Jade Li

Activation of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor involves a switch in conformation of the α subunits

The nicotinic acetylcholine (ACh) receptor belongs to a superfamily of synaptic ion channels that open in response to the binding of chemical transmitters. Their mechanism of activation is not known in detail, but a time-resolved electron microscopic study of the muscle-type ACh receptor had suggested that a local disturbance in the ligand-binding region and consequent rotations in the ligand-binding alpha subunits, connecting to the transmembrane portion, are involved. A more precise interpretation of this structural change is given here, based on comparison of the extracellular domain of the ACh receptor with an ACh-binding protein (AChBP) to which a putative agonist is bound. We find that, to a good approximation, there are two alternative extended conformations of the ACh receptor subunits, one characteristic of either alpha subunit before activation, and the other characteristic of all three non-alpha subunits and the protomer of AChBP. Substitution in the three-dimensional maps of alpha by non-alpha subunits mimics the changes seen on activation, suggesting that the structures of the alpha subunits are modified initially by their interactions with neighbouring subunits and switch to the non-alpha form when ACh binds. This structural change, which entails 15-16 degrees rotations of the inner pore-facing parts of the alpha subunits, most likely acts as the trigger that opens the gate in the membrane-spanning pore.

Crystal structure of human spliceosomal U1 snRNP at 5.5 A resolution.

Human spliceosomal U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles (snRNPs), which consist of U1 small nuclear RNA and ten proteins, recognize the 5′ splice site within precursor messenger RNAs and initiate the assembly of the spliceosome for intron excision. An electron density map of the functional core of U1 snRNP at 5.5 Å resolution has enabled us to build the RNA and, in conjunction with site-specific labelling of individual proteins, to place the seven Sm proteins, U1-C and U1-70K into the map. Here we present the detailed structure of a spliceosomal snRNP, revealing a hierarchical network of intricate interactions between subunits. A striking feature is the amino (N)-terminal polypeptide of U1-70K, which extends over a distance of 180 Å from its RNA binding domain, wraps around the core domain consisting of the seven Sm proteins and finally contacts U1-C, which is crucial for 5′-splice-site recognition. The structure of U1 snRNP provides insights into U1 snRNP assembly and suggests a possible mechanism of 5′-splice-site recognition.

Recognition of a signal peptide by the signal recognition particle

Targeting of proteins to appropriate subcellular compartments is a crucial process in all living cells. Secretory and membrane proteins usually contain an amino-terminal signal peptide, which is recognized by the signal recognition particle (SRP) when nascent polypeptide chains emerge from the ribosome. The SRP–ribosome nascent chain complex is then targeted through its GTP-dependent interaction with SRP receptor to the protein-conducting channel on endoplasmic reticulum membrane in eukaryotes or plasma membrane in bacteria. A universally conserved component of SRP (refs 1, 2), SRP54 or its bacterial homologue, fifty-four homologue (Ffh), binds the signal peptides, which have a highly divergent sequence divisible into a positively charged n-region, an h-region commonly containing 8–20 hydrophobic residues and a polar c-region. No structure has been reported that exemplifies SRP54 binding of any signal sequence. Here we have produced a fusion protein between Sulfolobus solfataricus SRP54 (Ffh) and a signal peptide connected via a flexible linker. This fusion protein oligomerizes in solution through interaction between the SRP54 and signal peptide moieties belonging to different chains, and it is functional, as demonstrated by its ability to bind SRP RNA and SRP receptor FtsY. We present the crystal structure at 3.5 Å resolution of an SRP54–signal peptide complex in the dimer, which reveals how a signal sequence is recognized by SRP54.

Structure of the spliceosomal U4 snRNP core domain and its implication for snRNP biogenesis

The spliceosome is a dynamic macromolecular machine that assembles on pre-messenger RNA substrates and catalyses the excision of non-coding intervening sequences (introns). Four of the five major components of the spliceosome, U1, U2, U4 and U5 small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs), contain seven Sm proteins (SmB/B′, SmD1, SmD2, SmD3, SmE, SmF and SmG) in common. Following export of the U1, U2, U4 and U5 snRNAs to the cytoplasm, the seven Sm proteins, chaperoned by the survival of motor neurons (SMN) complex, assemble around a single-stranded, U-rich sequence called the Sm site in each small nuclear RNA (snRNA), to form the core domain of the respective snRNP particle. Core domain formation is a prerequisite for re-import into the nucleus, where these snRNPs mature via addition of their particle-specific proteins. Here we present a crystal structure of the U4 snRNP core domain at 3.6 Å resolution, detailing how the Sm site heptad (AUUUUUG) binds inside the central hole of the heptameric ring of Sm proteins, interacting one-to-one with SmE–SmG–SmD3–SmB–SmD1–SmD2–SmF. An irregular backbone conformation of the Sm site sequence combined with the asymmetric structure of the heteromeric protein ring allows each base to interact in a distinct manner with four key residues at equivalent positions in the L3 and L5 loops of the Sm fold. A comparison of this structure with the U1 snRNP at 5.5 Å resolution reveals snRNA-dependent structural changes outside the Sm fold, which may facilitate the binding of particle-specific proteins that are crucial to biogenesis of spliceosomal snRNPs.

