Mechanistic insights from replica exchange molecular dynamics simulations into mutation induced disordered-to-ordered transition in Hahellin, a βγ-crystallin

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) form a special category because they lack a unique well-folded 3D structure under physiological conditions. They play crucial role in cell signaling, regulatory functions and responsible for several diseases. Although, they are abundant in nature, only a small fraction of it has been characterized till date. Such proteins adopt a range of conformations and can undergo transformation from disordered-to-ordered state or vice-versa upon binding to ligand. Insights of such conformational transition is perplexing in several cases. In the present study, we characterized disordered as well as ordered states and the factors contributing the transitions through a mutational study by employing replica exchange molecular dynamics simulation on a βγ-crystallin. Most of the proteins within this superfamily are inherently ordered. However, Hahellin, although a member of βγ-crystallin, it is intrinsically disordered in its apo-form which takes a well-ordered βγ-crystallin fold upon binding to Ca2+. It is intriguing that the mutation at the 5th position of the canonical motif to Arg increases the domain stability in several ordered microbial βγ-crystallins with concomitant loss in Ca2+ binding affinity. We carried out similar Ser to Arg mutations at 5th position of the canonical motif for the first time in an intrinsically disordered protein to understand the mechanistic insights of conformational transition. Our study revealed that newly formed ionic and hydrogen bonding interactions at the canonical Ca2+ binding sites play crucial role in transforming the disordered conformation into ordered βγ-crystallin. Author summary Intrinsically disordered proteins lack a unique ordered 3D structure under physiological condition. Although, they are abundant in nature, only a small fraction of these proteins has been characterized till date due to adaptation of multiple conformations and methodological limitation. βγ-crystallins are inherently ordered, however recently a small number of proteins within this superfamily have been identified as intrinsically disordered protein. Hahellin is one such protein which is intrinsically disordered in its apo-form but takes a well-ordered βγ-crystallin fold upon binding to Ca2+. In the present study, we decipher the underlying mechanism of disordered-to-ordered transition in Hahellin by mutations, employing replica exchange molecular dynamics simulations. Earlier experimental studies reported an increase in stabilization of the ordered βγ-crystallion upon mutation to Arg at 5th position of the canonical Ca2+ binding motifs, N/D-N/D-X1-X2-S/T-S. We performed similar Ser to Arg mutation in an intrinsically disordered Hahellin to get the mechanistic insights of the conformational transition in the absence of Ca2+. Our study revealed that several newly formed ionic and hydrogen bonding interactions contributed by the mutant residues are responsible for both intra- and inter-motif rigidification, resulting in overall stability of βγ-crystallin domain.