Structural highlights
Publication Abstract from PubMedPathogenic bacteria such as Haemophilus influenzae, a major cause of lower respiratory tract diseases, must cope with a range of electrophiles generated in the host or by endogenous metabolism. Formaldehyde is one such compound that can irreversibly damage proteins and DNA through alkylation and cross-linking and interfere with redox homeostasis. Its detoxification operates under the control of HiNmlR, a protein from the MerR family that lacks a specific sensor region and does not bind metal ions. We demonstrate that HiNmlR is a thiol-dependent transcription factor that modulates H. influenzae response to formaldehyde, with two cysteine residues (Cys54 and Cys71) identified to be important for its response against a formaldehyde challenge. We obtained crystal structures of HiNmlR in both the DNA-free and two DNA-bound forms, which suggest that HiNmlR enhances target gene transcription by twisting of operator DNA sequences in a two-gene operon containing overlapping promoters. Our work provides the first structural insights into the mechanism of action of MerR regulators that lack sensor regions. Structural basis of thiol-based regulation of formaldehyde detoxification in H. influenzae by a MerR regulator with no sensor region.,Counago RM, Chen NH, Chang CW, Djoko KY, McEwan AG, Kobe B Nucleic Acids Res. 2016 Jun 15. pii: gkw543. PMID:27307602[1] From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. References
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