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J W Pflugrath

Publications and source records attributed to J W Pflugrath.

16 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Applications of anomalous scattering from S atoms for improved phasing of protein diffraction data collected at Cu Kalpha wavelength.

The anomalous signal of S atoms is easily detected at the Cu Kalpha wavelength of a non-synchrotron source with current data-collection methods. The position of sulfur and other anomalous scatterers can be located through an anomalous difference Fourier map (F+ - F-, phi(calc) - 90 degrees). It has been discovered experimentally that even low-quality preliminary phases are often sufficient to find anomalous scatterers. Their anomalous signal in the native crystal can contribute to significant improvement in phase refinement. This technique has been applied to solve the crystal structures of orthorhombic lysozyme and thaumatin. Furthermore, the structure of trypsin was solved using only the diffraction data set from a native crystal collected at a single wavelength (Cu Kalpha) from a rotating-anode X-ray generator. The anomalous scattering of sulfur was essential to solve the structure of trypsin which was initially phased from a single intrinsic Ca2+ atom. The positions of the S atoms of lysozyme and thaumatin were found using the initial SIRAS phases and used in phase refinement. The overall figures of merit and those in each resolution shell were consistently improved. This resulted in much improved electron-density maps even when the diffraction data were limited to 2.5 A resolution or worse. Furthermore, peaks from S atoms and other anomalous scatterers in anomalous difference Fourier maps can confirm the tracing of the peptide chain and also provide independent unbiased confirmation of molecular-replacement results. Thus, the anomalous signal of S atoms can contribute to many aspects of solving protein structures and should be used routinely.

Fourier Analysis↗
PubMed2001

Structure of the unliganded cAMP-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit from Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The structure of TPK1delta, a truncated variant of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, was determined in an unliganded state at 2.8 A resolution and refined to a crystallographic R-factor of 19.4%. Comparison of this structure to that of its fully liganded mammalian homolog revealed a highly conserved protein fold comprised of two globular lobes. Within each lobe, root mean square deviations in Calpha positions averaged approximately equals 0.9 A. In addition, a phosphothreonine residue was found in the C-terminal domain of each enzyme. Further comparison of the two structures suggests that a trio of conformational changes accompanies ligand-binding. The first consists of a 14.7 degrees rigid-body rotation of one lobe relative to the other and results in closure of the active site cleft. The second affects only the glycine-rich nucleotide binding loop, which moves approximately equals 3 A to further close the active site and traps the nucleotide substrate. The third is localized to a C-terminal segment that makes direct contact with ligands and the ligand-binding cleft. In addition to resolving the conformation of unliganded enzyme, the model shows that the salient features of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase are conserved over long evolutionary distances.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1999

The finer things in X-ray diffraction data collection.

X-ray diffraction images from two-dimensional position-sensitive detectors can be characterized as thick or thin, depending on whether the rotation-angle increment per image is greater than or less than the crystal mosaicity, respectively. The expectations and consequences of the processing of thick and thin images in terms of spatial overlap, saturated pixels, X-ray background and I/sigma(I) are discussed. The d*TREK software suite for processing diffraction images is briefly introduced, and results from d*TREK are compared with those from another popular package.

Electronic Data Processing↗
PubMed1996

Crystal structure of the rat liver fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase based on selenomethionine multiwavelength anomalous dispersion phases.

