Expression, purification and crystallization of CLK1 kinase - A potential target for antiviral therapy.

Cdc-like kinase 1 (CLK1) is a dual-specificity kinase capable of autophosphorylation on tyrosine residues and Ser/Thr phosphorylation of its substrates. CLK1 belongs to the CLK kinase family that regulates alternative splicing through phosphorylation of serine-arginine rich (SR) proteins. Recent studies have demonstrated that CLK1 has an important role in the replication of influenza A and chikungunya viruses. Furthermore, CLK1 was found to be relevant for the replication of HIV-1 and the West Nile virus, making CLK1 an interesting cellular candidate for the development of a host-directed antiviral therapy that might be efficient for treatment of newly emerging viruses. We describe here our attempts and detailed procedures to obtain the recombinant kinase domain of CLK1 in suitable amounts for crystallization in complex with specific inhibitors. The key solution for the reproducibility of crystals resides in devising and refining expression and purification protocols leading to homogeneous protein. Co-expression of CLK1 with λ-phosphatase and careful purification has yielded crystals of CLK1 complexed with the KH-CB19 inhibitor that diffracted to 1.65 Å. These results paved the path to the screening of more structures of CLK1 complexed compounds, leading to further optimization of their inhibitory activity. Moreover, since kinases are desired targets in numerous pathologies, the approach we report here, the co-expression of kinases with λ-phosphatase, previously used in other kinases, can be adopted as a general protocol in numerous kinase targets for obtaining reproducible and homogenic non-phosphorylated (inactive) forms suitable for biochemical and structural studies thus facilitating the development of novel inhibitors.

The Bacterial Extracellular Matrix Protein TapA Is a Two-Domain Partially Disordered Protein.

Biofilms are aggregates of microbial cells that form on surfaces and at interfaces, and are encased in an extracellular matrix. In biofilms made by the soil bacterium Bacillus subtilis, the protein TapA mediates the assembly of the functional amyloid protein TasA into extracellular fibers, and it anchors these fibers to the cell surface. We used circular dichroism and NMR spectroscopy to show that, unlike the structured TasA, TapA is disordered. In addition, TapA is composed of two weakly interacting domains: a disordered C-terminal domain and a more structured N-terminal domain. These two domains also exhibited different structural changes in response to changes in external conditions, such as increased temperatures and the presence of lipid vesicles. Although the two TapA domains weakly interacted in solution, their cooperative interaction with lipid vesicles prevented disruption of the vesicles. These findings therefore suggest that the two-domain composition of TapA is important in its interaction with single or multiple partners in the extracellular matrix in biofilms.

NhaA antiporter functions using 10 helices, and an additional 2 contribute to assembly/stability.

The Escherichia coli Na(+)/H(+) antiporter (Ec-NhaA) is the best-characterized of all pH-regulated Na(+)/H(+) exchangers that control cellular Na(+) and H(+) homeostasis. Ec-NhaA has 12 helices, 2 of which (VI and VII) are absent from other antiporters that share the Ec-NhaA structural fold. This α-hairpin is located in the dimer interface of the Ec-NhaA homodimer together with a ß-sheet. Here we examine computationally and experimentally the role of the α-hairpin in the stability, dimerization, transport, and pH regulation of Ec-NhaA. Evolutionary analysis (ConSurf) indicates that the VI-VII helical hairpin is much less conserved than the remaining transmembrane region. Moreover, normal mode analysis also shows that intact NhaA and a variant, deleted of the α-hairpin, share similar dynamics, suggesting that the structure may be dispensable. Thus, two truncated Ec-NhaA mutants were constructed, one deleted of the α-hairpin and another also lacking the ß-sheet. The mutants were studied at physiological pH in the membrane and in detergent micelles. The findings demonstrate that the truncated mutants retain significant activity and regulatory properties but are defective in the assembly/stability of the Ec-NhaA dimer.

Directionality of individual kinesin-5 Cin8 motors is modulated by loop 8, ionic strength and microtubule geometry.

