and biochemical studies suggested that the higher order Gal repressosome structure, which governs the transcription of two tandem galpromoters in Escherichia coli, involves sequence-specific binding of GalR repressor dimers to two operators, O(E) and O(I), located 113 bp apart, binding of GalR to the sequence-nonspecific DNA binding protein HU, interaction of HU with an architecturally critical DNA site between the two operators, and interaction between two DNA-bound GalR dimers generating a loop of the intervening DNA segment. In this paper, we demonstrate and determine the thermodynamic parameters of several of these interactions, GalR dimer-O(E), GalR tetramerization, HU-GalR, and HU-GalR-O(E) interactions, by analytical ultracentrifugation, fluorescence anisotropy, and fluorescence resonance energy transfer. The physiological significance of several of these interactions was confirmed by the finding that a mutant HU, which is unable to form the repressosome in vivo and in vitro, failed to show the HU-GalR interaction. The results help to construct a pathway of Gal repressosome assembly.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed2005

X-ray studies on crystalline complexes involving amino acids and peptides. XLII. Adipic acid complexes of L- and DL-arginine and supramolecular association in arginine-dicarboxylic acid complexes.

The adipic acid complexes of DL-arginine and L-arginine are made up of zwitterionic, singularly positively charged arginium ions and doubly negatively charged adipate ions, with a 2:1 stoichiometry. One of the two crystallographically independent arginium ions in the L-arginine complex has a conformation hitherto unobserved in crystal structures containing the amino acid. In the present study the structural data on arginine complexes of saturated dicarboxylic acids with 0-5 C atoms separating the two carboxyl functions are given. In terms of molecular aggregation, formic and acetic acid complexes behave in a similar way to those involving fairly long carboxylic acids such as adipic acid. By and large, the supramolecular assembly in complexes involving dicarboxylic acids with 3 or more C atoms separating the carboxyl groups (glutaric, adipic and pimelic acids), and those involving formic and acetic acids, have common features. The aggregation patterns in complexes involving oxalic, malonic and maleic acids do not share striking features among themselves (except for the mode of hydrogen-bonded dimerization of arginium ions) or with those involving larger dicarboxylic acids. Complexes of succinic acid, the shortest linear dicarboxylic acid, share features with those involving shorter as well as longer dicarboxylic acids. The difference in the behaviour of long and short dicarboxylic acids and the ambiguous behaviour of succinic acid can be broadly related to their lengths.

Adipates↗
PubMed2005

Role of C-terminal residues in oligomerization and stability of lambda CII: implications for lysis-lysogeny decision of the phage.

A crucial element in the lysis-lysogeny decision of the temperate coliphage lambda is the phage protein CII, which has several interesting properties. It promotes lysogeny through activation of three phage promoters p(E), p(I) and p(aQ), recognizing a direct repeat sequence TTGCN6TTGC at each. The three-dimensional structure of CII, a homo-tetramer of 97 residue subunits, is unknown. It is an unstable protein in vivo, being rapidly degraded by the host protease HflB (FtsH). This instability is essential for the function of CII in the lysis-lysogeny switch. From NMR and limited proteolysis we show that about 15 C-terminal residues of CII are highly flexible, and may act as a target for proteolysis in vivo. From in vitro transcription, isothermal calorimetry and gel chromatography of CII (1-97) and its truncated fragments CIIA (4-81/82) and CIIB (4-69), we find that residues 70-81/82 are essential for (a) tetramer formation, (b) operator binding and (c) transcription activation. Presumably, tetramerization is necessary for the latter functions. Based on these results, we propose a model for CII structure, in which protein-protein contacts for dimer and tetramer formation are different. The implications of tetrameric organization, essential for CII activity, on the recognition of the direct repeat sequence is discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2005

Antagonists of Hsp16.3, a low-molecular-weight mycobacterial chaperone and virulence factor, derived from phage-displayed peptide libraries.

