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W Bode

Publications and source records attributed to W Bode.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

Structure of human des(1-45) factor Xa at 2.2 A resolution.

The structure of a large molecular fragment of factor Xa that lacks only a Gla (gamma-carboxyglutamic acid) domain (N-terminal 45 residues) has been solved by X-ray crystallography and refined at 2.2 A resolution to a crystallographic R-value of 0.168. The fragment identity was clearly established by automated Edman degradation. X-ray structure analysis confirmed the biochemical characterization and also revealed that the N-terminal epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like domain is flexibly disordered in crystals. The second EGF module, however, is positionally ordered making contacts with the catalytic domain. The overall folding of the catalytic domain is similar to that of alpha-thrombin, excluding the insertion loops of the latter with respect to simpler serine proteinases. The C-terminal arginine of the A-chain interacts in a substrate-like manner with the S1 specificity site of the active site of a crystallographically neighboring molecule. Based on this interaction and the structure of D-PheProArg methylene-thrombin, a model of the commonly used dansylGluGlyArg methylene inhibitor-factor Xa interaction is proposed. The region of factor Xa corresponding to the fibrinogen recognition site of thrombin has a reversed electrical polarity to the anion binding fibrinogen recognition site of thrombin but possesses a site similar to the Ca2+ binding site of trypsin and other serine proteinases. The structure of the C-terminal EGF domain of factor Xa is the first to be determined crystallographically. Its folding has been comprehensively compared with similar domains determined by NMR. Although the A-chain makes 44 contacts at less than 3.5 A with the catalytic domain, only 16 involve the EGF module. In addition, the A-chain makes 30 intermolecular contacts with a neighboring catalytic domain.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Implications of the three-dimensional structure of astacin for the structure and function of the astacin family of zinc-endopeptidases.

Astacin, a zinc-endopeptidase from the crayfish Astacus astacus L., represents a structurally distinct group of metalloproteinases termed the 'astacin family'. This protein family includes oligomeric membrane-bound proteins with zinc proteinase domains found in rodent kidneys (meprins A and B) and human small intestine (N-benzoyl-L-tyrosyl-4-aminobenzoate hydrolase). Another branch of this family comprises morphogenetically active proteins, which induce bone formation (human bone morphogenetic protein 1), or which play specific roles during the embryonic development of amphibians, fishes, echinoderms, and insects. The X-ray crystal structure of astacin has recently been solved to a resolution of 0.18 nm [Bode et al. (1992) Nature 358, 164-167]. This structure is different from hitherto known metalloendopeptidase structures and has been used in the present study to analyze the structures of the other members of the astacin protein family. Computer-assisted modelling of the proteolytic domain of the alpha-subunit of meprin A based on the astacin structure is possible if five single and one double residue deletions and three single residue insertions are implied. The proteinase domains of the other astacins can be included in the model-based sequence alignment by introducing additionally three insertions and one deletion. All of these insertions and deletions are observed in loop segments connecting regular secondary structure elements and should leave the overall structure unaltered. The topology of residues forming the zinc-binding active site of astacin corresponds to almost identical arrangements in all other astacins, suggesting that these are likewise metalloproteinases. Based on this similarity, it is proposed that the active-site metal ion of the astacins is penta-coordinated by three histidine residues, a tyrosine residue and a water molecule in a trigonal bipyramidal geometry. Other remarkable common features are a hydrophobic cluster in the N-terminal domain and a conserved, solvent-filled cavity buried in the C-terminal domain. Most interestingly, the amino-termini of all astacins can be modelled to start in a corresponding internal water cavity as seen in the astacin template, where the terminal alanine residue forms a water-linked salt bridge to Glu103, directly adjacent to His102, the third zinc ligand. Therefore, an activation mechanism for the astacins reminiscent of that of the trypsin-like proteinases had been suggested, which now seems to be probable also for the other astacins. Besides these common traits, there are some minor differences which may have important consequences on the function of the astacins.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The 0.25-nm X-ray structure of the Bowman-Birk-type inhibitor from mung bean in ternary complex with porcine trypsin.

