Yonglin Hu

Crystal Structures of a Populus tomentosa 4-Coumarate:CoA Ligase Shed Light on Its Enzymatic Mechanisms

The crystal structure of Chinese white poplar 4-coumaric acid:coenzyme A ligase, the enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of an important precursor of lignin, was determined in the apo, adenosine monophosphate-, and adenosine 5′-(3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propyl)phosphate-complexed forms. Enzymatic mechanisms were proposed for the protein. Residues responsible for substrate specificity were identified. 4-Coumaric acid:CoA ligase (4CL) is the central enzyme of the plant-specific phenylpropanoid pathway. It catalyzes the synthesis of hydroxycinnamate-CoA thioesters, the precursors of lignin and other important phenylpropanoids, in two-step reactions involving the formation of hydroxycinnamate-AMP anhydride and then the nucleophilic substitution of AMP by CoA. In this study, we determined the crystal structures of Populus tomentosa 4CL1 in the unmodified (apo) form and in forms complexed with AMP and adenosine 5′-(3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propyl)phosphate (APP), an intermediate analog, at 2.4, 2.5, and 1.9 Å resolution, respectively. 4CL1 consists of two globular domains connected by a flexible linker region. The larger N-domain contains a substrate binding pocket, while the C-domain contains catalytic residues. Upon binding of APP, the C-domain rotates 81° relative to the N-domain. The crystal structure of 4CL1-APP reveals its substrate binding pocket. We identified residues essential for catalytic activities (Lys-438, Gln-443, and Lys-523) and substrate binding (Tyr-236, Gly-306, Gly-331, Pro-337, and Val-338) based on their crystal structures and by means of mutagenesis and enzymatic activity studies. We also demonstrated that the size of the binding pocket is the most important factor in determining the substrate specificities of 4CL1. These findings shed light on the enzymatic mechanisms of 4CLs and provide a solid foundation for the bioengineering of these enzymes.

Crystal structure of DNA gyrase B′ domain sheds lights on the mechanism for T-segment navigation

DNA gyrase is an indispensible marvelous molecular machine in manipulating the DNA topology for the prokaryotes. In the ‘two-gate’ mechanism of DNA topoisomerase, T-segment navigation from N- to DNA-gate is a critical step, but the structural basis supporting this scheme is unclear. The crystal structure of DNA gyrase B′ subfragment from Mycobacterium tuberculosis reveals an intrinsic homodimer. The two subunits, each consisting of a Tail and a Toprim domain, are tightly packed one another to form a ‘crab-like’ organization never observed previously from yeast topo II. Structural comparisons show two orientational alterations of the Tail domain, which may be dominated by a 43-residue peptide at the B′ module C-terminus. A highly conserved pentapeptide mediates large-scale intrasubunit conformational change as a hinge point. Mutational studies highlight the significant roles of a negatively charge cluster on a groove at dimer interface. On the basis of structural analysis and mutation experiments, a sluice-like model for T-segment transport is proposed.

Crystal structure of L,D-transpeptidase LdtMt2 in complex with meropenem reveals the mechanism of carbapenem against Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Crystal structure of L,D-transpeptidase Ldt Mt2 in complex with meropenem reveals the mechanism of carbapenem against Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Crystal structure of HugZ, a novel heme oxygenase from Helicobacter pylori.

The crystal structure of a heme oxygenase (HO) HugZ from Helicobacter pylori complexed with heme has been solved and refined at 1.8 Å resolution. HugZ is part of the iron acquisition mechanism of H. pylori, a major pathogen of human gastroenteric diseases. It is required for the adaptive colonization of H. pylori in hosts. Here, we report that HugZ is distinct from all other characterized HOs. It exists as a dimer in solution and in crystals, and the dimer adopts a split-barrel fold that is often found in FMN-binding proteins but has not been observed in hemoproteins. The heme is located at the intermonomer interface and is bound by both monomers. The heme iron is coordinated by the side chain of His245 and an azide molecule when it is present in crystallization conditions. Experiments show that Arg166, which is involved in azide binding, is essential for HugZ enzymatic activity, whereas His245, surprisingly, is not, implying that HugZ has an enzymatic mechanism distinct from other HOs. The placement of the azide corroborates the observed γ-meso specificity for the heme degradation reaction, in contrast to most known HOs that have α-meso specificity. We demonstrate through sequence and structural comparisons that HugZ belongs to a new heme-binding protein family with a split-barrel fold. Members of this family are widespread in pathogenic bacteria and may play important roles in the iron acquisition of these bacteria.

