homopropargylglycine and azidohomoalanine

Residue-specific incorporation of non-canonical amino acids (ncAAs) introduces bio-orthogonal functionalities into proteins. As such, this technique is applied in protein characterization and quantification. Here, we studied protein expression with three methionine analogs, namely photo-methionine (pMet), azidohomoalanine (Aha) and homopropargylglycine (Hpg), in prototrophic

Topics: Alanine; Amino Acids; Escherichia coli; Methionine; Proteins; Racemethionine

Determining which proteins are actively synthesized at a given point in time and extracting a representative sample for analysis is important to understand plant responses. Here we show that the methionine (Met) analogue homopropargylglycine (HPG) enables Bio-Orthogonal Non-Canonical Amino acid Tagging (BONCAT) of a small sample of the proteins being synthesized in Arabidopsis plants or cell cultures, facilitating their click-chemistry enrichment for analysis. The sites of HPG incorporation could be confirmed by peptide mass spectrometry at Met sites throughout protein amino acid sequences and correlation with independent studies of protein labelling with

Topics: Alanine; Alkynes; Arabidopsis; Arabidopsis Proteins; Gene Ontology; Glycine; Mass Spectrometry; Methionine; Nitrogen Isotopes; Plant Cells; Protein Processing, Post-Translational; Proteomics

A steady accumulation of experimental data argues that protein synthesis in neurons is not merely restricted to the somatic compartment, but also occurs in several discrete cellular micro-domains. Local protein synthesis is critical for the establishment of synaptic plasticity in mature dendrites and in directing the growth cones of immature axons, and has been associated with cognitive impairment in mice and humans. Although in recent years a number of important mechanisms governing this process have been described, it remains technically challenging to precisely monitor local protein synthesis in individual neuronal cell parts independent from the soma. This report presents the utility of employing microfluidic chambers for the isolation and treatment of single neuronal cellular compartments. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that a protein synthesis assay, based on fluorescent non-canonical amino acid tagging (FUNCAT), can be combined with this cell culture system to label nascent proteins within a discrete structural and functional domain of the neuron. Together, these techniques could be employed for the detection of protein synthesis within developing and mature neurites, offering an effective approach to elucidate novel mechanisms controlling synaptic maintenance and plasticity.

Topics: Alanine; Alkynes; Amino Acids; Animals; Axons; Azides; Cerebral Cortex; Click Chemistry; Dendrites; Disks Large Homolog 4 Protein; Embryo, Mammalian; Fluorescent Dyes; Glycine; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; Lab-On-A-Chip Devices; Membrane Proteins; Neurons; Primary Cell Culture; Protein Biosynthesis; Rats, Wistar; RNA, Messenger; Triazoles

Analysis of the developing proteome has been complicated by a lack of tools that can be easily employed to label and identify newly synthesized proteins within complex biological mixtures. Here, we demonstrate that the methionine analogs azidohomoalanine and homopropargylglycine can be globally incorporated into the proteome of mice through facile intraperitoneal injections. These analogs contain bio-orthogonal chemical handles to which fluorescent tags can be conjugated to identify newly synthesized proteins. We show these non-canonical amino acids are incorporated into various tissues in juvenile mice and in a concentration dependent manner. Furthermore, administration of these methionine analogs to pregnant dams during a critical stage of murine development, E10.5-12.5 when many tissues are assembling, does not overtly disrupt development as assessed by proteomic analysis and normal parturition and growth of pups. This successful demonstration that non-canonical amino acids can be directly administered in vivo will enable future studies that seek to characterize the murine proteome during growth, disease and repair.

