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At least 253 records · Page 14Linked to original sources
PubMed2006

Toward the structural genomics of complexes: crystal structure of a PE/PPE protein complex from Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

The developing science called structural genomics has focused to date mainly on high-throughput expression of individual proteins, followed by their purification and structure determination. In contrast, the term structural biology is used to denote the determination of structures, often complexes of several macromolecules, that illuminate aspects of biological function. Here we bridge structural genomics to structural biology with a procedure for determining protein complexes of previously unknown function from any organism with a sequenced genome. From computational genomic analysis, we identify functionally linked proteins and verify their interaction in vitro by coexpression/copurification. We illustrate this procedure by the structural determination of a previously unknown complex between a PE and PPE protein from the Mycobacterium tuberculosis genome, members of protein families that constitute approximately 10% of the coding capacity of this genome. The predicted complex was readily expressed, purified, and crystallized, although we had previously failed in expressing individual PE and PPE proteins on their own. The reason for the failure is clear from the structure, which shows that the PE and PPE proteins mate along an extended apolar interface to form a four-alpha-helical bundle, where two of the alpha-helices are contributed by the PE protein and two by the PPE protein. Our entire procedure for the identification, characterization, and structural determination of protein complexes can be scaled to a genome-wide level.

Bacterial Proteins↗
PubMed1995

Accuracy of a structural homology model for a class II histocompatibility protein, HLA-DR1: comparison to the crystal structure.

Structural homology modeling is used to test the accuracy by which a Class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) could be used to model a Class II MHC. The crystal structure of HLA-aw68 served as a reference molecule to model HLA-DR1. The resulting model was compared to the recently released crystal structure by Brown et al. (Nature, Vol. 364, p. 33-39 (1993)). The overall tertiary structure motif (two alpha-helices and a beta-sheet forming a peptide binding cleft) was maintained. However, significant deviations in the secondary structure elements were found between the model and the DR1 crystal structure. These deviations were consistent with the differences between Class I and Class II crystal structures. In regions where the model and DR1 crystals structures are most similar, side chain orientations are also similar. Specific peptide-MHC interactions are discussed and compared with the crystal structure results.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2006

A permissive secondary structure-guided superposition tool for clustering of protein fragments toward protein structure prediction via fragment assembly.

MOTIVATION: Secondary-Structure Guided Superposition tool (SSGS) is a permissive secondary structure-based algorithm for matching of protein structures and in particular their fragments. The algorithm was developed towards protein structure prediction via fragment assembly. RESULTS: In a fragment-based structural prediction scheme, a protein sequence is cut into building blocks (BBs). The BBs are assembled to predict their relative 3D arrangement. Finally, the assemblies are refined. To implement this prediction scheme, a clustered structural library representing sequence patterns for protein fragments is essential. To create a library, BBs generated by cutting proteins from the PDB are compared and structurally similar BBs are clustered. To allow structural comparison and clustering of the BBs, which are often relatively short with flexible loops, we have devised SSGS. SSGS maintains high similarity between cluster members and is highly efficient. When it comes to comparing BBs for clustering purposes, the algorithm obtains better results than other, non-secondary structure guided protein superimposition algorithms.

Algorithms↗
PubMed2004

Structure of human brain fructose 1,6-(bis)phosphate aldolase: linking isozyme structure with function.

Fructose-1,6-(bis)phosphate aldolase is a ubiquitous enzyme that catalyzes the reversible aldol cleavage of fructose-1,6-(bis)phosphate and fructose 1-phosphate to dihydroxyacetone phosphate and either glyceral-dehyde-3-phosphate or glyceraldehyde, respectively. Vertebrate aldolases exist as three isozymes with different tissue distributions and kinetics: aldolase A (muscle and red blood cell), aldolase B (liver, kidney, and small intestine), and aldolase C (brain and neuronal tissue). The structures of human aldolases A and B are known and herein we report the first structure of the human aldolase C, solved by X-ray crystallography at 3.0 A resolution. Structural differences between the isozymes were expected to account for isozyme-specific activity. However, the structures of isozymes A, B, and C are the same in their overall fold and active site structure. The subtle changes observed in active site residues Arg42, Lys146, and Arg303 are insufficient to completely account for the tissue-specific isozymic differences. Consequently, the structural analysis has been extended to the isozyme-specific residues (ISRs), those residues conserved among paralogs. A complete analysis of the ISRs in the context of this structure demonstrates that in several cases an amino acid residue that is conserved among aldolase C orthologs prevents an interaction that occurs in paralogs. In addition, the structure confirms the clustering of ISRs into discrete patches on the surface and reveals the existence in aldolase C of a patch of electronegative residues localized near the C terminus. Together, these structural changes highlight the differences required for the tissue and kinetic specificity among aldolase isozymes.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed2006

PDB-UF: database of predicted enzymatic functions for unannotated protein structures from structural genomics.

