Structural analysis and insight into effector binding of the niacin-responsive repressor NiaR from Bacillus halodurans

Sci Rep. 2020 Dec 3;10(1):21039. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-78148-x.

Abstract

The niacin-responsive repressor, NiaR, is transcriptional repressor of certain nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) biosynthetic genes in response to an increase in niacin levels. NAD is a vital molecule involved in various cellular redox reactions as an electron donor or electron acceptor. The NiaR family is conserved broadly in the Bacillus/Clostridium group, as well as in the Fusobacteria and Thermotogales lineages. The NiaR structure consists of two domains: an N-terminal DNA-binding domain, and a C-terminal regulation domain containing a metal-binding site. In this paper, we report the crystal structures of apo and niacin-bound forms of NiaR from Bacillus halodurans (BhNiaR). The analysis of metal-binding and niacin-binding sites through the apo and niacin-bound structures is described. Each N- and C-terminal domain structure of BhNiaR is almost identical with NiaR from Thermotoga maritima, but the overall domain arrangement is quite different. A zinc ion is fully occupied in each subunit with well-conserved residues in the C-terminal domain. Niacin is also located at a hydrophobic pocket near the zinc ion in the C-terminal domain.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacillus / chemistry
  • Bacillus / metabolism*
  • Bacterial Proteins / chemistry*
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism
  • Binding Sites
  • NAD / metabolism
  • Niacin / chemistry
  • Niacin / metabolism*
  • Protein Binding
  • Transcription Factors / chemistry*
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Transcription Factors
  • NAD
  • Niacin

Supplementary concepts

  • Bacillus halodurans