Conformational plasticity of the VEEV macro domain is important for binding of ADP-ribose

Makrynitsa, Garyfallia I.; Ntonti, Dioni; Marousis, Konstantinos D.; Birkou, Maria; Matsoukas, Minos-Timotheos; Asami, Sam; Bentrop, Detlef; Papageorgiou, Nicolas; Canard, Bruno; Coutard, Bruno; Spyroulias, Georgios A.

Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) is a new world alphavirus which can be involved in several central nervous system disorders such as encephalitis and meningitis. The VEEV genome codes for 4 non-structural proteins (nsP), of which nsP3 contains a Macro domain. Macro domains (MD) can be found as stand-alone proteins or embedded within larger proteins in viruses, bacteria and eukaryotes. Their most common feature is the binding of ADP-ribose (ADPr), while several macro domains act as ribosylation writers, erasers or readers. Alphavirus MD erase ribosylation but their precise contribution in viral replication is still under investigation. NMR-driven titration experiments of ADPr in solution with the VEEV macro domain (in apo- and complex state) show that it adopts a suitable conformation for ADPr binding. Specific experiments indicate that the flexibility of the loops β5-α3 and α3-β6 is critical for formation of the complex and assists a wrapping mechanism for ADPr binding. Furthermore, along with this sequence of events, the VEEV MD undergoes a conformational exchange process between the apo state and a low-populated “dark” conformational state.