ACS Central Science
● American Chemical Society (ACS)
Preprints posted in the last 30 days, ranked by how well they match ACS Central Science's content profile, based on 71 papers previously published here. The average preprint has a 0.05% match score for this journal, so anything above that is already an above-average fit.
Wang, C.; Barzova, P. E.; Robles, J.; Toriki, E. S.; Garcia, F. J.; McKenna, J. M.; Schirle, M.; Zhang, Z.
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The cysteine to serine mutation at residue 481 of Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) is the most common mechanism of clinical resistance against ibrutinib for the treatment of mantle cell lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. We report small molecule ligands containing chiral {beta}-lactone electrophiles to address this challenge. The asymmetric warhead enabled stereoselective covalent modification of wild-type and ibrutinib-resistant mutant BTK(C481S) through distinct sites of reactivity. Building on these findings, we developed kinase-directed {beta}-lactone probes and demonstrated that individual enantiomers preferentially engage distinct subsets of the kinome. These studies establish {beta}-lactones as stereochemically encodable covalent warheads whose stereochemistry can serve as a selectivity filter in covalent drug discovery.
Bregalda, A.; Caligiuri, I.; Saorin, G.; Napolitano, L. M. R.; Poli, G.; Kranjc Brezar, S.; Kamensek, U.; Di Stefano, M.; Sonkar, K.; Pacheco-Garcia, J. L.; Hedge, R.; Parisi, S.; Budai, J.; Adeel, M.; Granchi, C.; De Scordilli, M.; Onesti, S.; Cemazar, M.; Tuccinardi, T.; Canzonieri, V.; Rizzolio, F.
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Poor aqueous solubility remains a major obstacle to the translational development of targeted anticancer compounds. VS1, a first-in-class inhibitor of the cholesterol-transfer protein STARD3, has emerged as a promising chemosensitizing agent in colorectal cancer (CRC), but its clinical applicability is limited by its poor water solubility. Here, we combine structural biology, nanotechnology, and functional pharmacology to establish STARD3 inhibition as a delivery-enabled strategy to potentiate fluoropyrimidine therapy. To define the molecular basis of STARD3 inhibition, we solved the crystal structure of VS1 bound to the STARD3 ligand-binding domain at 2.1 [A] resolution, revealing direct occupation of the sterol-binding cavity. Molecular dynamics simulations confirmed a stable binding mode and identified the {Omega}1 loop as a dynamic gate regulating ligand binding and dissociation. To overcome the formulation barrier of VS1, we engineered carrier-free, albumin-coated nanocrystals through sonication-assisted nanocrystallization followed by surfactant exchange with human serum albumin. The resulting rod-shaped nanocrystals displayed nanometric size, narrow size distribution, sustained release, and improved aqueous dispersibility, increasing the apparent solubility of VS1 by more than 14-fold while preserving its molecular integrity and crystallinity. Biologically, VS1 selectively potentiated 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in CRC cells, with synergistic effects restricted to 5-FU-sensitive models and associated with enhanced reactive oxygen species accumulation. Albumin-coated formulation retained the chemosensitizing activity of the free compound. In HCT-116 xenografts, combined treatment with albumin-coated VS1 nanocrystals and 5-FU significantly reduced tumor growth, prolonged tumor doubling time, and increased intratumoral necrosis without exacerbating systemic toxicity. Together, these findings establish that albumin-coated nanocrystals can overcome the delivery limitations of an insoluble STARD3 inhibitor and provide a formulation-enabled strategy to enhance fluoropyrimidine therapy in colorectal cancer.
Abakah, B.; Shimogawa, M.; Miranda-Castrodad, P.; Rhoades, E.; Petersson, E. J.
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-Synuclein (S), a protein that plays a central role in Parkinsons disease and related synucleinopathies, is an intrinsically disordered protein (IDP) whose functional interactions and aggregation behavior can be strongly influenced by post-translational modifications (PTMs). Phosphorylation, acetylation, and other PTMs regulate Ss interactions with lipid membranes and binding partners, whereas their dysregulation is associated with aggregation and neuronal toxicity. Despite significant progress through chemical and semi-synthetic approaches, investigating the combinatorial effects of PTMs has remained challenging due to the lack of accessible, site-specific methods. Here, we present an integrated strategy combining genetic code expansion, enzymatic modification, and intein-mediated click chemistry to generate S variants bearing multiple defined PTMs and a C-terminal fluorescent label. The resulting constructs enable direct evaluation of how individual and combined PTMs influence S structure, lipid binding, and cellular internalization. Our approach expands the molecular toolkit for dissecting PTM crosstalk in S and other aggregation-prone IDPs, advancing mechanistic understanding and supporting the development of therapeutic strategies for neurodegenerative disease.
