High resolution structural analyses of mutant chitinase A complexes with substrates provide new insight into the mechanism of catalysis.

Chitinase A (ChiA) from the bacterium Serratia marcescens is a hydrolytic enzyme, which cleaves beta-1,4-glycosidic bonds of the natural biopolymer chitin to generate di-N-acetyl-chitobiose. The refined structure of ChiA at 1.55 A shows that residue Asp313, which is located near the catalytic proton donor residue Glu315, is found in two alternative conformations of equal occupancy. In addition, the structures of the cocrystallized mutant proteins D313A, E315Q, Y390F, and D391A with octa- or hexa-N-acetyl-glucosamine have been refined at high resolution and the interactions with the substrate have been characterized. The obtained results clearly show that the active site is a semiclosed tunnel. Upon binding, the enzyme bends and rotates the substrate in the vicinity of the scissile bond. Furthermore, the enzyme imposes a critical "chair" to "boat" conformational change on the sugar residue bound to the -1 subsite. According to our results, we suggest that residues Asp313 and Tyr390 along with Glu315 play a central role in the catalysis. We propose that after the protonation of the substrate glycosidic bond, Asp313 that interacts with Asp311 flips to its alternative position where it interacts with Glu315 thus forcing the substrate acetamido group of -1 sugar to rotate around the C2-N2 bond. As a result of these structural changes, the water molecule that is hydrogen-bonded to Tyr390 and the NH of the acetamido group is displaced to a position that allows the completion of hydrolysis. The presented results suggest a mechanism for ChiA that modifies the earlier proposed "substrate assisted" catalysis.

Structures of chitobiase mutants complexed with the substrate Di-N-acetyl-d-glucosamine: the catalytic role of the conserved acidic pair, aspartate 539 and glutamate 540.

The catalytic domain of chitobiase (beta-N-1-4 acetylhexosaminidase) from Serratia marcescens, is an alpha/beta TIM-barrel. This enzyme belongs to family 20 of glycosyl hydrolases in which a conserved amino acid pair, aspartate-glutamate, is present (Asp539-Glu540). It was proposed that catalysis by this enzyme family is carried out by glutamate 540 acting as a proton donor and by the acetamido group of the substrate as a nucleophile. We investigated the role of Asp539 and Glu540 by site-directed mutagenesis, biochemical characterization and by structural analyses of chitobiase -substrate co-crystals. We found that both residues are essential for chitobiase activity. The mutations, however, led to subtle changes in the catalytic site. Our results support the model that Glu540 acts as the proton donor and that Asp539 acts in several different ways. Asp539 restrains the acetamido group of the substrate in a specific orientation by forming a hydrogen bond with N2 of the non-reduced (-1) sugar. In addition, this residue participates in substrate binding. It is also required for the correct positioning of Glu540 and may provide additional negative charge at the active site. Thus, these biochemical and structural studies provide a molecular explanation for the functional importance and conservation of these residues.

Purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of the M.BseCI DNA methyltransferase from Bacillus stearothermophilus.

The DNA methyltransferase M.BseC1 from B. stearothermophilus methylates the N6 atom of the 3' adenine in the sequence 5'-ATCGAT-3'. The 579-residue protein has been isolated and crystallized using seeding and microdialysis techniques. The crystals are monoclinic, space group P2(1) with cell dimensions a = 53.7, b = 85.7, c = 151.8 A and beta = 95.1 degrees, two molecules in the asymmetric unit and diffract to at least 2.5 A resolution.

Novel structural features of the human histocompatibility molecules HLA-DQ as revealed by modeling based on the published structure of the related molecule HLA-DR.

