Johannes Hevler

All Publications

• Higher-order structural organization of the mitochondrial proteome charted by in situ cross-linking mass spectrometry. Molecular & cellular proteomics : MCP Hevler, J. F., Heck, A. J. 2023: 100657

  Abstract

  Mitochondria are densely packed with proteins, of which most are involved physically or more transiently in protein-protein interactions (PPIs). Mitochondria host among others all enzymes of the Krebs cycle and the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) pathway and are foremost associated with cellular bioenergetics (1, 2). However, mitochondria are also important contributors to apoptotic cell death (3) and contain their own genome (4) indicating that they play additionally an eminent role in processes beyond bioenergetics (5). Despite intense efforts in identifying and characterizing mitochondrial protein complexes by structural biology and proteomics techniques, many PPIs have remained elusive. Several of these (membrane embedded) PPIs are less stable in-vitro hampering their characterization by most contemporary methods in structural biology. Particularly in these cases, cross-linking mass spectrometry (XL-MS) has proven valuable for the in-depth characterization of mitochondrial protein complexes in situ. Here, we highlight experimental strategies for the analysis of proteome-wide protein-protein interactions in mitochondria using XL-MS. We showcase the ability of in situ XL-MS as a tool to map sub-organelle interactions and topologies, and aid in refining structural models of protein complexes. We describe some of the most recent technological advances in XL-MS that may benefit the in situ characterization of PPIs even further, especially when combined with electron microscopy and structural modelling.

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.mcpro.2023.100657

  View details for PubMedID 37805037

• Site-Specific Activity-Based Protein Profiling Using Phosphonate Handles MOLECULAR & CELLULAR PROTEOMICS van Bergen, W., Hevler, J. F., Wu, W., Baggelaar, M. P., Heck, A. R. 2023; 22 (1): 100455

  Abstract

  Most drug molecules target proteins. Identification of the exact drug binding sites on these proteins is essential to understand and predict how drugs affect protein structure and function. To address this challenge, we developed a strategy that uses immobilized metal-affinity chromatography-enrichable phosphonate affinity tags, for efficient and selective enrichment of peptides bound to an activity-based probe, enabling the identification of the exact drug binding site. As a proof of concept, using this approach, termed PhosID-ABPP (activity-based protein profiling), over 500 unique binding sites were reproducibly identified of an alkynylated afatinib derivative (PF-06672131). As PhosID-ABPP is compatible with intact cell inhibitor treatment, we investigated the quantitative differences in approachable binding sites in intact cells and in lysates of the same cell line and observed and quantified substantial differences. Moreover, an alternative protease digestion approach was used to capture the previously reported binding site on the epidermal growth factor receptor, which turned out to remain elusive when using solely trypsin as protease. Overall, we find that PhosID-ABPP is highly complementary to biotin-based enrichment strategies in ABPP studies, with PhosID-ABPP providing the advantage of direct activity-based probe interaction site identification.

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.mcpro.2022.100455

  View details for Web of Science ID 001003130000001

  View details for PubMedID 36435334

  View details for PubMedCentralID PMC9803953