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Lauriane Lecoq

Bio: Lauriane Lecoq is an academic researcher from University of Lyon. The author has contributed to research in topics: Capsid & Medicine. The author has an hindex of 12, co-authored 28 publications receiving 389 citations. Previous affiliations of Lauriane Lecoq include Centre national de la recherche scientifique & Claude Bernard University Lyon 1.

Papers
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Journal ArticleDOI
04 Jul 2013-PLOS ONE
TL;DR: It is shown that imipenem, ceftriaxone, and ampicillin acylate Ldtfm by formation of a thioester bond between the active-site cysteine and the β-lactam-ring carbonyl, which is critical for rapid L,D-transpeptidase inactivation and antibacterial activity.
Abstract: Active-site serine D,D-transpeptidases belonging to the penicillin-binding protein family (PBPs) have been considered for a long time as essential for peptidoglycan cross-linking in all bacteria. However, bypass of the PBPs by an L,D-transpeptidase (Ldt(fm)) conveys high-level resistance to β-lactams of the penam class in Enterococcus faecium with a minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of ampicillin >2,000 µg/ml. Unexpectedly, Ldt(fm) does not confer resistance to β-lactams of the carbapenem class (imipenem MIC = 0.5 µg/ml) whereas cephems display residual activity (ceftriaxone MIC = 128 µg/ml). Mass spectrometry, fluorescence kinetics, and NMR chemical shift perturbation experiments were performed to explore the basis for this specificity and identify β-lactam features that are critical for efficient L,D-transpeptidase inactivation. We show that imipenem, ceftriaxone, and ampicillin acylate Ldt(fm) by formation of a thioester bond between the active-site cysteine and the β-lactam-ring carbonyl. However, slow acylation and slow acylenzyme hydrolysis resulted in partial Ldt(fm) inactivation by ampicillin and ceftriaxone. For ampicillin, Ldt(fm) acylation was followed by rupture of the C(5)-C(6) bond of the β-lactam ring and formation of a secondary acylenzyme prone to hydrolysis. The saturable step of the catalytic cycle was the reversible formation of a tetrahedral intermediate (oxyanion) without significant accumulation of a non-covalent complex. In agreement, a derivative of Ldt(fm) blocked in acylation bound ertapenem (a carbapenem), ceftriaxone, and ampicillin with similar low affinities. Thus, oxyanion and acylenzyme stabilization are both critical for rapid L,D-transpeptidase inactivation and antibacterial activity. These results pave the way for optimization of the β-lactam scaffold for L,D-transpeptidase-inactivation.

60 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A bacterial coexpression system enabling access to definably phosphorylated HBc and suggesting a mechanism whereby high-level HBc phosphorylation principally suppresses RNA binding whereas one or few strategic dephosphorylation events enable selective packaging of the pgRNA/polymerase complex is developed.
Abstract: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) replicates its 3 kb DNA genome through capsid-internal reverse transcription, initiated by assembly of 120 core protein (HBc) dimers around a complex of viral pregenomic (pg) RNA and polymerase. Following synthesis of relaxed circular (RC) DNA capsids can be enveloped and secreted as stable virions. Upon infection of a new cell, however, the capsid disintegrates to release the RC-DNA into the nucleus for conversion into covalently closed circular (ccc) DNA. HBc´s interactions with nucleic acids are mediated by an arginine-rich C terminal domain (CTD) with intrinsically strong non-specific RNA binding activity. Adaptation to the changing demands for nucleic acid binding during the viral life cycle is thought to involve dynamic phosphorylation / dephosphorylation events. However, neither the relevant enzymes nor their target sites in HBc are firmly established. Here we developed a bacterial coexpression system enabling access to definably phosphorylated HBc. Combining Phos-tag gel electrophoresis, mass spectrometry and mutagenesis we identified seven of the eight hydroxy amino acids in the CTD as target sites for serine-arginine rich protein kinase 1 (SRPK1); fewer sites were phosphorylated by PKA and PKC. Phosphorylation of all seven sites reduced nonspecific RNA encapsidation as drastically as deletion of the entire CTD and altered CTD surface accessibility, without major structure changes in the capsid shell. The bulk of capsids from human hepatoma cells was similarly highly, yet non-identically, phosphorylated as by SRPK1. While not proving SRPK1 as the infection-relevant HBc kinase the data suggest a mechanism whereby high-level HBc phosphorylation principally suppresses RNA binding whereas one or few strategic dephosphorylation events enable selective packaging of the pgRNA/polymerase complex. The tools developed in this study should greatly facilitate the further deciphering of the role of HBc phosphorylation in HBV infection and its evaluation as a potential new therapeutic target.

