On the structure and function of the phytoene desaturase CRTI from Pantoea ananatis, a membrane-peripheral and FAD-dependent oxidase/isomerase

CRTI-type phytoene desaturases prevailing in bacteria and fungi can form lycopene directly from phytoene while plants employ two distinct desaturases and two cis-tans isomerases for the same purpose. This property renders CRTI a valuable gene to engineer provitamin A-formation to help combat vitamin A malnutrition, such as with Golden Rice. To understand the biochemical processes involved, recombinant CRTI was produced and obtained in homogeneous form that shows high enzymatic activity with the lipophilic substrate phytoene contained in phosphatidyl-choline (PC) liposome membranes. The first crystal structure of apo-CRTI reveals that CRTI belongs to the flavoprotein superfamily comprising protoporphyrinogen IX oxidoreductase and monoamine oxidase. CRTI is a membrane-peripheral oxidoreductase which utilizes FAD as the sole redox-active cofactor. Oxygen, replaceable by quinones in its absence, is needed as the terminal electron acceptor. FAD, besides its catalytic role also displays a structural function by enabling the formation of enzymatically active CRTI membrane associates. Under anaerobic conditions the enzyme can act as a carotene cis-trans isomerase. In silico-docking experiments yielded information on substrate binding sites, potential catalytic residues and is in favor of single half-site recognition of the symmetrical C(40) hydrocarbon substrate

NMR studies of [U-13C] cyclosporin A bound to human cyclophilin B

AbstractNMR data (1H and 13C chemical shifts, NOEs) on [[U-13C]cyclosporin A bound to cyclophilin B were compared to previously published data on the [U-13C]CsA/CyPA complex [Fesik et al., (1991) Biochemistry 30, 6574–6583]. Despite only 64% sequence identity between CyPA and CyPB, the conformation and active site environment of CsA when bound to CyPA and CyPB are nearly identical as judged by the similarity of the NMR data

The pseudo‐βI‐turn: A new structural motif with a cis peptide bond in cyclic hexapeptides

Synthesis and conformational analysis of three cyclic hexapeptides cyclo(‐Gly1‐Pro2‐Phe3‐Val4‐Xra5‐Phe6), Xaa= Phe (I), D‐Phe (II) and D‐Pro (III), were carried out to examine the influence of proline on the formation of reverse turns and the dynamics of hydrophobic peptide regions. Assignment of all 1H and 13C resonances was achieved by homo‐ and heteronuclear 2D‐NMR techniques (TOCSY, ROESY, HMQC, HMQC‐TOCSY and HMBCS‐270). The conformational analysis is based on interproton distances derived from ROESY spectra and homo‐ and heteronuclear coupling constants (E.COSY, HETLOC and HMBCS‐270). For structural refinements restrained molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in vacuo and in DMSO were performed. Each peptide exhibits two conformations in DMSO solution due to cis‐trans isomerism about the Gly‐Pro peptide bond. Surprisingly the cis‐Gly‐Pro segment in the minor isomers is not involved in a βVI‐turn, but forms a turn structure with cis‐Gly‐Pro in the i and i+ 1 positions. Although no stabilizing hydrogen bond is found in this turn, the φ and ψ‐angles closely correspond to a βI‐turn [Pro2:φ(i+ 1) ‐60°, ψ(i+ 1) ‐30° Phe3: φ(i+ 2) ‐100°, ψ(i+ 2) ‐50°]. Hence we call this structural element a pseudo‐βI‐turn. As expected, in the dominating all‐trans isomers proline occupies the i+ 1 position of a standard βI‐turn. Therefore, cis‐trans isomerization of the Gly1‐Pro2 amide bond only induces a local conformational rearrangement, with minor structural changes in other parts of the molecule. However, the geometry of the other regions is affected by the chirality of the i+ 1 amino acid for both isomers (βI for Phe5, βII′ for D‐Phe5 or D‐Prp5). Copyright © 1994, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserve

Conformational selection of dimethylarginine recognition by the survival motor neuron tudor domain.

Tudor domains bind to dimethylarginine (DMA) residues, which are post-translational modifications that play a central role in gene regulation in eukaryotic cells. NMR spectroscopy and quantum calculations are combined to demonstrate that DMA recognition by Tudor domains involves conformational selection. The binding mechanism is confirmed by a mutation in the aromatic cage that perturbs the native recognition mode of the ligand. General mechanistic principles are delineated from the combined results, indicating that Tudor domains utilize cation–π interactions to achieve ligand recognition

1H, 13C and 15N backbone assignments of cyclophilin when bound to cyclosporin A (CsA) and preliminary structural characterization of the CsA binding site

AbstractThe backbone 1H, 13C and 15N chemical shifts of cyclophilin (CyP) when bound to cyclosporin A (CsA) have been assigned from heteronuclear two- and three-dimensional NMR experiments involving selectively 15N- and uniformly 15N- and 15N,13C-labeled cyclophilin. From an analysis of the 1H and 15N chemical shifts of CyP that change upon binding to CsA and from CyP/CsA NOEs, we have determined the regions of cyclophilin involved in binding to CsA