Title
Mechanism for Attenuation of DNA Binding by MarR Family Transcriptional Regulators by Small Molecule Ligands
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
7-31-2009
Abstract
Members of the multiple antibiotic resistance regulator (MarR) family control gene expression in a variety of metabolic processes in bacteria and archaea. Hypothetical uricase regulator (HucR), which belongs to the ligand-responsive branch of the MarR family, regulates uricase expression in Deinococcus radiodurans by binding a shared promoter region between uricase and HucR genes. We show here that HucR responds only to urate and, to a lesser extent, to xanthine by attenuated DNA binding, compared to other intermediates of purine degradation. Using molecular-dynamics-guided mutational analysis, we identified the ligand-binding site in HucR. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays and intrinsic Trp fluorescence have identified W20 from the N-terminal helix and R80 from helix 3, which serves as a scaffold for the DNA recognition helix, as being essential for ligand binding. Using structural data combined with in silico and in vitro analyses, we propose a mechanism for the attenuation of DNA binding in which a conformational change initiated by charge repulsion due to a bound ligand propagates to DNA recognition helices. This mechanism may apply generally to MarR homologs that bind anionic phenolic ligands. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Publication Source (Journal or Book title)
Journal of Molecular Biology
First Page
1019
Last Page
1029
Recommended Citation
Perera, I., Lee, Y., Wilkinson, S., & Grove, A. (2009). Mechanism for Attenuation of DNA Binding by MarR Family Transcriptional Regulators by Small Molecule Ligands. Journal of Molecular Biology, 390 (5), 1019-1029. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmb.2009.06.002