1. |
- Aquila, Andrew, et al.
(author)
-
Time-resolved protein nanocrystallography using an X-ray free-electron laser
- 2012
-
In: Optics Express. - 1094-4087. ; 20:3, s. 2706-2716
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We demonstrate the use of an X-ray free electron laser synchronized with an optical pump laser to obtain X-ray diffraction snapshots from the photoactivated states of large membrane protein complexes in the form of nanocrystals flowing in a liquid jet. Light-induced changes of Photosystem I-Ferredoxin co-crystals were observed at time delays of 5 to 10 µs after excitation. The result correlates with the microsecond kinetics of electron transfer from Photosystem I to ferredoxin. The undocking process that follows the electron transfer leads to large rearrangements in the crystals that will terminally lead to the disintegration of the crystals. We describe the experimental setup and obtain the first time-resolved femtosecond serial X-ray crystallography results from an irreversible photo-chemical reaction at the Linac Coherent Light Source. This technique opens the door to time-resolved structural studies of reaction dynamics in biological systems.
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2. |
- Brändén, Gisela, 1975, et al.
(author)
-
Coherent diffractive imaging of microtubules using an X-ray laser.
- 2019
-
In: Nature communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 10:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- X-ray free electron lasers (XFELs) create new possibilities for structural studies of biological objects that extend beyond what is possible with synchrotron radiation. Serial femtosecond crystallography has allowed high-resolution structures to be determined from micro-meter sized crystals, whereas single particle coherent X-ray imaging requires development to extend the resolution beyond a few tens of nanometers. Here we describe an intermediate approach: the XFEL imaging of biological assemblies with helical symmetry. We collected X-ray scattering images from samples of microtubules injected across an XFEL beam using a liquid microjet, sorted these images into class averages, merged these data into a diffraction pattern extending to 2nm resolution, and reconstructed these data into a projection image of the microtubule. Details such as the 4nm tubulin monomer became visible in this reconstruction. These results illustrate the potential of single-molecule X-ray imaging of biological assembles with helical symmetry at room temperature.
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3. |
- Chapman, Henry N, et al.
(author)
-
Femtosecond X-ray protein nanocrystallography.
- 2011
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In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1476-4687 .- 0028-0836. ; 470:7332, s. 73-7
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- X-ray crystallography provides the vast majority of macromolecular structures, but the success of the method relies on growing crystals of sufficient size. In conventional measurements, the necessary increase in X-ray dose to record data from crystals that are too small leads to extensive damage before a diffraction signal can be recorded. It is particularly challenging to obtain large, well-diffracting crystals of membrane proteins, for which fewer than 300 unique structures have been determined despite their importance in all living cells. Here we present a method for structure determination where single-crystal X-ray diffraction 'snapshots' are collected from a fully hydrated stream of nanocrystals using femtosecond pulses from a hard-X-ray free-electron laser, the Linac Coherent Light Source. We prove this concept with nanocrystals of photosystem I, one of the largest membrane protein complexes. More than 3,000,000 diffraction patterns were collected in this study, and a three-dimensional data set was assembled from individual photosystem I nanocrystals (∼200nm to 2μm in size). We mitigate the problem of radiation damage in crystallography by using pulses briefer than the timescale of most damage processes. This offers a new approach to structure determination of macromolecules that do not yield crystals of sufficient size for studies using conventional radiation sources or are particularly sensitive to radiation damage.
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4. |
- Johansson, Linda C, 1983, et al.
(author)
-
Lipidic phase membrane protein serial femtosecond crystallography.
- 2012
-
In: Nature methods. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1548-7105 .- 1548-7091. ; 9:3, s. 263-265
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- X-ray free electron laser (X-FEL)-based serial femtosecond crystallography is an emerging method with potential to rapidly advance the challenging field of membrane protein structural biology. Here we recorded interpretable diffraction data from micrometer-sized lipidic sponge phase crystals of the Blastochloris viridis photosynthetic reaction center delivered into an X-FEL beam using a sponge phase micro-jet.
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5. |
- Johansson, Linda C, 1983, et al.
(author)
-
Structure of a photosynthetic reaction centre determined by serial femtosecond crystallography.
- 2013
-
In: Nature communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 4
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Serial femtosecond crystallography is an X-ray free-electron-laser-based method with considerable potential to have an impact on challenging problems in structural biology. Here we present X-ray diffraction data recorded from microcrystals of the Blastochloris viridis photosynthetic reaction centre to 2.8Å resolution and determine its serial femtosecond crystallography structure to 3.5Å resolution. Although every microcrystal is exposed to a dose of 33MGy, no signs of X-ray-induced radiation damage are visible in this integral membrane protein structure.
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6. |
- Popp, David, et al.
(author)
-
Flow-aligned, single-shot fiber diffraction using a femtosecond X-ray free-electron laser
- 2017
-
In: CYTOSKELETON. - : WILEY. - 1949-3584 .- 1949-3592. ; 74:12, s. 472-481
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A major goal for X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) based science is to elucidate structures of biological molecules without the need for crystals. Filament systems may provide some of the first single macromolecular structures elucidated by XFEL radiation, since they contain one-dimensional translational symmetry and thereby occupy the diffraction intensity region between the extremes of crystals and single molecules. Here, we demonstrate flow alignment of as few as 100 filaments (Escherichia coli pili, F-actin, and amyloid fibrils), which when intersected by femtosecond X-ray pulses result in diffraction patterns similar to those obtained from classical fiber diffraction studies. We also determine that F-actin can be flow-aligned to a disorientation of approximately 5 degrees. Using this XFEL-based technique, we determine that gelsolin amyloids are comprised of stacked -strands running perpendicular to the filament axis, and that a range of order from fibrillar to crystalline is discernable for individual -synuclein amyloids.
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7. |
- Redecke, Lars, et al.
(author)
-
Natively inhibited Trypanosoma brucei cathepsin B structure determined by using an X-ray laser.
- 2013
-
In: Science (New York, N.Y.). - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 1095-9203 .- 0036-8075. ; 339:6116, s. 227-30
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Trypanosoma brucei cysteine protease cathepsin B (TbCatB), which is involved in host protein degradation, is a promising target to develop new treatments against sleeping sickness, a fatal disease caused by this protozoan parasite. The structure of the mature, active form of TbCatB has so far not provided sufficient information for the design of a safe and specific drug against T. brucei. By combining two recent innovations, in vivo crystallization and serial femtosecond crystallography, we obtained the room-temperature 2.1 angstrom resolution structure of the fully glycosylated precursor complex of TbCatB. The structure reveals the mechanism of native TbCatB inhibition and demonstrates that new biomolecular information can be obtained by the "diffraction-before-destruction" approach of x-ray free-electron lasers from hundreds of thousands of individual microcrystals.
