Biomedical subjects

R J Read

Publications and source records attributed to R J Read.

51 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

PubMed1992

Crystal structure of the cell-binding B oligomer of verotoxin-1 from E. coli.

The Shiga toxin family, a group of cytotoxins associated with diarrhoeal diseases and the haemolytic uraemic syndrome, includes Shiga toxin from Shigella dysenteriae type 1 and verotoxins produced by enteropathogenic Escherichia coli. The family belongs to the A-B class of bacterial toxins, which includes the cholera toxin family, pertussis and diphtheria toxins. These toxins all have bipartite structures consisting of an enzymatic A subunit associated with a B oligomer which binds to specific cell-surface receptors, but their amino-acid sequences and pathogenic mechanisms differ. We have determined the crystal structure of the B oligomer of verotoxin-1 from E. coli. The structure unexpectedly resembles that of the B oligomer of the cholera toxin-like heat-labile enterotoxin from E. coli, despite the absence of detectable sequence similarity between these two proteins. This result implies a distant evolutionary relationship between the Shiga toxin and cholera toxin families. We suggest that the cell surface receptor-binding site lies in a cleft between adjacent subunits of the B pentamer, providing a potential target for drugs and vaccines to prevent toxin binding and effect.

Bacterial Toxins↗

PubMed1992

A multiple-start Monte Carlo docking method.

We present a method to search for possible binding modes of molecular fragments at a specific site of a potential drug target of known structure. Our method is based on a Monte Carlo (MC) algorithm applied to the translational and rotational degrees of freedom of the probe fragment. Starting from a randomly generated initial configuration, favorable binding modes are generated using a two-step process. An MC run is first performed in which the energy in the Metropolis algorithm is substituted by a score function that measures the average distance of the probe to the target surface. This has the effect of making buried probes move toward the target surface and also allows enhanced sampling of deep pockets. In a second MC run, a pairwise atom potential function is used, and the temperature parameter is slowly lowered during the run (Simulated Annealing). We repeat this procedure starting from a large number of different randomly generated initial configurations in order to find all energetically favorable docking modes in a specified region around the target. We test this method using two inhibitor-receptor systems: Streptomyces griseus proteinase B in complex with the third domain of the ovomucoid inhibitor from turkey, and dihydrofolate reductase from E. coli in complex with methotrexate. The method could consistently reproduce the complex found in the crystal structure searching from random initial positions in cubes ranging from 25 A to 50 A about the binding site. In the case of SGPB, we were also successful in docking to the native structure. In addition, we were successful in docking small probes in a search that included the entire protein surface.

Algorithms↗

PubMed1991

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of verotoxin-1 B-subunit.

The B-subunit of verotoxin-1, which is believed to form a pentamer (monomer Mr = 7691), has been crystallized by vapor diffusion over a wide range of conditions. The best crystals, obtained with polyethylene glycol 8000 as the precipitant, belong to the orthorhombic space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with cell dimensions a = 59.2 A, b = 102.7 A, c = 56.3 A. The cell dimensions are consistent with one B-subunit pentamer per asymmetric unit, and the crystals diffract to at least 2.0 A resolution. Data collected using synchrotron radiation at a wavelength of 2.070 A may allow the structure to be solved using the anomalous signal from three sulfur atoms in the monomer, combined with averaging over the non-crystallographic symmetry.

Bacterial Toxins↗

PubMed1991

Refined structure of porcine pepsinogen at 1.8 A resolution.

The molecular structure of porcine pepsinogen at 1.8 A resolution has been determined by a combination of molecular replacement and multiple isomorphous phasing techniques. The resulting structure was refined by restrained-parameter least-squares methods. The final R factor [formula: see text] is 0.164 for 32,264 reflections with I greater than or equal to sigma (I) in the resolution range of 8.0 to 1.8 A. The model consists of 2785 protein atoms in 370 residues, a phosphoryl group on Ser68 and 238 ordered water molecules. The resulting molecular stereochemistry is consistent with a well-refined crystal structure with co-ordinate accuracy in the range of 0.10 to 0.15 A for the well-ordered regions of the molecule (B less than 15 A2). For the enzyme portion of the zymogen, the root-mean-square difference in C alpha atom co-ordinates with the refined porcine pepsin structure is 0.90 A (284 common atoms) and with the C alpha atoms of penicillopepsin it is 1.63 A (275 common atoms). The additional 44 N-terminal amino acids of the prosegment (Leu1p to Leu44p, using the letter p after the residue number to distinguish the residues of the prosegment) adopt a relatively compact structure consisting of a long beta-strand followed by two approximately orthogonal alpha-helices and a short 3(10)-helix. Intimate contacts, both electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions, are made with residues in the pepsin active site. The N-terminal beta-strand, Leu1p to Leu6p, forms part of the six-stranded beta-sheet common to the aspartic proteinases. In the zymogen the first 13 residues of pepsin, Ile1 to Glu13, adopt a completely different conformation from that of the mature enzyme. The C alpha atom of Ile1 must move approximately 44 A in going from its position in the inactive zymogen to its observed position in active pepsin. Electrostatic interactions of Lys36pN and hydrogen-bonding interactions of Tyr37pOH, and Tyr90H with the two catalytic aspartate groups, Asp32 and Asp215, prevent substrate access to the active site of the zymogen. We have made a detailed comparison of the mammalian pepsinogen fold with the fungal aspartic proteinase fold of penicillopepsin, used for the molecular replacement solution. A structurally derived alignment of the two sequences is presented.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1989

