Crystal structure of the CheA histidine phosphotransfer domain that mediates response regulator phosphorylation in bacterial chemotaxis

The x-ray crystal structure of the P1 or H domain of the Salmonella CheA protein has been solved at 2.1-A resolution. The structure is composed of an up-down up-down four-helix bundle that is typical of histidine phosphotransfer or HPt domains such as Escherichia coli ArcB(C) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae Ypd1. Loop regions and additional structural features distinguish all three proteins. The CheA domain has an additional C-terminal helix that lies over the surface formed by the C and D helices. The phosphoaccepting His-48 is located at a solvent-exposed position in the middle of the B helix where it is surrounded by several residues that are characteristic of other HPt domains. Mutagenesis studies indicate that conserved glutamate and lysine residues that are part of a hydrogen-bond network with His-48 are essential for the ATP-dependent phosphorylation reaction but not for the phosphotransfer reaction with CheY. These results suggest that the CheA-P1 domain may serve as a good model for understanding the general function of HPt domains in complex two-component phosphorelay systems.     

Helical shifts generate two distinct conformers in the atomic resolution structure of the CheA phosphotransferase domain from Thermotoga maritima

Helical histidine phosphotransferase (HPt) domains play a central role in many aspects of bacterial signal transduction. The 0.98 A resolution crystallographic structure of the amino-terminal HPt domain (P1) from the chemotaxis kinase CheA of Thermotoga maritima reveals a remarkable degree of structural heterogeneity within a four-helix bundle. Two of the four helices have alternate main-chain conformations that differ by a 1.3-1.7A shift along the bundle axis. These dual conformers were only resolved with atomic resolution diffraction data and their inclusion significantly improved refinement statistics. Neither conformer optimizes packing within the helical core, consistent with their nearly equal refined occupancies. Altered hydrogen bonding within an inter-helical loop may facilitate transition between conformers. Two discrete structural states rather than a continuum of closely related conformations indicates an energetic barrier to conversion between conformers in the crystal at 100K, although many more states are expected in solution at physiological temperatures. Anisotropic atomic thermal B factors within the two conformers indicate modest overall atomic displacement that is largest perpendicular to the helical bundle and not along the direction of apparent motion. Despite the conformational heterogeneity of P1 in the crystal at low temperature, the protein displays high thermal stability in solution (T(m)=100 degrees C). Addition of a variable C-terminal region that corresponds to a mobile helix in other CheA structures significantly narrows the temperature width of the unfolding transition and may affect domain dynamics. Helices that compose the kinase recognition site and contain the phospho-accepting His45 do not have alternate conformations. In this region, atomic resolution provides detailed structural parameters for a conserved hydrogen-bonding network that tunes the reactivity of His45. A neighboring glutamate (E67), essential for phosphotransferase activity hydrogen bonds directly to His45 N(delta1). E67 generates a negative electrostatic surface surrounding the reactive His that is conserved by most CheA kinases, but absent in related phosphotransferase proteins. The P1 conformations that we observe are likely relevant to other helical or coiled-coil proteins and may be important for generating switches in signaling processes.     

Genetic analysis of the catalytic domain of the chemotaxis-associated histidine kinase CheA.

Escherichia coli cells express two forms of CheA, the histidine kinase associated with chemotaxis. The long form, CheA(L), plays a critical role in chemotactic signal transduction by phosphorylating two chemotaxis-associated response regulators, CheY and CheB. CheA(L) first autophosphorylates amino acid His-48 before its phosphoryl group is transferred to these response regulators. The short form, CheA(S), lacks the amino-terminal 97 amino acids of CheA(L) and therefore does not possess the site of phosphorylation. The centrally located transmitter domain of both forms of CheA contains four regions, called N, G1, F, and G2, highly conserved among histidine kinases of the family of two-component signal transduction systems. On the basis of sequence similarity to highly conserved regions of certain eukaryotic kinases, the G1 and G2 regions are purported to be involved in the binding and hydrolysis of ATP. We report here that alleles mutated in the G1, G2, or F region synthesize CheA variants that cannot autophosphorylate in vitro and which cannot support chemotaxis in vivo. We also show that in vitro, the nonphosphorylatable CheA(S) protein mediates transphosphorylation of a CheA(L) variant defective in both G1 and G2. In contrast, CheA(L) variants defective for either G1 or G2 mediate transphosphorylation of each other poorly, if at all. These results are consistent with a mechanism by which the G1 and G2 regions of one protomer of a CheA dimer form a unit that mediates transphosphorylation of the other protomer within that dimer.     