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8. |
- Wadsten, Pia, 1969, et al.
(author)
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Lipidic sponge phase crystallization of membrane proteins.
- 2006
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In: Journal of molecular biology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0022-2836 .- 1089-8638. ; 364:1, s. 44-53
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Bicontinuous lipidic cubic phases can be used as a host for growing crystals of membrane proteins. Since the cubic phase is stiff, handling is difficult and time-consuming. Moreover, the conventional cubic phase may interfere with the hydrophilic domains of membrane proteins due to the limited size of the aqueous pores. Here, we introduce a new crystallization method that makes use of a liquid analogue of the cubic phase, the sponge phase. This phase facilitates a considerable increase in the allowed size of aqueous domains of membrane proteins, and is easily generalised to a conventional vapour diffusion crystallisation experiment, including the use of nanoliter drop crystallization robots. The appearance of the sponge phase was confirmed by visual inspection, small-angle X-ray scattering and NMR spectroscopy. Crystals of the reaction centre from Rhodobacter sphaeroides were obtained by a conventional hanging-drop experiment, were harvested directly without the addition of lipase or cryoprotectant, and the structure was refined to 2.2 Angstroms resolution. In contrast to our earlier lipidic cubic phase reaction centre structure, the mobile ubiquinone could be built and refined. The practical advantages of the sponge phase make it a potent tool for crystallization of membrane proteins.
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9. |
- Wöhri, Annemarie, 1976, et al.
(author)
-
A Lipidic-Sponge Phase Screen for Membrane Protein Crystallization
- 2008
-
In: Structure. - : Elsevier BV. - 0969-2126 .- 1878-4186. ; 16:7, s. 1003-1009
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A major current deficit in structural biology is the lack of high-resolution structures of eukaryotic membrane proteins, many of which are key drug targets for the treatment of disease. Numerous eukaryotic membrane proteins require specific lipids for their stability and activity, and efforts to crystallize and solve the structures of membrane proteins that do not address the issue of lipids frequently end in failure rather than success. To help address this problem, we have developed a sparse matrix crystallization screen consisting of 48 lipidic-sponge phase conditions. Sponge phases form liquid lipid bilayer environments which are suitable for conventional hanging- and sitting-drop crystallization experiments. Using the sponge phase screen, we obtained crystals of several different membrane proteins from bacterial and eukaryotic sources. We also demonstrate how the screen may be manipulated by incorporating specific lipids such as cholesterol; this modification led to crystals being recovered from a bacterial photosynthetic core complex.
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10. |
- Andersson, Magnus, et al.
(author)
-
A proposed time-resolved X-ray scattering approach to track local and global conformational changes in membrane transport proteins
- 2008
-
In: Structure. - : Elsevier BV. - 0969-2126 .- 1878-4186. ; 16:1, s. 21-28
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Time-resolved X-ray scattering has emerged as a powerful technique for studying the rapid structural dynamics of small molecules in solution. Membrane-protein-catalyzed transport processes frequently couple large-scale conformational changes of the transporter with local structural changes perturbing the uptake and release of the transported substrate. Using light-driven halide ion transport catalyzed by halorhodopsin as a model system, we combine molecular dynamics simulations with X-ray scattering calculations to demonstrate how small-molecule time-resolved X-ray scattering can be extended to the study of membrane transport processes. In particular, by introducing strongly scattering atoms to label specific positions within the protein and substrate, the technique of time-resolved wide-angle X-ray scattering can reveal both local and global conformational changes. This approach simultaneously enables the direct visualization of global rearrangements and substrate movement, crucial concepts that underpin the alternating access paradigm for membrane transport proteins.
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11. |
- Andersson, Magnus, et al.
(author)
-
Structural Dynamics of Light-Driven Proton Pumps
- 2009
-
In: Structure. - : Elsevier BV. - 0969-2126 .- 1878-4186. ; 17:9, s. 1265-1275
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Bacteriorhodopsin and proteorhodopsin are simple heptahelical proton pumps containing a retinal chromophore covalently bound to helix G via a protonated Schiff base. Following the absorption of a photon, all-trans retinal is isomerized to a 13-cis conformation, initiating a sequence of conformational changes driving vectorial proton transport. In this study we apply time-resolved wide-angle X-ray scattering to visualize in real time the helical motions associated with proton pumping by bacteriorhodopsin and proteorhodopsin. Our results establish that three conformational states are required to describe their photocycles. Significant motions of the cytoplasmic half of helix F and the extracellular half of helix C are observed prior to the primary proton transfer event, which increase in amplitude following proton transfer. These results both simplify the structural description to emerge from intermediate trapping studies of bacteriorhodopsin and reveal shared dynamical principles for proton pumping.
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12. |
- Andersson, Rebecka, 1988, et al.
(author)
-
Serial femtosecond crystallography structure of cytochrome c oxidase at room temperature.
- 2017
-
In: Scientific reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 7:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Cytochrome c oxidase catalyses the reduction of molecular oxygen to water while the energy released in this process is used to pump protons across a biological membrane. Although an extremely well-studied biological system, the molecular mechanism of proton pumping by cytochrome c oxidase is still not understood. Here we report a method to produce large quantities of highly diffracting microcrystals of ba 3-type cytochrome c oxidase from Thermus thermophilus suitable for serial femtosecond crystallography. The room-temperature structure of cytochrome c oxidase is solved to 2.3Å resolution from data collected at an X-ray Free Electron Laser. We find overall agreement with earlier X-ray structures solved from diffraction data collected at cryogenic temperature. Previous structures solved from synchrotron radiation data, however, have shown conflicting results regarding the identity of the active-site ligand. Our room-temperature structure, which is free from the effects of radiation damage, reveals that a single-oxygen species in the form of a water molecule or hydroxide ion is bound in the active site. Structural differences between the ba 3-type and aa 3-type cytochrome c oxidases around the proton-loading site are also described.
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13. |
- Andersson, Rebecka, 1988, et al.
(author)
-
Well-based crystallization of lipidic cubic phase microcrystals for serial X-ray crystallography experiments.
