Biomedical subjects

James M Berger

Publications and source records attributed to James M Berger.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed2005

Structural mechanism of inhibition of the Rho transcription termination factor by the antibiotic bicyclomycin.

Rho is a hexameric RNA/DNA helicase/translocase that terminates transcription of select genes in bacteria. The naturally occurring antibiotic, bicyclomycin (BCM), acts as a noncompetitive inhibitor of ATP turnover to disrupt this process. We have determined three independent X-ray crystal structures of Rho complexed with BCM and two semisynthetic derivatives, 5a-(3-formylphenylsulfanyl)-dihydrobicyclomycin (FPDB) and 5a-formylbicyclomycin (FB) to 3.15, 3.05, and 3.15 A resolution, respectively. The structures show that BCM and its derivatives are nonnucleotide inhibitors that interact with Rho at a pocket adjacent to the ATP and RNA binding sites in the C-terminal half of the protein. BCM association prevents ATP turnover by an unexpected mechanism, occluding the binding of the nucleophilic water molecule required for ATP hydrolysis. Our data explain why only certain elements of BCM have been amenable to modification and serve as a template for the design of new inhibitors.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

PubMed2005

Structural dissection of ATP turnover in the prototypical GHL ATPase TopoVI.

GHL proteins are functionally diverse enzymes defined by the presence of a conserved ATPase domain that self-associates to trap substrate upon nucleotide binding. The structural states adopted by these enzymes during nucleotide hydrolysis and product release, and their consequences for enzyme catalysis, have remained unclear. Here, we have determined a complete structural map of the ATP turnover cycle for topoVI-B, the ATPase subunit of the archaeal GHL enzyme topoisomerase VI. With this ensemble of structures, we show that significant conformational changes in the subunit occur first upon ATP binding, and subsequently upon release of hydrolyzed P(i). Together, these data provide a structural framework for understanding the role of ATP hydrolysis in the type II topoisomerase reaction. Our results also suggest that the GHL ATPase module is a molecular switch in which ATP hydrolysis serves as a prerequisite but not a driving force for substrate-dependent structural transitions in the enzyme.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

PubMed2004

The N-terminal domain of Nup159 forms a beta-propeller that functions in mRNA export by tethering the helicase Dbp5 to the nuclear pore.

Nuclear export of mRNA in eukaryotic cells is mediated by soluble transport factors and components of the nuclear pore complex (NPC). The cytoplasmically oriented nuclear pore protein Nup159 plays a critical role in mRNA export through its conserved N-terminal domain (NTD). Here, we report the crystal structure of the Nup159 NTD, refined to 2.5 A. The structure reveals an unusually asymmetric seven-bladed beta-propeller that is structurally conserved throughout eukarya. Using structure-based conservation analysis, we have targeted specific surface residues for mutagenesis. Residue substitutions in a conserved loop of the NTD abolish in vitro binding to Dbp5, a DEAD box helicase required for mRNA export. In vivo, these mutations cause Dbp5 mislocalization and block mRNA export. These findings suggest that the Nup159 NTD functions in mRNA export as a binding platform, tethering shuttling Dbp5 molecules at the nuclear periphery and locally concentrating this mRNA remodeling factor at the cytoplasmic face of the NPC.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

PubMed2004

Suite of three protein crystallography beamlines with single superconducting bend magnet as the source.

At the Advanced Light Source, three protein crystallography beamlines have been built that use as a source one of the three 6 T single-pole superconducting bending magnets (superbends) that were recently installed in the ring. The use of such single-pole superconducting bend magnets enables the development of a hard X-ray program on a relatively low-energy 1.9 GeV ring without taking up insertion-device straight sections. The source is of relatively low power but, owing to the small electron beam emittance, it has high brightness. X-ray optics are required to preserve the brightness and to match the illumination requirements for protein crystallography. This was achieved by means of a collimating premirror bent to a plane parabola, a double-crystal monochromator followed by a toroidal mirror that focuses in the horizontal direction with a 2:1 demagnification. This optical arrangement partially balances aberrations from the collimating and toroidal mirrors such that a tight focused spot size is achieved. The optical properties of the beamline are an excellent match to those required by the small protein crystals that are typically measured. The design and performance of these new beamlines are described.

