ABSTRACT
The structure of Pichia pastoris lysyl oxidase (PPLO) in a new crystal form has been refined at 1.23 Angstrom resolution. PPLO, a copper amine oxidase (CuAO) with a 2,4,5-trihydroxyphenylalanine quinone (TPQ) cofactor, differs from most other members of the CuAO enzyme family in having the ability to oxidize the side chain of lysine residues in a polypeptide. In the asymmetric unit of the crystals, the structure analysis has located residues 43-779 of the polypeptide chain, seven carbohydrate residues, the active-site Cu atom, an imidazole molecule bound at the active site, two buried Ca(2+) ions, five surface Mg(2+) ions, five surface Cl(-) ions and 1045 water molecules. The crystallographic residuals are R = 0.112 and R(free) = 0.146. The TPQ cofactor and several other active-site residues are poorly ordered, in contrast to the surrounding well ordered structure. A covalent cross-link is observed between two lysine residues, Lys778 and Lys66. The cross-link is likely to have been formed by the oxidation of Lys778 followed by a spontaneous reaction with Lys66. The link is modelled as dehydrolysinonorleucine.
Subject(s)
Crystallography, X-Ray/methods , Lysine/chemistry , Pichia/enzymology , Protein-Lysine 6-Oxidase/chemistry , Binding Sites , Copper/chemistry , Cross-Linking Reagents/pharmacology , Dipeptides/chemistry , Glycosylation , Ions , Models, Chemical , Models, Molecular , Molecular Conformation , Protein ConformationABSTRACT
Potential dioxygen-binding sites in three Cu amine oxidases have been investigated by recording X-ray diffraction data at 1.7-2.2A resolution for crystals under a high pressure of xenon gas. Electron-density difference maps and crystallographic refinement provide unequivocal evidence for a number of Xe-binding sites in each enzyme. Only one of these sites is present in all three Cu amine oxidases studied. Structural changes elsewhere in the protein molecules are insignificant. The results illustrate the use of xenon as a probe for cavities, in which a protein may accommodate a dioxygen molecule. The finding of a potential dioxygen-binding cavity close to the active site of Cu amine oxidases may be relevant to the function of the enzymes, since the formation of a transient protein-dioxygen complex is a likely step in the catalytic mechanism. No evidence was found for xenon binding in a region of the molecule that was previously identified in two other Cu amine oxidases as a potential transient dioxygen-binding site.
Subject(s)
Amine Oxidase (Copper-Containing)/metabolism , Molecular Probes , Oxygen/metabolism , Xenon/chemistry , Amine Oxidase (Copper-Containing)/chemistry , Binding Sites , Protein Conformation , X-Ray DiffractionABSTRACT
Pichia pastoris lysyl oxidase (PPLO) is unique among the structurally characterized copper amine oxidases in being able to oxidize the side chain of lysine residues in polypeptides. Remarkably, the yeast PPLO is nearly as effective in oxidizing a mammalian tropoelastin substrate as is a true mammalian lysyl oxidase isolated from bovine aorta. Thus, PPLO is functionally related to the copper-containing lysyl oxidases despite the lack of any significant sequence similarity with these enzymes. The structure of PPLO has been determined at 1.65 A resolution. PPLO is a homodimer in which each subunit contains a Type II copper atom and a topaquinone cofactor (TPQ) formed by the posttranslational modification of a tyrosine residue. While PPLO has tertiary and quaternary topologies similar to those found in other quinone-containing copper amine oxidases, its active site is substantially more exposed and accessible. The structural elements that are responsible for the accessibility of the active site are identified and discussed.
Subject(s)
Dihydroxyphenylalanine/analogs & derivatives , Fungal Proteins/chemistry , Pichia/enzymology , Protein-Lysine 6-Oxidase/chemistry , Amine Oxidase (Copper-Containing)/chemistry , Animals , Arthrobacter/genetics , Binding Sites , Crystallization , Crystallography, X-Ray , Dihydroxyphenylalanine/chemistry , Dimerization , Humans , Models, Molecular , Pisum sativum/enzymology , Protein Subunits/chemistry , Substrate SpecificityABSTRACT
A versatile beamstop with an integrated sensor has been developed at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory (SSRL) using non-specialized components. A diameter of 1.5 mm was achieved using a commercial subminiature surface mount PIN diode (Phillips BAP64) molded into a tungsten epoxy composite cup. The cup is supported on a thin fiberglass arm with printed circuit traces to transmit the signal from the diode. The assembly has an active area of approximately 100 micro m in diameter. As the diode is encapsulated in plastic, the response diminishes with decreasing energy but is still useful at 6 keV.
ABSTRACT
The Blu-Ice and Distributed Control System (DCS) software packages were developed to provide unified control over the disparate hardware resources available at a macromolecular crystallography beamline. Blu-Ice is a user interface that provides scientific experimenters and beamline support staff with intuitive graphical tools for collecting diffraction data and configuring beamlines for experiments. Blu-Ice communicates with the hardware at a beamline via DCS, an instrument-control and data-acquisition package designed to integrate hardware resources in a highly heterogeneous networked computing environment. Together, Blu-Ice and DCS provide a flexible platform for increasing the ease of use, the level of automation and the remote accessibility of beamlines. Blu-Ice and DCS are currently installed on four Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory crystallographic beamlines and are being implemented at sister light sources.
Subject(s)
Crystallography, X-Ray , Macromolecular Substances , Humans , SoftwareABSTRACT
A copper-containing amine oxidase (PPLO) from the yeast Pichia pastoris has been purified and crystallized in two forms. PPLO is a glycoprotein. The molecular mass from SDS-polyacrylamide gels is 112 kDa, consistent with 20% glycosylation by weight (the calculated molecular weight of the polypeptide is 89.7 kDa). Orthorhombic crystals belonging to space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 163.7, b = 316.1, c = 84.0 A, diffract to 2.65 A resolution. Monoclinic crystals belonging to space group C2, with unit-cell parameters a = 248.4, b = 121.1, c = 151.8 A, beta = 124.6 degrees, diffract to 1.65 A resolution. Native data have been recorded from each crystal form at 100 K using synchrotron radiation. A self-rotation function for the monoclinic crystal form reveals the presence of a non-crystallographic twofold axis perpendicular to the crystallographic twofold axis, consistent with the presence of two dimers in the asymmetric unit.
Subject(s)
Pichia/enzymology , Protein-Lysine 6-Oxidase/chemistry , Crystallization , Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel , Molecular Weight , Protein Conformation , Protein-Lysine 6-Oxidase/isolation & purificationABSTRACT
An automated system for mounting and dismounting pre-frozen crystals has been implemented at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory (SSRL). It is based on a small industrial robot and compact cylindrical cassettes, each holding up to 96 crystals mounted on Hampton Research sample pins. For easy shipping and storage, the cassette fits inside several popular dry-shippers and long-term storage Dewars. A dispensing Dewar holds up to three cassettes in liquid nitrogen adjacent to the beam line goniometer. The robot uses a permanent magnet tool to extract samples from, and insert samples into a cassette, and a cryo-tong tool to transfer them to and from the beam line goniometer. The system is simple, with few moving parts, reliable in operation and convenient to use.