- 2019
-
In: Acta crystallographica. Section D, Structural biology. - 2059-7983. ; 75:Pt 10, s. 937-946
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Serial crystallography is having an increasing impact on structural biology. This emerging technique opens up new possibilities for studying protein structures at room temperature and investigating structural dynamics using time-resolved X-ray diffraction. A limitation of the method is the intrinsic need for large quantities of well ordered micrometre-sized crystals. Here, a method is presented to screen for conditions that produce microcrystals of membrane proteins in the lipidic cubic phase using a well-based crystallization approach. A key advantage over earlier approaches is that the progress of crystal formation can be easily monitored without interrupting the crystallization process. In addition, the protocol can be scaled up to efficiently produce large quantities of crystals for serial crystallography experiments. Using the well-based crystallization methodology, novel conditions for the growth of showers of microcrystals of three different membrane proteins have been developed. Diffraction data are also presented from the first user serial crystallography experiment performed at MAX IV Laboratory.
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14. |
- Aponte-Santamaria, C., et al.
(author)
-
Temperature dependence of protein-water interactions in a gated yeast aquaporin
- 2017
-
In: Scientific Reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 7
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Regulation of aquaporins is a key process of living organisms to counteract sudden osmotic changes. Aqy1, which is a water transporting aquaporin of the yeast Pichia pastoris, is suggested to be gated by chemo-mechanical stimuli as a protective regulatory-response against rapid freezing. Here, we tested the influence of temperature by determining the X-ray structure of Aqy1 at room temperature (RT) at 1.3 angstrom resolution, and by exploring the structural dynamics of Aqy1 during freezing through molecular dynamics simulations. At ambient temperature and in a lipid bilayer, Aqy1 adopts a closed conformation that is globally better described by the RT than by the low-temperature (LT) crystal structure. Locally, for the blocking-residue Tyr31 and the water molecules inside the pore, both LT and RT data sets are consistent with the positions observed in the simulations at room-temperature. Moreover, as the temperature was lowered, Tyr31 adopted a conformation that more effectively blocked the channel, and its motion was accompanied by a temperature-driven rearrangement of the water molecules inside the channel. We therefore speculate that temperature drives Aqy1 from a loosely-to a tightly-blocked state. This analysis provides high-resolution structural evidence of the influence of temperature on membrane-transport channels.
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15. |
- Arnlund, David, et al.
(author)
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Visualizing a protein quake with time-resolved X-ray scattering at a free-electron laser
- 2014
-
In: Nature Methods. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1548-7091 .- 1548-7105. ; 11:9, s. 923-926
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We describe a method to measure ultrafast protein structural changes using time-resolved wide-angle X-ray scattering at an X-ray free-electron laser. We demonstrated this approach using multiphoton excitation of the Blastochloris viridis photosynthetic reaction center, observing an ultrafast global conformational change that arises within picoseconds and precedes the propagation of heat through the protein. This provides direct structural evidence for a 'protein quake': the hypothesis that proteins rapidly dissipate energy through quake-like structural motions.
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16. |
- Backmark, Anna, 1979, et al.
(author)
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Affinity tags can reduce merohedral twinning of membrane protein crystals
- 2008
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In: Acta Crystallographica. Section D: Biological Crystallography. - 1399-0047 .- 0907-4449. ; D64, s. 1183-1186
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This work presents a comparison of the crystal packing of three eukaryotic membrane proteins: human aquaporin 1, human aquaporin 5 and a spinach plasma membrane aquaporin. All were purified from expression constructs both with and without affinity tags. With the exception of tagged aquaporin 1, all constructs yielded crystals. Two significant effects of the affinity tags were observed: crystals containing a tag typically diffracted to lower resolution than those from constructs encoding the protein sequence alone and constructs without a tag frequently produced crystals that suffered from merohedral twinning. Twinning is a challenging crystallographic problem that can seriously hinder solution of the structure. Thus, for integral membrane proteins, the addition of an affinity tag may help to disrupt the approximate symmetry of the protein and thereby reduce or avoid merohedral twinning.
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17. |
- Barty, A., et al.
(author)
-
Self-terminating diffraction gates femtosecond X-ray nanocrystallography measurements
- 2012
-
In: Nature Photonics. - 1749-4885 .- 1749-4893. ; 6:1, s. 35-40
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- X-ray free-electron lasers have enabled new approaches to the structural determination of protein crystals that are too small or radiation-sensitive for conventional analysis1. For sufficiently short pulses, diffraction is collected before significant changes occur to the sample, and it has been predicted that pulses as short as 10 fs may be required to acquire atomic-resolution structural information1, 2, 3, 4. Here, we describe a mechanism unique to ultrafast, ultra-intense X-ray experiments that allows structural information to be collected from crystalline samples using high radiation doses without the requirement for the pulse to terminate before the onset of sample damage. Instead, the diffracted X-rays are gated by a rapid loss of crystalline periodicity, producing apparent pulse lengths significantly shorter than the duration of the incident pulse. The shortest apparent pulse lengths occur at the highest resolution, and our measurements indicate that current X-ray free-electron laser technology5 should enable structural determination from submicrometre protein crystals with atomic resolution.
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18. |
- Bill, Roslyn M., et al.
(author)
-
Overcoming barriers to membrane protein structure determination.
- 2011
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In: Nature biotechnology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1546-1696 .- 1087-0156. ; 29:4, s. 335-40
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- After decades of slow progress, the pace of research on membrane protein structures is beginning to quicken thanks to various improvements in technology, including protein engineering and microfocus X-ray diffraction. Here we review these developments and, where possible, highlight generic new approaches to solving membrane protein structures based on recent technological advances. Rational approaches to overcoming the bottlenecks in the field are urgently required as membrane proteins, which typically comprise ~30% of the proteomes of organisms, are dramatically under-represented in the structural database of the Protein Data Bank.
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19. |
- Bjelčić, Monika, et al.
(author)
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Room-temperature serial synchrotron crystallography structure of Spinacia oleracea RuBisCO
- 2024
-
In: Acta Crystallographica Section F: Structural Biology Communications. - 2053-230X. ; 80:Pt 6, s. 117-124
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO) is the enzyme responsible for the first step of carbon dioxide (CO2) fixation in plants, which proceeds via the carboxylation of ribulose 1,5-biphosphate. Because of the enormous importance of this reaction in agriculture and the environment, there is considerable interest in the mechanism of fixation of CO2 by RuBisCO. Here, a serial synchrotron crystallography structure of spinach RuBisCO is reported at 2.3 Å resolution. This structure is consistent with earlier single-crystal X-ray structures of this enzyme and the results are a good starting point for a further push towards time-resolved serial synchrotron crystallography in order to better understand the mechanism of the reaction.
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20. |
- Bjelčić, Monika, et al.