X-ray structure of lipoamide dehydrogenase from Azotobacter vinelandii determined by a combination of molecular and isomorphous replacement techniques.

The crystal structure of lipoamide dehydrogenase from Azotobacter vinelandii has been determined by a combination of molecular replacement and isomorphous replacement techniques yielding eventually a good-quality 2.8 A electron density map. Initially, the structure determination was attempted by molecular replacement procedures alone using a model of human glutathione reductase, which has 26% sequence identity with this bacterial dehydrogenase. The rotation function yielded the correct orientation of the model structure both when the glutathione reductase dimer and monomer were used as starting model. The translation function could not be solved, however. Consequently, data for two heavy-atom derivatives were collected using the Hamburg synchotron facilities. The derivatives had several sites in common, which was presumably a major reason why the electron density map obtained by isomorphous information alone was of poor quality. Application of solvent flattening procedures cleaned up the map considerably, however, showing clearly the outline of the lipoamide dehydrogenase dimer, which has a molecular weight of 100,000. Application of the "phased translation function", which combines the phase information of both isomorphous and molecular replacement, led to an unambiguous determination of the position of the model structure in the lipoamide dehydrogenase unit cell. The non-crystallographic 2-fold axis of the dimer was optimized by several cycles of constrained-restrained least-squares refinement and subsequently used for phase improvement by 2-fold density averaging. After ten cycles at 3.5 A, the resolution was gradually extended to 2.8 A in another 140 cycles. The 2.8 A electron density distribution obtained in this manner was of much improved quality and allowed building of an atomic model of A. vinelandii lipoamide dehydrogenase. It appears that in the orthorhombic crystals used each dimer is involved in contacts with eight surrounding dimers, leaving unexplained why the crystals are rather fragile. Contacts between subunits within one dimer, which are quite extensive, can be divided into two regions separated by a cavity. In one of the contact regions, the level of sequence identity with glutathione reductase is very low but it is quite high in the other. The folding of the polypeptide chain in each subunit is quite similar to that of glutathione reductase, as is the extended conformation of the co-enzyme FAD.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1988

Refined crystal structure of Streptomyces griseus trypsin at 1.7 A resolution.

Streptomyces griseus trypsin (SGT) is a bacterial serine proteinase that is more homologous to mammalian than to other bacterial enzymes. The structure of SGT has been solved primarily by molecular replacement, though some low-resolution phase information was supplied by heavy-atom derivatives. The mammalian pancreatic serine proteinases bovine trypsin (BT) and alpha-chymotrypsin (CHT) were used as molecular replacement models. Because these proteins have low homology with SGT compared to the majority of other successful replacement models, new strategies were required for molecular replacement to succeed. The model of SGT has been refined at 1.7 A resolution to a final R-factor of 0.161 (1 A = 0.1 nm); the correlation coefficient between all observed and calculated structure factor amplitudes is 0.908. Solvent molecules located in the crystal structure play an important role in stabilizing buried charged and polar groups. An additional contribution to stability can be seen in the fact that the majority of the charged side-chains are involved in ionic interactions, sometimes linking the two domains of SGT. A comparison of SGT with BT shows that the greatest similarities are in the active-site and substrate-binding regions, consistent with their similar substrate specificities. The modeling of complexes of SGT with two inhibitors of BT, pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (PTI) and the third domain of Japanese quail ovomucoid (OMJPQ3), helps to explain why PTI inhibits SGT but OMJPQ3 does not. Like BT, but unlike other bacterial serine proteinases of known structure, SGT has a buried N terminus. SGT has also a well-defined Ca2+-binding site, but this site differs in location from that of BT.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1987

Crystal and molecular structures of the complex of alpha-chymotrypsin with its inhibitor turkey ovomucoid third domain at 1.8 A resolution.

