Structural Modeling Reveals a Putative Pentameric Complex Orchestrating Mammalian Egg-Sperm Fusion

Core Concepts

A putative pentameric complex involving egg JUNO, CD9 and sperm IZUMO1, SPACA6, TMEM81 may orchestrate the membrane fusion event during mammalian fertilization.

Abstract

The study used AlphaFold-Multimer, a powerful protein structure prediction tool, to investigate the molecular interactions involved in mammalian egg-sperm fusion. The key findings are:

Mouse JUNO and IZUMO1 ectodomains do not form a stable complex in solution, unlike their human counterparts. This suggests the involvement of additional factors in stabilizing the interaction.

AlphaFold-Multimer was able to accurately predict the structures of both mouse and human JUNO-IZUMO1 complexes, indicating the tool's ability to model protein interactions even when the individual components have low affinity.

The structural homology search identified TMEM81 as a novel sperm protein with a similar fold to IZUMO1 and SPACA6, suggesting it may also play a role in gamete fusion.

Systematic modeling of all possible binary interactions between known egg and sperm fusion proteins revealed a cluster of 7 interactions centered around IZUMO1, including direct interactions with JUNO, CD9, CD81, SPACA6 and TMEM81.

Further modeling of this 8-protein complex suggested a core pentameric assembly involving egg JUNO, CD9 and sperm IZUMO1, SPACA6, TMEM81. This complex is structurally consistent with the expected topology on opposing gamete membranes and the location of predicted N-glycans.

The predicted interfaces between the complex components involve protein elements previously implicated in gamete fusion, providing additional support for the model.

Overall, the study used cutting-edge computational approaches to propose a putative supramolecular organization of key proteins at the egg-sperm fusion site, which could help elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying this critical reproductive event.

Stats

The study reports the following key metrics:

The KD of the mouse JUNOE/IZUMO1E complex is 0.6-12 μM, significantly higher than the ~50-90 nM KD of the human JUNOE/IZUMO1E complex.
The AlphaFold-Multimer predictions for the human and mouse JUNOE/IZUMO1E complexes have comparable confidence, with ranking confidence (rc) scores of 0.87 and 0.85, respectively.
The predicted 5-subunit complex has a mean rc of 0.67 and a mean ipTM of 0.66.

Quotes

"Consistent with these considerations, the analysis of AlphaFold-Multimer predictions supports the suggestion that JUNO and IZUMO1 are part of a complex that includes additional fusion factors."
"Notably, the ∼260 Å-long mace-shaped heterodimeric assembly predicted for DCST1/DCST2 is consistent with experimental evidence for interaction between the two proteins."
"Consistent with their central role in interfacing the egg and sperm plasma membranes, JUNO and IZUMO1 constitute the core of this putative assembly, where they interact in the same way that was observed crystallographically."

Key Insights Distilled From

Deep learning insights into the architecture of the mammalian egg-sperm fusion synapse

by Elofsson,A.,... at www.biorxiv.org 07-28-2023

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.27.550195v4

Deeper Inquiries

What other experimental approaches could be used to validate the predicted pentameric complex and its role in egg-sperm fusion

To validate the predicted pentameric complex and its role in egg-sperm fusion, several experimental approaches could be employed. One approach could involve generating knockout models for each of the proteins involved in the complex (JUNO, IZUMO1, SPACA6, TMEM81, and CD9) in mice. By assessing the fertility of these knockout models and observing any defects in gamete fusion, researchers could confirm the importance of these proteins in the process. Additionally, functional assays such as in vitro fertilization experiments using gametes from knockout animals could provide direct evidence of the role of the predicted complex in fusion. Co-immunoprecipitation studies could be conducted to validate the physical interactions between the proteins in the complex. Furthermore, structural biology techniques such as cryo-electron microscopy could be used to visualize the complex at high resolution, confirming the predicted architecture.

How might the structural differences between mouse and human JUNO-IZUMO1 complexes impact the fusion process across species

The structural differences between mouse and human JUNO-IZUMO1 complexes could impact the fusion process across species in several ways. Firstly, the differences in affinity between the mouse and human complexes could affect the stability and functionality of the complex during fertilization. The lower affinity of the mouse complex may require compensatory mechanisms or additional factors to facilitate fusion. Secondly, variations in the interface between JUNO and IZUMO1 in mouse and human complexes could influence the efficiency of membrane adhesion and fusion. Differences in glycosylation patterns or post-translational modifications between the two species could also impact the interactions within the complex. These structural variations may contribute to species-specific differences in the fertilization process.

Could the computational modeling approach used in this study be applied to investigate protein complexes involved in other important biological processes where transient interactions are difficult to detect experimentally

The computational modeling approach used in this study could be applied to investigate protein complexes involved in other important biological processes where transient interactions are difficult to detect experimentally. For example, the approach could be used to study protein complexes involved in synaptic transmission, immune cell signaling, or viral-host interactions. By inputting the primary sequences of the proteins of interest, researchers could predict the structure of the complex and identify potential interaction interfaces. This approach could provide valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying these biological processes and help elucidate the role of specific protein complexes in cellular functions. Additionally, the method could be used to study the impact of genetic variations or mutations on protein complex formation and function, offering new avenues for understanding disease mechanisms.