BACKGROUND: The number of protein structures from structural genomics centers dramatically increases in the Protein Data Bank (PDB). Many of these structures are functionally unannotated because they have no sequence similarity to proteins of known function. However, it is possible to successfully infer function using only structural similarity. RESULTS: Here we present the PDB-UF database, a web-accessible collection of predictions of enzymatic properties using structure-function relationship. The assignments were conducted for three-dimensional protein structures of unknown function that come from structural genomics initiatives. We show that 4 hypothetical proteins (with PDB accession codes: 1VH0, 1NS5, 1O6D, and 1TO0), for which standard BLAST tools such as PSI-BLAST or RPS-BLAST failed to assign any function, are probably methyltransferase enzymes. CONCLUSION: We suggest that the structure-based prediction of an EC number should be conducted having the different similarity score cutoff for different protein folds. Moreover, performing the annotation using two different algorithms can reduce the rate of false positive assignments. We believe, that the presented web-based repository will help to decrease the number of protein structures that have functions marked as "unknown" in the PDB file. AVAILABILITY: http://paradox.harvard.edu/PDB-UF and http://bioinfo.pl/PDB-UF.

Chromosome Mapping↗
PubMed2004

[Proteins structure changes of COL4A5 gene point mutations and structure-phenotype relations in Alport syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: Alport syndrome (AS) is a progressive hereditary nephritis presented with hematuria and renal failure, frequently associated with sensorineural deafness and ocular lesions. So far, more than 300 gene mutations in AS have been identified which provides a better way to analyze the association between genotype and phenotype. It is hard to understand all the phenotype according to the gene mutations, because the structure and function changes of the relevant protein, alpha5(IV) chain, encoded by mutated COL4A5 gene are rare to know. This study aimed to detect the proteins structure encoded by COL4A5 gene with different missense mutations and to analyze the effect of gene mutations on the secondary structure of alpha5(IV) chain and structure-phenotype relations. METHODS: Two X-linked AS patients with different missense mutations (g.3246G > T resulting in p.G1015V and g.3290G > A resulting in p.G1030S, respectively) diagnosed by clinical manifestations, family history and skin or renal biopsy examinations, as well as a control were included in this study. The fragments of cDNA with the two mutations, respectively, and that of corresponding cDNA from the control were expressed in E. coli. The secondary structure of the recombinant polypeptides were analyzed by using circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. RESULTS: CD spectra of the control exhibited a negative peak near 200 nm whereas that of the patient 1 exhibited a negative peak near 220 nm. Furthermore, the magnitude of the negative peak of patient 1 decreased from -9000 deg x cm2 x dmol(-1) to -4000 deg x cm2 x dmol(-1) as compared with that of the control. CD spectra of the patient 2 were slightly changed with the negative peak remaining near 220 nm but the magnitude increasing from -9000 deg x cm2 x dmol(-1) to -11000 deg x cm2 x dmol(-1) as compared with that of the control. In addition, the secondary structure of the control polypeptide was mainly composed of beta-sheet and random coil without alpha-helix, whereas that of the patient 1 presented 12.9% alpha-helix. Although the secondary structure of polypeptide of the patient 2 was also mainly composed of beta-sheet and random coil, the composition of beta-sheet reduced and random coil increased. CONCLUSION: Although the glycine substitutions existed in the same domain of alpha5(IV) chain, the patient 1 with the severe AS phenotype and g.3246G > T mutation, and patient 2 with the mild AS phenotype and g.3290G > A mutation were revealed with different secondary structures of alpha5(IV) chain. Moreover, the secondary structure changes of alpha5(IV) chain were consistent with their corresponding phenotype severity.

Collagen Type IV↗
PubMed1993

The three-dimensional structure of the ligand-binding domain of a wild-type bacterial chemotaxis receptor. Structural comparison to the cross-linked mutant forms and conformational changes upon ligand binding.

