Crystal structure of the redox-active cofactor dibromothymoquinone bound to circadian clock protein KaiA and structural basis for dibromothymoquinone's ability to prevent stimulation of KaiC phosphorylation by KaiA

Biochemistry. 2012 Oct 16;51(41):8050-2. doi: 10.1021/bi301222t. Epub 2012 Oct 5.

Abstract

KaiA protein that stimulates KaiC phosphorylation in the cyanobacterial circadian clock was recently shown to be destabilized by dibromothymoquinone (DBMIB), thus revealing KaiA as a sensor of the plastoquinone (PQ) redox state and suggesting an indirect control of the clock by light through PQ redox changes. Here we show using X-ray crystallography that several DBMIBs are bound to KaiA dimer. Some binding modes are consistent with oligomerization of N-terminal KaiA pseudoreceiver domains and/or reduced interdomain flexibility. DBMIB bound to the C-terminal KaiA (C-KaiA) domain and limited stimulation of KaiC kinase activity by C-KaiA in the presence of DBMIB demonstrate that the cofactor may weakly inhibit KaiA-KaiC binding.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Bacterial Proteins / chemistry*
  • Circadian Rhythm Signaling Peptides and Proteins / chemistry*
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Dibromothymoquinone / chemistry*
  • Dimerization
  • Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Phosphorylation
  • Protein Conformation

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Circadian Rhythm Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • KaiA protein, cyanobacteria
  • KaiC protein, cyanobacteria
  • Dibromothymoquinone

Associated data

  • PDB/4G86