A disordered encounter complex is central to the yeast Abp1p SH3 domain binding pathway
Authors: Gerlach Gabriella J. , Carrock Rachel , Stix Robyn , Stollar Elliott J. , Ball K. Aurelia 
Published: March 2020

Protein-protein interactions are involved in a wide range of cellular processes. These interactions often involve intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) and protein binding domains. However, the details of IDP binding pathways are hard to characterize using experimental approaches, which can rarely capture intermediate states present at low populations. SH3 domains are common protein interaction domains that typically bind proline-rich disordered segments and are involved in cell signaling, regulation, and assembly. We hypothesized, given the flexibility of SH3 binding peptides, that their binding pathways include multiple steps important for function. Molecular dynamics simulations were used to characterize the steps of binding between the yeast Abp1p SH3 domain (AbpSH3) and a proline-rich IDP, ArkA. Before binding, the N-terminal segment 1 of ArkA is pre-structured and adopts a polyproline II helix, while segment 2 of ArkA (C-terminal) adopts a 310helix, but is far less structured than segment 1. As segment 2 interacts with AbpSH3, it becomes more structured, but retains flexibility even in the fully engaged state. Binding simulations reveal that ArkA enters a flexible encounter complex before forming the fully engaged bound complex. In the encounter complex, transient nonspecific hydrophobic and long-range electrostatic contacts form between ArkA and the binding surface of SH3. The encounter complex ensemble includes conformations with segment 1 in both the forward and reverse orientation, suggesting that segment 2 may play a role in stabilizing the correct binding orientation. While the encounter complex forms quickly, the slow step of binding is the transition from the disordered encounter ensemble to the fully engaged state. In this transition, ArkA makes specific contacts with AbpSH3 and buries more hydrophobic surface. Simulating the binding between ApbSH3 and ArkA provides insight into the role of encounter complex intermediates and nonnative hydrophobic interactions for other SH3 domains and IDPs in general.

Author Summary

Complex cellular processes are mediated by interactions between proteins, and to determine how these interactions affect cellular function and binding kinetics we often must understand the protein binding pathway. Many protein interaction domains, such as the SH3 domain, bind to intrinsically disordered proteins in a coupled folding and binding process. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we find that the binding of the disordered ArkA peptide to the yeast Abp1p SH3 domain proceeds through a flexible, disordered encounter complex before reaching a stable fully bound state. The encounter complex is stabilized by nonspecific long-range electrostatic interactions and nonspecific hydrophobic interactions between the peptide and domain. Our simulations highlight the important role of hydrophobic interactions in the entire SH3 binding process: both nonspecific hydrophobic contacts in the encounter complex and specific hydrophobic contacts in the fully bound complex. The encounter complex could be key to understanding the functional behavior of SH3 domain interactions because the encounter complex forms very quickly and the transition to the fully bound state is slower. In cells, an SH3 domain may form an encounter complex quickly and nonspecifically with many potential binding partners, allowing it to search for the correct recognition sequence before completing the binding process.