Structure determination of OppA at 2.3 Å resolution using multiple-wavelength anomalous dispersion methods

OppA is a 58.8 kDa bacterial transport protein involved in the transport of peptides across the cytoplasmic membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. It binds peptides from two to five residues in length but with little sequence specificity. OppA from Salmonella typhimurium has been cloned and expressed in E. coli and the protein cocrystallized with uranyl acetate, producing two distinct crystal forms with different uranium sites. Multiple-wavelength data collected about the uranium L_III edge have been collected at the Daresbury Synchrotron Radiation Source (SRS) to a nominal resolution limit of 2.3 Å. Maximum-likelihood phasing methods have been used in phase determination from the multiple-wavelength data giving a readily interpretable electron-density map, without any density modification. The electron-density map, calculated at 2.3 Å resolution shows OppA to be a bilobal, principally β-stranded, three-domain protein. The tri-lysine ligand molecule can be clearly seen in the peptide-binding site between the two lobes.