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Endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD) is a protein quality control pathway of fundamental importance to cellular homeostasis. Although multiple ERAD pathways exist for targeting topologically distinct substrates, all pathways require substrate ubiquitination. Here, we characterize a key role for the UBE2G2 Binding Region (G2BR) of the ERAD accessory protein ancient ubiquitous protein 1 (AUP1) in ERAD pathways. This 27-amino acid (aa) region of AUP1 binds with high specificity and low nanomolar affinity to the backside of the ERAD ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme (E2) UBE2G2. The structure of the AUP1 G2BR (G2BRAUP1) in complex with UBE2G2 reveals an interface that includes a network of salt bridges, hydrogen bonds, and hydrophobic interactions essential for AUP1 function in cells. The G2BRAUP1 shares significant structural conservation with the G2BR found in the E3 ubiquitin ligase gp78 and in vitro can similarly allosterically activate ubiquitination in conjunction with ERAD E3s. In cells, AUP1 is uniquely required to maintain normal levels of UBE2G2; this is due to G2BRAUP1 binding to the E2 and preventing its rapid degradation. In addition, the G2BRAUP1 is required for both ER membrane recruitment of UBE2G2 and for its activation at the ER membrane. Thus, by binding to the backside of a critical ERAD E2, G2BRAUP1 plays multiple critical roles in ERAD., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Dietary isothiocyanates abundant as glucosinolate precursors in many edible cruciferous vegetables are effective for prevention of cancer in chemically-induced and transgenic rodent models. Some of these agents, including phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), have already advanced to clinical investigations. The primary route of isothiocyanate metabolism is its conjugation with glutathione (GSH), a reaction catalyzed by glutathione S-transferase (GST). The pi class GST of subunit type 1 (hGSTP1) is much more effective than the alpha class GST of subunit type 1 (hGSTA1) in catalyzing the conjugation. Here, we report the crystal structures of hGSTP1 and hGSTA1 each in complex with the GSH adduct of PEITC. We find that PEITC also covalently modifies the cysteine side chains of GST, which irreversibly inhibits enzymatic activity., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. The affiliation of MAD with Leidos Biomedical Research Inc. does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

Aim: To determine if mir-30d inhibits the autophagy response to Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) invasion and increases H. pylori intracellular survival., Methods: The expression of mir-30d was detected by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and autophagy level was examined by transmission electron microscopy, western blot, and GFP-LC3 puncta assay in human AGS cells and GES-1 cells. Luciferase reporter assay was applied to confirm the specificity of mir-30d regulation on the expression of several core molecules involved in autophagy pathway. The expression of multiple core proteins were analyzed at both the mRNA and protein level, and the intracellular survival of H. pylori after different treatments was detected by gentamicin protection assay., Results: Autophagy level was increased in AGS and GES-1 cells in response to H. pylori infection, which was accompanied by upregulation of mir-30d expression (P < 0.05, vs no H. pylori infection). In the two gastric epithelial cell lines, mimic mir-30d was found to repress the autophagy process, whereas mir-30d inhibitor increased autophagy response to H. pylori invasion. mir-30d mimic decreased the luciferase activity of wild type reporter plasmids carrying the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of all five tested genes (ATG2B, ATG5, ATG12, BECN1, and BNIP3L), whereas it had no effect on the mutant reporter plasmids. These five genes are core genes of autophagy pathway, and their expression was reduced significantly after mir-30d mimic transfection (P < 0.05, vs control cells without mir-30d mimic treatment). Mir-30d mimic transfection and direct inhibition of autophagy increased the intracellular survival of H. pylori in AGS cells., Conclusion: Mir-30d increases intracellular survival of H. pylori in gastric epithelial cells through inhibition of multiple core proteins in the autophagy pathway.

RING proteins constitute the largest class of E3 ubiquitin ligases. Unlike most RINGs, AO7 (RNF25) binds the E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme, UbcH5B (UBE2D2), with strikingly high affinity. We have defined, by co-crystallization, the distinctive means by which AO7 binds UbcH5B. AO7 contains a structurally unique UbcH5B binding region (U5BR) that is connected by an 11-amino acid linker to its RING domain, forming a clamp surrounding the E2. The U5BR interacts extensively with a region of UbcH5B that is distinct from both the active site and the RING-interacting region, referred to as the backside of the E2. An apparent paradox is that the high-affinity binding of the AO7 clamp to UbcH5B, which is dependent on the U5BR, decreases the rate of ubiquitination. We establish that this is a consequence of blocking the stimulatory, non-covalent, binding of ubiquitin to the backside of UbcH5B. Interestingly, when non-covalent backside ubiquitin binding cannot occur, the AO7 clamp now enhances the rate of ubiquitination. The high-affinity binding of the AO7 clamp to UbcH5B has also allowed for the co-crystallization of previously described and functionally important RING mutants at the RING-E2 interface. We show that mutations having marked effects on function only minimally affect the intermolecular interactions between the AO7 RING and UbcH5B, establishing a high degree of complexity in activation through the RING-E2 interface., (© 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.)