Cheng, C.; Ning, Q.; Du, J.; Dawulieti, J.; Guo, C.; Sun, M.; Zhang, K.; Li, H.; Bi, Q.; Li, J.; Wu, Z.; Huang, H.; Ji, Z.-L.; Du, J.-Z.; Yang, C.; Shao, D.; Leong, K.
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Targeting the overwhelming inflammation driven by neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) during infection provides an opportunity to manage severe sepsis. This potential needs to be realized by exploring selective NET-neutralization materials, which remains a challenge. Herein, we report a multivalent macromolecular strategy that targets NET-associated DNA-histone chromatin complexes while preserving antibacterial activity of aminoglycoside. We identify 8-arm PEG-conjugated netilmicin (8-arm Netil) as a lead NETs-neutralizer from a library of multivalent aminoglycoside-displayed materials. When compared with 2- and 4-arm counterparts, 8-arm Netil exhibits potent antibacterial activity and high-affinity binding to DNA-histone chromatin complexes through stable multivalent noncovalent interactions, thereby suppressing NET-induced TLR4/TLR9 activation and macrophage inflammatory responses. In severe septic mice, intravenously administered 8-arm Netil preferentially accumulates in inflamed tissues, leading to improved survival protection, owing to the reduction of bacterial dissemination, NET accumulation, systemic cytokine production, and multiple-organ injury. These findings establish NET-associated DNA-histone chromatin complexes as actionable extracellular targets and demonstrate multivalent chromatin targeting as a rational material design strategy for selective NET neutralization and inflammation control in severe sepsis.
Ding, X.; Liao, R.; Bampi, G. B.; Zhang, D.; Guan, S.; Rosenecker, J.
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Messenger RNA (mRNA) is canonically composed of ribonucleotides, with sporadic incorporation of deoxyribonucleotides into natural RNA transcripts being traditionally regarded as a rare, deleterious error arising from transcriptional infidelity. Here, we challenge this paradigm by demonstrating controlled partial substitution of ribonucleotides with deoxyribonucleotides during in vitro transcription (IVT) generates intact, stable and fully translationally competent IVT-mRNA. Unexpectedly, chimeric DNA-RNA backbone modification exhibits markedly enhanced IVT-mRNA translation several fold across multiple cell types and in vivo via diverse dosing routes relative to their ribonucleotide-based counterparts. 25% substitution of cytidine triphosphate with deoxycytidine triphosphate achieved best-performing translational output, surpassing the current gold-standard N1-methylpseudouridine (m1{Psi})-modified IVT-mRNA in a B16-OVA tumor vaccination model. These findings identify nucleotide class composition as a previously unrecognized parameter governing IVT-mRNA function and establish hybrid ribonucleotide-deoxyribonucleotide backbone engineering as a versatile strategy to expand the chemical space for next-generation mRNA therapeutics.
Elias, R. D.; Allen, S.; Demiralp, I. I.; O'Neill, R. T.; Shäfer, J.-H.; Siems, H.; Montabana, E. A.; Ermel, U. H.; Ash, C.; Abdurrob, F.; Yacoubian, D. A.; Lederberg, O. L.; Serwas, D.; Agard, D. A.; Cravatt, B. F.; Kelly, J. W.
