nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
The importance of evo-devo to an integrated understanding of molluscan biomineralisation.
Venue: Journal of structural biology

Biomineralogy is an inherently interdisciplinary pursuit. This largely stems from the fact that techniques used to investigate a given (bio)mineral should ideally be married with techniques that provide insight into the biological mechanisms that form that mineral (and vice versa). We observe two broad challenges that inhibit a fluent exchange of ideas and information between mineralogists/materials scientists and biologists. First, the smorgasbord of emerging and rapidly evolving techniques available to mineralogists and biologists alike make it difficult not only for an expert to remain contemporary, but can be bewildering to the non-expert. Second, to truly integrate and relate a specific biological insight into the genesis of a biomineral, with the effect that insight has on the properties of the mineral itself, is not trivial. We propose that an evolutionary developmental biology (evo-devo) approach can not only address this challenge, it can also provide deep insight into how the rich diversity of metazoan mineralised structures evolved. While an evo-devo approach to biomineralogy has previously been employed by some groups, recent exciting methodological developments available to the molecular biologist now make this strategy even more attractive. In this short review we aim to outline our perception of the role that evo-devo can play within the field of biomineralogy, taking as a case study the past achievements, recent insights and some future research directions associated with gastropod shell formation.
Crystal structure of Cdc11, a septin subunit from Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
Venue: Journal of structural biology

Septins are a conserved family of GTP-binding proteins that assemble into a highly ordered array of filaments at the mother bud neck in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells. Many molecular functions and mechanisms of the septins in S. cerevisiae were already uncovered. However, structural information is only available from modeling the crystallized subunits of the human septins into the EM cryomicroscopy data of the yeast hetero-octameric septin rod. Octameric rods are the building block of septin filaments in yeast. We present here the first crystal structure of Cdc11, the terminal subunit of the octameric rod and discuss its structure in relation to its human homologues. Size exclusion chromatography analysis revealed that Cdc11 forms homodimers through its C-terminal coiled coil tail.
Crystal structure of Rv2258c from Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv, an S-adenosyl-l-methionine-dependent methyltransferase.
Venue: Journal of structural biology

The Mycobacterium tuberculosis Rv2258c protein is an S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM)-dependent methyltransferase (MTase). Here, we have determined its crystal structure in three forms: a ligand-unbound form, a binary complex with sinefungin (SFG), and a binary complex with S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine (SAH). The monomer structure of Rv2258c consists of two domains which are linked by a long α-helix. The N-terminal domain is essential for dimerization and the C-terminal domain has the Class I MTase fold. Rv2258c forms a homodimer in the crystal, with the N-terminal domains facing each other. It also exists as a homodimer in solution. A DALI structural similarity search with Rv2258c reveals that the overall structure of Rv2258c is very similar to small-molecule SAM-dependent MTases. Rv2258c interacts with the bound SFG (or SAH) in an extended conformation maintained by a network of hydrogen bonds and stacking interactions. Rv2258c has a relatively large hydrophobic cavity for binding of the methyl-accepting substrate, suggesting that bulky nonpolar molecules with aromatic rings might be targeted for methylation by Rv2258c in M. tuberculosis. However, the ligand-binding specificity and the biological role of Rv2258c remain to be elucidated due to high variability of the amino acid residues defining the substrate-binding site.
Three-dimensional analysis of morphological changes in the malaria parasite infected red blood cell by serial block-face scanning electron microscopy.
Venue: Journal of structural biology