Ribonuclease III (RNase III) enzymes are a family of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-specific endoribonucleases required for RNA maturation and gene regulation. Prokaryotic RNase III enzymes have been well characterized, but how eukaryotic RNase IIIs work is less clear. Here, we describe the structure of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae RNase III (Rnt1p) postcleavage complex and explain why Rnt1p binds to RNA stems capped with an NGNN tetraloop. The structure shows specific interactions between a structural motif located at the end of the Rnt1p dsRNA-binding domain (dsRBD) and the guanine nucleotide in the second position of the loop. Strikingly, structural and biochemical analyses indicate that the dsRBD and N-terminal domains (NTDs) of Rnt1p function as two rulers that measure the distance between the tetraloop and the cleavage site. These findings provide a framework for understanding eukaryotic RNase IIIs., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

RING finger proteins constitute the large majority of ubiquitin ligases (E3s) and function by interacting with ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes (E2s) charged with ubiquitin. How low-affinity RING-E2 interactions result in highly processive substrate ubiquitination is largely unknown. The RING E3, gp78, represents an excellent model to study this process. gp78 includes a high-affinity secondary binding region for its cognate E2, Ube2g2, the G2BR. The G2BR allosterically enhances RING:Ube2g2 binding and ubiquitination. Structural analysis of the RING:Ube2g2:G2BR complex reveals that a G2BR-induced conformational effect at the RING:Ube2g2 interface is necessary for enhanced binding of RING to Ube2g2 or Ube2g2 conjugated to Ub. This conformational effect and a key ternary interaction with conjugated ubiquitin are required for ubiquitin transfer. Moreover, RING:Ube2g2 binding induces a second allosteric effect, disrupting Ube2g2:G2BR contacts, decreasing affinity and facilitating E2 exchange. Thus, gp78 is a ubiquitination machine where multiple E2-binding sites coordinately facilitate processive ubiquitination.

Cue1p is an integral component of yeast endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-associated degradation (ERAD) ubiquitin ligase (E3) complexes. It tethers the ERAD ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme (E2), Ubc7p, to the ER and prevents its degradation, and also activates Ubc7p via unknown mechanisms. We have now determined the crystal structure of the Ubc7p-binding region (U7BR) of Cue1p with Ubc7p. The U7BR is a unique E2-binding domain that includes three α-helices that interact extensively with the "backside" of Ubc7p. Residues essential for E2 binding are also required for activation of Ubc7p and for ERAD. We establish that the U7BR stimulates both RING-independent and RING-dependent ubiquitin transfer from Ubc7p. Moreover, the U7BR enhances ubiquitin-activating enzyme (E1)-mediated charging of Ubc7p with ubiquitin. This demonstrates that an essential component of E3 complexes can simultaneously bind to E2 and enhance its loading with ubiquitin. These findings provide mechanistic insights into how ubiquitination can be stimulated., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

RNase III is a global regulator of gene expression in Escherichia coli that is instrumental in the maturation of ribosomal and other structural RNAs. We examine here how RNase III itself is regulated in response to growth and other environmental changes encountered by the cell and how, by binding or processing double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) intermediates, RNase III controls the expression of genes. Recent insight into the mechanism of dsRNA binding and processing, gained from structural studies of RNase III, is reviewed. Structural studies also reveal new cleavage sites in the enzyme that can generate longer 3' overhangs.

