Crystal structures of EfeB and EfeO in a bacterial siderophore-independent iron transport system.

EfeUOB is a siderophore-independent iron uptake mechanism in bacteria. EfeU, EfeO, and EfeB are a permease, an iron-binding or electron-transfer protein, and a peroxidase, respectively. A Gram-negative bacterium, Sphingomonas sp. strain A1, encodes EfeU, EfeO, EfeB together with alginate-binding protein Algp7, a truncated EfeO-like protein (EfeOII), in the genome. The typical EfeO (EfeOI) consists of N-terminal cupredoxin and C-terminal M75 peptidase domains. Here, we detail the structure and function of bacterial EfeB and EfeO. Crystal structures of strain A1 EfeB and Escherichia coli EfeOI were determined at 2.30 Å and 1.85 Å resolutions, respectively. A molecule of heme involved in oxidase activity was bound to the C-terminal Dyp peroxidase domain of EfeB. Two domains of EfeOI were connected by a short loop, and a zinc ion was bound to four residues, Glu156, Glu159, Asp173, and Glu255, in the C-terminal M75 peptidase domain. These residues formed tetrahedron geometry suitable for metal binding and are well conserved among various EfeO proteins including Algp7 (EfeOII), although the metal-binding site (HxxE) is proposed in the C-terminal M75 peptidase domain. This is the first report on structure of a typical EfeO with two domains, postulating a novel metal-binding motif "ExxE-//-D-//-E" in the EfeO C-terminal M75 peptidase domain.

Binding mode of metal ions to the bacterial iron import protein EfeO.

The tripartite EfeUOB system functions as a low pH iron importer in Gram-negative bacteria. In the alginate-assimilating bacterium Sphingomonas sp. strain A1, an additional EfeO-like protein (Algp7) is encoded downstream of the efeUOB operon. Here we show the metal binding mode of Algp7, which carries a M_75 metallopeptidase motif. The Algp7 protein was purified from recombinant E. coli cells and was subsequently characterized using differential scanning fluorimetry, fluorescence spectrometry, atomic absorption spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography. The fluorescence of a dye, SYPRO Orange, bound to denatured Algp7 in the absence and presence of metal ions was measured during heat treatment. The fluorescence profile of Algp7 in the presence of metals such as ferric, ferrous, and zinc ions, shifted to a higher temperature, suggesting that Algp7 binds these metal ions and that metal ion-bound Algp7 is more thermally stable than the ligand-free form. Algp7 was directly demonstrated to show an ability to bind copper ion by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Crystal structure of metal ion-bound Algp7 revealed that the metal ion is bound to the cleft surrounded by several acidic residues. Four residues, Glu79, Glu82, Asp96, and Glu178, distinct from the M_75 motif (His115xxGlu118), are coordinated to the metal ion. This is the first report to provide structural insights into metal binding by the bacterial EfeO element.

Structural insights into alginate binding by bacterial cell-surface protein.

A gram-negative Sphingomonas sp. strain A1 inducibly forms a mouth-like pit on the cell surface in the presence of alginate and directly incorporates polymers into the cytoplasm via the pit and ABC transporter. Among the bacterial proteins involved in import of alginate, a cell-surface EfeO-like Algp7 shows an ability to bind alginate, suggesting its contribution to accumulate alginate in the pit. Here, we show identification of its positively charged cluster involved in alginate binding using X-ray crystallography, docking simulation, and site-directed mutagenesis. The tertiary structure of Algp7 was determined at a high resolution (1.99Å) by molecular replacement, although no alginates were included in the structure. Thus, an in silico model of Algp7/oligoalginate was constructed by docking simulation using atomic coordinates of Algp7 and alginate oligosaccharides, where some charged residues were found to be potential candidates for alginate binding. Site-directed mutagenesis was conducted and five purified mutants K68A, K69A, E194A, N221A, and K68A/K69A were subjected to a binding assay. UV absorption difference spectroscopy along with differential scanning fluorimetry analysis indicated that K68A/K69A exhibited a significant reduction in binding affinity with alginate than wild-type Algp7. Based on these data, Lys68/Lys69 residues of Algp7 probably play an important role in binding alginate.