Structure, subunit organization and behavior of the asymmetric Type IIT restriction endonuclease BbvCI.

BbvCI, a Type IIT restriction endonuclease, recognizes and cleaves the seven base pair sequence 5'-CCTCAGC-3', generating 3-base, 5'-overhangs. BbvCI is composed of two protein subunits, each containing one catalytic site. Either site can be inactivated by mutation resulting in enzyme variants that nick DNA in a strand-specific manner. Here we demonstrate that the holoenzyme is labile, with the R1 subunit dissociating at low pH. Crystallization of the R2 subunit under such conditions revealed an elongated dimer with the two catalytic sites located on opposite sides. Subsequent crystallization at physiological pH revealed a tetramer comprising two copies of each subunit, with a pair of deep clefts each containing two catalytic sites appropriately positioned and oriented for DNA cleavage. This domain organization was further validated with single-chain protein constructs in which the two enzyme subunits were tethered via peptide linkers of variable length. We were unable to crystallize a DNA-bound complex; however, structural similarity to previously crystallized restriction endonucleases facilitated creation of an energy-minimized model bound to DNA, and identification of candidate residues responsible for target recognition. Mutation of residues predicted to recognize the central C:G base pair resulted in an altered enzyme that recognizes and cleaves CCTNAGC (N = any base).

DNA recognition by the SwaI restriction endonuclease involves unusual distortion of an 8 base pair A:T-rich target.

R.SwaI, a Type IIP restriction endonuclease, recognizes a palindromic eight base pair (bp) symmetric sequence, 5΄-ATTTAAAT-3΄, and cleaves that target at its center to generate blunt-ended DNA fragments. Here, we report three crystal structures of SwaI: unbound enzyme, a DNA-bound complex with calcium ions; and a DNA-bound, fully cleaved complex with magnesium ions. We compare these structures to two structurally similar 'PD-D/ExK' restriction endonucleases (EcoRV and HincII) that also generate blunt-ended products, and to a structurally distinct enzyme (the HNH endonuclease PacI) that also recognizes an 8-bp target site consisting solely of A:T base pairs. Binding by SwaI induces an extreme bend in the target sequence accompanied by un-pairing and re-ordering of its central A:T base pairs. This result is reminiscent of a more dramatic target deformation previously described for PacI, implying that long A:T-rich target sites might display structural or dynamic behaviors that play a significant role in endonuclease recognition and cleavage.

Activity, specificity and structure of I-Bth0305I: a representative of a new homing endonuclease family.

Novel family of putative homing endonuclease genes was recently discovered during analyses of metagenomic and genomic sequence data. One such protein is encoded within a group I intron that resides in the recA gene of the Bacillus thuringiensis 03058-36 bacteriophage. Named I-Bth0305I, the endonuclease cleaves a DNA target in the uninterrupted recA gene at a position immediately adjacent to the intron insertion site. The enzyme displays a multidomain, homodimeric architecture and footprints a DNA region of ~60 bp. Its highest specificity corresponds to a 14-bp pseudopalindromic sequence that is directly centered across the DNA cleavage site. Unlike many homing endonucleases, the specificity profile of the enzyme is evenly distributed across much of its target site, such that few single base pair substitutions cause a significant decrease in cleavage activity. A crystal structure of its C-terminal domain confirms a nuclease fold that is homologous to very short patch repair (Vsr) endonucleases. The domain architecture and DNA recognition profile displayed by I-Bth0305I, which is the prototype of a homing lineage that we term the 'EDxHD' family, are distinct from previously characterized homing endonucleases.

Protein Domain Guided Screen for Sequence Specific and Phosphorothioate-Dependent Restriction Endonucleases.

Modification dependent restriction endonucleases (MDREs) restrict modified DNA, typically with limited sequence specificity (∼2-4 bp). Here, we focus on MDREs that have an SRA and/or SBD (sulfur binding domain) fused to an HNH endonuclease domain, cleaving cytosine modified or phosphorothioated (PT) DNA. We independently characterized the SBD-SRA-HNH endonuclease ScoMcrA, which preferentially cleaves 5hmC modified DNA. We report five SBD-HNH endonucleases, all recognizing GpsAAC/GpsTTC sequence and cleaving outside with a single nucleotide 3' stagger: EcoWI (N7/N6), Ksp11411I (N5/N4), Bsp305I (N6/N4-5), Mae9806I [N(8-10)/N(8-9)], and Sau43800I [N(8-9)/N(7-8)]. EcoWI and Bsp305I are more specific for PT modified DNA in Mg2+ buffer, and promiscuous with Mn2+. Ksp11411I is more PT specific with Ni2+. EcoWI and Ksp11411I cleave fully- and hemi-PT modified oligos, while Bsp305I cleaves only fully modified ones. EcoWI forms a dimer in solution and cleaves more efficiently in the presence of two modified sites. In addition, we demonstrate that EcoWI PT-dependent activity has biological function: EcoWI expressing cells restrict dnd+ GpsAAC modified plasmid strongly, and GpsGCC DNA weakly. This work establishes a framework for biotechnology applications of PT-dependent restriction endonucleases (PTDRs).

