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Véronique Roig-Zamboni

Publications and source records attributed to Véronique Roig-Zamboni.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

LppX is a lipoprotein required for the translocation of phthiocerol dimycocerosates to the surface of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Cell envelope lipids play an important role in the pathogenicity of mycobacteria, but the mechanisms by which they are transported to the outer membrane of these prokaryotes are largely unknown. Here, we provide evidence that LppX is a lipoprotein required for the translocation of complex lipids, the phthiocerol dimycocerosates (DIM), to the outer membrane of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Abolition of DIM transport following disruption of the lppX gene is accompanied by an important attenuation of the virulence of the tubercle bacillus. The crystal structure of LppX unveils an U-shaped beta-half-barrel dominated by a large hydrophobic cavity suitable to accommodate a single DIM molecule. LppX shares a similar fold with the periplasmic molecular chaperone LolA and the outer membrane lipoprotein LolB, which are involved in the localization of lipoproteins to the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. Based on the structure and although an indirect participation of LppX in DIM transport cannot yet be ruled out, we propose LppX to be the first characterized member of a family of structurally related lipoproteins that carry lipophilic molecules across the mycobacterial cell envelope.

Animals↗

Crystal structure of the conserved hypothetical protein Rv1155 from Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

With the aim of elucidating the biological function of hypothetical proteins unique amongst the Actynomyces sub-group of bacteria, we have solved the crystal structure of the conserved hypothetical protein Rv1155 from Mycobacterium tuberculosis at 1.8 A resolution. Rv1155 is a homodimer both in the crystal structure and in solution and folds into two separate domains consisting of a six-stranded anti-parallel beta-barrel fold flanked by two alpha-helices and a helix-turn-helix domain. Both domains contribute to the formation of two deep clefts at the dimer interface. The overall fold of Rv1155 strikingly resembles that of flavin mononucleotide-binding protein and pyridoxamine 5'-phosphate oxydase, but the architecture of the putative binding pocket is markedly different, consistent with the lack of color of Rv1155 and its inability to bind FMN. Rv1155 thus appears to belong to a group of proteins with stringent conservation of the binding cleft, having evolved towards a new binding function.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Crystal structure and kinetics identify Escherichia coli YdcW gene product as a medium-chain aldehyde dehydrogenase.

In the context of a medium-scaled structural genomics program aiming at solving the structures of as many as possible bacterial unknown open reading frame products from Escherichia coli (Y prefix), we have solved the structure of YdcW at 2.1A resolution, using molecular replacement. According to its sequence identity, YdcW has been classified into the betaine aldehyde dehydrogenases family (EC 1.2.1.8), catalysing the oxidation of betaine aldehyde into glycine betaine. The structure of YdcW resembles that of other aldehyde dehydrogenases: it is tetrameric and binds a NADH molecule in each monomer. The NADH molecules, bound in the active site by soaking, are revealed to be in the "hydrolysis position". Activities experiments demonstrate that YdcW is more active on medium-chains aldehyde than on betaine aldehyde. However, soaking of betaine into YdcW crystals revealed its presence in one of the subunits, in two positions, a putative resting position and a hydride transfer ready position. Analysis of kinetics data and of the active site shape suggest an optimum binding of n-alkyl aldehydes up to seven to eight carbon atoms, possibly followed by a bulky cyclic or aromatic group.

Aldehyde Dehydrogenase↗

Structure of Escherichia coli YhdH, a putative quinone oxidoreductase.

As part of a structural genomics project on bacterial gene products of unknown function, the crystal structures of YhdH, a putative quinone oxidoreductase, and its complex with NADP have been determined at 2.25 and 2.6 A resolution, respectively. The overall fold of YhdH is very similar to that of alcohol dehydrogenases and quinone reductases despite its low sequence identity. The absence of any Zn ion indicates that YdhH is a putative quinone oxidoreductase. YhdH forms a homodimer, with each subunit composed of two domains: a catalytic domain and a coenzyme-binding domain. NADP is bound in a deep cleft formed between the two domains. Large conformational changes occur upon NADP binding, with the two domains closing up to each other and narrowing the NADP-binding cleft. Comparisons of the YdhH active site with those of the quinone oxidoreductases from Escherichia coli and Thermus thermophilus made it possible to identify essential conserved residues as being Asn41, Asp43, Asp64 and Arg318. The active-site size is very narrow and unless an induced fit occurs is accessible only to reagents the size of benzoquinone.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Crystal structure and reactivity of YbdL from Escherichia coli identify a methionine aminotransferase function.

