V. I. Timofeev

Crystal growth of phosphopantetheine adenylyltransferase, carboxypeptidase t, and thymidine phosphorylase on the international space station by the capillary counter-diffusion method

Crystals of phosphopantetheine adenylyltransferase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis, thymidine phosphorylase from Escherichia coli, carboxypeptidase T from Thermoactinomyces vulgaris and its mutant forms, and crystals of complexes of these proteins with functional ligands and inhibitors were grown by the capillary counter-diffusion method in the Japanese Experimental Module Kibo on the International Space Station. The high-resolution X-ray diffraction data sets suitable for the determination of high-resolution three-dimensional structures of these proteins were collected from the grown crystals on the SPring-8 synchrotron radiation facility. The conditions of crystal growth for the proteins and the data-collection statistics are reported. The crystals grown in microgravity diffracted to a higher resolution than crystals of the same proteins grown on Earth.

X-ray investigation of gene-engineered human insulin crystallized from a solution containing polysialic acid.

Attempts to crystallize the noncovalent complex of recombinant human insulin with polysialic acid were carried out under normal and microgravity conditions. Both crystal types belonged to the same space group, I2(1)3, with unit-cell parameters a = b = c = 77.365 A, alpha = beta = gamma = 90.00 degrees. The reported space group and unit-cell parameters are almost identical to those of cubic insulin reported in the PDB. The results of X-ray studies confirmed that the crystals obtained were cubic insulin crystals and that they contained no polysialic acid or its fragments. Electron-density maps were calculated using X-ray diffraction sets from earth-grown and microgravity-grown crystals and the three-dimensional structure of the insulin molecule was determined and refined. The conformation and secondary-structural elements of the insulin molecule in different crystal forms were compared.

Preparation of the Crystal Complex of Phosphopantetheine Adenylyltransferase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis with Coenzyme A and Investigation of Its Three-Dimensional Structure at 2.1-Å Resolution

Recombinant phosphopantetheine adenylyltransferase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (PPAT Mt), which was produced by a high-producing strain and purified to 99%, was used for the crystal growth of the complex of the enzyme with coenzyme A (CoA). Crystals suitable for X-ray diffraction study were obtained by cocrystallization. The crystals belong to sp. gr. R32 and have the unit-cell parameters a = b = 98.840 Å, c = 112.880 Å, α = β = 90.00°, and γ = 120.00°. The three-dimensional structure of the complex was determined based on X-ray diffraction data collected from the crystals to 2.1 Å resolution and refined to Rf = 22.7% and Rfree = 25.93%. Active-site bound coenzyme A was found, and its nearest environment was described. The conformational changes of the enzyme due to ligand binding were revealed. The binding of CoA by tuberculosis phosphopantetheine adenylyltransferase was characterized by comparing the structures of the title complex to a similar complex of PPAT from E. coli (PPAT Ec).

Three-dimensional structure of thymidine phosphorylase from E. coli in complex with 3′-azido-2′-fluoro-2′,3′-dideoxyuridine

The three-dimensional structures of thymidine phosphorylase from E. coli containing the bound sulfate ion in the phosphate-binding site and of the complex of thymidine phosphorylase with sulfate in the phosphate-binding site and the inhibitor 3′-azido-2′-fluoro-2′,3′-dideoxyuridine (N3F-ddU) in the nucleoside-binding site were determined at 1.55 and 1.50 Å resolution, respectively. The amino-acid residues involved in the ligand binding and the hydrogen-bond network in the active site occupied by a large number of bound water molecules are described. A comparison of the structure of thymidine phosphorylase in complex with N3F-ddU with the structure of pyrimidine nucleoside phosphorylase from St. Aureus in complex with the natural substrate thymidine (PDB_ID: 3H5Q) shows that the substrate and the inhibitor in the nucleoside-binding pocket have different orientations. It is suggested that the position of N3F-ddU can be influenced by the presence of the azido group, which prefers a hydrophobic environment. In both structures, the active sites of the subunits are in the open conformation.

Three-Dimensional Structure of Phosphopantetheine Adenylyltransferase from Mycobacterium Tuberculosis in the Apo Form and in Complexes with Coenzyme A and Dephosphocoenzyme A

Crystals of phosphopantetheine adenylyltransferase (PPAT) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the apo form and in complexes with coenzyme A (PPAT/CoA) and dephosphocoenzyme A (PPAT/dPCoA) were grown in microgravity by the capillary counter-diffusion method. The structures of PPAT Mt in the apo form and in complexes with ligands were solved based on the X-ray diffraction data collected from the grown crystals. The crystal structures were refined at 1.76, 1.59, and 1.59 Å resolution to Rf factors of 0.175, 0.159, and 0.157 and Rfree of 0.224, 0.208, and 0.206 for PPAT, PPAT/CoA, and PPAT/dPCoA, respectively. The atomic coordinates of the structures were deposited in the Protein Data Bank (PDB ID: 3RFF, 3RHS, and 3RBA). In these structures, the ligand-binding sites were determined, the environment of these sites was characterized, and the conformational changes accompanying the ligand binding were analyzed.