Kinesin-5 motors fulfil essential roles in mitotic spindle morphogenesis and dynamics as slow, processive microtubule (MT) plus-end directed motors. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae kinesin-5 Cin8 was found, surprisingly, to switch directionality. Here, we have examined directionality using single-molecule fluorescence motility assays and live-cell microscopy. On spindles, Cin8 motors mostly moved slowly (∼25 nm/s) towards the midzone, but occasionally also faster (∼55 nm/s) towards the spindle poles. In vitro, individual Cin8 motors could be switched by ionic conditions from rapid (380 nm/s) and processive minus-end to slow plus-end motion on single MTs. At high ionic strength, Cin8 motors rapidly alternated directionalities between antiparallel MTs, while driving steady plus-end relative sliding. Between parallel MTs, plus-end motion was only occasionally observed. Deletion of the uniquely large insert in loop 8 of Cin8 induced bias towards minus-end motility and affected the ionic strength-dependent directional switching of Cin8 in vitro. The deletion mutant cells exhibited reduced midzone-directed motility and efficiency to support spindle elongation, indicating the importance of directionality control for the anaphase function of Cin8.

Enteropathogenic E. coli infection co-elicits lysosomal exocytosis and lytic host cell death.

IMPORTANCE: Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) infection is a significant cause of gastroenteritis, mainly in children. Therefore, studying the mechanisms of EPEC infection is an important research theme. EPEC modulates its host cell life by injecting via a type III secretion machinery cell death modulating effector proteins. For instance, while EspF and Map promote mitochondrial cell death, EspZ antagonizes cell death. We show that these effectors also control lysosomal exocytosis, i.e., the trafficking of lysosomes to the host cell plasma membrane. Interestingly, the capacity of these effectors to induce or protect against cell death correlates completely with their ability to induce LE, suggesting that the two processes are interconnected. Modulating host cell death is critical for establishing bacterial attachment to the host and subsequent dissemination. Therefore, exploring the modes of LE involvement in host cell death is crucial for elucidating the mechanisms underlying EPEC infection and disease.

Topology and function of translocated EspZ.

EspZ and Tir are essential virulence effectors of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC). EspZ, the second translocated effector, has been suggested to antagonize host cell death induced by the first translocated effector, Tir (translocated intimin receptor). Another characteristic of EspZ is its localization to host mitochondria. However, studies that explored the mitochondrial localization of EspZ have examined the ectopically expressed effector and not the more physiologically relevant translocated effector. Here, we confirmed the membrane topology of translocated EspZ at infection sites and the involvement of Tir in confining its localization to these sites. Unlike the ectopically expressed EspZ, the translocated EspZ did not colocalize with mitochondrial markers. Moreover, no correlation has been found between the capacity of ectopically expressed EspZ to target mitochondria and the ability of translocated EspZ to protect against cell death. Translocated EspZ may have to some extent diminished F-actin pedestal formation induced by Tir but has a marked effect on protecting against host cell death and on promoting host colonization by the bacteria. Taken together, our results suggest that EspZ plays an essential role in facilitating bacterial colonization, likely by antagonizing cell death mediated by Tir at the onset of bacterial infection. This activity of EspZ, which occurs by targeting host membrane components at infection sites, and not mitochondria, may contribute to successful bacterial colonization of the infected intestine. IMPORTANCE EPEC is an important human pathogen that causes acute infantile diarrhea. EspZ is an essential virulence effector protein translocated from the bacterium into the host cells. Detailed knowledge of its mechanisms of action is, therefore, critical for better understanding the EPEC disease. We show that Tir, the first translocated effector, confines the localization of EspZ, the second translocated effector, to infection sites. This activity is important for antagonizing the pro-cell death activity conferred by Tir. Moreover, we show that translocated EspZ leads to effective bacterial colonization of the host. Hence, our data suggest that translocated EspZ is essential because it confers host cell survival to allow bacterial colonization at an early stage of bacterial infection. It performs these activities by targeting host membrane components at infection sites. Identifying these targets is critical for elucidating the molecular mechanism underlying the EspZ activity and the EPEC disease.

EspH interacts with the host active Bcr related (ABR) protein to suppress RhoGTPases.

