Krios I-Titan Krios I at Diamond
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[25452]
Open Access
Abstract: Translational control is an essential process for the cell to adapt to varying physiological or environmental conditions. To survive adverse conditions such as low nutrient levels, translation can be shut down almost entirely by inhibiting ribosomal function. Here we investigated eukaryotic hibernating ribosomes from the microsporidian parasite Spraguea lophii in situ by a combination of electron cryo-tomography and single-particle electron cryo-microscopy. We show that microsporidian spores contain hibernating ribosomes that are locked in a dimeric (100S) state, which is formed by a unique dimerization mechanism involving the beak region. The ribosomes within the dimer are fully assembled, suggesting that they are ready to be activated once the host cell is invaded. This study provides structural evidence for dimerization acting as a mechanism for ribosomal hibernation in microsporidia, and therefore demonstrates that eukaryotes utilize this mechanism in translational control.
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Sep 2023
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I03-Macromolecular Crystallography
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Ida
Freda
,
Cécile
Exertier
,
Anna
Barile
,
Antonio
Chaves-Sanjuan
,
Mirella
Vivoli Vega
,
Misha N.
Isupov
,
Nicholas J.
Harmer
,
Elena
Gugole
,
Paolo
Swuec
,
Martino
Bolognesi
,
Anita
Scipioni
,
Carmelinda
Savino
,
Martino luigi
Di salvo
,
Roberto
Contestabile
,
Beatrice
Vallone
,
Angela
Tramonti
,
Linda Celeste
Montemiglio
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[11945]
Open Access
Abstract: Specificity in protein–DNA recognition arises from the synergy of several factors that stem from the structural and chemical signatures encoded within the targeted DNA molecule. Here, we deciphered the nature of the interactions driving DNA recognition and binding by the bacterial transcription factor PdxR, a member of the MocR family responsible for the regulation of pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PLP) biosynthesis. Single particle cryo-EM performed on the PLP-PdxR bound to its target DNA enabled the isolation of three conformers of the complex, which may be considered as snapshots of the binding process. Moreover, the resolution of an apo-PdxR crystallographic structure provided a detailed description of the transition of the effector domain to the holo-PdxR form triggered by the binding of the PLP effector molecule. Binding analyses of mutated DNA sequences using both wild type and PdxR variants revealed a central role of electrostatic interactions and of the intrinsic asymmetric bending of the DNA in allosterically guiding the holo-PdxR–DNA recognition process, from the first encounter through the fully bound state. Our results detail the structure and dynamics of the PdxR–DNA complex, clarifying the mechanism governing the DNA-binding mode of the holo-PdxR and the regulation features of the MocR family of transcription factors.
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Jun 2023
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I03-Macromolecular Crystallography
I04-1-Macromolecular Crystallography (fixed wavelength)
I04-Macromolecular Crystallography
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[22563]
Open Access
Abstract: N-acetyl-d-glucosamine (GlcNAc) is a major component of bacterial cell walls. Many organisms recycle GlcNAc from the cell wall or metabolize environmental GlcNAc. The first step in GlcNAc metabolism is phosphorylation to GlcNAc-6-phosphate. In bacteria, the ROK family kinase NagK performs this activity. Although ROK kinases have been studied extensively, no ternary complex showing the two substrates has yet been observed. Here, we solved the structure of NagK from the human pathogen Plesiomonas shigelloides in complex with GlcNAc and the ATP analogue AMP-PNP. Surprisingly, PsNagK showed distinct conformational changes associated with the binding of each substrate. Consistent with this, the enzyme showed a sequential random enzyme mechanism. This indicates that the enzyme acts as a coordinated unit responding to each interaction. Our molecular dynamics modelling of catalytic ion binding confirmed the location of the essential catalytic metal. Additionally, site-directed mutagenesis confirmed the catalytic base, and that the metal-coordinating residue is essential. Together, this study provides the most comprehensive insight into the activity of a ROK kinase.
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Feb 2023
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I03-Macromolecular Crystallography
I04-1-Macromolecular Crystallography (fixed wavelength)
I04-Macromolecular Crystallography
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Alice R.
Cross
,
Sumita
Roy
,
Mirella
Vivoli Vega
,
Martin
Rejzek
,
Sergey A.
Nepogodiev
,
Matthew
Cliff
,
Debbie
Salmon
,
Michail N.
Isupov
,
Robert A.
Field
,
Joann L.
Prior
,
Nicholas J.