Klebsiella oxytoca is a pathogen that causes serious infections in hospital patients. It shows resistance to many clinically used β-lactam antibiotics by producing chromosomally encoded OXY-family β-lactamases. Here, the crystal structure of an OXY-family β-lactamase, OXY-1-1, determined at 1.93 Å resolution is reported. The structure shows that the OXY-1-1 β-lactamase has a typical class A β-lactamase fold and exhibits greater similarity to CTX-M-type β-lactamases than to TEM-family or SHV-family β-lactamases. It is also shown that the enzyme provides more space around the active cavity for the R(1) and R(2) substituents of β-lactam antibiotics. The half-positive/half-negative distribution of surface electrostatic potential in the substrate-binding pocket indicates the preferred properties of substrates or inhibitors of the enzyme. The results reported here provide a structural basis for the broadened substrate profile of the OXY-family β-lactamases.

6-Hydroxymethyl-7,8-dihydropterin pyrophosphokinase (HPPK), a key enzyme in the folate biosynthetic pathway, catalyzes the pyrophosphoryl transfer from ATP to 6-hydroxymethyl-7,8-dihydropterin. The enzyme is essential for microorganisms, is absent from humans, and is not the target for any existing antibiotics. Therefore, HPPK is an attractive target for developing novel antimicrobial agents. Previously, we characterized the reaction trajectory of HPPK-catalyzed pyrophosphoryl transfer and synthesized a series of bisubstrate analog inhibitors of the enzyme by linking 6-hydroxymethylpterin to adenosine through 2, 3, or 4 phosphate groups. Here, we report a new generation of bisubstrate analog inhibitors. To improve protein binding and linker properties of such inhibitors, we have replaced the pterin moiety with 7,7-dimethyl-7,8-dihydropterin and the phosphate bridge with a piperidine linked thioether. We have synthesized the new inhibitors, measured their K(d) and IC(50) values, determined their crystal structures in complex with HPPK, and established their structure-activity relationship. 6-Carboxylic acid ethyl ester-7,7-dimethyl-7,8-dihydropterin, a novel intermediate that we developed recently for easy derivatization at position 6 of 7,7-dimethyl-7,8-dihydropterin, offers a much high yield for the synthesis of bisubstrate analogs than that of previously established procedure., (Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The mitochondrial genome of kinetoplastids, including species of Trypanosoma and Leishmania, is an unprecedented DNA structure of catenated maxicircles and minicircles. Maxicircles represent the typical mitochondrial genome encoding components of the respiratory complexes and ribosomes. However, most mRNA sequences are cryptic, and their maturation requires a unique U insertion/deletion RNA editing. Minicircles encode hundreds of small guide RNAs (gRNAs) that partially anneal with unedited mRNAs and direct the extensive editing. Trypanosoma brucei gRNAs and mRNAs are transcribed as polycistronic precursors, which undergo processing preceding editing; however, the relevant nucleases are unknown. We report the identification and functional characterization of a close homolog of editing endonucleases, mRPN1 (mitochondrial RNA precursor-processing endonuclease 1), which is involved in gRNA biogenesis. Recombinant mRPN1 is a dimeric dsRNA-dependent endonuclease that requires Mg(2+), a critical catalytic carboxylate, and generates 2-nucleotide 3' overhangs. The cleavage specificity of mRPN1 is reminiscent of bacterial RNase III and thus is fundamentally distinct from editing endonucleases, which target a single scissile bond just 5' of short duplexes. An inducible knockdown of mRPN1 in T. brucei results in loss of gRNA and accumulation of precursor transcripts (pre-gRNAs), consistent with a role of mRPN1 in processing. mRPN1 stably associates with three proteins previously identified in relatively large complexes that do not contain mRPN1, and have been linked with multiple aspects of mitochondrial RNA metabolism. One protein, TbRGG2, directly binds mRPN1 and is thought to modulate gRNA utilization by editing complexes. The proposed participation of mRPN1 in processing of polycistronic RNA and its specific protein interactions in gRNA expression are discussed.

Cobalamin-independent methionine synthase (MetE) catalyzes the direct transfer of a methyl group from methyltetrahydrofolate to l-homocysteine to form methionine. Previous studies have shown that the MetE active site coordinates a zinc atom, which is thought to act as a Lewis acid and plays a role in the activation of thiol. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure studies and mutagenesis experiments identified the zinc-binding site in MetE from Escherichia coli. Further structural investigations of MetE from Thermotoga maritima lead to the proposition of two models: "induced fit" and "dynamic equilibrium", to account for the catalytic mechanisms of MetE. Here, we present crystal structures of oxidized and zinc-replete MetE from Streptococcus mutans at the physiological pH. The structures reveal that zinc is mobile in the active center and has the possibility to invert even in the absence of homocysteine. These structures provide evidence for the dynamic equilibrium model., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Glycinamide ribonucleotide transformylase (GART) catalyzes the transfer of a formyl group from formyl tetrahydrofolate (FTHF) to glycinamide ribonucleotide (GAR), which is an essential step in the de novo synthesis pathway of purines. In Bacillus subtilis, GART is encoded by the gene purN. In order to study the structure and function of B. subtilis GART, the purN gene was amplified, cloned into an expression vector and expressed in soluble form in Escherichia coli. The protein was purified to homogeneity and crystals suitable for X-ray data collection were obtained. These crystals diffracted to 2.5 A resolution and belonged to space group P3(1)21, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 95.5, c = 64.0 A.

