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G Dodson

Publications and source records attributed to G Dodson.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

The crystal structure of human rac1, a member of the rho-family complexed with a GTP analogue.

The crystal structure of human rac1, a member of the rho family of small G-proteins, complexed with the non-hydrolysable GTP analogue, guanosine-5'-(beta gamma-imino)triphosphate (GMPPNP), has been determined by X-ray analysis at a resolution of 1.38 A. Comparison with the structure of H-ras indicates that rac1 has an extra alpha-helical domain that is characteristic of the rho G proteins, and may be involved in the signalling pathway of this family.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

Crystal structure of T state haemoglobin with oxygen bound at all four haems.

The cooperative binding of oxygen by haemoglobin results from restraints on ligand binding in the T state. The unfavourable interactions made by the ligands at the haems destabilise the T state and favour the high affinity R state. The T <==> R equilibrium leads, in the presence of a ligand, to a rapid increase in the R state population and therefore generates cooperative binding. There is now considerable understanding of this phenomenon, but the interactions that reduce ligand affinity in the T state have not yet been fully explored, owing to the difficulties in preparing T state haemoglobin crystals in which all the subunits are oxygenated. A protocol has been developed to oxygenate deoxy T state adult human haemoglobin (HbA) crystals in air at 4 C at all four haems without significant loss of crystalline order. The X-ray crystal structure, determined to 2.1 A spacing, shows significant changes in the alpha and beta haem pockets as well as changes at the alpha(1)beta(2) interface in the direction of the R quaternary structure. Most of the shifts and deviations from deoxy T state HbA are similar to, but larger than, those previously observed in the T state met and other partially liganded T state forms. They provide clear evidence of haem-haem interaction in the T state.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Structure determination and refinement of the Humicola insolens endoglucanase V at 1.5 A resolution.

The structure of the catalytic core of the endoglucanase V (EGV) from Humicola insolens has been determined by the method of multiple isomorphous replacement at 1.5 A resolution. The final model, refined with X-PLOR and PROLSQ, has a crystallographic R factor of 0.163 (R(free) = 0.240) with deviations from stereochemical target values of 0.012 A and 0.037 degrees for bonds and angles, respectively. The model was further refined with SHELXL, including anisotropic modelling of the protein-atom temperature factors, to give a final model with an R factor of 0.105 and an R(free) of 0.154. The initial isomorphous replacement electron-density map was poor and uninterpretable but was improved by the use of synchrotron data collected at a wavelength chosen so as to optimize the f" contribution of the anomalous scattering from the heavy atoms. The structure of H. insolens EGV consists of a six-stranded beta-barrel domain, similar to that found in a family of plant defence proteins, linked by a number of disulfide-bonded loop regions. A long open groove runs across the surface of the enzyme either side of which lie the catalytic aspartate residues. The 9 A separation of the catalytic carboxylate groups is consistent with the observation that EGV catalyzes the hydrolysis of the cellulose, beta(1-->4) links with inversion of configuration at the anomeric C1 atom. This structure is the first representative from the glycosyl hydrolase family 45.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1995

A protein catalytic framework with an N-terminal nucleophile is capable of self-activation.

The crystal structures of three amidohydrolases have been determined recently: glutamine PRPP amidotransferase (GAT), penicillin acylase, and the proteasome. These enzymes use the side chain of the amino-terminal residue, incorporated in a beta-sheet, as the nucleophile in the catalytic attack at the carbonyl carbon. The nucleophile is cysteine in GAT, serine in penicillin acylase, and threonine in the proteasome. Here we show that all three enzymes share an unusual fold in which the nucleophile and other catalytic groups occupy equivalent sites. This fold provides both the capacity for nucleophilic attack and the possibility of autocatalytic processing. We suggest the name Ntn (N-terminal nucleophile) hydrolases for this structural superfamily of enzymes which appear to be evolutionarily related but which have diverged beyond any recognizable sequence similarity.

Amidophosphoribosyltransferase↗
PubMed1995

Penicillin acylase has a single-amino-acid catalytic centre.

Penicillin acylase (penicillin amidohydrolase, EC 3.5.1.11) is widely distributed among microorganisms, including bacteria, yeast and filamentous fungi. It is used on an industrial scale for the production of 6-aminopenicillanic acid, the starting material for the synthesis of semi-synthetic penicillins. Its in vivo role remains unclear, however, and the observation that expression of the Escherichia coli enzyme in vivo is regulated by both temperature and phenylacetic acid has prompted speculation that the enzyme could be involved in the assimilation of aromatic compounds as carbon sources in the organism's free-living mode. The mature E. coli enzyme is a periplasmic 80K heterodimer of A and B chains (209 and 566 amino acids, respectively) synthesized as a single cytoplasmic precursor containing a 26-amino-acid signal sequence to direct export to the cytoplasm and a 54-amino-acid spacer between the A and B chains which may influence the final folding of the chains. The N-terminal serine of the B chain reacts with phenylmethylsulphonyl fluoride, which is consistent with a catalytic role for the serine hydroxyl group. Modifying this serine to a cysteine inactivates the enzyme, whereas threonine, arginine or glycine substitution prevents in vivo processing of the enzyme, indicating that this must be an important recognition site for cleavage. Here we report the crystal structure of penicillin acylase at 1.9 A resolution. Our analysis shows that the environment of the catalytically active N-terminal serine of the B chain contains no adjacent histidine equivalent to that found in the serine proteases. The nearest base to the hydroxyl of this serine is its own alpha-amino group, which may act by a new mechanism to endow the enzyme with its catalytic properties.

Amino Acid Sequence↗