Crystal Structure of a Glutamate/Aspartate Binding Protein Complexed with a Glutamate Molecule: Structural Basis of Ligand Specificity at Atomic Resolution

The crystal structure of a periplasmic l-aspartate/l-glutamate binding protein (DEBP) from Shigella flexneri complexed with an l-glutamate molecule has been determined and refined to an atomic resolution of 1.0 A. There are two DEBP molecules in the asymmetric unit. The refined model contains 4462 non-hydrogen protein atoms, 730 water molecules, 2 bound glutamate molecules, and 2 Tris molecules from the buffer used in crystallization. The final R(cryst) and R(free) factors are 13.61% and 16.89%, respectively. The structure has root-mean-square deviations of 0.016 A from standard bond lengths and 2.35 degrees from standard bond angles. The DEBP molecule is composed of two similarly folded domains separated by the ligand binding region. Both domains contain a central five-stranded beta-sheet that is surrounded by several alpha-helices. The two domains are linked by two antiparallel beta-strands. The overall shape of DEBP is that of an ellipsoid approximately 55 A x 45 A x 40 A in size. The binding of ligand to DEBP is achieved mostly through hydrogen bonds between the glutamate and side-chain and main-chain groups of DEBP. Side chains of residues Arg24, Ser72, Arg75, Ser90, and His164 anchor the deprotonated gamma-carboxylate group of the glutamate with six hydrogen bonds. Side chains of Arg75 and Arg90 form salt bridges with the deprotonated alpha-carboxylate group, while the main-chain amide groups of Thr92 and Thr140 form hydrogen bonds with the same group. The positively charged alpha-amino group of the L-glutamate forms salt bridge interaction with the side-chain carboxylate group of Asp182 and hydrogen bond interaction with main-chain carbonyl oxygen of Ser90. In addition to these hydrogen bond and electrostatic interactions, other interactions may also play important roles. For example, the two methylene groups from the glutamate form van der Waals interactions with hydrophobic side chains of DEBP. Comparisons with several other periplasmic amino acid binding proteins indicate that DEBP residues involved in the binding of alpha-amino and alpha-carboxylate groups of the ligand and the pattern of hydrogen bond formation between these groups are very well conserved, but the binding pocket around the ligand side chain is not, leading to the specificity of DEBP. We have identified structural features of DEBP that determine its ability of binding glutamate and aspartate, two molecules with different sizes, but discriminating against very similar glutamine and asparagine molecules.

Crystal structure of human programmed cell death 10 complexed with inositol-(1,3,4,5)-tetrakisphosphate: a novel adaptor protein involved in human cerebral cavernous malformation.

Programmed cell death 10 (PDCD10) is a novel adaptor protein involved in human cerebral cavernous malformation, a common vascular lesion mostly occurring in the central nervous system. By interacting with different signal proteins, PDCD10 could regulate various physiological processes in the cell. The crystal structure of human PDCD10 complexed with inositol-(1,3,4,5)-tetrakisphosphate has been determined at 2.3A resolution. The structure reveals an integrated dimer via a unique assembly that has never been observed before. Each PDCD10 monomer contains two independent domains: an N-terminal domain with a new fold involved in the tight dimer assembly and a C-terminal four-helix bundle domain that closely resembles the focal adhesion targeting domain of focal adhesion kinase. An eight-residue flexible linker connects the two domains, potentially conferring mobility onto the C-terminal domain, resulting in the conformational variability of PDCD10. A variable basic cleft on the top of the dimer interface binds to phosphatidylinositide and regulates the intracellular localization of PDCD10. Two potential sites, respectively located on the two domains, are critical for recruiting different binding partners, such as germinal center kinase III proteins and the focal adhesion protein paxillin.