(author)
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Room-temperature serial synchrotron crystallography structure of Spinacia oleracea RuBisCO
- 2024
-
In: ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION F-STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY COMMUNICATIONS. - 2053-230X. ; 80, s. 117-124
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/ oxygenase (RuBisCO) is the enzyme responsible for the first step of carbon dioxide (CO2) fixation in plants, which proceeds via the carboxylation of ribulose 1,5-biphosphate. Because of the enormous importance of this reaction in agriculture and the environment, there is considerable interest in the mechanism of fixation of CO2 by RuBisCO. Here, a serial synchrotron crystallography structure of spinach RuBisCO is reported at 2.3 angstrom resolution. This structure is consistent with earlier single-crystal X-ray structures of this enzyme and the results are a good starting point for a further push towards time-resolved serial synchrotron crystallography in order to better understand the mechanism of the reaction.
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21. |
- Boutet, S., et al.
(author)
-
High-Resolution Protein Structure Determination by Serial Femtosecond Crystallography
- 2012
-
In: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 337:6092, s. 362-364
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Structure determination of proteins and other macromolecules has historically required the growth of high-quality crystals sufficiently large to diffract x-rays efficiently while withstanding radiation damage. We applied serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) using an x-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) to obtain high-resolution structural information from microcrystals (less than 1 micrometer by 1 micrometer by 3 micrometers) of the well-characterized model protein lysozyme. The agreement with synchrotron data demonstrates the immediate relevance of SFX for analyzing the structure of the large group of difficult-to-crystallize molecules.
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22. |
- Brändén, Gisela, 1975, et al.
(author)
-
Advances and challenges in time-resolved macromolecular crystallography.
- 2021
-
In: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 1095-9203 .- 0036-8075. ; 373:6558
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Conformational changes within biological macromolecules control a vast array of chemical reactions in living cells. Time-resolved crystallography can reveal time-dependent structural changes that occur within protein crystals, yielding chemical insights in unparalleled detail. Serial crystallography approaches developed at x-ray free-electron lasers are now routinely used for time-resolved diffraction studies of macromolecules. These techniques are increasingly being applied at synchrotron radiation sources and to a growing diversity of macromolecules. Here, we review recent progress in the field, including visualizing ultrafast structural changes that guide the initial trajectories of light-driven reactions as well as capturing biologically important conformational changes on slower time scales, for which bacteriorhodopsin and photosystem II are presented as illustrative case studies.
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23. |
- Brändén, Magnus, 1971, et al.
(author)
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Refractive-Index-Based Screening of Membrane-Protein-Mediated Transfer across Biological Membranes
- 2010
-
In: Biophysical Journal. - : Elsevier BV. - 0006-3495 .- 1542-0086. ; 99:1, s. 124-133
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Numerous membrane-transport proteins are major drug targets, and therefore a key ingredient in pharmaceutical development is the availability of reliable, efficient tools for membrane transport characterization and inhibition. Here, we present the use of evanescent-wave sensing for screening of membrane-protein-mediated transport across lipid bilayer membranes. This method is based on a direct recording of the temporal variations in the refractive index that occur upon a transfer-dependent change in the solute concentration inside liposomes associated to a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) active sensor surface. The applicability of the method is demonstrated by a functional study of the aquaglyceroporin PfAQP from the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Assays of the temperature dependence of facilitated diffusion of sugar alcohols on a single set of PfAQP-reconstituted liposomes reveal that the activation energies for facilitated diffusion of xylitol and sorbitol are the same as that previously measured for glycerol transport in the aquaglyceroporin of Escherichia coli (5 kcal/mole). These findings indicate that the aquaglyceroporin selectivity filter does not discriminate sugar alcohols based on their length, and that the extra energy cost of dehydration of larger sugar alcohols, upon entering the pore, is compensated for by additional hydrogen-bond interactions within the aquaglyceroporin pore.
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24. |
- Båth, Petra, 1988, et al.
(author)
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Lipidic cubic phase serial femtosecond crystallography structure of a photosynthetic reaction centre
- 2022
-
In: Acta Crystallographica Section D-Structural Biology. - : International Union of Crystallography (IUCr). - 2059-7983. ; 78, s. 698-708
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Serial crystallography is a rapidly growing method that can yield structural insights from microcrystals that were previously considered to be too small to be useful in conventional X-ray crystallography. Here, conditions for growing microcrystals of the photosynthetic reaction centre of Blastochloris viridis within a lipidic cubic phase (LCP) crystallization matrix that employ a seeding protocol utilizing detergent-grown crystals with a different crystal packing are described. LCP microcrystals diffracted to 2.25 angstrom resolution when exposed to XFEL radiation, which is an improvement of 0.15 angstrom over previous microcrystal forms. Ubiquinone was incorporated into the LCP crystallization media and the resulting electron density within the mobile Q(B) pocket is comparable to that of other cofactors within the structure. As such, LCP microcrystallization conditions will facilitate time-resolved diffraction studies of electron-transfer reactions to the mobile quinone, potentially allowing the observation of structural changes associated with the two electron-transfer reactions leading to complete reduction of the ubiquinone ligand.
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25. |
- Caleman, Carl, 1975-
(author)
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Towards Single Molecule Imaging - Understanding Structural Transitions Using Ultrafast X-ray Sources and Computer Simulations
- 2007
-
Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- X-ray lasers bring us into a new world in photon science by delivering extraordinarily intense beams of x-rays in very short bursts that can be more than ten billion times brighter than pulses from other x-ray sources. These lasers find applications in sciences ranging from astrophysics to structural biology, and could allow us to obtain images of single macromolecules when these are injected into the x-ray beam. A macromolecule injected into vacuum in a microdroplet will be affected by evaporation and by the dynamics of the carrier liquid before being hit by the x-ray pulse. Simulations of neutral and charged water droplets were performed to predict structural changes and changes of temperature due to evaporation. The results are discussed in the aspect of single molecule imaging. Further studies show ionization caused by the intense x-ray radiation. These simulations reveal the development of secondary electron cascades in water. Other studies show the development of these cascades in KI and CsI where experimental data exist. The results are in agreement with observation, and show the temporal, spatial and energetic evolution of secondary electron cascades in the sample. X-ray diffraction is sensitive to structural changes on the length scale of chemical bonds. Using a short infrared pump pulse to trigger structural changes, and a short x-ray pulse for probing it, these changes can be studied with a temporal resolution similar to the pulse lengths. Time resolved diffraction experiments were performed on a phase transition during resolidification of a non-thermally molten InSb crystal. The experiment reveals the dynamics of crystal regrowth. Computer simulations were performed on the infrared laser-induced melting of bulk ice, giving a comprehension of the dynamics and the wavelength dependence of melting. These studies form a basis for planning experiments with x-ray lasers.
