Biomedical subjects

Paula I Lario

Publications and source records attributed to Paula I Lario.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Atomic resolution crystallography reveals how changes in pH shape the protein microenvironment.

Hydrogen atoms are a vital component of enzyme structure and function. In recent years, atomic resolution crystallography (>or=1.2 A) has been successfully used to investigate the role of the hydrogen atom in enzymatic catalysis. Here, atomic resolution crystallography was used to study the effect of pH on cholesterol oxidase from Streptomyces sp., a flavoenzyme oxidoreductase. Crystallographic observations of the anionic oxidized flavin cofactor at basic pH are consistent with the UV-visible absorption profile of the enzyme and readily explain the reversible pH-dependent loss of oxidation activity. Furthermore, a hydrogen atom, positioned at an unusually short distance from the main chain carbonyl oxygen of Met122 at high pH, was observed, suggesting a previously unknown mechanism of cofactor stabilization. This study shows how a redox active site responds to changes in the enzyme's environment and how these changes are able to influence the mechanism of enzymatic catalysis.

Catalysis↗

PubMed2005

Structure and biochemical analysis of a secretin pilot protein.

The ability to translocate virulence proteins into host cells through a type III secretion apparatus (TTSS) is a hallmark of several Gram-negative pathogens including Shigella, Salmonella, Yersinia, Pseudomonas, and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli. In common with other types of bacterial secretion apparatus, the assembly of the TTSS complex requires the preceding formation of its integral outer membrane secretin ring component. We have determined at 1.5 A the structure of MxiM28-142, the Shigella pilot protein that is essential for the assembly and membrane association of the Shigella secretin, MxiD. This represents the first atomic structure of a secretin pilot protein from the several bacterial secretion systems containing an orthologous secretin component. A deep hydrophobic cavity is observed in the novel 'cracked barrel' structure of MxiM, providing a specific binding domain for the acyl chains of bacterial lipids, a proposal that is supported by our various lipid/MxiM complex structures. Isothermal titration analysis shows that the C-terminal domain of the secretin, MxiD525-570, hinders lipid binding to MxiM.

Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins↗

PubMed2003

Atomic resolution density maps reveal secondary structure dependent differences in electronic distribution.

The X-ray crystal structure of the flavoenzyme cholesterol oxidase, SCOA (Streptomyces sp.SA-COO) has been determined to 0.95 A resolution. The large size (55kDa) and the high-resolution diffraction of this protein provides a unique opportunity to observe detailed electronic effects within a protein environment and to obtain a larger sampling for which to analyze these electronic and structural differences. It is well-known through spectroscopic methods that peptide carbonyl groups are polarized in alpha-helices. This electronic characteristic is evident in the sub-Angstrom electron density of SCOA. Our analysis indicates an increased tendency for the electron density of the main chain carbonyl groups within alpha-helices to be polarized toward the oxygen atoms. In contrast, the carbonyl groups in beta-sheet structures tend to exhibit a greater charge density between the carbon and oxygen atoms. Interestingly, the electronic differences observed at the carbonyl groups do not appear to be correlated to the bond distance of the peptide bond or the peptide planarity. This study gives important insight into the electronic effects of alpha-helix dipoles in enzymes and provides experimentally based observations that have not been previously characterized in protein structure.

Bacterial Proteins↗

PubMed2003

Sub-atomic resolution crystal structure of cholesterol oxidase: what atomic resolution crystallography reveals about enzyme mechanism and the role of the FAD cofactor in redox activity.

The crystal structure of cholesterol oxidase, a 56kDa flavoenzyme was anisotropically refined to 0.95A resolution. The final crystallographic R-factor and R(free) value is 11.0% and 13.2%, respectively. The quality of the electron density maps has enabled modeling of alternate conformations for 83 residues in the enzyme, many of which are located in the active site. The additional observed structural features were not apparent in the previous high-resolution structure (1.5A resolution) and have enabled the identification of a narrow tunnel leading directly to the isoalloxazine portion of the FAD prosthetic group. The hydrophobic nature of this narrow tunnel suggests it is the pathway for molecular oxygen to access the isoalloxazine group for the oxidative half reaction. Resolving the alternate conformations in the active site residues provides a model for the dynamics of substrate binding and a potential oxidation triggered gating mechanism involving access to the hydrophobic tunnel. This structure reveals that the NE2 atom of the active site histidine residue, H447, critical to the redox activity of this flavin oxidase, acts as a hydrogen bond donor rather than as hydrogen acceptor. The atomic resolution structure of cholesterol oxidase has revealed the presence of hydrogen atoms, dynamic aspects of the protein and how side-chain conformations are correlated with novel structural features such as the oxygen tunnel. This new structural information has provided us with the opportunity to re-analyze the roles played by specific residues in the mechanism of the enzyme.

Binding Sites↗