Chemotactic signaling by the P1 phosphorylation domain liberated from the CheA histidine kinase of Escherichia coli.

CheA is a histidine kinase central to the signal transduction pathway for chemotaxis in Escherichia coli. CheA autophosphorylates at His-48, with ATP as the phosphodonor, and then donates its phosphoryl groups to two aspartate autokinases, CheY and CheB. Phospho-CheY controls the flagellar motors, whereas phospho-CheB participates in sensory adaptation. Polypeptides encompassing the N-terminal P1 domain of CheA can be transphosphorylated in vitro by the CheA catalytic domain and yet have no deleterious effect on chemotactic ability when expressed at high levels in wild-type cells. To find out why, we examined the effects of a purified P1 fragment, CheA[1-149], on CheA-related signaling activities in vitro and devised in vivo assays for those same activities. Although readily phosphorylated by CheA[260-537], the CheA catalytic domain, CheA[1-149], was a poor substrate for transphosphorylation by full-length CheA molecules, implying that the resident P1 domain monopolizes the CheA catalytic center. CheA-H48Q, a nonphosphorylatable mutant, failed to transphosphorylate CheA[1-149], suggesting that phosphorylation of the P1 domain in cis may alleviate the exclusion effect. In agreement with these findings, a 40-fold excess of CheA[1-149] fragments did not impair the CheA autophosphorylation reaction. CheA[1-149] did acquire phosphoryl groups via reversible phosphotransfer reactions with CheB and CheY molecules. An H48Q mutant of CheA[1-149] could not participate in these reactions, indicating that His-48 is probably the substrate site. The low level of efficiency of these phosphotransfer reactions and the inability of CheA[1-149] to interfere with CheA autophosphorylation most likely account for the failure of liberated P1 domains to jam chemotactic signaling in wild-type cells. However, an excess of CheA[1-149] fragments was able to support chemotactic signaling by P1-deficient cheA mutants, demonstrating that CheA[1-149] fragments have both transphosphorylation and phosphotransfer capability in vivo.     

Mutational Analysis of the P1 Phosphorylation Domain in Escherichia coli CheA,the Signaling Kinase for Chemotaxis

The histidine autokinase CheA functions as the central processing unit in the Escherichia coli chemotaxis signaling machinery. CheA receives autophosphorylation control inputs from chemoreceptors and in turn regulates the flux of signaling phosphates to the CheY and CheB response regulator proteins. Phospho-CheY changes the direction of flagellar rotation; phospho-CheB covalently modifies receptor molecules during sensory adaptation. The CheA phosphorylation site, His-48, lies in the N-terminal P1 domain, which must engage the CheA ATP-binding domain, P4, to initiate an autophosphorylation reaction cycle. The docking determinants for the P1-P4 interaction have not been experimentally identified. We devised mutant screens to isolate P1 domains with impaired autophosphorylation or phosphotransfer activities. One set of P1 mutants identified amino acid replacements at surface-exposed residues distal to His-48. These lesions reduced the rate of P1 transphosphorylation by P4. However, once phosphorylated, the mutant P1 domains transferred phosphate to CheY at the wild-type rate. Thus, these P1 mutants appear to define interaction determinants for P1-P4 docking during the CheA autophosphorylation reaction.     

An essential role of Glu-243 and His-239 in the phosphotransfer reaction catalyzed by pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase

This study was undertaken to examine the mechanistic significance of two highly conserved residues positioned in the active site of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase, Glu-243 and His-239. We used site-directed mutagenesis to convert Glu-243 to Ala, Asp, or Gln and His-239 to Ala. The resulting mutant kinases demonstrated a greatly reduced capacity for phosphorylation of pyruvate dehydrogenase. The Glu-243 to Asp mutant had approximately 2% residual activity, whereas the Glu-243 to Ala or Gln mutants exhibited less than 0.5 and 0.1% residual activity, respectively. Activity of the His-239 to Ala mutant was decreased by approximately 90%. Active-site titration with [alpha-(32)P]ATP revealed that neither Glu-243 nor His-239 mutations affected nucleotide binding. All mutant kinases showed similar or even somewhat greater affinity than the wild-type kinase toward the protein substrate, pyruvate dehydrogenase complex. Furthermore, neither of the mutations affected the inter-subunit interactions. Finally, pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase was found to possess a weak ATP hydrolytic activity, which required Glu-243 and His-239 similar to the kinase activity. Based on these observations, we propose a mechanism according to which the invariant glutamate residue (Glu-243) acts as a general base catalyst, which activates the hydroxyl group on a serine residue of the protein substrate for direct attack on the gamma phosphate. The glutamate residue in turn might be further polarized through interaction with the neighboring histidine residue (His-239).     

A fragment liberated from the Escherichia coli CheA kinase that blocks stimulatory, but not inhibitory, chemoreceptor signaling.

CheA, a cytoplasmic histidine autokinase, in conjunction with the CheW coupling protein, forms stable ternary complexes with the cytoplasmic signaling domains of transmembrane chemoreceptors. These signaling complexes induce chemotactic movements by stimulating or inhibiting CheA autophosphorylation activity in response to chemoeffector stimuli. To explore the mechanisms of CheA control by chemoreceptor signaling complexes, we examined the ability of various CheA fragments to interfere with receptor coupling control of CheA. CheA[250-654], a fragment carrying the catalytic domain and an adjacent C-terminal segment previously implicated in stimulatory control of CheA activity, interfered with the production of clockwise flagellar rotation and with chemotactic ability in wild-type cells. Epistasis tests indicated that CheA[250-654] blocked clockwise rotation by disrupting stimulatory coupling of CheA to receptors. In vitro coupling assays confirmed that a stoichiometric excess of CheA[250-654] fragments could exclude CheA from stimulatory receptor complexes, most likely by competing for CheW binding. However, CheA[250-654] fragments, even in vast excess, did not block receptor-mediated inhibition of CheA, suggesting that CheA[250-654] lacks an inhibitory contact site present in native CheA. This inhibitory target is most likely in the N-terminal P1 domain, which contains His-48, the site of autophosphorylation. These findings suggest a simple allosteric model of CheA control by ternary signaling complexes in which the receptor signaling domain conformationally regulates the interaction between the substrate and catalytic domains of CheA.     

Two histidine residues are essential for ribonuclease T1 activity as is the case for ribonuclease A

Ribonuclease T1 (RNase T1, EC 3.1.27.3) is a guanosine-specific ribonuclease that cleaves the 3',5'-phosphodiester linkage of single-stranded RNA. It is assumed that the reaction is generated by concerted acid-base catalysis between residues Glu-58 and His-92 or His-40. From the results of chemical modification and NMR studies, it appeared that the residue Glu-58 was indispensable for nucleolytic activity. However, we have recently demonstrated that Glu-58 is an important but not an essential residue for catalytic activity, using the methods of genetic engineering to change Glu-58 to Gln-58 etc [Nishikawa, S., Morioka, H., Fuchimura, K., Tanaka, T., Uesugi, S., Ohtsuka, E., & Ikehara, M. (1986) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 138, 789-794]. In the present paper, we report that mutants of RNase T1 with residue Ala-40 or Ala-92 have almost no activity, while mutants that contain Ala-58 retain considerable activity. These results show that the two histidine residues, His-40 and His-92, but not Glu-58, are indispensable for the catalytic activity of the enzyme. We propose a revised reaction mechanism in which two histidine residues play a major role, as they do in the case of RNase A.     

The roles of Glu-327 and His-446 in the bisphosphatase reaction of rat liver 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase probed by NMR spectroscopic and mutational analyses of the enzyme in the transient phosphohistidine intermediate complex