Crystallography, X-Ray↗

PubMed2004

Narrowing substrate specificity in a directly evolved enzyme: the A293D mutant of aspartate aminotransferase.

Several mutant Escherichia coli aspartate aminotransferases (eAATases) have been characterized in the attempt to evolve or rationally redesign the substrate specificity of eAATase into that of E. coli tyrosine aminotransferase (eTATase). These include HEX (designed), HEX + A293D (design followed by directed evolution), and SRHEPT (directed evolution). The A293D mutation realized from directed evolution of HEX is here imported into the SRHEPT platform by site-directed mutagenesis, resulting in an enzyme (SRHEPT + A293D) with nearly the same ratio of k(cat)/K(m)(Phe) to k(cat)/K(m)(Asp) as that of wild-type eTATase. The A293D substitution is an important specificity determinant; it selectively disfavors interactions with dicarboxylic substrates and inhibitors compared to aromatic ones. Context dependence analysis is generalized to provide quantitative comparisons of a common substitution in two or more different protein scaffolds. High-resolution crystal structures of ligand complexes of HEX + A293D, SRHEPT, and SRHEPT + A293D were determined. We find that in both SRHEPT + A293D and HEX + A293D, the additional mutation holds the Arg 292 side chain away from the active site to allow increased specificity for phenylalanine over aspartate. The resulting movement of Arg 292 allows greater flexibility of the small domain in HEX + A293D. While HEX is always in the closed conformation, HEX + A293D is observed in both the closed and a novel open conformation, allowing for more rapid product release.

Alanine↗

PubMed2004

Biochemical characterization of Cdc6/Orc1 binding to the replication origin of the euryarchaeon Methanothermobacter thermoautotrophicus.

Archaeal cell division cycle protein 6 (Cdc6)/Origin Replication Complex subunit 1 (Orc1) proteins share sequence homology with eukaryotic DNA replication initiation factors but are also structurally similar to the bacterial initiator DnaA. To better understand whether Cdc6/Orc1 functions in an eukaryotic or bacterial-like manner, we have characterized the interaction of two Cdc6/Orc1 paralogs (mthCdc6-1 and mthCdc6-2) with the replication origin from Methanothermobacter thermoautotrophicus. We show that while both proteins display a low affinity for a small dsDNA of random sequence, mthCdc6-1 binds tightly to a short duplex containing a single copy of a 13 bp sequence that is repeated throughout the origin. Surprisingly, sequence comparisons show that this 13 bp sequence is a minimized version of the Origin Recognition Box element found in many euryarchaeotal origins. Analysis of mthCdc6-1 mutants demonstrates that the helix-turn-helix motif in the winged-helix domain mediates the interaction with this sequence. Association of both mthCdc6/Orc1 paralogs with the duplex containing the minimized Origin Recognition Box fits to an independent binding sites model, but their interaction with longer DNA ligands is cooperative. Together, our data provide the first detailed biophysical characterization of the association of an archaeal DNA replication initiator with its origin. Our observations also indicate that the origin-binding properties of Cdc6/Orc1 proteins closely resemble those of bacterial DnaA.

Binding Sites↗

PubMed2004

The X-ray structure of the papillomavirus helicase in complex with its molecular matchmaker E2.