The molecular structure of the complex between bovine pancreatic alpha-chymotrypsin (EC 3.4.4.5) and the third domain of the Kazal-type ovomucoid from Turkey (OMTKY3) has been determined crystallographically by the molecular replacement method. Restrained-parameter least-squares refinement of the molecular model of the complex has led to a conventional agreement factor R of 0.168 for the 19,466 reflections in the 1.8 A (1 A = 0.1 nm) resolution shell [I greater than or equal to sigma (I)]. The reactive site loop of OMTKY3, from Lys13I to Arg21I (I indicates inhibitor), is highly complementary to the surface of alpha-chymotrypsin in the complex. A total of 13 residues on the inhibitor make 113 contacts of less than 4.0 A with 21 residues of the enzyme. A short contact (2.95 A) from O gamma of Ser195 to the carbonyl-carbon atom of the scissile bond between Leu18I and Glu19I is present; in spite of it, this peptide remains planar and undistorted. Analysis of the interactions of the inhibitor with chymotrypsin explains the enhanced specificity that chymotrypsin has for P'3 arginine residues. There is a water-mediated ion pair between the guanidinium group on this residue and the carboxylate of Asp64. Comparison of the structure of the alpha-chymotrypsin portion of this complex with the several structures of alpha and gamma-chymotrypsin in the uncomplexed form shows a high degree of structural equivalence (root-mean-square deviation of the 234 common alpha-carbon atoms averages 0.38 A). Significant differences occur mainly in two regions Lys36 to Phe39 and Ser75 to Lys79. Among the 21 residues that are in contact with the ovomucoid domain, only Phe39 and Tyr146 change their conformations significantly as a result of forming the complex. Comparison of the structure of the OMTKY3 domain in this complex to that of the same inhibitor bound to a serine proteinase from Streptomyces griseus (SGPB) shows a central core of 44 amino acids (the central alpha-helix and flanking small 3-stranded beta-sheet) that have alpha-carbon atoms fitting to within 1.0 A (root-mean-square deviation of 0.45 A) whereas the residues of the reactive-site loop differ in position by up to 1.9 A (C alpha of Leu18I). The ovomucoid domain has a built-in conformational flexibility that allows it to adapt to the active sites of different enzymes. A comparison of the SGPB and alpha-chymotrypsin molecules is made and the water molecules bound at the inhibitor-enzyme interface in both complexes are analysed for similarities and differences.

Animals↗

PubMed1987

Preliminary crystallographic studies of glycosomal glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase from Trypanosoma brucei brucei.

Crystals of glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase from the glycosome of Trypanosoma brucei brucei have been grown, and a partial data set has been collected using synchrotron radiation. The crystals diffract initially to 2.3 A resolution. The space group is P2(1)2(1)2, with cell dimensions a = 135 A, b = 255 A, c = 115 A, so there are probably at least two tetramers in the asymmetric unit.

Animals↗

PubMed1987

Monoclonal antibody isolation of type II pneumocytes.

A monoclonal antibody that identifies a membrane molecule unique in rat lung for type II alveolar epithelial cells was used to isolate these cells from enzymatically dispersed lung cells by fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Although multistep physical separation techniques have permitted the isolation of large quantities of these cells and flow cytometry has been used by others to isolate lamellar body-containing cells, the application of this antibody-directed sorting has distinct advantages. Because the marker molecule is expressed on immature type II cells prior to the development of lamellar bodies, the antibody will also permit their isolation and study.

Animals↗

PubMed1985

Phospholipid transfer proteins from lung, properties and possible physiological functions.

Phospholipid transfer proteins have been found in lung just as they have in tissues throughout the body. There is speculation that the proteins are involved in membrane biogenesis and in determining the phospholipid composition of membranes. For this reason the lung, which contains subcellular organelles of distinct phospholipid composition, is of interest in terms of its complement of phospholipid transfer proteins. The lamellar bodies of pulmonary type II alveolar cells have a phospholipid composition unique in terms of the proportions of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylglycerol. Studies of the phospholipid transfer proteins in lung have demonstrated two molecular species of the transfer proteins that differ significantly from those found in liver and other tissues. These proteins show specificity for the transfer of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylglycerol.

Animals↗

PubMed1984

Critical evaluation of comparative model building of Streptomyces griseus trypsin.

The X-ray crystal structure of Streptomyces griseus trypsin has been solved and refined at 1.7-A resolution. The structure of this protein had been predicted in two models on the basis of its expected homology to structures of bovine trypsin and other pancreatic serine proteases [Jurásek, L., Olafson, R.W., Johnson, P., & Smillie, L.B. (1976) Miami Winter Symp. 11, 93-123; Greer, J. (1981) J. Mol. Biol. 153, 1027-1042]. An evaluation of these models in light of the known structure demonstrates the effect of several sources of error on such comparative model building. The objective of comparative model building is often to explain substrate specificity, or to suggest potential highly specific drugs. The unique parts of modeled proteins that are most important for such purposes are, however, the most poorly determined by the model-building procedure.