The structure of the Bowman-Birk-type inhibitor from mung bean Phaseolus aureus has been determined in ternary complex with porcine trypsin. The complex formed crystals of the trigonal space group P3(1)21 which diffracted to a resolution of 250 pm. Each of the two mung bean protease reactive sites is bound to trypsin according to the standard mechanism for serine proteinase inhibition. The binding loops thereby adopt the canonical conformation for the standard mechanism; however, the sub-van der Waals contact between the active-site serine O gamma (195) and the P1 carbonyl carbon of both loops is significantly smaller (210 pm) than hitherto observed, with continuous electron density connecting the two atoms. The inhibitor is formed by two double-stranded antiparallel beta-sheets, which are connected into a moderately twisted beta-sheet by a network of hydrogen bonds involving main-chain atoms and two water molecules. All contacts with neighbors in the crystal lattice occur between trypsin molecules. This apparently gives rise to an unusual form of disorder where the complexes pack in two orientations Ta:MaMb:Tb and Tb:MbMa:Ta (Ta, Tb = trypsin, Ma = mung bean loop I, Mb = mung bean loop II), such that the asymmetric unit consists of the ternary complex in two orientations, each with half occupancy. This is nearly equivalent to an asymmetric unit which has one trypsin molecule with full occupancy and one mung bean inhibitor with half occupancy and a crystallographic twofold symmetry axis through its center. Because of the approximate twofold symmetry of the inhibitor itself, however, the electron density was interpretable for most of the inhibitor (17 residues at the termini were not resolved) and shows evidence of its double orientation.

Animals↗

Refined 1.8 A X-ray crystal structure of astacin, a zinc-endopeptidase from the crayfish Astacus astacus L. Structure determination, refinement, molecular structure and comparison with thermolysin.

Astacin, a 200 residue digestive zinc-endopeptidase from the crayfish Astacus astacus L., is the prototype of the "astacin family", which comprises several membrane-bound mammalian endopeptidases and developmentally implicated regulatory proteins. Large trigonal crystals of astacin were grown, and X-ray reflection data to 1.8 A resolution were collected. The astacin structure has been solved by multiple isomorphous replacement using six heavy-atom derivatives, and refined to a crystallographic R-value of 0.158 applying stringent constraints. All 200 residues are clearly defined by electron density; 181 solvent molecules have been localized. Besides the native structure, the structures of Hg-astacin (with a mercury ion replacing the zinc) and of the apoenzyme were also refined. The astacin molecule exhibits a kidney-like shape. It consists of an amino-terminal and a carboxy-terminal domain, with a deep active-site cleft in between. The zinc ion, located at the bottom of this cleft, is co-ordinated in a novel trigonal-bipyramidal geometry by three histidine residues, a tyrosine and by a water molecule, which is also bound to the carboxylate side-chain of Glu93. The amino-terminal domain of astacin consists mainly of two long alpha-helices, one centrally located and one more peripheral, and of a five-stranded pleated beta-sheet. The amino terminus protrudes into an internal, water-filled cavity of the lower domain and forms a buried salt bridge with Glu103; amino-terminally extended pro-forms of astacin are thus not compatible with this structure. The carboxy-terminal domain of astacin is mainly organized in several turns and irregular structures. Because they share sequence identity of about 35%, the structures of the proteolytic domains of the other "astacin" members must be quite similar to astacin. Only a few very short deletions and insertions quite distant from the active-site distinguish their structures from astacin. The five-stranded beta-sheet and the two helices of the amino-terminal domain of astacin are topologically similar to the structure observed in the archetypal zinc-endopeptidase thermolysin; the rest of the structures are, in contrast, completely unrelated in astacin and thermolysin. The zinc ion, the central alpha-helix and the zinc-liganding residues His92, Glu93 and His96 of astacin are nearly superimposable with the respective groups of thermolysin, namely with the zinc ion, the "active-site helix", and His142TL, Glu143TL and His146TL of the zinc-binding consensus motif His-Glu-Xaa-Xaa-His (where Xaa is any amino acid residue).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Amino Acid Sequence↗

A player of many parts: the spotlight falls on thrombin's structure.

The wealth of structural information now available for thrombin, its precursors, its substrates, and its inhibitors allows a rationalization of its many roles. alpha-thrombin is a rather rigid molecule, binding to its target molecules with little conformational change. Comparison of alpha-thrombin with related trypsin-like serine proteinases reveals an unusually deep and narrow active site cleft, formed by loop insertions characteristic of thrombin. This canyon structure is one of the prime causes for the narrow specificity of thrombin. The observed modularity of thrombin allows a diversity in this specificity; its "mix-and-match" nature is exemplified by its interactions with macromolecules (Fig. 20). The apposition of the active site to a hydrophobic pocket (the apolar binding site) on one side and a basic patch (the fibrinogen recognition exosite) on the other allows for a fine tuning of enzymatic activity, as seen for fibrinogen. Thrombin receptor appears to use the same sites, but in a different way. Protein C seems only able to interact with thrombin if the recognition exosite is occupied by thrombomodulin. These two sites are also optimally used by hirudin, allowing the very tight binding observed; thrombin inhibition is effected by blocking access to the active site. On the other hand, antithrombin III makes little use of the recognition exosite; instead, its interactions are tightened with the help of heparin, which binds to a second basic site (the heparin binding site). Thrombin's modularity is a result of the conjunction of amino acid residues of like properties, such as charge or hydrophobicity. The charge distribution plays a role, not only in the binding of oppositely charged moieties of interacting molecules, but also in selection and preorientation of them. Nonproteolytic cellular properties are attributed to 1) the rigid insertion loop at Tyr60A, and 2) a partially inaccessible RGD sequence. The former can interact with cells in the native form; the latter would appear to be presented only in an (at least partially) unfolded state. The membrane binding properties of prothrombin can be understood from the ordered arrangement of calcium ions on binding to the Gla domain. Kringle F2 binds to thrombin at the heparin binding site through charge complementarity; a conformational change appears to occur on binding. The observed rigidity of the thrombin molecule in its complexes makes thrombin ideal for structure based drug design. Thrombin can be inhibited either at the active site or at the fibrinogen recognition exosite, or both.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Amino Acid Sequence↗