DNA replication of the papillomaviruses is specified by cooperative binding of two proteins to the ori site: the enhancer E2 and the viral initiator E1, a distant member of the AAA+ family of proteins. Formation of this prereplication complex is an essential step toward the construction of a functional, multimeric E1 helicase and DNA melting. To understand how E2 interacts with E1 to regulate this process, we have solved the X-ray structure of a complex containing the HPV18 E2 activation domain bound to the helicase domain of E1. Modeling the monomers of E1 to a hexameric helicase shows that E2 blocks hexamerization of E1 by shielding a region of the E1 oligomerization surface and stabilizing a conformation of E1 that is incompatible with ATP binding. Further biochemical experiments and structural analysis show that ATP is an allosteric effector of the dissociation of E2 from E1. Our data provide the first molecular insights into how a protein can regulate the assembly of an oligomeric AAA+ complex and explain at a structural level why E2, after playing a matchmaker role by guiding E1 to the DNA, must dissociate for subsequent steps of initiation to occur. Building on previously proposed ideas, we discuss how our data advance current models for the conversion of E1 in the prereplication complex to a hexameric helicase assembly.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2004

Identification, function and structure of the mycobacterial sulfotransferase that initiates sulfolipid-1 biosynthesis.

Sulfolipid-1 (SL-1) is an abundant sulfated glycolipid and potential virulence factor found in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. SL-1 consists of a trehalose-2-sulfate (T2S) disaccharide elaborated with four lipids. We identified and characterized a conserved mycobacterial sulfotransferase, Stf0, which generates the T2S moiety of SL-1. Biochemical studies demonstrated that the enzyme requires unmodified trehalose as substrate and is sensitive to small structural perturbations of the disaccharide. Disruption of stf0 in Mycobacterium smegmatis and M. tuberculosis resulted in the loss of T2S and SL-1 formation, respectively. The structure of Stf0 at a resolution of 2.6 A reveals the molecular basis of trehalose recognition and a unique dimer configuration that encloses the substrate into a bipartite active site. These data provide strong evidence that Stf0 carries out the first committed step in the biosynthesis of SL-1 and establish a system for probing the role of SL-1 in M. tuberculosis infection.

Binding Sites↗

PubMed2004

The C-terminal domain of DNA gyrase A adopts a DNA-bending beta-pinwheel fold.

DNA gyrase is unique among enzymes for its ability to actively introduce negative supercoils into DNA. This function is mediated in part by the C-terminal domain of its A subunit (GyrA CTD). Here, we report the crystal structure of this approximately 35-kDa domain determined to 1.75-A resolution. The GyrA CTD unexpectedly adopts an unusual fold, which we term a beta-pinwheel, that is globally reminiscent of a beta-propeller but is built of blades with a previously unobserved topology. A large, conserved basic patch on the outer edge of this domain suggests a likely site for binding and bending DNA; fluorescence resonance energy transfer-based assays show that the GyrA CTD is capable of bending DNA by > or =180 degrees over a 40-bp region. Surprisingly, we find that the CTD of the topoisomerase IV A subunit, which shares limited sequence homology with the GyrA CTD, also bends DNA. Together, these data provide a physical explanation for the ability of DNA gyrase to constrain a positive superhelical DNA wrap, and also suggest that the particular substrate preferences of topoisomerase IV might be dictated in part by the function of this domain.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed2004

Structure, molecular mechanisms, and evolutionary relationships in DNA topoisomerases.

Topoisomerases are enzymes that use DNA strand scission, manipulation, and rejoining activities to directly modulate DNA topology. These actions provide a powerful means to effect changes in DNA supercoiling levels, and allow some topoisomerases to both unknot and decatenate chromosomes. Since their initial discovery over three decades ago, researchers have amassed a rich store of information on the cellular roles and regulation of topoisomerases, and have delineated general models for their chemical and physical mechanisms. Topoisomerases are now known to be necessary for the survival of cellular organisms and many viruses and are rich clinical targets for anticancer and antimicrobial treatments. In recent years, crystal structures have been obtained for each of the four types of topoisomerases in a number of distinct conformational and substrate-bound states. In addition, sophisticated biophysical methods have been utilized to study details of topoisomerase reaction dynamics and enzymology. A synthesis of these approaches has provided researchers with new physical insights into how topoisomerases employ chemistry and allostery to direct the large-scale molecular motions needed to pass DNA strands through each other.

Binding Sites↗

PubMed2003

Structure and function of the conserved core of histone deposition protein Asf1.

BACKGROUND: Asf1 is a ubiquitous eukaryotic histone binding and deposition protein that mediates nucleosome formation in vitro and is required for genome stability in vivo. Studies in a variety of organisms have defined Asf1's role as a histone chaperone during DNA replication through specific interactions with histones H3/H4 and the histone deposition factor CAF-I. In addition to its role in replication, conserved interactions with proteins involved in chromatin silencing, transcription, chromatin remodeling, and DNA repair have also established Asf1 as an important component of a number of chromatin assembly and modulation complexes. RESULTS: We demonstrate that the highly conserved N-terminal domain of S. cerevisiae Asf1 (Asf1N) is the core region that mediates all tested functions of the full-length protein. The crystal structure of this core domain, determined to 1.5 A resolution, reveals a compact immunoglobulin-like beta sandwich fold topped by three helical linkers. The surface of Asf1 displays a conserved hydrophobic groove flanked on one side by an area of strong electronegative surface potential. These regions represent potential binding sites for histones and other interacting proteins. The structural model also allowed us to interpret mutagenesis studies of the human Asf1a/HIRA interaction and to functionally define the region of Asf1 responsible for Hir1-dependent telomeric silencing in budding yeast. CONCLUSIONS: The evolutionarily conserved, N-terminal 155 amino acids of histone deposition protein Asf1 are functional in vitro and in vivo. This core region of Asf1 adopts a compact immunoglobulin-fold structure with distinct surface characteristics, including a Hir protein binding region required for gene silencing.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2003

Structure of the topoisomerase II ATPase region and its mechanism of inhibition by the chemotherapeutic agent ICRF-187.

Type IIA topoisomerases both manage the topological state of chromosomal DNA and are the targets of a variety of clinical agents. Bisdioxopiperazines are anticancer agents that associate with ATP-bound eukaryotic topoisomerase II (topo II) and convert the enzyme into an inactive, salt-stable clamp around DNA. To better understand both topo II and bisdioxopiperazine function, we determined the structures of the adenosine 5'-[beta,gamma-imino]-triphosphate-bound yeast topo II ATPase region (ScT2-ATPase) alone and complexed with the bisdioxopiperazine ICRF-187. The drug-free form of the protein is similar in overall fold to the equivalent region of bacterial gyrase but unexpectedly displays significant conformational differences. The ternary drug-bound complex reveals that ICRF-187 acts by an unusual mechanism of inhibition in which the drug does not compete for the ATP-binding pocket, but bridges and stabilizes a transient dimer interface between two ATPase protomers. Our data explain why bisdioxopiperazines target ATP-bound topo II, provide a structural rationale for the effects of certain drug-resistance mutations, and point to regions of bisdioxopiperazines that might be modified to improve or alter drug specificity.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

PubMed2003

Structure of the Rho transcription terminator: mechanism of mRNA recognition and helicase loading.

In bacteria, one of the major transcriptional termination mechanisms requires a RNA/DNA helicase known as the Rho factor. We have determined two structures of Rho complexed with nucleic acid recognition site mimics in both free and nucleotide bound states to 3.0 A resolution. Both structures show that Rho forms a hexameric ring in which two RNA binding sites--a primary one responsible for target mRNA recognition and a secondary one required for mRNA translocation and unwinding--point toward the center of the ring. Rather than forming a closed ring, the Rho hexamer is split open, resembling a "lock washer" in its global architecture. The distance between subunits at the opening is sufficiently wide (12 A) to accommodate single-stranded RNA. This open configuration most likely resembles a state poised to load onto mRNA and suggests how related ring-shaped enzymes may be breached to bind nucleic acids.

Binding Sites↗

PubMed2003

Structure of the topoisomerase VI-B subunit: implications for type II topoisomerase mechanism and evolution.

Type IIA and type IIB topoisomerases each possess the ability to pass one DNA duplex through another in an ATP-dependent manner. The role of ATP in the strand passage reaction is poorly understood, particularly for the type IIB (topoisomerase VI) family. We have solved the structure of the ATP-binding subunit of topoisomerase VI (topoVI-B) in two states: an unliganded monomer and a nucleotide-bound dimer. We find that topoVI-B is highly structurally homologous to the entire 40-43 kDa ATPase region of type IIA topoisomerases and MutL proteins. Nucleotide binding to topoVI-B leads to dimerization of the protein and causes dramatic conformational changes within each protomer. Our data demonstrate that type IIA and type IIB topoisomerases have descended from a common ancestor and reveal how ATP turnover generates structural signals in the reactions of both type II topoisomerase families. When combined with the structure of the A subunit to create a picture of the intact topoisomerase VI holoenzyme, the ATP-driven motions of topoVI-B reveal a simple mechanism for strand passage by the type IIB topoisomerases.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2003

Emerging roles for plant topoisomerase VI.

Topoisomerase VI is a unique type II topoisomerase originally identified in archaea. Although lacking in most eukaryotic phyla, topoisomerase VI homologs have been recently identified and characterized in the plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Three new studies of Arabidopsis topoisomerase VI show that this enzyme is important to several processes involving DNA replication and gene expression.

DNA Replication↗

PubMed2002

A robust and scalable microfluidic metering method that allows protein crystal growth by free interface diffusion.

Producing robust and scalable fluid metering in a microfluidic device is a challenging problem. We developed a scheme for metering fluids on the picoliter scale that is scalable to highly integrated parallel architectures and is independent of the properties of the working fluid. We demonstrated the power of this method by fabricating and testing a microfluidic chip for rapid screening of protein crystallization conditions, a major hurdle in structural biology efforts. The chip has 480 active valves and performs 144 parallel reactions, each of which uses only 10 nl of protein sample. The properties of microfluidic mixing allow an efficient kinetic trajectory for crystallization, and the microfluidic device outperforms conventional techniques by detecting more crystallization conditions while using 2 orders of magnitude less protein sample. We demonstrate that diffraction-quality crystals may be grown and harvested from such nanoliter-volume reactions.

Crystallization↗

PubMed2002

The structure of bacterial DnaA: implications for general mechanisms underlying DNA replication initiation.

The initiation of DNA replication is a key event in the cell cycle of all organisms. In bacteria, replication initiation occurs at specific origin sequences that are recognized and processed by an oligomeric complex of the initiator protein DnaA. We have determined the structure of the conserved core of the Aquifex aeolicus DnaA protein to 2.7 A resolution. The protein comprises an AAA+ nucleotide-binding fold linked through a long, helical connector to an all-helical DNA-binding domain. The structure serves as a template for understanding the physical consequences of a variety of DnaA mutations, and conserved motifs in the protein suggest how two critical aspects of origin processing, DNA binding and homo-oligomerization, are mediated. The spatial arrangement of these motifs in DnaA is similar to that of the eukaryotic-like archaeal replication initiation factor Cdc6/Orc1, demonstrating that mechanistic elements of origin processing may be conserved across bacterial, archaeal and eukaryotic domains of life.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2002

Contributions of folding cores to the thermostabilities of two ribonucleases H.

To investigate the contribution of the folding cores to the thermodynamic stability of RNases H, we used rational design to create two chimeras composed of parts of a thermophilic and a mesophilic RNase H. Each chimera combines the folding core from one parent protein and the remaining parts of the other. Both chimeras form active, well-folded RNases H. Stability curves, based on CD-monitored chemical denaturations, show that the chimera with the thermophilic core is more stable, has a higher midpoint of thermal denaturation, and a lower change in heat capacity (DeltaCp) upon unfolding than the chimera with the mesophilic core. A possible explanation for the low DeltaCp of both the parent thermophilic RNase H and the chimera with the thermophilic core is the residual structure in the denatured state. On the basis of the studied parameters, the chimera with the thermophilic core resembles a true thermophilic protein. Our results suggest that the folding core plays an essential role in conferring thermodynamic parameters to RNases H.

Amino Acid Sequence↗