Zinc-binding to protein surface and its application to phase determination.

Abstract

Zinc is a suitable metal for anomalous dispersion phasing methods. Crystal structure determination using anomalous scattering from zinc has been limited to proteins with intrinsically bound zinc(s). Herein we report that multiple zinc ions can be charged on the surface of proteins and used for structure determination of proteins with no intrinsic zinc-binding site. The discovery of facile zinc-binding to proteins without an intrinsic zinc-binding site opens a new avenue to the usage of zinc anomalous signal for structure determination.ons can be charged on the surface of proteins and used for structure determination of proteins with no intrinsic zinc-binding site. The discovery of facile zinc-binding to proteins without an intrinsic zinc-binding site opens a new avenue to the usage of zinc anomalous signal for structure determination.