The medium-resolution structure of the N-terminal fragment of E. coli Lon protease shows that this part of the enzyme consists of two compact domains and a very long α-helix.

The structure of a recombinant construct consisting of residues 1–245 of Escherichia coli Lon protease, the prototypical member of the A-type Lon family, is reported. This construct encompasses all or most of the N-terminal domain of the enzyme. The structure was solved by SeMet SAD to 2.6 Å resolution utilizing trigonal crystals that contained one molecule in the asymmetric unit. The molecule consists of two compact subdomains and a very long C-terminal α-helix. The structure of the first subdomain (residues 1–117), which consists mostly of β-strands, is similar to that of the shorter fragment previously expressed and crystallized, whereas the second subdomain is almost entirely helical. The fold and spatial relationship of the two subdomains, with the exception of the C-terminal helix, closely resemble the structure of BPP1347, a 203-amino-acid protein of unknown function from Bordetella parapertussis, and more distantly several other proteins. It was not possible to refine the structure to satisfactory convergence; however, since almost all of the Se atoms could be located on the basis of their anomalous scattering the correctness of the overall structure is not in question. The structure reported here was also compared with the structures of the putative substrate-binding domains of several proteins, showing topological similarities that should help in defining the binding sites used by Lon substrates.

The crystal structure of the unbound form of HIV-1 subtype A protease has been determined to 1.7 Å resolution. A detailed structural analysis and comparison of the unbound subtype A, B and C protease structures is presented. The results showed that although no inhibitor is present in the active site, the subtype A protease has flaps in the closed position.

The crystal structure of the unbound form of HIV-1 subtype A protease (PR) has been determined to 1.7 Å resolution and refined as a homodimer in the hexagonal space group P61 to an R cryst of 20.5%. The structure is similar in overall shape and fold to the previously determined subtype B, C and F PRs. The major differences lie in the conformation of the flap region. The flaps in the crystal structures of the unbound subtype B and C PRs, which were crystallized in tetragonal space groups, are either semi-open or wide open. In the present structure of subtype A PR the flaps are found in the closed position, a conformation that would be more anticipated in the structure of HIV protease complexed with an inhibitor. The amino-acid differences between the subtypes and their respective crystal space groups are discussed in terms of the differences in the flap conformations.

The crystal structure of the Taz2 zinc-finger domain of the human p300 transcriptional coactivator was determined using the anomalous diffraction signal of the bound Zn ions. Crystal contacts suggested a possible novel mode of Taz2–peptide ligand interactions.

CBP and its paralog p300 are histone acetyl transferases that regulate gene expression by interacting with multiple transcription factors via specialized domains. The structure of a segment of human p300 protein (residues 1723–1836) corresponding to the extended zinc-binding Taz2 domain has been investigated. The crystal structure was solved by the SAD approach utilizing the anomalous diffraction signal of the bound Zn ions. The structure comprises an atypical helical bundle stabilized by three Zn ions and closely resembles the solution structures determined previously for shorter peptides. Residues 1813–1834 from the current construct form a helical extension of the C-terminal helix and make extensive crystal-contact interactions with the peptide-binding site of Taz2, providing additional insights into the mechanism of the recognition of diverse transactivation domains (TADs) by Taz2. On the basis of these results and molecular modeling, a hypothetical model of the binding of phosphorylated p53 TAD1 to Taz2 has been proposed.

A brief comment is made on the need to use carefully selected, novel terms in crystallographic publications, especially publications addressing non-specialists.

While figures of speech are often useful and even educational, flashy titles combined with hyperbolae and imprecise language can mislead or deceive non-specialist readers and should therefore be avoided. The possibility of such confusion exists when poorly defined terms like ‘structure quality’ or ‘super-resolution’ are used to describe a protein structure.