Review: nucleotide binding to the thermoplasma thermosome: implications for the functional cycle of group II chaperonins.

Structural information on group II chaperonins became available during recent years from electron microscopy and X-ray crystallography. Three conformational states have been identified for both archaeal and eukaryotic group II chaperonins: an open state, a spherical closed conformation, and an intermediate asymmetric bullet-shaped form. However, the functional cycle of group II chaperonins appears less well understood, although major principles are conserved when compared to group I chaperonins: binding of the substrate polypeptide to the apical domains of the open state and MgATP-driven conformational changes that result in encapsulation of the substrate where folding can proceed presumably in the closed ring of the bullet-shaped form. Binding of the transition state analogue MgADP-AlF3-H2O in the crystal structure of the Thermoplasma acidophilum thermosome suggests that the closed geometry is the enzymatically active conformation that performs ATP hydrolysis. Domain movements observed by electron microscopy suggest a coupling of ATP hydrolysis and domain movement similar to that in the GroE system. The hydrophilic interior of the closed thermosome corresponds to the cis-ring of the asymmetric GroEL-GroES complex implicated in protein folding.

Arabidopsis thaliana flavoprotein AtHAL3a catalyzes the decarboxylation of 4'-Phosphopantothenoylcysteine to 4'-phosphopantetheine, a key step in coenzyme A biosynthesis.

The Arabidopsis thaliana flavoprotein AtHAL3a is related to plant growth and salt and osmotic tolerance. AtHAL3a shows sequence homology to the bacterial flavoproteins EpiD and Dfp. EpiD, Dfp, and AtHAL3a are members of the homo-oligomeric flavin-containing Cys decarboxylase (HFCD) protein family. We demonstrate that AtHAL3a catalyzes the decarboxylation of (R)-4'-phospho-N-pantothenoylcysteine to 4'-phosphopantetheine. This key step in coenzyme A biosynthesis is catalyzed in bacteria by the Dfp proteins. Exchange of His-90 of AtHAL3a for Asn led to complete inactivation of the enzyme. Dfp and AtHAL3a are characterized by a shortened substrate binding clamp compared with EpiD. Exchange of the cysteine residue of the conserved ACGD motif of this binding clamp resulted in loss of (R)-4'-phospho-N-pantothenoylcysteine decarboxylase activity. Based on the crystal structures of EpiD H67N with bound substrate peptide and of AtHAL3a, we present a model for the binding of (R)-4'-phospho-N-pantothenoylcysteine to AtHAL3a.

Crystal structure of the peptidyl-cysteine decarboxylase EpiD complexed with a pentapeptide substrate.

Epidermin from Staphylococcus epidermidis Tü3298 is an antimicrobial peptide of the lantibiotic family that contains, amongst other unusual amino acids, S:-[(Z:)- 2-aminovinyl]-D-cysteine. This residue is introduced by post-translational modification of the ribosomally synthesized precursor EpiA. Modification starts with the oxidative decarboxylation of its C-terminal cysteine by the flavoprotein EpiD generating a reactive (Z:)-enethiol intermediate. We have determined the crystal structures of EpiD and EpiD H67N in complex with the substrate pentapeptide DSYTC at 2.5 A resolution. Rossmann-type monomers build up a dodecamer of 23 point symmetry with trimers disposed at the vertices of a tetrahedron. Oligomer formation is essential for binding of flavin mononucleotide and substrate, which is buried by an otherwise disordered substrate recognition clamp. A pocket for the tyrosine residue of the substrate peptide is formed by an induced fit mechanism. The substrate contacts flavin mononucleotide only via Cys-Sgamma, suggesting its oxidation as the initial step. A thioaldehyde intermediate could undergo spontaneous decarboxylation. The unusual substrate recognition mode and the type of chemical reaction performed provide insight into a novel family of flavoproteins.

Molecular characterization of lantibiotic-synthesizing enzyme EpiD reveals a function for bacterial Dfp proteins in coenzyme A biosynthesis.

