Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

The role of water coordination in the pH-dependent gating of hAQP10

Truelsen, Sigurd Friis ; Missel, Julie Winkel ; Gotfryd, Kamil ; Pedersen, Per Amstrup ; Gourdon, Pontus LU ; Lindorff-Larsen, Kresten and Hélix-Nielsen, Claus (2022) In Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Biomembranes 1864(1).
Abstract

Human aquaporin 10 (hAQP10) is an aquaglyceroporin that assists in maintaining glycerol flux in adipocytes during lipolysis at low pH. Hence, a molecular understanding of the pH-sensitive glycerol conductance may open up for drug development in obesity and metabolically related disorders. Control of hAQP10-mediated glycerol flux has been linked to the cytoplasmic end of the channel, where a unique loop is regulated by the protonation status of histidine 80 (H80). Here, we performed unbiased molecular dynamics simulations of three protonation states of H80 to unravel channel gating. Strikingly, at neutral pH, we identified a water coordination pattern with an inverted orientation of the water molecules in vicinity of the loop.... (More)

Human aquaporin 10 (hAQP10) is an aquaglyceroporin that assists in maintaining glycerol flux in adipocytes during lipolysis at low pH. Hence, a molecular understanding of the pH-sensitive glycerol conductance may open up for drug development in obesity and metabolically related disorders. Control of hAQP10-mediated glycerol flux has been linked to the cytoplasmic end of the channel, where a unique loop is regulated by the protonation status of histidine 80 (H80). Here, we performed unbiased molecular dynamics simulations of three protonation states of H80 to unravel channel gating. Strikingly, at neutral pH, we identified a water coordination pattern with an inverted orientation of the water molecules in vicinity of the loop. Protonation of H80 results in a more hydrophobic loop conformation, causing loss of water coordination and leaving the pore often dehydrated. Our results indicate that the loss of such water interaction network may be integral for the destabilization of the loop in the closed configuration at low pH. Additionally, a residue unique to hAQP10 (F85) reveals structural importance by flipping into the channel in correlation with loop movements, indicating a loop-stabilizing role in the closed configuration. Taken together, our simulations suggest a unique gating mechanism combining complex interaction networks between water molecules and protein residues at the loop interface. Considering the role of hAQP10 in adipocytes, the detailed molecular insights of pH-regulation presented here will help to understand glycerol pathways in these cells and may assist in drug discovery for better management of human adiposity and obesity.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Aquaporin, Channel gating, hAQP10, Molecular dynamics, Water coordination
in
Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Biomembranes
volume
1864
issue
1
article number
183809
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85122539272
  • pmid:34699768
ISSN
0005-2736
DOI
10.1016/j.bbamem.2021.183809
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
f9451255-91d5-4a23-9fa6-399c8cf46d0f
date added to LUP
2022-02-28 11:41:22
date last changed
2024-06-22 15:30:47
@article{f9451255-91d5-4a23-9fa6-399c8cf46d0f,
  abstract     = {{<p>Human aquaporin 10 (hAQP10) is an aquaglyceroporin that assists in maintaining glycerol flux in adipocytes during lipolysis at low pH. Hence, a molecular understanding of the pH-sensitive glycerol conductance may open up for drug development in obesity and metabolically related disorders. Control of hAQP10-mediated glycerol flux has been linked to the cytoplasmic end of the channel, where a unique loop is regulated by the protonation status of histidine 80 (H80). Here, we performed unbiased molecular dynamics simulations of three protonation states of H80 to unravel channel gating. Strikingly, at neutral pH, we identified a water coordination pattern with an inverted orientation of the water molecules in vicinity of the loop. Protonation of H80 results in a more hydrophobic loop conformation, causing loss of water coordination and leaving the pore often dehydrated. Our results indicate that the loss of such water interaction network may be integral for the destabilization of the loop in the closed configuration at low pH. Additionally, a residue unique to hAQP10 (F85) reveals structural importance by flipping into the channel in correlation with loop movements, indicating a loop-stabilizing role in the closed configuration. Taken together, our simulations suggest a unique gating mechanism combining complex interaction networks between water molecules and protein residues at the loop interface. Considering the role of hAQP10 in adipocytes, the detailed molecular insights of pH-regulation presented here will help to understand glycerol pathways in these cells and may assist in drug discovery for better management of human adiposity and obesity.</p>}},
  author       = {{Truelsen, Sigurd Friis and Missel, Julie Winkel and Gotfryd, Kamil and Pedersen, Per Amstrup and Gourdon, Pontus and Lindorff-Larsen, Kresten and Hélix-Nielsen, Claus}},
  issn         = {{0005-2736}},
  keywords     = {{Aquaporin; Channel gating; hAQP10; Molecular dynamics; Water coordination}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Biomembranes}},
  title        = {{The role of water coordination in the pH-dependent gating of hAQP10}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbamem.2021.183809}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.bbamem.2021.183809}},
  volume       = {{1864}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}