The persistence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a major cause of concern in tuberculosis (TB) therapy. In the persistent mode the pathogen can resist drug therapy, allowing the possibility of reactivation of the disease. Several protein factors have been identified that contribute to persistence, one of them being the 16-kDa low-molecular-weight mycobacterial heat shock protein Hsp16.3, a homologue of the mammalian eye lens protein alpha-crystallin. It is believed that Hsp16.3 plays a key role in the persistence phase by protecting essential proteins from being irreversibly denatured. Because of the close association of Hsp16.3 with persistence, an attempt has been made to develop inhibitors against it. Random peptide libraries displayed on bacteriophage M13 were screened for Hsp16.3 binding. Two phage clones were identified that bind to the Hsp16.3 protein. The corresponding synthetic peptides, an 11-mer and a 16-mer, were able to bind Hsp16.3 and inhibit its chaperone activity in vitro in a dose-dependent manner. Little or no effect of these peptides was observed on alphaB-crystallin, a homologous protein that is a key component of human eye lens, indicating that there is an element of specificity in the observed inhibition. Two histidine residues appear to be common to the selected peptides. Nuclear magnetic resonance studies performed with the 11-mer peptide indicate that in this case these two histidines may be the crucial binding determinants. The peptide inhibitors of Hsp16.3 thus obtained could serve as the basis for developing potent drugs against persistent TB.

Bacterial Proteins↗
PubMed2004

GalR represses galP1 by inhibiting the rate-determining open complex formation through RNA polymerase contact: a GalR negative control mutant.

GalR represses the galP1 promoter by a DNA looping-independent mechanism. Equilibrium binding of GalR and RNA polymerase to DNA, and real-time kinetics of base-pair distortion (isomerization) showed that the equilibrium dissociation constant of RNA polymerase-P1 closed complexes is largely unaffected in the presence of saturating GalR, indicating that mutual antagonism (steric hindrance) of the regulator and the RNA polymerase does not occur at this promoter. In fluorescence kinetics with 2-AP labeled P1 DNA, GalR inhibited the slower of the two-step base-pair distortion process. We isolated a negative control GalR mutant, S29R, which while bound to the operator DNA was incapable of repression of P1. Based on these results and previous demonstration that repression requires the C-terminal domain of the alpha subunit (alpha-CTD) of RNA polymerase, we propose that GalR establishes contact with alpha-CTD at the last resolved isomerization intermediate, forming a kinetic trap.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed2004

Monomer and dimer of Chandipura virus unphosphorylated P-protein binds leader RNA differently: implications for viral RNA synthesis.

Interaction of the leader RNA with the unphosphorylated P-protein has been proposed to play a key role in the transcription-replication transition of Chandipura virus, a model rhabdovirus. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay with the leader RNA and the unphosphorylated P-protein demonstrated existence of two distinct complexes in vitro. Measurements of stoichiometry indicate the protein monomer/RNA ratio to be 1:1 and 2:1 for faster and slower migrating bands, respectively. We have also observed a concentration-dependent oligomerization of the unphosphorylated P-protein, in sub-micromolar to low micromolar range. Sedimentation velocity, dynamic light scattering and large zone gel filtration experiments suggest a monomer-dimer-tetramer model of association. RNA binding experiments suggest that the two complexes assembled from one molecule of the leader RNA binding to either a protein monomer or a dimer. A truncated RNA consisting of a 3' region of the leader transcript exclusively formed the 1:1 complex, whereas a RNA consisting of only the 5' region forms the 2:1 complex exclusively. RNA binding experiments at different protein concentrations suggest that binding of the RNA comprising the 3' region weakens significantly at higher P(0) concentrations, whereas in contrast the binding of the RNA comprising the 5' region becomes modestly tighter. Implications of two different types of leader RNA-P-protein complexes in viral RNA synthesis are discussed.

Macromolecular Substances↗
PubMed2004

X-ray analysis of Mycobacterium smegmatis Dps and a comparative study involving other Dps and Dps-like molecules.

The structure of the DNA binding protein from starved cells from Mycobacterium smegmatis has been determined in three crystal forms and has been compared with those of similar proteins from other sources. The dodecameric molecule can be described as a distorted icosahedron. The interfaces among subunits are such that the dodecameric molecule appears to have been made up of stable trimers. The situation is similar in the proteins from Escherichia coli and Agrobacterium tumefaciens, which are closer to the M.smegmatis protein in sequence and structure than those from other sources, which appear to form a dimer first. Trimerisation is aided in the three proteins by the additional N-terminal stretches that they possess. The M.smegmatis protein has an additional C-terminal stretch compared to other related proteins. The stretch, known to be involved in DNA binding, is situated on the surface of the molecule. A comparison of the available structures permits a delineation of the rigid and flexible regions in the molecule. The subunit interfaces around the molecular dyads, where the ferroxidation centres are located, are relatively rigid. Regions in the vicinity of the acidic holes centred around molecular 3-fold axes, are relatively flexible. So are the DNA binding regions. The crystal structures of the protein from M.smegmatis confirm that DNA molecules can occupy spaces within the crystal without disturbing the arrangement of the protein molecules. However, contrary to earlier suggestions, the spaces do not need to be between layers of protein molecules. The cubic form provides an arrangement in which grooves, which could hold DNA molecules, criss-cross the crystal.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2004