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The lysosome is a major catabolic organelle responsible for the breakdown of both intra- and extracellular substrates1,2. Lysosomal membrane damage mediated by pathologic amyloid fibrils is an area of recent focus3-6. The dipeptide ester LLOMe is typically employed to model lysosomal membrane damage7-11; however its mechanism of membranolysis was previously incompletely understood. Here, in vitro and cell-based analyses, and cryo-electron microscopy and tomography studies reveal LLOMe-derived oligopeptides generated by the lysosomal protease Cathepsin C assemble into cross-{beta}-sheet amyloid fibrils within the lysosome. Additionally, we report lysosome membrane damage triggers the broadly nonspecific dipeptidyl ligase activity of Cathepsin C, facilitating the tagging of proximal proteins within the damaged lysosome lumen with a click chemistry handle: to our knowledge, the first reported localized proximity labeling approach exploiting a fully endogenous, non-engineered enzyme. While Cathepsin C ligase activity has been demonstrated in vitro12,13, our observations of dipeptidyl ligation onto proximal proteins in cells suggests an unexplored role of Cathepsin C in lysosomal biology and broadly exemplifies how other endogenous enzymes might be similarly exploited for proximity labeling. Altogether our results unveil two mechanisms by which dipeptide esters perturb lysosomal homeostasis and provide a roadmap for their utilization toward targeted studies of the lysosome.
Alimoradi, H.; Panahpour, A.; Fallah, A.; Delporte, C.
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Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is frequently overexpressed in inflammatory disorders and solid tumors, where sustained nitric oxide (NO) production promotes angiogenesis, tumor progression, and resistance to therapy. Despite promising preclinical results, the clinical translation of iNOS inhibitors remains limited by poor tumor selectivity, rapid systemic clearance, and off-target toxicities. To address these challenges, we developed a protease-responsive polymeric iNOS-inhibiting prodrug (ProCIP) designed for localized activation within protease-rich pathological microenvironments. ProCIP was synthesized from poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(L-glutamate) and functionalized with amidine-based iNOS inhibitory moieties. The resulting cationic polymer readily formed nanoscale polyionic complexes with anionic polymers or molecules. In cell-free assays, enzymatic activation of ProCIP resulted in a significant reduction in iNOS activity, whereas non-activated nanoparticles showed minimal inhibition. Cellular studies confirmed efficient nanoparticle uptake by RAW264.7 macrophages and revealed a significant reduction in intracellular NO levels in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated cells. These findings demonstrate that ProCIP enables protease-triggered iNOS inhibition and localized NO regulation, offering a promising strategy for improving the safety and efficacy of iNOS-targeted therapies in cancer and other inflammatory diseases.
Watabe, M.; Kuramochi, T.; Fukushima, M.; Kinoshita, M.; Akiba, H.; Ban, K.; Hashimoto, M.; Uchida, N.; Kenta Arai, K. A.; Nakabayashi, T.; Buchner, J.; Muraoka, T.; Okumura, M.
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Dynamic biomolecular condensates play crucial roles in intracellular compartmentalization and physiological functions. While engineering tools for compartmentalization have expanded add-on functionalities, directly amplifying the inherent catalytic machinery within biological phase-separated droplets has remained elusive. Herein, we developed a phase-separated oxidative folding reaction chamber based on protein disulfide isomerase A6 (PDIA6) by chemically targeting its active site CxxC motif to enhance enzymatic activity within PDIA6 droplets. A para-substituted N-methylated pyridinylmethanethiol (pMePySH) enhanced the catalytic oxidative folding of bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor, proinsulin, and antibody up to 12-fold within in vitro PDIA6 droplets. Furthermore, pMePySH targeted PDIA6 foci within the endoplasmic reticulum, significantly promoting insulin secretion. These findings offer a powerful platform for the spatiotemporal manipulation of protein folding, with profound implications for the scalable manufacturing of therapeutic antibodies and other complex biopharmaceuticals.
Wang, C.; Ma, C.-T.; Crotty, C.; Zeng, F.-Y.; Bobkov, A.; Covel, J. A.; Keane Rivera, E.; Sergienko, E.; Kosik, K. S.; Olson, S. H.; Jackson, M. R.; Rauch, J. N.
