TY - JOUR
T1 - Thermolysin in the absence of substrate has an open conformation
AU - Hausrath, Andrew C.
AU - Matthews, Brian W.
PY - 2002
Y1 - 2002
N2 - The bacterial neutral proteases have been proposed to undergo hinge-bending during their catalytic cycle. However, in thermolysin, the prototypical member of the family, no significant conformational change has been observed. The structure of thermolysin has now been determined in a new crystal form that for the first time shows the enzyme in the absence of a ligand bound in the active site. This is shown to be an 'open' form of the enzyme. The relative orientation of the two domains that define the active-site cleft differ by a 5° rotation relative to their positions in the previously studied ligand-bound 'closed' form. Based on structural comparisons, kinetic studies on mutants and molecular-dynamics simulations, Gly78 and Gly135-Gly136 have previously been suggested as two possible hinge regions. Comparison of the 'open' and 'closed' structures suggests that neither of the proposed hinge regions completely accounts for the observed displacement. The concerted movement of a group of side chains suggested to be associated with the hinge-bending motion is, however, confirmed.
AB - The bacterial neutral proteases have been proposed to undergo hinge-bending during their catalytic cycle. However, in thermolysin, the prototypical member of the family, no significant conformational change has been observed. The structure of thermolysin has now been determined in a new crystal form that for the first time shows the enzyme in the absence of a ligand bound in the active site. This is shown to be an 'open' form of the enzyme. The relative orientation of the two domains that define the active-site cleft differ by a 5° rotation relative to their positions in the previously studied ligand-bound 'closed' form. Based on structural comparisons, kinetic studies on mutants and molecular-dynamics simulations, Gly78 and Gly135-Gly136 have previously been suggested as two possible hinge regions. Comparison of the 'open' and 'closed' structures suggests that neither of the proposed hinge regions completely accounts for the observed displacement. The concerted movement of a group of side chains suggested to be associated with the hinge-bending motion is, however, confirmed.
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U2 - 10.1107/S090744490200584X
DO - 10.1107/S090744490200584X
M3 - Article
C2 - 12037302
AN - SCOPUS:0036618346
SN - 0907-4449
VL - 58
SP - 1002
EP - 1007
JO - Acta Crystallographica Section D: Structural Biology
JF - Acta Crystallographica Section D: Structural Biology
IS - 6 II
ER -