Objective evaluation of radiation damage in a nucleoprotein complex

Systematic analysis of a protein–RNA complex has shown how nucleoprotein complexes can be protected from radiation damage.

Transmission electron microscopy for the evaluation and optimization of crystal growth

In this article, the potential of transmission electron microscopy to assist in the process of generating well diffracting crystals for conventional crystallography, as well as for free-electron laser and micro-electron diffraction applications, is demonstrated.

Using iterative fragment assembly and progressive sequence truncation to facilitate phasing and crystal structure determination of distantly related proteins

An automated pipeline, I-TASSER-MR, has been developed to facilitate structure determination using molecular repacement (MR) for samples for which only distantly related structures are available in the Protein Data Bank. By combining iterative fragmental structure-assembly simulations and progressive trimming of poorly modeled regions, the pipeline improves the success rate of MR.

A generic protocol for protein crystal dehydration using the HC1b humidity controller

A generic protocol for investigating crystal dehydration is presented and tested with a set of protein crystal systems using the HC1b high-precision crystal humidifier/dehumidifier.

Crystal structures of Escherichia coli branching enzyme in complex with cyclodextrins

The structures of E. coli branching enzyme bound to α-, β- and γ-cyclodextrin reveal a novel substrate-binding site and illuminate the determinants of glucan binding specificity.

RNA protects a nucleoprotein complex against radiation damage

Systematic analysis of radiation damage within a protein–RNA complex over a large dose range (1.3–25 MGy) reveals significant differential susceptibility of RNA and protein. A new method of difference electron-density quantification is presented.

Crystal structures of apo and inhibitor-bound TGFβR2 kinase domain: insights into TGFβR isoform selectivity

To find a crystallization-competent TGFβR2 kinase domain, several surface patches of potentially high-entropy residues were identified. Constructs with these residues mutated to alanine were expressed and purified. One yielded crystals that routinely diffracted to better than 2 Å resolution. Comparison of structures of TGFβR1 and TGFβR2 with inhibitors explain the isoform selectivity.

Structural analysis of cofactor binding for a prolyl 4-hydroxylase from the pathogenic bacterium Bacillus anthracis

Active-site reorganization of a prolyl 4-hydroxylase from B. anthracis is observed upon the binding of metal and α-ketoglutarate.

Discovery of a novel allosteric inhibitor-binding site in ERK5: comparison with the canonical kinase hinge ATP-binding site

Crystal structures of the MAP kinase ERK5 in complex with XMD8-92 and four novel inhibitors reveal an allosteric binding site between the kinase P-loop and αC helix. Binding at this site displaces the P-loop into the ATP-binding site and was shown to be ATP-competitive.

Structural insights into chaperone-activity enhancement by a K354E mutation in tomato acidic leucine aminopeptidase

A K354E mutation in tomato leucine aminopeptidase shifts the oligomerization equilibrium towards lower-order oligomers, exposing hydrophobic surfaces that are likely to be involved in chaperone activity.