Crystal structure of a transcriptional regulator TM1030 from Thermotoga maritima solved by an unusual MAD experiment

Deciphering the unique cellulose degradation mechanism of the ruminal bacterium Fibrobacter succinogenes S85

Fibrobacter succinogenes S85, isolated from the rumen of herbivores, is capable of robust lignocellulose degradation. However, the mechanism by which it achieves this is not fully elucidated. In this study, we have undertaken the most comprehensive quantitative proteomic analysis, to date, of the changes in the cell envelope protein profile of F. succinogenes S85 in response to growth on cellulose. Our results indicate that the cell envelope proteome undergoes extensive rearrangements to accommodate the cellulolytic degradation machinery, as well as associated proteins involved in adhesion to cellulose and transport and metabolism of cellulolytic products. Molecular features of the lignocellulolytic enzymes suggest that the Type IX secretion system is involved in the translocation of these enzymes to the cell envelope. Finally, we demonstrate, for the first time, that cyclic-di-GMP may play a role in mediating catabolite repression, thereby facilitating the expression of proteins involved in the adhesion to lignocellulose and subsequent lignocellulose degradation and utilisation. Understanding the fundamental aspects of lignocellulose degradation in F. succinogenes will aid the development of advanced lignocellulosic biofuels.

Crystal structure of a putative transcriptional regulator SCO0520 from Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) reveals an unusual dimer among TetR family proteins

A structure of the apo-form of the putative transcriptional regulator SCO0520 from Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) was determined at 1.8 Å resolution. SCO0520 belongs to the TetR family of regulators. In the crystal lattice, the asymmetric unit contains two monomers that form an Ω-shaped dimer. The distance between the two DNA-recognition domains is much longer than the corresponding distances in the known structures of other TetR family proteins. In addition, the subunits in the dimer have different conformational states, resulting in different relative positions of the DNA-binding and regulatory domains. Similar conformational modifications are observed in other TetR regulators and result from ligand binding. These studies provide information about the flexibility of SCO0520 molecule and its putative biological function.

Phenylalanine induces Burkholderia cenocepacia phenylacetic acid catabolism through degradation to phenylacetyl-CoA in synthetic cystic fibrosis sputum medium

Synthetic cystic fibrosis sputum medium (SCFM) is rich in amino acids and supports robust growth of Burkholderia cenocepacia, a member of the Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc). Previous work demonstrated that B. cenocepacia phenylacetic acid (PA) catabolic genes are up-regulated during growth in SCFM and are required for full virulence in a Caenorhabditis elegans host model. In this work, we investigated the role of phenylalanine, one of the aromatic amino acids present in SCFM, as an inducer of the PA catabolic pathway. Phenylalanine degradation intermediates were used as sole carbon sources for growth and gene reporter experiments. In addition to phenylalanine and PA, phenylethylamine, phenylpyruvate, and 2-phenylacetamide were usable as sole carbon sources by wild type B. cenocepacia K56-2, but not by a PA catabolism-defective mutant. EMSA analysis showed that the binding of PaaR, the negative regulator protein of B. cenocepacia PA catabolism, to PA regulatory DNA could only be relieved by phenylacetyl-Coenzyme A (PA-CoA), but not by any of the putative phenylalanine degradation intermediates. Taken together, our results show that in B. cenocepacia, phenylalanine is catabolized to PA and induces PA catabolism through PA activation to PA-CoA. Thus, PaaR shares the same inducer with PaaX, the regulator of PA catabolism in Escherichia coli, despite belonging to a different protein family.

The structure of Jann_2411 (DUF1470) from Jannaschia sp. at 1.45 Å resolution reveals a new fold (the ABATE domain) and suggests its possible role as a transcription regulator

The crystal structure of Jann_2411 from Jannaschia sp. strain CCS1, a member of the Pfam PF07336 family classified as a domain of unknown function (DUF1470), was solved to a resolution of 1.45 Å by multiple-wavelength anomalous dispersion (MAD). This protein is the first structural representative of the DUF1470 Pfam family. Structural analysis revealed a two-domain organization, with the N-terminal domain presenting a new fold called the ABATE domain that may bind an as yet unknown ligand. The C-terminal domain forms a treble-clef zinc finger that is likely to be involved in DNA binding. Analysis of the Jann_2411 protein and the broader ABATE-domain family suggests a role as stress-induced transcriptional regulators.

To automate or not to automate: this is the question

New protocols and instrumentation significantly boost the outcome of structural biology, which has resulted in significant growth in the number of deposited Protein Data Bank structures. However, even an enormous increase of the productivity of a single step of the structure determination process may not significantly shorten the time between clone and deposition or publication. For example, in a medium size laboratory equipped with the LabDB and HKL-3000 systems, we show that automation of some (and integration of all) steps of the X-ray structure determination pathway is critical for laboratory productivity. Moreover, we show that the lag period after which the impact of a technology change is observed is longer than expected.

'Hot' macromolecular crystals

Transcriptional regulator protein TM1030 from the hyperthermophile Thermotoga maritima, as well as its complex with DNA, was crystallized at a wide range of temperatures. Crystallization plates were incubated at 4, 20, 37 and 50° C over 3 weeks. The best crystals of TM1030 in complex with DNA were obtained at 4, 20 and 37° C, while TM1030 alone crystallized almost equally well in all temperatures. The crystals grown at different temperatures were used for X-ray diffraction experiments and their structures were compared. Surprisingly, the models of TM1030 obtained from crystals grown at different temperatures are similar in quality. While there are some examples of structures of proteins grown at elevated temperatures in the PDB, these temperatures appear to be underrepresented. Our studies show that crystals of some proteins may be grown and are stable at broad range of temperatures. We suggest that crystallization experiments at elevated temperatures could be used as a standard part of the crystallization protocol.

Benefits of structural genomics for drug discovery research

While three dimensional structures have long been used to search for new drug targets, only a fraction of new drugs coming to the market has been developed with the use of a structure-based drug discovery approach. However, the recent years have brought not only an avalanche of new macromolecular structures, but also significant advances in the protein structure determination methodology only now making their way into structure-based drug discovery. In this paper, we review recent developments resulting from the Structural Genomics (SG) programs, focusing on the methods and results most likely to improve our understanding of the molecular foundation of human diseases. SG programs have been around for almost a decade, and in that time, have contributed a significant part of the structural coverage of both the genomes of pathogens causing infectious diseases and structurally uncharacterized biological processes in general. Perhaps most importantly, SG programs have developed new methodology at all steps of the structure determination process, not only to determine new structures highly efficiently, but also to screen protein/ligand interactions. We describe the methodologies, experience and technologies developed by SG, which range from improvements to cloning protocols to improved procedures for crystallographic structure solution that may be applied in "traditional" structural biology laboratories particularly those performing drug discovery. We also discuss the conditions that must be met to convert the present high-throughput structure determination pipeline into a high-output structure-based drug discovery system.

Determination of protein structures--a series of fortunate events

Determination of a macromolecular structure using x-ray diffraction is a multistep process that involves a plethora of techniques involving molecular biology, bioinformatics, and physical sciences. Counterintuitively, the success of any or all individual steps does not guarantee the success of the overall process. This review examines the difficulties presented by each step on the path from a gene to the final publication, together with certain lucky (or unlucky) circumstances that can affect the velocity along that path.