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli are bacterial pathogens that colonize the gut and cause severe diarrhea in humans. Upon intimate attachment to the intestinal epithelium, these pathogens translocate via a type III secretion system virulent proteins, termed effectors, into the host cells. These effectors manipulate diverse host cell organelles and functions for the pathogen's benefit. However, the precise mechanisms underlying their activities are not fully understood despite intensive research. EspH, a critical effector protein, has been previously reported to disrupt the host cell actin cytoskeleton by suppressing RhoGTPase guanine exchange factors. However, native host proteins targeted by EspH to mediate these activities remained unknown. Here, we identified the active Bcr related (ABR), a protein previously characterized to possess dual Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factor and GTPase activating protein (GAP) domains, as a native EspH interacting partner. These interactions are mediated by the effector protein's C-terminal 38 amino acid segment. The effector primarily targets the GAP domain of ABR to suppress Rac1 and Cdc42, host cell cytotoxicity, bacterial invasion, and filopodium formation at infection sites. Knockdown of ABR expression abolished the ability of EspH to suppress Rac1, Cdc42. Our studies unravel a novel mechanism by which host RhoGTPases are hijacked by bacterial effectors.

Chemical synthesis and expression of the HIV-1 Rev protein.

The HIV-1 Rev protein is responsible for shuttling partially spliced and unspliced viral mRNA out of the nucleus. This is a crucial step in the HIV-1 lifecycle, thus making Rev an attractive target for the design of anti-HIV drugs. Despite its importance, there is a lack of structural, biophysical, and quantitative information about Rev. This is mainly because of its tendency to undergo self-assembly and aggregation; this makes it very difficult to express and handle. To address this knowledge gap, we have developed two new highly efficient and reproducible methods to prepare Rev in large quantities for biochemical and structural studies: 1) Chemical synthesis by using native chemical ligation coupled with desulfurization. Notably, we have optimized our synthesis to allow for a one-pot approach for the ligation and desulfurization steps; this reduced the number of purification steps and enabled the obtaining of desired protein in excellent yield. Several challenges emerged during the design of this Rev synthesis, such as racemization, reduced solubility, formylation during thioester synthesis, and the necessity for using orthogonal protection during desulfurization; solutions to these problems were found. 2) A new method for expression and purification by using a vector that contained an HLT tag, followed by purification with a Ni column, a cation exchange column, and gel filtration. Both methods yielded highly pure and folded Rev. The CD spectra of the synthetic and recombinant Rev proteins were identical, and consistent with a predominantly helical structure. These advances should facilitate future studies that aim at a better understanding of the structure and function of the protein.

Molecular basis of the interaction between the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins and the proapoptotic protein ASPP2.

We have characterized the molecular basis of the interaction between ASPP2 and Bcl-2, which are key proteins in the apoptotic pathway. The C-terminal ankyrin repeats and SH3 domain of ASPP2 (ASPP2(Ank-SH3)) mediate its interactions with the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2. We used biophysical and computational methods to identify the interaction sites of Bcl-2 and its homologues with ASPP2. Using peptide array screening, we found that ASPP2(Ank-SH3) binds two homologous sites in all three Bcl proteins tested: (i) the conserved BH4 motif, and (ii) a binding site for proapoptotic regulators. Quantitative binding studies revealed that binding of ASPP2(Ank-SH3) to the Bcl-2 family members is selective at two levels: (i) interaction with Bcl-2-derived peptides is the tightest compared to peptides from the other family members, and (ii) within Bcl-2, binding of ASPP2(Ank-SH3) to the BH4 domain is tightest. Sequence alignment of the ASPP2-binding peptides combined with binding studies of mutated peptides revealed that two nonconserved positions where only Bcl-2 contains positively charged residues account for its tighter binding. The experimental binding results served as a basis for docking analysis, by which we modeled the complexes of ASPP2(Ank-SH3) with the full-length Bcl proteins. Using peptide arrays and quantitative binding studies, we found that Bcl-2 binds three loops in ASPP2(Ank-SH3) with similar affinity, in agreement with our predicted model. Based on our results, we propose a mechanism in which ASPP2 induces apoptosis by inhibiting functional sites of the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 proteins.

Expression of neurotransmitter transporters for structural and biochemical studies.

