Cornelia de Lange Syndrome (CdLS) is a multiple congenital anomaly disorder resulting from mutations in genes that encode the core components of the cohesin complex, SMC1A, SMC3, and RAD21, or two of its regulatory proteins, NIPBL and HDAC8. HDAC8 is the human SMC3 lysine deacetylase required for cohesin recycling in the cell cycle. To date, 16 different missense mutations in HDAC8 have recently been identified in children diagnosed with CdLS. To understand the molecular effects of these mutations in causing CdLS and overlapping phenotypes, we have fully characterized the structure and function of five HDAC8 mutants: C153F, A188T, I243N, T311M, and H334R. X-ray crystal structures reveal that each mutation causes local structural changes that compromise catalysis and/or thermostability. For example, the C153F mutation triggers conformational changes that block acetate product release channels, resulting in only 2% residual catalytic activity. In contrast, the H334R mutation causes structural changes in a polypeptide loop distant from the active site and results in 91% residual activity, but the thermostability of this mutant is significantly compromised. Strikingly, the catalytic activity of these mutants can be partially or fully rescued in vitro by the HDAC8 activator N-(phenylcarbamothioyl)benzamide. These results suggest that HDAC8 activators might be useful leads in the search for new therapeutic strategies in managing CdLS.
Cornelia de Lange Syndrome (CdLS) is a multiple congenital anomaly disorder resulting from mutations in genes that encode the core components of the cohesin complex, SMC1A, SMC3, and RAD21, or two of its regulatory proteins, NIPBL and HDAC8. HDAC8 is the humanSMC3lysine deacetylase required for cohesin recycling in the cell cycle. To date, 16 different missense mutations in HDAC8 have recently been identified in children diagnosed with CdLS. To understand the molecular effects of these mutations in causing CdLS and overlapping phenotypes, we have fully characterized the structure and function of five HDAC8 mutants: C153F, A188T, I243N, T311M, and H334R. X-ray crystal structures reveal that each mutation causes local structural changes that compromise catalysis and/or thermostability. For example, the C153F mutation triggers conformational changes that block acetate product release channels, resulting in only 2% residual catalytic activity. In contrast, the H334R mutation causes structural changes in a polypeptide loop distant from the active site and results in 91% residual activity, but the thermostability of this mutant is significantly compromised. Strikingly, the catalytic activity of these mutants can be partially or fully rescued in vitro by the HDAC8 activator N-(phenylcarbamothioyl)benzamide. These results suggest that HDAC8 activators might be useful leads in the search for new therapeutic strategies in managing CdLS.
Cohesin and
its effectors are
tightly regulated during essential cellular processes in eukaryotes,
such as sister chromatid cohesion in the cell cycle, DNA repair, and
gene expression.[1,2] Cohesin is comprised of four different
protein components: SMC1A, SMC3, RAD21, and STAG.[2] SMC1A and SMC3 are elongated proteins, each of which contains
an ATPase head domain at one end and a “hinge” domain
at the other end, separated by a long coiled-coil segment. In the
cohesin complex, SMC1A and SMC3 associate through their hinge domains
and their ATPase domains, which are also stabilized by the binding
of RAD21. In other words, SMC1A and SMC3 are analogous to the two
half-rings of a hinged bracelet, and RAD21 is the clasp. Finally,
STAG binds to RAD21. The overall cohesin complex is thought to adopt
a ring-like quaternary structure[3] capable
of encircling two sister chromatids.[2−4]Cohesinopathies
are human developmental syndromescaused by mutations
in the protein components of the cohesin complex or in the proteins
that regulate the function of this complex. Notable cohesinopathies
include Cornelia de Lange Syndrome (CdLS), Roberts Syndrome, and Warsaw
Breakage Syndrome.[5−7] Classical CdLS occurs in approximately 1 per 10 000 births and is a genetically
heterogeneous
disorder characterized by distinctive facial features (synophrys,
long eyelashes, upturned nose, thin downturned lips), intellectual
disability, and limb abnormalities such as missing fingers or arms.[8,9] CdLS results from defects in genes that encode cohesin proteins
or mediators of cohesin function. For example, the protein NIPBL is
essential for cohesin–chromatin association,[10,11] and mutations in the gene encoding NIPBL are found in approximately
50–60% of CdLS patients.[12−14] Other patients with CdLS that
have reduced structural anomalies but significant intellectual disability
harbor mutations in core components of the cohesin complex, such as
