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Structure investigations of agonists of the natural neurotransmitter acetylcholine, V. Structure-activity correlations for cholinergic stimulants derived from crystal structures of their halides.

General features of crystal structures of halide salts of cholinergic stimulants can be interpreted in terms of substrate-receptor interactions. The monoatomic counterions in the crystal structures are discussed as models for the binding site of the receptor with respect to the ammonium group of the cholinergic neurotransmitters. In the crystal structures the anions occupy the tetrahedral faces of the quaternary trimethylammonio methyl or related groups in a specific geometry. Crystallographic and pharmacological evidence indicates that these groups should preferentially interact with the receptor via a specific face type (B-type face). The directionality of the interaction is derived from the vectors joining N+ with the anions occupying B-type faces. So called "activity triangles", formed by the nitrogen of the ammonium group, a second polar centre of the neurotransmitter cation and a counterion occupying a B-face of the ammonium group, provide a structural criterion for the differentiation between muscarinic and nicotinic activity. It is shown that structure-activity relationships of cholinergic stimulants do not depend on the conformational details of the neurotransmitter cations, but primarily on the relative positions of the polar centres of the cations with respect to the anionic binding site of the receptor.

Acetylcholine↗

The structural basis for methylmalonic aciduria. The crystal structure of archaeal ATP:cobalamin adenosyltransferase.

ATP:cobalamin adenosyltransferase MMAB was recently identified as the gene responsible for a disorder of cobalamin metabolism in humans (cblB complementation group). The crystal structure of the MMAB sequence homologue from Thermoplasma acidophilum (TA1434; GenBank identification number gi|16082403) was determined to a resolution of 1.5 A. TA1434 was confirmed to be an ATP:cobalamin adenosyltransferase, which depended absolutely on divalent metal ions (Mg2+ > Mn2+ > Co2+) and only used ATP or dATP as adenosyl donors. The apparent Km of TA1434 was 110 microM (kcat = 0.23 s(-1)) for ATP, 140 microM (kcat = 0.11 s(-1)) for dATP, and 3 microM (kcat = 0.18 s(-1)) for cobalamin. TA1434 is a trimer in solution and in the crystal structure, with each subunit composed of a five-helix bundle. The location of disease-related point mutations and other residues conserved among the homologues of TA1434 suggest that the active site lies at the junctions between the subunits. Mutations in TA1434 that correspond to the disease-related mutations resulted in proteins that were inactive for ATP:cobalamin adenosyltransferase activity in vitro, confirming that these mutations define the molecular basis of the human disease.

Alkyl and Aryl Transferases↗

Conserved waters in legume lectin crystal structures. The importance of bound water for the sequence-structure relationship within the legume lectin family.

An analysis of the water structure in the crystals of different legume lectins has been carried out. Protein hydration is found to be mainly dependent on the detailed local surface characteristics of the protein and will adapt upon the limited conformational changes that are the resultant of crystal packing forces and point mutations. Yet a significant portion of the water positions determined by x-ray crystallography appears to be conserved in all independent crystal structures of a given protein. Some of these waters are specific to this one specific protein, while others are conserved in crystal structures of homologous proteins as well. For those conserved waters, a clear structural role is often evident. Seven water sites were found to be completely conserved in all legume lectin crystal structures, independent of their degree of sequence homology or carbohydrate specificity. Of these, four waters are ligands to the manganese and calcium ions, and one water is located in the saccharide binding site interacting with a conserved Asp and Asn residue. Of the remaining two conserved waters, one of them stabilizes a beta-hairpin, while the other interacts with a beta-bulge structure of the back sheet.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Homology modelling of the nuclear receptors: human oestrogen receptorbeta (hERbeta), the human pregnane-X-receptor (PXR), the Ah receptor (AhR) and the constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) ligand binding domains from the human oestrogen receptor alpha (hERalpha) crystal structure, and the human peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha) ligand binding domain from the human PPARgamma crystal structure.