The lantibiotic-synthesizing flavoprotein EpiD catalyzes the oxidative decarboxylation of peptidylcysteines to peptidyl-aminoenethiols. The sequence motif responsible for flavin coenzyme binding and enzyme activity is conserved in different proteins from all kingdoms of life. Dfp proteins of eubacteria and archaebacteria and salt tolerance proteins of yeasts and plants belong to this new family of flavoproteins. The enzymatic function of all these proteins was not known, but our experiments suggested that they catalyze a similar reaction like EpiD and/or may have similar substrates and are homododecameric flavoproteins. We demonstrate that the N-terminal domain of the Escherichia coli Dfp protein catalyzes the decarboxylation of (R)-4'-phospho-N-pantothenoylcysteine to 4'-phosphopantetheine. This reaction is essential for coenzyme A biosynthesis.

Crystal structure of a NifS-like protein from Thermotoga maritima: implications for iron sulphur cluster assembly.

NifS-like proteins are ubiquitous, homodimeric, proteins which belong to the alpha-family of pyridoxal-5'-phoshate dependent enzymes. They are proposed to donate elementary sulphur, generated from cysteine, via a cysteinepersulphide intermediate during iron sulphur cluster biosynthesis, an important albeit not well understood process. Here, we report on the crystal structure of a NifS-like protein from the hyperthermophilic bacterium Thermotoga maritima (tmNifS) at 2.0 A resolution. The tmNifS is structured into two domains, the larger bearing the pyridoxal-5'-phosphate-binding active site, the smaller hosting the active site cysteine in the middle of a highly flexible loop, 12 amino acid residues in length. Once charged with sulphur the loop could possibly deliver S(0) directly to regions far remote from the protein. Based on the three-dimensional structures of the native as well as the substrate complexed form and on spectrophotometric results, a mechanism of sulphur activation is proposed. The His99, which stacks on top of the pyridoxal-5'-phosphate co-factor, is assigned a crucial role during the catalytic cycle by acting as an acid-base catalyst and is believed to have a pK(a) value depending on the co-factor redox state.

Plasticity and steric strain in a parallel beta-helix: rational mutations in the P22 tailspike protein.

By means of genetic screens, a great number of mutations that affect the folding and stability of the tailspike protein from Salmonella phage P22 have been identified. Temperature-sensitive folding (tsf) mutations decrease folding yields at high temperature, but hardly affect thermal stability of the native trimeric structure when assembled at low temperature. Global suppressor (su) mutations mitigate this phenotype. Virtually all of these mutations are located in the central domain of tailspike, a large parallel beta-helix. We modified tailspike by rational single amino acid replacements at three sites in order to investigate the influence of mutations of two types: (1) mutations expected to cause a tsf phenotype by increasing the side-chain volume of a core residue, and (2) mutations in a similar structural context as two of the four known su mutations, which have been suggested to stabilize folding intermediates and the native structure by the release of backbone strain, an effect well known for residues that are primarily evolved for function and not for stability or folding of the protein. Analysis of folding yields, refolding kinetics and thermal denaturation kinetics in vitro show that the tsf phenotype can indeed be produced rationally by increasing the volume of side chains in the beta-helix core. The high-resolution crystal structure of mutant T326F proves that structural rearrangements only take place in the remarkably plastic lumen of the beta-helix, leaving the arrangement of the hydrogen-bonded backbone and thus the surface of the protein unaffected. This supports the notion that changes in the stability of an intermediate, in which the beta-helix domain is largely formed, are the essential mechanism by which tsf mutations affect tailspike folding. A rational design of su mutants, on the other hand, appears to be more difficult. The exchange of two residues in the active site expected to lead to a drastic release of steric strain neither enhanced the folding properties nor the stability of tailspike. Apparently, side-chain interactions in these cases overcompensate for backbone strain, illustrating the extreme optimization of the tailspike protein for conformational stability. The result exemplifies the view arising from the statistical analysis of the distribution of backbone dihedral angles in known three-dimensional protein structures that the adoption of straight phi/psi angles other than the most favorable ones is often caused by side-chain interactions. Proteins 2000;39:89-101.

