I04-1-Macromolecular Crystallography (fixed wavelength)
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Chao
Yu
,
Andreas F-p
Sonnen
,
Roger
George
,
Benoit H
Dessailly
,
Loren J
Stagg
,
Edward J
Evans
,
Christine A
Orengo
,
Dave
Stuart
,
John E
Ladbury
,
Shinji
Ikemizu
,
Robert J C
Gilbert
,
Simon J
Davis
Abstract: The inhibitory T-cell surface-expressed receptor, cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4), which belongs to the class of cell surface proteins phosphorylated by extrinsic tyrosine kinases that also includes antigen receptors, binds the related ligands, B7-1 and B7-2, expressed on antigen-presenting cells. Conformational changes are commonly invoked to explain ligand-induced "triggering" of this class of receptors. Crystal structures of ligand-bound CTLA-4 have been reported, but not the apo form, precluding analysis of the structural changes accompanying ligand binding. The 1.8-Å resolution structure of an apo human CTLA-4 homodimer emphasizes the shared evolutionary history of the CTLA-4/CD28 subgroup of the immunoglobulin superfamily and the antigen receptors. The ligand-bound and unbound forms of both CTLA-4 and B7-1 are remarkably similar, in marked contrast to B7-2, whose binding to CTLA-4 has elements of induced fit. Isothermal titration calorimetry reveals that ligand binding by CTLA-4 is enthalpically driven and accompanied by unfavorable entropic changes. The similarity of the thermodynamic parameters determined for the interactions of CTLA-4 with B7-1 and B7-2 suggests that the binding is not highly specific, but the conformational changes observed for B7-2 binding suggest some level of selectivity. The new structure establishes that rigid-body ligand interactions are capable of triggering CTLA-4 phosphorylation by extrinsic kinase(s).
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Dec 2011
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I03-Macromolecular Crystallography
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[6391]
Open Access
Abstract: Biosynthesis of UDP-glucuronic acid by UDP-glucose 6-dehydrogenase (UGDH) occurs through the four-electron oxidation of the UDP-glucose C6 primary alcohol in two NAD+-dependent steps. The catalytic reaction of UGDH is thought to involve a Cys nucleophile that promotes formation of a thiohemiacetal enzyme intermediate in the course of the first oxidation step. The thiohemiacetal undergoes further oxidation into a thioester, and hydrolysis of the thioester completes the catalytic cycle. Herein we present crystallographic and kinetic evidence for the human form of UGDH that clarifies participation of covalent catalysis in the enzymatic mechanism. Substitution of the putative catalytic base for water attack on the thioester (Glu161) by an incompetent analog (Gln161) gave a UGDH variant (E161Q) in which the hydrolysis step had become completely rate-limiting so that a thioester enzyme intermediate accumulated at steady state. By crystallizing E161Q in the presence of 5 mm UDP-glucose and 2 mm NAD+, we succeeded in trapping a thiohemiacetal enzyme intermediate and determined its structure at 2.3 Å resolution. Cys276 was covalently modified in the structure, establishing its role as catalytic nucleophile of the reaction. The thiohemiacetal reactive C6 was in a position suitable to become further oxidized by hydride transfer to NAD+. The proposed catalytic mechanism of human UGDH involves Lys220 as general base for UDP-glucose alcohol oxidation and for oxyanion stabilization during formation and breakdown of the thiohemiacetal and thioester enzyme intermediates. Water coordinated to Asp280 deprotonates Cys276 to function as an aldehyde trap and also provides oxyanion stabilization. Glu161 is the Brønsted base catalytically promoting the thioester hydrolysis.
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Jan 2012
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I24-Microfocus Macromolecular Crystallography
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[3685]
Abstract: We have solved the x-ray structure of the N-terminal half of the yeast kinetochore protein Ndc10 at 1.9 Å resolution. This essential protein is a key constituent of the budding yeast centromere and is essential for the recruitment of the centromeric nucleosome and establishment of the kinetochore. The fold of the protein shows unexpected similarities to the tyrosine recombinase/?-integrase family of proteins, most notably Cre, with some variation in the relative position of the subdomains. This finding offers new insights into kinetochore evolution and the adaptation of a well studied protein fold to a novel role. By comparison with tyrosine recombinases and mutagenesis studies, we have been able to define some of the key DNA-binding motifs.
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Feb 2012
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I04-Macromolecular Crystallography
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[7044]
Abstract: We are grateful to G. Bricogne and the members of the Global Phasing Consortium for access to a beta-version of the autoPROC software. P.R. and S.J. were funded by Grant 083599 from the Wellcome Trust and S.M.L was supported by Medical Research Council Project Grant G0400775.