C(4)-dicarboxylates are the major carbon and energy sources during the symbiotic growth of rhizobia. Responses to C(4)-dicarboxylates depend on typical two-component systems (TCS) consisting of a transmembrane sensor histidine kinase and a cytoplasmic response regulator. The DctB-DctD system is the first identified TCS for C(4)-dicarboxylates sensing. Direct ligand binding to the sensor domain of DctB is believed to be the first step of the sensing events. In this report, the water-soluble periplasmic sensor domain of Sinorhizobium meliloti DctB (DctBp) was studied, and three crystal structures were solved: the apo protein, a complex with C(4) succinate, and a complex with C(3) malonate. Different from the two structurally known CitA family of carboxylate sensor proteins CitA and DcuS, the structure of DctBp consists of two tandem Per-Arnt-Sim (PAS) domains and one N-terminal helical region. Only the membrane-distal PAS domain was found to bind the ligands, whereas the proximal PAS domain was empty. Comparison of DctB, CitA, and DcuS suggests a detailed stereochemistry of C(4)-dicarboxylates ligand perception. The structures of the different ligand binding states of DctBp also revealed a series of conformational changes initiated upon ligand binding and propagated to the N-terminal domain responsible for dimerization, providing insights into understanding the detailed mechanism of the signal transduction of TCS histidine kinases.

Glucosamine-6-phosphate (GlcN6P) N-acetyltransferase 1 (GNA1) is a key enzyme in the pathway toward biosynthesis of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine, an important donor substrate for N-linked glycosylation. GNA1 catalyzes the formation of N-acetylglucosamine-6-phosphate (GlcNAc6P) from acetyl-CoA (AcCoA) and the acceptor substrate GlcN6P. Here, we report crystal structures of human GNA1, including apo GNA1, the GNA1-GlcN6P complex and an E156A mutant. Our work showed that GlcN6P binds to GNA1 without the help of AcCoA binding. Structural analyses and mutagenesis studies have shed lights on the charge distribution in the GlcN6P binding pocket, and an important role for Glu156 in the substrate binding. Hence, these findings have broadened our knowledge of structural features required for the substrate affinity of GNA1.

Glucosamine 6-phosphate deaminase (NagB) catalyzes the conversion of d-glucosamine 6-phosphate (GlcN6P) to d-fructose 6-phosphate and ammonia. This reaction is the final step of N-acetylglucosamine utilization and decides its metabolic fate. The enzyme from Streptococcus mutans belongs to the monomeric subfamily of NagB. The crystal structure of the native SmuNagB (NagB from S. mutans) presented here, compared with the structures of its homologs BsuNagB (NagB from Bacillus subtilis) and EcoNagB (NagB from E. coli), implies a conformational change of the 'lid' motif in the activation of the monomeric NagB enzyme. We have also captured the enzyme-substrate intermediate complex of the NagB family at low pH, where a remarkable loss of the catalytic activity of SmuNagB was detected. The enzyme-substrate intermediate presents the initial step of the GlcN6P deaminase reaction. The structural evidence (1) supports the alpha-anomer of GlcN6P as the specific natural substrate of NagB; (2) displays the substrate-binding pocket at the active site; and (3) together with the site-directed mutagenesis studies, demonstrates the ring-opening mechanism of an Asn-His-Glu triad that performs the proton transfer from O1 to O5 to open the sugar ring.

