Premium
The solution structure of ParD, the antidote of the ParDE toxin–antitoxin module, provides the structural basis for DNA and toxin binding
Author(s) -
Oberer Monika,
Zangger Klaus,
Gruber Karl,
Keller Walter
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
protein science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.353
H-Index - 175
eISSN - 1469-896X
pISSN - 0961-8368
DOI - 10.1110/ps.062680707
Subject(s) - biology , antitoxin , operon , plasmid , antidote , dna , microbiology and biotechnology , toxin , genetics , gene , chemistry , escherichia coli , organic chemistry , toxicity
ParD is the antidote of the plasmid‐encoded toxin–antitoxin (TA) system ParD–ParE. These modules rely on differential stabilities of a highly expressed but labile antidote and a stable toxin expressed from one operon. Consequently, loss of the coding plasmid results in loss of the protective antidote and poisoning of the cell. The antidote protein usually also exhibits an autoregulatory function of the operon. In this paper, we present the solution structure of ParD. The repressor activity of ParD is mediated by the N‐terminal half of the protein, which adopts a ribbon‐helix‐helix (RHH) fold. The C‐terminal half of the protein is unstructured in the absence of its cognate binding partner ParE. Based on homology with other RHH proteins, we present a model of the ParD–DNA interaction, with the antiparallel β‐strand being inserted into the major groove of DNA. The fusion of the N‐terminal DNA‐binding RHH motif to the toxin‐binding unstructured C‐terminal domain is discussed in its evolutionary context.