Topics: Alanine; Alkynes; Amino Acids; Animals; Embryonic Development; Female; Glycine; Methionine; Mice; Pregnancy; Protein Biosynthesis; Proteome; Proteomics

Cell-selective protein metabolic labeling is of great interest for studying cell-cell communications and tissue homeostasis. We herein describe a nitrilase-activatable noncanonical amino acid tagging (NANCAT) strategy that exploits an exogenous nitrilase to enzymatically convert the nitrile-substituted precursors to their corresponding noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs), l-azidohomoalanine (Aha) or homopropargylglycine (Hpg), in living cells. Only cells expressing the nitrilase can generate Aha or Hpg in cellulo and metabolically incorporate them into the nascent proteins. Subsequent click-labeling of the azide- or alkyne-incorporated proteins with fluorescent probes or with affinity tags enables visualization and proteomic profiling of nascent proteomes, respectively. We have demonstrated that NANCAT can serve as a versatile strategy for cell-selective labeling of proteomes in both bacterial and mammalian cells.

Topics: Alanine; Alkynes; Aminohydrolases; Animals; CHO Cells; Cricetulus; Glycine; HeLa Cells; Humans; Microscopy, Fluorescence; Proteome; Proteomics; Staining and Labeling

Extracellular matrix dynamics are key to tissue morphogenesis, homeostasis, injury, and repair. The spatiotemporal organization of this matrix has profound biological implications, but is challenging to monitor using standard techniques. Here, we address these challenges by using noncanonical amino acid tagging to fluorescently label extracellular matrix synthesized in the presence of bio-orthogonal methionine analogs. This strategy labels matrix proteins with high resolution, without compromising their distribution or mechanical function. We demonstrate that the organization and temporal dynamics of the proteinaceous matrix depend on the biophysical features of the microenvironment, including the biomaterial scaffold and the niche constructed by cells themselves. Pulse labeling experiments reveal that, in immature constructs, nascent matrix is highly fibrous and interdigitates with pre-existing matrix, while in more developed constructs, nascent matrix lacks fibrous organization and is retained in the immediate pericellular space. Inhibition of collagen crosslinking increases matrix synthesis, but compromises matrix organization. Finally, these data demonstrate marked cell-to-cell heterogeneity amongst both chondrocytes and mesenchymal stem cells undergoing chondrogenesis. Collectively, these results introduce fluorescent noncanonical amino acid tagging as a strategy to investigate spatiotemporal matrix organization, and demonstrate its ability to identify differences in phenotype, microenvironment, and matrix assembly at the single cell level.

Topics: Alanine; Alkynes; Animals; Cattle; Cellular Microenvironment; Chondrocytes; Chondrogenesis; Extracellular Matrix; Extracellular Matrix Proteins; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct; Fluorescent Dyes; Glycine; Mesenchymal Stem Cells; Microscopy, Confocal; Microscopy, Fluorescence; Quinolinium Compounds; Single-Cell Analysis

Ototoxicity is a main dose-limiting factor in the clinical application of aminoglycoside antibiotics. Despite longstanding research efforts, our understanding of the mechanisms underlying aminoglycoside ototoxicity remains limited. Here we report the discovery of a novel stress pathway that contributes to aminoglycoside-induced hair cell degeneration. Modifying the previously developed bioorthogonal noncanonical amino acid tagging method, we used click chemistry to study the role of protein synthesis activity in aminoglycoside-induced hair cell stress. We demonstrate that aminoglycosides inhibit protein synthesis in hair cells and activate a signaling pathway similar to ribotoxic stress response, contributing to hair cell degeneration. The ability of a particular aminoglycoside to inhibit protein synthesis and to activate the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway correlated well with its ototoxic potential. Finally, we report that a Food and Drug Administration-approved drug known to inhibit ribotoxic stress response also prevents JNK activation and improves hair cell survival, opening up novel strategies to prevent and treat aminoglycoside ototoxicity.

Topics: Alanine; Alkynes; Aminoglycosides; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Apoptosis; Blotting, Western; Cell Count; Chick Embryo; Cytosol; Ear Diseases; Enzyme Activation; Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem; Glycine; Hair Cells, Auditory; Immunohistochemistry; JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; Mice; Mice, Inbred CBA; Niacinamide; Organ Culture Techniques; Phenylurea Compounds; Protein Kinase Inhibitors; Protein Synthesis Inhibitors; RNA, Ribosomal; Sorafenib