Structural insights into the unique single-stranded DNA-binding mode of Helicobacter pylori DprA

Natural transformation (NT) in bacteria is a complex process, including binding, uptake, transport and recombination of exogenous DNA into the chromosome, consequently generating genetic diversity and driving evolution. DNA processing protein A (DprA), which is distributed among virtually all bacterial species, is involved in binding to the internalized single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) and promoting the loading of RecA on ssDNA during NTs. Here we present the structures of DNA_processg_A (DprA) domain of the Helicobacter pylori DprA (HpDprA) and its complex with an ssDNA at 2.20 and 1.80 Å resolutions, respectively. The complex structure revealed for the first time how the conserved DprA domain binds to ssDNA. Based on structural comparisons and binding assays, a unique ssDNA-binding mode is proposed: the dimer of HpDprA binds to ssDNA through two small, positively charged binding pockets of the DprA domains with classical Rossmann folds and the key residue Arg52 is re-oriented to ‘open’ the pocket in order to accommodate one of the bases of ssDNA, thus enabling HpDprA to grasp substrate with high affinity. This mode is consistent with the oligomeric composition of the complex as shown by electrophoretic mobility-shift assays and static light scattering measurements, but differs from the direct polymeric complex of Streptococcus pneumoniae DprA–ssDNA.

Crystal structure of Campylobacter jejuni ChuZ: a split-barrel family heme oxygenase with a novel heme-binding mode.

The heme oxygenase ChuZ is part of the iron acquisition mechanism of Campylobacter jejuni, a major pathogen causing enteritis in humans. ChuZ is required for C. jejuni to use heme as the sole iron source. The crystal structure of ChuZ was resolved at 2.5Å, and it was revealed to be a homodimer with a split-barrel fold. One heme-binding site was at the dimer interface and another novel heme-binding site was found on the protein surface. Heme was bound in this site by four histidine side-chains through hydrophobic interactions. Based on stoichiometry studies and comparisons with other proteins, the possibility that similar heme-binding site exists in homologous proteins and its possible functions are discussed. The structural and mutagenesis analyses reported here establish ChuZ and ChuZ homologs as a new bacterial heme oxygenase family apart from the canonical and IsdG/I families. Our studies provide insight into the enzymatic mechanisms and structure-function relationship of ChuZ.

Purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of a novel mannose-binding lectin from Gastrodia elata with antifungal properties.

A plant antifungal protein, Gastrodia antifungal protein (GAFP-1) has been isolated from terminal corms of the orchid Gastrodia elata B1 f. elata, purified to homogeneity and crystallized by means of the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method. The best quality crystals grew over several months at 277 K. The crystal used for data collection belongs to the space group P2(1)2(1)2, with unit-cell parameters a = 61.087, b = 91.488, c = 81.132 A. Using a synchrotron-radiation source, the resolution limit of the data reached 2.0 A, with an overall R(merge) of 0.097 and a completeness of 99.8%. Four independent molecules were estimated to be present in the asymmetric unit, with a solvent content of 46.3%. This data will help to solve the first structure of a monomeric monocot mannose-binding lectin.

Structural Basis of the Novel S. pneumoniae Virulence Factor, GHIP, a Glycosyl Hydrolase 25 Participating in Host-Cell Invasion

Pathogenic bacteria produce a wide variety of virulence factors that are considered to be potential antibiotic targets. In this study, we report the crystal structure of a novel S. pneumoniae virulence factor, GHIP, which is a streptococcus-specific glycosyl hydrolase. This novel structure exhibits an α/β-barrel fold that slightly differs from other characterized hydrolases. The GHIP active site, located at the negatively charged groove in the barrel, is very similar to the active site in known peptidoglycan hydrolases. Functionally, GHIP exhibited weak enzymatic activity to hydrolyze the PNP-(GlcNAc)5 peptidoglycan by the general acid/base catalytic mechanism. Animal experiments demonstrated a marked attenuation of S. pneumoniae-mediated virulence in mice infected by ΔGHIP-deficient strains, suggesting that GHIP functions as a novel S. pneumoniae virulence factor. Furthermore, GHIP participates in allowing S. pneumoniae to colonize the nasopharynx and invade host epithelial cells. Taken together, these findings suggest that GHIP can potentially serve as an antibiotic target to effectively treat streptococcus-mediated infection.