scholarly journals Accurate geometrical restraints for Watson–Crick base pairs

2019 ◽  
Vol 75 (2) ◽  
pp. 235-245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miroslaw Gilski ◽  
Jianbo Zhao ◽  
Marcin Kowiel ◽  
Dariusz Brzezinski ◽  
Douglas H. Turner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Structural Information ◽  
Data Bank ◽  
Base Pairs ◽  
Acta Cryst ◽  
Ultrahigh Resolution ◽  
Cryo Electron Microscopy ◽  
Structural Database ◽  
Different Sources ◽  
Best Parameters

Geometrical restraints provide key structural information for the determination of biomolecular structures at lower resolution by experimental methods such as crystallography or cryo-electron microscopy. In this work, restraint targets for nucleic acids bases are derived from three different sources and compared: small-molecule crystal structures in the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD), ultrahigh-resolution structures in the Protein Data Bank (PDB) and quantum-mechanical (QM) calculations. The best parameters are those based on CSD structures. After over two decades, the standard library of Parkinson et al. [(1996), Acta Cryst. D52, 57–64] is still valid, but improvements are possible with the use of the current CSD database. The CSD-derived geometry is fully compatible with Watson–Crick base pairs, as comparisons with QM results for isolated and paired bases clearly show that the CSD targets closely correspond to proper base pairing. While the QM results are capable of distinguishing between single and paired bases, their level of accuracy is, on average, nearly two times lower than for the CSD-derived targets when gauged by root-mean-square deviations from ultrahigh-resolution structures in the PDB. Nevertheless, the accuracy of QM results appears sufficient to provide stereochemical targets for synthetic base pairs where no reliable experimental structural information is available. To enable future tests for this approach, QM calculations are provided for isocytosine, isoguanine and the iCiG base pair.

scholarly journals The young person’s guide to the PDB

2016 ◽  
Vol 62 (3) ◽  
pp. 242-249
Author(s):  
Wladek Minor ◽  
Zbigniew Dauter ◽  
Mariusz Jaskolski
Keyword(s):  
Structural Information ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Data Bank ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Protein Crystal ◽  
X Ray Crystallography ◽  
Cryo Electron Microscopy ◽  
Three Dimensional Models ◽  
Training Skill

The Protein Data Bank (PDB), created in 1971 when merely seven protein crystal structures were known, today holds over 120,000 experimentally-determined three-dimensional models of macromolecules, including gigantic structures comprised of hundreds of thousands of atoms, such as ribosomes and viruses. Most of the deposits come from X-ray crystallography experiments, with important contributions also made by NMR spectroscopy and, recently, by the fast growing Cryo-Electron Microscopy. Although the determination of a macromolecular crystal structure is now facilitated by advanced experimental tools and by sophisticated software, it is still a highly complicated research process requiring specialized training, skill, experience and a bit of luck. Understanding the plethora of structural information provided by the PDB requires that its users (consumers) have at least a rudimentary initiation. This is the purpose of this educational overview.

Remarkable features in lattice-parameter ratios of crystals. II. Monoclinic and triclinic crystals

2005 ◽  
Vol 61 (3) ◽  
pp. 296-303 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. de Gelder ◽  
A. Janner
Keyword(s):  
Data Bank ◽  
Lattice Parameter ◽  
Inorganic Crystal Structure Database ◽  
Acta Cryst ◽  
Frequency Distributions ◽  
Structural Principle ◽  
Inorganic Crystal ◽  
Metal Organic ◽  
Structural Database ◽  
Crystal Structure Database

The frequency distributions of monoclinic crystals as a function of the lattice-parameter ratios resemble the corresponding ones of orthorhombic crystals: an exponential component, with more or less pronounced sharp peaks, with in general the most important peak at the ratio value 1. In addition, the distribution as a function of the monoclinic angle β has a sharp peak at 90° and decreases sensibly at larger angles. Similar behavior is observed for the three triclinic angular parameters α, β and γ, with characteristic differences between the organic and metal-organic, bio-macromolecular and inorganic crystals, respectively. The general behavior observed for the hexagonal, tetragonal, orthorhombic, monoclinic and triclinic crystals {in the first part of this series [de Gelder & Janner (2005). Acta Cryst. B61, 287–295] and in the present case} is summarized and commented. The data involved represent 366 800 crystals, with lattice parameters taken from the Cambridge Structural Database, CSD (294 400 entries), the Protein Data Bank, PDB (18 800 entries), and the Inorganic Crystal Structure Database, ICSD (53 600 entries). A new general structural principle is suggested.

