Structural characterization of the H-NS protein from Xylella fastidiosa and its interaction with DNA

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)The nucleoid-associated protein H-NS is a major component of the bacterial nucleoid involved in DNA compaction and transcription regulation. The NMR solution structure of the Xylella fastidiosa H-NS C-terminal domain (residues 56-134) is presented here and consists of two beta-strands and two alpha helices, with one loop connecting the two beta-strands and a second loop connecting the second beta strand and the first helix. The amide H-1 and N-15 chemical shift signals for a sample of XfH-NS56-134 were monitored in the course of a titration series with a 14-bp DNA duplex. Most of the residues involved in contacts to DNA are located around the first and second loops and in the first helix at a positively charged side of the protein surface. The overall structure of the Xylella H-NS C-terminal domain differ significantly from Escherichia coil and Salmonella enterica H-NS proteins, even though the DNA binding motif in loop 2 adopt similar conformation, as well as beta-strand 2 and loop 1. Interestingly, we have also found that the DNA binding site is expanded to include helix 1, which is not seen in the other structures. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.52612228Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)FAPESP [07/50573-6, 07/55128-0, 02/02772-6

Functional and small-angle X-ray scattering studies of a new stationary phase survival protein E (SurE) from Xylella fastidiosa - evidence of allosteric behaviour

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)The genome data of bacterium Xylella fastidiosa strain 9a5c has identified several orfs related to its phytopathogenic adaptation and survival. Among these genes, the surE codifies a survival protein E (XfSurE) whose function is not so well understood, but functional assays in Escherichia coli revealed nucleotidase and exopolyphosphate activity. In the present study, we report the XfSurE protein overexpression in E. coli and its purification. The overall secondary structure was analyzed by CD. Small-angle X-ray scattering and gel. filtration techniques demonstrated that the oligomeric state of the protein in solution is a tetramer. In addition, functional kinetics experiments were carried out with several monophosphate nucleoside substrates and revealed a highly positive cooperativity. An allosteric mechanism involving torsion movements in solution is proposed to explain the cooperative behaviour of XfSurE. This is the. first characterization of a SurE enzyme from a phytopathogen organism and, to our knowledge, the. first solution structure of a SurE protein to be described.2762267516762Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao, Paulo [01/07533-7, 05/03234-6]Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao, Paulo [01/07533-7, 05/03234-6

Initial crystallographic studies of a small heat-shock protein from Xylella fastidiosa

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)The ORF XF2234 in the Xylella fastidiosa genome was identified as encoding a small heat-shock protein of 17.9 kDa (HSP17.9). HSP17.9 was found as one of the proteins that are induced during X. fastidiosa proliferation and infection in citrus culture. Recombinant HSP17.9 was crystallized and surface atomic force microscopy experiments were conducted with the aim of better characterizing the HSP17.9 crystals. X-ray diffraction data were collected at 2.7 angstrom resolution. The crystal belonged to space group P4(3)22, with unit-cell parameters a = 68.90, b = 68.90, c = 72.51 angstrom, and is the first small heat-shock protein to crystallize in this space group.685535539Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES