0000000000009060
AUTHOR
Jérémie Topin
[Fri-P2-105] Deciphering the ligand binding properties of the mouse odorant-binding protein OBP5 from Mus musculus
International audience; Odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) are abundant soluble proteins secreted in the nasal mucus of a variety of species which are believed to be involved in the transport of odorants towards olfactory receptors. In this study, we report the functional characterization of mouse OBP5 (mOBP5). mOBP5 was recombinantly expressed as a hexahistidine-tagged protein in bacteria and purified by metal affinity. Oligomeric state and secondary structure composition of mOBP5 was investigated using gel filtration and circular dichroism spectroscopy. Fluorescent experiments revealed that mOBP5 interacts with the fluorescent probe N-phenyl naphthylamine (NPN) with a micromolar affinity. Co…
Tracking ligand-binding effect on protein stability by CD spectroscopy
The influence of protein-ligand interactions on protein stability is usually assessed by measurements in the liquid phase. CD spectroscopy appears to be a tool of choice to i) measure the conformation of the protein in different phases and to ii) follow the conformational changes of the protein upon binding.We therefore studied the stability of the rat odorant binding protein 3 (OBP3), its ability to remain functional and a preliminary test of its ligand binding specificity in the dry state. Solid-state spectra were performed on dry thin films prepared by drop casting of initial buffered aqueous solutions of the rat OBP3 onto optically transparent CaF2 windows and subsequently dried under l…
Structure-based virtual screening of bitter taste receptors
Understanding how chemicals code for a certain type of taste is fundamental for the development of a rational method to create new taste modulators. The identification of these new candidates is important for the food industry and would also be beneficial for the pharmacology industry. In humans, the bitter taste depends on a large family of 25 taste receptors type 2 (TAS2Rs) belonging to the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) family. They are classified distantly related to class A GPCR and, to date, the experimental structures have not been determined for any TAS2Rs. Here we present a new structure-based virtual screening strategy to expand the chemical space of bitter taste receptors. Com…
Interaction between odorants and proteins involved in the perception of smell: the case of odorant-binding proteins probed by molecular modelling and biophysical data
A joint approach that combines molecular modelling and fluorescence spectroscopy is used to study the affinity of an odorant binding protein towards various odorant molecules. We focus on the capability of molecular modelling to rank odorants according to their affinity with this protein, which is involved in the sense of smell. Although ligand-based approaches are unable to propose an accurate model attending to the strength of the bond with the odorant-binding protein, receptor-based structures considering either static or dynamic structure of the protein perform equally to discriminate between good, medium and low affinity odorants. Such approaches will be useful for further rational des…
Extracellular loop 2 of G protein-coupled olfactory receptors is critical for odorant recognition
International audience; G protein-coupled olfactory receptors (ORs) enable us to detect innumerous odorants. They are also ectopically expressed in non-olfactory tissues and emerging as attractive drug targets. ORs can be promiscuous or highly specific, which is part of a larger mechanism for odor discrimination. Here, we demonstrate that the OR extracellular loop 2 (ECL2) plays critical roles in OR promiscuity and specificity. Using site-directed mutagenesis and molecular modeling, we constructed 3D OR models in which ECL2 forms a lid over the orthosteric pocket. We demonstrate using molecular dynamics simulations that ECL2 controls the shape and the volume of the odorant-binding pocket, m…
Trace amine associated receptors (TAARs) response to amines are largely affected by sequences variants
The Trace Amine Associated Receptors (TAARs) are a family of chemosensory receptors that recognize volatile amines. These receptors are few in number and highly conserved, compared to regular olfactory receptors. Polymorphisms in the TAAR family can have a drastic impact on our perception of amine compounds. Our study combine numerical simulations with in vitro experiments to reveal the activation mechanisms of the human TAAR5 receptor. The study focused on the hTAAR5-S95P polymorphism, which is found at high frequency in Nordic countries. This mutation affects the perception of trimethylamine (TMA), making individuals less able to perceive the smell of rotten fish caused by this molecule. …
Towards computational biomimetic nose
International audience