Structural modeling of the HLA-DQ molecules, a group of human histocompatibility antigens linked to autoimmune diseases and immunosuppression-based on the structure of the homologous molecule DR1, has revealed an overall shape typical of the class II histocompatibility molecules, yet with several novel features. These are unique to HLA-DQ and include: (1) an antigen-binding groove with a polymorphic first pocket and anchoring in the second and/or fifth pocket, (2) a polymorphic beta 49-56 dimerization patch, and (3) in many alleles a prominent Arg-Gly-Asp loop (beta 167-169), probably involved in cell adhesion, as it exhibits an architecture similar to identical sequences involved in such function. The alpha 2 beta 2 dimerisation domain and the CD4-binding region are nearly identical to their counterparts in the structure of HLA-DR1. The significance of the few substitutions in the CD-4 binding region remains to be evaluated. The polymorphic first antigen-binding pocket and the anchoring in the second and/or fifth pocket point to differences in antigenic fragment selection compared to HLA-DR antigens, while the polymorphism in the beta 49-56 homodimerization patch implies either ease of spontaneous or T lymphocyte receptor-induced homodimerization or difficulty in the latter. As homodimerization appears to be an obligatatory intermediate in the activation of cognate DQ-restricted T lymphocytes and DQ-bearing antigen-presenting cells, the dimerization properties of DQ allels signify the respective ease or difficulty of activation of these two cell types. The RGD loop confers cell adhesion possibilities to those DQ allels that possess it, yet its putative ligand cannot be defined at present. These features are suggestive of the probable mechanisms through which some of the unique immunological properties of the HLA-DQ molecules are effected.

The crystal structure of apo-pseudoazurin from Alcaligenes faecalis S-6.

The 3D structure of the apo-pseudoazurin (copper free pseudoazurin) from Alcaligenes faecalis strain S-6 is determined and refined at pH 6.7 using X-ray diffraction data to 1.85 A resolution. The final crystallographic R-factor is 0.164. Comparing the structures of apo-pseudoazurin and the native (Cu2+) protein, we observed limited differences ranging between 0.1-0.4 A at the vicinity of the copper site, at the loops connecting the secondary structural elements, at certain beta-strands and at the amino and carboxy termini of the protein.

The crystal structures of reduced pseudoazurin from Alcaligenes faecalis S-6 at two pH values.

The structures of the reduced (Cu1+) blue-copper protein pseudoazurin from Alcaligenes faecalis strain S-6 are refined at pH 7.8 and 4.4 using X-ray diffraction data to 1.8 A resolution. The final R-factors for the high and low pH structures are 0.178 and 0.177, respectively. Comparing the reduced pseudoazurin at pH 7.8 with the oxidised (Cu2+) molecule, small changes are observed in the vicinity of the copper site and on the protein surface. At pH 4.4 the copper substituent imidazole of His81 rotates away from the metal with a concurrent movement of the latter towards the plane of the remaining three ligands (S gamma-Cys78, N delta 1-His40 and S delta-Met86) thus the geometry of the copper site becomes planar trigonal.

The crystal structure of EcoRV endonuclease and of its complexes with cognate and non-cognate DNA fragments.

The crystal structure of EcoRV endonuclease has been determined at 2.5 A resolution and that of its complexes with the cognate DNA decamer GGGATATCCC (recognition sequence underlined) and the non-cognate DNA octamer CGAGCTCG at 3.0 A resolution. Two octamer duplexes of the non-cognate DNA, stacked end-to-end, are bound to the dimeric enzyme in B-DNA-like conformations. The protein--DNA interactions of this complex are prototypic for non-specific DNA binding. In contrast, only one cognate decamer duplex is bound and deviates considerably from canonical B-form DNA. Most notably, a kink of approximately 50 degrees is observed at the central TA step with a concomitant compression of the major groove. Base-specific hydrogen bonds between the enzyme and the recognition base pairs occur exclusively in the major groove. These interactions appear highly co-operative as they are all made through one short surface loop comprising residues 182-186. Numerous contacts with the sugar phosphate backbone extending beyond the recognition sequence are observed in both types of complex. However, the total surface area buried on complex formation is > 1800 A2 larger in the case of cognate DNA binding. Two acidic side chains, Asp74 and Asp90, are close to the reactive phosphodiester group in the cognate complex and most probably provide oxygen ligands for binding the essential cofactor Mg2+. An important role is also indicated for Lys92, which together with the two acidic functions appears to be conserved in the otherwise unrelated structure of EcoRI endonuclease. The structural results give new insight into the physical basis of the remarkable sequence specificity of this enzyme.

