Mutational Analysis of Highly Conserved Residues in the Phage PhiC31 Integrase Reveals Key Amino Acids Necessary for the DNA Recombination

Abstract The Hin recombinase catalyzes a site-specific recombination reaction that results in the reversible inversion of a 1-kbp segment of the Salmonella chromosome. The DNA inversion reaction catalyzed by the Salmonella Hin recombinase is a dynamic process proceeding through many intermediate stages, requiring multiple DNA sites and the Fis accessory protein. Biochemical analysis of this reaction has identified intermediate steps in the inversion reaction but has not yet revealed the process by which transition from one step to another occurs. Because transition from one reaction step to another proceeds through interactions between specific amino acids, and between amino acids and DNA bases, it is possible to study these transitions through mutational analysis of the proteins involved. We isolated a large number of mutants in the Hin recombinase that failed to carry out the DNA exchange reaction. We generated genetic tools that allowed the assignment of these mutants to specific transition steps in the recombination reaction. This genetic analysis, combined with further biochemical analysis, allowed us to define contributions by specific amino acids to individual steps in the DNA inversion reaction. Evidence is also presented in support of a model that Fis protein enhances the binding of Hin to the hixR recombination site. These studies identified regions within the Hin recombinase involved in specific transition steps of the reaction and provided new insights into the molecular details of the reaction mechanism.

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The Amino Acids Motif -32GSSYN36- in the Catalytic Domain of E. coli Flavorubredoxin NO Reductase Is Essential for Its Activity

Catalysts ◽

10.3390/catal11080926 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. 926

Author(s):

Maria C. Martins ◽

Susana F. Fernandes ◽

Bruno A. Salgueiro ◽

Jéssica C. Soares ◽

Célia V. Romão ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Amino Acids ◽

Catalytic Domain ◽

Reductase Activity ◽

Conserved Residues ◽

Mutant Proteins ◽

E Coli ◽

C Terminus ◽

Bona Fide ◽

Oxygen Reductase ◽

Soluble Enzymes

Flavodiiron proteins (FDPs) are a family of modular and soluble enzymes endowed with nitric oxide and/or oxygen reductase activities, producing N2O or H2O, respectively. The FDP from Escherichia coli, which, apart from the two core domains, possesses a rubredoxin-like domain at the C-terminus (therefore named flavorubredoxin (FlRd)), is a bona fide NO reductase, exhibiting O2 reducing activity that is approximately ten times lower than that for NO. Among the flavorubredoxins, there is a strictly conserved amino acids motif, -G[S,T]SYN-, close to the catalytic diiron center. To assess its role in FlRd’s activity, we designed several site-directed mutants, replacing the conserved residues with hydrophobic or anionic ones. The mutants, which maintained the general characteristics of the wild type enzyme, including cofactor content and integrity of the diiron center, revealed a decrease of their oxygen reductase activity, while the NO reductase activity—specifically, its physiological function—was almost completely abolished in some of the mutants. Molecular modeling of the mutant proteins pointed to subtle changes in the predicted structures that resulted in the reduction of the hydration of the regions around the conserved residues, as well as in the elimination of hydrogen bonds, which may affect proton transfer and/or product release.

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Isolation and Characterization of Mutations in theEscherichia coli Regulatory Protein XapR

Journal of Bacteriology ◽

10.1128/jb.181.14.4397-4403.1999 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 181 (14) ◽

pp. 4397-4403 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Casper Jørgensen ◽

Gert Dandanell

Keyword(s):

Amino Acids ◽

Purine Nucleoside Phosphorylase ◽

Mutational Analysis ◽

Regulatory Protein ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Dimensional Structure ◽

Wild Type ◽

Isolation And Characterization ◽

In The Wild

ABSTRACT In this work, the LysR-type protein XapR has been subjected to a mutational analysis. XapR regulates the expression of xanthosine phosphorylase (XapA), a purine nucleoside phosphorylase inEscherichia coli. In the wild type, full expression of XapA requires both a functional XapR protein and the inducer xanthosine. Here we show that deoxyinosine can also function as an inducer in the wild type, although not to the same extent as xanthosine. We have isolated and characterized in detail the mutants that can be induced by other nucleosides as well as xanthosine. Sequencing of the mutants has revealed that two regions in XapR are important for correct interactions between the inducer and XapR. One region is defined by amino acids 104 and 132, and the other region, containing most of the isolated mutations, is found between amino acids 203 and 210. These regions, when modelled into the three-dimensional structure of CysB from Klebsiella aerogenes, are placed close together and are most probably directly involved in binding the inducer xanthosine.