We have generated by homology the three-dimensional structures of the ligand binding domain (LBD) of several interrelated human steroid hormone receptors (SHRs). These are the oestrogen receptor beta (hERbeta), the pregnane-X-receptor (PXR), the Ah receptor (AhR) and the constitutive androstane receptor (CAR). They were produced by homology modelling from the human oestrogen receptor alpha (hERalpha) crystallographic coordinates [Nature 389 (1997) 753] as a template together with the amino acid sequences for hERbeta [FEBS Lett. 392 (1996) 49], PXR [J. Clin. Invest. 102 (1998) 1016], AhR [Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 89 (1992) 815] and CAR [Nature 395 (1998) 612; Mol. Cell. Biol. 14 (1994) 1544], respectively. The selective endogenous ligand, in each case, was docked interactively within the putative ligand binding site using the position of oestradiol in hERalpha as a guide, and the total energy was calculated. In each receptor model a number of different ligands known to fit closely within the ligand binding site were interactively docked and binding interactions noted. Specific binding interactions included combinations of hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic contacts with key amino acid sidechains, which varied depending on the nature of the ligand and receptor concerned. We also produced the human peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha) by homology modelling using the human PPARgamma (hPPARgamma) LBD crystallographic coordinates summarised in [Toxicol. In Vitro 12 (1998) 619] as a template together with the amino acid sequence for hPPARalpha [Toxicol. In Vitro 12 (1998) 619; Nature 395 (1998) 137]. The models will provide a useful tool in unravelling the complexity in the physiologic response to xenobiotics by examining the ligand binding interactions and differences between the steroid hormone receptors activation or inactivation by their ligands.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The sequence, crystal structure determination and refinement of two crystal forms of lipase B from Candida antarctica.

BACKGROUND: Lipases constitute a family of enzymes that hydrolyze triglycerides. They occur in many organisms and display a wide variety of substrate specificities. In recent years, much progress has been made towards explaining the mechanism of these enzymes and their ability to hydrolyze their substrates at an oil-water interface. RESULTS: We have determined the DNA and amino acid sequences for lipase B from the yeast Candida antarctica. The primary sequence has no significant homology to any other known lipase and deviates from the consensus sequence around the active site serine that is found in other lipases. We have determined the crystal structure of this enzyme using multiple isomorphous replacement methods for two crystal forms. Models for the orthorhombic and monoclinic crystal forms of the enzyme have been refined to 1.55 A and 2.1 A resolution, respectively. Lipase B is an alpha/beta type protein that has many features in common with previously determined lipase structures and other related enzymes. In the monoclinic crystal form, lipid-like molecules, most likely beta-octyl glucoside, can be seen close to the active site. The behaviour of these lipid molecules in the crystal structure has been studied at different pH values. CONCLUSION: The structure of Candida antarctica lipase B shows that the enzyme has a Ser-His-Asp catalytic triad in its active site. The structure appears to be in an 'open' conformation with a rather restricted entrance to the active site. We believe that this accounts for the substrate specificity and high degree of stereospecificity of this lipase.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Dimethylammonium trichlorocuprate(II): structural transition, low-temperature crystal structure, and unusual two-magnetic chain structure dictated by nonbonding chloride-chloride contacts.

Catena(dimethylammonium-bis(mu2-chloro)-chlorocuprate), (CH3)2NH2CuCl3, forms chains of Cu2Cl6(2-) bifold dimers linked along the structural chain axis by terminal chlorides forming long semicoordinate bonds to adjacent dimers. The structural chains are separated by dimethylammonium ions that hydrogen bond to chloride ions of the dimers. A structural phase transition below room temperature removes disorder in the hydrogen bonding, leaving adjacent dimers along the chain structurally and magnetically inequivalent, with alternating ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic pairs. The coupled dimers are magnetically isolated from each other along the structural chain axis by the long semicoordinate Cu-Cl bond. However, the dimers couple to like counterparts on adjacent chains via nonbonding Cl...Cl contacts. The result is two independent magnetic chains, one an alternating antiferromagnetic chain and the other an antiferromagnetic chain of ferromagnetically coupled copper dimers, which run perpendicular to the structural chains. This magnetostructural analysis is used to fit unusual low-temperature (1.6 K) magnetization vs field data that display a two-step saturation. The structural phase transition is identified with neutron scattering and capacitance measurements, and the X-ray crystal structures are determined at room temperature and 84 K. The results appear to resolve long-standing confusion about the origins of the magnetic behavior of this compound and provide a compelling example of the importance of two-halide magnetic exchange.