Structure of oxidized bacteriophage T4 glutaredoxin (thioredoxin). Refinement of native and mutant proteins.

The structure of wild-type bacteriophage T4 glutaredoxin (earlier called thioredoxin) in its oxidized form has been refined in a monoclinic crystal form at 2.0 A resolution to a crystallographic R-factor of 0.209. A mutant T4 glutaredoxin gives orthorhombic crystals of better quality. The structure of this mutant has been solved by molecular replacement methods and refined at 1.45 A to an R-value of 0.175. In this mutant glutaredoxin, the active site residues Val15 and Tyr16 have been substituted by Gly and Pro, respectively, to mimic that of Escherichia coli thioredoxin. The main-chain conformation of the wild-type protein is similar in the two independently determined molecules in the asymmetric unit of the monoclinic crystals. On the other hand, side-chain conformations differ considerably between the two molecules due to heterologous packing interactions in the crystals. The structure of the mutant protein is very similar to the wild-type protein, except at mutated positions and at parts involved in crystal contacts. The active site disulfide bridge between Cys14 and Cys17 is located at the first turn of helix alpha 1. The torsion angles of these residues are similar to those of Escherichia coli thioredoxin. The torsion angle around the S-S bond is smaller than that normally observed for disulfides: 58 degrees, 67 degrees and 67 degrees for wild-type glutaredoxin molecule A and B and mutant glutaredoxin, respectively. Each sulfur atom of the disulfide cysteines in T4 glutaredoxin forms a hydrogen bond to one main-chain nitrogen atom. The active site is shielded from solvent on one side by the beta-carbon atoms of the cysteine residues plus side-chains of residues 7, 9, 21 and 33. From the opposite side, there is a cleft where the sulfur atom of Cys14 is accessible and can be attacked by a nucleophilic thiolate ion in the initial step of the reduction reaction.

High-resolution X-ray structures of pig metmyoglobin and two CD3 mutants: Mb(Lys45----Arg) and Mb(Lys45----Ser).

The structure of pig aquometmyoglobin has been refined to a crystallographic R-factor of 19.8% against X-ray diffraction data between 10- and 1.75-A spacing. The final structural model comprises two molecules of pig myoglobin, 233 water molecules, and two sulfate ions. A water molecule is coordinated to each of the heme iron atoms with an average Fe-OH2 bond distance of 2.19 A, and the mean Fe-N epsilon (proximal histidine-93) distance is 2.20 A. In contrast to the structure of sperm whale metmyoglobin, the iron is not significantly displaced from the plane of the heme. At the entrance to the heme pocket, the side-chain amino group of lysine-45 (CD3) is well-defined in the electron density map and forms salt-bridging interactions with the heme 6-propionate and with a sulfate ion. Serine and arginine replacements have been made previously at position 45 to examine the proposal that the CD3 side chain acts as a barrier to ligand entry into the protein. Crystal structures of the arginine-45 and serine-45 mutant metmyoglobins have been solved to 1.9 and 2.0 A resolution, respectively. In both cases the structural changes are confined to the site of mutation. Arginine-45 takes up a conformation closely similar to that observed for this residue in wild-type sperm whale myoglobin, in which it makes more extensive charge-charge and charge-dipole interactions and appears to restrict the movement of the distal histidine away from the ligand. The hydroxyl group of serine-45 is disordered, but it is clear that the effect of the mutation is to open up the solvent-exposed face of the heme pocket.