Crystal structure of the post-chaperonin beta-tubulin binding cofactor Rbl2p.

The folding pathway of tubulins includes highly specific interactions with a series of cofactors (A, B, C, D and E) after they are released from the eukaryotic chaperonin CCT. The 2.2 A crystal structure of Rbl2p, the Saccharomyces cerevisiae homolog of beta-tubulin specific cofactor A, shows alpha-helical monomers forming a flat, slightly convex dimer. The surface of the molecule is dominated by polar and charged residues and lacks hydrophobic patches typically observed for chaperones that bind unfolded or partially folded proteins. This post-chaperonin cofactor is therefore clearly distinct from typical chaperones where hydrophobicity is a hallmark of substrate recognition.

Mutations improving the folding of phage P22 tailspike protein affect its receptor binding activity.

Four previously isolated mutations in Salmonella phage P22 tailspike protein were used to study the relationship between protein stability, folding, and function. Tailspike protein binds and hydrolyzes the repetitive O-antigen structure in Salmonella lipopolysaccharide. Four mutations (V331G, V331A, A334V, A334I) are known to increase the folding efficiency, and two of them (at position 331) also increase the thermal stability of the protein. Octasaccharides comprising two repeating units of the O-antigens from two different Salmonella strains were employed to analyze the receptor binding function of the mutant proteins. Their endorhamnosidase enzymatic activity was assayed with the aid of a fluorescence-labeled dodecasaccharide. Both V331A and V331G were found to strongly affect O-antigen binding. Octasaccharide binding affinities of the mutant proteins are reduced tenfold and 200-fold, corresponding to a loss of 17% and 36% of the standard free energy of binding, respectively. Both mutations at position 334 affected O-antigen binding only slightly (DeltaDeltaG(0)B approximately 1 kJ/mol), but these mutations reduce the thermal stability of the protein. The observed effects on the endoglycosidase activity are fully explained by the changes in substrate binding, suggesting that neither of the mutations affect the catalytic rate. Crystal structures of all four mutants were determined to a resolution of 2.0 A. Except for the partly or completely missing side-chain, no significant changes compared to the wild-type protein structure were found for the mutants at position 331, whereas a small but significant backbone displacement around the mutation site in A334V and A334I may explain the observed thermal destabilization.

3D reconstruction of the ATP-bound form of CCT reveals the asymmetric folding conformation of a type II chaperonin.

The type II chaperonin CCT (chaperonin containing Tcp-1) of eukaryotic cytosol is a heteromeric 16-mer particle composed of eight different subunits. Three-dimensional reconstructions of apo-CCT and ATP-CCT have been obtained at 28 A resolution by cryo-electron microscopy. Binding of ATP generates an asymmetric particle; one ring has a slightly different conformation from the apo-CCT ring, while the other has undergone substantial movements in the apical domains. Upon ATP binding the apical domains rotate and point towards the cylinder axis, so that the helical protrusions present at their tips could act as a lid closing the ring cavity.

The crystal structure of the Physarum polycephalum actin-fragmin kinase: an atypical protein kinase with a specialized substrate-binding domain.

Coordinated temporal and spatial regulation of the actin cytoskeleton is essential for diverse cellular processes such as cell division, cell motility and the formation and maintenance of specialized structures in differentiated cells. In plasmodia of Physarum polycephalum, the F-actin capping activity of the actin-fragmin complex is regulated by the phosphorylation of actin. This is mediated by a novel type of protein kinase with no sequence homology to eukaryotic-type protein kinases. Here we present the crystal structure of the catalytic domain of the first cloned actin kinase in complex with AMP at 2.9 A resolution. The three-dimensional fold reveals a catalytic module of approximately 160 residues, in common with the eukaryotic protein kinase superfamily, which harbours the nucleotide binding site and the catalytic apparatus in an inter-lobe cleft. Several kinases that share this catalytic module differ in the overall architecture of their substrate recognition domain. The actin-fragmin kinase has acquired a unique flat substrate recognition domain which is supposed to confer stringent substrate specificity.

