Atomic resolution structure of serine protease proteinase K at ambient temperature

Atomic resolution structures (beyond 1.20 Å) at ambient temperature, which is usually hampered by the radiation damage in synchrotron X-ray crystallography (SRX), will add to our understanding of the structure-function relationships of enzymes. Serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) has attracted surging interest by providing a route to bypass such challenges. Yet the progress on atomic resolution analysis with SFX has been rather slow. In this report, we describe the 1.20 Å resolution structure of proteinase K using 13 keV photon energy. Hydrogen atoms, water molecules, and a number of alternative side-chain conformations have been resolved. The increase in the value of B-factor in SFX suggests that the residues and water molecules adjacent to active sites were flexible and exhibited dynamic motions at specific substrate-recognition sites.