The three-dimensional structures of the ligand-binding domain of the wild-type Salmonella typhimurium aspartate receptor have been determined in the absence (apo) and presence of bound aspartate (complex) and compared to a cross-linked mutant containing a cysteine at position 36 which does not change signaling behavior of the intact receptor. The structures of the wild-type forms were determined in order to assess the effects of cross-linking on the structure and its influence on conformational changes upon ligand binding. As in the case of the cross-linked mutant receptor, the non-cross-linked ligand-binding domain is dimeric and is composed of 4-alpha-helical bundle monomer subunits related by a crystallographic 2-fold axis in the unbound form and by a non-crystallographic axis in the aspartate-bound form. A comparative study between the non-cross-linked and cross-linked structures has led to the following observations: 1) The long N-terminal helices of the individual subunits in the cross-linked structures are bent toward each other to accommodate the disulfide bond. 2) The rest of the subunit conformation is very similar to that of the wild-type. 3) The intersubunit angle of the cross-linked apo structure is larger by about 13 degrees when compared to the wild-type apo structure. 4) The nature and magnitude of the aspartate-induced conformational changes in the non-cross-linked wild-type structures are very similar to those of the cross-linked structures.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2005

Recent developments in structural proteomics for protein structure determination.

The major challenges in structural proteomics include identifying all the proteins on the genome-wide scale, determining their structure-function relationships, and outlining the precise three-dimensional structures of the proteins. Protein structures are typically determined by experimental approaches such as X-ray crystallography or nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. However, the knowledge of three-dimensional space by these techniques is still limited. Thus, computational methods such as comparative and de novo approaches and molecular dynamic simulations are intensively used as alternative tools to predict the three-dimensional structures and dynamic behavior of proteins. This review summarizes recent developments in structural proteomics for protein structure determination; including instrumental methods such as X-ray crystallography and NMR spectroscopy, and computational methods such as comparative and de novo structure prediction and molecular dynamics simulations.

Aspergillus↗
PubMed1997

Solution structure of Lqh-8/6, a toxin-like peptide from a scorpion venom--structural heterogeneity induced by proline cis/trans isomerization.

Lqh-8/6 is a minor fraction isolated from the venom of the scorpion Leiurus quinquestriatus hebraeus. Here we describe the purification, amino acid sequencing and solution structure determination by NMR and molecular modeling of this peptide. Lqh-8/6 is a small polypeptide (38 residues) which contains 8 half-cystines and is highly similar to another venom component, chlorotoxin. Standard homonuclear methods were used to sequentially assign the proton NMR spectra and to collect spatial restraints for structure determination. Two populations, identified early in the assignment step, are in slow interconversion on the NMR timescale. The two conformers were shown to originate from a cis/trans peptidyl-prolyl isomerization. Using a distance geometry program and simulated annealing protocol under the NMR restraints we obtained 10 final structures for the major conformation (trans isomer). None of the structures showed NOE violations larger than 0.05 nm, and the rmsd value relative to the mean structure (considering the main chain atoms in well-defined secondary structure) is 0.07 nm. The three-dimensional structure contains a short alpha-helix strapped on a small antiparallel beta-strand and an N-terminal extended fragment. The sequence/structure and structure/function relationships of the new scorpion toxin-like peptide are discussed in the context of the present structure determination. This toxin shows a stable, highly populated cis conformer of a peptidyl-prolyl peptide bond.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2001

At nonzero temperatures, stacked structures of methylated nucleic acid base pairs and microhydrated nonmethylated nucleic acid base pairs are favored over planar hydrogen-bonded structures: a molecular dynamics simulations study.

The dynamic structure of all ten possible nucleic acid (NA) base pairs and methylated NA base pairs hydrated by a small number of water molecules (from 1 to 16) was determined by using molecular dynamics simulations in the NVE microcanonical and NVT canonical ensembles with the Cornell force field (W. D. Cornell, P. Cieplak, C. I. Bayly, I. R. Gould, K. M. Merz, D. M. Ferguson, D. C. Spellmeyer, T. Fox, J. E. Caldwell, P. Kollman, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1995, 117, 5179). The presence of one water molecule does not affect the structure of any hydrogen-bonded (H-bonded) nonmethylated base pair. An equal population of H-bonded and stacked structures of adenine...adenine, adenine...guanine and adenine... thymine pairs is reached if as few as two water molecules are present, while obtaining equal populations of these structures in the case of adenine...cytosine, cytosine...thymine, guanine... guanine and guanine...thymine required the presence of four water molecules, and in the case of guanine...cytosine, six. A comparable population of planar, H-bonded and stacked structures for cytosine...cytosine and thymine... thymine base pairs was only obtained if at least eight water molecules hydrated a pair. Methylation of bases changed the situation dramatically and stacked structures were favoured over H-bonded ones even in the absence of water molecules in most cases. Only in the case of methyl cytosine...methyl cytosine, methyl guanine...methyl guanine and methyl guanine...methyl cytosine pairs were two, two or six water molecules, respectively, needed in order to obtain a comparable population of planar, H-bonded and stacked structures. We believe that these results give clear evidence that the preferred stacked structure of NA base pairs in the microhydrated environment, and also apparently in a regular solvent, is due to the hydrophilic interaction of a small number of water molecules. In the case of methylated bases, it is also due to the fact that the hydrogen atoms most suitable for the formation of H-bonds have been replaced by a methyl group. A preferred stacked structure is, thus, not due to a hydrophobic interaction between a large bulk of water molecules and the base pair, as believed.