Neurotransmitter transporters play essential roles in the process of neurotransmission. Vesicular neurotransmitter transporters mediate storage inside secretory vesicles in a process that involves the exchange of lumenal H(+) for cytoplasmic transmitter. Retrieval of the neurotransmitter from the synaptic cleft catalyzed by sodium-coupled transporters is critical for the termination of the synaptic actions of the released neurotransmitter. Our current understanding of the mechanism of these transporters is based on functional and biochemical characterization but is lacking high-resolution structural information. Very few structures of membrane transport systems from mammalian origin have been solved to atomic resolution, mainly because of the difficulty in obtaining large amounts of purified protein. Development of high yield heterologous expression systems suitable for mammalian neurotransmitter transporters is essential to enable the production of purified protein for structural studies. Such a system makes possible also the production of mutants that can be used in biochemical and biophysical studies. We describe here a screen for the expression of the vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) in cell-free and baculovirus expression systems and discuss the expression of VMAT2 in other systems as well (bacterial, yeast and mammalian cell lines). After screening and optimization, we achieved high yield (2-2.5 mg/l) expression of functional VMAT2 in insect cells. The system was also used for the expression of three additional plasma membrane neurotransmitter transporters. All were functional and expressed to high levels. Our results demonstrate the advantages of the baculovirus expression system for the expression of mammalian neurotransmitter transporters in a functional state.

Mitochondrial Targeting of the Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli Map Triggers Calcium Mobilization, ADAM10-MAP Kinase Signaling, and Host Cell Apoptosis.

The ability of diarrheagenic bacterial pathogens, such as enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC), to modulate the activity of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and cell survival has been suggested to benefit bacterial colonization and infection. However, our understanding of the mechanisms by which EPEC modulate these functions is incomplete. In this study, we show that the EPEC type III secreted effector Map stimulates the sheddase activity of the disintegrin and metalloproteinase domain-containing protein 10 (ADAM10) and the ERK and p38 MAPK signaling cascades. Remarkably, all these activities were dependent upon the ability of Map to target host mitochondria, mainly via its mitochondrial toxicity region (MTR). Map targeting of mitochondria disrupted the mitochondrial membrane potential, causing extrusion of mitochondrial Ca2+ into the host cell cytoplasm. We also found that Map targeting of mitochondria is essential for triggering host cell apoptosis. Based on these findings, we propose a model whereby Map imported into mitochondria causes mitochondrial dysfunction and Ca2+ efflux into the host cytoplasm. Since Ca2+ has been reported to promote ADAM10 activation, the acute elevation of Ca2+ in the cytoplasm may stimulate the ADAM10 sheddase activity, resulting in the release of epidermal growth factors that stimulate the ERK signaling cascade. As p38 activity is also Ca2+ sensitive, elevation in cytoplasmic Ca2+ may independently also activate p38. We hypothesize that Map-dependent MAPK activation, combined with Map-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction, evokes mitochondrial host cell apoptosis, potentially contributing to EPEC colonization and infection of the gut.IMPORTANCE Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) is an important human diarrhea-causing bacterium. The pathogenic effects of EPEC largely depend upon its ability to inject a series of proteins, termed effectors, into the host cells. One such effector is the mitochondrion-associated protein (Map). Map has been shown to induce actin-rich projections (i.e., filopodia) on the infected cell surface and activate a Rho GTPase enzyme termed Cdc42. Nonetheless, although most injected Map localizes to host mitochondria, its functions in the mitochondria remain unknown. Here, we show that Map targeting of mitochondria stimulates the disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential to induce Ca2+ efflux into the host cytoplasm. The efflux stimulates the activity of a protein termed ADAM10, which induces activation of a mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade leading to host cell apoptosis. As apoptosis plays a central role in host-pathogen interactions, our findings provide novel insights into the functions of mitochondrial Map in promoting the EPEC disease.

Regulation of influenza A virus mRNA splicing by CLK1.

Influenza A virus carries eight negative single-stranded RNAs and uses spliced mRNAs to increase the number of proteins produced from them. Several genome-wide screens for essential host factors for influenza A virus replication revealed a necessity for splicing and splicing-related factors, including Cdc-like kinase 1 (CLK1). This CLK family kinase plays a role in alternative splicing regulation through phosphorylation of serine-arginine rich (SR) proteins. To examine the influence that modulation of splicing regulation has on influenza infection, we analyzed the effect of CLK1 knockdown and inhibition. CLK1 knockdown in A549 cells reduced influenza A/WSN/33 virus replication and increased the level of splicing of segment 7, which encodes the viral M1 and M2 proteins. CLK1-/- mice infected with influenza A/England/195/2009 (H1N1pdm09) virus supported lower levels of virus replication than wild-type mice. Screening of newly developed CLK inhibitors revealed several compounds that have an effect on the level of splicing of influenza A gene segment M in different models and decrease influenza A/WSN/33 virus replication in A549 cells. The promising inhibitor KH-CB19, an indole-based enaminonitrile with unique binding mode for CLK1, and its even more selective analogue NIH39 showed high specificity towards CLK1 and had a similar effect on influenza mRNA splicing regulation. Taken together, our findings indicate that targeting host factors that regulate splicing of influenza mRNAs may represent a novel therapeutic approach.