P-protein of Chandipura virus is an N-protein-specific chaperone that acts at the nucleation stage.

The nucleocapsid protein N of Chandipura virus is prone to aggregation in vitro. We have shown that this aggregation occurs in two phases in a nucleation-dependent manner. Electron microscopy suggests that the aggregated state may have a ring-like structure. Using a GFP fusion, we have shown that the N-protein also aggregates in vivo. The P-protein suppresses the N-protein aggregation efficiently, both in vitro and in vivo. Increased lag phase in the presence of the P-protein suggests that chaperone-like action of the P-protein occurs before the nucleation event. The P-protein, however, does not exert any chaperone-like action against other proteins, suggesting that it binds to the N-protein specifically. Surface plasmon resonance and fluorescence enhancement indeed suggest that the P-protein binds tightly to the native N-protein. The P-protein is thus an N-protein-specific chaperone which inhibits the nucleation phase of N-protein aggregation, thus keeping a pool of encapsidation-competent N-protein for viral maturation.

Antiviral Agents↗
PubMed2004

Asynchronous basepair openings in transcription initiation: CRP enhances the rate-limiting step.

The mechanism of isomerization (basepair openings) during transcription initiation by RNA polymerase at the galP1 promoter of Escherichia coli was investigated by 2-aminopurine (2,AP) fluorescence. The fluorescence of 2,AP is quenched in DNA duplex and enhanced when the basepair is distorted or deformed. The increase of 2,AP fluorescence was used to monitor basepair distortion at several individual positions in the promoter. We observed that basepair distortions during isomerization are a multi-step process. Three distinct hitherto unresolved steps in kinetic terms were observed, where significant fluorescence change occurs: a fast step with a half-life of around 1 s, which is followed by two slower steps occurring with a half-life in the range of minutes at 25 degrees C. Contrary to commonly held expectations, basepairs at different positions opened by 2,AP assays without any obvious pattern, suggesting that basepair opening is an asynchronous multi-step process. cAMP.CRP, which activates transcription at galP1, enhanced the rate-limiting step.

2-Aminopurine↗
PubMed2004

The zinc-binding site of a class I aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase is a SWIM domain that modulates amino acid binding via the tRNA acceptor arm.

In its tRNA acceptor end binding domain, the glutamyl-tRNA synthetase (GluRS) of Escherichia coli contains one atom of zinc that holds the extremities of a segment (Cys98-x-Cys100-x24-Cys125-x-His127) homologous to the Escherichia coli glutaminyl-tRNA synthetase (GlnRS) loop where a leucine residue stabilizes the peeled-back conformation of tRNAGln acceptor end. We report here that the GluRS zinc-binding region belongs to the novel SWIM domain family characterized by the signature C-x-C-xn-C-x-H (n = 6-25), and predicted to interact with DNA or proteins. In the presence of tRNAGlu, the GluRS C100Y variant has a lower affinity for l-glutamate than the wild-type enzyme, with Km and Kd values increased 12- and 20-fold, respectively. On the other hand, in the absence of tRNAGlu, glutamate binds with the same affinity to the C100Y variant and to wild-type GluRS. In the context of the close structural and mechanistic similarities between GluRS and GlnRS, these results indicate that the GluRS SWIM domain modulates glutamate binding to the active site via its interaction with the tRNAGlu acceptor arm. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that ancestral GluRSs had a strong zinc-binding site in their SWIM domain. Considering that all GluRSs require a cognate tRNA to activate glutamate, and that some of them have different or no putative zinc-binding residues in the corresponding positions, the properties of the C100Y variant suggest that the GluRS SWIM domains evolved to position correctly the tRNA acceptor end in the active site, thereby contributing to the formation of the glutamate binding site.

Amino Acid Sequence↗