Journal Article↗

Thermal stability and atomic-resolution crystal structure of the Bacillus caldolyticus cold shock protein.

The bacterial cold shock proteins are small compact beta-barrel proteins without disulfide bonds, cis-proline residues or tightly bound cofactors. Bc-Csp, the cold shock protein from the thermophile Bacillus caldolyticus shows a twofold increase in the free energy of stabilization relative to its homolog Bs-CspB from the mesophile Bacillus subtilis, although the two proteins differ by only 12 out of 67 amino acid residues. This pair of cold shock proteins thus represents a good system to study the atomic determinants of protein thermostability. Bs-CspB and Bc-Csp both unfold reversibly in cooperative transitions with T(M) values of 49.0 degrees C and 77.3 degrees C, respectively, at pH 7.0. Addition of 0.5 M salt stabilizes Bs-CspB but destabilizes Bc-Csp. To understand these differences at the structural level, the crystal structure of Bc-Csp was determined at 1.17 A resolution and refined to R=12.5% (R(free)=17.9%). The molecular structures of Bc-Csp and Bs-CspB are virtually identical in the central beta-sheet and in the binding region for nucleic acids. Significant differences are found in the distribution of surface charges including a sodium ion binding site present in Bc-Csp, which was not observed in the crystal structure of the Bs-CspB. Electrostatic interactions are overall favorable for Bc-Csp, but unfavorable for Bs-CspB. They provide the major source for the increased thermostability of Bc-Csp. This can be explained based on the atomic-resolution crystal structure of Bc-Csp. It identifies a number of potentially stabilizing ionic interactions including a cation-binding site and reveals significant changes in the electrostatic surface potential.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Synthesis and crystal structure determination of a new pressure-induced iridium ditelluride phase, m-IrTe2, and comparison of the crystal structures and relative stabilities of various IrTe2 polymorphs.

The new monoclinic IrTe2 phase m-IrTe2 was synthesized under pressure, and its structure was determined by X-ray powder diffraction. The relative stabilities of the three known and three hypothetical IrTe2 polymorphs were discussed on the basis of tight binding electronic band structure calculations. m-IrTe2 exhibits structural features of both CdI2- and pyrite-type IrTe2 phases and is expected to be nearly as stable as that of the CdI2-type IrTe2. The hypothetical IrS2- and ramsdellite-type IrTe2 phases are predicted to be more stable than the CdI2-type IrTe2.

Journal Article↗

Crystal structure analysis of the tetragonal crystal form are preliminary molecular model of pig-heart citrate synthase.

The crystal structure of pig heart citrate synthase was analyzed at 0.35-nm resolution. Chain tracing was possible and an initial molecular model constructed. The dimensions of the dimer molecule (located on a crystallographic diad) are 7.5 x 6.0 x 9.0 nm. The chain folding is characterized by the predominance of helices and the absence of sheet structure. The electron density accounts for 355 residues per monomer, so that about 80 residues must be disordered in the crystal. The disordered segment in probably N-terminal. The ordered part consists of two closely associated domains, a large domain with 300 residues and a C-terminal domain of 55 residues consisting of 3(anti)parallel helices. The large domain is built from 12 helical segments, some of which are buried in the interior of the molecule. Inhibitor binding studies with citrate and CoA revealed citrate binding sites but showed no electron density for CoA. It is suggested that CoA binds to the disordered, flexible N-terminal domain. Experiments of limited proteolysis with trypsin showed that under conditions a segment of Mr 9000 is cleaved off selectively. The remaining 35 000-Mr part is dimeric.

