High-resolution structure of exo-arabinanase from Penicillium chrysogenum.

Arabinanase Abnx from Penicillium chrysogenum 31B, which belongs to the GH93 family, releases arabinobiose from the nonreducing terminus of α-1,5-L-arabinan, which is distributed in the primary cell walls of higher plants. Crystal structures of Abnx and of its complex with arabinobiose were determined at the high resolutions of 1.14 Što an R(work) of 10.7% (R(free) = 12.8%) and 1.04 Što an R(work) of 10.4% (R(free) = 12.5%). Abnx has a six-bladed ß-propeller fold with a typical ring-closure mode called `Velcro', in which the last four-stranded ß-sheet is completed by the incorporation of a strand from the N-terminus. Catalytic residues which act as a nucleophile and an acid/base were proposed from the structures and confirmed by site-directed mutagenesis. The substrate-binding groove is enclosed at one end by two residues, Glu64 and Tyr66, which contribute to the recognition of the nonreducing chain end of the polysaccharide. A comparison with the related enzyme Arb93A which has a quite similar overall structure suggested that Abnx has different mechanisms to funnel substrates to the active site and/or to stabilize the transition state.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of Ca2+-free primary Ca2+-sensor of Na+/Ca2+ exchanger.

The plasma-membrane Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger (NCX) regulates intracellular Ca(2+) levels in cardiac myocytes. Two Ca(2+)-binding domains (CBD1 and CBD2) exist in the large cytosolic loop of NCX. The binding of Ca(2+) to CBD1 results in conformational changes that stimulate exchange to exclude Ca(2+) ions, whereas CBD2 maintains the structure, suggesting that CBD1 is the primary Ca(2+)-sensor. In order to clarify the structural scaffold for the Ca(2+)-induced conformational transition of CBD1 at the atomic level, X-ray structural analysis of its Ca(2+)-free form was attempted; the structure of the Ca(2+)-bound form is already available. Recombinant CBD1 (NCX1 372-508) with a molecular weight of 16 kDa was crystallized by the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method at 293 K. The crystals belonged to the hexagonal space group P6(2)22 or P6(4)22, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 56.99, c = 153.86 A, beta = 120 degrees , and contained one molecule per asymmetric unit (V(M) = 2.25 A(3) Da(-1)) with a solvent content of about 55% (V(S) = 45.57%). Diffraction data were collected within the resolution range 27.72-3.00 A using an R-AXIS detector and gave a data set with an overall R(merge) of 10.8% and a completeness of 92.8%.

Crystallization and preliminary neutron diffraction studies of HIV-1 protease cocrystallized with inhibitor KNI-272.

This paper reports the crystallization and preliminary neutron diffraction measurements of HIV-1 protease, a potential target for anti-HIV therapy, complexed with an inhibitor (KNI-272). The aim of this neutron diffraction study is to obtain structural information about the H atoms and to determine the protonation states of the residues within the active site. The crystal was grown to a size of 1.4 mm(3) by repeated macroseeding and a slow-cooling method using a two-liquid system. Neutron diffraction data were collected at room temperature using a BIX-4 diffractometer at the JRR-3 research reactor of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA). The data set was integrated and scaled to 2.3 A resolution in space group P2(1)2(1)2, with unit-cell parameters a = 59.5, b = 87.4, c = 46.8 A.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction studies of an RNA aptamer in complex with the human IgG Fc fragment.

Aptamers, which are folded DNA or RNA molecules, bind to target molecules with high affinity and specificity. An RNA aptamer specific for the Fc fragment of human immunoglobulin G (IgG) has recently been identified and it has been demonstrated that an optimized 24-nucleotide RNA aptamer binds to the Fc fragment of human IgG and not to other species. In order to clarify the structural basis of the high specificity of the RNA aptamer, it was crystallized in complex with the Fc fragment of human IgG1. Preliminary X-ray diffraction studies revealed that the crystals belonged to the orthorhombic space group P2(1)2(1)2, with unit-cell parameters a = 83.7, b = 107.2, c = 79.0 A. A data set has been collected to 2.2 A resolution.

Structure of apo-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase from Synechococcus PCC7942.