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26. |
- Daurer, Benedikt J.
(author)
-
Algorithms for Coherent Diffractive Imaging with X-ray Lasers
- 2017
-
Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Coherent diffractive imaging (CDI) has become a very popular technique over the past two decades. CDI is a "lensless" imaging method which replaces the objective lens of a conventional microscope by a computational image reconstruction procedure. Its increase in popularity came together with the development of X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) which produce extremely bright and coherent X-rays. By facilitating these unique properties, CDI enables structure determination of non-crystalline samples at nanometre resolution and has many applications in structural biology, material science and X-ray optics among others. This work focuses on two specific CDI techniques, flash X-ray diffractive imaging (FXI) on biological samples and X-ray ptychography.While the first FXI demonstrations using soft X-rays have been quite promising, they also revealed remaining technical challenges. FXI becomes even more demanding when approaching shorter wavelengths to allow subnanometre resolution imaging. We described one of the first FXI experiments using hard X-rays and characterized the most critical components of such an experiment, namely the properties of X-ray focus, sample delivery and detectors. Based on our findings, we discussed experimental and computational strategies for FXI to overcome its current difficulties and reach its full potential. We deposited the data in the Coherent X-ray Database (CXIDB) and made our data analysis code available in a public repository. We developed algorithms targeted towards the needs of FXI experiments and implemented a software package which enables the analysis of diffraction data in real time.X-ray ptychography has developed into a very useful tool for quantitative imaging of complex materials and has found applications in many areas. However, it involves a computational reconstruction step which can be slow. Therefore, we developed a fast GPU-based ptychographic solver and combined it with a framework for real-time data processing which already starts the ptychographic reconstruction process while data is still being collected. This provides immediate feedback to the user and allows high-throughput ptychographic imaging.Finally, we have used ptychographic imaging as a method to study the wavefront of a focused XFEL beam under typical FXI conditions. We are convinced that this work on developing strategies and algorithms for FXI and ptychography is a valuable contribution to the development of coherent diffractive imaging.
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27. |
- Davidsson, Jan, et al.
(author)
-
Structural determination of a transient isomer of CH2I2 by picosecond x-ray diffraction
- 2005
-
In: Physical Review Letters. - 0031-9007 .- 1079-7114. ; 94:24
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Ultrafast time-resolved spectroscopic studies of complex chemical reactions in solution are frequently hindered by difficulties in recovering accurate structural models for transient photochemical species. Time-resolved x-ray and electron diffraction have recently emerged as techniques for probing the structural dynamics of short lived photointermediates. Here we determine the structure of a transient isomer of photoexcited CH2I2 in solution and observe the downstream reactions of the initial photoproducts. Our results illustrate how geminate recombination proceeds via the formation of a transient covalent bond onto the iodine atom remaining with the parent molecule. Further intramolecular rearrangements are thus required for the CH2I-I isomer to return to CH2I2. The generation of I-3(-) from those iodine radicals escaping the solvent cage is also followed with time.
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28. |
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29. |
- Dods, Robert, 1989, et al.
(author)
-
CHAPTER 6: Elucidating Ultrafast Structural Motions in Photosynthetic Reaction Centers with XFEL Radiation
- 2017
-
In: RSC Energy and Environment Series. - Cambridge : Royal Society of Chemistry. - 2044-0774. ; , s. 128-140
-
Book chapter (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Photosynthetic reaction centers are integral membrane proteins found in photosynthetic plants and bacteria and are the work-horses of photosynthesis. Within these proteins, the energy of sunlight is directed to a special pair of closely spaced chlorophyll molecules that become photo-oxidized as an electron is dispelled to the opposite side of the biological membrane. Evolution has optimized the charge separation reactions of photosynthetic reaction centers so as to achieve a remarkably high quantum yield and energy efficiency. Whether or not ultrafast structural changes play any functional role in guiding the primary charge separation reactions of photosynthesis has been debated for two decades but is not yet resolved. Here, we review progress towards visualizing structural changes in photosynthetic reaction centers using synchrotron radiation. We further describe the revolutionary potential of X-ray free electron lasers (XFELs) for shedding new light on ultrafast structural changes in biomolecules. We emphasize milestones towards the goal of observing functionally important ultrafast motions in photosynthetic reaction centers in real time and anticipate that novel high-resolution structural insights are now technically within reach. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2017.
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30. |
- Dods, Robert, 1989, et al.
(author)
-
From Macrocrystals to Microcrystals: A Strategy for Membrane Protein Serial Crystallography.
- 2017
-
In: Structure. - : Elsevier BV. - 1878-4186 .- 0969-2126. ; 25:9, s. 1461-1468
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Serial protein crystallography was developed at X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) and is now also being applied at storage ring facilities. Robust strategies for the growth and optimization of microcrystals are needed to advance the field. Here we illustrate a generic strategy for recovering high-density homogeneous samples of microcrystals starting from conditions known to yield large (macro) crystals of the photosynthetic reaction center of Blastochloris viridis (RCvir). We first crushed these crystals prior to multiple rounds of microseeding. Each cycle of microseeding facilitated improvements in the RCvir serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) structure from 3.3-Å to 2.4-Å resolution. This approach may allow known crystallization conditions for other proteins to be adapted to exploit novel scientific opportunities created by serial crystallography.
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31. |
- Dods, Robert, 1989, et al.
(author)
-
Ultrafast structural changes within a photosynthetic reaction centre.
- 2021
-
In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1476-4687 .- 0028-0836. ; 589:7841, s. 310-314
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Photosynthetic reaction centres harvest the energy content of sunlight by transporting electrons across an energy-transducing biological membrane. Here we use time-resolved serial femtosecond crystallography1 using an X-ray free-electron laser2 to observe light-induced structural changes in the photosynthetic reaction centre of Blastochloris viridis on a timescale of picoseconds. Structural perturbations first occur at the special pair of chlorophyll molecules of the photosynthetic reaction centre that are photo-oxidized by light. Electron transfer to the menaquinone acceptor on the opposite side of the membrane induces a movement of this cofactor together with lower amplitude protein rearrangements. These observations reveal how proteins use conformational dynamics to stabilize the charge-separation steps of electron-transfer reactions.
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32. |
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33. |
- Fischer, Gerhard, 1978, et al.
(author)
-
Crystal structure of a yeast aquaporin at 1.15 angstrom reveals a novel gating mechanism.
