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Biomedical subjects

Yuanpeng J Huang

Publications and source records attributed to Yuanpeng J Huang.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

Modeling Alternative Conformational States in CASP16.

The CASP16 Ensemble Prediction experiment assessed advances in methods for modeling proteins, nucleic acids, and their complexes in multiple conformational states. Targets included systems with experimental structures determined in two or three states, evaluated by direct comparison to experimental coordinates, as well as domain-linker-domain (D-L-D) targets assessed against statistical models from NMR and SAXS data. This paper focuses on the former class of multi-state targets. Ten ensembles were released as community challenges, including ligand-induced conformational changes, protein-DNA complexes, a trimeric protein, a stem-loop RNA, and multiple oligomeric states of a single RNA. For five targets, some groups produced reasonably accurate models of both reference states (best TM-score >0.75). However, with the exception of one protein-ligand complex (T1214), where an apo structure was available as a template, predictors generally failed to capture key structural details distinguishing the states. Overall, accuracy was significantly lower than for single-state targets in other CASP experiments. The most successful approaches generated multiple AlphaFold2 models using enhanced multiple sequence alignments and sampling protocols, followed by model quality based selection. While the AlphaFold3 server performed well on several targets, individual groups outperformed it in specific cases. By contrast, predictions for one protein-DNA complex, three RNA targets, and multiple oligomeric RNA states consistently fell short (TM-score <0.75). These results highlight both progress and persistent challenges in multi-state prediction. Despite recent advances, accurate modeling of conformational ensembles, particularly RNA and large multimeric assemblies, remains a critical frontier for structural biology.

AlphaFold2↗

Protein NMR recall, precision, and F-measure scores (RPF scores): structure quality assessment measures based on information retrieval statistics.

One of the most important challenges in modern protein NMR is the development of fast and sensitive structure quality assessment measures that can be used to evaluate the "goodness-of-fit" of the 3D structure with NOESY data, to indicate the correctness of the fold and accuracy of the resulting structure. Quality assessment is especially critical for automated NOESY interpretation and structure determination approaches. This paper describes new NMR quality assessment scores, including Recall, Precision, and F-measure scores (referred to here are "NMR RPF" scores), which quickly provide global measures of the goodness-of-fit of the 3D structures with NOESY peak lists using methods from information retrieval statistics. The sensitivity of the F-measure is improved using a scaled Fold Discriminating Power (DP) score. These statistical RPF scores are quite rapid to compute since NOE assignments and complete relaxation matrix calculations are not required. A graphical method for site-specific assessment of structure quality based on the Precision statistic is also described. These statistical measures are demonstrated to be valuable for assessing protein NMR structure accuracy. Their relationships to other proposed NMR "R-factors" and structure quality assessment scores are also discussed.

Databases, Protein↗

Solution structure of Archaeglobus fulgidis peptidyl-tRNA hydrolase (Pth2) provides evidence for an extensive conserved family of Pth2 enzymes in archea, bacteria, and eukaryotes.

The solution structure of protein AF2095 from the thermophilic archaea Archaeglobus fulgidis, a 123-residue (13.6-kDa) protein, has been determined by NMR methods. The structure of AF2095 is comprised of four alpha-helices and a mixed beta-sheet consisting of four parallel and anti-parallel beta-strands, where the alpha-helices sandwich the beta-sheet. Sequence and structural comparison of AF2095 with proteins from Homo sapiens, Methanocaldococcus jannaschii, and Sulfolobus solfataricus reveals that AF2095 is a peptidyl-tRNA hydrolase (Pth2). This structural comparison also identifies putative catalytic residues and a tRNA interaction region for AF2095. The structure of AF2095 is also similar to the structure of protein TA0108 from archaea Thermoplasma acidophilum, which is deposited in the Protein Data Bank but not functionally annotated. The NMR structure of AF2095 has been further leveraged to obtain good-quality structural models for 55 other proteins. Although earlier studies have proposed that the Pth2 protein family is restricted to archeal and eukaryotic organisms, the similarity of the AF2095 structure to human Pth2, the conservation of key active-site residues, and the good quality of the resulting homology models demonstrate a large family of homologous Pth2 proteins that are conserved in eukaryotic, archaeal, and bacterial organisms, providing novel insights in the evolution of the Pth and Pth2 enzyme families.

Archaea↗

Automated protein fold determination using a minimal NMR constraint strategy.

Determination of precise and accurate protein structures by NMR generally requires weeks or even months to acquire and interpret all the necessary NMR data. However, even medium-accuracy fold information can often provide key clues about protein evolution and biochemical function(s). In this article we describe a largely automatic strategy for rapid determination of medium-accuracy protein backbone structures. Our strategy derives from ideas originally introduced by other groups for determining medium-accuracy NMR structures of large proteins using deuterated, (13)C-, (15)N-enriched protein samples with selective protonation of side-chain methyl groups ((13)CH(3)). Data collection includes acquiring NMR spectra for automatically determining assignments of backbone and side-chain (15)N, H(N) resonances, and side-chain (13)CH(3) methyl resonances. These assignments are determined automatically by the program AutoAssign using backbone triple resonance NMR data, together with Spin System Type Assignment Constraints (STACs) derived from side-chain triple-resonance experiments. The program AutoStructure then derives conformational constraints using these chemical shifts, amide (1)H/(2)H exchange, nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (NOESY), and residual dipolar coupling data. The total time required for collecting such NMR data can potentially be as short as a few days. Here we demonstrate an integrated set of NMR software which can process these NMR spectra, carry out resonance assignments, interpret NOESY data, and generate medium-accuracy structures within a few days. The feasibility of this combined data collection and analysis strategy starting from raw NMR time domain data was illustrated by automatic analysis of a medium accuracy structure of the Z domain of Staphylococcal protein A.

Algorithms↗

Solution NMR structure of the 30S ribosomal protein S28E from Pyrococcus horikoshii.

We report NMR assignments and solution structure of the 71-residue 30S ribosomal protein S28E from the archaean Pyrococcus horikoshii, target JR19 of the Northeast Structural Genomics Consortium. The structure, determined rapidly with the aid of automated backbone resonance assignment (AutoAssign) and automated structure determination (AutoStructure) software, is characterized by a four-stranded beta-sheet with a classic Greek-key topology and an oligonucleotide/oligosaccharide beta-barrel (OB) fold. The electrostatic surface of S28E exhibits positive and negative patches on opposite sides, the former constituting a putative binding site for RNA. The 13 C-terminal residues of the protein contain a consensus sequence motif constituting the signature of the S28E protein family. Surprisingly, this C-terminal segment is unstructured in solution.

Amino Acid Sequence↗