The ybdL gene of Escherichia coli codes for a protein of unknown function. Sequence analysis showed moderate homology to several vitamin B(6) dependent enzymes, suggesting that it may bind pyridoxal-5'-phosphate. The structure analysis of YbdL to 2.35 A resolution by protein crystallography verifies that it is a PLP dependent enzyme of fold type I, the typical aspartate aminotransferase fold. The active site contains a bound pyridoxal-5'-phosphate, covalently attached to the conserved active site lysine residue Lys236. The pattern of conserved amino acids in the putative substrate binding pocket of the enzyme reveals that it is most closely related to a hyperthermophilic aromatic residue aminotransferase from the archeon Pyrococcus horikoshii. Activity tests with 10 amino acids as amino-donors reveal, however, a preference for Met, followed by His and Phe, results which can be rationalized by modelization studies.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The crystal structure of the Calystegia sepium agglutinin reveals a novel quaternary arrangement of lectin subunits with a beta-prism fold.

The high number of quaternary structures observed for lectins highlights the important role of these oligomeric assemblies during carbohydrate recognition events. Although a large diversity in the mode of association of lectin subunits is frequently observed, the oligomeric assemblies of plant lectins display small variations within a single family. The crystal structure of the mannose-binding jacalin-related lectin from Calystegia sepium (Calsepa) has been determined at 1.37-A resolution. Calsepa exhibits the same beta-prism fold as identified previously for other members of the family, but the shape and the hydrophobic character of its carbohydrate-binding site is unlike that of other members, consistent with surface plasmon resonance analysis showing a preference for methylated sugars. Calsepa reveals a novel dimeric assembly markedly dissimilar to those described earlier for Heltuba and jacalin but mimics the canonical 12-stranded beta-sandwich dimer found in legume lectins. The present structure exemplifies the adaptability of the beta-prism building block in the evolution of plant lectins and highlights the biological role of these quaternary structures for carbohydrate recognition.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The crystal structure of the Escherichia coli YfdW gene product reveals a new fold of two interlaced rings identifying a wide family of CoA transferases.

Because of its toxicity, oxalate accumulation from amino acid catabolism leads to acute disorders in mammals. Gut microflora are therefore pivotal in maintaining a safe intestinal oxalate balance through oxalate degradation. Oxalate catabolism was first identified in Oxalobacter formigenes, a specialized, strictly anaerobic bacterium. Oxalate degradation was found to be performed successively by two enzymes, a formyl-CoA transferase (frc) and an oxalate decarboxylase (oxc). These two genes are present in several bacterial genomes including that of Escherichia coli. The frc ortholog in E. coli is yfdW, with which it shares 61% sequence identity. We have expressed the YfdW open reading frame product and solved its crystal structure in the apo-form and in complex with acetyl-CoA and with a mixture of acetyl-CoA and oxalate. YfdW exhibits a novel and spectacular fold in which two monomers assemble as interlaced rings, defining the CoA binding site at their interface. From the structure of the complex with acetyl-CoA and oxalate, we propose a putative formyl/oxalate transfer mechanism involving the conserved catalytic residue Asp169. The similarity of yfdW with bacterial orthologs (approximately 60% identity) and paralogs (approximately 20-30% identity) suggests that this new fold and parts of the CoA transfer mechanism are likely to be the hallmarks of a wide family of CoA transferases.

Acetyl Coenzyme A↗

A medium-throughput crystallization approach.

The first results of a medium-scale structural genomics program clearly demonstrate the value of using a medium-throughput crystallization approach based on a two-step procedure: a large screening step employing robotics, followed by manual or automated optimization of the crystallization conditions. The structural genomics program was based on cloning in the Gateway vectors pDEST17, introducing a long 21-residue tail at the N-terminus. So far, this tail has not appeared to hamper crystallization. In ten months, 25 proteins were subjected to crystallization; 13 yielded crystals, of which ten led to usable data sets and five to structures. Furthermore, the results using a robot dispensing 50-200 nl drops indicate that smaller protein samples can be used for crystallization. These still partial results might indicate present and future directions for those who have to make crucial choices concerning their crystallization platform in structural genomics programs.

Crystallization↗