Purification, characterization and crystallization of pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase from the hyperthermophilic archeon Sulfolobus Solfataricus.

The gene SSO0495 (proC), which encodes pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase (P5CR) from the thermoacidophilic archeon Sulfolobus solfataricus P2 (Ss-P5CR), was cloned and expressed. The purified recombinant enzyme catalyzes the thioproline dehydrogenase with concomitant oxidation of NAD(P)H to NAD(P)+. This archeal enzyme has an optimal alkaline pH in this reversible reaction and is thermostable with a half-life of approximately 30 min at 80 degrees C.

Purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of human Gadd45gamma.

Gadd45, MyD118 and CR6 (also termed Gadd45alpha, Gadd45beta and Gadd45gamma, respectively) comprise a family of proteins that play important roles in negative growth control, maintenance of genomic stability, DNA repair, cell-cycle control and apoptosis. Recombinant human Gadd45gamma and its selenomethionine derivative were expressed in an Escherichia coli expression system and purified; they were then crystallized using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method. Diffraction-quality crystals were grown at 291 K using PEG 3350 as precipitant.

Crystal structures of two coronavirus ADP-ribose-1''-monophosphatases and their complexes with ADP-Ribose: a systematic structural analysis of the viral ADRP domain.

The coronaviruses are a large family of plus-strand RNA viruses that cause a wide variety of diseases both in humans and in other organisms. The coronaviruses are composed of three main lineages and have a complex organization of nonstructural proteins (nsp's). In the coronavirus, nsp3 resides a domain with the macroH2A-like fold and ADP-ribose-1"-monophosphatase (ADRP) activity, which is proposed to play a regulatory role in the replication process.

Mutation of Trp137 to glutamate completely removes transglycosyl activity associated with the Aspergillus fumigatus AfChiB1.

Family 18 chitinases hydrolyze chitin through a substrate-assisted catalytic mechanism and are to a variable extent able to catalyze transglycosylation reactions. Previously Aspergillus fumigatus AfChiB1 was found to be able to catalyze transglycosylation reactions. Structural analysis reveals that AfChiB1 consists of an eight-stranded beta/alpha-barrel.

Crystal structures of human BTG2 and mouse TIS21 involved in suppression of CAF1 deadenylase activity.

BTG2 is the prototypical member of the TOB family and is known to be involved in cell growth, differentiation and DNA repair. As a transcriptional co-regulator, BTG2 interacts with CCR4-associated factor 1 (CAF1) and POP2 (CALIF), which are key components of the general CCR4/NOT multi-subunit transcription complex, and which are reported to play distinct roles as nucleases involved in mRNA deadenylation. Here we report the crystal structures of human BTG2 and mouse TIS21 to 2.

Crystal-structure and biochemical characterization of recombinant human calcyphosine delineates a novel EF-hand-containing protein family.

Calcyphosine is an EF-hand protein involved in both Ca(2+)-phosphatidylinositol and cyclic AMP signal cascades, as well as in other cellular functions. The crystal structure of Ca(2+)-loaded calcyphosine was determined up to 2.65 A resolution and reveals a protein containing two pairs of Ca(2+)-binding EF-hand motifs.

Crystal structure of the hexamer of human heat shock factor binding protein 1.

Heat shock response (HSR) is a ubiquitous cellular mechanism that copes with a variety of stresses. This response is mediated by a family of transcriptional activators, heat shock factors (HSFs), which are under tight regulation. HSF binding protein 1 (HSBP1) is a negative regulator of HSR and is reported to bind specifically with the active trimeric form of HSF1, thus inhibiting its activity.

Purification, crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of avian infectious bronchitis virus nsp3 ADRP domain.

Avian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) encodes 15 nonstructural proteins (nsps) which play crucial roles in RNA transcription and genome replication. One of them, nsp3, contains an ADRP (adenosine diphosphate-ribose-1'-phosphatase) domain which was revealed in recent studies to have ADP-ribose-1'-monophosphatase (Appr-1'-pase) activity. Appr-1'-pase catalyzes the conversion of ADP-ribose-1'-monophosphate (Appr-1'-p) to ADP-ribose in the tRNA-splicing pathway.

Crystal structure of CYP199A2, a para-substituted benzoic acid oxidizing cytochrome P450 from Rhodopseudomonas palustris.

CYP199A2, a cytochrome P450 enzyme from Rhodopseudomonas palustris, oxidatively demethylates 4-methoxybenzoic acid to 4-hydroxybenzoic acid. 4-Ethylbenzoic acid is converted to a mixture of predominantly 4-(1-hydroxyethyl)-benzoic acid and 4-vinylbenzoic acid, the latter being a rare example of CC bond dehydrogenation of an unbranched alkyl group. The crystal structure of CYP199A2 has been determined at 2.

Elucidation of strain-specific interaction of a GII-4 norovirus with HBGA receptors by site-directed mutagenesis study.

Noroviruses interact with histo-blood group antigen (HBGA) receptors in a strain-specific manner probably detecting subtle structural differences in the carbohydrate receptors. The specific recognition of types A and B antigens by various norovirus strains is a typical example. The only difference between the types A and B antigens is the acetamide linked to the terminal galactose of the A but not to the B antigen.

Phosphorylation of HsMis13 by Aurora B kinase is essential for assembly of functional kinetochore.

Chromosome movements in mitosis are orchestrated by dynamic interactions between spindle microtubules and the kinetochore, a multiprotein complex assembled onto centromeric DNA of the chromosome. Here we show that phosphorylation of human HsMis13 by Aurora B kinase is required for functional kinetochore assembly in HeLa cells. Aurora B interacts with HsMis13 in vitro and in vivo.

Crystal structure of the polymerase PA(C)-PB1(N) complex from an avian influenza H5N1 virus.