2'-Deoxycytidylate deaminase [or deoxycytidine-5'-monophosphate (dCMP) deaminase, dCD] catalyzes the deamination of dCMP to deoxyuridine-5'-monophosphate to provide the main nucleotide substrate for thymidylate synthase, which is important in DNA synthesis. The activity of this homohexameric enzyme is allosterically regulated by deoxycytidine-5'-triphosphate (dCTP) as an activator and by deoxythymidine-5'-triphosphate as an inhibitor. In this article, we report the crystal structures of dCMP deaminase from Streptococcus mutans and its complex with dCTP and an intermediate analog at resolutions of 3.0 and 1.66 A. The protein forms a hexamer composed of subunits adopting a three-layer alpha/beta/alpha sandwich fold. The positive allosteric regulator dCTP mainly binds at the interface between two monomers in a molar ratio of 1:1 and rearranges the neighboring interaction networks. Structural comparisons and sequence alignments revealed that dCMP deaminase from Streptococcus mutans belongs to the cytidine deaminase superfamily, wherein the proteins exhibit a similar catalytic mechanism. In addition to the two conserved motifs involved in the binding of Zn(2+), a new conserved motif, (G(43)YNG(46)), related to the binding of dCTP was also identified. N-terminal Arg4, a key residue located between two monomers, binds strongly to the gamma phosphate group of dCTP. The regulation signal was transmitted by Arg4 from the allosteric site to the active site via modifications in the interactions at the interface where the substrate-binding pocket was involved and the relocations of Arg26, His65, Tyr120, and Arg121 to envelope the active site in order to stabilize substrate binding in the complex. Based on the enzyme-regulator complex structure observed in this study, we propose an allosteric mechanism for dCD regulation.

The N-acetylglutamate kinase from Streptococcus mutans was expressed in Escherichia coli in soluble form and purified to homogeneity. Crystals suitable for X-ray diffraction were obtained by hanging-drop vapor diffusion method and diffracted to 2.06 A. The crystal belonged to space group P2(1)2(1)2, with unit cell parameters a = 57.19 A, b =94.76 A, c =47.58 A. The gel filtration and initial phasing results showed that the enzyme exists as a monomer, which is different from previously reported N-acetylglutamate kinases.

SMU.573 from Streptococcus mutans is a structurally and functionally uncharacterized protein that was selected for structural biology studies. Native and SeMet-labelled proteins were expressed with an N-His tag in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) and purified by Ni2+-chelating and size-exclusion chromatography. Crystals of the SeMet-labelled protein were obtained by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method and a 2.5 A resolution diffraction data set was collected using an in-house chromium radiation source. The crystals belong to space group I4, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 96.53, c = 56.26 A, alpha = beta = gamma = 90 degrees.

The smu.961 gene encodes a putative protein of 183 residues in Streptococcus mutans, a major pathogen in human dental caries. The gene was cloned into expression vector pET28a and expressed in a substantial quantity in Escherichia coli strain BL21 (DE3) with a His tag at its N-terminus. The recombinant protein SMU.961 was purified to homogeneity in a two-step procedure consisting of Ni2+-chelating and size-exclusion chromatography. Crystals suitable for X-ray diffraction were obtained by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method and diffracted to 2.9 A resolution at beamline I911-3, MAX-II-lab, Sweden. The crystal belonged to space group C2, with unit-cell parameters a = 98.62, b = 73.73, c = 184.73 A, beta = 98.82 degrees.

The SMU.636 protein from Streptococcus mutans is a putative glucosamine 6-phosphate deaminase with 233 residues. The smu.636 gene was PCR-amplified from S. mutans genomic DNA and cloned into the expression vector pET-28a(+). The resultant His-tagged fusion protein was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity in two steps. Crystals of the fusion protein were obtained by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method. The crystals diffracted to 2.4 A resolution and belong to space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 53.83, b = 82.13, c = 134.70 A.

D-Alanine-D-alanine ligase is encoded by the gene ddl (SMU&#95;599) in Streptococcus mutans. This ligase plays a very important role in cell-wall biosynthesis and may be a potential target for drug design. To study the structure and function of this ligase, the gene ddl was amplified from S. mutans genomic DNA and cloned into the expression vector pET28a. The protein was expressed in soluble form in Escherichia coli strain BL21 (DE3). Homogeneous protein was obtained using a two-step procedure consisting of Ni2+-chelating and size-exclusion chromatography. Purified protein was crystallized and the cube-shaped crystal diffracted to 2.4 A. The crystal belongs to space group P3(1)21 or P3(2)21, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 79.50, c = 108.97 A. There is one molecule per asymmetric unit.