SMC1A and SMC3.[15] Mutations in RAD21 also
result in a cohesinopathy closely related to CdLS but with notably
less cognitive impairment.[16]Sister
chromatid cohesion is established through acetylation of
SMC3 during S-phase of the cell cycle at two conserved lysine residues
in the ATPase domain (Lys105 and Lys106 in humanSMC3) by the lysine
acetyltransferase ESCO1.[17−20] To ensure partial sister chromatid separation in
prophase and complete separation in anaphase,[2,21] these
acetylated lysines must be deacetylated. In yeast, deacetylation is
mediated by Hos1, a deacetylase related to the class I histone deacetylase
family.[22,23] These zinc-dependent deacetylases are also
known more broadly as lysine deacetylases because their biological
substrates are not limited to histone proteins.[24−26] In humans,
the class I isozyme[27] HDAC8 has recently
been identified as the SMC3 deacetylase.[28] Significantly, missense and nonsense mutations are found in the
gene encoding HDAC8 in several patients with features of CdLS.[28,29] A total of 16 missense mutations throughout the protein structure
have been identified to date and each causes partial to complete loss
of catalytic activity (Figure 1).
Figure 1
HDAC8 mutations
identified in children diagnosed with Cornelia
de Lange Syndrome. Mutations (red) are mapped onto the structure of
the Y306F HDAC8-substrate complex (PDB 2V5W) (the Y240N mutation is accompanied by
the deletion of K239). The assay substrate (Ac-Arg-His-Lys(Ac)-Lys(Ac)-aminomethylcoumarin)
is a gray stick-figure and the active site zinc ion is a dark blue
sphere. Monovalent cations are shown as orange and green spheres.
Purple and cyan segments indicate the L1 and L2 loops, respectively,
which can undergo conformational changes to accommodate ligand binding
in the active site.
HDAC8 mutations
identified in children diagnosed with Cornelia
de Lange Syndrome. Mutations (red) are mapped onto the structure of
the Y306FHDAC8-substrate complex (PDB 2V5W) (the Y240N mutation is accompanied by
the deletion of K239). The assay substrate (Ac-Arg-His-Lys(Ac)-Lys(Ac)-aminomethylcoumarin)
is a gray stick-figure and the active site zinc ion is a dark blue
sphere. Monovalent cations are shown as orange and green spheres.
Purple and cyan segments indicate the L1 and L2 loops, respectively,
which can undergo conformational changes to accommodate ligand binding
in the active site.Here, we provide the
first view of the molecular basis of compromised
HDAC8 function in humandevelopmental disorders. Specifically, we
report the structural and functional characterization of five representative
HDAC8 mutants identified in CdLS patients, ranging from significantly
compromised to nearly fully active enzymes: C153F, A188T, I243N, T311M,
and H334R. Additionally, we report the structures of intact enzyme–substrate
complexes for certain mutants, thereby enabling comparisons with corresponding
HDAC8-substrate complexes.[30,31] We correlate structural
changes with biochemical data to pinpoint structural features that
compromise enzyme activity and thermostability, and we demonstrate
that compromised catalytic activity can be rescued by an N-acylthiourea activator.[32]
Results and Discussion
C153F
HDAC8
Among the mutated residues in the current
study, Cys153 is closest to the active site and its thiol group is
8 Å from the catalyticZn2+ ion. C153FHDAC8 exhibits
only 2% residual catalytic activity relative to the wild-type enzyme,
which is the most significant activity loss of the five mutants studied
herein (Table 1). Although the overall structure
of the C153FHDAC8-SAHAcomplex is similar to that of the wild-type
HDAC8-SAHAcomplex[33] (root mean square
(rms) deviation = 0.48 Å for 358 Cα atoms), the C153F substitution
triggers significant local structural changes. Because Phe153 is too
large to be accommodated in the space previously occupied by Cys153,
Phe153 is oriented away from the active site and the backbone Cα
atom moves 2 Å away from its original position (Figure 2a, Supporting Information Figure
S1). In turn, this causes a conformational change for Trp141,
which adopts “in” and “out” conformations
in the wild-type enzyme: in C153FHDAC8, Trp141 is sterically locked
in the “in” conformation by Phe153. These conformational
changes permanently block internal channels believed to facilitate
release of the product acetate (Figure 2b and
c).[34]
Table 1
Catalytic Activities
and Melting Temperatures
of CdLS HDAC8 Mutants
melting temp. Tm (°C)a
activitya (nmol product·μmol
enzyme–1·min–1)
no ligand
with M344
wild type
1570 ± 80
50.1 ± 0.1
55.7 ± 0.2
C153F
34 ± 2
48.2 ± 0.1
50.6 ± 0.1
A188T
610 ± 10
46.5 ± 0.1
50.6 ± 0.2
I243N
650 ± 30
40.6 ± 0.1
48.4 ± 0.2
T311M
93 ± 3
42.3 ± 0.1
48.8 ± 0.2
H334R
1430 ± 20
43.1 ± 0.1
50.5 ± 0.2
All measurements
made in triplicate
and reported as mean ± standard deviation.