The bisphosphatase domain derived from the rat liver 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase was studied by 1H-13C HMQC NMR spectroscopy of the histidine C2' and H2' nuclei. The bacterially expressed protein was specifically labeled with 13C at the ring C2' position of the histidines. Each of the seven histidine residues gave rise to a single cross-peak in the HMQC spectra, and these were assigned by use of a series of histidine-to-alanine point mutants. His-304, His-344, and His-469 exhibit 13C and 1H resonances that titrated with pH, while the remaining histidine-associated resonances did not. The 13C and 1H chemical shifts indicate that at neutral pH, His-304 and His-446 are deprotonated, while His-469 is protonated. The pKa of His-344 was determined to be 7.04. The 13C chemical shifts suggest that the deprotonated His-258 exists as the N1' tautomer, while His-392 and His-419 are protonated in the resting, wild-type enzyme. Mutation of the remaining member of the catalytic triad, Glu-327, to alanine in the resting enzyme caused an upfield shift of 1.58 and 1.30 ppm in the 1H and 13C dimensions, respectively, and significant narrowing of the His-258 cross-peak. Mutation of His-446 to alanine produced perturbations of the His-258 cross-peak that were similar to those detected in the E327A mutant. The His-392 resonances were also shifted by the E327A and H446A mutations. These observations strongly suggest that residues His-258, Glu-327, His-392, and His-446 exist within a network of interacting residues that encompasses the catalytic site of the bisphosphatase and includes specific contacts with the C-terminal regulatory region of the enzyme. The specifically 13C-labeled bisphosphatase was monitored during turnover by HMQC spectra acquired from the transient N3' phosphohistidine intermediate complex in the wild-type enzyme, the E327A mutant, and the H446A mutant. These complexes were formed during reaction with the physiological substrate fructose-2, 6-bisphosphate. Upon formation of the phosphohistidine at His-258, the 13C and 1H resonances of this residue were shifted downfield by 1.7 and 0.31 ppm, respectively, in the wild-type enzyme. The upfield shifts of the His-258 resonances in the E327A and H446A mutant resting enzymes were reversed when the phosphohistidine was formed, generating spectra very similar to that of the wild-type enzyme in the intermediate complex. In contrast, the binding of fructose-6-phosphate, the reaction product, to the resting enzyme did not promote significant changes in the histidine-associated resonances in either the wild-type or the mutant enzymes. The interpretation of these data within the context of the X-ray crystal structures of the enzyme is used to define the role of Glu-327 in the catalytic mechanism of the bisphosphatase and to identify His-446 as a putative link in the chain of molecular events that results in activation of the bisphosphatase site by cAMP-dependent phosphorylation of the hepatic bifunctional enzyme.     

Chemical-shift-perturbation mapping of the phosphotransfer and catalytic domain interaction in the histidine autokinase CheA from Thermotoga maritima

Regulating the activity of the histidine autokinase CheA is a central step in bacterial chemotaxis. The CheA autophosphorylation reaction minimally involves two CheA domains, denoted P1 and P4. The kinase domain (P4) binds adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and orients the gamma phosphate for phosphotransfer to a reactive histidine on the phosphoacceptor domain (P1). Three-dimensional triple-resonance experiments allowed sequential assignments of backbone nuclei from P1 and P4 domains as well as the P4 assignments within a larger construct, P3P4, which includes the dimerization domain P3. We have used nuclear magnetic resonance chemical-shift-perturbation mapping to define the interaction of P1 and P3P4 from the hyperthermophile Thermotoga maritima. The observed chemical-shift changes in P1 upon binding suggest that the P1 domain is bound by interactions on the side opposite the histidine that is phosphorylated. The observed shifts in P3P4 upon P1 binding suggest that P1 is bound at a site distinct from the catalytic site on P4. These results argue that the P1 domain is not bound in a mode that leads to productive phosphate transfer from ATP at the catalytic site and imply the presence of multiple binding modes. The binding mode observed may be regulatory or it may reflect the binding mode needed for effective transfer of the histidyl phosphate of P1 to the substrate proteins CheY and CheB. In either case, this work describes the first direct observation of the interaction between P1 and P4 in CheA.     

Human cytomegalovirus proteinase: candidate glutamic acid identified as third member of putative active-site triad.