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The cellular uptake and propagation of tau are central features of tauopathies, including Alzheimers disease, and are mediated by the endocytic receptor low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1). While prior studies have implicated LRP1 in tau binding and internalization, the biochemical features of this interaction and its suitability for therapeutic targeting remain incompletely defined. Here, we establish a quantitative and scalable framework to interrogate the tau-LRP1 interaction and identify small-molecule modulators. We engineered and purified the LRP1 ligand-binding domain 4 (BD4), a key region mediating tau interaction, and developed multiple orthogonal assays, including fluorescence polarization, split luciferase complementation, and time-resolved FRET, to measure LRP1-BD4 interactions with tau and a known peptide ligand. Across assay formats, we observe consistent binding affinities in the nanomolar range and demonstrate competitive displacement by tau, receptor-associated protein (RAP), and a peptide ligand, supporting overlapping binding interfaces. Leveraging these platforms, we performed small molecule high-throughput screening and identified a set of candidate inhibitors of the LRP1-BD4-tau interaction. Selected compounds reduced tau uptake in a cellular assay, phenocopying competitive inhibition by tau and a peptide ligand. Together, these studies define the LRP1-BD4-tau interaction as a biochemically tractable and druggable interface and establish an integrated discovery pipeline linking mechanistic characterization to functional cellular outcomes. This work provides a foundation for the development of therapeutic strategies targeting LRP1-mediated tau uptake.
Püntener, S.; Kossmann, D.; Bielec, K.; Rivera-Fuentes, P.
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The function of a protein depends not only on its sequence but on post-translational modifications and folding that produce functionally distinct proteoforms. Single-molecule methods for protein identification, such as nanopore sequencing, typically require denaturation or proteolysis, sacrificing conformational information that contributes to proteoform diversity. Here, we identify intact, folded proteins by recording an optical fingerprint of their local surface chemistry using a single covalent label. The signal is produced by a spontaneously blinking fluorophore attached to the protein through established bioconjugation reactions. The thermodynamics and kinetics of its switching between a fluorescent and a dark state are influenced by the immediate protein environment in a chemically interpretable manner. Further discriminative information can be extracted using deep learning to achieve excellent identification accuracy. Using this approach, we distinguish different proteins, different pockets of the same protein, and the presence of a single post-translational modification, in each case tracing the classification back to a distinct physicochemical mechanism. These results establish single-molecule fluorescence blinking as both a protein fingerprinting method and a probe of local chemistry on the surface of folded proteins.
Elshazly, A. M.; Vangala, J. R.; Mauro, A. G.; Salloum, F. N.; Radhakrishnan, S. K.
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Mcl1 is a major driver of therapeutic resistance across hematologic malignancies, but direct Mcl1 inhibition has been limited by on-target cardiotoxicity. Here, building on our development of an Mcl1-targeting autophagy-targeting chimera (AUTAC), we show that AUTAC-mediated degradation creates a tumor-selective therapeutic window that spares the heart. AUTAC induced robust cytotoxicity and Mcl1 degradation in multiple myeloma models, while showing minimal toxicity in cardiac cell lines, primary cardiomyocytes, and murine heart tissue. In vivo, AUTAC reduced tumor Mcl1 without measurably affecting cardiac Mcl1. Mechanistically, this selectivity was associated with lower expression of the p62/SQSTM1, TRAF6, and UBC13 machinery required for AUTAC activity in cardiac cells, together with lower intracellular AUTAC accumulation relative to tumor cells. AUTAC also enhanced the antitumor activity of carfilzomib and venetoclax, including in resistant models, without worsening cardiotoxicity or promoting cardiac Mcl1 loss. Compared with classical Mcl1 inhibitors, AUTAC caused markedly less cardiomyocyte death, mitochondrial depolarization, and apoptotic signaling. These findings identify AUTAC-mediated Mcl1 degradation as a cardiac-sparing strategy to target an otherwise clinically constrained vulnerability and support tumor-selective lysosomal degradation as a path to safer Mcl1-directed therapy.
Gallo, G.; Sieber, A.; Hellwig, M.; Fuerst, M. J. L. J.; Lassak, J. M.
