Small angle scattering – moving forward

Editorial.

Publication guidelines for structural modelling of small-angle scattering data from biomolecules in solution

This article presents a set of preliminary publication guidelines for structural modelling of small-angle scattering data from biomolecules in solution, and discusses the rationale for their application.

Formylglycinamide ribonucleotide amidotransferase from Salmonella typhimurium: role of ATP complexation and the glutaminase domain in catalytic coupling

The structures of formylglycinamide ribonucleotide amidotransferase from S. typhimurium either with an unliganded glutaminase domain or in complex with an ATP analogue revealed that no major conformational changes take place upon formation of the glutamyl thioester intermediate or subsequent ATP complexation; therefore, formylglycinamide ribonucleotide binding is proposed to be the mechanism of activation of catalytic coupling in the enzyme.

The mammalian DUF59 protein Fam96a forms two distinct types of domain-swapped dimer

Fam96a is a mammalian DUF59 protein, but its structure diverges from those of bacterial DUF59 proteins. Structural clues suggest similarities between Fam96a and amyloidogenic proteins.

The application of hierarchical cluster analysis to the selection of isomorphous crystals

Much more accurate anomalous signal and greater success in substructure determination can be obtained by merging data from multiple crystals preselected according to the results of cluster analysis.

Structural and functional characterization of the C-terminal catalytic domain of SSV1 integrase

The crystal structure and biochemical properties of the C-terminal catalytic domain of SSV1 integrase, an archaeal member of the tyrosine recombinase family, are described.

Structures of ternary complexes of aspartate-semi­aldehyde de­hydrogenase (Rv3708c) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv

Crystal structures of aspartate semialdehyde dehydrogenase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis in complex with glycerol and with cysteine are presented.

Structural basis for the autoinhibition of the C-terminal kinase domain of human RSK1

The crystal structure of human RSK1 C-terminal kinase domain (CTKD) is reported at 2.7 Å resolution. The structure indicates that the autoinhibition of the CTKD is caused by an α-helix occupying the substrate-binding groove.

Three-dimensional structure of a schistosome serpin revealing an unusual configuration of the helical subdomain

The crystal structure of ShSPI, a serpin from the blood fluke S. haematobium, reveals some peculiar features of the helical subdomain which have not been observed previously in the serpin superfamily.

The Kazal-type inhibitors infestins 1 and 4 differ in specificity but are similar in three-dimensional structure

Crystal structures of factor XIIa inhibitor infestin 4 and infestin 1–trypsin complex have been refined at 1.4 and 2.5 Å resolutions, respectively. Mutants of infestin 4 highly specific to factor XIIa were selected by phage display.

Structure–function studies of an unusual 3-methyladenine DNA glycosylase II (AlkA) from Deinococcus radiodurans

D. radiodurans AlkA consists of only two domains instead of three as for E. coli AlkA. This structural modification alters the substrate specificity which may contribute to an improved DNA-repair repertoire of this extreme radiation resistant organism.

Two high-resolution structures of potato endo-1,3-β-glucanase reveal subdomain flexibility with implications for substrate binding

1.40 and 1.26 Å resolution crystal structures of potato endo-1,3-β-glucanase, a member of glycoside hydrolase family 17, reveal high flexibility of a subdomain that forms part of the active-site cleft and an unusual crystal-packing mode characterized by infinite chains of protein molecules linked via His-tag docking in the next active site.

Low-resolution structure determination of Na⁺-translocating NADH:ubi­quinone oxidoreductase from Vibrio cholerae by ab initio phasing and electron microscopy

A 16 Å resolution molecular envelope of Na⁺-translocating NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase was determined by connectivity-based ab initio phasing. The low-resolution structure of this multi-subunit membrane complex was confirmed by negative-stain electron microscopy.

A noncrystallographic screw axis parallel to a twin axis can corrupt intensity statistics

The distribution of twinned intensities may be biased towards the Wilson distribution if a noncrystallographic screw axis parallel to the twinning axis is present.