SAXS Ensemble Refinement of ESCRT-III CHMP3 Conformational Transitions

We developed and implemented an ensemble-refinement method to study dynamic biomolecular assemblies with intrinsically disordered segments. Data from small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) experiments and from coarse-grained molecular simulations were combined by using a maximum-entropy approach. The method was applied to CHMP3 of ESCRT-III, a protein with multiple helical domains separated by flexible linkers. Based on recent SAXS data by Lata et al. (J. Mol. Biol. 378, 818, 2008), we constructed ensembles of CHMP3 at low- and high-salt concentration to characterize its closed autoinhibited state and open active state. At low salt, helix alpha(5) is bound to the tip of helices alpha(1) and alpha(2), in excellent agreement with a recent crystal structure. Helix alpha(6) remains free in solution and does not appear to be part of the autoinhibitory complex. The simulation-based ensemble refinement is general and effectively increases the resolution of SAXS beyond shape information to atomically detailed structures.