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The ribosome's DNA-encoded production of defined polymer sequences is naturally limited to 22 amino acids. Although the translation machinery has the latent capacity to polymerize backbone-modified substrates, including {beta}-amino acids, this potential is constrained by the intrinsic -selectivity of native aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. Here, we address this limitation by "reverse engineering" the Escherichia coli protein ligase EpmA. Naturally activating (R)-{beta}-lysine, EpmA evolved to discard its tRNA-binding domain in favor of protein recognition. By grafting the anticodon-binding domain of the canonical lysyl-tRNA synthetase, LysRS, onto EpmA, we created the chimeric enzyme chEpmA. To our knowledge, this represents the first successful reprogramming of a protein ligase into a functional aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase. We demonstrate that chEpmA serves as a versatile dual-specificity platform: it efficiently charges tRNAs with the non-canonical backbone (R)-{beta}-lysine, and a single substitution unlocks the scaffold for -substrates, thereby enabling a broad spectrum of post-translational modifications previously inaccessible to genetic code expansion. This repertoire ranges from acylated lysines such as N{varepsilon}-succinyl-(S)- lysine (Ksucc) and bulky modifications such as biocytin to advanced glycation end products (AGEs) including N{varepsilon}-carboxymethyl-(S)- lysine (CML). Our work establishes a structural blueprint for mobilizing non-canonical substrates, paving the way for the biosynthesis of protease-resistant peptidomimetics and next-generation therapeutics.
Mani, N.; Polozova, A.; Chakraborty, S.
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Core fucosylation of the IgG1 Fc N297 glycan is known to reduce binding affinity to the Fc{gamma}RIIIa (CD16a) receptor and attenuate antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), yet the structural mechanisms underlying this effect remain incompletely understood. Here, we use extensive all-atom molecular dynamics simulations to systematically investigate how Fc glycosylation modulates the structural, energetic, and dynamical landscape of the IgG1 Fc-CD16a complex across multiple systems with fucosylation and galactosylation. Relative binding free energy calculations reproduce experimentally established trends, showing that afucosylation consistently strengthens Fc-CD16a interactions. Mechanistically, dual fucosylation (on both Fc arms) increases inter-glycan packing between the Fc N297 glycans, restricts Fc glycan conformational sampling, and destabilizes the conformational organization of the CD16a N162 glycan. These glycan-mediated perturbations propagate to the protein interface. The result is reduced Fc-CD16a contact persistence, redistribution of energetically important residues away from the canonical binding interface, and broader, less stable receptor-bound conformational states. Dynamic cross-correlation analysis further reveals that afucosylated systems maintain substantially stronger coordinated motions across the Fc-CD16a assembly, whereas fucosylation disrupts long-range dynamic coupling between the receptor and antibody domains. Across these different energetic, structural, conformational, and dynamical readouts, fucosylation systematically shifts the Fc-CD16a assembly from a compact, interface-stabilized binding mode toward a more heterogeneous and weakly coupled receptor-bound ensemble. Together, our findings set forth a mechanistic basis for Fc glycosylation regulating receptor engagement through ensemble-level conformational and dynamical reorganization rather than simple local steric effects. These results provide mechanistic design principles for rational Fc glycoengineering and the development of therapeutic antibodies with enhanced effector functions. More broadly, this work highlights how glycan composition can be leveraged as a tunable molecular design parameter for engineering protein recognition, conformational stability, and immune effector function in therapeutic glycoproteins.
Rothschild, L.; Giem, C.; Bajaj, A.; Luo, J. W.; Carey, K. L.; Deguine, J.; Xavier, R. J.
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Parkinsons disease (PD) is a movement disorder characterized by the accumulation of alpha-synuclein aggregates leading to dopaminergic neuron loss in the substantia nigra. While PD has been associated with environmental and microbiome changes, our ability to assess the mechanistic impact of these factors on synuclein aggregation in cells has remained limited. Here, we designed and optimized a high-throughput optical screening system to assess the effect of metabolites and small molecules on synuclein aggregation in cell lines expressing a synuclein-fluorescent protein fusion and treated with pre-formed fibrils (PFFs). Using this assay, we identified several compounds that modulate synuclein aggregate accumulation in cells, including harman, a {beta}-carboline that led to reduced synuclein aggregation. We further investigated the transcriptional effect of harman and PFFs and identified changes in peroxiredoxins as a potential mechanism linking harman to aggregate accumulation. Altogether, this work establishes a pipeline to prioritize small molecules that can impact synuclein aggregate formation.
Wang, X.; Zhang, G.; Hu, M.; Han, J.; Shang, C.; Zhang, L.; Chen, Z.; Huang, P.; Wang, W.; Zhao, X.; Dong, Y.; Zhao, Y.; Lv, P.; Zai, X.; Jin, R.; Wang, H.; Wei, C.; Li, X.; Yan, L.; Lou, Z.; Ren, H.; Xu, J.; Chi, X.
