Miroslawa Dauter

Triclinic Lysozyme at 0.65 A Resolution.

The crystal structure of triclinic hen egg-white lysozyme (HEWL) has been refined against diffraction data extending to 0.65 A resolution measured at 100 K using synchrotron radiation. Refinement with anisotropic displacement parameters and with the removal of stereochemical restraints for the well ordered parts of the structure converged with a conventional R factor of 8.39% and an R(free) of 9.52%. The use of full-matrix refinement provided an estimate of the variances in the derived parameters. In addition to the 129-residue protein, a total of 170 water molecules, nine nitrate ions, one acetate ion and three ethylene glycol molecules were located in the electron-density map. Eight sections of the main chain and many side chains were modeled with alternate conformations. The occupancies of the water sites were refined and this step is meaningful when assessed by use of the free R factor. A detailed description and comparison of the structure are made with reference to the previously reported triclinic HEWL structures refined at 0.925 A (at the low temperature of 120 K) and at 0.95 A resolution (at room temperature).

High regularity of Z-DNA revealed by ultra high-resolution crystal structure at 0.55 Å

The crystal structure of a Z-DNA hexamer duplex d(CGCGCG)2 determined at ultra high resolution of 0.55u2009Å and refined without restraints, displays a high degree of regularity and rigidity in its stereochemistry, in contrast to the more flexible B-DNA duplexes. The estimations of standard uncertainties of all individually refined parameters, obtained by full-matrix least-squares optimization, are comparable with values that are typical for small-molecule crystallography. The Z-DNA model generated with ultra high-resolution diffraction data can be used to revise the stereochemical restraints applied in lower resolution refinements. Detailed comparisons of the stereochemical library values with the present accurate Z-DNA parameters, shows in general a good agreement, but also reveals significant discrepancies in the description of guanine-sugar valence angles and in the geometry of the phosphate groups.

Structural Basis of Interactions between Human Glutamate Carboxypeptidase II and Its Substrate Analogs

Human glutamate carboxypeptidase II (GCPII) is involved in neuronal signal transduction and intestinal folate absorption by means of the hydrolysis of its two natural substrates, N-acetyl-aspartyl-glutamate and folyl-poly-gamma-glutamates, respectively. During the past years, tremendous efforts have been made toward the structural analysis of GCPII. Crystal structures of GCPII in complex with various ligands have provided insight into the binding of these ligands, particularly to the S1 site of the enzyme. In this article, we have extended structural characterization of GCPII to its S1 site by using dipeptide-based inhibitors that interact with both S1 and S1 sites of the enzyme. To this end, we have determined crystal structures of human GCPII in complex with phosphapeptide analogs of folyl-gamma-glutamate, aspartyl-glutamate, and gamma-glutamyl-glutamate, refined at 1.50, 1.60, and 1.67 A resolution, respectively. The S1 pocket of GCPII could be accurately defined and analyzed for the first time, and the data indicate the importance of Asn519, Arg463, Arg534, and Arg536 for recognition of the penultimate (i.e., P1) substrate residues. Direct interactions between the positively charged guanidinium groups of Arg534 and Arg536 and a P1 moiety of a substrate/inhibitor provide mechanistic explanation of GCPII preference for acidic dipeptides. Additionally, observed conformational flexibility of the Arg463 and Arg536 side chains likely regulates GCPII affinity toward different inhibitors and modulates GCPII substrate specificity. The biochemical experiments assessing the hydrolysis of several GCPII substrate derivatives modified at the P1 position, also included in this report, further complement and extend conclusions derived from the structural analysis. The data described here form an a solid foundation for the structurally aided design of novel low-molecular-weight GCPII inhibitors and imaging agents.

On the reproducibility of protein crystal structures: five atomic resolution structures of trypsin.

Structural studies of proteins usually rely on a model obtained from one crystal. By investigating the details of this model, crystallographers seek to obtain insight into the function of the macromolecule. It is therefore important to know which details of a protein structure are reproducible or to what extent they might differ. To address this question, the high-resolution structures of five crystals of bovine trypsin obtained under analogous conditions were compared. Global parameters and structural details were investigated. All of the models were of similar quality and the pairwise merged intensities had large correlation coefficients. The C(α) and backbone atoms of the structures superposed very well. The occupancy of ligands in regions of low thermal motion was reproducible, whereas solvent molecules containing heavier atoms (such as sulfur) or those located on the surface could differ significantly. The coordination lengths of the calcium ion were conserved. A large proportion of the multiple conformations refined to similar occupancies and the residues adopted similar orientations. More than three quarters of the water-molecule sites were conserved within 0.5u2005Å and more than one third were conserved within 0.1u2005Å. An investigation of the protonation states of histidine residues and carboxylate moieties was consistent for all of the models. Radiation-damage effects to disulfide bridges were observed for the same residues and to similar extents. Main-chain bond lengths and angles averaged to similar values and were in agreement with the Engh and Huber targets. Other features, such as peptide flips and the double conformation of the inhibitor molecule, were also reproducible in all of the trypsin structures. Therefore, many details are similar in models obtained from different crystals. However, several features of residues or ligands located in flexible parts of the macromolecule may vary significantly, such as side-chain orientations and the occupancies of certain fragments.