Figure 2
C153F HDAC8. (a) Superimposition of the
HDAC8 C153F-SAHA complex
(monomer A: C = yellow, N = blue, O = red, S = green, Zn2+ = yellow sphere, SAHA = tan) and the wild-type HDAC8-SAHA complex
(PDB 1T69, color-coded
as above except C = blue, Zn2+ = blue sphere, SAHA = gray).
Water molecules (red spheres) occupy the space previously occupied
by the C153 side chain. The F153 side chain sterically locks W141
in the “in” conformation, whereas W141 is disordered
between “in” and “out” conformations in
wild-type HDAC8. (b) Cutaway view of the solvent-accessible surface
of wild-type HDAC8 shows that the W141 side chain, in the “in”
and “out” conformation, respectively, closes and opens
the acetate release channels; the surface shown is calculated only
for the “out” conformation to illustrate the open channels.
(c) Corresponding view of C153F HDAC8 reveals that the acetate release
channel is completely blocked because the W141 side chain is sterically
locked in the “in” conformation by the C153F mutation.
Parenthetically, we note that the L2 loop (E85–H90) is partially
disordered in wild-type but not C153F HDAC8, which leads to slight
differences in the upper right solvent-accessible surface in b and
c.
C153FHDAC8. (a) Superimposition of the
HDAC8C153F-SAHAcomplex
(monomer A: C = yellow, N = blue, O = red, S = green, Zn2+ = yellow sphere, SAHA = tan) and the wild-type HDAC8-SAHAcomplex
(PDB 1T69, color-coded
as above except C = blue, Zn2+ = blue sphere, SAHA = gray).
Water molecules (red spheres) occupy the space previously occupied
by the C153 side chain. The F153 side chain sterically locks W141
in the “in” conformation, whereas W141 is disordered
between “in” and “out” conformations in
wild-type HDAC8. (b) Cutaway view of the solvent-accessible surface
of wild-type HDAC8 shows that the W141 side chain, in the “in”
and “out” conformation, respectively, closes and opens
the acetate release channels; the surface shown is calculated only
for the “out” conformation to illustrate the open channels.
(c) Corresponding view of C153FHDAC8 reveals that the acetate release
channel is completely blocked because the W141 side chain is sterically
locked in the “in” conformation by the C153F mutation.
Parenthetically, we note that the L2 loop (E85–H90) is partially
disordered in wild-type but not C153FHDAC8, which leads to slight
differences in the upper right solvent-accessible surface in b and
c.All measurements
made in triplicate
and reported as mean ± standard deviation.
T311M HDAC8
Thr311 is located in
helix H2, ∼11
Å away from the catalyticZn2+ ion, and T311MHDAC8
exhibits only 6% activity relative to the wild-type enzyme (Table 1). Although the structure of the T311MHDAC8-TSAcomplex is similar to that of the wild-type HDAC8-TSAcomplex[33] (rms deviation = 0.68 Å for 360 Cα
atoms), the side chain of Met311causes a significant shift of Arg37
(Figure 3 and Supporting
Information Figure S2), the “gatekeeper” of the
acetate product release channel.[34] The
shift of Arg37 breaks its hydrogen bonds with the backbone carbonyl
groups of Gly303 and Gly305. Thus, product release may be compromised
in T311MHDAC8.