The human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, exhibits morphological changes during the blood stage cycle in vertebrate hosts. Here, we used serial block-face scanning electron microscopy (SBF-SEM) to visualize the entire structures of P. falciparum-infected red blood cells (iRBCs) and to examine their morphological and volumetric changes at different stages. During developmental stages, the parasite forms Maurer's clefts and vesicles in the iRBC cytoplasm and knobs on the iRBC surface, and extensively remodels the iRBC structure for proliferation of the parasite. In our observations, the Maurer's clefts and vesicles in the P. falciparum-iRBCs, resembling the so-called tubovesicular network (TVN), were not connected to each other, and continuous membrane networks were not observed between the parasitophorous vacuole membrane (PVM) and the iRBC cytoplasmic membrane. In the volumetric analysis, the iRBC volume initially increased and then decreased to the end of the blood stage cycle. This suggests that it is necessary to absorb a substantial amount of nutrients from outside the iRBC during the initial stage, but to release waste materials from inside the iRBC at the multinucleate stage. Transportation of the materials may be through the iRBC membrane, rather than a special structure formed by the parasite, because there is no direct connection between the iRBC membrane and the parasite. These results provide new insights as to how the malaria parasite grows in the iRBC and remodels iRBC structure during developmental stages; these observation can serve as a baseline for further experiments on the effects of therapeutic agents on malaria.
The macromolecular architecture of platelet-derived microparticles.
Venue: Journal of structural biology

Platelets are essential for hemostasis and wound healing. They are involved in fundamental processes of vascular biology such as angiogenesis, tissue regeneration, and tumor metastasis. Upon activation, platelets shed small plasma membrane vesicles termed platelet-derived microparticles (PMPs). PMPs include functional cell adhesion machinery that comprises transmembrane receptors (most abundant are the αIIbβ3 integrins), cytoskeletal systems and a large variety of adapter and signaling molecules. Glanzmann thrombasthenia (GT) is a condition characterized by platelets that are deficient of the integrin αIIbβ3 heterodimer. Here, we use cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) to study the structural organization of PMPs (in both healthy and GT patients), especially the cytoskeleton organization and receptor architecture. PMPs purified from GT patients show a significantly altered cytoskeletal organization, characterized by a reduced number of filaments present, compared to the healthy control. Furthermore, our results show that incubating healthy PMPs with manganese ions (Mn(2+)), in the presence of fibrinogen, induces a major conformational change of integrin receptors, whereas thrombin activation yields a moderate response. These results provide the first insights into the native molecular organization of PMPs.
Effect of the viral protease on the dynamics of bacteriophage HK97 maturation intermediates characterized by variance analysis of cryo EM particle ensembles.
Venue: Journal of structural biology

Cryo EM structures of maturation-intermediate Prohead I of bacteriophage HK97 with (PhI(Pro+)) and without ) the viral protease packaged have been reported (Veesler et al., 2014). In spite of PhI(Pro+) containing an additional ∼ 100 × 24 kD of protein, the two structures appeared identical although the two particles have substantially different biochemical properties, e.g., ) is less stable to disassembly conditions such as urea. Here the same cryo EM images are used to characterize the spatial heterogeneity of the particles at 17Å resolution by variance analysis and show that PhI(Pro-) has roughly twice the standard deviation of PhI(Pro+). Furthermore, the greatest differences in standard deviation are present in the region where the δ-domain, not seen in X-ray crystallographic structures or fully seen in cryo EM, is expected to be located. Thus presence of the protease appears to stabilize the δ-domain which the protease will eventually digest.
The LINKS motif zippers trans-acyltransferase polyketide synthase assembly lines into a biosynthetic megacomplex.
Venue: Journal of structural biology

Polyketides such as the clinically-valuable antibacterial agent mupirocin are constructed by architecturally-sophisticated assembly lines known as trans-acyltransferase polyketide synthases. Organelle-sized megacomplexes composed of several copies of trans-acyltransferase polyketide synthase assembly lines have been observed by others through transmission electron microscopy to be located at the Bacillus subtilis plasma membrane, where the synthesis and export of the antibacterial polyketide bacillaene takes place. In this work we analyze ten crystal structures of trans-acyltransferase polyketide synthases ketosynthase domains, seven of which are reported here for the first time, to characterize a motif capable of zippering assembly lines into a megacomplex. While each of the three-helix LINKS (Laterally-INteracting Ketosynthase Sequence) motifs is observed to similarly dock with a spatially-reversed copy of itself through hydrophobic and ionic interactions, the amino acid sequences of this motif are not conserved. Such a code is appropriate for mediating homotypic contacts between assembly lines to ensure the ordered self-assembly of a noncovalent, yet tightly-knit, enzymatic network. LINKS-mediated lateral interactions would also have the effect of bolstering the vertical association of the polypeptides that comprise a polyketide synthase assembly line.
Structural insight into potential cold adaptation mechanism through a psychrophilic glycoside hydrolase family 10 endo-β-1,4-xylanase.
Venue: Journal of structural biology

The cold-adapted xylanases can catalyze at low temperature and hold great potential in food industry applications. Here we describe the first crystal structure of a cold-adapted glycoside hydrolase (GH) family 10 xylanase XynGR40 and its complex with xylobiose at 2.15 and 2.50Å resolution. The enzyme folds into a typical GH10 (β/α)8 TIM-barrel, with E132 and E243 serving as the catalytic residues. The xylobiose was observed to occupy the -1 and -2 subsites. Structural comparison with a thermophilic GH10 xylanase highlighting various parameters that may explain the cold adaptation features were analyzed. Synergistic effects of the increased exposure of hydrophobic residues, the higher flexibility of substrate-binding residues, more flexible loops, and the ratios of special amino acid residues, may result in the cold adaptation of XynGR40.
Structural analysis of a penicillin V acylase from Pectobacterium atrosepticum confirms the importance of two Trp residues for activity and specificity.
Venue: Journal of structural biology

Penicillin V acylases (PVA) catalyze the deacylation of the beta-lactam antibiotic phenoxymethylpenicillin (Pen V). They are members of the Ntn hydrolase family and possess an N-terminal cysteine as the main catalytic nucleophile residue. They form the evolutionarily related cholylglycine hydrolase (CGH) group which includes bile salt hydrolases (BSH) responsible for bile deconjugation. Even though a few PVA and BSH structures have been reported, no structure of a functional PVA from Gram-negative bacteria is available. Here, we report the crystal structure of a highly active PVA from Gram-negative Pectobacterium atrosepticum (PaPVA) at 2.5Å resolution. Structural comparison with PVAs from Gram-positive bacteria revealed that PaPVA had a distinctive tetrameric structure and active site organization. In addition, mutagenesis of key active site residues and biochemical characterization of the resultant variants elucidated the role of these residues in substrate binding and catalysis. The importance of residue Trp23 and Trp87 side chains in binding and correct positioning of Pen V by PVAs was confirmed using mutagenesis and substrate docking with a 15ns molecular dynamics simulation. These results establish the unique nature of Gram-negative CGHs and necessitate further research about their substrate spectrum.
Forces guiding staphylococcal adhesion.
Venue: Journal of structural biology

Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus are two important nosocomial pathogens that form biofilms on indwelling medical devices. Biofilm infections are difficult to fight as cells within the biofilm show increased resistance to antibiotics. Our understanding of the molecular interactions driving bacterial adhesion, the first stage of biofilm formation, has long been hampered by the paucity of appropriate force-measuring techniques. In this minireview, we discuss how atomic force microscopy techniques have enabled to shed light on the molecular forces at play during staphylococcal adhesion. Specific highlights include the study of the binding mechanisms of adhesion molecules by means of single-molecule force spectroscopy, the measurement of the forces involved in whole cell interactions using single-cell force spectroscopy, and the probing of the nanobiophysical properties of living bacteria via multiparametric imaging. Collectively, these findings emphasize the notion that force and function are tightly connected in staphylococcal adhesion.
Structural studies on tobacco streak virus coat protein: Insights into the pleomorphic nature of ilarviruses.
Venue: Journal of structural biology