The crystal structure of the recombinant fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase domain, which covers the residues between 251 and 440 of the rat liver bifunctional enzyme, 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase, was determined by multiwavelength anomalous dispersion phasing and refined at 2.5 A resolution. The selenomethionine-substituted protein was induced in the methionine auxotroph, Escherichia coli DL41DE3, purified, and crystallized in a manner similar to that of the native protein. Phase information was calculated using the multiwavelength anomalous dispersion data collected at the X-ray wavelengths near the absorption edge of the K-shell alpha electrons of selenium. The fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase domain has a core alpha/beta structure which consists of six stacked beta-strands, four parallel and two antiparallel. The core beta-sheet is surrounded by nine alpha-helices. The catalytic site, as defined by a bound phosphate ion, is positioned near the C-terminal end of the beta-sheet and close to the N-terminal end of an alpha-helix. The active site pocket is funnel-shaped. The narrow opening of the funnel is wide enough for a water molecule to pass. The key catalytic residues, including His7, His141, and Glu76, are near each other at the active site and probably function as general acids and/or bases during a catalytic cycle. The inorganic phosphate molecule is bound to an anion trap formed by Arg6, His7, Arg56, and His141. The core structure of the Fru-2,6-P2ase is similar to that of the yeast phosphoglycerate mutase and the rat prostatic acid phosphatase. However, the structure of one of the loops near the active site is completely different from the other family members, perhaps reflecting functional differences and the nanomolar range affinity of Fru-2,6-P2ase for its substrate. The imidazole rings of the two key catalytic residues, His7 and His141, are not parallel as in the yeast phosphoglycerate mutase. The crystal structure is used to interpret the existing chemical data already available for the bisphosphatase domain. In addition, the crystal structure is compared with two other proteins that belong to the histidine phosphatase family.

Acid Phosphatase↗
PubMed1994

The structure of bacteriophage T7 lysozyme, a zinc amidase and an inhibitor of T7 RNA polymerase.

The lysozyme of bacteriophage T7 is a bifunctional protein that cuts amide bonds in the bacterial cell wall and binds to and inhibits transcription by T7 RNA polymerase. The structure of a mutant T7 lysozyme has been determined by x-ray crystallography and refined at 2.2-A resolution. The protein folds into an alpha/beta-sheet structure that has a prominent cleft. A zinc atom is located in the cleft, bound directly to three amino acids and, through a water molecule, to a fourth. Zinc is required for amidase activity but not for inhibition of T7 RNA polymerase. Alignment of the zinc ligands of T7 lysozyme with those of carboxypeptidase A and thermolysin suggests structural similarity among the catalytic sites for the amidase and these zinc proteases. Mutational analysis identified presumed catalytic residues for amidase activity within the cleft and a surface that appears to be the site of binding to T7 RNA polymerase. Binding of T7 RNA polymerase inhibits amidase activity.

Amidohydrolases↗
PubMed1994

Preliminary X-ray analysis of a truncated form of recombinant fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase.

The bisphosphatase domain of rat liver 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase and a C-terminal 30 amino acid truncated form were expressed in high yield in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity. The separately expressed bisphosphatase domain and its C-terminal truncated form had kinetic properties similar to the bisphosphatase of the intact bifunctional enzyme, but their turnover numbers were fourfold higher. The truncated enzyme crystallized in space group P1 with two molecules per asymmetric unit. The determined cell dimensions are: a = 41.9 A, b = 43.5 A, c = 57.6 A, alpha = 95.2 degrees, beta = 99.3 degrees, and gamma = 106.2 degrees. These crystals diffract to 2.0 A resolution when exposed to synchrotron radiation and are suitable for crystallographic structure analysis.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Crystal structure of the HhaI DNA methyltransferase complexed with S-adenosyl-L-methionine.

The first three-dimensional structure of a DNA methyltransferase is presented. The crystal structure of the DNA (cytosine-5)-methyltransferase, M.HhaI (recognition sequence: GCGC), complexed with S-adenosyl-L-methionine has been determined and refined at 2.5 A resolution. The core of the structure is dominated by sequence motifs conserved among all DNA (cytosine-5)-methyltransferases, and these are responsible for cofactor binding and methyltransferase function.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Purification, crystallization, and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of an M.HhaI-AdoMet complex.

The type-II DNA-(cytosine-5)-methyltransferase M.HhaI was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and purified to apparent homogeneity. The purification scheme exploits a unique high salt back-extraction step to solubilize M.HhaI selectively, followed by FPLC chromatography. The yield of purified protein was 0.75-1.0 mg per gram of bacterial paste. M.HhaI could be isolated in two forms: bound with its cofactor S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) or devoid of the cofactor. The AdoMet-bound form was capable of methylating DNA in vitro in the absence of exogenous AdoMet. From kinetic studies of the purified enzyme, values for KmAdoMet (60 nM), KiAdoHye (0.4 nM), and Kcat (0.22 s-1) were determined. The purified enzyme bound with its cofactor was crystallized by the hanging drop vapor diffusion technique. Crystals were of monoclinic space group P2(1) and had unit-cell dimensions of a = 55.3 A, b = 72.7 A, c = 91.0 A, and beta = 102.5 degrees, with two molecules of M.HhaI in each of the two asymmetric units. The crystals diffract beyond 2.5 A and are suitable for structure determination.