Site-specific DNA-nicking mutants of the heterodimeric restriction endonuclease R.BbvCI.

The restriction enzyme R.BbvCI cleaves duplex DNA within a seven base-pair asymmetric recognition sequence, thus: CCTCAGC/GCTGAGG-->CC--TCAGC/GC--TGAGG. We show that R.BbvCI comprises two different subunits, R(1) and R(2); that each subunit contains a catalytic site for DNA strand hydrolysis; and that these sites act independently and strand-specifically. In turn, each catalytic site was inactivated by mutagenesis to form dimeric enzymes in which only one site remained functional. The altered enzymes hydrolyzed just one strand of the recognition sequence, nicking the DNA rather than cleaving it. Enzymes in which the catalytic site in the R(1) subunit remained functional nicked the bottom strand of the sequence, producing CCTCAGC/GC--TGAGG, while those in which the catalytic site in the R(2) subunit remained functional nicked the top strand, producing CC--TCAGC/GCTGAGG. These DNA-nicking enzymes could prove useful for investigation of DNA repair, recombination, and replication, and for laboratory procedures that initiate from nicks, such as DNA degradation, synthesis, and amplification.

A genetic dissection of the LlaJI restriction cassette reveals insights on a novel bacteriophage resistance system.

BACKGROUND: Restriction/modification systems provide the dual function of protecting host DNA against restriction by methylation of appropriate bases within their recognition sequences, and restriction of foreign invading un-methylated DNA, such as promiscuous plasmids or infecting bacteriphage. The plasmid-encoded LlaJI restriction/modification system from Lactococcus lactis recognizes an asymmetric, complementary DNA sequence, consisting of 5'GACGC'3 in one strand and 5'GCGTC'3 in the other and provides a prodigious barrier to bacteriophage infection. LlaJI is comprised of four similarly oriented genes, encoding two 5mC-MTases (M1.LlaJI and M2.LlaJI) and two subunits responsible for restriction activity (R1.LlaJI and R2.LlaJI). Here we employ a detailed genetic analysis of the LlaJI restriction determinants in an attempt to characterize mechanistic features of this unusual hetero-oligomeric endonuclease. RESULTS: Detailed bioinformatics analysis confirmed the presence of a conserved GTP binding and hydrolysis domain within the C-terminal half of the R1.LlaJI amino acid sequence whilst the N-terminal half appeared to be entirely unique. This domain architecture was homologous with that of the "B" subunit of the GTP-dependent, methyl-specific McrBC endonuclease from E.coli K-12. R1.LlaJI did not appear to contain a catalytic centre, whereas this conserved motif; PD....D/EXK, was clearly identified within the amino acid sequence for R2.LlaJI. Both R1.LlaJI and R2.LlaJI were found to be absolutely required for detectable LlaJI activity in vivo. The LlaJI restriction subunits were purified and examined in vitro, which allowed the assignment of R1.LlaJI as the sole specificity determining subunit, whilst R2.LlaJI is believed to mediate DNA cleavage. CONCLUSION: The hetero-subunit structure of LlaJI, wherein one subunit mediates DNA binding whilst the other subunit is predicted to catalyze strand hydrolysis distinguishes LlaJI from previously characterized restriction-modification systems. Furthermore, this distinction is accentuated by the fact that whilst LlaJI behaves as a conventional Type IIA system in vivo, in that it restricts un-methylated DNA, it resembles the Type IV McrBC endonuclease, an enzyme specific for methylated DNA. A number of similar restriction determinants were identified in the database and it is likely LlaJI together with these homologous systems, comprise a new subtype of the Type II class incorporating features of Type II and Type IV systems.

Unusual target site disruption by the rare-cutting HNH restriction endonuclease PacI.

The crystal structure of the rare-cutting HNH restriction endonuclease PacI in complex with its eight-base-pair target recognition sequence 5'-TTAATTAA-3' has been determined to 1.9 A resolution. The enzyme forms an extended homodimer, with each subunit containing two zinc-bound motifs surrounding a betabetaalpha-metal catalytic site. The latter is unusual in that a tyrosine residue likely initiates strand cleavage. PacI dramatically distorts its target sequence from Watson-Crick duplex DNA base pairing, with every base separated from its original partner. Two bases on each strand are unpaired, four are engaged in noncanonical A:A and T:T base pairs, and the remaining two bases are matched with new Watson-Crick partners. This represents a highly unusual DNA binding mechanism for a restriction endonuclease, and implies that initial recognition of the target site might involve significantly different contacts from those visualized in the DNA-bound cocrystal structures.