The smu.134 gene encodes a putative transcriptional regulator of 217 residues in Streptococcus mutans, a major pathogen for human dental caries. The gene was cloned into expression vector pET28alpha and expressed in soluble form in E. coli strain BL21 (DE3) with a His tag at its N-terminus. The recombinant protein SMU.134 was purified to homogeneity in a two step procedure of Ni(2+ ) chelating and size exclusion chromatography. Crystals suitable for X-ray diffraction were obtained by hanging-drop vapor diffusion method and diffracted to 2.6 A;. The crystal belonged to space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with unit-cell parameters a=55.03 A, b=80.84 A, c=107.96 A.

WRKY proteins, defined by the conserved WRKYGQK sequence, are comprised of a large superfamily of transcription factors identified specifically from the plant kingdom. This superfamily plays important roles in plant disease resistance, abiotic stress, senescence as well as in some developmental processes. In this study, the Arabidopsis WRKY1 was shown to be involved in the salicylic acid signaling pathway and partially dependent on NPR1; a C-terminal domain of WRKY1, AtWRKY1-C, was constructed for structural studies. Previous investigations showed that DNA binding of the WRKY proteins was localized at the WRKY domains and these domains may define novel zinc-binding motifs. The crystal structure of the AtWRKY1-C determined at 1.6 A resolution has revealed that this domain is composed of a globular structure with five beta strands, forming an antiparallel beta-sheet. A novel zinc-binding site is situated at one end of the beta-sheet, between strands beta4 and beta5. Based on this high-resolution crystal structure and site-directed mutagenesis, we have defined and confirmed that the DNA-binding residues of AtWRKY1-C are located at beta2 and beta3 strands. These results provided us with structural information to understand the mechanism of transcriptional control and signal transduction events of the WRKY proteins.

The thrC gene of Streptococcus mutans encodes threonine synthase, which is a potential target for drug design. To study the structure and function of the enzyme, the thrC gene was amplified from Streptococcus mutans genomic DNA and cloned into the expression vector pET28alpha. The protein was expressed in Escherichia coli in soluble form and purified to homogeneity. Crystals suitable for X-ray diffraction were obtained by hanging-drop vapor diffusion method. The crystal diffracted to 2.5 A and belonged to space group P3(1) or P3(2), with unit cell parameters a=b=60.39 A, c=118.62 A.

Imidazolonepropionase (EC 3.5.2.7) catalyzes the third step in the universal histidine degradation pathway, hydrolyzing the carbon-nitrogen bonds in 4-imidazolone-5-propionic acid to yield N-formimino-l-glutamic acid. Here we report the crystal structures of the Bacillus subtilis imidazolonepropionase and its complex at 2.0-A resolution with substrate analog imidazole-4-acetic acid sodium (I4AA). The structure of the native enzyme contains two domains, a TIM (triose-phosphate isomerase) barrel domain with two insertions and a small beta-sandwich domain. The TIM barrel domain is quite similar to the members of the alpha/beta barrel metallo-dependent hydrolase superfamily, especially to Escherichia coli cytosine deaminase. A metal ion was found in the central cavity of the TIM barrel and was tightly coordinated to residues His-80, His-82, His-249, Asp-324, and a water molecule. X-ray fluorescence scan analysis confirmed that the bound metal ion was a zinc ion. An acetate ion, 6 A away from the zinc ion, was also found in the potential active site. In the complex structure with I4AA, a substrate analog, I4AA replaced the acetate ion and contacted with Arg-89, Try-102, Tyr-152, His-185, and Glu-252, further defining and confirming the active site. The detailed structural studies allowed us to propose a zinc-activated nucleophilic attack mechanism for the hydrolysis reaction catalyzed by the enzyme.

Glucosamine-6-phosphate N-acetyltransferase from human liver, which catalyzes the transfer of an acetyl group from acetyl coenzyme A (AcCoA) to the primary amine of D-glucosamine 6-phosphate to form N-acetyl-D-glucosamine 6-phosphate, was expressed in a soluble form from Escherichia coli strain BL21 (DE3). The protein was purified to homogeneity using Ni(2+)-chelating chromatography followed by size-exclusion chromatography. Crystals of the protein were obtained by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method and diffracted to 2.6 A resolution. The crystals belonged to space group P4(1)2(1)2 or P4(3)2(1)2, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 50.08, c = 142.88 A.