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Therapeutic antibodies are challenged by rapidly evolving pathogens that exploit glycosylation to shield epitopes. SARS-CoV-2 JN.1 exemplifies this, escaping antibodies through the N354-linked glycan. However, targeting glycosylated epitopes remains vacant, as scarce and heterogeneous glycan structures render existing approaches ineffective. Here, we introduce the Antibody Evolution Nexus with Causal-Driven Simulation (AENCS), integrating molecular simulation with causal inference. Applying AENCS to restore S309 efficacy against JN.1, we identified ACC01, exhibiting [~]24-fold improved neutralization. With limited prior knowledge of the N354 glycosylation site, ACC01 stabilized this glycan conformation, facilitating the determination of its cryo-EM structure. Causal dissection revealed how this glycan shield is functionally inverted into a binding anchor through multi-layered interactions. This mechanistic conversion, combined with the conservation of N354 glycosylation, enabled ACC01 to maintain potent activity against the latest variant NB.1.8.1. Collectively, AENCS demonstrates causal-driven antibody engineering can illuminate cryptic glycosylated epitopes, providing viable paradigms for exploring this vacant frontier.
Kuo, L.-H.; Yang, J.; Arnold, F.
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Predicting enzymatic reaction mechanisms is critical for understanding enzyme function and for designing and dis-covering new enzymes. Current computational predictors rely on deterministic, rule-based dictionaries, which per-form well on in-distribution tasks but fail to generalize to out-of-distribution (OOD) chemistry. To address this limita-tion, we present EZSolver, a template-free, generative framework for polar enzymatic mechanism prediction. Powered by a flow matching predictor (EZFlow) and navigated by an evaluator-guided bidirectional beam search, EZSolver learns the chemistry of electron redistribution instead of memorizing rigid templates. Evaluated across diverse en-zyme classes, EZSolver achieves a 60.0% accuracy and an 84.6% chemical plausibility rate for full mechanism predic-tion of unseen polar enzymatic reactions. While rule-based models collapse without predefined templates, EZSolver successfully extrapolates chemical knowledge to infer uncatalogued pathways, as demonstrated during rigorous OOD benchmarking. By illuminating enzymatic chemical mechanisms, EZSolver helps pave the way for automated predic-tion of enzyme function and discovery and design of novel biocatalysts for sustainable chemistry.
Feito, A.; Tejedor, A. R.; Ocana, A.; Teran, A.; Merlino, A.; Marasco, D.; Herrero, S.; R. Espinosa, J.
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The inhibition of A{beta}42 ({beta}-amyloid) fibril formation is a key therapeutic strategy in Alzheimer's disease research. Paddlewheel diruthenium complexes have shown promising activity against A{beta}42 aggregation and preformed fibril disaggregation, yet their molecular mode of action remains poorly understood. In this work, we perform atomistic simulations to explore how charge modulation influences the interactions of three analogous paddlewheel diruthenium complexes, the parent neutral complex [Ru2Cl(D-p-FPhF)(O2CCH3)3], and its anionic [Ru2Cl2(D-p-FPhF)(O2CCH3)3]- and cationic [Ru2(D-p-FPhF)(O2CCH3)3]+ counterparts (D-p-FPhF- is the N,N' -bis(4-fluorophenyl)formamidinato ligand) with A{beta}42. Our results indicate that electrostatic tuning governs binding affinity and the extent of interaction across the A{beta}42 fibril surface. As the complexes' charge changes from -1 to +1, the interaction pattern shifts from localized contacts to widespread, multi-site engagement encompassing key charged, aromatic, and hydrophobic regions of A{beta}42. This enhanced binding correlates with longer-lived, thermodynamically stable interactions at the fibril interface, which effectively lower the free energy penalty for fibril disassembly. Overall, our findings propose a mechanism in which charge-dependent activation through ligand exchange enhances fibril recognition and promotes disruptive binding modes, demonstrating the potential of charge-tunable diruthenium complexes as therapeutic modulators of A{beta}42 fibril stability.
Sang, R.;Goldys, E.;Deng, F.