- 2009
-
In: PLoS biology. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1545-7885 .- 1544-9173. ; 7:6
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aquaporins are transmembrane proteins that facilitate the flow of water through cellular membranes. An unusual characteristic of yeast aquaporins is that they frequently contain an extended N terminus of unknown function. Here we present the X-ray structure of the yeast aquaporin Aqy1 from Pichia pastoris at 1.15 A resolution. Our crystal structure reveals that the water channel is closed by the N terminus, which arranges as a tightly wound helical bundle, with Tyr31 forming H-bond interactions to a water molecule within the pore and thereby occluding the channel entrance. Nevertheless, functional assays show that Aqy1 has appreciable water transport activity that aids survival during rapid freezing of P. pastoris. These findings establish that Aqy1 is a gated water channel. Mutational studies in combination with molecular dynamics simulations imply that gating may be regulated by a combination of phosphorylation and mechanosensitivity.
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34. |
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35. |
- Frick, Anna, 1982, et al.
(author)
-
X-ray structure of human aquaporin 2 and its implications for nephrogenic diabetes insipidus and trafficking.
- 2014
-
In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 1091-6490 .- 0027-8424. ; 111:17, s. 6305-10
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Human aquaporin 2 (AQP2) is a water channel found in the kidney collecting duct, where it plays a key role in concentrating urine. Water reabsorption is regulated by AQP2 trafficking between intracellular storage vesicles and the apical membrane. This process is tightly controlled by the pituitary hormone arginine vasopressin and defective trafficking results in nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI). Here we present the X-ray structure of human AQP2 at 2.75 Å resolution. The C terminus of AQP2 displays multiple conformations with the C-terminal α-helix of one protomer interacting with the cytoplasmic surface of a symmetry-related AQP2 molecule, suggesting potential protein-protein interactions involved in cellular sorting of AQP2. Two Cd(2+)-ion binding sites are observed within the AQP2 tetramer, inducing a rearrangement of loop D, which facilitates this interaction. The locations of several NDI-causing mutations can be observed in the AQP2 structure, primarily situated within transmembrane domains and the majority of which cause misfolding and ER retention. These observations provide a framework for understanding why mutations in AQP2 cause NDI as well as structural insights into AQP2 interactions that may govern its trafficking.
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36. |
- Georgiou, P., et al.
(author)
-
Picosecond calorimetry: Time-resolved x-ray diffraction studies of liquid CH2Cl2
- 2006
-
In: Journal of Chemical Physics. - : AIP Publishing. - 0021-9606 .- 1089-7690. ; 124:23, s. 234507-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Liquid phase time-resolved x-ray diffraction with 100 ps resolution has recently emerged as a powerful technique for probing the structural dynamics of transient photochemical species in solution. It is intrinsic to the method, however, that a structural signal is observed not only from the photochemical of interest but also from the embedding solvent matrix. To experimentally characterize the x-ray diffraction signal deriving from the solvent alone we performed time-resolved diffraction studies of a pure liquid sample over a time domain from -250 ps to 2.5 mu s. Multiphoton excitation was used to rapidly heat liquid CH2Cl2 using UV pulses of 100 fs duration. A significant x-ray diffraction signal is visible prior to the onset of thermal expansion, which characterizes a highly compressed superheated liquid. Liquid CH2Cl2 then expands as a shock wave propagates through the sample and the temporal dependence of this phenomenon is in good agreement with theory. An unexpectedly slow initial release of energy into the liquid as heat is observed from multiphoton excited CH2Cl2, revealing the presence of a metastable state of multiphoton excited CH2Cl2.
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37. |
- Ghosh, Swagatha, 1987, et al.
(author)
-
A simple goniometer-compatible flow cell for serial synchrotron X-ray crystallography
- 2023
-
In: Journal of Applied Crystallography. - : International Union of Crystallography (IUCr). - 1600-5767. ; 56, s. 449-460
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Serial femtosecond crystallography was initially developed for roomtemperature X-ray diffraction studies of macromolecules at X-ray free electron lasers. When combined with tools that initiate biological reactions within microcrystals, time-resolved serial crystallography allows the study of structural changes that occur during an enzyme catalytic reaction. Serial synchrotron X-ray crystallography (SSX), which extends serial crystallography methods to synchrotron radiation sources, is expanding the scientific community using serial diffraction methods. This report presents a simple flow cell that can be used to deliver microcrystals across an X-ray beam during SSX studies. This device consists of an X-ray transparent glass capillary mounted on a goniometercompatible 3D-printed support and is connected to a syringe pump via lightweight tubing. This flow cell is easily mounted and aligned, and it is disposable so can be rapidly replaced when blocked. This system was demonstrated by collecting SSX data at MAX IV Laboratory from microcrystals of the integral membrane protein cytochrome c oxidase from Thermus thermophilus, from which an X-ray structure was determined to 2.12 angstrom resolution. This simple SSX platform may help to lower entry barriers for non-expert users of SSX.
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38. |
- Ghosh, Swagatha, et al.
(author)
-
A simple goniometer-compatible flow cell for serial synchrotron X-ray crystallography
- 2023
-
In: Journal of Applied Crystallography. - 0021-8898. ; 56:Pt 2, s. 449-460
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Serial femtosecond crystallography was initially developed for room-temperature X-ray diffraction studies of macromolecules at X-ray free electron lasers. When combined with tools that initiate biological reactions within microcrystals, time-resolved serial crystallography allows the study of structural changes that occur during an enzyme catalytic reaction. Serial synchrotron X-ray crystallography (SSX), which extends serial crystallography methods to synchrotron radiation sources, is expanding the scientific community using serial diffraction methods. This report presents a simple flow cell that can be used to deliver microcrystals across an X-ray beam during SSX studies. This device consists of an X-ray transparent glass capillary mounted on a goniometer-compatible 3D-printed support and is connected to a syringe pump via lightweight tubing. This flow cell is easily mounted and aligned, and it is disposable so can be rapidly replaced when blocked. This system was demonstrated by collecting SSX data at MAX IV Laboratory from microcrystals of the integral membrane protein cytochrome c oxidase from Thermus thermophilus, from which an X-ray structure was determined to 2.12 Å resolution. This simple SSX platform may help to lower entry barriers for non-expert users of SSX.
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39. |
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40. |
- Gómez-Consarnau, Laura, et al.