First structure of a snake venom metalloproteinase: a prototype for matrix metalloproteinases/collagenases.

Adamalysin II, a 24 kDa zinc endopeptidase from the snake venom of Crotalus adamanteus, is a member of a large family of metalloproteinases isolated as small proteinases or proteolytic domains of mosaic haemorrhagic proteins from various snake venoms. Homologous domains have recently been detected in multimodular mammalian reproductive tract proteins. The 2.0 A crystal structure of adamalysin II reveals an ellipsoidal molecule with a shallow active-site cleft separating a relatively irregularly folded subdomain from the calcium-binding main molecular body composed of a five-stranded beta-sheet and four alpha-helices. The folding of the peptide fragment containing the zinc-binding motif HExxHxxGxxH bears only a distant resemblance to thermolysin, but is identical to that found in astacin, with the three histidines and a water molecule (linked to the glutamic acid) likewise constituting the zinc ligand; adamalysin II lacks a fifth (tyrosine) zinc ligand, however, leaving its zinc ion tetrahedrally co-ordinated. Furthermore, adamalysin II and astacin share an identical active-site basement formed by a common Metturn. Due to their virtually identical active-site environment and similar folding topology, the snake venom metalloproteinases (hitherto called adamalysins) and the astacins (and presumably also the matrix metalloproteinases/mammalian collagenases and the Serratia proteinase-like large bacterial proteinases) might be grouped into a common superfamily with distinct differences from the thermolysin family.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Identification of Azospirillum species by RFLP and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis.

Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was applied to analyse the restriction fragment length polymorphism of Azospirillum brasilense and Azospirillum lipoferum strains. Genomic DNA was digested by rarely cutting restriction enzymes and subjected to PFGE using the Rotaphor system. The restrictions with SpeI produced 10-20 fragments with sizes from about 10 kb to 900 kb. The separation resulted in a strain-specific banding pattern in almost every case. After Southern blotting and hybridization with 23S rRNA gene probes, the species could be determined. With the combination of both methods, identification of re-isolates from soil at the species and strain level is possible.

Azospirillum↗

Serpin structures.

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Amino Acid Sequence↗

Impact of protein-protein contacts on the conformation of thrombin-bound hirudin studied by comparison with the nuclear magnetic resonance solution structure of hirudin(1-51).

The impact of protein-protein interactions on the conformation of the N-terminal hirudin domain consisting of residues 1 to 51 in the X-ray crystal structure of a hirudin-thrombin complex was investigated through comparisons with the nuclear magnetic resonance solution structure of hirudin(1-51). The close overall similarity observed between these two structures contrasts with the behavior of the C-terminal 17-residue polypeptide segment of hirudin, which is flexibly disordered in solution but exhibits a defined conformation in the complex with thrombin. Localized structural differences in the N-terminal domain include that residues 1 to 3 of hirudin in the crystalline complex form a hydrogen-bonding network with thrombin that is reminiscent of a parallel beta-sheet. Moreover, the backbone conformation of residues 17 to 20 in the complex does not contain the characteristic hydrogen bond observed for the type II' reverse turn in the solution structure, and the side-chains of Ser19 and Val21 have significantly different orientations in the two structures. Most of these structural changes can be related directly to thrombin-hirudin contacts, which may also be an important factor in the mechanism of hirudin action. In this context, it is of special interest that other residues that also make numerous contacts with thrombin, e.g. Thr4, Asp5 and Asn20, have identical conformations in free hirudin and in the complex.

Hirudins↗

Refined 2.3 A X-ray crystal structure of bovine thrombin complexes formed with the benzamidine and arginine-based thrombin inhibitors NAPAP, 4-TAPAP and MQPA. A starting point for improving antithrombotics.

