Abstract:What is the smallest protein? This is actually not such a simple question to answer, because there is no established consensus among scientists as to the definition of a protein. We describe here a designed molecule consisting of only 10 amino acids. Despite its small size, its essential characteristics, revealed by its crystal structure, solution structure, thermal stability, free energy surface, and folding pathway network, are consistent with the properties of natural proteins. The existence of this kind of molecule deepens our understanding of proteins and impels us to define an "ideal protein" without inquiring whether the molecule actually occurs in nature.

No abstract

Kinesin motor proteins release nucleotide upon interaction with microtubules (MTs), then bind and hydrolyze ATP to move along the MT. Although crystal structures of kinesin motors bound to nucleotides have been solved, nucleotide-free structures have not. Here, using cryomicroscopy and three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction, we report the structure of MTs decorated with a Kinesin-14 motor, Kar3, in the nucleotide-free state, as well as with ADP and AMPPNP, with resolution sufficient to show alpha helices. We find large structural changes in the empty motor, including melting of the switch II helix alpha4, closure of the nucleotide binding pocket, and changes in the central beta sheet reminiscent of those reported for nucleotide-free myosin crystal structures. We propose that the switch II region of the motor controls docking of the Kar3 neck by conformational changes in the central beta sheet, similar to myosin, rather than by rotation of the motor domain, as proposed for the Kif1A kinesin motor.

The relation between the polar structural instability and superconductivity in a Weyl semimetal candidate MoTe 2 has been clarified by finely controlled physical and chemical pressure. The physical pressure as well as the chemical pressure, i.e., the Se substitution for Te, enhances the superconducting transition temperature T c at around the critical pressure where the polar structure transition disappears. From the heat capacity and thermopower measurements, we ascribe the significant enhancement of T c at the critical pressure to a subtle modification of the phonon dispersion or the semimetallic band structure upon the polar-to-nonpolar transition. On the other hand, the physical pressure, which strongly reduces the interlayer distance, is more effective on the suppression of the polar structural transition and the enhancement of T c as compared with the chemical pressure, which emphasizes the importance of the interlayer coupling on the structural and superconducting instability in MoTe 2 .

Maltohexaose-producing amylase, called G6-amylase (EC 3.2.1.98), from alkalophilic Bacillus sp.707 predominantly produces maltohexaose (G6) from starch and related alpha-1,4-glucans. To elucidate the reaction mechanism of G6-amylase, the enzyme activities were evaluated and crystal structures were determined for the native enzyme and its complex with pseudo-maltononaose at 2.1 and 1.9 A resolutions, respectively. The optimal condition for starch-degrading reaction activity was found at 45 degrees C and pH 8.8, and the enzyme produced G6 in a yield of more than 30% of the total products from short-chain amylose (DP = 17). The crystal structures revealed that Asp236 is a nucleophilic catalyst and Glu266 is a proton donor/acceptor. Pseudo-maltononaose occupies subsites -6 to +3 and induces the conformational change of Glu266 and Asp333 to form a salt linkage with the N-glycosidic amino group and a hydrogen bond with secondary hydroxyl groups of the cyclitol residue bound to subsite -1, respectively. The indole moiety of Trp140 is stacked on the cyclitol and 4-amino-6-deoxyglucose residues located at subsites -6 and -5 within a 4 A distance. Such a face-to-face short contact may regulate the disposition of the glucosyl residue at subsite -6 and would govern the product specificity for G6 production.