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      Molecular characterization of latent GDF8 reveals mechanisms of activation

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          Abstract

          <p id="d10154923e431">GDF8 is a signaling protein that inhibits muscle mass. Inhibitors of GDF8 are highly sought as therapeutics for the treatment of muscle-wasting diseases. During synthesis, GDF8 is made as a precursor where the signaling segment is cleaved from the N-terminal prodomain, which remains associated and inhibits signaling. Activation involves an additional cleavage of the prodomain. We demonstrate GDF8 signaling could be gained through a conformational change where the prodomain remains associated with the signaling segment. Alteration of the prodomain can weaken the interactions causing GDF8 to signal, thus alleviating inhibition by the prodomain. This study illuminates how GDF8 transitions from an inhibited state to an active state—information that will help to understand the mechanism of GDF8 signaling. </p><p class="first" id="d10154923e434">Growth/differentiation factor 8 (GDF8), or myostatin, negatively regulates muscle mass. GDF8 is held in a latent state through interactions with its N-terminal prodomain, much like TGF-β. Using a combination of small-angle X-ray scattering and mutagenesis, we characterized the interactions of GDF8 with its prodomain. Our results show that the prodomain:GDF8 complex can exist in a fully latent state and an activated or “triggered” state where the prodomain remains in complex with the mature domain. However, these states are not reversible, indicating the latent GDF8 is “spring-loaded.” Structural analysis shows that the prodomain:GDF8 complex adopts an “open” configuration, distinct from the latency state of TGF-β and more similar to the open state of Activin A and BMP9 (nonlatent complexes). We determined that GDF8 maintains similar features for latency, including the alpha-1 helix and fastener elements, and identified a series of mutations in the prodomain of GDF8 that alleviate latency, including I56E, which does not require activation by the protease Tolloid. In vivo, active GDF8 variants were potent negative regulators of muscle mass, compared with WT GDF8. Collectively, these results help characterize the latency and activation mechanisms of GDF8. </p>

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          Most cited references39

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          Latent TGF-β structure and activation.

          Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β is stored in the extracellular matrix as a latent complex with its prodomain. Activation of TGF-β1 requires the binding of α(v) integrin to an RGD sequence in the prodomain and exertion of force on this domain, which is held in the extracellular matrix by latent TGF-β binding proteins. Crystals of dimeric porcine proTGF-β1 reveal a ring-shaped complex, a novel fold for the prodomain, and show how the prodomain shields the growth factor from recognition by receptors and alters its conformation. Complex formation between α(v)β(6) integrin and the prodomain is insufficient for TGF-β1 release. Force-dependent activation requires unfastening of a 'straitjacket' that encircles each growth-factor monomer at a position that can be locked by a disulphide bond. Sequences of all 33 TGF-β family members indicate a similar prodomain fold. The structure provides insights into the regulation of a family of growth and differentiation factors of fundamental importance in morphogenesis and homeostasis.
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            Double muscling in cattle due to mutations in the myostatin gene.

            Myostatin (GDF-8) is a member of the transforming growth factor beta superfamily of secreted growth and differentiation factors that is essential for proper regulation of skeletal muscle mass in mice. Here we report the myostatin sequences of nine other vertebrate species and the identification of mutations in the coding sequence of bovine myostatin in two breeds of double-muscled cattle, Belgian Blue and Piedmontese, which are known to have an increase in muscle mass relative to conventional cattle. The Belgian Blue myostatin sequence contains an 11-nucleotide deletion in the third exon which causes a frameshift that eliminates virtually all of the mature, active region of the molecule. The Piedmontese myostatin sequence contains a missense mutation in exon 3, resulting in a substitution of tyrosine for an invariant cysteine in the mature region of the protein. The similarity in phenotypes of double-muscled cattle and myostatin null mice suggests that myostatin performs the same biological function in these two species and is a potentially useful target for genetic manipulation in other farm animals.
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              Is Open Access

              FoXS: a web server for rapid computation and fitting of SAXS profiles

              Small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) is an increasingly common technique for low-resolution structural characterization of molecules in solution. SAXS experiment determines the scattering intensity of a molecule as a function of spatial frequency, termed SAXS profile. SAXS profiles can contribute to many applications, such as comparing a conformation in solution with the corresponding X-ray structure, modeling a flexible or multi-modular protein, and assembling a macromolecular complex from its subunits. These applications require rapid computation of a SAXS profile from a molecular structure. FoXS (Fast X-Ray Scattering) is a rapid method for computing a SAXS profile of a given structure and for matching of the computed and experimental profiles. Here, we describe the interface and capabilities of the FoXS web server (http://salilab.org/foxs).
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                Author and article information

                Journal
                Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
                Proc Natl Acad Sci USA
                Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
                0027-8424
                1091-6490
                January 30 2018
                January 30 2018
                : 115
                : 5
                : E866-E875
                Article
                10.1073/pnas.1714622115
                5798348
                29348202
                c5ea8375-a4ec-4db6-8636-d06b1a29ba25
                © 2018

                http://www.pnas.org/site/misc/userlicense.xhtml

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