Biology subjects

Guarra, F.

Publications and source records attributed to Guarra, F..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2024

Point mutations of the mitochondrial chaperone TRAP1 affect its functions and pro-neoplastic activity.

The mitochondrial chaperone TRAP1 is a key regulator of cellular homeostasis and its activity has important implications in neurodegeneration, ischemia and cancer. Recent evidence has indicated that TRAP1 mutations are involved in several disorders, even though the structural basis for the impact of point mutations on TRAP1 functions has never been studied. By exploiting a modular structure-based framework and molecular dynamics simulations, we investigated the effect of five TRAP1 mutations on its structure and stability. Each mutation differentially impacts long-range interactions, intra and inter-protomer dynamics and ATPase activity. Changes in these parameters influence TRAP1 functions, as revealed by their effects on the activity of the TRAP1 interactor succinate dehydrogenase (SDH). In keeping with this, TRAP1 point mutations affect the growth and migration of aggressive sarcoma cells, and alter sensitivity to a selective TRAP1 inhibitor. Our work provides new insights on the structure-activity relationship of TRAP1, identifying crucial amino acid residues that regulate TRAP1 proteostatic functions and pro-neoplastic activity.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2024

Disulfide-mediated tetramerization of TRAP1 fosters its antioxidant and pro-neoplastic activities.

The mitochondrial chaperone TRAP1 exerts a protective function in cells exposed to diverse stress conditions in both physiological and pathological contexts. In cancer cells, it contributes to neoplastic progression ensuing metabolic rewiring and protection from oxidative insults. TRAP1 works as a homodimer, but recent evidence has indicated that it can form tetramers whose functional effects remain elusive. Here, we find that TRAP1 forms redox-sensitive tetramers via disulfide bonds involving two critical cysteine residues, C261 and C573. TRAP1 tetramerization is elicited by oxidative stress and abrogated upon expression of the double C261S/C573R mutant. In cancer contexts, the expression of the TRAP1 C261S/C573R mutant is unable to inhibit the activity of its client succinate dehydrogenase and to confer protection against oxidative insults, and it hampers invasiveness of aggressive sarcoma cells. Our data indicate that TRAP1 undergoes tetramerization in response to oxidative stress and identify C261 and C573 as critical for TRAP1 structural rearrangement and for functions.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2024

How a pathogenic mutation impairs Hsp60 functional dynamics from monomeric to fully assembled states

Heat Shock Protein 60 kDa (Hsp60) is a mitochondrial chaperonin that cooperates with Hsp10 to drive the correct folding of client proteins. Monomers M of Hsp60 (featuring equatorial, intermediate, and apical domains) first assemble into 7-meric Single rings (S), then pairs of S interface equatorially to form 14-meric Double rings (D) that accommodate clients into their lumen. Recruitment of 7 Hsp10 molecules per pole turns D into a 28-meric Football-shaped complex (F). Sequential hydrolysis of ATP present in each Hsp60 unit of F finally drives client folding and F disassembly. Equatorial domain mutation V72I occurs in SPG13, a form of hereditary spastic paraplegia: while distal to the active site, this severely impairs the chaperone cycle and stability. To understand the molecular bases of this impairment we have run atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of M, S, D, and F for both WT and mutant Hsp60, with two catalytically relevant Hsp60 aspartates in D and F modelled in three different protonation states. Additionally, D in one protonation state was modelled post-hydrolysis (total production time: 36 {micro}s). By combining complementary experimental and computational approaches for the analysis of functional dynamics and allosteric mechanisms, we consistently find that mutation V72I significantly rewires allosteric routes present in WT Hsp60 across its complexes, from isolated M units right up to F, rigidifying them--as observed experimentally--by introducing a direct allosteric link between equatorial and apical Hsp60 domains that bypasses the ATP binding site (wherein we observe the alteration of mechanisms driving reactivity). Our results reveal a multiscale complexity of functional mechanisms for Hsp60 and its pathogenic mutant, and may lay the foundation for the design of experiments to fully understand both variants.

biochemistry↗