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Microsomal glutathione transferase 1 (MGST1) is a detoxification enzyme belonging to the Membrane Associated Proteins in Eicosanoid and Glutathione Metabolism (MAPEG) superfamily. Here we have used electron crystallography of two-dimensional crystals in order to determine an atomic model of rat MGST1 in a lipid environment. The model comprises 123 of the 155 amino acid residues, two structured phospholipid molecules, two aliphatic chains and one glutathione (GSH) molecule. The functional unit is a homotrimer centered on the crystallographic three-fold axes of the unit cell. The GSH substrate binds in an extended conformation at the interface between two subunits of the trimer supported by new in vitro mutagenesis data. Mutation of Arginine 130 to alanine resulted in complete loss of activity consistent with a role for Arginine 130 in stabilizing the strongly nucleophilic GSH thiolate required for catalysis. Based on the new model and an electron diffraction data set from crystals soaked with trinitrobenzene, that forms a dead-end Meisenheimer complex with GSH, a difference map was calculated. The map reveals side chain movements opening a cavity that defines the second substrate site., QC 20170929

Microsomal glutathione transferase 1 (MGST1) is a detoxification enzyme belonging to the Membrane Associated Proteins in Eicosanoid and Glutathione Metabolism (MAPEG) superfamily. Here we have used electron crystallography of two-dimensional (2D) crystals in order to determine an atomic model of rat MGST1 in a lipid environment. The 2D crystals were of the p6 two-sided plane group symmetry. For the refinement, information to 3.5 Å resolution from 225 electron diffraction patterns recorded from specimens at tilt angles up to 66° was used. The model comprises 123 of the 155 amino acid residues, two structured phospholipid molecules, two hydrocarbon chains, and one glutathione (GSH) molecule. Interactions between subunits form trimers centered on the crystallographic three-fold axes of the unit cell. The GSH substrate binds in an extended conformation at the interface between two subunits of the trimer. The location of GSH is supported by mutagenesis data in vitro., QS 2015