3o9x
Structure of the E. coli antitoxin MqsA (YgiT/b3021) in complex with its gene promoter
Structural highlights
FunctionMQSA_ECOLI Antitoxin component of a type II toxin-antitoxin (TA) module. Labile antitoxin that binds to the MqsR mRNA interferase toxin and neutralizes its endoribonuclease activity. Overexpression prevents MqsR-mediated cessation of cell growth and inhibition of cell proliferation. Initially reported to act as a cotranscription factor with MqsA (PubMed:19690171, PubMed:20105222). Following further experiments, the MqsR-MqsA complex does not bind DNA and all reported data are actually due to a small fraction of free MqsA alone binding DNA. Addition of MqsR to a preformed MqsA-promoter DNA complex causes dissociation of the MqsA-DNA complex, probably causing derepression of MqsA-repressed transcripts (PubMed:23172222). MqsA binds to 2 palindromes in the promoter region of the mqsRA operon activating its transcription. Binds to other promoters, inducing mcbR and spy and repressing cspD among others (PubMed:20105222). Binds to and represses the rpoS promoter, the master stress regulator, resulting in decreased cyclic-di-GMP, reduced stress resistance, increased cell motility and decreased biofilm formation; in these experiments 5 TA modules are missing (lacks MazEF, RelEB, ChpB, YoeB-YefM, YafQ-DinJ) (PubMed:21516113). An earlier study showed overexpression alone increases biofilm formation, perhaps by repressing cspD; in these experiments the 5 TA modules are present (PubMed:20105222). Represses the csgD promoter. In the presence of stress, when this protein is degraded, the promoters it represses are derepressed, leading to biofilm formation (Probable). This TA system mediates cell growth during bile acid deoxycholate stress by degrading mRNA for probable deoxycholate-binding protein YgiS; bile acid detergents such as deoxycholate are important for host defense against bacterial growth in the gall bladder and duodenum (PubMed:25534751).[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] Publication Abstract from PubMedBacterial cultures, especially biofilms produce a small number of persister cells, a genetically identical sub-population of wild type cells that are metabolically dormant, exhibit multidrug tolerance, and are highly enriched in bacterial toxins. The gene most highly upregulated in E. coli persisters is mqsR, a ribonuclease toxin that, along with mqsA, forms a novel toxin:antitoxin (TA) system. Like all known TA systems, both the MqsR:MqsA complex and MqsA alone regulate their own transcription. Despite the importance of TA systems in persistence and biofilms, very little is known about how TA modules, and antitoxins in particular, bind and recognize DNA at a molecular level. Here, we report the crystal structure of MqsA bound to a 26-bp fragment from the mqsRA promoter. We show that MqsA binds DNA predominantly via its C-terminal helix-turn-helix (HTH) domain, with direct binding of recognition helix residues Asn97 and Arg101 to the DNA major groove. Unexpectedly, the structure also revealed that the MqsA N-terminal domain interacts with the DNA phosphate backbone. This results in a more than 105 degrees rotation of the N-terminal domains between the free and complexed states, an unprecedented rearrangement for an antitoxin. The structure also shows that MqsA bends the DNA by more than 55 degrees in order to achieve symmetrical binding. Finally, using a combination of biochemical and NMR studies, we show that the DNA sequence specificity of MqsA is mediated by direct readout. Structure of the E. coli antitoxin MQSA (YGIT/B3021) bound to its gene promoter reveals extensive domain rearrangements and the specificity of transcriptional regulation.,Brown BL, Wood TK, Peti W, Page R J Biol Chem. 2010 Nov 9. PMID:21068382[8] From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. References
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