Well-diffracting crystals of bovine epsilon-thrombin in complex with several "non-peptidic" benzamidine and arginine-based thrombin inhibitors have been obtained by co-crystallization. The 2.3 A crystal structures of three complexes formed either with NAPAP, 4-TAPAP, or MQPA, were solved by Patterson search methods and refined to crystallographic R-values of 0.167 to 0.178. The active-site environment of thrombin is only slightly affected by binding of the different inhibitors; in particular, the exposed "60-insertion loop" essentially maintains its typical projecting structure. The D-stereoisomer of NAPAP and the L-stereoisomer of MQPA bind to thrombin with very similar conformations, as previously inferred from their binding to bovine trypsin; the arginine side-chain of the latter inserts into the specificity pocket in a "non-canonical" manner. The L-stereoisomer of 4-TAPAP, whose binding geometry towards trypsin was only poorly defined, is bound to the thrombin active-site in a compact conformation. In contrast to NAPAP, the distal p-amidino/guanidino groups of 4-TAPAP and MQPA do not interact with the carboxylate group of Asp189 in the thrombin specificity pocket in a "symmetrical" twin N-twin O manner, but through "lateral" single N-twin O contacts; in contrast to the p-amidino group of 4-TAPAP, however, the guanidyl group of MQPA packs favourably in the pocket due to an elaborate hydrogen bond network, which includes two entrapped water molecules. These thrombin structures confirm previous conclusions of the important role of the intermolecular hydrogen bonds formed with Gly216, and of the good sterical fit of the terminal bulky hydrophobic inhibitor groups with the hydrophobic aryl binding site and the S2-cavity, respectively, for tight thrombin active site binding of these non-peptidic inhibitors. These accurate crystal structures are presumed to be excellent starting points for the design and the elaboration of improved antithrombotics.

Amidines↗

Crystal structure of cleaved equine leucocyte elastase inhibitor determined at 1.95 A resolution.

The crystal structure of active-site cleaved equine leucocyte elastase inhibitor, a member of the serpin superfamily, has been solved and refined to a crystallographic R-factor of 17.6% at 1.95 A resolution. Despite being an intracellular inhibitor with rather low sequence homology of 30% to human alpha 1-antichymotrypsin and alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor, the three-dimensional structures are very similar, with deviations only at the sites of insertions and few mobile secondary structure elements. The better resolution in comparison with the structures of other cleaved serpins allows a more precise description of the so-called R-state of the serpins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Structure of astacin and implications for activation of astacins and zinc-ligation of collagenases.

Astacin, a digestive zinc-endopeptidase from the crayfish Astacus astacus L., is the prototype for the 'astacin family', which includes mammalian metallo-endopeptidases and developmentally regulated proteins of man, fruitfly, frog and sea urchin. Here we report the X-ray crystal structure of astacin, which reveals a deep active-site cleft, with the zinc at its bottom ligated by three histidines, a water molecule and a more remote tyrosine. The third histidine (His 102) forms part of a consensus sequence, shared not only by the members of the astacin family, but also by otherwise sequentially unrelated proteinases, such as vertebrate collagenases. It may therefore represent the elusive 'third' zinc ligand in these enzymes. The amino terminus of astacin is buried forming an internal salt-bridge with Glu 103, adjacent to His 102. Astacin pro-forms extended at the N terminus, as observed for some 'latent' mammalian astacin homologues, did not exhibit this 'active' conformation, indicating an activation mechanism reminiscent of trypsin-like serine proteinases.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The interaction of thrombin with fibrinogen. A structural basis for its specificity.

The structure of the ternary complex of human alpha-thrombin with a covalently bound analogue of fibrinopeptide A and a C-terminal hirudin peptide has been determined by X-ray diffraction methods at 0.25 nm resolution. Fibrinopeptide A folds in a compact manner, bringing together hydrophobic residues that slot into the apolar binding site of human alpha-thrombin. Fibrinogen residue Phe8 occupies the aryl-binding site of thrombin, adjacent to fibrinogen residues Leu9 and Val15 in the S2 subsite. The species diversity of fibrinopeptide A is analysed with respect to its conformation and its interaction with thrombin. The non-covalently attached peptide fragment hirudin(54-65) exhibits an identical conformation to that observed in the hirudin-thrombin complex. The occupancy of the secondary fibrinogen-recognition exosite by this peptide imposes restrictions on the manner of fibrinogen binding. The surface topology of the thrombin molecule indicates positions P1'-P3', differ from those of the canonical serine-proteinase inhibitors, suggesting a mechanical model for the switching of thrombin activity from fibrinogen cleavage to protein-C activation on thrombomodulin complex formation. The multiple interactions between thrombin and fibrinogen provide an explanation for the narrow specificity of thrombin. Structural grounds can be put forward for certain congenital clotting disorders.

Amino Acid Sequence↗