RESUMEN
Maleless (MLE) is an evolutionary conserved member of the DExH family of helicases in Drosophila. Besides its function in RNA editing and presumably siRNA processing, MLE is best known for its role in remodelling non-coding roX RNA in the context of X chromosome dosage compensation in male flies. MLE and its human orthologue, DHX9 contain two tandem double-stranded RNA binding domains (dsRBDs) located at the N-terminal region. The two dsRBDs are essential for localization of MLE at the X-territory and it is presumed that this involves binding roX secondary structures. However, for dsRBD1 roX RNA binding has so far not been described. Here, we determined the solution NMR structure of dsRBD1 and dsRBD2 of MLE in tandem and investigated its role in double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) binding. Our NMR and SAXS data show that both dsRBDs act as independent structural modules in solution and are canonical, non-sequence-specific dsRBDs featuring non-canonical KKxAXK RNA binding motifs. NMR titrations combined with filter binding experiments and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) document the contribution of dsRBD1 to dsRNA binding in vitro. Curiously, dsRBD1 mutants in which dsRNA binding in vitro is strongly compromised do not affect roX2 RNA binding and MLE localization in cells. These data suggest alternative functions for dsRBD1 in vivo.
Asunto(s)
Proteínas Cromosómicas no Histona/química , ADN Helicasas/química , Proteínas de Drosophila/química , Drosophila melanogaster/química , ARN Largo no Codificante/química , Factores de Transcripción/química , Secuencia de Aminoácidos , Animales , Sitios de Unión , Proteínas Cromosómicas no Histona/genética , Proteínas Cromosómicas no Histona/metabolismo , Clonación Molecular , ADN Helicasas/genética , ADN Helicasas/metabolismo , Compensación de Dosificación (Genética) , Motivo de Unión al ARN Bicatenario , Proteínas de Drosophila/genética , Proteínas de Drosophila/metabolismo , Drosophila melanogaster/genética , Drosophila melanogaster/metabolismo , Escherichia coli/genética , Escherichia coli/metabolismo , Expresión Génica , Regulación de la Expresión Génica , Vectores Genéticos/química , Vectores Genéticos/metabolismo , Cinética , Masculino , Modelos Moleculares , Conformación de Ácido Nucleico , Unión Proteica , Conformación Proteica en Hélice alfa , Conformación Proteica en Lámina beta , ARN Largo no Codificante/genética , ARN Largo no Codificante/metabolismo , Proteínas Recombinantes/química , Proteínas Recombinantes/genética , Proteínas Recombinantes/metabolismo , Alineación de Secuencia , Homología de Secuencia de Aminoácido , Factores de Transcripción/genética , Factores de Transcripción/metabolismoRESUMEN
The nucleotidyl transfer reaction, catalyzed by sugar nucleotidyltransferases (SNTs), is assisted by two active site Mg2+ ions. While studying this reaction using X-ray crystallography, we captured snapshots of the pyrophosphate (product) as it exits along a pocket. Surprisingly, one of the active site Mg2+ ions remains coordinated to the exiting pyrophosphate. This hints at the participation of Mg2+ in the process of product release, besides its role in catalyzing nucleotidyl transfer. These observations are further supported by enhanced sampling molecular dynamics simulations. Free energy computations suggest that the product release is likely to be rate limiting in SNTs, and the origin of the high free energy barrier for product release could be traced back to the "slow" conformational change of an Arg residue at the exit end of the pocket. These results establish a dual role for Mg2+, and propose a general mechanism of product release during the nucleotidyl transfer by SNTs.
