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Current challenges in the field of structural genomics point to the need for new tools and technologies for obtaining structures of macromolecular protein complexes. Here, we present an integrative computational method that uses molecular modelling, ion mobility-mass spectrometry (IM-MS) and incomplete atomic structures, usually from X-ray crystallography, to generate models of the subunit architecture of protein complexes. We begin by analyzing protein complexes using IM-MS, and by taking measurements of both intact complexes and sub-complexes that are generated in solution. We then examine available high resolution structural data and use a suite of computational methods to account for missing residues at the subunit and/or domain level. High-order complexes and sub-complexes are then constructed that conform to distance and connectivity constraints imposed by IM-MS data. We illustrate our method by applying it to multimeric protein complexes within the Escherichia coli replisome: the sliding clamp, (beta2), the gamma complex (gamma3deltadelta'), the DnaB helicase (DnaB6) and the Single-Stranded Binding Protein (SSB4).

Original publication

DOI

10.1371/journal.pone.0012080

Type

Journal article

Journal

PLoS One

Publication Date

10/08/2010

Volume

5

Keywords

Computer Simulation, Crystallography, X-Ray, DNA-Binding Proteins, DnaB Helicases, Escherichia coli, Mass Spectrometry, Models, Molecular, Protein Multimerization, Protein Structure, Quaternary, Protein Subunits, Proteins