The High-resolution Structure of the Peripheral Subunit-binding Domain of Dihydrolipoamide Acetyltransferase from the Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Multienzyme Complex of Bacillus stearothermophilus

Protein HU is a ubiquitous prokaryotic protein which controls the architecture of genomic DNA. It binds DNA non-specifically and promotes the bending and supercoiling of the double helical structure. HU is involved in many DNA-associated cellular processes, including replication, transcription and the packaging of DNA into chromosome-like structures. Originally determined at medium resolution, the crystal structure of HU has now been refined at 2.0 Å resolution. The high-resolution structure shows that the dimeric molecule is essentially a compact platform for two flexible and basic arms which wrap around the DNA molecule. To maximize the protein's stability, non-secondary structural regions are reduced to a minimum, there is an extensive aromatic hydrophobic core and several salt bridges and hydrogen-bonded water molecules knit together crucial regions. Based on the original medium-resolution structure of HU, several proposals were made concerning the structural basis of HU's ability to bind, bend and supercoil DNA. Each of these proposals is fully supported by the high-resolution structure. Most notably, the surfaces of the molecule which appear to mediate protein–DNA and protein–protein interactions have the ideal shapes and physicochemical properties to perform these functions.

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Interaction of component enzymes with the peripheral subunit-binding domain of the pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex of Bacillus stearothermophilus: stoichiometry and specificity in self-assembly

Biochemical Journal ◽

10.1042/bj3060727 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 306 (3) ◽

pp. 727-733 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

I A D Lessard ◽

R N Perham

Keyword(s):

Pyruvate Dehydrogenase ◽

Self Assembly ◽

Bacillus Stearothermophilus ◽

Pyruvate Decarboxylase ◽

Binding Domain ◽

Alpha Subunit ◽

Multienzyme Complex ◽

Beta 2 ◽

Dihydrolipoyl Acetyltransferase

The interaction between the pyruvate decarboxylase (E1) component and a di-domain (lipoyl domain plus peripheral subunit-binding domain) from the dihydrolipoyl acetyltransferase (E2) component of the Bacillus stearothermophilus pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex was investigated. Only 1 mol of di-domain (binding domain) was bound to 1 mol of heterotetrameric E1 (alpha 2 beta 2) and the binding was without effect on the kinetic activity of E1. Similarly, the di-domain bound to separate E1 beta subunits at a maximal polypeptide chain ratio of 1:2, but no detectable interaction was found with the E1 alpha subunit. However, addition of the monomeric E1 alpha subunit to an E1 beta-di-domain complex generated a fully functional E1 (alpha 2 beta 2)-di-domain complex, indicating that the E1 beta subunit plays the critical part in binding the E1 component to the di-domain and suggesting that no chaperonin is needed in vitro to promote the assembly of the three separate proteins. Mixing the E1 and dihydrolipoyl dehydrogenase (E3) components in the presence of di-domain revealed that E1 and E3 cannot bind simultaneously to the same molecule of di-domain, a new feature of the assembly pathway and an important factor in determining the ultimate structure of the assembled enzyme complex.

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