N-terminal site-specific modification of a protein has many advantages over methods targeting internal positions, but it is not easy to install reactive groups onto a protein in an N-terminal specific manner. We here report a strategy to incorporate amino acid analogues specifically in the N-terminus of a protein in vivo and demonstrate it by preparing green fluorescent protein (GFP) having bio-orthogonally reactive groups at its N-terminus. In the first step, GFP was engineered to be a foldable, internal methionine-free sequence via the semi-rational mutagenesis of five internal methionine residues and the introduction of mutations for GFP folding enhancement. In the second step, the N-terminus of the engineered protein was modified in vivo with bio-orthogonally functional groups by reassigning functional methionine surrogates such as L-homopropargylglycine and L-azidohomoalanine into the first methionine codon of the engineered internal methionine-free GFP. The N-terminal specific incorporation of unnatural amino acids was confirmed by ESI-MS analysis and the incorporation did not affect significantly the specific activity, refolding rate and folding robustness of the protein. The two proteins which have alkyne or azide groups at their N-termini were conjugated each other by bio-orthogonal Cu(I)-catalyzed click chemistry. The strategy used in this study is expected to facilitate bio-conjugation applications of proteins such as N-terminal specific glycosylation, labeling of fluorescent dyes, and immobilization on solid surfaces.

Topics: Alanine; Alkynes; Click Chemistry; Glycine; Green Fluorescent Proteins; Methionine; Proteins

We present a cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) platform and a one-step, direct conjugation scheme for producing virus-like particle (VLP) assemblies that display multiple ligands including proteins, nucleic acids, and other molecules. Using a global methionine replacement approach, we produced bacteriophage MS2 and bacteriophage Qβ VLPs with surface-exposed methionine analogues (azidohomoalanine and homopropargylglycine) containing azide and alkyne side chains. CFPS enabled the production of VLPs with yields of ~ 300 μg/mL and with 85% incorporation of methionine analogues without requiring a methionine auxotrophic production host. We then directly conjugated azide- and alkyne-containing proteins (including an antibody fragment and the granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor, or GM-CSF), nucleic acids and poly(ethylene glycol) chains to the VLP surface using Cu(I) catalyzed click chemistry. The GM-CSF protein, after conjugation to VLPs, was shown to partially retain its ability to stimulate the proliferation of cells. Conjugation of GM-CSF to VLPs resulted in a 3-5-fold reduction in its bioactivity. The direct attachment scheme facilitated conjugation of three different ligands to the VLPs in a single step, and enabled control of the relative ratios and surface abundance of the attached species. This platform can be used for the production of novel VLP bioconjugates for use as drug delivery vehicles, diagnostics, and vaccines.

Topics: Alanine; Alkynes; Animals; Antigens; Cell Line; Cell-Free System; Click Chemistry; CpG Islands; DNA; Glycine; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; Immunoglobulin Idiotypes; Lymphoma, B-Cell; Mice; Polyethylene Glycols; Substrate Specificity; Surface Properties; Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle

Protein translation has been implicated in different forms of synaptic plasticity, but direct in situ visualization of new proteins is limited to one or two proteins at a time. Here we describe a metabolic labeling approach based on incorporation of noncanonical amino acids into proteins followed by chemoselective fluorescence tagging by means of 'click chemistry'. After a brief incubation with azidohomoalanine or homopropargylglycine, a robust fluorescent signal was detected in somata and dendrites. Pulse-chase application of azidohomoalanine and homopropargylglycine allowed visualization of proteins synthesized in two sequential time periods. This technique can be used to detect changes in protein synthesis and to evaluate the fate of proteins synthesized in different cellular compartments. Moreover, using strain-promoted cycloaddition, we explored the dynamics of newly synthesized membrane proteins using single-particle tracking and quantum dots. The newly synthesized proteins showed a broad range of diffusive behaviors, as would be expected for a pool of labeled proteins that is heterogeneous.

Topics: Alanine; Alkynes; Amino Acids; Animals; Cells, Cultured; Fluorescent Dyes; Glycine; Hippocampus; Immunohistochemistry; Microdialysis; Nerve Tissue Proteins; Neurons; Protein Biosynthesis; Proteomics; Quantum Dots; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Staining and Labeling