Phasing statistics for alpha helical membrane protein structures

Inorganic Drugs as a Tool for Protein Structure Solving and Studies on Conformational Changes

Inorganic drugs are capable of tight interactions with proteins through coordination towards aminoacidic residues, and this feature is recognized as a key aspect for their pharmacological action. However, the "protein metalation process" is exploitable for solving the phase problem and structural resolution. In fact, the use of inorganic drugs bearing specific metal centers and ligands capable to drive the binding towards the desired portions of the protein target could represent a very intriguing and fruitful strategy. In this context, a theoretical approach may further contribute to solve protein structures and their refinement. Here, we delineate the main features of a reliable experimental-theoretical integrated approach, based on the use of metallodrugs, for protein structure solving.

An overview of heavy-atom derivatization of protein crystals

Heavy-atom derivatization is one of the oldest techniques for obtaining phase information for protein crystals and, although it is no longer the first choice, it remains a useful technique for obtaining phases for unknown structures and for low-resolution data sets. It is also valuable for confirming the chain trace in low-resolution electron-density maps. This overview provides a summary of the technique and is aimed at first-time users of the method. It includes guidelines on when to use it, which heavy atoms are most likely to work, how to prepare heavy-atom solutions, how to derivatize crystals and how to determine whether a crystal is in fact a derivative.

Experimental phasing for structure determination using membrane-protein crystals grown by the lipid cubic phase method

Despite the marked increase in the number of membrane-protein structures solved using crystals grown by the lipid cubic phase or in meso method, only ten have been determined by SAD/MAD. This is likely to be a consequence of the technical difficulties associated with handling proteins and crystals in the sticky and viscous hosting mesophase that is usually incubated in glass sandwich plates for the purposes of crystallization. Here, a four-year campaign aimed at phasing the in meso structure of the integral membrane diacylglycerol kinase (DgkA) from Escherichia coli is reported. Heavy-atom labelling of this small hydrophobic enzyme was attempted by pre-labelling, co-crystallization, soaking, site-specific mercury binding to genetically engineered single-cysteine mutants and selenomethionine incorporation. Strategies and techniques for special handling are reported, as well as the typical results and the lessons learned for each of these approaches. In addition, an assay to assess the accessibility of cysteine residues in membrane proteins for mercury labelling is introduced. The various techniques and strategies described will provide a valuable reference for future experimental phasing of membrane proteins where crystals are grown by the lipid cubic phase method.