Surface layers (S-layers) comprise the outermost cell envelope component of most archaea and many bacteria. Here we present the structure of the bacterial S-layer protein SbsC from Geobacillus stearothermophilus, showing a very elongated and flexible molecule, with strong and specific binding to the secondary cell wall polymer (SCWP). The crystal structure of rSbsC((31-844)) revealed a novel fold, consisting of six separate domains, which are connected by short flexible linkers. The N-terminal domain exhibits positively charged residues regularly spaced along the putative ligand binding site matching the distance of the negative charges on the extended SCWP. Upon SCWP binding, a considerable stabilization of the N-terminal domain occurs. These findings provide insight into the processes of S-layer attachment to the underlying cell wall and self-assembly, and also accommodate the observed mechanical strength, the polarity of the S-layer, and the pronounced requirement for surface flexibility inherent to cell growth and division.
A promising new approach for the production of biocatalysts comprises the use of surface-layer (S-layer) lattices that present functional multimeric enzymes on their surface, thereby guaranteeing most accurate spatial distribution and orientation, as well as maximal effectiveness and stability of these enzymes. For proof of concept, a tetrameric and a trimeric extremozyme are chosen for the construction of S-layer/extremozyme fusion proteins. By using a flexible peptide linker, either one monomer of the tetrameric xylose isomerase XylA from the thermophilic Thermoanaerobacterium strain JW/SL-YS 489 or, in another approach, one monomer of the trimeric carbonic anhydrase from the methanogenic archaeon Methanosarcina thermophila are genetically linked to one monomer of the S-layer protein SbpA of Lysinibacillus sphaericus CCM 2177. After isolation and purification, the self-assembly properties of both S-layer fusion proteins as well as the specific activity of the fused enzymes are confirmed, thus indicating that the S-layer protein moiety does not influence the nature of the multimeric enzymes and vice versa. By recrystallization of the S-layer/extremozyme fusion proteins on solid supports, the active enzyme multimers are exposed on the surface of the square S-layer lattice with 13.1 nm spacing.
The Gram-positive bacterium Geobacillus stearothermophilus ATCC 12980 is completely covered with a two-dimensional crystalline monolayer composed of the S-layer protein SbsC. In order to complete the structure of the full-length protein, additional soluble constructs containing the crucial domains for selfassembly have been successfully cloned, expressed and purified. Crystals obtained from three different recombinant constructs yielded diffraction to 3.4, 2.8 and 1.5 Å resolution. Native data have been collected.
The S-layer protein SbsC from Geobacillus stearothermophilus ATCC 12980 is the most prevalent single protein produced by the bacterium and covers the complete bacterial surface in the form of a two-dimensional crystalline monolayer. In order to elucidate the structural features of the assembly domains, several N-terminally truncated fragments of SbsC have been crystallized. Crystals obtained from recombinant fragments showed anisotropic diffraction to a maximum of 3.5 Å resolution using synchrotron radiation. The best diffracting crystals were obtained from rSbsC , an unintentional in situ proteolytic degradation product of rSbsC . Crystals were obtained in two different space groups, P2 1 and P4 1 2 1 2, and diffracted to 2.6 and 3 Å resolution, respectively. Native and heavy-atom derivative data have been collected. The structure of the C-terminal part will yield atomic resolution information for the domains that are crucial for the assembly of the two-dimensional lattice.
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