Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

G L Taylor

Publications and source records attributed to G L Taylor.

30 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

The crystal structure of glucose dehydrogenase from Thermoplasma acidophilum.

BACKGROUND: The archaea are a group of organisms distinct from bacteria and eukaryotes. Structures of proteins from archaea are of interest because they function in extreme environments and because structural studies may reveal evolutionary relationships between proteins. The enzyme glucose dehydrogenase from the thermophilic archaeon Thermoplasma acidophilum is of additional interest because it is involved in an unusual pathway of sugar metabolism. RESULTS: We have determined the crystal structure of this glucose dehydrogenase to 2.9 A resolution. The monomer comprises a central nucleotide-binding domain, common to other nucleotide-binding dehydrogenases, flanked by the catalytic domain. Unexpectedly, we observed significant structural homology between the catalytic domain of horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase and T. acidophilum glucose dehydrogenase. CONCLUSIONS: The structural homology between glucose dehydrogenase and alcohol dehydrogenase suggests an evolutionary relationship between these enzymes. The quaternary structure of glucose dehydrogenase may provide a model for other tetrameric alcohol/polyol dehydrogenases. The predicted mode of nucleotide binding provides a plausible explanation for the observed dual-cofactor specificity, the molecular basis of which can be tested by site-directed mutagenesis.

Alcohol Dehydrogenase↗

Crystal structure of a bacterial sialidase (from Salmonella typhimurium LT2) shows the same fold as an influenza virus neuraminidase.

Sialidases (EC 3.2.1.18 or neuraminidases) remove sialic acid from sialoglycoconjugates, are widely distributed in nature, and have been implicated in the pathogenesis of many diseases. The three-dimensional structure of influenza virus sialidase is known, and we now report the three-dimensional structure of a bacterial sialidase, from Salmonella typhimurium LT2, at 2.0-A resolution and the structure of its complex with the inhibitor 2-deoxy-2,3-dehydro-N-acetylneuraminic acid at 2.2-A resolution. The viral enzyme is a tetramer; the bacterial enzyme, a monomer. Although the monomers are of similar size (approximately 380 residues), the sequence similarity is low (approximately 15%). The viral enzyme contains at least eight disulfide bridges, conserved in all strains, and binds Ca2+, which enhances activity; the bacterial enzyme contains one disulfide and does not bind Ca2+. Comparison of the two structures shows a remarkable similarity both in the general fold and in the spatial arrangement of the catalytic residues. However, an rms fit of 3.1 A between 264 C alpha atoms of the S. typhimurium enzyme and those from an influenza A virus reflects some major differences in the fold. In common with the viral enzyme, the bacterial enzyme active site consists of an arginine triad, a hydrophobic pocket, and a key tyrosine and glutamic acid, but differences in the interactions with the O4 and glycerol groups of the inhibitor reflect differing kinetics and substrate preferences of the two enzymes. The repeating "Asp-box" motifs observed among the nonviral sialidase sequences occur at topologically equivalent positions on the outside of the structure. Implications of the structure for the catalytic mechanism, evolution, and secretion of the enzyme are discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic study of citrate synthase from the thermophilic Archaeon Thermoplasma acidophilum.

Single crystals of citrate synthase from the Archaeon Thermoplasma acidophilum were obtained in two forms using the hanging drop vapour diffusion method and polyethylene glycol 3350 as precipitant. Type 1 crystals belong to the orthorhombic space group P222(1), with unit cell dimensions a = 80.9 A, b = 103.8 A, c = 98.3 A and one dimer in the asymmetric unit. Type 2 crystals belong to the monoclinic space group P2(1), with unit cell dimensions a = 53.8 A, b = 173.8 A, c = 86.7 A and beta = 97.1 degrees and two dimers in the asymmetric unit.

Citrate (si)-Synthase↗

Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic study of glucose dehydrogenase from the archaebacterium Thermoplasma acidophilum.

Single crystals of glucose dehydrogenase from the archaebacterium Thermoplasma acidophilum were obtained using the hanging-drop vapour diffusion method and polyethylene glycol as a precipitant in the presence of NADP+ at pH 5.4. The crystals belong to the hexagonal space group P6122 or P6522, with unit cell dimensions a = b = 121.9 angstrom, c = 229.6 angstrom and with two molecules in the asymmetric unit.

Bacterial Proteins↗

500-picosecond molecular dynamics in water of the Man alpha 1----2Man alpha glycosidic linkage present in Asn-linked oligomannose-type structures on glycoproteins.

Molecular dynamics simulations of the Man alpha 1----2Man alpha glycosidic linkage found in the N-linked glycans of glycoproteins were performed in vacuo and in the presence of water. In the latter case significant dampening of the molecular fluctuations was found when compared to the in vacuo simulation. A 500-ps dynamics simulation in water showed only occasional short-lived deviations from the minimum-energy conformation, more consistent with carbohydrate "breathing" than flexibility. These studies add further evidence that oligosaccharides can maintain "fixed" geometries with relatively long lifetimes and are in agreement with experimental NMR-derived parameters for the same linkage in oligomannose structures.

Carbohydrate Conformation↗

Suppression of antibody response by excess dietary zinc exposure during certain stages of ontogeny.

A study was made of the effects of excess dietary zinc on the antibody response to sheep red blood cells (SRBC) in mice. C57BL/6J mice were divided into 10 different dietary groups and exposed to diets containing zinc in normal (50 ppm) or excess (2000 ppm) concentrations during gestation/lactation/postweaning development in the sequences (1) 50/50/50; (2) 50/50/2000; (3) 2000/50/50; (4) 2000/2000/50; (5) 2000/50/2000; (6) 50/2000/50; (7) 50/2000/2000; (8) 2000/2000/2000; (9) 50/50/50 (pair-fed); and (10) chow/chow/chow. Mice in group 8 had severe signs of copper deficiency at 8 weeks of age, such as reduced plasma copper, lowered plasma hematocrit, and achromotrichia. Mice receiving 2000 ppm zinc during gestation had fewer offspring per litter (measured at 2 weeks of age) and more nonviable births than mice given 50 ppm zinc during gestation. The growth curve of mice exposed to excess zinc in the 50/50/2000 group was identical to that of the control (50/50/50) group. Growth curves for all other groups were reduced by varying amounts. The plaque-forming cell response to SRBC was reduced only in the groups receiving 50/2000/2000 and 2000/2000/2000 ppm zinc (P less than 0.05); this reduced response was not associated with atrophy of the lymphoid organs. Splenic cell surface markers and mitogenic responsiveness were similar in the 50/50/50 and 2000/2000/2000 groups. These results suggest that the immune response is more susceptible to dietary manipulation during development than after the immune response has been developed.

Animals↗

Structure of a dinucleoside phosphate--drug complex as model for nucleic acid--drug interaction.

The crystal structure of a 3:2 complex of the frameshift mutagen proflavine with the dinucleoside phosphate cytidylyl-3'5'-guanosine has been determined. The complex has one drug molecule intercalated between Watson--Crick base pairs of the nucleotide duplex. The other two proflavine molecules are bound to the exterior of the miniature double helix. The orientation of the base pairs in this miniature double helix has aspects similar to that found in RNA 11.

Acridines↗