Tobacco streak virus (TSV), the type member of Ilarvirus genus, is a major plant pathogen. TSV purified from infected plants consists of a ss-RNA genome encapsidated in spheroidal particles with diameters of 27, 30 and 33nm constructed from multiple copies of a single species of coat protein (CP) subunits. Apart from protecting the viral genome, CPs of ilarviruses play several key roles in the life cycle of these viruses. Unlike the related bromo and cucumoviruses, ilarvirus particles are labile and pleomorphic, which has posed difficulties in their crystallization and structure determination. In the current study, a truncated TSV-CP was crystallized in two distinct forms and their structures were determined at resolutions of 2.4Å and 2.1Å, respectively. The core of TSV CP was found to possess the canonical β-barrel jelly roll tertiary structure observed in several other viruses. Dimers of CP with swapped C-terminal arms (C-arm) were observed in both the crystal forms. The C-arm was found to be flexible and is likely to be responsible for the polymorphic and pleomorphic nature of TSV capsids. Consistent with this observation, mutations in the hinge region of the C-arm that reduce the flexibility resulted in the formation of more uniform particles. TSV CP was found to be structurally similar to that of Alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV) accounting for similar mechanism of genome activation in alfamo and ilar viruses. This communication represents the first report on the structure of the CP from an ilarvirus.
Structure-based functional studies for the cellular recognition and cytolytic mechanism of pneumolysin from Streptococcus pneumoniae.
Venue: Journal of structural biology

Cholesterol-dependent cytolysins (CDCs) contribute to various pathogenesis by Gram-positive bacterial pathogens. Among them, pneumolysin (PLY) produced by Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major contributor to pneumococcal infections. Despite numerous studies of the cytolytic mechanism of PLY, little structural information on its interactions with a specific receptor of the cell membrane is available. We report here the first crystal structures of PLY in an apo-form and in a ternary complex with two mannoses at 2.8Å and 2.5Å resolutions, respectively. Both structures contained one monomer in an asymmetric unit and were comprised of four discontinuous domains, similar to CDC structures reported previously. The ternary complex structure showed that loop 3 and the undecapeptide region in domain 4 might contribute to cellular recognition by binding to mannose, as a component of a specific cell-surface receptor. Moreover, mutational studies and docking simulations for four residues (Leu431, Trp433, Thr459, and Leu460) in domain 4 indicated that Leu431 and Trp433 in the undecapeptide might be involved in the binding of cholesterol, together with the Thr459-Leu460 pair in loop 1. Our results provide structure-based molecular insights into the interaction of PLY with the target cell membrane, including the binding of mannose and cholesterol.
Hierarchical organization of the cuticle of the subsocial desert isopod, Hemilepistus reaumurii.
Venue: Journal of structural biology

The crustacean cuticle is a hierarchically organised material which provides protection and sites for muscle attachment. The physical properties of this exoskeleton envelope are adapted to the function and the eco-physiological requirements of the species. This paper aimed to study, using the TEM, the structure of the tubercle and the tergite cuticle of the arid species Hemilepistus reaumurii in a comparison with a subhumid isopod in order to relate some peculiar features to an adaptive process to environmental constraints. Results showed that wild H. reaumurii cuticles were twice as thick in comparison with Porcellio variabilis which is a subhumid zone isopod. It is suggested therefore that the thick cuticle of wild H. reaumurii can be an adaptation to terrestrial life and a protection against osmotic stress and water loss in an arid environment. In addition the inside of the tubercle showed a high number of lipid droplets stacked into an adipose tissue which suggest that tubercles were used for storage for nutritive material in wild H. reaumurii.
The structure of the Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factor Rlf in complex with the small G-protein Ral identifies conformational intermediates of the exchange reaction and the basis for the selectivity.
Venue: Journal of structural biology

