DNA binds to a specific site of the adhesive blood-protein von Willebrand factor guided by electrostatic interactions

TY - JOUR

T1 - DNA binds to a specific site of the adhesive blood-protein von Willebrand factor guided by electrostatic interactions

AU - Sandoval-Pérez, Angélica

AU - Berger, Ricarda M L

AU - Garaizar, Adiran

AU - Farr, Stephen E

AU - Brehm, Maria A

AU - König, Gesa

AU - Schneider, Stefan W

AU - Collepardo-Guevara, Rosana

AU - Huck, Volker

AU - Rädler, Joachim O

AU - Aponte-Santamaría, Camilo

N1 - © The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

PY - 2020/7/27

Y1 - 2020/7/27

N2 - Neutrophils release their intracellular content, DNA included, into the bloodstream to form neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) that confine and kill circulating pathogens. The mechanosensitive adhesive blood protein, von Willebrand Factor (vWF), interacts with the extracellular DNA of NETs to potentially immobilize them during inflammatory and coagulatory conditions. Here, we elucidate the previously unknown molecular mechanism governing the DNA-vWF interaction by integrating atomistic, coarse-grained, and Brownian dynamics simulations, with thermophoresis, gel electrophoresis, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS), and microfluidic experiments. We demonstrate that, independently of its nucleotide sequence, double-stranded DNA binds to a specific helix of the vWF A1 domain, via three arginines. This interaction is attenuated by increasing the ionic strength. Our FCS and microfluidic measurements also highlight the key role shear-stress has in enabling this interaction. Our simulations attribute the previously-observed platelet-recruitment reduction and heparin-size modulation, upon establishment of DNA-vWF interactions, to indirect steric hindrance and partial overlap of the binding sites, respectively. Overall, we suggest electrostatics-guiding DNA to a specific protein binding site-as the main driving force defining DNA-vWF recognition. The molecular picture of a key shear-mediated DNA-protein interaction is provided here and it constitutes the basis for understanding NETs-mediated immune and hemostatic responses.

AB - Neutrophils release their intracellular content, DNA included, into the bloodstream to form neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) that confine and kill circulating pathogens. The mechanosensitive adhesive blood protein, von Willebrand Factor (vWF), interacts with the extracellular DNA of NETs to potentially immobilize them during inflammatory and coagulatory conditions. Here, we elucidate the previously unknown molecular mechanism governing the DNA-vWF interaction by integrating atomistic, coarse-grained, and Brownian dynamics simulations, with thermophoresis, gel electrophoresis, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS), and microfluidic experiments. We demonstrate that, independently of its nucleotide sequence, double-stranded DNA binds to a specific helix of the vWF A1 domain, via three arginines. This interaction is attenuated by increasing the ionic strength. Our FCS and microfluidic measurements also highlight the key role shear-stress has in enabling this interaction. Our simulations attribute the previously-observed platelet-recruitment reduction and heparin-size modulation, upon establishment of DNA-vWF interactions, to indirect steric hindrance and partial overlap of the binding sites, respectively. Overall, we suggest electrostatics-guiding DNA to a specific protein binding site-as the main driving force defining DNA-vWF recognition. The molecular picture of a key shear-mediated DNA-protein interaction is provided here and it constitutes the basis for understanding NETs-mediated immune and hemostatic responses.

U2 - 10.1093/nar/gkaa466

DO - 10.1093/nar/gkaa466

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 32496552

VL - 48

SP - 7333

EP - 7344

JO - NUCLEIC ACIDS RES

JF - NUCLEIC ACIDS RES

SN - 0305-1048

IS - 13

ER -