Mimivirus TyrRS: preliminary structural and functional characterization of the first amino-acyl tRNA synthetase found in a virus

The amoeba‐infecting Mimivirus is the largest known double‐stranded DNA virus, with a 400 nm particle size, comparable to that of mycoplasma. The complete sequence of its 1.2 Mbp genome has recently been determined [Raoult et al. (2004), Science, 306, 1344–1350] and revealed numerous genes that were...

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Published in:Acta crystallographica. Section F, Structural biology and crystallization communications Structural biology and crystallization communications, 2005-02, Vol.61 (2), p.212-215
Main Authors: Abergel, Chantal, Chenivesse, Sabine, Byrne, Deborah, Suhre, Karsten, Arondel, Vincent, Claverie, Jean-Michel
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Amino Acid Sequence
Amino Acyl-tRNA Synthetases - chemistry
Amino Acyl-tRNA Synthetases - isolation & purification
Amino Acyl-tRNA Synthetases - metabolism
Amoeba - virology
Animals
Conserved Sequence
Crystallization Communications
Crystallography, X-Ray
DNA Viruses - enzymology
Molecular Sequence Data
nucleocytoplasmic large DNA virus
Peptide Fragments - chemistry
Sequence Alignment
Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
structural genomics
translation apparatus
tyrosyl tRNA synthetase
Viral Proteins - chemistry
Viral Proteins - isolation & purification
Viral Proteins - metabolism
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Summary:The amoeba‐infecting Mimivirus is the largest known double‐stranded DNA virus, with a 400 nm particle size, comparable to that of mycoplasma. The complete sequence of its 1.2 Mbp genome has recently been determined [Raoult et al. (2004), Science, 306, 1344–1350] and revealed numerous genes that were not expected to be found in a virus, such as genes encoding translation components, including 4‐amino‐acyl tRNA synthetases and homologues to various translation initiation, elongation and termination factors. A comprehensive structural and functional study of these Mimivirus gene products was initiated, as they may hold important clues about the origin of DNA viruses. Here, the first preliminary crystallographic and functional results obtained on one of these targets, Mimivirus TyrRS, are reported. Preliminary phasing was obtained using an original combination of homology modelling and normal mode analysis. Experimental evidence that Mimivirus tyrosyl tRNA synthetase recombinant gene product does indeed activate tyrosine is also presented.
ISSN:1744-3091
1744-3091
DOI:10.1107/S174430910500062X