Time-Resolved NMR Analysis of Proteolytic α-Synuclein Processing in vitro and in cellulo

Targeted proteolysis of the disordered Parkinson's disease protein alpha-synuclein (alpha Syn) constitutes an important event under physiological and pathological cell conditions. In this work, site-specific alpha Syn cleavage by different endopeptidases in vitro and by endogenous proteases in extracts of challenged and unchallenged cells was studied by time-resolved NMR spectroscopy. Specifically, proteolytic processing was monitored under neutral and low pH conditions and in response to Rotenone-induced oxidative stress. Further, time-dependent degradation of electroporation-delivered alpha Syn in intact SH-SY5Y and A2780 cells was analyzed. Results presented here delineate a general framework for NMR-based proteolysis studies in vitro and in cellulo, and confirm earlier reports pertaining to the exceptional proteolytic stability of alpha Syn under physiological cell conditions. However, experimental findings also reveal altered protease susceptibilities in selected mammalian cell lines and upon induced cell stress.