The structural molecular biology network of the State of São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

This article describes the achievements of the Structural Molecular Biology Network (SMolBNet), a collaborative program of structural molecular biology, centered in the State of São Paulo, Brazil, and supported by São Paulo State Funding Agency (FAPESP). It gathers twenty scientifi c groups and is coordinated by the scientifi c staff of the Center of Structural Molecular Biology, at the National Laboratory of Synchrotron Light (LNLS), in Campinas. The SMolBNet program has been aimed at 1) solving the structure of proteins of interest related to the research projects of the groups. In some cases, the choice has been to select proteins of unknown function or of possible novel structure obtained from the sequenced genomes of the FAPESP genomic program; 2) providing the groups with training in all the steps of the protein structure determination: gene cloning, protein expression, protein purifi cation, protein crystallization and structure determination. Having begun in 2001, the program has been successful in both aims. Here, four groups reveal their participation in the program and describe the structural aspects of the proteins they have selected to study.

Solution structure of ApaG from Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri reveals a fibronectin‐3 fold

“…The Xac genome has been fully sequenced and its annotation classified 37% of the gene products as proteins of unknown function, the majority (80%) of which have homologues in other organisms 2. A structural genomics effort has been initiated to obtain structural information on Xac proteins in general and conserved proteins of unknown function in particular 3–7…”

Structure of Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri YaeQ reveals a new compact protein fold built around a variation of the PD‐(D/E)XK nuclease motif

“…Recombinant YaeQ was expressed in minimal media containing selenomethionine, purified and crystallized as described 8, 9. Anomalous scattering from Se atoms from a recombinant SeMet Xac YaeQ crystal8 was used for phase determination by MAD.…”