Recycling of protein subunits during DNA translocation and cleavage by Type I restriction-modification enzymes

The Type I restriction-modification enzymes comprise three protein subunits; HsdS and HsdM that form a methyltransferase (MTase) and HsdR that associates with the MTase and catalyses Adenosine-5′-triphosphate (ATP)-dependent DNA translocation and cleavage. Here, we examine whether the MTase and HsdR components can ‘turnover’ in vitro, i.e. whether they can catalyse translocation and cleavage events on one DNA molecule, dissociate and then re-bind a second DNA molecule. Translocation termination by both EcoKI and EcoR124I leads to HsdR dissociation from linear DNA but not from circular DNA. Following DNA cleavage, the HsdR subunits appear unable to dissociate even though the DNA is linear, suggesting a tight interaction with the cleaved product. The MTases of EcoKI and EcoAI can dissociate from DNA following either translocation or cleavage and can initiate reactions on new DNA molecules as long as free HsdR molecules are available. In contrast, the MTase of EcoR124I does not turnover and additional cleavage of circular DNA is not observed by inclusion of RecBCD, a helicase–nuclease that degrades the linear DNA product resulting from Type I cleavage. Roles for Type I restriction endonuclease subunit dynamics in restriction alleviation in the cell are discussed

A RecB-family nuclease motif in the Type I restriction endonuclease EcoR124I

The Type I restriction-modification enzyme EcoR124I is an ATP-dependent endonuclease that uses dsDNA translocation to locate and cleave distant non-specific DNA sites. Bioinformatic analysis of the HsdR subunits of EcoR124I and related Type I enzymes showed that in addition to the principal PD-(E/D)xK Motifs, I, II and III, a QxxxY motif is also present that is characteristic of RecB-family nucleases. The QxxxY motif resides immediately C-terminal to Motif III within a region of predicted α-helix. Using mutagenesis, we examined the role of the Q and Y residues in DNA binding, translocation and cleavage. Roles for the QxxxY motif in coordinating the catalytic residues or in stabilizing the nuclease domain on the DNA are discussed

Single amino acid substitutions in the HsdR subunit of the type IB restriction enzyme EcoAI uncouple the DNA translocation and DNA cleavage activities of the enzyme

Type I restriction enzymes bind to specific DNA sequences but subsequently translocate nonspecific DNA past the complex in a reaction coupled to ATP hydrolysis and cleave DNA at any barrier that can halt the translocation process. The restriction subunit of these enzymes, HsdR, contains a cluster of seven amino acid sequence motifs typical of heli-case superfamily II, that are believed to be relevant to the ATP-dependent DNA translocation. Alignment of all available HsdR sequences reveals an additional conserved region at the protein N-terminus with a consensus sequence reminiscent of the P-D (D/E)-X-K catalytic motif of many type II restriction enzymes. To investigate the role of these conserved residues, we have produced mutants of the type IB restriction enzyme EcoAI. We have found that single alanine substitutions at Asp-61, Glu-76 and Lys-78 residues of the HsdR subunit abolished the enzyme's restriction activity but had no effect on its ATPase and DNA translocation activities, suggesting that these residues are part of the active site for DNA cleavag

Restrikčně-modifikační enzymy Typu I - identifikace pomocí dvourozměrné elektroforesy a studium fosforylace podjednotek Hsd.

