PMID: 21820315

Authors:

Allen GS, Wu CC, Cardozo T, Stokes DL

Title:

The Architecture of CopA from Archeaoglobus fulgidus Studied by Cryo-Electron Microscopy and Computational Docking.

Journal:

Structure. 2011 Aug 3.

Abstract:

CopA uses ATP to pump Cu(+) across cell membranes. X-ray crystallography has defined atomic structures of several related P-type ATPases. We have determined a structure of CopA at 10 A resolution by cryo-electron microscopy of a new crystal form and used computational molecular docking to study the interactions between the N-terminal metal-binding domain (NMBD) and other elements of the molecule. We found that the shorter-chain lipids used to produce these crystals are associated with movements of the cytoplasmic domains, with a novel dimer interface and with disordering of the NMBD, thus offering evidence for the transience of its interaction with the other cytoplasmic domains. Docking identified a binding site that matched the location of the NMBD in our previous structure by cryo-electron microscopy, allowing a more detailed view of its binding configuration and further support for its role in autoinhibition.