Alicia Guasch

The structure of plasmid‐encoded transcriptional repressor CopG unliganded and bound to its operator

The structure of the 45 amino acid transcriptional repressor, CopG, has been solved unliganded and bound to its target operator DNA. The protein, encoded by the promiscuous streptococcal plasmid pMV158, is involved in the control of plasmid copy number. The structure of this protein repressor, which is the shortest reported to date and the first isolated from a plasmid, has a homodimeric ribbon–helix–helix arrangement. It is the prototype for a family of homologous plasmid repressors. CopG cooperatively associates, completely protecting several turns on one face of the double helix in both directions from a 13‐bp pseudosymmetric primary DNA recognition element. In the complex structure, one protein tetramer binds at one face of a 19‐bp oligonucleotide, containing the pseudosymmetric element, with two β‐ribbons inserted into the major groove. The DNA is bent 60° by compression of both major and minor grooves. The protein dimer displays topological similarity to Arc and MetJ repressors. Nevertheless, the functional tetramer has a unique structure with the two vicinal recognition ribbon elements at a short distance, thus inducing strong DNA bend. Further structural resemblance is found with helix–turn–helix regions of unrelated DNA‐binding proteins. In contrast to these, however, the bihelical region of CopG has a role in oligomerization instead of DNA recognition. This observation unveils an evolutionary link between ribbon–helix–helix and helix–turn–helix proteins.

Recognition and processing of the origin of transfer DNA by conjugative relaxase TrwC

Relaxases are DNA strand transferases that catalyze the initial and final stages of DNA processing during conjugative cell-to-cell DNA transfer. Upon binding to the origin of transfer (oriT) DNA, relaxase TrwC melts the double helix. The three-dimensional structure of the relaxase domain of TrwC in complex with its cognate DNA at oriT shows a fold built on a two-layer α/β sandwich, with a deep narrow cleft that houses the active site. The DNA includes one arm of an extruded cruciform, an essential feature for specific recognition. This arm is firmly embraced by the protein through a β-ribbon positioned in the DNA major groove and a loop occupying the minor groove. It is followed by a single-stranded DNA segment that enters the active site, after a sharp U-turn forming a hydrophobic cage that traps the N-terminal methionine. Structural analysis combined with site-directed mutagenesis defines the architecture of the active site.

Reinforced protein crystals

Large tetragonal hen egg white lysozyme single crystals (up to 16 mm 3 ) can be obtained by the counter-diffusion method, using high concentration silica gels. The protein crystal lattice is able to incorporate large amounts of silica while still maintaining its short-range crystallographic order. The crystal morphology is controlled by the concentration of the silica gel, which can reduce surface energy anisotropy to such an extent that spherical single crystals can be obtained as growth forms. The mechanical properties and the stability of the crystals against dehydration are improved by the incorporated hydrophilic silica polymeric network. This makes it possible to record full diffraction data sets with a resolution better than 1.5 A from crystals glued to glass fibers. Such reinforcement of the crystals facilitates their handling at ambient conditions and opens new possibilities for the measurement of physical properties of large biological macromolecules as well as for their technological applications.

Three-Dimensional Structure of Human Tubulin Chaperone Cofactor A

alpha and beta-Tubulin fold in a series of chaperone-assisted steps. At least five protein cofactors are involved in the post-chaperonin tubulin folding pathway and required to maintain the supply of tubulin; some of them also participate in microtubule dynamics. The first tubulin chaperone identified in the tubulin folding pathway was cofactor A (CoA). Here we describe the three-dimensional structure of human CoA at 1.7 A resolution, determined by multiwavelength anomalous diffraction (MAD). The structure is a monomer with a rod-like shape and consists of a three-alpha-helix bundle, or coiled coil, with the second helix kinked by a proline break, offering a convex surface at one face of the protein. The helices are connected by short turns, one of them, between alpha2 and alpha3, including a 3(10)-helix. Peptide mapping analysis and competition experiments with peptides show that CoA interacts with beta-tubulin via the three alpha-helical regions but not with the rod-end loops. The main interaction occurs with the middle kinked alpha2 helix, at the convex face of the rod. Strong 3D structural homology is found with the Hsp70 chaperone cofactor BAG domain, suggesting that these proteins define a family of cofactors of simple compact architecture. Further structural homology is found with alpha-spectrin/alpha-actinin repeats, all are rods of identical length of ten helical turns. We propose to call these three-helix bundles alpha ten modules.