Observation of the light-triggered binding of pyrone to chymotrypsin by Laue x-ray crystallography.

Crystals of gamma-chymotrypsin inhibited with the photodissociable group trans-p-diethylamino-o-hydroxy-alpha-methylcinnamate were irradiated with a 1-msec flash from a high-energy xenon flashlamp in the presence of the mechanism-based inhibitor 3-benzyl-6-chloro-2-pyrone. The ensuing reaction was monitored by collection of sequential, single-exposure Laue x-ray diffraction patterns. The experiment was also performed in solution to verify the regeneration of catalytic activity and the subsequent inhibition of the enzyme by pyrone after photolysis. The resulting crystallographic structures show the presence of covalently bound cinnamate prior to photolysis, the generation of "free" enzyme after irradiation of the crystal, and the slow formation of a pyrone-inhibited complex several hours after photolysis. The structure of the free enzyme shows a significant proportion of the active sites in the crystal to contain a naturally occurring, noncovalently bound tetrapeptide inhibitor [Dixon, M.M. & Matthews, B.W. (1989) Biochemistry 28, 7033-7038], even after cinnamate acylation and photolysis. Data collected simultaneously with irradiation show the crystal to be slightly disordered during photolysis, leading to streaked x-ray photos. The resulting maps are suggestive of a bicyclic coumarin species produced by photolysis and deacylation; however, the electron density is difficult to model unambiguously by one unique chemical state. Nevertheless, Laue crystallography is shown to be capable of visualizing time-dependent chemical changes in the active site of an enzyme.

Time-resolved X-ray crystallographic study of the conformational change in Ha-Ras p21 protein on GTP hydrolysis.

Crystals of Ha-Ras p21 with caged GTP at the active site have been used to investigate the conformational changes of p21 on GTP hydrolysis. The structure of the short-lived p21.GTP complex was determined by Laue diffraction methods. After GTP hydrolysis, substantial structural changes occur in the parts of the molecule implicated in the interaction with GTPase-activating protein. The trigger for this process seems to be a change in coordination of the active-site Mg2+ ion as a result of loss of the gamma-phosphate of GTP.

Structure of quinoprotein methylamine dehydrogenase at 2.25 A resolution.

The three-dimensional structure of quinoprotein methylamine dehydrogenase from Thiobacillus versutus has been determined at 2.25 A resolution by a combination of multiple isomorphous replacement, phase extension by solvent flattening and partial structure phasing using molecular dynamics refinement. In the resulting map, the polypeptide chain for both subunits could be followed and an X-ray sequence was established. The tetrameric enzyme, made up of two heavy (H) and two light (L) subunits, is a flat parallellepiped with overall dimensions of approximately 76 x 61 x 45 A. The H subunit, comprising 370 residues, is made up of two distinct segments: the first 31 residues form an extension which embraces one of the L subunits; the remaining residues are found in a disc-shaped domain. This domain is formed by a circular arrangement of seven topologically identical four-stranded antiparallel beta-sheets, with approximately 7-fold symmetry. In spite of distinct differences, this arrangement is reminiscent of the structure found in influenza virus neuraminidase. The L subunit consists of 121 residues, out of which 53 form a beta-sheet scaffold of a central three-stranded antiparallel sheet flanked by two shorter two-stranded antiparallel sheets. The remaining residues are found in segments of irregular structure. This subunit is stabilized by six disulphide bridges, plus two covalent bridges involving the quinone co-factor and residues 57 and 107 of this subunit. The active site is located in a channel at the interface region between the H and L subunits, and the electron density in this part of the molecule suggests that the co-factor of this enzyme is not pyrrolo quinoline quinone (PQQ) itself, but might be instead a precursor of PQQ.

A 2.0-A structure of the blue copper protein (cupredoxin) from Alcaligenes faecalis S-6.

