Biology subjects

Heidari, S.

Publications and source records attributed to Heidari, S..

5 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Small Structural Variations, Large Functional Consequences: Comparative Analysis Reveals Structural Control of Ubiquitylation Site Selection by BRCA1/BARD1

BRCA1/BARD1 is a chromatin-associated E3 ubiquitin ligase that ubiquitylates histone H2A to coordinate DNA damage repair, transcriptional repression, and genome stability. In Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), the orthologous BRC-1/BRD-1 com-plex performs analogous functions but exhibits structural variation, most notably through an additional 11-residue loop in BRD-1 that is absent from human BARD1. Prior exper-iments indicate this worm-specific insertion promotes nucleosome engagement and may alter the preferred lysine target for ubiquitylation. Here, we provide a cross-species comparison by integrating computational and experimental investigation to clarify how a discrete structural variation can tune BRCA1-family ligase behavior and, consequently, chromatin regulation. In vitro ubiquitylation assays and mass spectrometry reveal BRC-1/BRD-1 ubiquitylate the C-terminal tail of histone H2A with less specificity than the human homologs. All-atom molecular dynamics simulations of both the C. elegans BRC-1/BRD-1-LET-70-Ubiquitin assembly and the human BRCA1/BARD1-UbcH5c-Ubiquitin complex in the presence of the nucleosome core particle uncover that the BRD-1 loop makes transient contacts with nucleosomal DNA and histone tails, thereby modulating the positioning and conformational flexibility of the bound E2 (ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme). Together, our results suggest that the BRD-1 loop alters the E3-E2 geometry, thereby altering ubiquitylation-site specificity.

biophysics↗

bioRxiv2026

Decoding the Conformational Dynamics and Hyperactivity of Histone H3K36 N-Methyltransferase in Oncogenic Mutations via tICA and Markov State Modeling

NSD2 is a histone methyltransferase that modifies lysine 36 in histone H3 (H3K36), playing a central role in chromatin organization and transcriptional regulation. Oncogenic mutations, such as E1099K and T1150A in NSD2, have been associated with hyperactive methylation, but the molecular mechanisms underlying this gain of function remain poorly understood. In this study, we performed all-atom molecular dynamics simulations on models of NSD2 bound to the nucleosome for the wild type (WT), E1099K, T1150A, and the E1099K/T1150A double mutant. Analysis of MD simulations reveals that the global dynamics of the enzymes remain unaltered upon mutations. The time-lagged independent component analysis (tICA) and Markov state modeling uncovered fundamental differences in free-energy landscapes among the variants. The WT NSD2 exhibited energetically and kinetically unfavorable transitions between the macrostates along with extended enzyme-substrate distances. On the other hand, the mutant systems demonstrate reduced SAM-H3K36 distances with modified energy landscapes that facilitate transitions or favor prolonged occupancy of catalytically competent states. Importantly, the mutations reorganize the network of intramolecular contacts around the catalytic site, SAM-binding pocket, and histone-binding interface, optimizing substance engagement geometry. These findings demonstrate that oncogenic mutations achieve hyperactivity through strategic reorganization of conformational dynamics rather than simple destabilization, balancing local flexibility with global stability to enhance catalytic efficiency. Our results provide mechanistic insights into NSD2 dysregulation in cancer and establish a framework to develop allosteric inhibitors that target the enzymes dynamic landscape.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2026

The structural mechanism of eukaryotic fluoride channel activation and inhibition by monovalent cations

Fluoride is an environmentally prevalent inhibitor of fungi, plants, and other eukaryotes. The fluoride exporter (FEX) is the major resistance mechanism that prevents intracellular fluoride accumulation in eukaryotes. FEX activity is sodium-dependent, but the mechanism for Na+ activation and the impact of other cations on FEX function remain poorly understood. Here, we show that sodium and lithium have different effects on channel activity. We leverage these differences to understand how monovalent cations regulate FEX. Functional assays in a reconstituted system show that lithium acts as a competitive antagonist of channel activation by competing with sodium for the central cation binding site. We further demonstrate that FEX inhibition by lithium has consequences in vivo, as lithium markedly reduces fluoride tolerance of yeast. A cryo-EM structure of Candida albicans FEX with Li+, together with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, reveals the structural mechanism underlying cation-dependent FEX activity. Whereas sodium binding supports a dynamic structure with a broader pore radius, lithium coordination causes a more rigid conformation that is more compact in the channels vestibule. These changes perturb the tilt angle of a pore lining helix, and the alter the rotamer of a key phenylalanine in the pore, which together constrict the permeation pathway. In addition to providing general insight into the mechanism of fluoride channel regulation by monovalent cations, these results identify lithium as a previously unknown environmental antagonist of eukaryotic fluoride export and tie cellular fluoride stress tolerance to the abundance of additional ions in the cellular milieu.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2025

The Brain/MINDS 3D Digital Marmoset Brain Atlas Version 2.0: Population-based Cortical Region Parcellations with Multi-Modal Standard Templates

We present our new Brain/MINDS 3D digital marmoset brain atlas version 2.0 (BMA2.0), a population-based 3D digital brain atlas of the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus), designed to overcome the limitations of previous single subject atlases that are prone to structural biases arising from individual variation. Here, manually delineated cortical regions from 10 myelin-stained brains were used to create a generalized cortical parcellation. Newly refined subcortical regions from a previous atlas and a completely new cerebellum parcellation were also incorporated, resulting in a comprehensive whole brain parcellation for both hemispheres. To facilitate multimodal data analysis, the atlas package includes co-registered average templates for myelin and Nissl staining from the same individuals, ex vivo MRI T2 (91 individuals), and in vivo MRI T2 (446 individuals). Cortical flat maps and pial, cortical mid-thickness, and white matter surfaces are also provided. BMA2.0 provides a central brain space for multimodal data integration, spatial analysis, and comparative neuroscience. Standard formats and transformations are provided for easy integration into existing workflows and interoperability with existing atlases.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2025

The molecular basis of sodium-dependent fluoride export by the eukaryotic fluoride channel FEX

Much of life on Earth, including plants, fungi, and bacteria, evolved to resist toxic environmental fluoride. In eukaryotes, the major resistance mechanism is fluoride export by FEX proteins. Using electrophysiology and transport assays, we establish that FEX from plants and yeasts are fluoride channels whose activity depends on reversible sodium ion binding. A cryo-EM structure of FEX from Candida albicans, together with mutagenesis studies, reveals a fluoride permeation route through a single phenylalanine-lined pore. Molecular dynamics simulations demonstrate that a cation binding motif adjacent to the pore provides a stable sodium binding site that is accessible from the external aqueous solution. We propose that sodium gating resolves a major conundrum of channel-based fluoride efflux by preventing fluoride permeation under conditions of membrane depolarization. Comparison to bacterial fluoride channels (Flucs) provides a unique glimpse of the evolution of structural and mechanistic complexity in a membrane protein family with inverted repeat architecture.

biophysics↗