The rubredoxin from the cryptomonad Guillardia
theta is one of the first examples of a rubredoxin
encoded in a eukaryotic organism. The structure of a soluble
zinc-substituted 70-residue G. theta rubredoxin
lacking the membrane anchor and the thylakoid targeting
sequence was determined by multidimensional heteronuclear
NMR, representing the first three-dimensional (3D) structure
of a eukaryotic rubredoxin. For the structure calculation
a strategy was applied in which information about hydrogen
bonds was directly inferred from a long-range HNCO experiment,
and the dynamics of the protein was deduced from heteronuclear
nuclear Overhauser effect data and exchange rates of the
amide protons. The structure is well defined, exhibiting
average root-mean-square deviations of 0.21 Å for
the backbone heavy atoms and 0.67 Å for all heavy
atoms of residues 7–56, and an increased flexibility
toward the termini. The structure of this core fold is
almost identical to that of prokaryotic rubredoxins. There
are, however, significant differences with respect to the
charge distribution at the protein surface, suggesting
that G. theta rubredoxin exerts a different physiological
function compared to the structurally characterized prokaryotic
rubredoxins. The amino-terminal residues containing the
putative signal peptidase recognition/cleavage site show
an increased flexibility compared to the core fold, but
still adopt a defined 3D orientation, which is mainly stabilized
by nonlocal interactions to residues of the carboxy-terminal
region. This orientation might reflect the structural elements
and charge pattern necessary for correct signal peptidase
recognition of the G. theta rubredoxin precursor.