The crystal structure of NADP-dependent apo-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (apo-GAPDH) from Synechococcus PCC 7942 is reported. The crystal structure was solved by molecular replacement and refined to an R of 21.7% and R(free) of 27.5% at 2.9 angstroms resolution. The structural features of apo-GAPDH are as follows. The S-loop has an extremely flexible conformation and the sulfate ion is only taken into the classical P(i) site. A structural comparison with holo-GAPDHs indicated that the S-loop fixation is essential in the discrimination of NADP and NAD molecules.

Structure of NADP-dependent glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase from Synechococcus PCC7942 complexed with NADP.

The crystal structure of NADP-dependent glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (NADP-GAPDH) from Synechococcus PCC 7942 (S. 7942) in complex with NADP was solved by molecular replacement and refined to an R factor of 19.1% and a free R factor of 24.0% at 2.5 A resolution. The overall structure of NADP-GAPDH from S. 7942 was quite similar to those of other bacterial and eukaryotic GAPDHs. The nicotinamide ring of NADP, which is involved in the redox reaction, was oriented toward the catalytic site. The 2'-phosphate O atoms of NADP exhibited hydrogen bonds to the hydroxyl groups of Ser194 belonging to the S-loop and Thr37. These residues are therefore considered to be essential in the discrimination between NADP and NAD molecules. The C-terminal region was estimated to have an extremely flexible conformation and to play an important role in the formation of the supramolecular complex phosphoribulokinase (PRK)-regulatory peptide (CP12)-GAPDH, which regulates enzyme activities.

Structural basis for thermostability of endo-1,5-alpha-L-arabinanase from Bacillus thermodenitrificans TS-3.

The crystal structure of a thermostable endo-1,5-alpha-L-arabinanase, ABN-TS, from Bacillus thermodenitrificans TS-3 was determined at 1.9 A to an R-factor of 18.3% and an R-free-factor of 22.5%. The enzyme molecule has a five-bladed beta-propeller fold. The substrate-binding cleft formed across one face of the propeller is open on both sides to allow random binding of several sugar units in the polymeric substrate arabinan. The beta-propeller fold is stabilized through a ring closure. ABN-TS exhibits a new closure-mode involving residues in the N-terminal region: Phe7 to Gly21 exhibit hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions with the first and last blades, and Phe4 links the second and third blades through a hydrogen bond and an aromatic stacking interaction, respectively. The role of the N-terminal region in the thermostability was confirmed with a mutant lacking 16 amino acid residues from the N-terminus of ABN-TS.

Structure of the complex of porcine pancreatic elastase with a trimacrocyclic peptide inhibitor FR901451.

Porcine pancreatic elastase (PPE) resembles the attractive drug target leukocyte elastase, which has the ability to degrade connective tissue in the body. The crystal structure of PPE complexed with a novel trimacrocyclic peptide inhibitor, FR901451, was solved at 1.9 A resolution. The inhibitor occupied the subsites S3 through S3' of PPE and induced conformational changes in the side chains of Arg64 and Arg226, which are located at the edges of the substrate-binding cleft. Structural comparison of five PPE-inhibitor complexes, including the FR901451 complex and non-ligated PPE, reveals that the residues forming the S2, S1, S1' and S2' subsites in the cleft are rigid, but the two arginine residues playing a part in the S3 and S3' subsites are flexible. Structural comparison of PPE with human leukocyte elastase (HLE) implies that the inhibitor binds to HLE in a similar manner to the FR901451-PPE complex. This structural insight may help in the design of potent elastase inhibitors.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of a thermostable endo-1,5-alpha-L-arabinanase from Bacillus thermodenitrificans TS-3.

A thermostable endo-1,5-alpha-L-arabinanase ABN-TS from Bacillus thermodenitrificans TS-3 with a molecular weight of 35 kDa was crystallized by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method using sodium citrate as a precipitant. The crystals were loop-mounted in a cryoprotectant solution containing 28%(w/v) sucrose and 1 M sodium citrate pH 6.0 and flash-cooled. Sucrose was selected as the most suitable cryoprotectant. The crystal belonged to the orthorhombic space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 40.3, b = 77.8, c = 89.7 angstroms. The calculated VM based on one molecule per asymmetric unit was 2.0 angstroms3 Da(-1). A complete data set from a frozen crystal was collected to 1.9 angstroms resolution using synchrotron radiation at SPring-8. A molecular-replacement solution was obtained using the structure of alpha-arabinanase 43A from Cellvibrio japonicus.