The human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) proteinase is synthesized as a 709-amino-acid precursor that undergoes at least three autoproteolytic cleavages. The mature proteinase, called assemblin, is one of the products of autoproteolysis and is composed of the first 256 amino acids of the precursor. HCMV assemblin and its homologs in other herpes group viruses contain five highly conserved domains (CD1 through CD5). An absolutely conserved serine in CD3 has been shown by site-directed mutagenesis of the simian cytomegalovirus (SCMV) and herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) enzymes and by inhibitor affinity labeling of the HSV-1 and HCMV enzymes to be the active-site nucleophile of assemblin. An absolutely conserved histidine in CD2 has also been demonstrated by site-directed mutagenesis of the SCMV and HSV-1 enzymes to be essential for proteolytic activity and has been proposed to be a second member of the catalytic triad of this serine proteinase. We report here the use of site-directed mutagenesis to investigate the active-site amino acids of HCMV assemblin. Substitutions were made for the CD3 serine and CD2 histidine residues implicated as active-site components, and for other amino acids whose influence on enzyme activity was of interest. The mutant proteinases were tested in a transient transfection assay for their ability to cleave their natural substrate, the assembly protein precursor. Results of these experiments verified that HCMV CD3 serine (Ser-132) and CD2 histidine (His-63) are essential for proteolytic activity and identified a glutamic acid (Glu-122) within CD3 that is also essential for proteolytic activity and may be conserved among all herpesvirus assemblin homologs. We suggest that CD3 Glu-122, CD3 Ser-132, and CD2 His-63 constitute the active-site triad of this serine proteinase.     

Vanadyl(IV) binding to mammalian ferritins. An EPR study aided by site-directed mutagenesis

During its metabolism, vanadium is known to become associated with the iron storage protein, ferritin. To elucidate probable vanadium binding sites on the protein, VO2+ binding to mammalian ferritins was studied using site-directed mutagenesis and EPR spectroscopy. VO2+-apoferritin EPR spectra of human H-chain (100% H), L-chain (100% L), horse spleen (84% L, 16% H) and sheep spleen (45% L, 55% H) ferritins revealed the presence of alpha and beta VO2+ species in all the proteins, implying that the ligands for these species are conserved between the H- and L-chains. The alpha species is less stable than the beta species and decreases with increasing pH, demonstrating that the two species are not pH-related, a result contrary to earlier proposals. EPR spectra of site-directed HuHF variants of several residues conserved in H- and L-chain ferritins (Asp-131, Glu-134, His-118 and His-128) suggest that His-118 near the outer opening of the three-fold channel is probably a ligand for VO2+ and is responsible for the beta signals in the EPR spectrum. The data indicate that VO2+ does not bind to the Asp-131 and Glu-134 residues within the three-fold channels nor does it bind at the ferroxidase site residues Glu-62 or His-65 or at the putative nucleation site residues Glu-61,64,67. While the ferroxidase site is not a site for VO2+ binding, mutation of residues Glu-62 and His-65 of this site to Ala affects VO2+ binding at His-118, located some 17 A away. Thus, VO2+ spin probe studies provide a window on structural changes in ferritin not seen in most previous work and indicate that long-range effects caused by point mutations must be carefully considered when drawing conclusions from mutagenesis studies of the protein.     

Site-directed mutagenesis of conserved amino acids in the alpha subunit of toluene dioxygenase: potential mononuclear non-heme iron coordination sites.

The terminal oxygenase component of toluene dioxygenase from Pseudomonas putida F1 is an iron-sulfur protein (ISP(TOL)) that requires mononuclear iron for enzyme activity. Alignment of all available predicted amino acid sequences for the large (alpha) subunits of terminal oxygenases showed a conserved cluster of potential mononuclear iron-binding residues. These were between amino acids 210 and 230 in the alpha subunit (TodC1) of ISP(TOL). The conserved amino acids, Glu-214, Asp-219, Tyr-221, His-222, and His-228, were each independently replaced with an alanine residue by site-directed mutagenesis. Tyr-266 in TodC1, which has been suggested as an iron ligand, was treated in an identical manner. To assay toluene dioxygenase activity in the presence of TodC1 and its mutant forms, conditions for the reconstitution of wild-type ISP(TOL) activity from TodC1 and purified TodC2 (beta subunit) were developed and optimized. A mutation at Glu-214, Asp-219, His-222, or His-228 completely abolished toluene dioxygenase activity. TodC1 with an alanine substitution at either Tyr-221 or Tyr-266 retained partial enzyme activity (42 and 12%, respectively). In experiments with [14C]toluene, the two Tyr-->Ala mutations caused a reduction in the amount of Cis-[14C]-toluene dihydrodiol formed, whereas a mutation at Glu-214, Asp-219, His-222, or His-228 eliminated cis-toluene dihydrodiol formation. The expression level of all of the mutated TWO proteins was equivalent to that of wild-type TodC1 as judged by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blot (immunoblot) analyses. These results, in conjunction with the predicted amino acid sequences of 22 oxygenase components, suggest that the conserved motif Glu-X3-4,-Asp-X2-His-X4-5-His is critical for catalytic function and the glutamate, aspartate, and histidine residues may act as mononuclear iron ligands at the site of oxygen activation.     