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Mar 2012
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I22-Small angle scattering & Diffraction
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Abstract: The nucleosome assembly protein (NAP) family represents a key group of histone chaperones that are essential for cell viability. Several x-ray structures of NAP1 dimers are available; however, there are currently no structures of this ubiquitous chaperone in complex with histones. We have characterized NAP1 from Xenopus laevis and reveal that it forms discrete multimers with histones H2A/H2B and H3/H4 at a stoichiometry of one NAP dimer to one histone fold dimer. These complexes have been characterized by size exclusion chromatography, analytical ultracentrifugation, multiangle laser light scattering, and small-angle x-ray scattering to reveal their oligomeric assembly states in solution. By employing single-particle cryo-electron microscopy, we visualized these complexes for the first time and show that they form heterogeneous ring-like structures, potentially acting as large scaffolds for histone assembly and exchange.
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Jun 2012
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I04-Macromolecular Crystallography
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[7707]
Open Access
Abstract: SHARPIN (SHANK-associated RH domain interacting protein) is part of a large multi-protein E3 ubiquitin ligase complex called LUBAC (linear ubiquitin chain assembly complex), which catalyzes the formation of linear ubiquitin chains and regulates immune and apoptopic signaling pathways. The C-terminal half of SHARPIN contains ubiquitin-like domain and Npl4-zinc finger domains that mediate the interaction with the LUBAC subunit HOIP and ubiquitin, respectively. In contrast, the N-terminal region does not show any homology with known protein interaction domains but has been suggested to be responsible for self-association of SHARPIN, presumably via a coiled-coil region. We have determined the crystal structure of the N-terminal portion of SHARPIN, which adopts the highly conserved pleckstrin homology superfold that is often used as a scaffold to create protein interaction modules. We show that in SHARPIN, this domain does not appear to be used as a ligand recognition domain because it lacks many of the surface properties that are present in other pleckstrin homology fold-based interaction modules. Instead, it acts as a dimerization module extending the functional applications of this superfold.
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Jun 2012
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I04-Macromolecular Crystallography
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[7146]
Abstract: The Rhodococcus rhodochrous strain 11Y XplA enzyme is an unusual cytochrome P450-flavodoxin fusion enzyme that catalyzes reductive denitration of the explosive hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazene (RDX). We show by light scattering that XplA is a monomeric enzyme. XplA has high affinity for imidazole (Kd = 1.6 μm), explaining previous reports of a red-shifted XplA Soret band in pure enzyme. The true Soret maximum of XplA is at 417 nm. Similarly, unusually weak XplA flavodoxin FMN binding (Kd = 1.09 μm) necessitates its purification in the presence of the cofactor to produce hallmark flavin contributions absent in previously reported spectra. Structural and ligand-binding data reveal a constricted active site able to accommodate RDX and small inhibitory ligands (e.g. 4-phenylimidazole and morpholine) while discriminating against larger azole drugs. The crystal structure also identifies a high affinity imidazole binding site, consistent with its low Kd, and shows active site penetration by PEG, perhaps indicative of an evolutionary lipid-metabolizing function for XplA. EPR studies indicate heterogeneity in binding mode for RDX and other ligands. The substrate analog trinitrobenzene does not induce a substrate-like type I optical shift but creates a unique low spin EPR spectrum due to influence on structure around the distal water heme ligand. The substrate-free heme iron potential (−268 mV versus NHE) is positive for a low spin P450, and the elevated potential of the FMN semiquinone/hydroquinone couple (−172 mV) is also an adaptation that may reflect (along with the absence of a key Thr/Ser residue conserved in oxygen-activating P450s) the evolution of XplA as a specialized RDX reductase catalyst.
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Jun 2012
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I04-Macromolecular Crystallography
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Saioa
Urresti
,
David
Albesa-jove
,
F.
Schaeffer
,
H. T.
Pham
,
D.
Kaur
,
P.
Gest
,
M. J.
Van Der Woerd
,
A.
Carreras-gonzalez
,
S.
Lopez-fernandez
,
P. M.
Alzari
,
P. J.
Brennan
,
M.
