Inducer-modulated cooperative binding of the tetrameric CggR repressor to operator DNA

Biophys J. 2007 May 1;92(9):3215-27. doi: 10.1529/biophysj.106.095109. Epub 2007 Feb 9.

Abstract

The central glycolytic genes repressor (CggR) controls the transcription of the gapA operon encoding five key glycolytic enzymes in Bacillus subtilis. CggR recognizes a unique DNA target sequence comprising two direct repeats and fructose-1,6-bisphosphate (FBP) is the inducer that negatively controls this interaction. We present here analytical ultracentrifugation and fluorescence anisotropy experiments that demonstrate that CggR binds as a tetramer to the full-length operator DNA in a highly cooperative manner. We also show that CggR binds as a dimer to each direct repeat, the affinity being approximately 100-fold higher for the 3' repeat. In addition, our studies reveal a bimodal effect of FBP on the repressor/operator interaction. At micromolar concentrations, FBP leads to a change in the conformational dynamics of the complex. In the millimolar range, without altering the stoichiometry, FBP leads to a drastic reduction in the affinity and cooperativity of the complex. This bimodal response suggests the existence of two sugar-binding sites in the repressor, a high affinity site at which FBP acts as a structural co-factor and a low affinity site underlying the molecular mechanism of gapA induction.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Binding Sites
  • DNA, Bacterial / chemistry*
  • Fructosediphosphates / chemistry*
  • Kinetics
  • Operator Regions, Genetic*
  • Protein Binding
  • Repressor Proteins / chemistry*

Substances

  • CggR protein, Bacillus subtilis
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • Fructosediphosphates
  • Repressor Proteins
  • fructose-1,6-diphosphate