issue contents

Journal logoSTRUCTURAL
BIOLOGY
ISSN: 2059-7983

March 2009 issue

Highlighted illustration

Cover illustration: GlmU is the bifunctional acetyltransferase/uridyltransferase that catalyses the conversion of GlcN-1-P to UDP-GlcNAc, a key substrate in lipopolysaccharide and peptidoglycan synthesis. The cover figure shows the bio­logical trimer of the M. tuberculosis enzyme, an important drug target, complexed with the product UDP-GlcNAc (top: uridyltransferase active site) and with cacodylate anion (middle: on the crystallographic threefold axis). The acetyl-coA cofactor has been modelled in the acetyltransferase active site (bottom) (p. 275).

research papers


link to html
The structures of the two alternatively spliced isoforms of human ketohexokinase, hepatic KHK-C and peripheral KHK-A, and of the ternary complex of KHK-A with the substrate fructose and AMP-PNP have been solved. The differences between KHK-A and KHK-C resulting from the spliced region are subtle and affect thermostability and probably flexibility; the mutations causing fructosuria were modelled.

link to html
The structure of the DUF55 domain of human thymocyte nuclear protein 1, which was determined from partially tetartohedrally twinned crystals, is reported.

link to html
The structure of the lysosomal 66.3 kDa protein, which crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2, was solved by means of sulfur SAD phasing using data with an Ranom/Rp.i.m. ratio of 1.1.


link to html
The crystal structures of DAPK–ADP–Mg2+ and DAPK–AMP-PNP–Mg2+ complexes were determined at 1.85 and 2.00 Å resolution, respectively. Comparison of the two nucleotide-bound states with apo DAPK revealed localized changes in the glycine-rich loop region that were indicative of a transition from a more open state to a more closed state on binding of the nucleotide substrate and to an intermediate state with the bound nucleotide product.

link to html
A revised EDM–DEDM algorithm for phase refinement is described, together with its application to proteins, with special attention being given to molecular-replacement cases.


link to html
The crystal structure of C2b has been determined at 1.8 Å resolution, which reveals the arrangement of its three complement control protein (CCP) modules. A model for complement component C2 is presented and its conformational changes during the C3-convertase formation are also discussed.

link to html
The crystal structure of M. tuberculosis GlmU has been determined in an unliganded form and in complex with UDP-GlcNAc or GlcN-1-P. NMR-based enzymatic activity assays suggest that the presence of acetyl-coenzyme A has an inhibitory effect on uridyltransferase activity.

link to html
Two single-crystal X-ray diffraction data sets for cyclosporine A were measured to high resolution using synchrotron radiation at temperatures of 5 and 90 K. They allowed an accurate determination of its molecular and electronic structure.

short communications


link to html
The structure of uncomplexed plasmepsin II from P. falciparum is shown to contain noncoplanar catalytic aspartic acid residues.

link to html
The representation of crystallographic model characteristics in the form of a polygon allows the quick comparison of a model with a set of previously solved structures.

addenda and errata


Follow Acta Cryst. D
Sign up for e-alerts
Follow Acta Cryst. on Twitter
Follow us on facebook
Sign up for RSS feeds