Substrate-analogue complex structure of Mycobacterium tuberculosis decaprenyl diphosphate synthase

The structure of a complex of Mycobacterium tuberculosis decaprenyl diphosphate synthase with geranyl S-thiodiphosphate and isopentenyl S-thiodiphosphate was refined to 1.55 Å resolution. It not only shows the magnesium-coordinated configuration for catalysis but also suggests a pathway for product translocation as well as a direction for inhibitor design.

The structure of an iron-containing alcohol de­hydrogenase from a hyperthermophilic archaeon in two chemical states

The structure of a homodimeric, iron-containing alcohol dehydrogenase from a thermophile that utilizes NADP as its coenzyme was solved in three crystal forms. In two crystals one subunit of the asymmetric unit was occupied by NADP and the other was not, while in the third crystal no NADP or iron was present. The coenzyme is encapsulated in a tunnel that penetrates through the molecule, and the iron is totally sequestered.

The structure of lipopolysaccharide transport protein B (LptB) from Burkholderia pseudomallei

The structure of a lipopolysaccharide transport protein B (LptB) is reported. Comparisons with LptBs from different bacterial species reveal that the dimeric assembly is independent of interaction with the rest of the transport machinery and that significant sequence and structural conservation occurs where LptB interacts with its physiological partners.

Crystal structure of protein tyrosine phosphatase-2 from Cydia pomonella granulovirus

The crystal structure of the protein phosphatase PTP-2 from Cydia pomonella granulovirus, a betabaculovirus, has been determined at 1.65 Å resolution. The structure shows that the molecule has a typical protein phosphatase fold with a unique β-sheet extension at the C-terminus.

BacMam production and crystal structure of nonglycosylated apo human furin at 1.89 Å resolution

The production of nonglycosylated human furin ectodomain via the BacMam expression system is reported. The protein is equally active compared with the glycosylated protein and is readily crystallized; X-ray diffraction was used to solve a high-resolution structure.

Crystal structure of the putative peptide-binding protein AppA from Clostridium difficile

CdOppA and CdAppA are putative extracellular peptide-binding proteins serving cognate ABC transporters in Clostridium difficile. Using purified proteins, no evidence was found for (i) peptide binding to either protein in Thermofluor experiments or (ii) the presence of peptides in the crystal structure of CdAppA. Further sequence analysis suggests that CdOppA is a nickel-transporter protein and that CdAppA may be involved in the transport of a restricted set of peptides.

Crystallization of the human tetraspanin protein CD9

A method to obtain improved crystals of the human tetraspanin protein CD9 by protein modification is described.

Perdeuteration, large crystal growth and neutron data collection of Leishmania mexicana triose-phosphate isomerase E65Q variant

The perdeuteration, large crystal growth and neutron diffraction data collection of an E65Q variant of Leishmania mexicana triose-phosphate isomerase are described.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa esterase PA2949, a bacterial homolog of the human membrane esterase ABHD6: expression, purification and crystallization

Homologous expression of the membrane-bound esterase PA2949 from Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA01 and the purification of detergent-solubilized enzyme resulted in stable PA2949 protein that crystallized. The crystals obtained were used for X-ray analysis and diffracted to a resolution of 2.74 Å.

Crystal structure of phosphoribulokinase from Synechococcus sp. strain PCC 6301

The crystal structure of phosphoribulokinase from the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 6301 is presented at 2.4 Å resolution. A disulfide bond is found between Cys40 and the P-loop residue Cys18, revealing the structural basis for the redox inactivation of the enzyme. A second disulfide bond appears to rigidify the dimer interface.

Structure of a critical metabolic enzyme: S-adenosylme­thionine synthetase from Cryptosporidium parvum

The structure of S-adenosylmethionine synthetase, an essential enzyme from the infectious parasite Cryptosporidium parvum, has been determined. This enzyme form has a less extensive subunit interface than some previously determined structures, and contains key structural differences from the human enzyme in an allosteric site, presenting an opportunity for the design of selective inhibitors against the AdoMet synthetase from this organism.

Functional and structural characterization of IdnL7, an adenylation enzyme involved in incednine biosynthesis

The adenylation enzyme IdnL7, which is involved in the biosynthesis of incednine, has been biochemically and structurally characterized. Biochemical analysis showed that IdnL7 selects and activates several small amino acids. The structure of IdnL7 in complex with an L-alanyl-adenylate intermediate mimic explains the broad substrate specificity of IdnL7 towards small L-amino acids.

Igni18, a novel metallo-hydrolase from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Ignicoccus hospitalis KIN4/I: cloning, expression, purification and X-ray analysis

Igni18 from Ignicoccus hospitalis was identified to belong to the α/β-hydrolase superfamily and was cloned, purified and crystallized. The crystal belonged to space group R32 and contained one monomer in the asymmetric unit.

The putative polysaccharide de­acetylase Ba0331: cloning, expression, crystallization and structure determination

The crystal structure of Ba0331, a putative polysaccharide deacetylase from Bacillus anthracis, was determined. The structure comprises two domains: a fibronectin type 3-like domain and a NodB catalytic domain.