Crystal structure of 7,8-dihydroneopterin triphosphate epimerase.

BACKGROUND: Dihydroneopterin triphosphate (H2NTP) is the central substrate in the biosynthesis of folate and tetrahydrobiopterin. Folate serves as a cofactor in amino acid and purine biosynthesis and tetrahydrobiopterin is used as a cofactor in amino acid hydroxylation and nitric oxide synthesis. In bacteria, H2NTP enters the folate biosynthetic pathway after nonenzymatic dephosphorylation; in vertebrates, H2NTP is used to synthesize tetrahydrobiopterin. The dihydroneopterin triphosphate epimerase of Escherichia coli catalyzes the inversion of carbon 2' of H2NTP. RESULTS: The crystal structure of the homo-octameric protein has been solved by a combination of multiple isomorphous replacement, Patterson search techniques and cyclic averaging and has been refined to a crystallographic R factor of 18.8% at 2.9 A resolution. The enzyme is a torus-shaped, D4 symmetric homo-octamer with approximate dimensions of 65 x 65 A. Four epimerase monomers form an unusual 16-stranded antiparallel beta barrel by tight association between the N- and C-terminal beta strands of two adjacent subunits. Two tetramers associate in a head-to-head fashion to form the active enzyme complex. CONCLUSIONS: The folding topology, quaternary structure and amino acid sequence of epimerase is similar to that of the dihydroneopterin aldolase involved in the biosynthesis of the vitamin folic acid. The monomer fold of epimerase is also topologically similar to that of GTP cyclohydrolase I (GTP CH-1), 6-pyrovoyl tetrahydropterin synthase (PTPS) and uroate oxidase (UO). Despite a lack of significant sequence homology these proteins share a common subunit fold and oligomerize to form central beta barrel structures employing different cyclic symmetry elements, D4, D5, D3 and D2, respectively. Moreover, these enzymes have a topologically equivalent acceptor site for the 2-amino-4-oxo pyrimidine (2-oxo-4-oxo pyrimidine in uroate oxidase) moiety of their respective substrates.

Collagen application for sealing of arterial puncture sites in comparison to pressure dressing: a randomized trial.

UNLABELLED: One-hundred patients undergoing routine diagnostic or interventional catheterization were randomly assigned to receive either percutaneously applied collagen (group A; n = 50) or conventional pressure dressing (group B; n = 50) for sealing of the femoral artery. Clinical variables were comparable in both groups. The heparin dose was 100 IU/kg in 30 patients and 200 IU/kg in 20 patients of either group. The average compression time was 4.3 minutes in group A and 42.3 minutes in group B (p < 0.001). Bleeding was not observed in group A but was observed in 6/50 patients in group B. The time to ambulation was 6.4 hours (range: 4-12 hours) in group A and 21.6 hours (range: 10-48 hours) in group B (p < 0.001). Hematomas with a diameter of > 6 cm developed in 4/50 patients in group A and in 11/50 patients in group B (p < 0.05). Blood transfusion or surgical interventions were not required and there was no loss of ankle pulses in either group. CONCLUSION: Percutaneously applied collagen reduced compression time and duration of bedrest after diagnostic catheterization and PTCA. Despite earlier ambulation, the incidence of bleeding was lower with collagen than with conventional pressure dressing.

Crystal structure of the thermosome, the archaeal chaperonin and homolog of CCT.

We have determined to 2.6 A resolution the crystal structure of the thermosome, the archaeal group II chaperonin from T. acidophilum. The hexadecameric homolog of the eukaryotic chaperonin CCT/TRiC shows an (alphabeta)4(alphabeta)4 subunit assembly. Domain folds are homologous to GroEL but form a novel type of inter-ring contact. The domain arrangement resembles the GroEL-GroES cis-ring. Parts of the apical domains form a lid creating a closed conformation. The lid substitutes for a GroES-like cochaperonin that is absent in the CCT/TRiC system. The central cavity has a polar surface implicated in protein folding. Binding of the transition state analog Mg-ADP-AIF3 suggests that the closed conformation corresponds to the ATP form.