Crystal structure of the Ffh and EF-G binding sites in the conserved domain IV of Escherichia coli 4.5S RNA

BACKGROUND Bacterial signal recognition particle (SRP), consisting of 4.5S RNA and Ffh protein, plays an essential role in targeting signal-peptide-containing proteins to the secretory apparatus in the cell membrane. The 4.5S RNA increases the affinity of Ffh for signal peptides and is essential for the interaction between SRP and its receptor, protein FtsY. The 4.5S RNA also interacts with elongation factor G (EF-G) in the ribosome and this interaction is required for efficient translation. RESULTS We have determined by multiple anomalous dispersion (MAD) with Lu(3+) the 2.7 A crystal structure of a 4.5S RNA fragment containing binding sites for both Ffh and EF-G. This fragment consists of three helices connected by a symmetric and an asymmetric internal loop. In contrast to NMR-derived structures reported previously, the symmetric loop is entirely constituted by non-canonical base pairs. These pairs continuously stack and project unusual sets of hydrogen-bond donors and acceptors into the shallow minor groove. The structure can therefore be regarded as two double helical rods hinged by the asymmetric loop that protrudes from one strand. CONCLUSIONS Based on our crystal structure and results of chemical protection experiments reported previously, we predicted that Ffh binds to the minor groove of the symmetric loop. An identical decanucleotide sequence is found in the EF-G binding sites of both 4.5S RNA and 23S rRNA. The decanucleotide structure in the 4.5S RNA and the ribosomal protein L11-RNA complex crystals suggests how 4.5S RNA and 23S rRNA might interact with EF-G and function in translating ribosomes.

Structural Basis of Brr2-Prp8 Interactions and Implications for U5 snRNP Biogenesis and the Spliceosome Active Site

Summary The U5 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particle (snRNP) helicase Brr2 disrupts the U4/U6 small nuclear RNA (snRNA) duplex and allows U6 snRNA to engage in an intricate RNA network at the active center of the spliceosome. Here, we present the structure of yeast Brr2 in complex with the Jab1/MPN domain of Prp8, which stimulates Brr2 activity. Contrary to previous reports, our crystal structure and mutagenesis data show that the Jab1/MPN domain binds exclusively to the N-terminal helicase cassette. The residues in the Jab1/MPN domain, whose mutations in human Prp8 cause the degenerative eye disease retinitis pigmentosa, are found at or near the interface with Brr2, clarifying its molecular pathology. In the cytoplasm, Prp8 forms a precursor complex with U5 snRNA, seven Sm proteins, Snu114, and Aar2, but after nuclear import, Brr2 replaces Aar2 to form mature U5 snRNP. Our structure explains why Aar2 and Brr2 are mutually exclusive and provides important insights into the assembly of U5 snRNP.

Crystallization of the Bacillus thuringiensis toxin Cry1Ac and its complex with the receptor ligand N-­acetyl-d-galactosamine

Cry1Ac from Bacillus thuringiensis ssp. kurstaki HD-73 is a pore-forming protein specifically toxic to lepidopteran insect larvae. It binds to the cell-surface receptor aminopeptidase N in Manduca sexta midgut via the sugar N-acetyl-D-galactosamine (GalNAc). By using 1,3-diaminopropane (DAP) as the buffer throughout protoxin activation and chromatography on Q-Sepharose at pH 10.3, trypsin-activated Cry1Ac has been purified in a monomeric state, which was crucial to obtaining single crystals of Cry1Ac and of the Cry1Ac-GalNAc complex. Crystals of Cry1Ac alone are triclinic, with unit-cell parameters a = 51.78, b = 113.23, c = 123.41 A, alpha = 113.11, beta = 91.49, gamma = 100.46 degrees; those of the Cry1Ac-GalNAc complex show P2(1) symmetry, with unit-cell parameters a = 121.36, b = 51.19, c = 210.56 A, beta = 105.75 degrees. Data sets collected to 2.36 and 2.95 A resolution, respectively, show that both crystal forms contain four molecules of the 66 kDa toxin in the asymmetric unit and have related packing arrangements. The deaggregating effect of DAP may be explained by its capacity for bivalent hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions at protein interfaces.

Interpreting a low resolution map of human U1 snRNP using anomalous scatterers.

Summary We recently determined the crystal structure of the functional core of human U1 snRNP, consisting of nine proteins and one RNA, based on a 5.5 Å resolution electron density map. At 5–7 Å resolution, α helices and β sheets appear as rods and slabs, respectively, hence it is not possible to determine protein fold de novo. Using inverse beam geometry, accurate anomalous signals were obtained from weakly diffracting and radiation sensitive P1 crystals. We were able to locate anomalous scatterers with positional errors below 2 Å. This enabled us not only to place protein domains of known structure accurately into the map but also to trace an extended polypeptide chain, of previously undetermined structure, using selenomethionine derivatives of single methionine mutants spaced along the sequence. This method of Se-Met scanning, in combination with structure prediction, is a powerful tool for building a protein of unknown fold into a low resolution electron density map.

X-ray analysis of the crystalline parasporal inclusion in Bacillus thuringiensis var. tenebrionis

Abstract The crystalline parasporal inclusions from Bacillus thuringiensis var. tenebrionis , which are toxic to insects of the order Coleoptera (beetles), have been isolated and recystallized to provide large single crystals diffracting to 3 A resolution (1 A = 0.1 nm). The crystals formed in vivo and in vitro are of the same orthorhombic space group C 222 1 , with unit cell dimensions of 117 A × 134 A × 104 A. There is one toxin molecule per asymmetric unit.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction studies of a mosquito-larvicidal toxin from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis

The Cry4B delta-endotoxin from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis is specifically toxic to mosquito larvae. For a better understanding of the mechanism of toxicity, chymotrypsin-activated Cry4B toxin (68 kDa) has been purified and crystallized in sodium bromide at neutral pH. The well formed crystals belong to the rhombohedral space group R32, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 185.82, c = 187.93 A, and diffracted X-rays to 1.75 A resolution. The asymmetric unit contains one toxin molecule and 74% solvent content, as shown by molecular replacement from a composite model of the homologous Cry3A and Cry1Aa. The purified protein and crystals both possessed mosquitocidal activity.