107 7. Závěr 1. Vytvořili jsme podmínky pro dělení a identifikaci všech tří podjednotek Hsd R-M enzymů Typu I EcoKI a EcoR124I na dvourozměrném gelu. Optimalizovali jsme podmínky dělení těchto enzymů v nerovnovážném gradientu pH (NEPHGE) v prvním rozměru 2D-PAGE na pozadí celkových proteinů buněčného extraktu. Tento systém nám v budoucnu umožní provést detailnější studie exprese a postranslační modifikace R-M enzymů Typu I v závislosti na různých fyziologických podmínkách a v souvislosti celkové buněčné proteinové exprese. 2. Využití tohoto systému v primárních pokusech odhalilo existenci dvou isoforem podjednotky HsdR systému EcoKI lišících se velikostí náboje. Usoudili jsme, že jedna z těchto isoforem by mohla být posttranslačně modifikována. 3. Sledování fosforylace zástupců tří skupin R-M enzymů Typu I EcoKI (skupina IA), EcoAI (skupina IB) a EcoR124I (skupina IC), na základě imunoprecipitačních analys kmenů E. coli produkujících tyto enzymy, prokázalo fosforylaci enzymu EcoKI na podjednotce HsdR. Podjednotky HsdM ani HsdS enzymu EcoKI fosforylovány nejsou. Žádná z podjednotek Hsd systémů EcoAI a EcoR124I také fosforylována nebyla. 4. Podjednotka HsdR enzymu EcoKI je fosforylována in vivo pokud je součástí komplexní REasy EcoKI. Samotná HsdR, bez současné exprese HsdM a HsdS, kdy se netvoří funkční...107 7. Závěr 1. Vytvořili jsme podmínky pro dělení a identifikaci všech tří podjednotek Hsd R-M enzymů Typu I EcoKI a EcoR124I na dvourozměrném gelu. Optimalizovali jsme podmínky dělení těchto enzymů v nerovnovážném gradientu pH (NEPHGE) v prvním rozměru 2D-PAGE na pozadí celkových proteinů buněčného extraktu. Tento systém nám v budoucnu umožní provést detailnější studie exprese a postranslační modifikace R-M enzymů Typu I v závislosti na různých fyziologických podmínkách a v souvislosti celkové buněčné proteinové exprese. 2. Využití tohoto systému v primárních pokusech odhalilo existenci dvou isoforem podjednotky HsdR systému EcoKI lišících se velikostí náboje. Usoudili jsme, že jedna z těchto isoforem by mohla být posttranslačně modifikována. 3. Sledování fosforylace zástupců tří skupin R-M enzymů Typu I EcoKI (skupina IA), EcoAI (skupina IB) a EcoR124I (skupina IC), na základě imunoprecipitačních analys kmenů E. coli produkujících tyto enzymy, prokázalo fosforylaci enzymu EcoKI na podjednotce HsdR. Podjednotky HsdM ani HsdS enzymu EcoKI fosforylovány nejsou. Žádná z podjednotek Hsd systémů EcoAI a EcoR124I také fosforylována nebyla. 4. Podjednotka HsdR enzymu EcoKI je fosforylována in vivo pokud je součástí komplexní REasy EcoKI. Samotná HsdR, bez současné exprese HsdM a HsdS, kdy se netvoří funkční...Department of Genetics and MicrobiologyKatedra genetiky a mikrobiologieFaculty of SciencePřírodovědecká fakult

Biophysical study of the DNA charge mimicry displayed by the T7 Ocr protein

The homodimeric Ocr protein of bacteriophage T7 is a molecular mimic of a bent double-stranded DNA molecule ~24 bp in length. As such, Ocr is a highly effective competitive inhibitor of the bacterial Type I restriction modification (R/M) system. Thus, Ocr facilitates phage infection of the bacterial cell to proceed unhindered by the action of the R/M defense system. The main aim of this work was to understand the basis of the DNA mimicry displayed by Ocr. The surface of the protein is replete with acidic residues, most or all of which mimic the phosphate backbone of DNA. Aspartate and glutamate residues on the surface of Ocr were either mutated or chemically modified in order to investigate their contribution to the tight binding between Ocr and the EcoKI Type I R/M enzyme. Single or double mutations of Ocr had no discernable effect on binding to EcoKI or its methyltransferase component (M.EcoKI). Chemical modification was then used to specifically modify the carboxyl moieties of Ocr, thereby neutralizing the negative charges on the protein surface. Ocr samples modified to varying degrees were analysed to establish the extent of derivatisation prior to extensive biophysical characterisation to assess the impact of these changes in terms of binding to the EcoKI R/M system. The results of this analysis revealed that the electrostatic mimicry of Ocr increases the binding affinity for its target enzyme by at least ~800-fold. In addition, based on the known 3-D structure of the protein, a set of multiple mutations were introduced into Ocr aimed at eliminating patches of negative charge from the protein surface. Specifically, between 5 and 17 acidic residues were targeted for mutation (Asp and Glu to Asn and Gln, respectively). Analysis of the in vivo activity of the mutant Ocr along with biophysical characterisation of the purified proteins was then performed. Results from these studies identified regions of the Ocr protein that were critical in forming a tight association with the EcoKI R/M system. Furthermore by comparing the relative contribution of different groups of acidic residues to the free energy of binding, the actual mechanism by which Ocr mimics the charge distribution of DNA has been delineated