(author)
-
Proteorhodopsin phototrophy promotes survival of marine bacteria during starvation
- 2010
-
In: PLoS biology. - : Public Library Science. - 1544-9173 .- 1545-7885. ; 8
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Proteorhodopsins are globally abundant photoproteins found in bacteria in the photic zone of the ocean. Although their function as proton pumps with energy-yielding potential has been demonstrated, the ecological role of proteorhodopsins remains largely unexplored. Here, we report the presence and function of proteorhodopsin in a member of the widespread genus Vibrio, uncovered through whole-genome analysis. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that the Vibrio strain AND4 obtained proteorhodopsin through lateral gene transfer, which could have modified the ecology of this marine bacterium. We demonstrate an increased long-term survival of AND4 when starved in seawater exposed to light rather than held in darkness. Furthermore, mutational analysis provides the first direct evidence, to our knowledge, linking the proteorhodopsin gene and its biological function in marine bacteria. Thus, proteorhodopsin phototrophy confers a fitness advantage to marine bacteria, representing a novel mechanism for bacterioplankton to endure frequent periods of resource deprivation at the ocean’s surface.
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41. |
- Gordon, Euan, 1971, et al.
(author)
-
Effective high-throughput overproduction of membrane proteins in Escherichia coli
- 2008
-
In: Protein Expression and Purification. - : Elsevier BV. - 1096-0279 .- 1046-5928. ; 62:1, s. 1-8
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Structural biology is increasingly reliant on elevated throughput methods for protein production. In particular, development of efficient methods of heterologous production of membrane proteins is essential. Here, we describe the heterologous overproduction of 24 membrane proteins from the human pathogen Legionella pneumophila in Escherichia coli. Protein production was performed in 0.5 ml cultures in standard 24-well plates, allowing increased throughput with minimal effort. The effect of the location of a histidine purification tag was analyzed, and the effect of decreasing the length of the N- and C-terminal extensions introduced by the Gateway cloning strategy is presented. We observed that the location and length of the purification tag significantly affected protein production levels. In addition, an auto-induction protocol for membrane protein expression was designed to enhance the overproduction efficiency such that, regardless of the construct used, much higher expression was achieved when compared with standard induction approaches such as isopropyl-β-d-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG). All 24 targets were produced at levels exceeding 2 mg/l, with 18 targets producing at levels of 5 mg/l or higher. In summary, we have designed a fast and efficient process for the production of medically relevant membrane proteins with a minimum number of screening parameters.
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42. |
- Gourdon, Pontus Emanuel, 1978, et al.
(author)
-
Optimized in vitro and in vivo expression of proteorhodopsin: A seven-transmembrane proton pump
- 2008
-
In: Protein Expression and Purification. - : Elsevier BV. - 1096-0279 .- 1046-5928. ; 58:1, s. 103-113
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Proteorhodopsin is an integral membrane light-harvesting proton pump that is found in bacteria distributed throughout global surface waters. Here, we present a protocol for functional in vitro production of pR using a commercial cell-free synthesis system yielding 1.0 mg purified protein per milliliter of cell lysate. We also present an optimized protocol for in vivo over-expression of pR in Escherichia coli, and a two-step purification yielding 5 mg of essentially pure functional protein per liter of culture. Both approaches are straightforward, rapid, and easily scalable. Thus either may facilitate the exploitation of pR for commercial biotechnological applications. Finally, the implications of some observations of the in vitro synthesis behavior, as well as preliminary results towards a structural determination of pR are discussed.
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43. |
- Gruhl, T., et al.
(author)
-
Ultrafast structural changes direct the first molecular events of vision
- 2023
-
In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 615, s. 939-944
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Vision is initiated by the rhodopsin family of light-sensitive G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs)(1). A photon is absorbed by the 11-cis retinal chromophore of rhodopsin, which isomerizes within 200 femtoseconds to the all-trans conformation(2), thereby initiating the cellular signal transduction processes that ultimately lead to vision. However, the intramolecular mechanism by which the photoactivated retinal induces the activation events inside rhodopsin remains experimentally unclear. Here we use ultrafast time-resolved crystallography at room temperature(3) to determine how an isomerized twisted all-trans retinal stores the photon energy that is required to initiate the protein conformational changes associated with the formation of the G protein-binding signalling state. The distorted retinal at a 1-ps time delay after photoactivation has pulled away from half of its numerous interactions with its binding pocket, and the excess of the photon energy is released through an anisotropic protein breathing motion in the direction of the extracellular space. Notably, the very early structural motions in the protein side chains of rhodopsin appear in regions that are involved in later stages of the conserved class A GPCR activation mechanism. Our study sheds light on the earliest stages of vision in vertebrates and points to fundamental aspects of the molecular mechanisms of agonist-mediated GPCR activation.
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44. |
- Hammarin, Greger, et al.
(author)
-
No observable non-thermal effect of microwave radiation on the growth of microtubules
- 2024
-
In: Scientific Reports. - 2045-2322 .- 2045-2322. ; 14:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Despite widespread public interest in the health impact of exposure to microwave radiation, studies of the influence of microwave radiation on biological samples are often inconclusive or contradictory. Here we examine the influence of microwave radiation of frequencies 3.5 GHz, 20 GHz and 29 GHz on the growth of microtubules, which are biological nanotubes that perform diverse functions in eukaryotic cells. Since microtubules are highly polar and can extend several micrometres in length, they are predicted to be sensitive to non-ionizing radiation. Moreover, it has been speculated that tubulin dimers within microtubules might rapidly toggle between different conformations, potentially participating in computational or other cooperative processes. Our data show that exposure to microwave radiation yields a microtubule growth curve that is distorted relative to control studies utilizing a homogeneous temperature jump. However, this apparent effect of non-ionizing radiation is reproduced by control experiments using an infrared laser or hot air to heat the sample and thereby mimic the thermal history of samples exposed to microwaves. As such, no non-thermal effects of microwave radiation on microtubule growth can be assigned. Our results highlight the need for appropriate control experiments in biophysical studies that may impact on the sphere of public interest.
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45. |
- Hammarin, Greger, 1981, et al.
(author)
-
No observable non-thermal effect of microwave radiation on the growth of microtubules
- 2024
-
In: SCIENTIFIC REPORTS. - 2045-2322. ; 14:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Despite widespread public interest in the health impact of exposure to microwave radiation, studies of the influence of microwave radiation on biological samples are often inconclusive or contradictory. Here we examine the influence of microwave radiation of frequencies 3.5 GHz, 20 GHz and 29 GHz on the growth of microtubules, which are biological nanotubes that perform diverse functions in eukaryotic cells. Since microtubules are highly polar and can extend several micrometres in length, they are predicted to be sensitive to non-ionizing radiation. Moreover, it has been speculated that tubulin dimers within microtubules might rapidly toggle between different conformations, potentially participating in computational or other cooperative processes. Our data show that exposure to microwave radiation yields a microtubule growth curve that is distorted relative to control studies utilizing a homogeneous temperature jump. However, this apparent effect of non-ionizing radiation is reproduced by control experiments using an infrared laser or hot air to heat the sample and thereby mimic the thermal history of samples exposed to microwaves. As such, no non-thermal effects of microwave radiation on microtubule growth can be assigned. Our results highlight the need for appropriate control experiments in biophysical studies that may impact on the sphere of public interest.