CDC25 homology domain (CDC25-HD) containing Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors (GEFs) initiate signalling by small G-proteins of the Ras-family. Each GEF acts on a small subset of the G-proteins only, thus providing signalling selectivity. Rlf is a GEF with selectivity for the G-proteins RalA and RalB. Here the crystal structure of Rlf in complex with Ral is determined. The Rlf·Ral complex crystallised into two different crystal forms, which represent different steps of the exchange reaction. Thereby general insight in the CDC25-HD catalysed nucleotide exchange is obtained. In addition, the basis for the selectivity of the interaction is investigated. The exchange activity is monitored by the use of recombinant proteins. Selectivity determinants in the binding interface are identified and confirmed by a mutational study.
The PKA regulatory subunit from yeast forms a homotetramer: Low-resolution structure of the N-terminal oligomerization domain.
Venue: Journal of structural biology

The cAMP dependent protein kinase (PKA) is a key enzyme involved in many cellular processes in eukaryotes. In mammals, the regulatory (R) subunit localises the catalytic (C) subunit to specific subcellular sites through the interaction of its N-terminal homodimeric docking and dimerization (D/D) domain with specific scaffold proteins. The structure of the D/D domain has been extensively studied in mammals, but there is little information from non-mammalian species. In this work, we present the structural analysis of the D/D domain of Bcy1, the R subunit of PKA from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Using chemical crosslinking experiments and static light scattering measurements we found that this R subunit forms a tetramer in solution, unlike its dimeric mammalian counterparts. We determined that the D/D domain is responsible for this unusual oligomeric state. Using biophysical techniques including size-exclusion chromatography, sucrose gradient sedimentation, small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and circular dichroism, we performed a detailed structural characterization of the tetrameric D/D domain of Bcy1. We used homology modelling in combination with computer-aided docking methods and ab initio SAXS modelling methods to develop structural models for the D/D domain tetramer. The models consist of two homodimers with a canonical D/D domain fold that generate a dimer of dimers with novel putative interaction surfaces. These findings indicate that the oligomerization states of PKA R subunits is more diverse than previously thought, and suggest that this might allow some forms of PKA to interact with a wide range of intracellular partners.
Ordering of protein and water molecules at their interfaces with chitin nano-crystals.
Venue: Journal of structural biology

Synchrotron X-ray diffraction was applied to study the structure of biogenic α-chitin crystals composing the tendon of the spider Cupiennius salei. Measurements were carried out on pristine chitin crystals stabilized by proteins and water, as well as after their deproteinization and dehydration. We found substantial shifts (up to Δq/q=9% in the wave vector in q-space) in the (020) diffraction peak position between intact and purified chitin samples. However, chitin lattice parameters extracted from the set of reflections (hkl), which did not contain the (020)-reflection, showed no systematic variation between the pristine and the processed samples. The observed shifts in the (020) peak position are discussed in terms of the ordering-induced modulation of the protein and water electron density near the surface of the ultra-thin chitin fibrils due to strong protein/chitin and water/chitin interactions. The extracted modulation periods can be used as a quantitative parameter characterizing the interaction length.
Mesoscale elastic properties of marine sponge spicules.
Venue: Journal of structural biology

Marine sponge spicules are silicate fibers with an unusual combination of fracture toughness and optical light propagation properties due to their micro- and nano-scale hierarchical structure. We present optical measurements of the elastic properties of Tethya aurantia and Euplectella aspergillum marine sponge spicules using non-invasive Brillouin and Raman laser light scattering, thus probing the hierarchical structure on two very different scales. On the scale of single bonds, as probed by Raman scattering, the spicules resemble a combination of pure silica and mixed organic content. On the mesoscopic scale probed by Brillouin scattering, we show that while some properties (Young's moduli, shear moduli, one of the anisotropic Poisson ratios and refractive index) are nearly the same as those of artificial optical fiber, other properties (uniaxial moduli, bulk modulus and a distinctive anisotropic Poisson ratio) are significantly smaller. Thus this natural composite of largely isotropic materials yields anisotropic elastic properties on the mesoscale. We show that the spicules' optical waveguide properties lead to pronounced spontaneous Brillouin backscattering, a process related to the stimulated Brillouin backscattering process well known in artificial glass fibers. These measurements provide a clearer picture of the interplay of flexibility, strength, and material microstructure for future functional biomimicry.