Animals↗

Structure and function of S-adenosylmethionine synthetase: crystal structures of S-adenosylmethionine synthetase with ADP, BrADP, and PPi at 28 angstroms resolution.

S-Adenosylmethionine synthetase (MAT,ATP:L-methionine S-adenosltransferase, EC 2.5.1.6) plays a central metabolic role in all organisms. MAT catalyzes the two-step reaction which synthesizes S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet), pyrophosphate (PPi), and orthophosphate (Pi) from ATP and L-methionine. AdoMet is the primary methyl group donor in biological systems. The first crystal structure of MAT from Escherichia coli has recently been determined [Takusagawa et al. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 136-147]. In order to elucidate the active site and possible catalytic reaction mechanism, the MAT structures in the crystals grown with the substrate ATP (and BrATP) and the product PPi have been determined (space group P6(2)22; unit cell a = b = 128.9 Angstroms, c= 139.8 Angstroms, resolution limit 2.8 Angstroms; R O.19; Rfree 0.26). The enzyme consists of four identical subunits; two subunits form a spherical dimer, and pairs of these tightly bound dimers form a tetrameric enzyme. Each dimer has two active sites which are located between the subunits. Each subunit consists of three domains related to each other by a pseudo 3-fold symmetry. The crystal structures showed that the ATP molecules were hydrolyzed to ADP and Pi by the enzyme. Those products were found at the active site along with the essential metal ions (K+ and Mg2+). This rather unexpected finding was first confirmed by the structure of the complex with PPi and later by an HPLC analysis. The enzyme hydrolyzed ATP to ADP and Pi in 72 h under the same conditions as the crystallization of the enzyme. In the active site, the diphosphate moiety of ADP and Pi interacts extensively with amino acid residues from the two subunits of the enzyme, whereas the adenine and ribose moieties have little interaction with the enzyme. The enzyme structure is little changed upon binding ADP. All amino acid residues involved in the active site are found to be conserved in the 14 reported sequences of MAT from a wide range of organisms. Thus the structure determined in this study can be utilized as a model for other members of the MAT family. On the basis of the crystal structures, the catalytic reaction mechanisms of AdoMet formation and hydrolysis of tripolyphosphate are proposed.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗

Minimal structural requirements for root effect: crystal structure of the cathodic hemoglobin isolated from the antarctic fish Trematomus newnesi.

The cathodic hemoglobin component of the Antarctic fish Trematomus newnesi (HbCTn) is a Root-effect protein. The interpretation of its functional properties in relation to its sequence is puzzling. Indeed, HbCTn sequence is characterized by an extremely low histidyl content, and in particular by the lack of His146beta and His69beta, which are believed to be important in Bohr and Root effects, respectively. Furthermore, previous analyses suggested that the local environment of Asp95alpha, Asp99beta, and Asp101beta should not be appropriate for the formation of Asp-Asp interactions, which are important for the Root effect. Here, we report the high-resolution crystal structure of the deoxy form of HbCTn. Our data provide a structural interpretation for the very low oxygen affinity of the protein and insights into the structural determinants of the Root effect protein. The structure demonstrates that the presence of Ile41alpha and Ser97alpha at the alpha1beta2 interface does not prevent the formation of the inter-Asp interactions in HbCTn, as previous studies had suggested. The present data indicate that the hydrogen bond formed between Asp95alpha and Asp101beta, which is stabilized by Asp99beta, is per se sufficient to generate the Root effect, and it is the minimal structural requirement needed for the design of Root-effect Hbs.

Animals↗

Structural studies of human autoantibodies. Crystal structure of a thyroid peroxidase autoantibody Fab.

