We determine and compare the crystal structure of two proteases belonging to the subtilisin superfamily: S41, a cold-adapted serine protease produced by Antarctic bacilli, at 1.4 A resolution and Sph, a mesophilic serine protease produced by Bacillus sphaericus, at 0.8 A resolution. The purpose of this comparison was to find out whether multiple calcium ion binding is a molecular factor responsible for the adaptation of S41 to extreme low temperatures. We find that these two subtilisins have the same subtilisin fold with a root mean square between the two structures of 0.54 A. The final models for S41 and Sph include a calcium-loaded state of five ions bound to each of these two subtilisin molecules. None of these calcium-binding sites correlate with the high affinity known binding site (site A) found for other subtilisins. Structural analysis of the five calcium-binding sites found in these two crystal structures indicate that three of the binding sites have two side chains of an acidic residue coordinating the calcium ion, whereas the other two binding sites have either a main-chain carbonyl, or only one acidic residue side chain coordinating the calcium ion. Thus, we conclude that three of the sites are of high affinity toward calcium ions, whereas the other two are of low affinity. Because Sph is a mesophilic subtilisin and S41 is a psychrophilic subtilisin, but both crystal structures were found to bind five calcium ions, we suggest that multiple calcium ion binding is not responsible for the adaptation of S41 to low temperatures.
hallett@mcb.mcgill.ca.
Given its central role in various biological systems, as well as its involvement in numerous pathologies, the mitochondrion is one of the best-studied organelles. However, although the mitochondrial genome has been extensively investigated, protein-level information remains partial, and in many cases, hypothetical. The Mitochondrial Protein Atlas (MPA; URL: lifeserv.bgu.ac.il/wb/jeichler/MPA ) is a database that provides a complete, manually curated inventory of only experimentally validated human mitochondrial proteins. The MPA presently contains 911 unique protein entries, each of which is associated with at least one experimentally validated and referenced mitochondrial localization. The MPA also contains experimentally validated and referenced information defining function, structure, involvement in pathologies, interactions with other MPA proteins, as well as the method(s) of analysis used in each instance. Connections to relevant external data sources are offered for each entry, including links to NCBI Gene, PubMed, and Protein Data Bank. The MPA offers a prototype for other information sources that allow for a distinction between what has been confirmed and what remains to be verified experimentally.
Whereas N-glycosylation is a posttranslational modification performed across evolution, the archaeal version of this protein-processing event presents a degree of diversity not seen in either bacteria or eukarya. Accordingly, archaeal N-glycosylation relies on a large number of enzymes that are often species-specific or restricted to a select group of species. As such, there is a need for an organized platform upon which amassing information about archaeal glycosylation (agl) genes can rest. Accordingly, the aglgenes database provides detailed descriptions of experimentally characterized archaeal N-glycosyation pathway components. For each agl gene, genomic information, supporting literature and relevant external links are provided at a functional intuitive web-interface designed for data browsing. Routine updates ensure that novel experimental information on genes and proteins contributing to archaeal N-glycosylation is incorporated into aglgenes in a timely manner. As such, aglgenes represents a specialized resource for sharing validated experimental information online, providing support for workers in the field of archaeal protein glycosylation.Database URL: www.bgu.ac.il/aglgenes
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