Bioincorporation of telluromethionine into proteins: a promising new approach for X-ray structure analysis of proteins.

A simple and efficient method for the specific and quantitative replacement of the naturally occurring amino acid methionine by its isosteric analogue telluromethionine in the expression of recombinant proteins has been developed. The method requires a controlable and competitive expression system like the bacteriophage T7 polymerase/promoter in a methionine-auxotrophic host. Using methionine-auxotrophic Escherichia coli strains, incorporation of telluromethionine at high yields has been achieved for human recombinant annexin V, human mitochondrial transamidase, Arabidopsis glutathione-S-transferase and the N-terminal domain of Salmonella tailspike adhesion protein as confirmed by amino acid, mass-spectrometric and X-ray analyses. Expressed and purified telluromethionine-proteins and native proteins were found to crystallise isomorphously. In terms of efficient bio-expression, isomorphism of crystals and relative abundance of methionine residues, the production of telluromethionine-proteins as heavy-atom derivatives offers a valid and general approach in X-ray analysis by the method of multiple isomorphous replacement.

Crystal structure and mechanism of human L-arginine:glycine amidinotransferase: a mitochondrial enzyme involved in creatine biosynthesis.

L-arginine:glycine amidinotransferase (AT) catalyses the committed step in creatine biosynthesis by formation of guanidinoacetic acid, the immediate precursor of creatine. We have determined the crystal structure of the recombinant human enzyme by multiple isomorphous replacement at 1.9 A resolution. A telluromethionine derivative was used in sequence assignment. The structure of AT reveals a new fold with 5-fold pseudosymmetry of circularly arranged betabeta alphabeta-modules. These enclose the active site compartment, which is accessible only through a narrow channel. The overall structure resembles a basket with handles that are formed from insertions into the betabeta alphabeta-modules. Binding of L-ornithine, a product inhibitor, reveals a marked induced-fit mechanism, with a loop at the active site entrance changing its conformation accompanied by a shift of an alpha-helix by -4 A. Binding of the arginine educt to the inactive mutant C407A shows a similar mode of binding. A reaction mechanism with a catalytic triad Cys-His-Asp is proposed on the basis of substrate and product bound states.

Phage P22 tailspike protein: crystal structure of the head-binding domain at 2.3 A, fully refined structure of the endorhamnosidase at 1.56 A resolution, and the molecular basis of O-antigen recognition and cleavage.

The tailspike protein of Salmonella phage P22 is a viral adhesion protein with both receptor binding and destroying activities. It recognises the O-antigenic repeating units of cell surface lipopolysaccharide of serogroup A, B and D1 as receptor, but also inactivates its receptor by endoglycosidase (endorhamnosidase) activity. In the final step of bacteriophage P22 assembly six homotrimeric tailspike molecules are non-covalently attached to the DNA injection apparatus, mediated by their N-terminal, head-binding domains. We report the crystal structure of the head-binding domain of P22 tailspike protein at 2.3 A resolution, solved with a recombinant telluromethionine derivative and non-crystallographic symmetry averaging. The trimeric dome-like structure is formed by two perpendicular beta-sheets of five and three strands, respectively in each subunit and caps a three-helix bundle observed in the structure of the C-terminal receptor binding and cleaving fragment, reported here after full refinement at 1.56 A resolution. In the central part of the receptor binding fragment, three parallel beta-helices of 13 complete turns are associated side-by-side, while the three polypeptide strands merge into a single domain towards their C termini, with close interdigitation at the junction to the beta-helix part. Complex structures with receptor fragments from S. typhimurium, S. enteritidis and S. typhi253Ty determined at 1.8 A resolution are described in detail. Insertions into the beta-helix form the O-antigen binding groove, which also harbours the active site residues Asp392, Asp395 and Glu359. In the intact structure of the tailspike protein, head-binding and receptor-binding parts are probably linked by a flexible hinge whose function may be either to deal with shearing forces on the exposed, 150 A long tailspikes or to allow them to bend during the infection process.