Bacillus subtilis YtlP is a protein that is predicted to belong to the bacterial and archael 2'-5' RNA-ligase family. It contains 183 residues and two copies of the HXTX sequence motif conserved among proteins belonging to this family. In order to determine the structure of YtlP and to compare it with the paralogue YjcG and identified 2'-5' RNA ligases, the gene ytlP was amplified from B. subtilis genomic DNA and cloned into expression vector pET-21a. The soluble protein was produced in Escherichia coli, purified to homogeneity and crystals suitable for X-ray analysis were obtained. The crystal diffracted to 2.0 A and belonged to space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 34.16, b = 48.54, c = 105.75 A.

The Streptococcus mutans metE gene encodes methionine synthase (MetE), which catalyzes the direct transfer of a methyl group from methyltetrahydrofolate to homocysteine in the last step of methionine synthesis. metE was cloned into pET28a and the gene product was expressed at high levels in the Escherichia coli strain BL21 (DE3). MetE was purified to homogeneity using Ni(2+)-chelating chromatography followed by size-exclusion chromatography. Crystals of the protein were obtained by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method and diffracted to 2.2 A resolution. The crystal belongs to space group P2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 52.85, b = 99.48, c = 77.88 A, beta = 94.55 degrees .

Sinorhizobium meliloti DctBD is a well-characterized two-component system. It is believed that DctB senses the concentration of C4-dicarboxylate compounds on the outside of the bacterium and phosphorylates DctD, which in turn activates transcription of the dctA gene, coding for a gene of C4-dicarboxylate permease. The structure and function of the ligand-binding domain of DctB has not been thoroughly investigated. In this study, this domain was produced in E. coli in soluble form, and purified to homogeneity. Crystals were obtained by hanging-drop vapor-diffusion method. The crystals diffracted to 2.3 A resolution and belonged to P42 space group with unit cell dimensions of a = b = 71.77 A, c = 227.14 A. The asymmetric unit contains four molecules with a corresponding VM of 2.4 A3 Da(-1) and a solvent content of 49.1%.

The gene smu.1475c encodes a putative protein of 211 residues in Streptococcus mutans, a primary pathogen for human dental caries. In this work, smu.1475c was cloned into pET28a and expressed in good amount from the E. coli strain BL21 (DE3). Smu.1475c protein was purified to homogeneity in a two-step procedure of Ni2+ chelating and size exclusion chromatography. Crystals were obtained by hanging-drop vapor-diffusion method and diffracted to 2.7 angstroms resolution. The crystal belongs to orthorhombic space group P2(1)2(1)2(1) with cell dimension of a = 68.3 angstroms, b = 105.9 angstroms, c = 136.2 angstroms. The asymmetric unit is expected to contain four molecules with solvent content of 49.4%.

Imidazolonepropionase (EC 3.5.2.7) is the third enzyme of the histidine degradation pathway that has been conserved from bacteria to eukaryotes. The enzyme is the only one with unknown three-dimensional structure in this pathway. In this work, Bacillus subtilis imidazolonepropionase (HutI) was expressed in E. coli and purified to homogeneity. After thrombin digestion, high quality crystals were obtained by hanging-drop vapor diffusion method. The best crystal diffracted to 2.0 A and belonged to the space group P2(1) with unit-cell parameters a = 57.73 A, b = 106.34 A, c = 66.47 A, beta = 89.93 degrees .

Smu.1392c is a protein with 158 residues of uncharacterized function. Bioinformatics studies predict it is a putative acetyltransferase. In order to identify its exact function via structural studies, Smu.1392c gene was amplified from Streptococcus mutans genomic DNA and cloned into expression vector PET28a. Smu.1392c was crystallized and diffracted to a resolution of 3 A in-house. The crystal belongs to R32 space group, with unit cell parameters a=b=229.10, c=63.49 A. There are 2 or 3 molecules in the asymmetric unit.

B. subtilis YjbK is a protein with 190 residues of uncharacterized function, it has been annotated by Pfam database as a member of adenylate cyclase family (EC: 4.6.1.1). In order to identify its exact function via structural studies, yjbK gene was amplified from B. subtilis genomic DNA and cloned into expression vector pET21-DEST. The protein was expressed in a soluble form in E. coli and purified to homogeneity. YjbK was crystallized and diffracted to a resolution of 2.0 A in-house. The crystals belong to P1 space group, with unit cell parameters a = 32.38 A, b = 34.69 A, c = 46.02 A, alpha = 96.560 degrees, beta = 99.683 degrees, gamma = 111.333 degrees. There is one molecule per asymmetric unit.