Figure 3
T311M HDAC8. Comparison of the T311M HDAC8-TSA complex
(yellow,
C = yellow (protein) or tan (TSA), N = blue, O = red, S = green, Zn2+ = yellow sphere, monomer A) and the wild-type HDAC8-TSA
complex (blue, Zn2+ = blue sphere, TSA = gray; PDB 1T64). Hydrogen bonds
are indicated by black dashed lines. The aromatic ring of each TSA
molecule is omitted for clarity. The T311M mutation causes significant
conformational changes in the L1 loop, which in turn are transmitted
to the L2 loop. The L1 and L2 loops play a role in substrate binding,
so structural changes may compromise this function.
T311MHDAC8. Comparison of the T311MHDAC8-TSAcomplex
(yellow,
C = yellow (protein) or tan (TSA), N = blue, O = red, S = green, Zn2+ = yellow sphere, monomer A) and the wild-type HDAC8-TSAcomplex (blue, Zn2+ = blue sphere, TSA = gray; PDB 1T64). Hydrogen bonds
are indicated by black dashed lines. The aromatic ring of each TSA
molecule is omitted for clarity. The T311M mutation causes significant
conformational changes in the L1 loop, which in turn are transmitted
to the L2 loop. The L1 and L2 loops play a role in substrate binding,
so structural changes may compromise this function.Notably, the movement of Arg37causes the adjacent
L1 loop (Leu31-Pro35)
to reorganize (Figure 3). This loop is involved
in substrate binding through an enzyme–substrate hydrogen bond
with Lys33.[30,31,35] Conformational changes in the L1 loop propagate through to the L2
loop, which is also important for substrate binding. Thus, the T311M
mutation may indirectly influence substrate interactions with these
loops. Interestingly, these loop movements are sufficiently large
to hinder the binding of a second inhibitor molecule in the outer
active site cleft, as observed in the wild-type HDAC8-TSAcomplex
(Supporting Information Figure S3).[33]
A188T HDAC8
Ala188 is located in
helix D, ∼18
Å away from the active site Zn2+ ion, and is buried
in a hydrophobic environment. A188THDAC8 exhibits 39% residual activity
compared with wild-type HDAC8 (Table 1). The
structure of the A188THDAC8-M344 complex is similar to that of the
corresponding wild-type HDAC8complex (rms deviation = 0.41 Å
for 357 Cα atoms).[33] However, there
are local structural changes in the vicinity of the mutation. The
Thr188 hydroxyl group donates a hydrogen bond to the backbone carbonyl
of Gly184, which may compromise hydrogen bonding that stabilizes helix
D (Figure 4a). Additionally, surrounding hydrophobic
residues, especially Phe70, and their associated loops, shift 0.3–0.6
Å to accommodate the larger Thr188 side chain (Supporting Information Figure S4). Subtle structural changes
propagate through to adjacent helices, including helix B2, which leads
to the L2 loop. The A188T mutation may thus influence substrate binding
through the L2 loop.
Figure 4
A188T HDAC8. (a) Simulated annealing omit map (contoured
at 2.5σ)
showing the T188 side chain in the A188T HDAC8-M344 complex (monomer
B). Atomic color codes are as follows: C = yellow, N = blue, O = red,
K+ = yellow sphere. The hydrogen bond between the T188
hydroxyl group and the backbone carbonyl of G184 is shown as a black
dashed line. (b) Simulated annealing omit map (contoured at 3.0σ)
showing the partially disordered tetrapeptide substrate bound in the
active site of the A188T/Y306F HDAC8-substrate complex (monomer A).
Atomic color codes are as follows: C = yellow (protein) or tan (substrate),
N = blue, O = red, Zn2+ = yellow sphere, water molecule
= red sphere. Metal coordination and hydrogen bond interactions are
shown as solid black and dashed black lines, respectively. Also superimposed
is the Y306F HDAC8-substrate complex (C = blue (protein) or gray (substrate),
Zn2+ = blue sphere, water molecule = orange sphere; PDB 2V5W) (for a stereoview,
see Supporting Information Figure S5).
