title: X-ray crystallography reveals a large conformational change during guanyl transfer by mRNA capping enzymes.
abstract: We have solved the crystal structure of an mRNA capping enzyme at 2.5 A resolution. The enzyme comprises two domains with a deep, but narrow, cleft between them. The two molecules in the crystallographic asymmetric unit adopt very different conformations; both contain a bound GTP, but one protein molecule is in an open conformation while the other is in a closed conformation. Only in the closed conformation is the enzyme able to bind manganese ions and undergo catalysis within the crystals to yield the covalent guanylated enzyme intermediate. These structures provide direct evidence for a mechanism that involves a significant conformational change in the enzyme during catalysis.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, University of Oxford, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Håkansson
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Doherty
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shuman
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Wigley
mesh_terms: D001665:Binding Sites; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D006157:Guanosine Monophosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D006160:Guanosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D008958:Models, Molecular; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009713:Nucleotidyltransferases / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011487:Protein Conformation; D017510:Protein Folding; D055672:Static Electricity; D000098556:mRNA Guanylyltransferases
chemical_list: D006157:Guanosine Monophosphate; D006160:Guanosine Triphosphate; D009713:Nucleotidyltransferases; D000098556:mRNA Guanylyltransferases