Purification, crystallization and preliminary X‐ray diffraction studies of the bacteriophage φ29 connector particle

The connector or portal particle from double‐stranded DNA bacteriophage φ29 has been crystallized. This structure, which connects the head of the virus with the tail and plays a central role in prohead assembly and DNA packaging and translocation, is formed by 12 subunits of the p10 protein and has a molecular weight of 430 kDa. The connector structure was proteolysed with endoproteinase Glu‐C from Staphylococcus aureus V8, which removes 13 and 18 amino acids from the amino‐ and carboxy‐terminal regions of the p10 protein, respectively. Two crystal forms were grown from drops containing an alcohol solution and paraffin oil. Crystals of form I are monoclinic, space group C2 with cell dimensions a=416.86 Å, b=227.62 Å, c=236.68 Å and β=96.3° and contain four connector particles per asymmetric unit. Crystals of form II are tetragonal, space group P42212 with cell dimensions a=b=170.2 Å, c=156.9 Å and contain half a particle per asymmetric unit. X‐ray diffraction data from both native crystal forms have been collected to 6.0 and 3.2 Å respectively, using synchrotron radiation. Crystals of form II are likely to have the same packing arrangement as the two‐dimensional crystals analyzed previously by electron microscopy.

Cloning, overexpression, crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of a family 1 β-­glucosidase from Streptomyces

An intracellular beta-glucosidase (Bgl3) from Streptomyces sp. has been cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The introduction of a His tag at the N-terminal end of the protein has allowed its purification to homogeneity by a single chromatographic step, with yields of 150-200 mg of pure protein per litre of E. coli culture. The enzyme (52.6 kDa) is a retaining glycosidase able to hydrolyze a wide range of disaccharides and oligosaccharides and to perform transglycosylation. Crystals of recombinant Bgl3 have been grown from an ammonium sulfate solution using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method at 293 K. The crystals belong to the orthorhombic space group I222 with unit-cell dimensions a = 101.6, b = 113.4 and c = 187.5 A at room temperature and contain two molecules per asymmetric unit. A full 1.69 A resolution diffraction data set (97.7% completeness) has been collected from frozen crystals in a solution containing 30% sucrose, using synchrotron radiation.

Calcineurin undergoes a conformational switch evoked via peptidyl-prolyl isomerization

A limited repertoire of PPP family of serine/threonine phosphatases with a highly conserved catalytic domain acts on thousands of protein targets to orchestrate myriad central biological roles. A major structural reorganization of human calcineurin, a ubiquitous Ser/Thr PPP regulated by calcium and calmodulin and targeted by immunosuppressant drugs cyclosporin A and FK506, is unveiled here. The new conformation involves trans- to cis- isomerization of proline in the SAPNY sequence, highly conserved across PPPs, and remodels the main regulatory site where NFATc transcription factors bind. Transitions between cis- and trans- conformations may involve peptidyl prolyl isomerases such as cyclophilin A and FKBP12, which are known to physically interact with and modulate calcineurin even in the absence of immunosuppressant drugs. Alternative conformations in PPPs provide a new perspective on interactions with substrates and other protein partners and may foster development of more specific inhibitors as drug candidates.

Overexpression, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of the receiver domain of PhoB

PhoB is the response regulator of the E. coli two-component signal transduction system for phosphate regulation. It is a transcription factor that activates more than 30 genes of the pho regulon. Crystals of the receiver domain of PhoB were obtained by applying the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method. X-ray diffraction data have been collected using synchrotron radiation to 1.88 A resolution. The crystals belong to the orthorhombic space group P212121 with unit-cell constants a = 34.11, b = 60.42, c = 119.97 A. The Matthews parameter suggests that PhoB crystallizes with two molecules per asymmetric unit, suggesting that activating dimerization occurs in the crystal.