A188THDAC8. (a) Simulated annealing omit map (contoured
at 2.5σ)
showing the T188 side chain in the A188THDAC8-M344 complex (monomer
B). Atomiccolor codes are as follows: C = yellow, N = blue, O = red,
K+ = yellow sphere. The hydrogen bond between the T188
hydroxyl group and the backbone carbonyl of G184 is shown as a black
dashed line. (b) Simulated annealing omit map (contoured at 3.0σ)
showing the partially disordered tetrapeptide substrate bound in the
active site of the A188T/Y306F HDAC8-substrate complex (monomer A).
Atomiccolor codes are as follows: C = yellow (protein) or tan (substrate),
N = blue, O = red, Zn2+ = yellow sphere, water molecule
= red sphere. Metalcoordination and hydrogen bond interactions are
shown as solid black and dashed black lines, respectively. Also superimposed
is the Y306FHDAC8-substrate complex (C = blue (protein) or gray (substrate),
Zn2+ = blue sphere, water molecule = orange sphere; PDB 2V5W) (for a stereoview,
see Supporting Information Figure S5).To enable the study of an intact
tetrapeptide assay substrate bound
in the active site, we inactivated HDAC8 by making the Y306F mutation;[30] the preparation of selected double mutants bearing
this mutation as well as a CdLS mutation allowed us to evaluate the
structural consequences of the CdLS mutation on substrate binding.
The structure of the A188T/Y306F HDAC8-substrate complex (Figure 4b and Supporting Information
Figure S5) is similar to that of the A188THDAC8-M344 complex
(rms deviation = 0.37 Å for 364 Cα atoms). Hydrophobic
residues surrounding Thr188 generally maintain their positions in
both structures, although structural changes propagating through to
helix B2 are attenuated. Even so, the L2 loop is fully ordered in
all monomers and adopts a conformation slightly different from that
observed in the Y306FHDAC8-substrate complex.[30] However, although the tetrapeptide substrate binds in a
similar manner to A188T/Y306F HDAC8 and Y306FHDAC8, the substrate
is partially disordered in the complex with A188T/Y306F HDAC8: the
acetyl-arginine residue is highly disordered in both monomers, and
the acetyl-lysine that does not bind to the active site Zn2+ ion is partially disordered in monomer A (Figure 4b and Supporting Information Figure S5). Thus, the subtle structural changes caused by the A188T substitution
appear to influence substrate binding.
I243N HDAC8
Ile243
is located in helix F, ∼18
Å away from the active site Zn2+ ion, buried in a
hydrophobic environment. I243NHDAC8 exhibits 41% activity relative
to the wild-type enzyme (Table 1). The structure
of the I243NHDAC8-SAHAcomplex is similar to that of the wild-type
HDAC8-SAHAcomplex[33] (rms deviation = 0.50
Å for 357 Cα atoms). As shown in Figure 5a, the I243N mutation introduces a polar side chain in the
nonpolar protein interior, which is destabilizing. Accordingly, I243NHDAC8 exhibits the most significant decrease in thermostability of
the five mutants studied (ΔTm =
−9.5 °C; Table 1). Neighboring
residues shift to accommodate Asn243, resulting in a slight shift
of neighboring helix H3 (Supporting Information
Figure S6). These subtle structural changes may be responsible
for the flipped binding conformation of SAHA (Supporting Information Figure S7).
Figure 5
I243N HDAC8. (a) Simulated
annealing omit map (contoured at 2.5σ)
showing the N243 side chain in the I243N HDAC8-SAHA complex (monomer
B). Atomic color codes are as follows: C = yellow, N = blue, O = red,
S = green. (b) Comparison of substrate binding in the I243N/Y306F
HDAC8-substrate complex (C = yellow (protein) or tan (substrate),
N = blue, O = red, Zn2+ = yellow sphere, monomer A) and
the Y306F HDAC8-substrate complex (C = blue (protein) or gray (substrate),
N = blue, O = red, Zn2+ = blue sphere) (PDB 2V5W, monomer A). Water
molecules are indicated as red or orange spheres, respectively. Metal
coordination and hydrogen bond interactions are shown as solid black
and dashed black lines, respectively. The simulated annealing omit
map (contoured at 3.0σ) shows a nearly fully ordered tetrapeptide
substrate bound in the active site of I243N/Y306F HDAC8 (for a stereoview,
see Supporting Information Figure S8).