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46. |
- Hedfalk, Kristina, et al.
(author)
-
Aquaporin gating
- 2006
-
In: Current Opinion in Structural Biology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1879-033X .- 0959-440X. ; 16, s. 447-456
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- An acceleration in the rate at which new aquaporin structures are determined means that structural models are now available for mammalian AQP0, AQP1, AQP2 and AQP4, bacterial GlpF, AqpM and AQPZ, and the plant SoPIP2;1. With an apparent consensus emerging concerning the mechanism of selective water transport and proton extrusion, emphasis has shifted towards the issues of substrate selectivity and the mechanisms of aquaporin regulation. In particular, recently determined structures of plant SoPIP2;1, sheep and bovine AQP0, and Escherichia coli AQPZ provide new insights into the underlying structural mechanisms by which water transport rates are regulated in diverse organisms. From these results, two distinct pictures of 'capping' and 'pinching' have emerged to describe aquaporin gating.
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47. |
- Horsefield, Rob, 1977, et al.
(author)
-
High-resolution x-ray structure of human aquaporin 5
- 2008
-
In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 1091-6490 .- 0027-8424. ; 105:36, s. 13327-13332
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Human aquaporin 5 (HsAQP5)facilitates the transport of water across plasma membranes and has been identified within cells of the stomach, duodenum, pancreas, airways, lungs, salivary glands, sweat glands, eyes, lacrimal glands, and the inner ear. AQP5, like AQP2, is subject to posttranslational regulation by phosphorylation, at which point it is trafficked between intracellular storage compartments and the plasma membrane. Details concerning the molecular mechanism of membrane trafficking are unknown. Here we report the x-ray structure of HsAQP5 to 2.0-angstrom resolution and highlight structural similarities and differences relative to other eukaryotic aquaporins. A lipid occludes the putative central pore, preventing the passage of gas or ions through the center of the tetramer. Multiple consensus phosphorylation sites are observed in the structure and their potential regulatory role is discussed. We postulate that a change in the conformation of the C terminus may arise from the phosphorylation of AQP5 and thereby signal trafficking.
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48. |
- Isaksson, Linnéa, et al.
(author)
-
Expression screening of membrane proteins with cell-free protein synthesis.
- 2012
-
In: Protein expression and purification. - : Elsevier BV. - 1096-0279 .- 1046-5928. ; 82:1, s. 218-25
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Detailed biophysical studies of integral membrane proteins are often hampered by sample preparation difficulties. Membrane proteins are typically difficult to express in sufficient amounts to enable the use of demanding techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance and X-ray crystallography for structural biology. Here, we show that an inexpensive batch-based cell-free expression system can be a viable alternative for production of a wide range of different membrane proteins, both of prokaryotic and eukaryotic origin. Out of 38 tested protein constructs, 37 express at levels suitable for structural biology, i.e. enough to produce several milligrams of protein routinely and without excessive costs. This success rate was not anticipated and is even more impressive considering that more than half of the expressed proteins where of mammalian origin. A detergent screen identified Brij-58 as the, in general, most successful choice for co-translational solubilization of the expressed proteins.
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49. |
- Jacobson, Frida, 1975, et al.
(author)
-
High resolution X-ray structures of the oxidised and reduced forms of nitrite reductase from Rhodobacter sphaeroides 2.4.3
- 2005
-
In: Acta Crystallography D. - 0907-4449 .- 1399-0047. ; 61, s. 1190-1198
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Nitrite reductase is an enzyme operating in the denitrification pathway which catalyses the conversion of nitrite (NO2(-)) to gaseous nitric oxide (NO). Here, crystal structures of the oxidized and reduced forms of the copper-containing nitrite reductase from Rhodobacter sphaeroides 2.4.3 are presented at 1.74 and 1.85 A resolution, respectively. Whereas the structure of the enzyme is very similar to those of other copper-containing nitrite reductases, folding as a trimer and containing two copper sites per monomer, the structures reported here enable conformational differences between the oxidized and reduced forms of the enzyme to be identified. In the type 1 copper site, a rotational perturbation of the side chain of the copper ligand Met182 occurs upon reduction. At the type 2 copper site, a dual conformation of the catalytic residue His287 is observed in the oxidized structure but is lacking in the reduced structure, such that the interactions of the oxidized type 2 copper ion can be regarded as adopting octahedral geometry. These findings shed light on the structural mechanism of the reduction of a copper-bound nitrite to nitric oxide and water.
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50. |
- Jacobson, Frida, 1975, et al.
(author)
-
pH dependence of copper geometry, reduction potential, and nitrite affinity in nitrite reductase
- 2007
-
In: Journal of Biological Chemistry. - 0021-9258 .- 1083-351X. ; 282:9, s. 6347-6355
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Many properties of copper-containing nitrite reductase are pH-dependent, such as gene expression, enzyme activity, and substrate affinity. Here we use x-ray diffraction to investigate the structural basis for the pH dependence of activity and nitrite affinity by examining the type 2 copper site and its immediate surroundings in nitrite reductase from Rhodobacter sphaeroides 2.4.3. At active pH the geometry of the substrate-free oxidized type 2 copper site shows a near perfect tetrahedral geometry as defined by the positions of its ligands. At higher pH values the most favorable copper site geometry is altered toward a more distorted tetrahedral geometry whereby the solvent ligand adopts a position opposite to that of the His-131 ligand. This pH-dependent variation in type 2 copper site geometry is discussed in light of recent computational results. When co-crystallized with substrate, nitrite is seen to bind in a bidentate fashion with its two oxygen atoms ligating the type 2 copper, overlapping with the positions occupied by the solvent ligand in the high and low pH structures. Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy is used to assign the pH dependence of the binding of nitrite to the active site, and EPR spectroscopy is used to characterize the pH dependence of the reduction potential of the type 2 copper site. Taken together, these spectroscopic and structural observations help to explain the pH dependence of nitrite reductase, highlighting the subtle relationship between copper site geometry, nitrite affinity, and enzyme activity.
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