The structure of a blue copper protein, cupredoxin, from the potent denitrifying bacterium Alcaligenes faecalis S-6, has been determined and refined against 2 A x-ray diffraction data. The agreement between observed and calculated structure factors is 0.159, and estimated errors in coordinates are 0.09-0.15 A. The protein folds in a beta sandwich similar to plastocyanin and azurin and includes features such as a "kink" and a "tyrosine loop" which have been noted previously for these proteins as well as immunoglobulins. The copper is bound by four ligands, in a distorted tetrahedral arrangement, with Cu-S gamma = 2.07 A (Cys-78), Cu-N delta 1 = 2.10 and 2.21 for His-40 and His-81, and Cu-S delta = 2.69 A (Met-86). Two of the ligands are further oriented by hydrogen bonds either to other side chains (Asn-9 to His-40), backbone atoms (NH...S) or a water molecule (to His-40). The methionine ligand has no extra constraints. The C-terminal loop containing three of the ligands is hydrogen-bonded to the strand containing His-40 by hydrogen bonds between the conserved residues Thr-79 and Asn-41. The pronounced dichroism of the crystal is a result of the orientation of the normal to the C beta-S gamma-Cu plane parallel to the crystallographic 6-fold axis.

Refinement of the structure of pseudoazurin from Alcaligenes faecalis S-6 at 1.55 A resolution.

The crystal structure of the redox protein pseudoazurin (123 amino acid residues; molecular weight 13,000 daltons) from Alcaligenes faecalis has been refined by fast Fourier restrained least-squares minimization. Cycles of rebuilding were carried out to escape from local minima. Individual isotropic temperature factor values were refined separately for all atoms. The R factor was reduced from 0.400 (for 2647 reflections in the 6.0-2.8 A resolution range) to 0.180 (for all 19,770 reflections in the 9.0-1.55 A resolution range) with a final estimated accuracy in atomic positions of 0.15 A. The final model comprises 917 protein atoms and 93 solvent molecules. The root-mean-square shift of the main-chain atoms between the final and the initial model is 0.94 A (maximum shift 1.8 A). Most of the larger shifts were the result of rebuilding on the graphics system. The average atomic temperature factor, B, is 23.0 A2 for all atoms. Side-chain atoms with high B values were omitted, and their positions checked from difference maps. The three carboxy-terminal residues were omitted from the final model as no single conformation could be assigned from the observed electron density. All other protein atoms were included.

The crystal structure of pseudoazurin from Alcaligenes faecalis S-6 determined at 2.9 A resolution.

The three-dimensional structure of pseudoazurin, a single copper-containing protein from Alcaligenes faecalis strain S-6, has been determined at 2.9 A resolution by X-ray crystallography. The sequences of two other pseudoazurins from Pseudomonas AM1 and Achromobacter cycloclastes may also be accommodated in this structure. The structure, an eight-stranded beta-barrel, resembles closely those of plastocyanin and azurin. It possesses two extra alpha-helices at the C-terminus, whereas azurins have an alpha-helical flap in the middle of their sequences.

Preliminary characterization of crystals of nitrite reductase isolated from Alcaligenes faecalis strain S-6.

Crystals of the green, copper-containing enzyme nitrite reductase from Alcaligenes faecalis S-6 have been obtained. They are monoclinic, space group P2(1) with a = 78.0 A, b = 92.9 A, c = 78.5 A and beta = 111.8 degrees. The crystals diffract to better than 2 A and are suitable for high-resolution X-ray crystallography.

Preliminary characterization of crystals of the protein insecticyanin from the tobacco hornworm Manduca sexta L.

Crystals of insecticyanin, a blue protein from the haemolymph of the tobacco hornworm Manduca sexta L. have been obtained. They are hexagonal, space group P6(1)22 (or P6(5)22), with unit cell dimensions a = b = 79.1 A, c = 312.1 A. The crystals diffract to 2.5 A resolution, and they are suitable for X-ray diffraction analysis.