Identification of the stable free radical tyrosine residue in ribonucleotide reductase. A sequence comparison

The small subunit of ribonucleoside diphosphate reductase contains a unique tyrosine radical and a binuclear iron center. An alignment of different primary structures of the small subunit in Escherichia coli, the marine mollusc Spisula solidissima, Epstein Barr and Herpes simplex viruses shows that regions comprising residues 115-122, 204-212 and 234-241 (in E.coli numbering) are strikingly similar and are likely to be recognized as functionally important. Two of 16 tyrosine residues and 2 of 8 histidine residues are conserved. We propose that Tyr-122 is responsible for radical stabilization and that His-118 and His-241 together with Glu-115 and Asp-237 or Glu-238 are ligands of the iron center.     

Chemotactic signaling by an Escherichia coli CheA mutant that lacks the binding domain for phosphoacceptor partners

CheA is a multidomain histidine kinase for chemotaxis in Escherichia coli. CheA autophosphorylates through interaction of its N-terminal phosphorylation site domain (P1) with its central dimerization (P3) and ATP-binding (P4) domains. This activity is modulated through the C-terminal P5 domain, which couples CheA to chemoreceptor control. CheA phosphoryl groups are donated to two response regulators, CheB and CheY, to control swimming behavior. The phosphorylated forms of CheB and CheY turn over rapidly, enabling receptor signaling complexes to elicit fast behavioral responses by regulating the production and transmission of phosphoryl groups from CheA. To promote rapid phosphotransfer reactions, CheA contains a phosphoacceptor-binding domain (P2) that serves to increase CheB and CheY concentrations in the vicinity of the adjacent P1 phosphodonor domain. To determine whether the P2 domain is crucial to CheA's signaling specificity, we constructed CheADeltaP2 deletion mutants and examined their signaling properties in vitro and in vivo. We found that CheADeltaP2 autophosphorylated and responded to receptor control normally but had reduced rates of phosphotransfer to CheB and CheY. This defect lowered the frequency of tumbling episodes during swimming and impaired chemotactic ability. However, expression of additional P1 domains in the CheADeltaP2 mutant raised tumbling frequency, presumably by buffering the irreversible loss of CheADeltaP2-generated phosphoryl groups from CheB and CheY, and greatly improved its chemotactic ability. These findings suggest that P2 is not crucial for CheA signaling specificity and that the principal determinants that favor appropriate phosphoacceptor partners, or exclude inappropriate ones, most likely reside in the P1 domain.     

Heparan sulphate N-sulphotransferase activity: reaction mechanism and substrate recognition

Human heparan sulphate N-deacetylase/N-sulphotransferase 1 sulphates the NH(3) (+) group of the glucosamine moiety of the heparan chain in heparan sulphate/heparin biosynthesis. An open cleft that runs perpendicular to the sulphate donor 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphosulphate may constitute the acceptor substrate-binding site of the sulphotransferase domain (hNST1) [Kakuta, Sueyoshi, Negishi and Pedersen (1999) J. Biol. Chem. 274, 10673-10676]. When a hexasaccharide model chain is docked into the active site, only a trisaccharide (-IdoA-GlcN-IdoA-) portion interacts directly with the cleft residues: Trp-713, His-716 and His-720 from alpha helix 6, and Phe-640, Glu-641, Glu-642, Gln-644 and Asn-647 from random coil (residues 640-647). Mutation of these residues either abolishes or greatly reduces hNST1 activity. Glu-642 may play the critical role of catalytic base in the sulphuryl group transfer reaction, as indicated by its hydrogen-bonding distance to the NH(3) (+) group of the glucosamine moiety in the model and by mutational data.     

