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In bacteria and eukaryotes, the last two steps of de novo purine biosynthesis are catalyzed by bifunctional purine-biosynthesis protein (PurH), which is composed of two functionally independent domains linked by a flexible region. The N-terminal domain possesses IMP cyclohydrolase activity and the C-terminal domain possesses aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide transformylase activity. This study reports the expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of PurH from Escherichia coli with an N-terminal His(6) tag. The crystals diffracted to a maximum resolution of 3.05 Å and belonged to the monoclinic space group P2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 76.37, b = 132.15, c = 82.64 Å, β = 111.86°.

Escherichia coli YeaD (ecYeaD) is suggested to be a member of the galactose mutarotase-like superfamily. Galactose mutarotase is an enzyme that converts alpha-galactose to beta-galactose. The known structures of these galactose mutarotase-like proteins are similar to those of galactose mutarotases, with the catalytic residues being conserved, but there are some differences between them in the substrate-binding pocket. In order to reveal the specificity of ecYeaD, a three-dimensional structure is essential. Full-length ecYeaD with an additional 6xHis tag at the C-terminus was crystallized by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method using polyethylene glycol 4000 as a precipitant at 283 K. An X-ray diffraction data set was collected to a resolution of 1.9 A from a single flash-cooled crystal that belonged to space group P2(1)2(1)2(1).

Transfer RNA (tRNA) (m(7)G46) methyltransferase (TrmB) belongs to the Rossmann-fold methyltransferase (RFM) family and uses S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) as the methyl-group donor to catalyze the formation of N(7)-methylguanosine (m(7)G) at position 46 in the variable loop of tRNAs. After attempts to crystallize full-length Escherichia coli TrmB (EcTrmB) failed, a truncated protein lacking the first 32 residues of the N-terminus but with an additional His(6) tag at the C-terminus was crystallized by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method using polyethylene glycol 3350 (PEG 3350) as precipitant at 283 K. An X-ray diffraction data set was collected using a single flash-cooled crystal that belonged to space group P2(1).

Synaptotagmin acts as the Ca2+ sensor for neural and endocrine exocytosis. Synaptotagmin 5 has been demonstrated to play a key role in the acquisition of cathepsin D and the vesicular proton ATPase and in Ca2+-dependent insulin exocytosis. The C2 domains modulate the interaction of synaptotagmin with the phospholipid bilayer of the presynaptic terminus and effector proteins such as the SNARE complex. This study reports the cloning, expression in Escherichia coli, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of the C2A domain of human synaptotagmin 5 with an N-terminal His6 tag. The crystals diffracted to 1.90 Å resolution and belonged to the hexagonal space group P65, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 93.97, c = 28.05 Å. A preliminary model of the protein structure has been built and refinement of the model is ongoing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The histone chaperone SET encoded by the SET gene, which is also known as template-activating factor Iβ (TAF-Iβ), is a multifunctional molecule that is involved in many biological phenomena such as histone binding, nucleosome assembly, chromatin remodelling, replication, transcription and apoptosis. A truncated SET/TAF-IβΔN protein that lacked the first 22 residues of the N-terminus but contained the C-terminal acidic domain and an additional His6 tag at the C-terminus was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and crystallized by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method using sodium acetate as precipitant at 283 K. The crystals diffracted to 2.7 Å resolution and belonged to space group P43212. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Mannonate dehydratase (ManD; EC4.2.1.8) catalyzes the dehydration of d-mannonate to 2-keto-3-deoxygluconate. It is the third enzyme in the pathway for dissimilation of d-glucuronate to 2-keto-3-deoxygluconate involving in the Entner–Doudoroff pathway in certain bacterial and archaeal species. ManD from Gram negative bacteria has an insert sequence as compared to those from Gram positives revealed by sequence analysis. To evaluate the impact of this insert sequence on the catalytic efficiency, we solved the crystal structures of ManD from Escherichia coli strain K12 and its complex with d-mannonate, which reveal that this insert sequence forms two α helices locating above the active site. The two insert α helices introduce a loop that forms a cap covering the substrate binding pocket, which restricts the tunnels of substrate entering and product releasing from the active site. Site-directed mutations and enzymatic activity assays confirm that the catalytic rate is decreased by this loop. These features are conserved among Gram negative bacteria. Thus, the insert sequence of ManD from Gram negative bacteria acts as a common inducer to decrease the catalytic rate and consequently the glucuronate metabolic rate as compared to those from Gram positives. Moreover, residues essential for substrate to enter the active site were characterized via structural analysis and enzymatic activity assays. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]