The three-dimensional structure of the Fab of TR1.9, a high-affinity IgG1, kappa human autoantibody to thyroid peroxidase, was determined crystallographically to a resolution of 2.0 A. The combining site was found to be relatively flat, like other antibodies to large proteins. Sequence differences from the most closely related germline genes mainly occur at positions occupied by residues with outward-pointing side chains. An increased deformability of the second and third complementarity-determining regions of the heavy chain may result from the replacement of two germline asparagines and the presence of several glycines, and may allow "induced fit" in the binding to antigen. Four exposed charged residues, resulting from the use of a particular D (diversity) and J (joining) segments in the assembly of the heavy chain, may contribute to the high affinity of antigen binding. The crystal structure of TR1.9 Fab is the first for a human IgG high-affinity autoantibody.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Autophosphorylation of Archaeoglobus fulgidus Rio2 and crystal structures of its nucleotide-metal ion complexes.

The highly conserved, atypical RIO serine protein kinases are found in all organisms, from archaea to man. In yeast, the kinase activity of Rio2 is necessary for the final processing step of maturing the 18S ribosomal rRNA. We have previously shown that the Rio2 protein from Archaeoglobus fulgidus contains both a small kinase domain and an N-terminal winged helix domain. Previously solved structures using crystals soaked in nucleotides and Mg2+ or Mn2+ showed bound nucleotide but no ordered metal ions, leading us to the conclusion that they did not represent an active conformation of the enzyme. To determine the functional form of Rio2, we crystallized it after incubation with ATP or ADP and Mn2+. Co-crystal structures of Rio2-ATP-Mn and Rio2-ADP-Mn were solved at 1.84 and 1.75 angstroms resolution, respectively. The gamma-phosphate of ATP is firmly positioned in a manner clearly distinct from its location in canonical serine kinases. Comparison of the Rio2-ATP-Mn complex with the Rio2 structure with no added nucleotides and with the ADP complex indicates that a flexible portion of the Rio2 molecule becomes ordered through direct interaction between His126 and the gamma-phosphate oxygen of ATP. Phosphopeptide mapping of the autophosphorylation site of Rio2 identified Ser128, within the flexible loop and directly adjacent to the part that becomes ordered in response to ATP, as the target. These results give us further information about the nature of the active site of Rio2 kinase and suggest a mechanism of regulation of its enzymatic activity.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗

Structural features of halophilicity derived from the crystal structure of dihydrofolate reductase from the Dead Sea halophilic archaeon, Haloferax volcanii.

BACKGROUND: The proteins of halophilic archaea require high salt concentrations both for stability and for activity, whereas they denature at low ionic strength. The structural basis for this phenomenon is not yet well understood. The crystal structure of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) from Haloferax volcanii (hv-DHFR) reported here provides the third example of a structure of a protein from a halophilic organism. The enzyme is considered moderately halophilic, as it retains activity and secondary structure at monovalent salt concentrations as low as 0.5 M. RESULTS: The crystal structure of hv-DHFR has been determined at 2.6 A resolution and reveals the same overall fold as that of other DHFRs. The structure is in the apo state, with an open conformation of the active-site gully different from the open conformation seen in other DHFR structures. The unique feature of hv-DHFR is a shift of the alpha helix encompassing residues 46-51 and an accompanied altered conformation of the ensuing loop relative to other DHFRs. Analysis of the charge distribution, amino acid composition, packing and hydrogen-bonding pattern in hv-DHFR and its non-halophilic homologs has been performed. CONCLUSIONS: The moderately halophilic behavior of hv-DHFR is consistent with the lack of striking structural features expected to occur in extremely halophilic proteins. The most notable feature of halophilicity is the presence of clusters of non-interacting negatively charged residues. Such clusters are associated with unfavorable electrostatic energy at low salt concentrations, and may account for the instability of hv-DHFR at salt concentrations lower than 0.5 M. With respect to catalysis, the open conformation seen here is indicative of a conformational transition not reported previously. The impact of this conformation on function and/or halophilicity is unknown.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The crystal structure of Thermotoga maritima maltosyltransferase and its implications for the molecular basis of the novel transfer specificity.