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Achieving precise control of CRISPR/Cas trans-cleavage depends on understanding how nucleic acid activators engage Cas effectors, yet the fundamental principles of split-trigger activation of Cas12a remain unclear. Here, we uncover the mechanistic determinants that enable fragmented nucleic acids to collectively initiate Cas12a activity. We show that split triggers bearing external extensions fully support the R-loop formation, whereas internal extensions which disrupt the spacer complementarity abolish Csa12a activation. We further demonstrate that covalent linkage of split-trigger fragments prevents R-loop propagation, revealing that Cas12as activation strictly requires two physically independent split fragments. Together, these findings establish a synergistic split-trigger activation mechanism in which cooperative hybridization of two individually fragments nucleates and extends the Cas12a R-loop with high efficiency. Conceptually, this mechanism enables a cascade architecture that transforms CRISPR diagnostics from a one-target one-Cas ribonucleoprotein (RNP) paradigm into a highly amplifying process in which a single target molecule activates numerous downstream Cas RNPs. Building on this principle, we show that the cleavage of a rationally designed linear DNA-RNA-DNA mediator by LbuCas13a generates optimally configured split triggers for Cas12a activation, thereby coupling RNA recognition to large-scale Cas12a activation without enzymatic preamplification. The resulting Split Trigger Activated Cas13-Cas12 Cascade System (STACS) achieves amplification-free detection down to 1 copy/{micro}L within 15 minutes and maintains robust performance in complex biological (serum, saliva) and environmental (mud) matrices. This work establishes a generalizable strategy for engineering programmable CRISPR cascades with high Cas RNP activation multiplicity for ultrasensitive molecular diagnostics. Graphic abstract.Mechanism and detection workflow of the Split Trigger Activated Cas13-12 Cascade System (STACS). O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=101 SRC="FIGDIR/small/734747v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (19K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1407364org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@57d5f5org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@a00693org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@fab93_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG
Smith, C.; Maggiolo, A. O.; Jonosko, C.; Charette, M. E.; Paul, N.; Toth, M.; Calero, G.; Carr, S. M.; Russi, S.; Vakulenko, S. B.; Deiters, A.; Cohen, A. E.
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We present CAGE-TRX, a broadly applicable time-resolved strategy for pump/release-quench-probe cryocrystallography and pump/release-probe room temperature serial crystallography. These workflows enable light-triggered control of enzyme activity via genetically encoded photocaged amino acids. By decoupling reaction initiation from substrate design, this approach allows synchronized catalysis in crystallo and the capture of transient intermediates. Using {beta}-lactamases as model systems, we demonstrate efficient decaging, restoration of activity, and structural visualization of reaction intermediates.
Weng, S. L.; Rekhi, S.; Kim, Y. C.; Palmer, J.; Mittal, J.
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Biomolecular condensates exhibit spontaneous electrochemical microenvironments characterized by asymmetric ion distributions and pH gradients that emerge from protein-sequence-dependent charge regulation. Despite their biological importance, mechanistic understanding of these microenvironments has been constrained by the absence of computationally tractable frameworks capable of treating proton exchange, counterion partitioning, and buffer equilibria on consistent thermodynamic footing. Here, we introduce the buffered Charge-Regulation Monte Carlo (b-CR-MC) framework, which couples grand-canonical exchange of ions and buffer species with explicit charge regulation of titratable residues. By extending the CR-MC ion-merging strategy to multicomponent reservoirs and employing the Restricted Primitive Model, b-CR-MC achieves computational efficiency while maintaining thermodynamic rigor, with quantitative agreement to the more expensive generalized G-RxMC approach. Applied to full-length FUS (net positive) and PGL-3 (net negative) under physiological conditions, the framework reveals sequence-dependent pH gradients: the dense phase of FUS exhibits an alkaline shift, while PGL-3 exhibits an acidic shift, in both cases driving the condensate interior toward the protein's isoelectric point. Slab-geometry simulations further resolve the Donnan potential and continuous ion profiles across the condensate interface, confirming the direction and magnitude of these electrochemical shifts. Additionally, we identify spatially resolved buffer depletion within dense phases, establishing that dynamic charge regulation is a primary determinant rather than a secondary correction to condensate electrochemistry. By establishing a sequence-resolved, thermodynamically consistent computational platform, b-CR-MC enables quantitative prediction of how mutations and post-translational modifications reprogram condensate microenvironments across biological and pathophysiological contexts.