Enhanced information from biological materials through technological improvements in cryo-electron microscopy

1992 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 788-789
Author(s):  
Marc J.C. de Jong ◽  
Wim M. Busing ◽  
Max T. Otten
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Electron Beam ◽  
Biological Materials ◽  
Electron Crystallography ◽  
Cryo Electron Microscopy ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
The Many ◽  
Technological Improvements ◽  
Beam Damage

Biological materials damage rapidly in the electron beam, limiting the amount of information that can be obtained in the transmission electron microscope. The discovery that observation at cryo temperatures strongly reduces beam damage (in addition to making it unnecessaiy to use chemical fixatives, dehydration agents and stains, which introduce artefacts) has given an important step forward to preserving the ‘live’ situation and makes it possible to study the relation between function, chemical composition and morphology.Among the many cryo-applications, the most challenging is perhaps the determination of the atomic structure. Henderson and co-workers were able to determine the structure of the purple membrane by electron crystallography, providing an understanding of the membrane's working as a proton pump. As far as understood at present, the main stumbling block in achieving high resolution appears to be a random movement of atoms or molecules in the specimen within a fraction of a second after exposure to the electron beam, which destroys the highest-resolution detail sought.

Rapid determination of fractal structure of bacterial assemblages in wastewater treatment: implications to process optimisation

1998 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 9-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Guan ◽  
T. D. Waite ◽  
R. Amal ◽  
H. Bustamante ◽  
R. Wukasch
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Fractal Structure ◽  
Structural Information ◽  
Rapid Determination ◽  
Fractal Dimensions ◽  
Structure Information ◽  
Treatment Processes ◽  
On Line ◽  
Bacterial Aggregates

A rapid method of determining the structure of aggregated particles using small angle laser light scattering is applied here to assemblages of bacteria from wastewater treatment systems. The structure information so obtained is suggestive of fractal behaviour as found by other methods. Strong dependencies are shown to exist between the fractal structure of the bacterial aggregates and the behaviour of the biosolids in zone settling and dewatering by both pressure filtration and centrifugation methods. More rapid settling and significantly higher solids contents are achievable for “looser” flocs characterised by lower fractal dimensions. The rapidity of determination of structural information and the strong dependencies of the effectiveness of a number of wastewater treatment processes on aggregate structure suggests that this method may be particularly useful as an on-line control tool.

scholarly journals 2017 publication guidelines for structural modelling of small-angle scattering data from biomolecules in solution: an update

2017 ◽  
Vol 73 (9) ◽  
pp. 710-728 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jill Trewhella ◽  
Anthony P. Duff ◽  
Dominique Durand ◽  
Frank Gabel ◽  
J. Mitchell Guss ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Small Angle ◽  
Task Force ◽  
Data Bank ◽  
Small Angle Scattering ◽  
Scattering Data ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Angle Scattering ◽  
Publication Guidelines ◽  
Guidelines And Recommendations

In 2012, preliminary guidelines were published addressing sample quality, data acquisition and reduction, presentation of scattering data and validation, and modelling for biomolecular small-angle scattering (SAS) experiments. Biomolecular SAS has since continued to grow and authors have increasingly adopted the preliminary guidelines. In parallel, integrative/hybrid determination of biomolecular structures is a rapidly growing field that is expanding the scope of structural biology. For SAS to contribute maximally to this field, it is essential to ensure open access to the information required for evaluation of the quality of SAS samples and data, as well as the validity of SAS-based structural models. To this end, the preliminary guidelines for data presentation in a publication are reviewed and updated, and the deposition of data and associated models in a public archive is recommended. These guidelines and recommendations have been prepared in consultation with the members of the International Union of Crystallography (IUCr) Small-Angle Scattering and Journals Commissions, the Worldwide Protein Data Bank (wwPDB) Small-Angle Scattering Validation Task Force and additional experts in the field.

scholarly journals Determination of intermediate state structures in the opening pathway of SARS-CoV-2 spike using cryo-electron microscopy

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z. Faidon Brotzakis ◽  
Thomas Lohr ◽  
Michele Vendruscolo
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽  
Intermediate State ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Cryo Electron Microscopy ◽  
Welfare Systems

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes COVID-19, a highly infectious disease that is severely affecting our society and welfare systems. In order to develop therapeutic interventions against this...

