Molecular dynamics shows complex interplay and long-range effects of post-translational modifications in yeast protein interactions

PLoS Comput Biol. 2021 May 12;17(5):e1008988. doi: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008988. eCollection 2021 May.

Abstract

Post-translational modifications (PTMs) play a vital, yet often overlooked role in the living cells through modulation of protein properties, such as localization and affinity towards their interactors, thereby enabling quick adaptation to changing environmental conditions. We have previously benchmarked a computational framework for the prediction of PTMs' effects on the stability of protein-protein interactions, which has molecular dynamics simulations followed by free energy calculations at its core. In the present work, we apply this framework to publicly available data on Saccharomyces cerevisiae protein structures and PTM sites, identified in both normal and stress conditions. We predict proteome-wide effects of acetylations and phosphorylations on protein-protein interactions and find that acetylations more frequently have locally stabilizing roles in protein interactions, while the opposite is true for phosphorylations. However, the overall impact of PTMs on protein-protein interactions is more complex than a simple sum of local changes caused by the introduction of PTMs and adds to our understanding of PTM cross-talk. We further use the obtained data to calculate the conformational changes brought about by PTMs. Finally, conservation of the analyzed PTM residues in orthologues shows that some predictions for yeast proteins will be mirrored to other organisms, including human. This work, therefore, contributes to our overall understanding of the modulation of the cellular protein interaction networks in yeast and beyond.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetylation
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation
  • Phosphorylation
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Processing, Post-Translational*
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / metabolism*
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / chemistry
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / metabolism*

Substances

  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins

Grants and funding

This work is supported by Onderzoeksraad, KU Leuven (KU Leuven Research Fund, https://www.kuleuven.be/onderzoek/ondersteuning/if) (to V.N.). N.S. is a doctoral fellow (1112318N) of The Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO, https://www.fwo.be). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.