Jackson
,
M. E.
Guerin
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[8302]
Open Access
Abstract: Considerable progress has been made in recent years in our understanding of the structural basis of glycosyl transfer. Yet the nature and relevance of the conformational changes associated with substrate recognition and catalysis remain poorly understood. We have focused on the glucosyl-3-phosphoglycerate synthase (GpgS), a "retaining" enzyme, that initiates the biosynthetic pathway of methylglucose lipopolysaccharides in mycobacteria. Evidence is provided that GpgS displays an unusually broad metal ion specificity for a GT-A enzyme, with Mg(2+), Mn(2+), Ca(2+), Co(2+), and Fe(2+) assisting catalysis. In the crystal structure of the apo-form of GpgS, we have observed that a flexible loop adopts a double conformation L(A) and L(I) in the active site of both monomers of the protein dimer. Notably, the L(A) loop geometry corresponds to an active conformation and is conserved in two other relevant states of the enzyme, namely the GpgS·metal·nucleotide sugar donor and the GpgS·metal·nucleotide·acceptor-bound complexes, indicating that GpgS is intrinsically in a catalytically active conformation. The crystal structure of GpgS in the presence of Mn(2+)·UDP·phosphoglyceric acid revealed an alternate conformation for the nucleotide sugar β-phosphate, which likely occurs upon sugar transfer. Structural, biochemical, and biophysical data point to a crucial role of the β-phosphate in donor and acceptor substrate binding and catalysis. Altogether, our experimental data suggest a model wherein the catalytic site is essentially preformed, with a few conformational changes of lateral chain residues as the protein proceeds along the catalytic cycle. This model of action may be applicable to a broad range of GT-A glycosyltransferases.
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Jul 2012
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I04-1-Macromolecular Crystallography (fixed wavelength)
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Gill
Holdsworth
,
Patrick
Slocombe
,
Carl
Doyle
,
Bernadette
Sweeney
,
Vaclav
Veverka
,
Kelly
Le Riche
,
Richard J.
Franklin
,
Joanne
Compson
,
Daniel
Brookings
,
James
Turner
,
Jeffery
Kennedy
,
Rachel
Garlish
,
Jiye
Shi
,
Laura
Newnham
,
David
Mcmillan
,
Mariusz
Muzylak
,
Mark D.
Carr
,
A. J.
Henry
,
T.
Ceska
,
M. K.
Robinson
Abstract: LRP5 and LRP6 are proteins predicted to contain four 6-bladed beta-propeller domains and both bind the bone-specific Wnt signaling antagonist sclerostin. Here we report the crystal structure of the amino terminal region of LRP6 and using NMR show that sclerostins ability to bind to this molecule is mediated by the central core of sclerostin and does not involve the amino- and carboxy-terminal flexible arm regions. We show that this structured core region interacts with LRP5 and LRP6 via an NXI motif (found in the sequence PNAIG) within a flexible loop region (loop2) within the central core region. This sequence is closely related to a previously identified motif in laminin that mediates its interaction with the beta-propeller domain of nidogen. However, the NXI motif is not involved in sclerostins interaction with LRP4 (another beta-propeller containing protein in the LRP family). A peptide derived from the loop 2 region of sclerostin blocked sclerostins interaction with LRP5/6 and also inhibited Wnt1 but not Wnt3A or Wnt9B signaling. This suggests that these Wnts interact with LRP6 in different ways.
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Aug 2012
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B23-Circular Dichroism
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[8098]
Abstract: The functions of a large number (>435) of extracellular regulatory proteins are controlled by their interactions with heparan sulfate (HS). In the case of fibroblast growth factors (FGFs), HS binding determines their transport between cells and is required for the assembly of high affinity signaling complexes with their cognate FGF receptor. However, the specificity of the interaction of FGFs with HS is still debated. Here, we use a panel of FGFs (FGF-1, FGF-2, FGF-7, FGF-9, FGF-18, and FGF-21) spanning five FGF subfamilies to probe their specificities for HS at different levels as follows: binding parameters, identification of heparin-binding sites (HBSs) in the FGFs, changes in their secondary structure caused by heparin binding and structures in the sugar required for binding. For interaction with heparin, the FGFs exhibit KD values varying between 38 nm (FGF-18) and 620 nm (FGF-9) and association rate constants spanning over 20-fold (FGF-1, 2,900,000 m−1 s−1 and FGF-9, 130,000 m−1 s−1). The canonical HBS in FGF-1, FGF-2, FGF-7, FGF-9, and FGF-18 differs in its size, and these FGFs have a different complement of secondary HBS, ranging from none (FGF-9) to two (FGF-1). Differential scanning fluorimetry identified clear preferences in these FGFs for distinct structural features in the polysaccharide. These data suggest that the differences in heparin-binding sites in both the protein and the sugar are greatest between subfamilies and may be more restricted within a FGF subfamily in accord with the known conservation of function within FGF subfamilies.
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Sep 2012
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