Quantitative determination of the number of secondary and tertiary structure base pairs in transfer RNA in solution

Biochemistry ◽  
1976 ◽  
Vol 15 (20) ◽  
pp. 4370-4377 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. H. Bolton ◽  
C. R. Jones ◽  
D. Bastedo-Lerner ◽  
K. L. Wong ◽  
D. R. Kearns
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Determination ◽  
Tertiary Structure ◽  
Transfer Rna ◽  
Base Pairs ◽  
Secondary And Tertiary Structure

Examining the structure of the mature amyloid fibril

2002 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 521-525 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. S. Makin ◽  
L. C. Serpell
Keyword(s):  
Self Assembly ◽  
Rational Design ◽  
Amyloid Fibrils ◽  
Structural Information ◽  
X Ray ◽  
X Ray Crystallography ◽  
Cryo Electron Microscopy ◽  
Fibre Diffraction ◽  
Complementary Techniques ◽  
Mature Fibril

The pathogenesis of the group of diseases known collectively as the amyloidoses is characterized by the deposition of insoluble amyloid fibrils. These are straight, unbranching structures about 70–120 å (1 å = 0.1 nm) in diameter and of indeterminate length formed by the self-assembly of a diverse group of normally soluble proteins. Knowledge of the structure of these fibrils is necessary for the understanding of their abnormal assembly and deposition, possibly leading to the rational design of therapeutic agents for their prevention or disaggregation. Structural elucidation is impeded by fibril insolubility and inability to crystallize, thus preventing the use of X-ray crystallography and solution NMR. CD, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and light scattering have been used in the study of the mechanism of fibril formation. This review concentrates on the structural information about the final, mature fibril and in particular the complementary techniques of cryo-electron microscopy, solid-state NMR and X-ray fibre diffraction.

Three new phosphoric triamides with a [C(O)NH]P(O)[N(C)(C)]2skeleton: a database analysis of C—N—C and P—N—C bond angles

2014 ◽  
Vol 70 (10) ◽  
pp. 998-1002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehrdad Pourayoubi ◽  
Atekeh Tarahhomi ◽  
Arnold L. Rheingold ◽  
James A. Golen
Keyword(s):  
Hydrogen Bonds ◽  
Crystal Structures ◽  
The Other ◽  
Database Analysis ◽  
Acta Cryst ◽  
Bond Angles ◽  
Cyclic Amide ◽  
Phosphoric Triamide ◽  
Structural Database ◽  
Phosphoric Triamides

InN,N,N′,N′-tetraethyl-N′′-(4-fluorobenzoyl)phosphoric triamide, C15H25FN3O2P, (I), andN-(2,6-difluorobenzoyl)-N′,N′′-bis(4-methylpiperidin-1-yl)phosphoric triamide, C19H28F2N3O2P, (II), the C—N—C angle at each tertiary N atom is significantly smaller than the two P—N—C angles. For the other new structure,N,N′-dicyclohexyl-N′′-(2-fluorobenzoyl)-N,N′-dimethylphosphoric triamide, C21H33FN3O2P, (III), one C—N—C angle [117.08 (12)°] has a greater value than the related P—N—C angle [115.59 (9)°] at the same N atom. Furthermore, for most of the analogous structures with a [C(=O)NH]P(=O)[N(C)(C)]2skeleton deposited in the Cambridge Structural Database [CSD; Allen (2002).Acta Cryst.B58, 380–388], the C—N—C angle is significantly smaller than the two P—N—C angles; exceptions were found for four structures with theN-methylcyclohexylamide substituent, similar to (III), one structure with the seven-membered cyclic amide azepan-1-yl substituent and one structure with anN-methylbenzylamide substituent. The asymmetric units of (I), (II) and (III) contain one molecule, and in the crystal structures, adjacent molecules are linkedviapairs of N—H...O=P hydrogen bonds to form dimers.

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