Bacterial flagellar switching between counterclockwise and clockwise directions is mediated by the coupling of the chemotactic system and the motor switch complex. The conformational changes of FliG are closely associated with this switching mechanism. We present two crystal structures of FliG(MC) from Helicobacter pylori, each showing distinct domain orientations from previously solved structures. A 180° rotation of the charged ridge-containing C-terminal subdomain FliG(Cα1-6) that is prompted by the rotational freedom of Met245 psi and Phe246 phi at the MFXF motif was revealed. Studies on the swarming and swimming behavior of Escherichia coli mutants further identified the importance of the ₂₄₅MFXF₂₄₈ motif and a highly conserved residue, Asn216, in motor switching. Additionally, multiple conformations of FliG(Cα1-6) were demonstrated by intramolecular cysteine crosslinking. The conformational flexibility of FliGc leads us to propose a model that accounts for the symmetrical torque generation process and for the dynamics of the motor.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.str.2011.11.020 | DOI Listing |
Chem Senses
January 2025
Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan.
Humans possess a remarkable ability to discriminate a wide range of odors with high precision. This process begins with olfactory receptors (ORs) detecting and responding to the molecular structures of odorants. Recent studies have aimed to associate the activity of a single OR to an odor descriptor or predict odor descriptors using 2D molecular representation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBlood Adv
January 2025
Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States.
In plasma, the zymogens factor XII (FXII) and prekallikrein reciprocally convert each other to the proteases FXIIa and plasma kallikrein (PKa). PKa cleaves high-molecular-weight kininogen (HK) to release bradykinin, which contributes to regulation of blood vessel tone and permeability. Plasma FXII is normally in a "closed" conformation that limits activation by PKa.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProc Natl Acad Sci U S A
February 2025
SKKU Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology (SAINT), Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea.
The design of organic-peptide hybrids has the potential to combine our vast knowledge of protein design with small molecule engineering to create hybrid structures with complex functions. Here, we describe the computational design of a photoswitchable Ca-binding organic-peptide hybrid. The designed molecule, designated Ca-binding switch (CaBS), combines an EF-hand motif from classical Ca-binding proteins such as calmodulin with a photoswitchable group that can be reversibly isomerized between a spiropyran (SP) and merocyanine (MC) state in response to different wavelengths of light.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Am Chem Soc
January 2025
State Key Laboratory of Molecular Reaction Dynamics, CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China.
Directly probing the heterogeneous conformations of intracellular proteins within their native cellular environment remains a significant challenge in mass spectrometry (MS). Here, we establish an in-cell MS and ultraviolet photodissociation (UVPD) strategy that directly ejects proteins from living cells into a mass spectrometer, followed by 193 nm UVPD for structural analysis. Applying this approach to calmodulin (CaM), we reveal that it adopts more extended conformations within living cells compared with purified samples , highlighting the unique influence of intracellular environments on protein folding.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Biol Macromol
January 2025
School of Environment and Resource, Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Resource Recycle of Ministry of Education, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, Sichuan 621010, China.
Recently, multi-enzyme cascade catalysis has attracted increasing attention due to the advantages of integrating multiple enzymes, few side reactions and high catalytic efficiency. Herein, a novel dual-enzyme cascade system (GOx-FMt-HRP) was developed through cofactor-directed orientational co-immobilization of glucose oxidase (GOx) and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) onto functional montmorillonite (FMt). The presented method realizes the reconstitution of cofactors and apo-enzymes (enzymes without cofactors), which enables enzymes to be immobilized in specific orientations on the support, thereby effectively reducing changes in their conformation.
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