Applying knowledge of protein structure and function

PROBIT: a statistical approach to modeling proteins from partial coordinate data using substructure libraries

A program (PROBIT) has been developed that allows the reconstruction of a complete set of three-dimensional protein coordinates from alpha-carbon coordinates. The program generates a statistical measure of polypeptide conformational behavior for substructures in a defined structural context from a library of highly refined protein structures. These statistics provide a prescription for substructure substitution from the database to allow regeneration of the complete protein structure.

Expression, purification, and crystallization of the HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT)

The HIV-1 pol gene proteins (protease, reverse transcriptase, and endonuclease) were expressed in Escherichia coli N4830-1 by the use of the inducible expression vector pWS60 into which the pol gene was inserted. The p66/p51 heterodimer of reverse transcriptase (RT) was isolated in a highly pure and active form. Crystals of the p66/p51 heterodimer were obtained by the vapor diffusion hanging drop technique. The present crystal quality is still not adequate for high resolution X-ray investigation.