I243NHDAC8. (a) Simulated
annealing omit map (contoured at 2.5σ)
showing the N243 side chain in the I243NHDAC8-SAHAcomplex (monomer
B). Atomiccolor codes are as follows: C = yellow, N = blue, O = red,
S = green. (b) Comparison of substrate binding in the I243N/Y306F
HDAC8-substrate complex (C = yellow (protein) or tan (substrate),
N = blue, O = red, Zn2+ = yellow sphere, monomer A) and
the Y306FHDAC8-substrate complex (C = blue (protein) or gray (substrate),
N = blue, O = red, Zn2+ = blue sphere) (PDB 2V5W, monomer A). Water
molecules are indicated as red or orange spheres, respectively. Metalcoordination and hydrogen bond interactions are shown as solid black
and dashed black lines, respectively. The simulated annealing omit
map (contoured at 3.0σ) shows a nearly fully ordered tetrapeptide
substrate bound in the active site of I243N/Y306F HDAC8 (for a stereoview,
see Supporting Information Figure S8).The structure of the I243N/Y306F
HDAC8-substrate complex reveals
that substrate binding appears to attenuate the slight shift of helix
H3, which is not as pronounced as that observed in the I243NHDAC8-SAHAcomplex. The tetrapeptide substrate is fully ordered and it binds
similarly to I243N/Y306F HDAC8 and Y306FHDAC8 (Figure 5b and Supporting Information Figure S8).
H334R HDAC8
His334 is located ∼25 Å away
from the active site and is the most distant of the mutants described
in this study. Although this residue is located near the protein surface,
its imidazole side chain is oriented toward the protein interior,
where it hydrogen bonds with a buried water molecule that in turn
hydrogen bonds with Tyr340 and the backbone carbonyl of Met40. H334RHDAC8 exhibits 91% residual activity compared with the wild-type enzyme
(Table 1), so the functional consequences of
this mutation are minimal. Although the structure of the H334RHDAC8-M344
complex is similar overall to that of the wild-type HDAC8-M344 complex[33] (rms deviation = 0.45 Å for 357 Cα
atoms), significant local structural changes are triggered by the
mutation (Figure 6). The larger guanidinium
side chain of Arg334cannot fit in the space formerly occupied by
His334, so the polypeptide backbone flips so that Arg334 is oriented
toward solvent. In turn, adjacent residue Asp333 flips toward the
protein interior to hydrogen bond with Ser43, the backbone NH groups
of Glu335 and Phe336, and the aforementioned buried water molecule.
Figure 6
H334R
HDAC8. (a) Simulated annealing omit map (contoured at 2.0σ)
showing the R334 side chain in the H334R HDAC8-M344 complex. Atomic
color codes are as follows: C = yellow, N = blue, O = red, S = green,
water molecule = red sphere. (b) Superposition of the H334R HDAC8-M344
complex (color-coded as in part a) and the wild-type HDAC8-TSA complex
(color-coded similarly, except C = blue and water molecule = orange
sphere; PDB 1T64). Hydrogen bond interactions are shown as dashed black lines. The
H334R substitution causes a reorganization of the loop containing
this residue.
H334RHDAC8. (a) Simulated annealing omit map (contoured at 2.0σ)
showing the R334 side chain in the H334RHDAC8-M344 complex. Atomiccolor codes are as follows: C = yellow, N = blue, O = red, S = green,
water molecule = red sphere. (b) Superposition of the H334RHDAC8-M344
complex (color-coded as in part a) and the wild-type HDAC8-TSAcomplex
(color-coded similarly, except C = blue and water molecule = orange
sphere; PDB 1T64). Hydrogen bond interactions are shown as dashed black lines. The
H334R substitution causes a reorganization of the loop containing
this residue.The structure of the
H334R/Y306FHDAC8-substrate complex is very
similar to that of the H334RHDAC8-M344 complex, with an rms deviation
of 0.27 Å for 365 Cα atoms. The tetrapeptide substrate
is fully ordered in the H334R/Y306FHDAC8-substrate complex and adopts
a conformation very similar to that observed in the Y306FHDAC8-substrate
complex (Supporting Information Figures S9 and
S10). However, Trp141 and Tyr111 each exclusively adopt “in”
conformations, so substrate binding appears to stabilize the conformations
of these residues. In certain wild-type and H334RHDAC8-inhibitor
complexes, these residues are disordered between “in”
and “out” conformations; the “out” conformation
of Trp141 is required to facilitate acetate departure through product
release channels during catalysis.