Purification of Proteins Fused to Maltose-Binding Protein.

Maltose-Binding Protein (MBP) is one of the most popular fusion partners being used for producing recombinant proteins in bacterial cells. MBP allows the use of a simple capture affinity step on Amylose-Agarose or Dextrin-Sepharose columns, resulting in a protein that is often 70-90 % pure in a single step. In addition to protein isolation applications, MBP provides a high degree of translation, and facilitates the proper folding and solubility of the target protein. This paper describes efficient procedures for isolating highly purified MBP target proteins. Special attention is given to considerations for downstream applications such as structural determination studies, protein activity assays, and assessing the chemical characteristics of the target protein.

Structural basis for the thermostability of ferredoxin from the cyanobacterium Mastigocladus laminosus.

Plant-type ferredoxins (Fds) carry a single [2Fe-2S] cluster and serve as electron acceptors of photosystem I (PSI). The ferredoxin from the thermophilic cyanobacterium Mastigocladus laminosus displays optimal activity at 65 degrees C. In order to reveal the molecular factors that confer thermostability, the crystal structure of M.laminosus Fd (mFd) was determined to 1.25 A resolution and subsequently analyzed in comparison with four similar plant-type mesophilic ferredoxins. The topologies of the plant-type ferredoxins are similar, yet two structural determinants were identified that may account for differences in thermostability, a salt bridge network in the C-terminal region, and the flexible L1,2 loop that increases hydrophobic accessible surface area. These conclusions were verified by three mutations, i.e. substitution of L1,2 into a rigid beta-turn ((Delta)L1,2) and two point mutations (E90S and E96S) that disrupt the salt bridge network at the C-terminal region. All three mutants have shown reduced electron transfer (ET) capabilities and [2Fe-2S] stability at high temperatures in comparison to the wild-type mFd. The results have also provided new insights into the involvement of the L1,2 loop in the Fd interactions with its electron donor, the PSI complex.

Unbound position II in MXCXXC metallochaperone model peptides impacts metal binding mode and reactivity: Distinct similarities to whole proteins.

The effect of position II in the binding sequence of copper metallochaperones, which varies between Thr and His, was investigated through structural analysis and affinity and oxidation kinetic studies of model peptides. A first Cys-Cu(I)-Cys model obtained for the His peptide at acidic and neutral pH, correlated with higher affinity and more rapid oxidation of its complex; in contrast, the Thr peptide with the Cys-Cu(I)-Met coordination under neutral conditions demonstrated weaker and pH dependent binding. Studies with human antioxidant protein 1 (Atox1) and three of its mutants where S residues were replaced with Ala suggested that (a) the binding affinity is influenced more by the binding sequence than by the protein fold (b) pH may play a role in binding reactivity, and (c) mutating the Met impacted the affinity and oxidation rate more drastically than did mutating one of the Cys, supporting its important role in protein function. Position II thus plays a dominant role in metal binding and transport.

Long-range effects on the binding of the influenza HA to receptors are mediated by changes in the stability of a metastable HA conformation.

X-ray studies show that influenza hemagglutinin (HA) forms an elongated structure connecting the influenza virus at one end to cell-surface receptors at the other. At neutral pH, the 20 N-terminal residues of HA2-referred to as the fusion peptide-are buried in a hydrophobic pocket, about 100 A away from the receptor-binding site, and thus seem unlikely to affect HA binding to the receptor. To test this assumption, we mutated residues in the fusion peptide, heterologically expressed the mutated proteins in COS7 cells, and examined their ability to bind fluorescently labeled red blood cells (RBCs). Surprisingly, a significantly reduced binding was recorded for some of the mutants. Ample experimental data indicate that HA has at least two forms: the native structure at neutral pH (N) that is metastable and the fusogenic form (F), observed at low pH, which is stable. Thus, a simple interpretation of our data is that HA can bind to its receptors at the RBC surface in the N form much more effectively than in the F (or in any other stable) form and that the altered binding properties are due to destabilizing effects of the mutations on the N form. That is, some of the mutations involve reduction in the free energy barrier between the N and F forms. This, in turn, leads to reduction in the population of the N form, which is the only form capable of binding to the cell-surface receptors. To explore this possibility, we estimated the stability free energy difference between HA wild-type (wt) and mutants in the N form using an empirical surface tension coefficient. The calculated stability differences correlated well with the measured binding, supporting the above interpretation. Our results are examined taking into account the available experimental data on the affinity of different soluble and membrane-attached forms of HA to its receptors.

