STUDIES ON THE CRYSTAL STRUCTURE OF Al-(D-TRYPTOPHAN) INSULIN

We have determined the crystal structure of Al-(D-Trp) insulin and discovered that it belongs to the trigonal system with space group R3. The parameters of the unit cell are a=b=78.6, c=50.0. A set of data for half a sphere reciprocal space to a spacing of 2.2 were collected. The model was adjusted and refined by using a step-by-step approach and a stereochemically-restrained least squares program, assisted by manual revision based on the difference Fourier maps, to a final R-factor of 0.218. The main and side chains of both Al-D-Trp residues in the asymmetric unit are well ordered. The packing of Al-(D-Trp) insulin in the unit cell, the conformational differences with other insulin structures and its structure and function relationship bave also been discussed.     

REFINED CRYSTAL STRUCTURE OF INSULIN AT 1.8A RESOLUTION——HYDROGEN BONDS AND BOUND WATER

The hydrogen bonds in insulin fall into three cases: the helical hydrogen bonds in α- or 3_(10)helices, the non-helical one formed by polar groups of insulin itself, and the hydrogen bondsformed between insulin and water. By using the information obtained, the results of a seriesof biochemical investigations on insulin analogs related to B-chain C-terminal peptide can beinterpreted and it can also be inferred that the complex behaviours of the aggregation ofinsulin may play a protective role for the unique conformation of the molecule. Water structure also appears in the refined model. About one third of the water in anasymmetric unit is hydrogen-bonded to insulin molecules or each other, which are referred toas bound water. The polar and charged groups of insulin all show the tendencies to bind towater molecules as many as possible, which is a significant factor for the stabilization of theunique conformation of the molecule. The binding way of water molecules to insulin mole-cules is also analysed.     

PRELIMINARY CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF DESHEXAPEPTIDE (B25—B30) INSULIN

Satisfactory single crystals of deshexapeptide(B25—B30) insulin for X-ray crystal structure analysis have been grown in citrate buffer by the method of hanging-drop gas phase diffusion. The crystal belongs to the monoclinic system with space group C2. The unit cell constants are α=42.6, b=37.9, c=27.2, β=125.4 and there is only one molecule of deshexapeptide insulin in an asymmetric unit.     

THE GROWTH OF SINGLE CRYSTAL AND THE DETERMINATION OF CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC PA RAMETERS OF (L-TRYPTOPHAN)~(A1)-INSULIN AND (D-TRYPTOPHAN)~(A1)-INSULIN

The crystal-growing conditions and the results of preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of (L-Try)~(A1)-insulin and (D-Try)~(A1)-insulin are reported. The single crystals of this pair of insulin analogue suitable for X-ray diffraction analysis have been grown in the citrate buffer system by still-setting method. They both belong to the trigonal system with space group R3. The parameters of the unit cell (L-Trp)~(A1)-insulin are αH= 80.31, cH= 37.45 and those of (D-Trp)~(A1)-insulin αH = 79.48, cH = 43.81. There are two molecules in an asymmetric unit. The obtained results are discussed.     

X-RAY STUDIES ON THE STRUCTURE OF DES-PENTAPEPTIDE INSULIN AT 2.4 RESOLUTION——THE DPI MOLECULE AND ITS STRUCTURAL RELATIONSHIP WITH INSULIN

The structure of the monomeric insulin analogue des(B26—B30) insulin is presented.; A detailed comparison with the 2Zn insulin structures shows that while there are some large changes in the structure, the basic secondary structural units maintain their integrity. The DPI structure is broadly similar to molecule Ⅰ in the 2Zn structure, and in this respect is like other crystal forms of insulin. In addition to changes on the surface of the structure there are some subtle but extensive changes in the heart of the molecule. The molecules are closely packed in the crystal with many and varied contacts, including a complex network of protein-cadmium interactions and a considerable number of water mediated contacts. The molecular surface has an unusually large number of hydrophobic groups which tend to cluster in a thick band running around the protein. The crystal structure is well ordered, indeed the clarity of some side chains and the definition of the water molecules is superior to that found in the mor     

CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC STUDIES OF SILVER CARP INSULIN

Silver carp insulin crystallizes in space group P2_12_12_1 with cell dimensions a=96.73(8), b=57.74(7), and c=53.88(9). There are six molecules in an asymmetric unit. The orientations of non-crystallographic three- and two-fold axes have been worked out by the rotation function method and the results indicate that silver carp insulin has a spatial structure and a mode of aggregation similar to that of the rhombohedral 2-Zn pig insulin, though the crystal packings are different. In the present paper, we discuss the influence of the changes in sequence of insulin upon crystallization behaviour and packing of molecules     