Thermostability of HDAC8
Mutants
All CdLS HDAC8 mutants
studied exhibit diminished thermostability compared with the wild-type
enzyme (Table 1). Thermostability is most significantly
compromised by the I243N mutation with ΔTm = −9.5 °C, and least compromised by the C153F
mutation with ΔTm = −1.9
°C. As expected, the binding of M344 increases the melting temperature
of HDAC8 and its mutants.Diminished thermostability can significantly
amplify the biological consequences of compromised catalytic function.
Even though wild-type HDAC8 exhibits a 36% loss of activity after
15 min at 37 °C, the C153F, A188T, H334R, T311M, and I243NHDAC8
mutants exhibit 41%, 49%, 80%, 81%, and 85% activity losses, respectively
(Supporting Information Figure S11). Interestingly,
although wild-type and H334RHDAC8s exhibit nearly identical catalytic
activities, H334RHDAC8 is much less thermostable than the wild-type
enzyme (ΔTm = −7.0 °C)
and exhibits more than double the activity loss after incubation for
15 min at 37 °C.
Rescue of Catalysis by an N-Acylthiourea Activator
N-acylthiourea
derivatives were recently reported
by Singh and colleagues to act as selective activators of HDAC8.[32] We evaluated N-(phenylcarbamothioyl)benzamide
(TM-2-51) with CdLS HDAC8 mutants and found that it could modestly
activate catalytic activity in a dose-dependent fashion (Figure 7, Supporting Information Table
S3). The activation profile for each CdLS mutant is similar
to that of the wild-type enzyme, with 2–3 fold activation observed
for all of the mutants except for C153FHDAC8. Notably, the compromised
catalytic activities of certain mutants, such as A188THDAC8 and I243NHDAC8, can be restored to wild-type levels. We hypothesize that the
activator binds to the enzyme and somehow compensates for defects
in structure or stability caused by the mutations.
Figure 7
Dose-dependent activation
of HDAC8 activity by TM-2-51. Color-code:
wild-type = black, C153F = orange, A188T = purple, I243N = green,
T311M = blue, H334R = red; data are reported in tabular form in Supporting Information Table S3.
Dose-dependent activation
of HDAC8 activity by TM-2-51. Color-code:
wild-type = black, C153F = orange, A188T = purple, I243N = green,
T311M = blue, H334R = red; data are reported in tabular form in Supporting Information Table S3.
Structure–Function Relationships and
Clinical Implications
X-ray crystal structures of HDAC8 mutants
identified in children
diagnosed with CdLS correlate with catalytic activity and thermostability
measurements to establish the molecular basis of a newly discovered
cause of CdLS. Strictly conserved (Ala188, Cys153) or highly conserved
(Ile243, Thr311, and His334) residues are mutated in CdLS, and the
severity of compromised catalysis tends to correlate with proximity
to the active site. For example, Cys153 is closest to the active site
of the five residues studied, and C153FHDAC8 exhibits only 2% residual
activity. The crystal structure of this mutant reveals that the mutation
causes conformational changes in Trp141 such that both Phe153 and
Trp141 permanently block internal channels that enable product release.
Similarly, the T311M mutation is also close to the active site, and
this mutant exhibits only 6% residual activity. This mutation causes
conformational changes in nearby residue Arg37, which serves as a
“gatekeeper” for the acetate product release channels.In contrast, the H334R mutation is most distant from the active
site and has only a minor effect on catalysis (91% residual activity).
Although significant structural changes are triggered by this mutation
in a loop ∼25 Å from the active site, these changes do
not perturb the structure of the active site or the enzyme–substrate
complex. However, the thermostability of H334RHDAC8 is significantly
compromised. Thus, compromised biological function of HDAC8 mutants
in CdLS can result from diminished thermostability as well as compromised
catalytic activity.Direct correlation of clinical severity
with the activity of HDAC8
mutants is difficult, because of the X-linked nature of the HDAC8 gene, which results in the random inactivation of
this gene in various tissues in females. However, some modest correlations
appear to be evident. For example, patients diagnosed with the H334R
mutation have a relatively moderate phenotype. This is likely a consequence
of only a very mild reduction in catalytic activity coupled with a
significant decrease in thermostability—none of the H334Rpatients
resemble the severe, classicCdLS phenotype. In comparison, a girl
with a T311M mutation has a fairly classicCdLS phenotype, consistent
with significant reductions in both catalytic activity and thermostability.