The recent emergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza A virus strains with subtype H5N1 pose a global threat to human health. Elucidation of the underlying mechanisms of viral replication is critical for development of anti-influenza virus drugs. The influenza RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) heterotrimer has crucial roles in viral RNA replication and transcription.

Crystal structure of a carbonyl reductase from Candida parapsilosis with anti-Prelog stereospecificity.

A novel short-chain (S)-1-phenyl-1,2-ethanediol dehydrogenase (SCR) from Candida parapsilosis exhibits coenzyme specificity for NADPH over NADH. It catalyzes an anti-Prelog type reaction to reduce 2-hydroxyacetophenone into (S)-1-phenyl-1,2-ethanediol. The coding gene was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and the purified protein was crystallized.

Structure of the main protease from a global infectious human coronavirus, HCoV-HKU1.

The newly emergent human coronavirus HKU1 (HCoV-HKU1) was first identified in Hong Kong in 2005. Infection by HCoV-HKU1 occurs worldwide and causes syndromes such as the common cold, bronchitis, and pneumonia. The CoV main protease (M(pro)), which is a key enzyme in viral replication via the proteolytic processing of the replicase polyproteins, has been recognized as an attractive target for rational drug design.

Structure of human cytosolic X-prolyl aminopeptidase: a double Mn(II)-dependent dimeric enzyme with a novel three-domain subunit.

X-prolyl aminopeptidases catalyze the removal of a penultimate prolyl residue from the N termini of peptides. Mammalian X-prolyl aminopeptidases are shown to be responsible for the degradation of bradykinin, a blood pressure regulator peptide, and have been linked to myocardial infarction. The x-ray crystal structure of human cytosolic X-prolyl aminopeptidase (XPN-PEP1) was solved at a resolution of 1.

Crystal structure and mutagenic analysis of GDOsp, a gentisate 1,2-dioxygenase from Silicibacter pomeroyi.

Dioxygenases catalyze dioxygen incorporation into various organic compounds and play a key role in the complex degradation pathway of mono- and polycyclic aromatic and hetero-aromatic compounds. Here we report the crystal structure of gentisate 1,2-dioxygenase from Silicibacter pomeroyi (GDOsp) at a 2.8 A resolution.

Crystal structure of human transgelin.

Transgelin (TAGLN), also known as smooth muscle protein 22 (SM22), is a highly conserved protein found in smooth muscle tissues of adult vertebrates. Abolition of transgelin gene expression by the oncogenic Ras may be an important early event in tumor progression and a diagnostic marker for breast and colon cancer development. Transgelin contains a single calponin homology (CH) domain.

Crystal structure of long-chain alkane monooxygenase (LadA) in complex with coenzyme FMN: unveiling the long-chain alkane hydroxylase.

LadA, a long-chain alkane monooxygenase, utilizes a terminal oxidation pathway for the conversion of long-chain alkanes (up to at least C(36)) to corresponding primary alcohols in thermophilic bacillus Geobacillus thermodenitrificans NG80-2. Here, we report the first structure of the long-chain alkane hydroxylase, LadA, and its complex with the flavin mononucleotide (FMN) coenzyme. LadA is characterized as a new member of the SsuD subfamily of the bacterial luciferase family via a surprising structural relationship.

The search for a structural basis for therapeutic intervention against the SARS coronavirus.

The 2003 outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), caused by a previously unknown coronavirus called SARS-CoV, had profound social and economic impacts worldwide. Since then, structure-function studies of SARS-CoV proteins have provided a wealth of information that increases our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of SARS. While no effective therapy is currently available, considerable efforts have been made to develop vaccines and drugs to prevent SARS-CoV infection.

Structures of two coronavirus main proteases: implications for substrate binding and antiviral drug design.

Coronaviruses (CoVs) can infect humans and multiple species of animals, causing a wide spectrum of diseases. The coronavirus main protease (M(pro)), which plays a pivotal role in viral gene expression and replication through the proteolytic processing of replicase polyproteins, is an attractive target for anti-CoV drug design. In this study, the crystal structures of infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) M(pro) and a severe acute respiratory syndrome CoV (SARS-CoV) M(pro) mutant (H41A), in complex with an N-terminal autocleavage substrate, were individually determined to elucidate the structural flexibility and substrate binding of M(pro).

Structure-activity correlations in pentachlorobenzene oxidation by engineered cytochrome P450cam.

We had reported engineering of the heme monooxygenase cytochrome P450cam from Pseudomonas putida with the F87W/Y96F/L244A/V247L mutations for the oxidation of pentachlorobenzene (PeCB), a recalcitrant environmental contaminant, to pentachlorophenol. In order to provide further insights into P450 structure, function and substrate recognition, we have determined the crystal structure of this 4-mutant without a substrate and its complex with PeCB. PeCB is bound face-on to the heme, with a weak Fe--Cl interaction.

Structural proteomics of the SARS coronavirus: a model response to emerging infectious diseases.

A number of structural genomics/proteomics initiatives are focused on bacterial or viral pathogens. In this article, we will review the progress of structural proteomics initiatives targeting the SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV), the etiological agent of the 2003 worldwide epidemic that culminated in approximately 8,000 cases and 800 deaths. The SARS-CoV genome encodes 28 proteins in three distinct classes, many of them with unknown function and sharing low similarity to other proteins.

The multifunctional human p100 protein 'hooks' methylated ligands.

The human p100 protein is a vital transcription regulator that increases gene transcription by forming a physical bridge between promoter-specific activators and the basal transcription machinery. Here we demonstrate that the tudor and SN (TSN) domain of p100 interacts with U small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP) complexes, suggesting a role for p100 in the processing of precursor messenger RNA. We determined the crystal structure of the p100 TSN domain to delineate the molecular basis of p100's proposed functions.