Structural insights into the broad substrate specificity of carboxypeptidase T from Thermoactinomyces vulgaris

The crystal structures of carboxypeptidase T (CpT) complexes with phenylalanine and arginine substrate analogs – benzylsuccinic acid and (2‐guanidinoethylmercapto)succinic acid – were determined by the molecular replacement method at resolutions of 1.57 Å and 1.62 Å to clarify the broad substrate specificity profile of the enzyme. The conservative Leu211 and Leu254 residues (also present in both carboxypeptidase A and carboxypeptidase B) were shown to be structural determinants for recognition of hydrophobic substrates, whereas Asp263 was for recognition of positively charged substrates. Mutations of these determinants modify the substrate profile: the CpT variant Leu211Gln acquires carboxypeptidase B‐like properties, and the CpT variant Asp263Asn the carboxypeptidase A‐like selectivity. The Pro248‐Asp258 loop interacting with Leu254 and Tyr255 was shown to be responsible for recognition of the substrates C‐terminal residue. Substrate binding at the S1′ subsite leads to the ligand‐dependent shift of this loop, and Leu254 side chain movement induces the conformation rearrangement of the Glu277 residue crucial for catalysis. This is a novel insight into the substrate selectivity of metallocarboxypeptidases that demonstrates the importance of interactions between the S1′ subsite and the catalytic center.

Three-dimensional structure of recombinant carboxypeptidase T from Thermoactinomyces vulgaris without calcium ions

Crystals of recombinant carboxypeptidase T (CPT) from Thermoactinomyces vulgaris were grown in a capillary by the counterdiffusion method in the absence of calcium ions. The three-dimensional structure of CPT was solved at 1.69-Å resolution using the X-ray diffraction data collected from the crystals of the enzyme on the SPring-8 synchrotron radiation facility and was then refined to Rfact = 16.903% and Rfree = 18.165%. The coordinates of the refined model were deposited in the Protein Data Bank (PDB ID: 3QNV). A comparison of this structure with the structure of wild-type CPT containing bound calcium ions, which was determined earlier, revealed a number of conformational changes both in the calcium-binding sites and the enzyme active site. Based on the results of this comparison, the possible factors responsible for the difference in the catalytic activity of the two forms of the enzyme are considered.

Three-dimensional structure of phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate synthetase from E. coli at 2.71 Å resolution

Phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate synthetase from Escherichia coli was cloned, purified, and crystallized. Single crystals of the enzyme were grown under microgravity. The X-ray diffraction data set was collected at the Spring-8 synchrotron facility and used to determine the three-dimensional structure of the enzyme by the molecular-replacement method at 2.71 Å resolution. The active and regulatory sites in the molecule of E. coli phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate synthetase were revealed by comparison with the homologous protein from Bacillus subtilis, the structure of which was determined in a complex with functional ligands. The conformations of polypeptide-chain fragments surrounding and composing the active and regulatory sites were shown to be identical in both proteins.

Preparation, crystallization, and preliminary X-ray diffraction study of mutant carboxypeptidase T containing the primary specificity pocket of carboxypeptidase B

Recombinant G215S, A251G, T257A, D260G, T262D mutant carboxypeptidase T from Thermoactinomyces vulgaris containing mutations in the primary specificity pocket was prepared and crystallized. Single crystals with a size of up to 0.3 mm were grown and investigated by X-ray diffraction. Recombinant mutant carboxypeptidase T containing the primary specificity subsite compositionally identical to that of pancreatic carboxypeptidase B crystallizes in the same space group as the natural enzyme. The crystals belong to sp. gr. P6322; the unit-cell parameters are a = b = 157.867 Å, c = 104.304 Å, α = β = 90°, γ = 120°. X-ray diffraction data suitable for determining the three-dimensional structure at atomic resolution were collected from one crystal.

Structure of recombinant prolidase from Thermococcus sibiricus in space group P21221

The crystal structure of recombinant prolidase from Thermococcus sibiricus was determined by X-ray diffraction at a resolution of 2.6 Å and was found to contain a tetramer in the asymmetric unit. A protein crystal grown in microgravity using the counter-diffusion method was used for X-ray studies. The crystal belonged to space group P21221, with unit-cell parameters a = 97.60, b = 123.72, c = 136.52 Å, α = β = γ = 90°. The structure was refined to an Rcryst of 22.1% and an Rfree of 29.6%. The structure revealed flexible folding of the N-terminal domain of the protein as well as high variability in the positions of the bound metal ions. The coordinates of the resulting model were deposited in the Protein Data Bank as entry 4rgz.