THE CHARACTERISTICS AND MOTION MODEL OF INSULIN MONOMER

The extensive conformational comparisons among the determined structures of the differeat species and crystal forms of insulin and the varied insulin derivatives were performed by using the least-squares superimposition technique and the graphics technique. The results of the investigation showed that the structure of molecule I in 2Zn insulin was closer to that of the natural monomer; the conformational difference between two molecules of a dimer came out during dimerization and it was further improved and stabilized during the hexamerization and packing of hexamers in crystal; through the hinge peptides, such as A10, B4, B8, B24, B20 and B23, there was a flexible relative motion among the structural segments in the insulin molecule, and the residues at the B-chain C-terminal might have a shift of more than 10; the mobility for each residue side-chain was very different due to the different surroundings.     

Studies on Long-acting Insulin:Crystal Structure of Arg-B31 Human Insulin at 2.0 Resolution

The crystal structure of Arg-B31 human insulin(ABHI), a long-acting insulin derivative, has been determined at 2.0 resolution by using X-ray diffraction analysis. The final crystallographic R factor of the structure model after the refinement is 0.189 with the bond length r. m. s deviation of 0.018 . The refined structure of ABHI showed that the conformation of B-chain C-terminal residues was more stable than that in the native molecule. A striking structural feature of ABHI was an additional ion pair formed between ArgB31 of molecule Ⅰ and Glu-B21 of molecule Ⅱ in a dimer, and three ionic bonds between the neighbouring molecules thereby appeared on the surface of ABHI hexamer.These secondary bonds generated by the insertion of the residue Arg-B31 should make the rate of dissociation of ABHI hexamer slow down when it was injected into the body and the property of protraction should be produced by a 'depot effect'. This ought to be the main structure basis of the prolonged action of ABHI. The results o     

THE POSSIBLE MECHANISM OF BINDING INTERACTION OF INSULIN MOLECULE WITH ITS RECEPTOR

Detailed structural comparisons and investigation of DPI, 2Zn insulin and some other derivatives of insulin were performed by the least-squares superimposition technique and the graphics technique. It is pointed out in this paper that the binding interaction with the receptor molecule should take place mainly on an amphipathic surface of the insulin molecule. In the middle, there is a hydrophobic surface with an area of about 150 consisting of many hydrophobic residues; while the polar or charged groups distributing around the hydro. phobic surface construct a hydrophilic zone. The hydrophobic surface is usually covered by the extended B-chain C-terminal peptides with great mobility and protected from the solvent molecules. The angle between the amphipathic surface and the surface of dimerization is about 20 degrees. The results from the detailed structural comparison between A1-(L-Trp) insulin and A1-(D-Trp) insulin have provided a very good explanation to their great difference in biological activity,     

FLUORESCENCE PROPERTIES OF INSULIN ANALOGS WITH TRYPTOPHAN SUBSTITUTIONS

The fluorescence properties of four insulin analogs with tryptophane substitutions, [L-Trp]~(A1) insulin, [D-Trp]~(A1) insulin, [L-Trp]~(B1) insulin and desPhe~(B1) [L-Trp]~(B2) insulin, have been studied. The effect of pH on the fluorescence behaviours of the three L-Trp insulin analogs are similar to only one fluorescence intensity peak at pH 9. [D-Trp]~(A1) insulin shows two fluorescence intensity peaks, a main peak at pH 9.8 and a small peak at pH 5.5. The fluorescence quenching on the acid side of the pH～9 peak is caused by protonation of the A1 α-amino group. The difference in A1 α-amino group pK values of these derivatives, the presence of a second pH-fluorescence peak for the D-Trp derivative and other differences reflect differences in molecular conformation of the two Al-insulin analogs which could form the basis of the pronounced differences in their biological activities.     

THE GROWTH OF SINGLE CRYSTALS OF (L-ARGININE)~(B_0) BOVINE INSULIN AND THEIR PRELIMINARY X-RAY CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS

The crystals of (L-Arg)~(B_0) bovine insulin large enough for X-ray structure analysis havebeen grown by vapour diffusion in a buffer containing citrate, acetone and zinc chloride.The X-ray diffraction of the crystals extends to 3.0 A spacing. The crystals belong tothe trigonal system with unit cell dimension of a=b=81.82A, c=35.05A, α=β=90°, γ=120°,space group R3. There are two insulin molecules in the crystallographic asymmetric unit.     