Crystallization↗
PubMed1991

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit from Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

A truncated variant of TPK1, the yeast cAMP-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit, was overexpressed in an engineered strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, purified by liquid chromatography, and crystallized from solutions of 2-propanol and magnesium at alkaline pH. The crystals are hexagonal dipyramids, space group P6(1)22 (P6(5)22), with unit-cell parameters a = b = 61 A, c = 320 A. Large single crystals suitable for diffraction analysis are obtainable by microseeding, and diffract beyond 2.8-A resolution. Crystal density measurements reveal 12 kinase monomers per unit cell with a single kinase monomer per asymmetric unit.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1990

Structure of an acyl-enzyme intermediate during catalysis: (guanidinobenzoyl)trypsin.

The crystal and molecular structure of trypsin at a transiently stable intermediate step during catalysis has been determined by X-ray diffraction methods. Bovine trypsin cleaved the substrate p-nitrophenyl p-guanidinobenzoate during crystallization under conditions in which the acyl-enzyme intermediate, (guanidinobenzoyl)trypsin, was stable. Orthorhombic crystals formed in space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with a = 63.74, b = 63.54, and c = 68.93 A. This is a crystal form of bovine trypsin for which a molecular structure has not been reported. Diffraction data were measured with a FAST (Enraf Nonius) diffractometer. The structure was refined to a crystallographic residual of R = 0.16 for data in the resolution range 7.0-2.0 A. The refined model of (guanidinobenzoyl)trypsin provides insight into the structural basis for its slow rate of deacylation, which in solution at 25 degrees C and pH 7.4 exhibits a t1/2 of 12 h. In addition to the rotation of the Ser-195 hydroxyl away from His-157, C beta of Ser-195 moves 0.7 A toward Asp-189 at the bottom of the active site, with respect to the native structure. This allows formation of energetically favorable H bonds and an ion pair between the carboxylate of Asp-189 and the guanidino group of the substrate. This movement is dictated by the rigidity of the aromatic ring in guanidinobenzoate--model-building indicates that this should not occur when arginine, with its more flexible aliphatic backbone, forms the ester bond with Ser-195. As a consequence, highly ordered water molecules in the active site are no longer close enough to the scissile ester bond to serve as potential nucleophiles for hydrolysis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1988

The 2 A resolution structure of the sulfate-binding protein involved in active transport in Salmonella typhimurium.

The crystal structure of the liganded form of the sulfate-binding protein, an initial receptor for active transport of sulfate in Salmonella typhimurium, has been solved and refined at 2.0 A resolution (1 A = 0.1 nm). The final model, which consists of 2422 non-hydrogen atoms, one sulfate substrate and 143 water molecules, yields a crystallographic R-factor of 14.0% for 16,959 reflections between 8 and 2 A. The structure deviates from ideal bond lengths and angle distances by 0.015 A and 0.037 A, respectively. The protein is ellipsoid with overall dimensions of 35 A x 35 A x 65 A and consists of two similar globular domains. The two domains are linked by three distinct peptide segments, which though widely separated in the amino acid sequence, are in close proximity in the tertiary structure. As these connecting segments are located near the periphery of the molecule, they further serve as the base or a "boundary" of the deep cleft formed between the two domains. Despite the unusual interdomain connectivity, both domains have similar supersecondary structure consisting of a central five-stranded beta-pleated sheet sandwiched by alpha-helices on either side. The arrangement of the two domains gives rise to the ellipsoidal shape and to the cleft between the two domains wherein the sulfate substrate is found and completely engulfed. A discovery of considerable importance is that the sulfate substrate is tightly held in place primarily by seven hydrogen bonds, five of which are donated by main-chain peptide NH groups, another by a serine hydroxyl and the last by the indole NH moiety of a tryptophan side-chain; there are no positively charged residues, nor cations, nor water molecules within van der Waals' distance to the sulfate dianion. All the main-chain peptide units associated with the sulfate are in turn linked (via the peptide CO group) to arrays of hydrogen bonds. Three of these arrays are composed of alternating peptide units and hydrogen bonds within the solvent-exposed part of three alpha-helices and two are linked to a histidine and an arginine residue. The sulfate-binding protein bears strong similarity to the structures of four other periplasmic binding proteins solved in our laboratory which are specific for L-arabinose, D-galactose/D-glucose, leucine/isoleucine/valine and leucine. The similarity includes the ellipsoidal shape and the two globular domain structures, each domain consisting of a central beta-pleated sheet flanked by alpha-helices.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1986

