Intersubunit Coupling Enables Fast CO 2 -Fixation by Reductive Carboxylases
Not Available
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
Engineering topics
Li, Po-Nan
Publications and source records attributed to Li, Po-Nan.
Hybrid real- and reciprocal-space full-field imaging with coherent illumination
In this work, we present a novel diffractive imaging method that harnesses a low-resolution real-space image to guide the phase retrieval. A computational algorithm is developed to utilise such prior knowledge as a real-space constraint in the iterative phase retrieval procedure. Numerical simulations and proof-of-concept experiments are carried out, demonstrating our method's capability of reconstructing high-resolution details that are otherwise inaccessible with traditional phasing algorithms. With the present method, we formulate a conceptual design for the coherent imaging experiments at a next-generation x-ray light source.
42 ENGINEERING↗
A bacterial surface layer protein exploits multistep crystallization for rapid self-assembly
Surface layers (S-layers) are crystalline protein coats surrounding microbial cells. S-layer proteins (SLPs) regulate their extracellular self-assembly by crystallizing when exposed to an environmental trigger. However, molecular mechanisms governing rapid protein crystallization in vivo or in vitro are largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that the Caulobacter crescentus SLP readily crystallizes into sheets in vitro via a calcium-triggered multistep assembly pathway. This pathway involves 2 domains serving distinct functions in assembly. The C-terminal crystallization domain forms the physiological 2-dimensional (2D) crystal lattice, but full-length protein crystallizes multiple orders of magnitude faster due to the N-terminal nucleation domain. Observing crystallization using a time course of electron cryo-microscopy (Cryo-EM) imaging reveals a crystalline intermediate wherein N-terminal nucleation domains exhibit motional dynamics with respect to rigid lattice-forming crystallization domains. Dynamic flexibility between the 2 domains rationalizes efficient S-layer crystal nucleation on the curved cellular surface. Rate enhancement of protein crystallization by a discrete nucleation domain may enable engineering of kinetically controllable self-assembling 2D macromolecular nanomaterials.
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