Harmer
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[16378]
Open Access
Abstract: The sugars streptose and dihydrohydroxystreptose (DHHS) are unique to the bacteria Streptomyces griseus and Coxiella burnetii, respectively. Streptose forms the central moiety of the antibiotic streptomycin, whilst DHHS is found in the O-antigen of the zoonotic pathogen C. burnetii. Biosynthesis of these sugars has been proposed to follow a similar path to that of TDP-rhamnose, catalyzed by the enzymes RmlA, RmlB, RmlC, and RmlD, but the exact mechanism is unclear. Streptose and DHHS biosynthesis unusually requires a ring contraction step that could be performed by orthologues of RmlC or RmlD. Genome sequencing of S. griseus and C. burnetii has identified StrM and CBU1838 proteins as RmlC orthologues in these respective species. Here, we demonstrate that both enzymes can perform the RmlC 3’’,5’’ double epimerization activity necessary to support TDP-rhamnose biosynthesis in vivo. This is consistent with the ring contraction step being performed on a double epimerized substrate. We further demonstrate that proton exchange is faster at the 3’’-position than the 5’’-position, in contrast to a previously studied orthologue. We additionally solved the crystal structures of CBU1838 and StrM in complex with TDP, and show that they form an active site highly similar to those of the previously characterized enzymes RmlC, EvaD, and ChmJ. These results support the hypothesis that streptose and DHHS are biosynthesized using the TDP pathway and that an RmlD paralogue most likely performs ring contraction following double epimerization. This work will support the elucidation of the full pathways for biosynthesis of these unique sugars.
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Apr 2022
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I04-1-Macromolecular Crystallography (fixed wavelength)
I04-Macromolecular Crystallography
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[8889]
Open Access
Abstract: A novel transketolase has been reconstituted from two separate polypeptide chains encoded by a ‘split-gene’ identified in the genome of the hyperthermophilic bacterium, Carboxydothermus hydrogenoformans. The reconstituted active α2β2 tetrameric enzyme has been biochemically characterized and its activity has been determined using a range of aldehydes including glycolaldehyde, phenylacetaldehyde and cyclohexanecarboxaldehyde as the ketol acceptor and hydroxypyruvate as the donor. This reaction proceeds to near 100% completion due to the release of the product carbon dioxide and can be used for the synthesis of a range of sugars of interest to the pharmaceutical industry. This novel reconstituted transketolase is thermally stable with no loss of activity after incubation for 1 h at 70°C and is stable after 1 h incubation with 50% of the organic solvents methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, DMSO, acetonitrile and acetone. The X-ray structure of the holo reconstituted α2β2 tetrameric transketolase has been determined to 1.4 Å resolution. In addition, the structure of an inactive tetrameric β4 protein has been determined to 1.9 Å resolution. The structure of the active reconstituted α2β2 enzyme has been compared to the structures of related enzymes; the E1 component of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex and D-xylulose-5-phosphate synthase, in an attempt to rationalize differences in structure and substrate specificity between these enzymes. This is the first example of a reconstituted ‘split-gene’ transketolase to be biochemically and structurally characterized allowing its potential for industrial biocatalysis to be evaluated.
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Oct 2020
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I03-Macromolecular Crystallography
I04-1-Macromolecular Crystallography (fixed wavelength)
I04-Macromolecular Crystallography
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[11945, 16378, 19576, 8889]
Open Access
Abstract: Two novel epoxide hydrolases (EHs), Sibe-EH and CH65-EH, were identified in the metagenomes of samples collected in hot springs in Russia and China, respectively. The two α/β hydrolase superfamily fold enzymes were cloned, over-expressed in Escherichia coli, purified and characterized. The new EHs were active toward a broad range of substrates, and in particular, Sibe-EH was excellent in the desymmetrization of cis-2,3-epoxybutane producing the (2R,3R)-diol product with ee exceeding 99%. Interestingly these enzymes also hydrolyse (4R)-limonene-1,2-epoxide with Sibe-EH being specific for the trans isomer. The Sibe-EH is a monomer in solution whereas the CH65-EH is a dimer. Both enzymes showed high melting temperatures with the CH65-EH being the highest at 85°C retaining 80% of its initial activity after 3 h thermal treatment at 70°C making it the most thermal tolerant wild type epoxide hydrolase described. The Sibe-EH and CH65-EH have been crystallized and their structures determined to high resolution, 1.6 and 1.4 Å, respectively. The CH65-EH enzyme forms a dimer via its cap domains with different relative orientation of the monomers compared to previously described EHs. The entrance to the active site cavity is located in a different position in CH65-EH and Sibe-EH in relation to other known bacterial and mammalian EHs.
