分类: 生物学 >> 生物物理学 >> 生物物理、生物化学与分子生物学 提交时间: 2016-05-12
摘要: The structures of several Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) insecticidal crystal proteins have been determined by crystallographic methods and a close relationship has been explicated between specific toxicities and conserved three-dimensional architectures. In this study, as a representative of the coleopteran- and hemipteran-specific Cry51A group, the complete structure of Cry51Aa1 protoxin has been determined by X-ray crystallography at 1.65 angstrom resolution. This is the first report of a coleopteran-active Bt insecticidal toxin with high structural similarity to the aerolysin-type beta-pore forming toxins (beta-FFTs). Moreover, study of featured residues and structural elements reveal their possible roles in receptor binding and pore formation events. This study provides new insights into the action of aerolysin-type (beta-PFTs from a structural perspective, and could be useful for the control of coleopteran and hemipteran insect pests in agricultures. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
分类: 生物学 >> 生物物理学 >> 生物物理、生物化学与分子生物学 提交时间: 2016-05-12
摘要: Replication and transcription of influenza virus genome mainly depend on its RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP), composed of the PA, PB1, and PB2 subunits. Although extensively studied, the underlying mechanism of the RdRP complex is still unclear. Here we report the biochemical characterization of influenza RdRP subcomplex comprising PA, PB1, and N terminus of PB2, which exist as dimer in solution and can assemble into a tetramer state, regulated by vRNA promoter. Using single-particle cryo-electron microscopy, we have reconstructed the RdRP tetramer complex at 4.3 angstrom, highlighting the assembly and interfaces between monomers within the tetrameric structure. The individual RdRP subcomplex contains all the characterized motifs and appears as a cage-like structure. High-throughput mutagenesis profiling revealed that residues involved in the oligomer state formation are critical for viral life cycle. Our results lay a solid base for understanding the mechanism of replication of influenza and other negative-stranded RNA viruses.
分类: 生物学 >> 生物物理学 >> 生物物理、生物化学与分子生物学 提交时间: 2016-05-12
摘要: Pathogenic mycobacteria transport virulence factors across their complex cell wall via a type VII secretion system (T7SS)/early secreted antigenic target-6 of kDa secretion system (ESX). ESX conserved component (Ecc) B, a core component of the T7SS architecture, is predicted to be a membrane bound protein, but little is known about its structure and function. Here, we characterize EccB1, showing that it is an ATPase with no sequence or structural homology to other ATPases located in the cell envelope of Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv. We obtained the crystal structure of an EccB1-DN72 truncated transmembrane helix and performed modeling and ATP docking studies, showing that EccB1 likely exists as a hexamer. Sequence alignment and ATPase activity determination of EccB1 homologues indicated the presence of 3 conserved motifs in the N- and C-terminals of EccB1-DN72 that assemble together between 2 membrane proximal domains of the EccB1-DN72 monomer. Models of the EccB1 hexamer show that 2 of the conserved motifs are involved in ATPase activity and form an ATP binding pocket located on the surface of 2 adjacent molecules. Our results suggest that EccB may act as the energy provider in the transport of T7SS virulence factors and may be involved in the formation of a channel across the mycomembrane.
分类: 生物学 >> 生物物理学 >> 生物物理、生物化学与分子生物学 提交时间: 2016-05-12
摘要: MutM (Formamidopyrimidine-DNA glycosylase, Fpg), a bifunctional base excision repair enzyme (DNA glycosylase/AP lyase), is involved in the repair of many kinds of DNA damage, including the formation of 8-oxoguanine, 5-formyluracil, and C/C mismatches, through recognizing DNA damage and removing damaged bases. The mechanisms of MutM involvement, however, with the exception of 8-oxoG, are poorly understood. Here, we identified proteins which interact with MutM in Mycobacterium smegmatis using methods of tandem affinity purification and mass spectrometry and used Far-western and GST pull-down analysis to validate the interactions between MutM and DEAD-box rna helicase, RpsC, and UvrA. Results demonstrated that tandem affinity purification is a suitable method for identifying MutM interacting proteins and provided insights into the mechanism by which MutM is involved in DNA damage repair.