CRYSTAL AND MOLECULAR STRUCTURE OF DEHYDROCRYDALINE CHLORIDE

The crystals of alkaloid Dehydrocrydaline chloride (C_(22)H_(24)NO_4·HCl) belong to the orthorhombic system. The space group is D_(2k)~(14)-Pbcn with the unit cell parameters of a=8.528,b=23.317 and c=24.798, and eight molecules per unit cell. The coordinates for all the non-hydrogen atoms were found by using direct methods and Fourier syntheses. During the course of refinement of this structure (using least squares and difference Fouriers), it was discovered that there are 4.5 water molecules with different occupancies in one asymmetric volume of the unit cell. The anisotropic refinement of non-hydrogen atoms and the isotropic refinement of non-aqueous hydrogen atoms led to a final R-factor of 0.053. Water molecules formed a relatively complex network around chloride ion.In this paper the small molecule structure and the network of water molecules are described.     

STRUCTURAL STUDIES OF SNAKE INSULIN CRYSTALS——X-RAY CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF SINGLE CRYSTALS

On the basis of the isolation and crystallization of snake (Zaocys dhumnades dhumna-des, Cantor) insulin, single crystals suitable for X-ray analysis were obtained in citrate buf-fer by micro-method of super-saturation. Resolution of diffraction by the crystal was over4 A, X-ray crystallographic analysis showed that the crystal was cubic with α=67.31 A, itsspace group was P4_232 and each asymmetric unit contained one molecule of snake insulin.The possible packing of hexamers and the orientation of monomers in the unit cell of snakeinsulin crystal were discussed.     

STRUCTURE OF (Trp)~(B1)-INSULIN AT 2RESOLUTION

The rhombohedral crystal structure of [Trp]~(B1)-insulin has been refined, using data to 2 and atomic coordinates of 2-zinc porcine insulin as starting model, and through the use of the restrained least-squares method, to an R value of 0.24. The result of refinement shows that in comparison with the 2-zinc insulin structure, some changes in local conformation occur, and are asymmetric for the two independent molecules related by a local two-fold axis. The obvious conformational changes are found to be in molecule 1, at its B-chain N-terminus and A13-residue region.     

THE CRYSTAL STRUCTURE OF SILVER CARP INSULIN AT MEDIUM RESOLUTION

It is an important way of surveying the structure-functionrelationship of insulin tostudy insulins from different species. Based on the structure model of an orthorhombic crys-tal obtained by the molecular replacement method, the crystallographic refinement of a hex-amer of silver carp insulin in an asymmetric unit has been carried out with 2.8A resolutiondata using the restrained least- squares method. The comparisons of insulin structures haveshown that the six silver carp insulin molecules have very similar but not identical three- di-mensional structures which are similar to the known 2Zn pig insulin structure but remarka-bly different in some local conformations.     

THE CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC STRUCTURE OF THE PHOTOOXIDIZED PRODUCT OF HYPOCRELLIN A AND THE STUDY OF THE PHOTODYNAMIC ACTION MECHANISM

In attempting to study the phototherapeutic action and the photosensitized oxygenation mechanism, we have determined the crystal structure of the main oxidized product of hypocrellin A (HA). It was crystallized in monoclinic system with space group P2_1. The cell data are: a=10.030(3), b=8.877(3), c=15.764(5), β=104.50(2)°, Z=2. The crystal structure has been determined by direct method and refined to a final R of 0.055 based on the 1408 observed reflections with l>2.5σ(Ⅰ). The photooxidized product is composed of a heptacyclic aliphatic hydrocarbon connecting with two α-naphthoquinone derivatives as its skeletal molecule. No peroxidic linkage has been found. On the basis of the crystal structure determined, we have deduced part of the process of formation of the oxide, ⅰ. e. firstly, the peroxide was formed by photocycloaddition of oxygen molecule to Hypocrellin A, then thermodissociation took place to form a stable oxide.     