A possible correlation between HDAC8 mutation and CdLS phenotype is
further supported by the observation that the only patient with an
H180R mutation has died. His180 plays a crucial role in catalysis
and thermostability by coordinating to the active site Zn2+ ion; the H180R mutation destroys the Zn2+ binding site
and abolishes catalytic activity.[28,29] Thus, to some
degree, the apparent severity of symptoms presented by children diagnosed
with CdLS appears to correlate with the severity of compromised catalysis
and/or diminished thermostability of HDAC8 mutants.It is noteworthy
that catalytic activity can be rescued in some
of the HDAC8 mutants by a small-molecule activator. Ultimately, such
an activator could potentially be useful in the therapeutic management
of CdLS. While we have been unsuccessful to date in preparing a crystalline
HDAC8-substrate-activator complex, we hypothesize that the activator
might somehow stabilize the protein conformation that accommodates
substrate binding. Even so, some of the most inactive mutants, such
as C153FHDAC8, are so badly compromised that an activator cannot
easily rescue catalysis. In this mutant, for example, the activator
is probably unable to open up the blocked product release channel,
so the activation is minimal. Thus, the potential therapeutic efficacy
of an HDAC8 activator in the management of CdLS would depend on the
specificHDAC8 mutation involved.While pre-existing physical
deformities would not be reversed in
a CdLS patient by the administration of an HDAC8 activator, the rescue
of catalytic activity in a mutant enzyme could potentially attenuate
the progression of development-related deformities and neurocognitive
impairment in a patient diagnosed with an HDAC8 mutation. Hence, this
possible therapeutic approach merits further exploration, and our
results in this regard will be reported in due course.
Methods
Mutations in humanHDAC8
were introduced into the previously described
HDAC8-6His-pET20b construct[31] using QuikChange
site-directed mutagenesis (Agilent Genomics) as detailed in the Supporting Information. The Fluor-de-Lys tetrapeptide
assay substrate Ac-Arg-His-Lys(Ac)-Lys(Ac)-aminomethylcoumarin (BML-KI178-0005,
Enzo Life Sciences)[36] was used to measure
the catalytic activities of HDAC8 mutants, as previously described.[28,29] Heat inactivation studies were performed by equilibrating 10 μM
enzyme stock solutions at 37 °C for 15, 30, or 60 min, after
which enzyme solutions were diluted to the desired concentration for
activity assay. Activity assays after heat inactivation were performed
at 25 °C as described;[28,29] activity assays with
the HDAC8 activator[32] TM-2-51 were performed
in a similar manner as detailed in the Supporting
Information.The thermostabilities of HDAC8 mutants were
assessed using a thermal
shift assay[37] as outlined in the Supporting Information. This assay utilizes SYPRO
orange dye (S6650, Life Technologies), which associates with the exposed
hydrophobic surfaces of an unfolded protein and fluoresces at λem = 615 nm. Melting temperatures (Tm) were designated as the inflection point in the fluorescence curve
as a function of temperature.Crystals of HDAC8 mutant-inhibitor
and -substrate complexes were
prepared by cocrystallization at 21 or 4 °C in sitting drops
using the vapor diffusion method, as previously described.[31] Complete details for the crystallization of
each complex are reported in the Supporting Information, and the chemical structure of each inhibitor is illustrated in Supporting Information Figure S12. All X-ray
diffraction data were collected on beamline X29 at the National Synchrotron
Light Source (NSLS, Brookhaven National Laboratory). Data were collected
at resolutions ranging 1.76–2.88 Å and were indexed, integrated,
and scaled using HKL2000.[38] Crystal structures
were solved by molecular replacement and refined using routines implemented
in PHENIX.[39] Complete details are provided
in the Supporting Information, and data
collection and refinement statistics are recorded in Supporting Information Table S2.
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