Xiao-Min An

Crystal structure of spinach major light-harvesting complex at 2.72 Å resolution

The major light-harvesting complex of photosystem II (LHC-II) serves as the principal solar energy collector in the photosynthesis of green plants and presumably also functions in photoprotection under high-light conditions. Here we report the first X-ray structure of LHC-II in icosahedral proteoliposome assembly at atomic detail. One asymmetric unit of a large R32 unit cell contains ten LHC-II monomers. The 14 chlorophylls (Chl) in each monomer can be unambiguously distinguished as eight Chla and six Chlb molecules. Assignment of the orientation of the transition dipole moment of each chlorophyll has been achieved. All Chlb are located around the interface between adjacent monomers, and together with Chla they are the basis for efficient light harvesting. Four carotenoid-binding sites per monomer have been observed. The xanthophyll-cycle carotenoid at the monomer–monomer interface may be involved in the non-radiative dissipation of excessive energy, one of the photoprotective strategies that have evolved in plants.

From Structure to Function: Insights into the Catalytic Substrate Specificity and Thermostability Displayed by Bacillus subtilis Mannanase BCman

BCman, a beta-mannanase from the plant root beneficial bacterium Bacillus subtilis Z-2, has a potential to be used in the production of mannooligosaccharide, which shows defense induction activity on both melon and tobacco, and plays an important role in the biological control of plant disease. Here we report the biochemical properties and crystal structure of BCman-GH26 enzyme. Kinetic analysis reveals that BCman is an endo-beta-mannanase, specific for mannan, and has no activity on mannooligosaccharides. The catalytic acid/base Glu167 and nucleophile Glu266 are positioned on the beta4 and beta7 strands, respectively. The 1.45-A crystal structure reveals that BCman is a typical (beta/alpha)(8) folding type. One large difference from the saddle-shaped active center of other endo-beta-mannanases is the presence of a shallow-dish-shaped active center and substrate-binding site that are both unique to BCman. These differences are mainly due to important changes in the length and position of loop 1 (Phe37-Met47), loop 2 (Ser103-Ala134), loop3 (Phe162-Asn185), loop 4 (Tyr215-Ile236), loop 5 (Pro269-Tyr278), and loop 6 (Trp298-Gly309), all of which surround the active site. Data from isothermal titration calorimetry and crystallography indicated only two substrate-binding subsites (+1 and -1) within the active site of BCman. These two sites are involved in the enzymes mannan degradation activity and in restricting the binding capacity for mannooligosaccharides. Binding and catalysis of BCman to mannan is mediated mainly by a surface containing a strip of solvent-exposed aromatic rings of Trp302, Trp298, Trp172, and Trp72. Additionally, BCman contains a disulfide bond (Cys66Cys86) and a special His1-His23-Glu336 metal-binding site. This secondary structure is a key factor in the enzymes stability.

Crystal structure of glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase (GDPD) from Thermoanaerobacter tengcongensis, a metal ion‐dependent enzyme: Insight into the catalytic mechanism

Glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase (GDPD; EC 3.1.4.46) catalyzes the hydrolysis of a glycerophosphodiester to an alcohol and glycerol 3‐phosphate in glycerol metabolism. It has an important role in the synthesis of a variety of products that participate in many biochemical pathways. We report the crystal structure of the Thermoanaerobacter tengcongensis GDPD (ttGDPD) at 1.91 Å resolution, with a calcium ion and glycerol as a substrate mimic coordinated at this calcium ion (PDB entry 2pz0). The ttGDPD dimer with an intermolecular disulfide bridge and two hydrogen bonds is considered as the potential functional unit. We used site‐directed mutagenesis to characterize ttGDPD as a metal ion‐dependent enzyme, identified a cluster of residues involved in substrate binding and the catalytic reaction, and we propose a possible general acid‐base catalytic mechanism for ttGDPD. Superposing the active site with the homologous structure GDPD from Agrobacterium tumefaciens (PDB entry 1zcc), which binds a sulfate ion in the active site, the sulfate ion can represent the phosphate moiety of the substrate, simulating the binding mode of the true substrate of GDPD. Proteins 2008.

High-resolution structures of AidH complexes provide insights into a novel catalytic mechanism for N-acyl homoserine lactonase

Crystal structures of the AHL-lactonase AidH in complex with substrate and product are reported at high resolution and a catalytic mechanism is proposed for the metal-independent AHL-lactonase.

Preliminary crystallographic studies of two C-terminally truncated copper-containing nitrite reductases from Achromobacter cycloclastes: changed crystallizing behaviors caused by residue deletion

The C-terminal segment of copper-containing nitrite reductase from Achromobacter cycloclastes (AcNiR) has been found essential for maintaining both the quaternary structure and the enzyme activity of AcNiR. C-terminal despentapeptide AcNiR (NiRc-5) and desundecapeptide AcNiR (NiRc-11) are two important truncated mutants whose activities and stability have been affected by residue deletion. In this study, the two mutants were crystallized using the hanging drop vapor diffusion method. Crystals of NiRc-5 obtained at pH 5.0 and 6.2 both belonged to the P2(1)2(1)2(1) space group with unit cell parameters a=99.0 A, b=117.4 A, c=122.8 A (pH 5.0) and a=98.9A, b=117.7A, c=123.0A (pH 6.2). NiRc-11 was crystallized in two crystal forms: the tetragonal form belonged to the space group P4(1) with a=b=96.0A and c=146.6A; the monoclinic form belonged to the space group P2(1) with a=86.0A, b=110.1A, c=122.7A, and beta=101.9 degrees. The crystallizing behaviors of the two mutants differed from that of the native enzyme. Such change in combination with residue deletion is also discussed here.