Maltosyltransferase (MTase) from the hyperthermophile Thermotoga maritima represents a novel maltodextrin glycosyltransferase acting on starch and malto-oligosaccharides. It catalyzes the transfer of maltosyl units from alpha-1,4-linked glucans or malto-oligosaccharides to other alpha-1,4-linked glucans, malto-oligosaccharides or glucose. It belongs to the glycoside hydrolase family 13, which represents a large group of (beta/alpha)(8) barrel proteins sharing a similar active site structure. The crystal structures of MTase and its complex with maltose have been determined at 2.4 A and 2.1 A resolution, respectively. MTase is a homodimer, each subunit of which consists of four domains, two of which are structurally homologous to those of other family 13 enzymes. The catalytic core domain has the (beta/alpha)(8) barrel fold with the active-site cleft formed at the C-terminal end of the barrel. Substrate binding experiments have led to the location of two distinct maltose-binding sites; one lies in the active-site cleft, covering subsites -2 and -1; the other is located in a pocket adjacent to the active-site cleft. The structure of MTase, together with the conservation of active-site residues among family 13 glycoside hydrolases, are consistent with a common double-displacement catalytic mechanism for this enzyme. Analysis of maltose binding in the active site reveals that the transfer of dextrinyl residues longer than a maltosyl unit is prevented by termination of the active-site cleft after the -2 subsite by the side-chain of Lys151 and the stretch of residues 314-317, providing an explanation for the strict transfer specificity of MTase.

Binding Sites↗

Crystal structure of the Nod1 caspase activation and recruitment domain.

Nod-like receptors (NLRs), Nod1 and Nod2 are cytosolic detectors of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). Nod1 is a three-domain protein, consisting of a caspase activation and recruitment domain (CARD), a nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD), and a leucine-rich repeat domain (LRR). The binding of PAMPs to the LRR results in the activation of signaling through homophilic CARD-CARD interactions. Several CARD structures have been determined, including a recent NMR structure of Nod1 CARD. In contrast to the reported NMR structure, the crystal structure reported here is a dimer, where the sixth helix is swapped between two monomers. While the overall structure is very similar to the known CARD structures, this is the first report of a homodimeric CARD structure. The ability of the CARD to exist in monomeric and dimeric forms suggests another level of regulation in the activation of NLR proteins.

Binding Sites↗

2.6 A resolution crystal structure of helices of the motile major sperm protein (MSP) of Caenorhabditis elegans.

The amoeboid locomotion of nematode sperm is mediated by the assembly dynamics of the major sperm protein (MSP). MSP forms fibrous networks based on a hierarchy of macromolecular assemblies: helical subfilaments are built from MSP dimers; filaments are formed from two subfilaments coiling round one another; and filaments themselves supercoil to produce bundles. To provide a structural context for understanding the role of these macromolecular assemblies in cell locomotion, we have determined the 2.6 A resolution structure of crystals of Caenorhabditis elegans MSP that are constructed from helices of MSP chains that are analogous to the subfilaments from which filaments are constructed. Comparison with the crystal structures of dimers and helical assemblies of Ascaris suum MSP has identified five conserved interaction interfaces that suggest how subfilaments interact in filaments and how filaments can form bundles. The interfaces frequently involve the loop containing residues 78-85, which is divergent between MSP homologues, and the loop containing residues 98-103, which is highly conserved.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Dimeric phenylphenalenones from Musa acuminata and various Haemodoraceae species. Crystal structure of anigorootin.

Three fused octacyclic phenylphenalenone dimers were isolated from Musa acuminata: Anigorootin, which was first isolated from Anigozanthos flavidus and hitherto represented the only compound of that type, the new 4'-hydroxy-anigorootin, and 4',4"-di-hydroxy-anigorootin, which is a revised structure. The crystal structure of anigorootin was determined by X-ray crystallography. 3,3'-Bis-hydroxyanigorufone, a dimer of the conventional type known from Anigozanthos preissii, was also found in Musa acuminata. Phytochemical analysis of several Haemodoraceae species revealed the occurrence of anigorootin, 3,3'-bis-hydroxyanigorufone, and the novel metabolite 3,3'-bis-anigorufone. The occurrence of the same compounds in Musaceae and Haemodoraceae indicates the close chemotaxonomic relationship of both plant families.

Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy↗