RESUMO
The bacterial RadD enzyme is important for multiple genome maintenance pathways, including RecA DNA strand exchange and RecA-independent suppression of DNA crossover template switching. However, much remains unknown about the precise roles of RadD. One potential clue into RadD mechanisms is its direct interaction with the single-stranded DNA binding protein (SSB), which coats single-stranded DNA exposed during genome maintenance reactions in cells. Interaction with SSB stimulates the ATPase activity of RadD. To probe the mechanism and importance of RadD-SSB complex formation, we identified a pocket on RadD that is essential for binding SSB. In a mechanism shared with many other SSB-interacting proteins, RadD uses a hydrophobic pocket framed by basic residues to bind the C-terminal end of SSB. We found that RadD variants that substitute acidic residues for basic residues in the SSB binding site impair RadD:SSB complex formation and eliminate SSB stimulation of RadD ATPase activity in vitro. Additionally, mutant Escherichia coli strains carrying charge reversal radD changes display increased sensitivity to DNA damaging agents synergistically with deletions of radA and recG, although the phenotypes of the SSB-binding radD mutants are not as severe as a full radD deletion. This suggests that cellular RadD requires an intact interaction with SSB for full RadD function.
Assuntos
Proteínas de Ligação a DNA , Escherichia coli , Adenosina Trifosfatases/genética , Adenosina Trifosfatases/metabolismo , Reparo do DNA/genética , DNA de Cadeia Simples/genética , DNA de Cadeia Simples/metabolismo , Proteínas de Ligação a DNA/metabolismo , Escherichia coli/genética , Escherichia coli/metabolismo , Ligação Proteica , Mutação , Sítios de Ligação , Proteínas de Escherichia coli/química , Proteínas de Escherichia coli/genética , Proteínas de Escherichia coli/metabolismo , Modelos Moleculares , Estrutura Quaternária de ProteínaRESUMO
Genome maintenance is an essential process in all cells. In prokaryotes, the RadD protein is important for survival under conditions that include DNA-damaging radiation. Precisely how RadD participates in genome maintenance remains unclear. Here we present a high-resolution X-ray crystal structure of ADP-bound Escherichia coli RadD, revealing a zinc-ribbon element that was not modelled in a previous RadD crystal structure. Insights into the mode of nucleotide binding and additional structure refinement afforded by the new RadD model will help to drive investigations into the activity of RadD as a genome stability and repair factor.