Structural insights into the redox-switch mechanism of the MarR/DUF24-type regulator HypR

Nucleic Acids Res. 2012 May;40(9):4178-92. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkr1316. Epub 2012 Jan 11.

Abstract

Bacillus subtilis encodes redox-sensing MarR-type regulators of the OhrR and DUF24-families that sense organic hydroperoxides, diamide, quinones or aldehydes via thiol-based redox-switches. In this article, we characterize the novel redox-sensing MarR/DUF24-family regulator HypR (YybR) that is activated by disulphide stress caused by diamide and NaOCl in B. subtilis. HypR controls positively a flavin oxidoreductase HypO that confers protection against NaOCl stress. The conserved N-terminal Cys14 residue of HypR has a lower pK(a) of 6.36 and is essential for activation of hypO transcription by disulphide stress. HypR resembles a 2-Cys-type regulator that is activated by Cys14-Cys49' intersubunit disulphide formation. The crystal structures of reduced and oxidized HypR proteins were resolved revealing structural changes of HypR upon oxidation. In reduced HypR a hydrogen-bonding network stabilizes the reactive Cys14 thiolate that is 8-9 Å apart from Cys49'. HypR oxidation breaks these H-bonds, reorients the monomers and moves the major groove recognition α4 and α4' helices ∼4 Å towards each other. This is the first crystal structure of a redox-sensing MarR/DUF24 family protein in bacteria that is activated by NaOCl stress. Since hypochloric acid is released by activated macrophages, related HypR-like regulators could function to protect pathogens against the host immune defense.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacillus subtilis / drug effects
  • Bacillus subtilis / enzymology
  • Bacillus subtilis / genetics*
  • Bacterial Proteins / chemistry*
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism
  • Base Sequence
  • Cysteine / chemistry
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Diamide / pharmacology
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial*
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Nitroreductases / genetics
  • Operator Regions, Genetic
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Oxidoreductases / biosynthesis
  • Oxidoreductases / genetics
  • Sodium Hypochlorite / pharmacology
  • Stress, Physiological / genetics
  • Trans-Activators / chemistry*
  • Trans-Activators / metabolism
  • Transcriptional Activation*

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Trans-Activators
  • Diamide
  • Sodium Hypochlorite
  • Oxidoreductases
  • Nitroreductases
  • Cysteine

Associated data

  • PDB/4A5M
  • PDB/4A5N