Animals↗

PubMed1984

Acyl-chain specificity and membrane fluidity. Factors which influence the activity of a purified phospholipid-transfer protein from lung.

A purified phospholipid-transfer protein from rat lung has been characterized in terms of the specificity of the protein for phosphatidylcholine molecules with different apolar moieties. The study demonstrated that the lung-phospholipid-transfer protein discriminates between dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine and molecular species of phosphatidylcholine with unsaturated acyl chains. The initial rate of transfer of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine is 1.5-fold greater than the rate of transfer of dioleoylphosphatidylcholine, 1-palmitoyl-2- arachidonylphosphatidylcholine , or egg phosphatidylcholine under most assay conditions. Although the protein preferentially transfers dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine, the incorporation of increasing mole percentages of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine into unilamellar phosphatidylcholine vesicles profoundly affects their effectiveness as donors for phosphatidylcholine transfer by the transfer protein. At 60 mol% dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine, the rate of transfer is one-third that observed when vesicles are composed of 100% egg phosphatidylcholine. Decreases in membrane fluidity as estimated by fluorescence polarization of 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene correlate with decreases in the effectiveness of the vesicles as donors in the phospholipid-transfer reaction. The conclusion from these studies is that the rate of transfer of phosphatidylcholine by the purified phospholipid-transfer protein from lung is determined by physical properties of membrane interfaces with which the protein interacts, as well as by the specificity of the phospholipid-transfer protein for different molecular species of phosphatidylcholine.

Animals↗

PubMed1983

Structure of the complex of Streptomyces griseus protease B and the third domain of the turkey ovomucoid inhibitor at 1.8-A resolution.

The structure of the complex between the serine protease Streptomyces griseus protease B (SGPB) and the third domain of the Kazal-type ovomucoid inhibitor from turkey has been solved at 1.8-A resolution and refined to a conventional R factor of 0.125. As others have reported previously for analogous complexes of proteases and protein inhibitors, the inhibitor binds in a fashion similar to that of a substrate; it is not cleaved, but there is a close approach (2.7 A) of the active site nucleophile Ser-195 O gamma to the carbonyl carbon of the reactive peptide bond of the inhibitor. Contrary to the structural reports regarding the other enzyme-inhibitor complexes, we conclude that there is no evidence for a significant distortion of this peptide bond from planarity. The mechanism of inhibition can be understood in terms of the equilibrium thermodynamic parameters Ka, the enzyme-inhibitor association constant, and Khyd, the equilibrium constant for inhibitor hydrolysis. These thermodynamic parameters can be rationalized in terms of the observed structure.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1983

Properties of a non-specific phospholipid-transfer protein purified from rat lung.

The present report describes the purification and characterization of a non-specific phospholipid-transfer protein from rat lung. The protein is the major phospholipid-transfer protein in lung which transfers phosphatidylcholine. The transfer protein was purified 1200-fold, with a final yield of 3%. The activity of the protein was monitored by measuring the transfer of [14C]phosphatidylcholine from radioactively labeled liposomes to mitochondria. The purified proteins transfers phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylethanolamine from radioactively labeled microsomes to either mitochondria or liposomes. The transfer of each phospholipid is proportional to its content in the donor membrane. The protein was purified from a pH 5.1 supernatant preparation by fractionation on DEAE-cellulose, Sephadex G-75 and hydroxyapatite. The molecular weight of the purified protein was estimated as 35 000 by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The amino acid analysis revealed a high content of glutamic acid (including glutamine) and glycine. The specificity of the purified protein for transfer of phospholipids suggests that it may be the phospholipid-transfer activity which is highly enriched in isolated type II alveolar cells of rat lung.

Animals↗

PubMed1982

Refined crystal structure of the molecular complex of Streptomyces griseus protease B, a serine protease, with the third domain of the ovomucoid inhibitor from turkey.

We have determined the crystal structure of the molecular complex between Streptomyces griseus protease B (SGPB), a bacterial serine protease, and the third domain of the ovomucoid inhibitor from turkey. Restrained-parameter least-squares refinement of the structure with the 1.8-A intensity data set has resulted in an R factor of 0.125. The carbonyl carbon atom of the reactive bond between Leu-18 and Glu-19 in the inhibitor lies at a distance of 2.71 A from the O gamma atom of the nucleophilic Ser-195 in SGPB; this distance is 0.5 A shorter than a normal van der Waals contact. Unlike the reactive bond in the pancreatic trypsin inhibitor complexed with bovine trypsin, the Leu--Glu bond of the ovomucoid inhibitor is not distorted from planarity towards a pyramidal configuration.

Animals↗