Highly homologous proteins exert opposite biological activities by using different interaction interfaces.

We present a possible molecular basis for the opposite activity of two homologues proteins that bind similar ligands and show that this is achieved by fine-tuning of the interaction interface. The highly homologous ASPP proteins have opposite roles in regulating apoptosis: ASPP2 induces apoptosis while iASPP inhibits it. The ASPP proteins are regulated by an autoinhibitory interaction between their Ank-SH3 and Pro domains. We performed a detailed biophysical and molecular study of the Pro - Ank-SH3 interaction in iASPP and compared it to the interaction in ASPP2. We found that iASPP Pro is disordered and that the interaction sites are entirely different: iASPP Ank-SH3 binds iASPP Pro via its fourth Ank repeat and RT loop while ASPP2 Ank-SH3 binds ASPP2 Pro via its first Ank repeat and the n-src loop. It is possible that by using different moieties in the same interface, the proteins can have distinct and specific interactions resulting in differential regulation and ultimately different biological activities.

Production of prone-to-aggregate proteins.

Expression of recombinant proteins in Escherichia coli (E. coli) remains the most popular and cost-effective method for producing proteins in basic research and for pharmaceutical applications. Despite accumulating experience and methodologies developed over the years, production of recombinant proteins prone to aggregate in E. coli-based systems poses a major challenge in most research applications. The challenge of manufacturing these proteins for pharmaceutical applications is even greater. This review will discuss effective methods to reduce and even prevent the formation of aggregates in the course of recombinant protein production. We will focus on important steps along the production path, which include cloning, expression, purification, concentration, and storage.

The Trip Adviser guide to the protein science world: a proposal to improve the awareness concerning the quality of recombinant proteins.

In many research articles, where protein purification is required for various assays, (protein-protein interactions, activity assays, etc.), we always have access to the final results, but seldom have access to the raw data required for an accurate evaluation of the protein quality. This data is extremely important on one hand to critically evaluate the quality of the proteins used in the described research and, on the other hand, to allow other laboratories to safely use the described procedure in a reproducible manner. We herby propose to include a standardized methodology that can easily be incorporated in research papers. Moreover, this methodology can be utilized as a "quality control" ladder, where the more information given, will lead to a higher ranking of the article. This "quality control" stamp will allow researchers retrieving relevant and useful materials and methods in the field of protein research.

The disordered region of Arabidopsis VIP1 binds the Agrobacterium VirE2 protein outside its DNA-binding site.

Agrobacterium is a pathogen that genetically transforms plants. The bacterial VirE2 protein envelopes the T-DNA of Agrobacterium and protects it from degradation. Within the transfected cells, VirE2 interacts with the plant VIP1 leading to nuclear transport of the T-DNA complex. Active VirE2 is an oligomer with a tendency to aggregate, hampering its studies at the molecular level. In addition, no structural or quantitative information is available regarding VIP1 or its interactions. The lack of information is mainly because both VIP1 and VirE2 are difficult to express and purify. Here, we present the development of efficient protocols that resulted in pure and stable His-tagged VIP1 and VirE2. Circular dichroism spectroscopy and computational predictions indicated that VIP1 is mostly intrinsically disordered. This may explain the variety of protein-protein interactions it participates in. Size exclusion chromatography revealed that VirE2 exists in a two-state equilibrium between a monomer and an oligomeric form. Using the purified proteins, we performed peptide array screening and revealed the binding sites on both proteins. VirE2 binds the disordered regions of VIP1, while the site in VirE2 that binds VIP1 is different from the VirE2 DNA-binding site. Peptides derived from these sites may be used as lead compounds that block Agrobacterium infection of plants.