Distinct Instrumental Approaches to SAXS

Author(s):  
Eaton E. Lattman ◽  
Thomas D. Grant ◽  
Edward H. Snell

There are more specialized applications of SAXS and SANS which require specific experimental considerations. This chapter covers size exclusion chromatography which has proven to be useful to study both soluble and membrane bound proteins allowing the study of samples that show time and concentration dependent dynamics. It also describes iime-resolved techniques for SAXS and in a few cases, SANS. Finally, with improved X-ray sources, detectors, sample handling, and compute power, the ability to perform SAXS data in high-throughput is available. This is discussed in enabling the use of SAXS to study protein interactions, map macromolecular conformation, and rapidly characterize samples amongst other applications.

2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (23) ◽  
pp. 5950-5955 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bastien Casu ◽  
Charline Mary ◽  
Aleksandr Sverzhinsky ◽  
Aurélien Fouillen ◽  
Antonio Nanci ◽  
...  

Type IV secretion systems (T4SSs) are multiprotein assemblies that translocate macromolecules across the cell envelope of bacteria. X-ray crystallographic and electron microscopy (EM) analyses have increasingly provided structural information on individual T4SS components and on the entire complex. As of now, relatively little information has been available on the exact localization of the inner membrane-bound T4SS components, notably the mostly periplasmic VirB8 protein and the very hydrophobic VirB6 protein. We show here that the membrane-bound, full-length version of the VirB8 homolog TraE from the plasmid pKM101 secretion system forms a high-molecular-mass complex that is distinct from the previously characterized periplasmic portion of the protein that forms dimers. Full-length TraE was extracted from the membranes with detergents, and analysis by size-exclusion chromatography, cross-linking, and size exclusion chromatography (SEC) multiangle light scattering (MALS) shows that it forms a high-molecular-mass complex. EM and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) analysis demonstrate that full-length TraE forms a hexameric complex with a central pore. We also overproduced and purified the VirB6 homolog TraD and show by cross-linking, SEC, and EM that it binds to TraE. Our results suggest that TraE and TraD interact at the substrate translocation pore of the secretion system.


2016 ◽  
Vol 49 (5) ◽  
pp. 1827-1841 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emre Brookes ◽  
Patrice Vachette ◽  
Mattia Rocco ◽  
Javier Pérez

Size-exclusion chromatography coupled with SAXS (small-angle X-ray scattering), often performed using a flow-through capillary, should allow direct collection of monodisperse sample data. However, capillary fouling issues and non-baseline-resolved peaks can hamper its efficacy. The UltraScan solution modeler (US-SOMO) HPLC-SAXS (high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with SAXS) module provides a comprehensive framework to analyze such data, starting with a simple linear baseline correction and symmetrical Gaussian decomposition tools [Brookes, Pérez, Cardinali, Profumo, Vachette & Rocco (2013). J. Appl. Cryst. 46, 1823–1833]. In addition to several new features, substantial improvements to both routines have now been implemented, comprising the evaluation of outcomes by advanced statistical tools. The novel integral baseline-correction procedure is based on the more sound assumption that the effect of capillary fouling on scattering increases monotonically with the intensity scattered by the material within the X-ray beam. Overlapping peaks, often skewed because of sample interaction with the column matrix, can now be accurately decomposed using non-symmetrical modified Gaussian functions. As an example, the case of a polydisperse solution of aldolase is analyzed: from heavily convoluted peaks, individual SAXS profiles of tetramers, octamers and dodecamers are extracted and reliably modeled.


2015 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 1102-1113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew W. Malaby ◽  
Srinivas Chakravarthy ◽  
Thomas C. Irving ◽  
Sagar V. Kathuria ◽  
Osman Bilsel ◽  
...  

Size-exclusion chromatography in line with small-angle X-ray scattering (SEC–SAXS) has emerged as an important method for investigation of heterogeneous and self-associating systems, but presents specific challenges for data processing including buffer subtraction and analysis of overlapping peaks. This paper presents novel methods based on singular value decomposition (SVD) and Guinier-optimized linear combination (LC) to facilitate analysis of SEC–SAXS data sets and high-quality reconstruction of protein scattering directly from peak regions. It is shown that Guinier-optimized buffer subtraction can reduce common subtraction artifacts and that Guinier-optimized linear combination of significant SVD basis components improves signal-to-noise and allows reconstruction of protein scattering, even in the absence of matching buffer regions. In test cases with conventional SAXS data sets for cytochrome c and SEC–SAXS data sets for the small GTPase Arf6 and the Arf GTPase exchange factors Grp1 and cytohesin-1, SVD–LC consistently provided higher quality reconstruction of protein scattering than either direct or Guinier-optimized buffer subtraction. These methods have been implemented in the context of a Python-extensible Mac OS X application known asData Evaluation and Likelihood Analysis(DELA), which provides convenient tools for data-set selection, beam intensity normalization, SVD, and other relevant processing and analytical procedures, as well as automated Python scripts for common SAXS analyses and Guinier-optimized reconstruction of protein scattering.


Crystals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 975
Author(s):  
Melissa A. Graewert ◽  
Stefano Da Vela ◽  
Tobias W. Gräwert ◽  
Dmitry S. Molodenskiy ◽  
Clément E. Blanchet ◽  
...  