B. subtilis dihydroorotase is an important enzyme in de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis pathway and encoded by pyrC gene in pyr operon. pyrC was amplified from B. subtilis genomic DNA and cloned into expression vector pET21-DEST. Dihydroorotase was expressed soluble form in E. coli and purified. The protein was crystallized and diffracted to 2.2 A. The crystal belongs to P2(1)2(1)2(1) space-group, with unit cell parameters a = 48.864 A, b = 84.99 A, c = 203.05 A. There are 2 molecules per asymmetry unit.

The C-terminal WRKY domain of Arabidopsis thaliana WRKY1 protein, a transcription factor, was cloned and expressed. The expressed protein was then purified and crystallized. The preliminary X-ray analysis was undertaken. The crystal diffracted to 2.50 A resolution in-house and belongs to space group P2(1) with unit-cell parameters a=64.10 A, b=34.88 A, c=114.72 A, beta=90.49 degrees .

Cystatins are natural inhibitors of papain-like (family C1) and legumain-related (family C13) cysteine peptidases. Cystatin D is a type 2 cystatin, a secreted inhibitor found in human saliva and tear fluid. Compared with its homologues, cystatin D presents an unusual inhibition profile with a preferential inhibition cathepsin S > cathepsin H > cathepsin L and no inhibition of cathepsin B or pig legumain. To elucidate the structural reasons for this specificity, we have crystallized recombinant human Arg(26)-cystatin D and solved its structures at room temperature and at cryo conditions to 2.5- and 1.8-A resolution, respectively. Human cystatin D presents the typical cystatin fold, with a five-stranded anti-parallel beta-sheet wrapped around a five-turn alpha-helix. The structures reveal differences in the peptidase-interacting regions when compared with other cystatins, providing plausible explanations for the restricted inhibitory specificity of cystatin D for some papain-like peptidases and its lack of reactivity toward legumain-related enzymes.

Bacillus subtilis YjcG is a functionally uncharacterized protein with 171 residues that has no structural homologue in the Protein Data Bank. However, it shows sequence homology to bacterial and archaeal 2'-5' RNA ligases. In order to identify its exact function via structural studies, the yjcG gene was amplified from B. subtilis genomic DNA and cloned into the expression vector pET21-DEST. The protein was expressed in a soluble form in Escherichia coli and was purified to homogeneity. Crystals suitable for X-ray analysis were obtained that diffracted to 2.3 A and belonged to space group C2, with unit-cell parameters a = 99.66, b = 73.93, c = 61.77 A, beta = 113.56 degrees.

OXY-1a is an extended-spectrum beta-lactamase from the conditional pathogenic bacterium Klebsiella oxytoca. OXY-1a is responsible for the antibiotic resistance of this pathogen. A soluble form of OXY-1a with a His tag at its C-terminus was overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant protein was purified and crystallized at room temperature using PEG 4000 as the main precipitant. Two crystal forms were obtained from the same growth conditions. One was orthorhombic, with crystals that diffracted to better than 1.9 A, while the other was tetragonal, with crystals that only diffracted to about 3.0 A. Complete data sets were collected from both crystal forms. The orthorhombic crystal belongs to space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 46.54, b = 73.43, c = 84.56 A, while the tetragonal crystal has unit-cell parameters a = b = 73.72, c = 96.81 A. The asymmetric unit of the orthorhombic crystal is estimated to contain one OXY-1a molecule, giving a crystal volume per protein weight (V(M)) of 2.25 A(3) Da(-1) and a solvent content of 45%.

54 human genes were selected as test targets for parallel cloning, expression, purification and crystallization. Proteins from these genes were selected to have a molecular weight of between 14 and 50 kDa, not to have a high percentage of hydrophobic residues (i.e. more likely to be soluble) and to have no known crystal structures and were not known to be subunits of heterocomplexes. Four proteins containing transmembrane regions were selected for comparative tests. To date, 44 expression clones have been constructed with the Gateway cloning system (Invitrogen, The Netherlands). Of these, 35 clones were expressed as recombinant proteins in Escherichia coli strain BL21 (DE3)-pLysS, of which 12 were soluble and four have been purified to homogeneity. Crystallization conditions were screened for the purified proteins in 96-well plates under oil. After further refinement with the same device or by the hanging-drop method, crystals were grown, with needle, plate and prism shapes. A 2.12 A data set was collected for protein NCC27. The results provide insights into the high-throughput target selection, cloning, expression and crystallization of human genomic proteins.