56 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is concluded that even faster MAS is highly attractive and increases mass sensitivity at a moderate price in overall sensitivity.
Abstract: Spectral resolution is the key to unleashing the structural and dynamic information contained in NMR spectra. Fast magic-angle spinning (MAS) has recently revolutionized the spectroscopy of biomolecular solids. Herein, we report a further remarkable improvement in the resolution of the spectra of four fully protonated proteins and a small drug molecule by pushing the MAS rotation frequency higher (150 kHz) than the more routinely used 100 kHz. We observed a reduction in the average homogeneous linewidth by a factor of 1.5 and a decrease in the observed linewidth by a factor 1.25. We conclude that even faster MAS is highly attractive and increases mass sensitivity at a moderate price in overall sensitivity.

56 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is shown that, while EPR spectra report on metal binding and provide information on the geometry of the metal centers in the proteins, paramagnetic relaxation enhancements identified in the NMR spectra can be used to localize residues at the binding site.
Abstract: Paramagnetic metal ions deliver structural information both in EPR and solid-state NMR experiments, offering a profitable synergetic approach to study bio-macromolecules. We demonstrate the spectral consequences of Mg2+ / Mn2+ substitution and the resulting information contents for two different ATP:Mg2+ -fueled protein engines, a DnaB helicase from Helicobacter pylori active in the bacterial replisome, and the ABC transporter BmrA, a bacterial efflux pump. We show that, while EPR spectra report on metal binding and provide information on the geometry of the metal centers in the proteins, paramagnetic relaxation enhancements identified in the NMR spectra can be used to localize residues at the binding site. Protein engines are ubiquitous and the methods described herein should be applicable in a broad context.

46 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The first structure of a carbapenem-acylated l,d-transpeptidase is presented, E. faecium Ldtfm acylated by ertapenems, which revealed key contacts between the carbapanem core and residues of the catalytic cavity of the enzyme.
Abstract: The maintenance of bacterial cell shape and integrity is largely attributed to peptidoglycan, a biopolymer highly cross-linked through d,d-transpeptidation. Peptidoglycan cross-linking is catalyzed by penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) that are the essential target of β-lactam antibiotics. PBPs are functionally replaced by l,d-transpeptidases (Ldts) in ampicillin-resistant mutants of Enterococcus faecium and in wild-type Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Ldts are inhibited in vivo by a single class of β-lactams, the carbapenems, which act as a suicide substrate. We present here the first structure of a carbapenem-acylated l,d-transpeptidase, E. faecium Ldtfm acylated by ertapenem, which revealed key contacts between the carbapenem core and residues of the catalytic cavity of the enzyme. Significant reorganization of the antibiotic conformation occurs upon enzyme acylation. These results, together with the analysis of protein-to-carbapenem proton transfers, provide new insights into the mechanism of Ldt acylation by carbapenems.

37 citations


Cited by
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13 Jul 2017
TL;DR: It is demonstrated that cryo-EM allows atomic characterization of amyloid filaments from patient-derived material, and pave the way for investigation of a range of neurodegenerative diseases.
Abstract: Alzheimer’s disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease, and there are no mechanism-based therapies. The disease is defined by the presence of abundant neurofibrillary lesions and neuritic plaques in the cerebral cortex. Neurofibrillary lesions comprise paired helical and straight tau filaments, whereas tau filaments with different morphologies characterize other neurodegenerative diseases. No high-resolution structures of tau filaments are available. Here we present cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) maps at 3.4–3.5 A resolution and corresponding atomic models of paired helical and straight filaments from the brain of an individual with Alzheimer’s disease. Filament cores are made of two identical protofilaments comprising residues 306–378 of tau protein, which adopt a combined cross-β/β-helix structure and define the seed for tau aggregation. Paired helical and straight filaments differ in their inter-protofilament packing, showing that they are ultrastructural polymorphs. These findings demonstrate that cryo-EM allows atomic characterization of amyloid filaments from patient-derived material, and pave the way for investigation of a range of neurodegenerative diseases. High-resolution structures of tau filaments shed light on the ultrastructure of neurofibrillary lesions in Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer's disease is defined by the presence of abundant neurofibrillary lesions and neuritic plaques in the cerebral cortex. The lesions are made of paired helical and straight tau filaments (PHFs and SFs, respectively). Different tau filaments characterize other neurodegenerative diseases, suggesting that molecular conformers of aggregated tau underlie human tauopathies. No high-resolution structures of tau filaments are currently available. Here, Sjors Scheres and colleagues present cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) maps at 3.5 A resolution and corresponding atomic models of PHFs and SFs from the brain of an individual with Alzheimer's disease. Their results show that cryo-EM enables atomic characterization of amyloid filaments from patient-derived material and could be used to study a range of neurodegenerative diseases.