Crystal structure determination, refinement and the molecular model of the alpha-amylase inhibitor Hoe-467A.

The crystal and molecular structure of the alpha-amylase inhibitor Hoe-467A has been determined and refined at high resolution. The polypeptide chain is folded in two triple-stranded sheets, which form a barrel. The topology of folding is as found in the immunoglobulin domains. The amino acid triplet Trp18-Arg19-Tyr20 has an exceptional conformation and position in the molecule and is possibly involved in inhibitory activity.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1983

Rates of ligand binding to periplasmic proteins involved in bacterial transport and chemotaxis.

The ligand reactions of three binding proteins involved in bacterial transport and chemotaxis have been examined by stopped flow, rapid mixing techniques. The processes measured were: L-arabinose, D-galactose, and D-fucose binding to the Escherichia coli L-arabinose-binding protein; L-histidine binding to the Salmonella typhimurium L-histidine-binding protein; and D-maltose, maltotriose, cyclic maltohexaose, and cyclic maltoheptaose binding to the E. coli D-maltose-binding protein. Changes in tryptophan fluorescence were monitored, and the resultant time courses were analyzed quantitatively in terms of a simple one-step binding process. The fitted association rate constants for sugar binding are all about 1-3 X 10(7) M-1 s-1; variation in the affinity constants is expressed primarily by changes in the dissociation rate constants, 1-100 s-1. The sugar-binding proteins react at equal rates with the alpha and beta anomeric forms of their substrates. The ligand dissociation rates measured in vitro are consistent with the corresponding Vmax values observed for in vivo active transport. The association rate constant for the L-histidine-binding protein is 5-10 times greater than the corresponding rate constants for the sugar-binding proteins. A similar, large bimolecular rate, approximately 1 X 10(8) M-1 s-1, has been observed for the E. coli L-glutamine-binding protein (Weiner, J. H., and Heppel, L. A. (1971) J. Biol. Chem. 246, 6933-6941) and appears to reflect favorable electrostatic interactions between the charged amino acid and the surface of the protein molecule.

ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters↗
PubMed1980

The structure of D-galactose-binding protein at 4.1 A resolution looks like L-arabinose-binding protein.

The structure of D-galactose-binding protein, a receptor for both high affinity active transport system and chemotaxis in Escherichia coli, has been solved at 4.1 A resolution using three heavy atom derivatives. The molecule is ellipsoidal with dimensions of about 65 X 35 X 35 A. The overall shape of the molecule and the indication that the molecule consists of two domains separated by a cleft are reminiscent of the structure of L-arabinose-binding protein.

Arabinose↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Sulphate sequestered in the sulphate-binding protein of Salmonella typhimurium is bound solely by hydrogen bonds.

An important question in understanding substrate binding by proteins is how charged groups are stabilized in the absence of their solvation shell. We have addressed this question here by solving the structure of the sulphate-binding protein of Salmonella typhimurium with bound substrate at 2.0 A resolution. The results are remarkable in that the charged oxygen atoms of the sulphate molecule, which is buried and completely inaccessible to the solvent, are not stabilized by the formation of salt-bridges but by hydrogen bonds donated by specific residues of the protein. These hydrogen bonds are in turn coupled via peptide units to several resonating hydrogen bonding systems. These findings may be of general significance for the role of electrostatic interactions in protein structure and function.

Bacterial Proteins↗