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A Generic Self-Assembly Process in Microcompartments and Synthetic Protein Nanotubes

Uddin, Ismail, Frank, Stefanie, Warren, Martin J., Pickersgill, Richard W. (2018) A Generic Self-Assembly Process in Microcompartments and Synthetic Protein Nanotubes. Small, 14 (19). Article Number 1704020. ISSN 1613-6810. (doi:10.1002/smll.201704020) (KAR id:66717)

Abstract

Bacterial microcompartments enclose a biochemical pathway and reactive intermediate within a protein envelope formed by the shell proteins. Herein, the orientation of the propanediol?utilization (Pdu) microcompartment shell protein PduA in bacterial microcompartments and in synthetic nanotubes, and the orientation of PduB in synthetic nanotubes are revealed. When produced individually, PduA hexamers and PduB trimers, tessellate to form flat sheets in the crystal, or they can self?assemble to form synthetic protein nanotubes in solution. Modelling the orientation of PduA in the 20 nm nanotube so as to preserve the shape complementarity and key interactions seen in the crystal structure suggests that the concave surface of the PduA hexamer faces out. This orientation is confirmed experimentally in synthetic nanotubes and in the bacterial microcompartment produced in vivo. The PduB nanotubes described here have a larger diameter, 63 nm, with the concave surface of the trimer again facing out. The conserved concave surface out characteristic of these nano?structures reveals a generic assembly process that causes the interface between adjacent subunits to bend in a common direction that optimizes shape complementarity and minimizes steric clashes. This understanding underpins engineering strategies for the biotechnological application of protein nanotubes.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1002/smll.201704020
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Natural Sciences > Biosciences
Depositing User: Martin Warren
Date Deposited: 13 Apr 2018 14:48 UTC
Last Modified: 08 Jan 2024 22:41 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/66717 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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