Base Pairing↗
PubMed2005

New York-Structural GenomiX Research Consortium (NYSGXRC): a large scale center for the protein structure initiative.

Structural GenomiX, Inc. (SGX), four New York area institutions, and two University of California schools have formed the New York Structural GenomiX Research Consortium (NYSGXRC), an industrial/academic Research Consortium that exploits individual core competencies to support all aspects of the NIH-NIGMS funded Protein Structure Initiative (PSI), including protein family classification and target selection, generation of protein for biophysical analyses, sample preparation for structural studies, structure determination and analyses, and dissemination of results. At the end of the PSI Pilot Study Phase (PSI-1), the NYSGXRC will be capable of producing 100-200 experimentally determined protein structures annually. All Consortium activities can be scaled to increase production capacity significantly during the Production Phase of the PSI (PSI-2). The Consortium utilizes both centralized and de-centralized production teams with clearly defined deliverables and hand-off procedures that are supported by a web-based target/sample tracking system (SGX Laboratory Information Data Management System, LIMS, and NYSGXRC Internal Consortium Experimental Database, ICE-DB). Consortium management is provided by an Executive Committee, which is composed of the PI and all Co-PIs. Progress to date is tracked on a publicly available Consortium web site (http://www.nysgxrc.org) and all DNA/protein reagents and experimental protocols are distributed freely from the New York City Area institutions. In addition to meeting the requirements of the Pilot Study Phase and preparing for the Production Phase of the PSI, the NYSGXRC aims to develop modular technologies that are transferable to structural biology laboratories in both academe and industry. The NYSGXRC PI and Co-PIs intend the PSI to have a transforming effect on the disciplines of X-ray crystallography and NMR spectroscopy of biological macromolecules. Working with other PSI-funded Centers, the NYSGXRC seeks to create the structural biology laboratory of the future. Herein, we present an overview of the organization of the NYSGXRC and describe progress toward development of a high-throughput Gene-->Structure platform. An analysis of current and projected consortium metrics reflects progress to date and delineates opportunities for further technology development.

Cloning, Molecular↗
PubMed2005

X-ray structural studies of Mycobacterium tuberculosis RRF and a comparative study of RRFs of known structure. Molecular plasticity and biological implications.

The crystal structure of Mycobacterium tuberculosis ribosome recycling factor has been determined and refined against three X-ray diffraction data sets, two collected at room temperature and the other at 100K. The two room-temperature data sets differ in the radiation damage suffered by the crystals before the data used for processing were collected. A comparison between the structures refined against the two data sets indicates the possibility of radiation-induced conformational change. The L-shaped molecule is composed of a long three-helix bundle domain (domain I) and a globular domain (domain II) connected by a linker region. The main difference between the room-temperature structure and the low temperature structure is in the rotation of domain II about an axis close to its libration axis. This observation and a detailed comparative study of ribosome recycling factors (RRFs) of known structures led to an elaboration of the present understanding of the structural variability of RRF. The variability involves a change in the angle between the two arms of the molecule, a rotation of domain II in a plane nearly perpendicular to the axis of the helix bundle and an internal rotation of domain II. Furthermore, the domains and the linker could be delineated into fixed and variable regions in a physically meaningful manner. The relative mobility of the domains of the molecule in the crystal structure appears to be similar to that in the ribosome--RRF complex. That permits a meaningful discussion of the structural features of RRF in terms of ribosome--RRF interactions. The structure also provides insights into the results of inter-species complementation studies.

Bacterial Proteins↗