We describe the updated size-exclusion chromatography small angle X-ray scattering (SEC-SAXS) set-up used at the P12 bioSAXS beam line of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) at the PETRAIII synchrotron, DESY Hamburg (Germany). The addition of size exclusion chromatography (SEC) directly on-line to the SAXS capillary has become a well-established approach to reduce the effects of the sample heterogeneity on the SAXS measurements. The additional use of multi-angle laser light scattering (MALLS), UV absorption spectroscopy, refractive index (RI), and quasi-elastic light scattering (QELS) in parallel to the SAXS measurements enables independent molecular weight validation and hydrodynamic radius estimates. This allows one to address sample monodispersity as well as conformational heterogeneity. The benefits of the current SEC-SAXS set-up are demonstrated on a set of selected standard proteins. The processed SEC-SAXS data and models are provided in the Small Angle Scattering Biological Data Bank (SASBDB) and are labeled as “bench-marked” datasets that include the unsubtracted data frames spanning the respective SEC elution profiles and corresponding MALLS-UV-RI-QELS data. These entries provide method developers with datasets suitable for testing purposes, in addition to an educational resource for SAS data analysis and modeling.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (9) ◽  
pp. 4512
Author(s):  
Michał Marcinkowski ◽  
Tomaš Pilžys ◽  
Damian Garbicz ◽  
Jan Piwowarski ◽  
Damian Mielecki ◽  
...  

The FTO protein is involved in a wide range of physiological processes, including adipogenesis and osteogenesis. This two-domain protein belongs to the AlkB family of 2-oxoglutarate (2-OG)- and Fe(II)-dependent dioxygenases, displaying N6-methyladenosine (N6-meA) demethylase activity. The aim of the study was to characterize the relationships between the structure and activity of FTO. The effect of cofactors (Fe2+/Mn2+ and 2-OG), Ca2+ that do not bind at the catalytic site, and protein concentration on FTO properties expressed in either E. coli (ECFTO) or baculovirus (BESFTO) system were determined using biophysical methods (DSF, MST, SAXS) and biochemical techniques (size-exclusion chromatography, enzymatic assay). We found that BESFTO carries three phosphoserines (S184, S256, S260), while there were no such modifications in ECFTO. The S256D mutation mimicking the S256 phosphorylation moderately decreased FTO catalytic activity. In the presence of Ca2+, a slight stabilization of the FTO structure was observed, accompanied by a decrease in catalytic activity. Size exclusion chromatography and MST data confirmed the ability of FTO from both expression systems to form homodimers. The MST-determined dissociation constant of the FTO homodimer was consistent with their in vivo formation in human cells. Finally, a low-resolution structure of the FTO homodimer was built based on SAXS data.


e-Polymers ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Iván García Romero ◽  
Harald Pasch

AbstractThe development of high-throughput liquid chromatographic techniques for the analysis of styrene-butyl acrylate (SBA) copolymers is discussed. The analysis time in size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) can be reduced to about 3 min per sample when high-throughput SEC columns and high flow rates are used. In gradient HPLC, small columns with improved separation efficiencies can be applied. The time requirements can be decreased to less than 2 min per sample. Using the high-throughput HPLC technique, the chemical composition distribution of high-conversion SBA copolymers can be analyzed in a fast and efficient way. The calibration of HPLC separation is conducted by coupling the HPLC system with FTIR through the LC-transform interface. A comparison of the chemical compositions of the copolymers obtained by 1H NMR, off-line FTIR and coupled HPLCFTIR verifies the accuracy of the high-throughput copolymer analysis approach.


2014 ◽  
Vol 70 (10) ◽  
pp. 1362-1367 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Nji ◽  
Dianfan Li ◽  
Declan A. Doyle ◽  
Martin Caffrey

The prokaryotic lysine-specific permease (LysP) belongs to the amino acid–polyamine–organocation (APC) transporter superfamily. In the cell, members of this family are responsible for the uptake and recycling of nutrients, for the maintenance of a constant internal ion concentration and for cell volume regulation. The detailed mechanism of substrate selectivity and transport of L-lysine by LysP is not understood. A high-resolution crystal structure would enormously facilitate such an understanding. To this end, LysP fromPseudomonas aeruginosawas recombinantly expressed inEscherichia coliand purified to near homogeneity by immobilized metal ion-affinity chromatography (IMAC) and size-exclusion chromatography (SEC). Hexagonal- and rod-shaped crystals were obtained in the presence of L-lysine and the L-lysine analogue L-4-thialysine by vapour diffusion and diffracted to 7.5 Å resolution. The diffraction data were indexed in space groupP21, with unit-cell parametersa= 169.53,b= 169.53,c= 290.13 Å, γ = 120°.


eLife ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ho-Ryun Chung ◽  
Chao Xu ◽  
Alisa Fuchs ◽  
Andreas Mund ◽  
Martin Lange ◽  
...  

PHF13 is a chromatin affiliated protein with a functional role in differentiation, cell division, DNA damage response and higher chromatin order. To gain insight into PHF13's ability to modulate these processes, we elucidate the mechanisms targeting PHF13 to chromatin, its genome wide localization and its molecular chromatin context. Size exclusion chromatography, mass spectrometry, X-ray crystallography and ChIP sequencing demonstrate that PHF13 binds chromatin in a multivalent fashion via direct interactions with H3K4me2/3 and DNA, and indirectly via interactions with PRC2 and RNA PolII. Furthermore, PHF13 depletion disrupted the interactions between PRC2, RNA PolII S5P, H3K4me3 and H3K27me3 and resulted in the up and down regulation of genes functionally enriched in transcriptional regulation, DNA binding, cell cycle, differentiation and chromatin organization. Together our findings argue that PHF13 is an H3K4me2/3 molecular reader and transcriptional co-regulator, affording it the ability to impact different chromatin processes.


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