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Essential Amino Acids of the Hantaan Virus N Protein in Its Interaction with RNA

Journal of Virology ◽

10.1128/jvi.79.15.10032-10039.2005 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 79 (15) ◽

pp. 10032-10039 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

William Severson ◽

Xiaolin Xu ◽

Michaela Kuhn ◽

Nina Senutovitch ◽

Mercy Thokala ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Amino Acids ◽

Rna Binding ◽

Mutational Analysis ◽

Essential Amino Acids ◽

Full Length ◽

Hantaan Virus ◽

Deletion Mapping ◽

Mobility Shift ◽

N Protein ◽

Lysine Residues

ABSTRACT The nucleocapsid (N) protein of hantavirus encapsidates viral genomic and antigenomic RNAs. Previously, deletion mapping identified a central, conserved region (amino acids 175 to 217) within the Hantaan virus (HTNV) N protein that interacts with a high affinity with these viral RNAs (vRNAs). To further define the boundaries of the RNA binding domain (RBD), several peptides were synthesized and examined for the ability to bind full-length S-segment vRNA. Peptide 195-217 retained 94% of the vRNA bound by the HTNV N protein, while peptides 175-186 and 205-217 bound only 1% of the vRNA. To further explore which residues were essential for binding vRNA, we performed a comprehensive mutational analysis of the amino acids in the RBD. Single and double Ala substitutions were constructed for 18 amino acids from amino acids 175 to 217 in the full-length N protein. In addition, Ala substitutions were made for the three R residues in peptide 185-217. An analysis of protein-RNA interactions by electrophoretic mobility shift assays implicated E192, Y206, and S217 as important for binding. Chemical modification experiments showed that lysine residues, but not arginine or cysteine residues, contribute to RNA binding, which agreed with bioinformatic predictions. Overall, these data implicate lysine residues dispersed from amino acids 175 to 429 of the protein and three amino acids located in the RBD as essential for RNA binding.

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Mutational Analysis of Conserved Residues in the Putative DNA-Binding Domain of the Response Regulator Spo0A ofBacillus subtilis

Journal of Bacteriology ◽

10.1128/jb.182.24.6975-6982.2000 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 182 (24) ◽

pp. 6975-6982 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Janet K. Hatt ◽

Philip Youngman

Keyword(s):

Dna Binding ◽

Transcriptional Activation ◽

Mutational Analysis ◽

Response Regulator ◽

Gene Activation ◽

Binding Domain ◽

Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽

Specific Gene ◽

Dna Binding Domain ◽

Conserved Residues

ABSTRACT The Spo0A protein of Bacillus subtilis is a DNA-binding protein that is required for the expression of genes involved in the initiation of sporulation. Spo0A binds directly to and both activates and represses transcription from the promoters of several genes required during the onset of endospore formation. The C-terminal 113 residues are known to contain the DNA-binding activity of Spo0A. Previous studies identified a region of the C-terminal half of Spo0A that is highly conserved among species of endospore-formingBacillus and Clostridium and which encodes a putative helix-turn-helix DNA-binding domain. To test the functional significance of this region and determine if this motif is involved in DNA binding, we changed three conserved residues, S210, E213, and R214, to Gly and/or Ala by site-directed mutagenesis. We then isolated and analyzed the five substitution-containing Spo0A proteins for DNA binding and sporulation-specific gene activation. The S210A Spo0A mutant exhibited no change from wild-type binding, although it was defective in spoIIA and spoIIE promoter activation. In contrast, both the E213G and E213A Spo0A variants showed decreased binding and completely abolished transcriptional activation of spoIIA and spoIIE, while the R214G and R214A variants completely abolished both DNA binding and transcriptional activation. These data suggest that these conserved residues are important for transcriptional activation and that the E213 residue is involved in DNA binding.

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Mutational Analysis of Plant Cap-Binding Protein eIF4E Reveals Key Amino Acids Involved in Biochemical Functions and Potyvirus Infection

Journal of Virology ◽

10.1128/jvi.00209-08 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 82 (15) ◽

pp. 7601-7612 ◽

Cited By ~ 47

Author(s):

Sylvie German-Retana ◽

Jocelyne Walter ◽

Bénédicte Doublet ◽

Geneviève Roudet-Tavert ◽

Valérie Nicaise ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Amino Acids ◽

Mutational Analysis ◽

Binding Protein ◽

Point Mutations ◽

Mrna Translation ◽

Translation Initiation Factor ◽

Natural Resistance ◽

Initiation Factor ◽

Amino Acid Residues ◽

Eukaryotic Translation

ABSTRACT The eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) (the cap-binding protein) is involved in natural resistance against several potyviruses in plants. In lettuce, the recessive resistance genes mo1 1 and mo1 2 against Lettuce mosaic virus (LMV) are alleles coding for forms of eIF4E unable, or less effective, to support virus accumulation. A recombinant LMV expressing the eIF4E of a susceptible lettuce variety from its genome was able to produce symptoms in mo1 1 or mo1 2 varieties. In order to identify the eIF4E amino acid residues necessary for viral infection, we constructed recombinant LMV expressing eIF4E with point mutations affecting various amino acids and compared the abilities of these eIF4E mutants to complement LMV infection in resistant plants. Three types of mutations were produced in order to affect different biochemical functions of eIF4E: cap binding, eIF4G binding, and putative interaction with other virus or host proteins. Several mutations severely reduced the ability of eIF4E to complement LMV accumulation in a resistant host and impeded essential eIF4E functions in yeast. However, the ability of eIF4E to bind a cap analogue or to fully interact with eIF4G appeared unlinked to LMV infection. In addition to providing a functional mutational map of a plant eIF4E, this suggests that the role of eIF4E in the LMV cycle might be distinct from its physiological function in cellular mRNA translation.

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