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Oct 2018
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B21-High Throughput SAXS
I04-Macromolecular Crystallography
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Open Access
Abstract: Microbial pathogens employ sophisticated virulence strategies to cause infections in humans. The intracellular pathogen Legionella pneumophila encodes RidL to hijack the host scaffold protein VPS29, a component of retromer and retriever complexes critical for endosomal cargo recycling. Here, we determined the crystal structure of L. pneumophila RidL in complex with the human VPS29–VPS35 retromer subcomplex. A hairpin loop protruding from RidL inserts into a conserved pocket on VPS29 that is also used by cellular ligands, such as Tre-2/Bub2/Cdc16 domain family member 5 (TBC1D5) and VPS9-ankyrin repeat protein for VPS29 binding. Consistent with the idea of molecular mimicry in protein interactions, RidL outcompeted TBC1D5 for binding to VPS29. Furthermore, the interaction of RidL with retromer did not interfere with retromer dimerization but was essential for association of RidL with retromer-coated vacuolar and tubular endosomes. Our work thus provides structural and mechanistic evidence into how RidL is targeted to endosomal membranes.
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Dec 2017
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I03-Macromolecular Crystallography
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[8889, 11945]
Open Access
Abstract: A new carboxyl esterase, AF-Est2, from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Archaeoglobus fulgidus has been cloned, over-expressed in Escherichia coli and biochemically and structurally characterized. The enzyme has high activity towards short- to medium-chain p-nitrophenyl carboxylic esters with optimal activity towards the valerate ester. The AF-Est2 has good solvent and pH stability and is very thermostable, showing no loss of activity after incubation for 30 min at 80 °C. The 1.4 Å resolution crystal structure of AF-Est2 reveals Coenzyme A (CoA) bound in the vicinity of the active site. Despite the presence of CoA bound to the AF-Est2 this enzyme has no CoA thioesterase activity. The pantetheine group of CoA partially obstructs the active site alcohol pocket suggesting that this ligand has a role in regulation of the enzyme activity. A comparison with closely related α/β hydrolase fold enzyme structures shows that the AF-Est2 has unique structural features that allow CoA binding. A comparison of the structure of AF-Est2 with the human carboxyl esterase 1, which has CoA thioesterase activity, reveals that CoA is bound to different parts of the core domain in these two enzymes and approaches the active site from opposite directions.
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May 2016
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I04-1-Macromolecular Crystallography (fixed wavelength)
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Dimitra
Zarafeta
,
Dimitrios
Kissas
,
Christopher
Sayer
,
Sóley R.
Gudbergsdottir
,
Efthymios
Ladoukakis
,
Misha
Isupov
,
Aristotelis
Chatziioannou
,
Xu
Peng
,
Jennifer
Littlechild
,
Georgios
Skretas
,
Fragiskos N.
Kolisis
,
Maria
Gasset
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[8889, 11945]
Open Access
Abstract: With the ultimate goal of identifying robust cellulases for industrial biocatalytic conversions,
we have isolated and characterized a new thermostable and very halotolerant GH5 cellulase.
This new enzyme, termed CelDZ1, was identified by bioinformatic analysis from the
genome of a polysaccharide-enrichment culture isolate, initiated from material collected
from an Icelandic hot spring. Biochemical characterization of CelDZ1 revealed that it is a
glycoside hydrolase with optimal activity at 70°C and pH 5.0 that exhibits good thermostability,
high halotolerance at near-saturating salt concentrations, and resistance towards metal
ions and other denaturing agents. X-ray crystallography of the new enzyme showed that
CelDZ1 is the first reported cellulase structure that lacks the defined sugar-binding 2 subsite
and revealed structural features which provide potential explanations of its biochemical
characteristics.
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Jan 2016
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I03-Macromolecular Crystallography
I04-1-Macromolecular Crystallography (fixed wavelength)
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[1087, 6851, 8889]
Open Access
Abstract: Gram-negative bacteria utilize heptoses as part of
their repertoire of extracellular polysaccharide virulence
determinants. Disruption of heptose biosynthesis
offers an attractive target for novel antimicrobials.
A critical step in the synthesis of heptoses
is their 1-O phosphorylation, mediated by kinases
such as HldE or WcbL. Here, we present the structure
of WcbL from Burkholderia pseudomallei. We report
that WcbL operates through a sequential ordered Bi-
Bi mechanism, loading the heptose first and then
ATP. We show that dimeric WcbL binds ATP anticooperatively
in the absence of heptose, and cooperatively
in its presence. Modeling of WcbL suggests
that heptose binding causes an elegant switch in the
hydrogen-bonding network, facilitating the binding
of a second ATP molecule. Finally, we screened a
library of drug-like fragments, identifying hits that
potently inhibit WcbL. Our results provide a novel
mechanism for control of substrate binding and
emphasize WcbL as an attractive anti-microbial
target for Gram-negative bacteria.
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Dec 2015
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