652 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The aim of this Minireview is to classify, differentiate, and correlate the existing concepts with the help of recent literature reports to provide the reader with a general insight into thermodynamic and kinetic aspects of complex supramolecular polymerization processes.
Abstract: Pathway complexity, hierarchical organization, out of equilibrium, and metastable or kinetically trapped species are common terms widely used in recent, high-quality publications in the field of supramolecular polymers. Often, the terminologies used to describe the different self-assembly pathways, the species involved, as well as their relationship and relative stability are not trivial. Different terms and classifications are commonly found in the literature, however, in many cases, without clear definitions or guidelines on how to use them and how to determine them experimentally. The aim of this Minireview is to classify, differentiate, and correlate the existing concepts with the help of recent literature reports to provide the reader with a general insight into thermodynamic and kinetic aspects of complex supramolecular polymerization processes. A good comprehension of these terms and concepts should contribute to the development of new complex, functional materials.

199 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: NMR spectroscopy is a powerful tool for biologists interested in the structure, dynamics, and interactions of biological macromolecules as discussed by the authors, and it is suitable to monitor, over a wide range of frequencies, protein fluctuations.

156 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Comparison of kinetic constants for drug binding, acylation, and acylenzyme hydrolysis indicates that carbapenems and cephems can both be tailored to optimize peptidoglycan synthesis inhibition in M. tuberculosis.
Abstract: The structure of Mycobacterium tuberculosis peptidoglycan is atypical since it contains a majority of 3i3 cross-links synthesized by L,D-transpeptidases that replace 4i3 cross-links formed by the D,D-transpeptidase activity of classical penicillin-binding proteins. Carbapenems inactivate these L,D-transpeptidases, and meropenem combined with clavulanic acid is bactericidal against extensively drug-resistant M.tuberculosis. Here, we used mass spectrometry and stopped-flowfluorimetry to investigate the kinetics and mechanisms of inactivation of the prototypic M. tuberculosis L,D-transpeptidase LdtMt1 by carbapenems (meropenem, doripenem, imipenem, and ertapenem) and cephalosporins (cefotaxime, cephalothin, and ceftriaxone). Inactivation proceeded through noncovalent drug binding and acylation of the catalytic Cys of Ldt Mt1, which was eventually followed by hydrolysis of the resulting acylenzyme. Meropenem rapidly inhibited LdtMt1, with a binding rate constant of 0.08 M 1 min 1 . The enzyme was unable to recover from this initial binding step since the dissociation rate constant of the noncovalent complex was low (<0.1 min 1 ) in comparison to the acylation rate constant (3.1 min 1 ). The covalent adduct resulting from enzyme acylation was stable, with a hydrolysis rate constant of 1.0 10 3 min 1 . Variations in the carbapenem side chains affected both the binding and acylation steps, ertapenem being the most efficient LdtMt1inactivator. Cephalosporins also formed covalent adducts with Ldt Mt1, although the acylation reaction was 7- to 1,000-fold slower and led to elimination of one of the drug side chains. Comparison of kinetic constants for drug binding, acylation, and acylenzyme hydrolysis indicates that carbapenems and cephems can both be tailored to optimize peptidoglycan synthesis inhibition in M.tuberculosis.

134 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A review on the current knowledge of SARS-CoV-2 accessory proteins is summarized updating new research that could be critical in understanding SARSCoV2 interaction with the host.
Abstract: There are still many unanswered questions concerning viral SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis in COVID-19. Accessory proteins in SARS-CoV-2 consist of eleven viral proteins whose roles during infection are still not completely understood. Here, a review on the current knowledge of SARS-CoV-2 accessory proteins is summarized updating new research that could be critical in understanding SARS-CoV-2 interaction with the host. Some accessory proteins such as ORF3b, ORF6, ORF7a and ORF8 have been shown to be important IFN-I antagonists inducing an impairment in the host immune response. In addition, ORF3a is involved in apoptosis whereas others like ORF9b and ORF9c interact with cellular organelles leading to suppression of the antiviral response in infected cells. However, possible roles of ORF7b and ORF10 are still awaiting to be described. Also, ORF3d has been reassigned. Relevant information on the knowns and the unknowns in these proteins is analyzed, which could be crucial for further understanding of SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis and to design strategies counteracting their actions evading immune responses in COVID-19.

134 citations