Structure and reaction mechanism of L-arginine:glycine amidinotransferase.

L-Arginine:glycine amidinotransferase (AT) catalyzes the committed step in creatine biosynthesis by formation of guanidinoacetic acid, the direct precursor of creatine. The X-ray structure of the human enzyme shows a novel fold with fivefold pseudosymmetry of beta beta alphabeta-modules. These modules enclose the active site compartment of the basket-like structure. The active site of AT lies at the bottom of a very narrow channel and contains a catalytic triad with the residues Cys-His-Asp. The transamidination reaction follows a ping-pong mechanism and is accompanied by large conformational changes. During catalysis the amidino group is covalently attached to the active site cysteine to give an amidino-cysteine intermediate.

Interaction of Salmonella phage P22 with its O-antigen receptor studied by X-ray crystallography.

The O-antigenic repeating units of the Salmonella cell surface lipopolysaccharides (serotypes A, B and D1) serve as receptors for phage P22. This initial binding step is mediated by the tailspike protein (TSP), which is present in six copies on the base plate of the phage. In addition to the binding activity, TSP also displays a low endoglycolytic activity, cleaving the alpha(1,3)-O-glycosidic bond between rhamnose and galactose of the O-antigenic repeats. The crystal structure of TSP in complex with receptor fragments allowed to identify the receptor binding site for the octasaccharide product of the enzymatic action of TSP on delipidated LPS and the active site consisting of Asp392, Asp395 and Glu359. The structure comprises a large right-handed parallel beta-helix of 13 turns. These fold independently in the trimer, whereas the N-terminus forms a cap-like structure and the C-terminal parts of the three polypeptide strands merge to a single common domain. In addition, TSP has served as model system for the folding of large, multisubunit proteins. Its folding pathway is influenced by a large number of point mutations, classified as lethal, temperature sensitive or general suppressor mutations, which influence the partitioning between aggregation and the productive folding pathway.

Beta-turn propensities as paradigms for the analysis of structural motifs to engineer protein stability.

The thermodynamic stability of a protein provides an experimental metric for the relationship of protein sequence and native structure. We have investigated an approach based on an analysis of the structural database for stability engineering of an immunoglobulin variable domain. The most frequently occurring residues in specific positions of beta-turn motifs were predicted to increase the folding stability of mutants that were constructed by site-directed mutagenesis. Even in positions in which different residues are conserved in immunoglobulin sequences, the predictions were confirmed. Frequently, mutants with increased beta-turn propensities display increased folding cooperativities, suggesting pronounced effects on the unfolded state independent of the expected effect on conformational entropy. We conclude that structural motifs with predominantly local interactions can serve as templates with which patterns of sequence preferences can be extracted from the database of protein structures. Such preferences can predict the stability effects of mutations for protein engineering and design.

Crystal structure of phage P22 tailspike protein complexed with Salmonella sp. O-antigen receptors.

The O-antigenic repeating units of lipopolysaccharides from Salmonella serogroups A, B, and D1 serve as receptors for the phage P22 tailspike protein, which also has receptor destroying endoglycosidase (endorhamnosidase) activity, integrating the functions of both hemagglutinin and neuraminidase in influenza virus. Crystal structures of the tailspike protein in complex with oligosaccharides, comprising two O-antigenic repeating units from Salmonella typhimurium, Salmonella enteritidis, and Salmonella typhi 253Ty were determined at 1.8 A resolution. The active-site topology with Asp-392, Asp-395, and Glu-359 as catalytic residues was identified. Kinetics of binding and cleavage suggest a role of the receptor destroying endorhamnosidase activity primarily for detachment of newly assembled phages.