Structure of DraD invasin from uropathogenic Escherichia coli : a dimer with swapped β-tails

The dra gene cluster of uropathogenic strains of Escherichia coli produces proteins involved in bacterial attachment to and invasion of the eukaryotic host tissues. The crystal structure of a construct of E. coli DraD possessing an additional C-terminal extension of 13 amino acids, including a His6 tag, has been solved at a resolution of 1.05 angstroms. The protein forms symmetric dimers through the exchange of the C-terminal beta-strands, which participate in the immunoglobulin-like beta-sandwich fold of each subunit. This structure confirms that DraD is able to act as an acceptor in the donor-strand complementation mechanism of fiber formation but, in contrast to DraE adhesin, its native sequence does not have a donor strand; therefore, DraD can only be located at the tip of the fiber.

Phase determination using halide ions.

A short soak of protein crystals in cryosolution containing bromides or iodides leads to incorporation of these ions into the ordered solvent shell around the protein surface. The halide ions display significant anomalous signal, bromides in the vicinity of the absorption edge at 0.92 A, and iodides at longer wavelengths, e.g., provided by the copper sources. Bromides can, therefore, be used through multiwavelength anomalous diffraction or single-wavelength anomalous diffraction (SAD) techniques and iodides through SAD or multiple isomorphous replacement (MIRAS) phasing. The halide cryosoaking approach involves very little preparative effort and offers a rapid and simple way of solving novel protein crystal structures.

What can be done with a good crystal and an accurate beamline

X-ray single-wavelength anomalous diffraction (SAD) data from a crystal of proteinase K were collected using synchrotron radiation of 0.98 A wavelength at SER-CAT 22-ID beamline, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory. At this wavelength, the expected Bijvoet ratio resulting from the presence of one calcium, one chloride and ten S atoms in the 279-residue protein is extremely small at approximately 0.46%. The direct-methods program SHELXD located 11 anomalous sites using data truncated to 2 A resolution. SHELXE was used to produce an easily interpretable electron-density map. This study shows that an accurate beamline and a good-quality crystal provide the possibility of successfully using a very weak anomalous signal of sulfur measured at a short wavelength for phasing a protein structure, even if a small degree of radiation damage is present.

Structure of the single-stranded DNA-binding protein SSB from Thermus aquaticus.

The crystal structure of the single-stranded DNA-binding protein from Thermus aquaticus has been solved and refined at 1.85 A resolution. Two monomers, each encompassing two oligonucleotide/oligosaccharide-binding (OB) domains and a number of flexible beta-hairpin loops, form an oligomer of approximate D(2) symmetry typical of bacterial SSBs. Comparison with other SSB structures confirms considerable variability in the mode of oligomerization and aggregation of SSB oligomers.

Human Suv3 protein reveals unique features among SF2 helicases.

Suv3 is a helicase that is involved in efficient turnover and surveillance of RNA in eukaryotes. In vitro studies show that human Suv3 (hSuv3) in complex with human polynucleotide phosphorylase has RNA degradosome activity. The enzyme is mainly localized in mitochondria, but small fractions are found in cell nuclei. Here, two X-ray crystallographic structures of human Suv3 in complex with AMPPNP, a nonhydrolysable analog of ATP, and with a short five-nucleotide strand of RNA are presented at resolutions of 2.08 and 2.9 Å, respectively. The structure of the enzyme is very similar in the two complexes and consists of four domains. Two RecA-like domains form the tandem typical of all helicases from the SF2 superfamily which together with the C-terminal all-helical domain makes a ring structure through which the nucleotide strand threads. The mostly helical N-terminal domain is positioned externally with respect to the core of the enzyme. Most of the typical helicase motifs are present in hSuv3, but the protein shows certain unique characteristics, suggesting that Suv3 enzymes may constitute a separate subfamily of helicases.

Radiation decay of thaumatin crystals at three X‐ray energies

Radiation damage is an unavoidable obstacle in X-ray crystallographic data collection for macromolecular structure determination, so it is important to know how much radiation a sample can endure before being degraded beyond an acceptable limit. In the literature, the threshold at which the average intensity of all recorded reflections decreases to a certain fraction of the initial value is called the `dose limit. The first estimated D50 dose-limit value, at which the average diffracted intensity was reduced to 50%, was 20u2005MGy and was derived from observing sample decay in electron-diffraction experiments. A later X-ray study carried out at 100u2005K on ferritin protein crystals arrived at a D50 of 43u2005MGy, and recommended an intensity reduction of protein reflections to 70%, D70, corresponding to an absorbed dose of 30u2005MGy, as a more appropriate limit for macromolecular crystallography. In the macromolecular crystallography community, the rate of intensity decay with dose was then assumed to be similar for all protein crystals. A series of diffraction images of cryocooled (100u2005K) thaumatin crystals at identical small, 2° rotation intervals were recorded at X-ray energies of 6.33u2005, 12.66 and 19.00u2005keV. Five crystals were used for each wavelength. The decay in the average diffraction intensity to 70% of the initial value, for data extending to 2.45u2005Å resolution, was determined to be about 7.5u2005MGy at 6.33u2005keV and about 11u2005MGy at the two higher energies.