The synthesis and crystal structure of heteronuclear complex of lanthanide with sulfo-salicylic acid [Na3YLa2(C7H3SO6)4.26H2O]n

The titled complex has been synthesized by the reaction of sodium sulfo-salicylate with lanthanum and yttrium perchlorate. The crystal structure has been determined by single crystal X-ray diffractometry. The crystal is monoclinic with space group C2/c. The unit cell parameters are as follows: a=16.289(8), b=18.323(8), c=22.044(8) A, β=106.34(2)°, V=6314(6) A3, Z=4 and Dc=1.764 g/cm3. The structure was solved by direct method. The least-square refinement based on 3776 observed reflections [F > 6σ(F)] converged to a final R=8.6% and F(000) is 3548. Yttrium ion with eight-coordinate is located in central of the molecule, the two lanthanum ions with ten-coordinate are located at the two sides of yttrium ion. There are two positions for Na in the molecule, one is in the C2 axis with six coordinate, the other one is in a general position with five-coordinate.     

THE SYNTHESIS AND CRYSTAL STRUCTURE OF A NOVEL TETRANUCLEAR COPPER (Ⅰ) CLUSTER COMPLEX, Cu_4(α-C_(10)H_7CSS_2)_4·1/2CS_2

The title compound has been synthesized by the reaction of sodium α-dithionaphthoatewith CuCl_2 in an alkaline aqueous solution or by the reaction of α-dithionaphthoic acid withCuCl_2 in an organic solvent, The crude product was recrystallized in a mixture of CS_2 andC_2H_5OH. The crystals obtained are red and stable in air. The structure of the title compound is determined by a single-crystal X-ray diffractionanalysis. The crystal belongs to monoclinic space group C_(2h)~5- P(2_1/a) with unit cell parameters:a= 16.453(3)A, b=12.651(4)A, c=23.182(7)A, β=100.5(2)°, V=4744.6A~3,Z=4. Thestructure was refined to R=0.06 for 4707 reflections. In the molecule, Cu_4 cluster has a distorted tetrahedral configuration. Surrounding thistetrahydron are four α-perthionaphthoate ligands, coordinated to copper through the sulfuratoms. One of the sulfur atoms in each ligand forms sulfur bridge with copper atoms,while the other is coordinated to only one copper. The three Cu--S bonds formed by thethree sulfur atoms with a given copper atom are approximately coplanar. Each group--C--S_2 with Cu atom on a vertex of the tetetrahedron forms a five-member ring. Thesefive-member rings are also approximately cooplanar. The molecule possesses an approachingS_4 point symmetry. The mechanism for the formation of the title compound involves a redox reaction.which is discussed in this paper.     

THE CRYSTAL STRUCTURE OF BAYLEYITE

The bayleyite crystallizes in monoclinic space group C_2~5h-P2_1/c with a=6.499(1), b=15.235(5), c=26.513(6), β= 92.92(2)°, Z=4. Intensities of 3430 independent reflections are collected with diffractometer using MoKα radiation. The crystal structure has been solved by the Patterson method and refined by block least square refinement for positional parameters and isotropic temperature factor of non-hydrogen atoms. The final R factor is 0.038.The result of crystal structure analysis shows that the structure consists of discrete [UO_2(CO_3)_3]~(4-) ions and Mg~(2 ) cations are between slab-like units, but they are not in a slablike unit. Its crystal struture is different from that of liebigite which was determined by Appleman. Complexes and cations between slab-like units and in a slab-like unit are connected by hydrogen bonds formed by water molecules.     

CARBON-13 NMR STUDY OF MOLECULAR MOTION OF 1, 2-POLYBUTADIENES IN SOLUTION Ⅰ. STRUCTURE DEPENDENCE OF MOLECULAR MOTIOM

Proton decoupled, partially relaxed, Fourier-transform 50.3 MHz carbon-13 NMR in naturalabundance was used to determine spin-lattice times (T_1) and nuclear Overhauser enhancement fac-tors (NOE) of individual carbon of a serics of 1,2-polybutadienes with different structures in solutionin CDCl_2 The structure dependence of molecular metion and the internal motion of vinyl group in1,2-polybutadiene have been studied by nT_1 and NOE values. The nT_1 values of the carbons in cis-1,4-units are the highest and those of the carbons in 1.2-units are the lowest in three types of units in1,2-polybutadiene. The nT_1 values of carbons in the same unit become greater when the adjacent1,2-units are replaced by 1,4-units, and nT_1 values of the carbons in all units decrease sharply withthe increase of content of 1,2-units in the polymers. The fact that nT_1 values of --CH=are larger than those of=CH_2 in vinyl group impliesthat there are complex internal motions of vinyl group. It is shown by calculation that the dominantfactor causing the difference in nT_1 of--CH=and=CH_2 in vinyl group is a swing of vinyl group ina plane peopndicular to the chain backbone.