The structure and dynamic properties of the complete histidine phosphotransfer domain of the chemotaxis specific histidine autokinase CheA from Thermotoga maritima

The bacterial histidine autokinase CheA contains a histidine phosphotransfer (Hpt) domain that accepts a phosphate from the catalytic domain and donates the phosphate to either target response regulator protein, CheY or CheB. The Hpt domain forms a helix-bundle structure with a conserved four-helix bundle motif and a variable fifth helix. Observation of two nearly equally populated conformations in the crystal structure of a Hpt domain fragment of CheA from Thermotoga maritima containing only the first four helices suggests more mobility in a tightly packed helix bundle structure than previously thought. In order to examine how the structures of Hpt domain homologs may differ from each other particularly in the conformation of the last helix, and whether an alternative conformation exists in the intact Hpt domain in solution, we have solved a high-resolution, solution structure of the CheA Hpt from T. maritima and characterized the backbone dynamics of this protein. The structure contains a four-helix bundle characteristic of histidine phosphotransfer domains. The position and orientation of the fifth helix resembles those in known Hpt domain crystal and solution structures in other histidine kinases. The alternative conformation that was reported in the crystal structure of the CheA Hpt from T. maritima missing the fifth helix is not detected in the solution structure, suggesting a role for the fifth helix in providing stabilizing forces to the overall structure.     

A novel mechanism for human K2P2.1 channel gating. Facilitation of C-type gating by protonation of extracellular histidine residues

The mammalian K2P2.1 potassium channel (TREK-1, KCNK2) is highly expressed in excitable tissues, where it plays a key role in the cellular mechanisms of neuroprotection, anesthesia, pain perception, and depression. Here, we report that external acidification, within the physiological range, strongly inhibits the human K2P2.1 channel by inducing "C-type" closure. We have identified two histidine residues (i.e. His-87 and His-141), located in the first external loop of the channel, that govern the response of the channel to external pH. We demonstrate that these residues are within physical proximity to glutamate 84, homologous to Shaker Glu-418, KcsA Glu-51, and KCNK0 Glu-28 residues, all previously argued to stabilize the outer pore gate in the open conformation by forming hydrogen bonds with pore-adjacent residues. We thus propose a novel mechanism for pH sensing in which protonation of His-141 and His-87 generates a local positive charge that serves to draw Glu-84 away from its natural interactions, facilitating the collapse of the selectivity filter region. In accordance with this proposed mechanism, low pH modified K2P2.1 selectivity toward potassium. Moreover, the proton-mediated effect was inhibited by external potassium ions and was enhanced by a mutation (S164Y) known to accelerate C-type gating. Furthermore, proton-induced current inhibition was more pronounced at negative potentials. Thus, voltage-dependent C-type gating acceleration by protons represents a novel mechanism for K2P2.1 outward rectification.     

Contribution of histidine residues to the conformational stability of ribonuclease T1 and mutant Glu-58----Ala

The pK values of the histidine residues in ribonuclease T1 (RNase T1) are unusually high: 7.8 (His-92), 7.9 (His-40), and 7.3 (His-27) [Inagaki et al. (1981) J. Biochem. 89, 1185-1195]. In the RNase T1 mutant Glu-58----Ala, the first two pK values are reduced to 7.4 (His-92) and 7.1 (His-40). These lower pKs were expected since His-92 (5.5 A) and His-40 (3.7 A) are in close proximity to Glu-58 at the active site. The conformational stability of RNase T1 increases by over 4 kcal/mol between pH 9 and 5, and this can be entirely accounted for by the greater affinity for protons by the His residues in the folded protein (average pK = 7.6) than in the unfolded protein (pk approximately 6.6). Thus, almost half of the net conformational stability of RNase T1 results from a difference between the pK values of the histidine residues in the folded and unfolded conformations. In the Glu-58----Ala mutant, the increase in stability between pH 9 and 5 is halved (approximately 2 kcal/mol), as expected on the basis of the lower pK values for the His residues in the folded protein (average pK = 7.1). As a consequence, RNase T1 is more stable than the mutant below pH 7.5, and less stable above pH 7.5. These results emphasize the importance of measuring the conformational stability as a function of pH when comparing proteins differing in structure.     

Targeting of the chemotaxis methylesterase/deamidase CheB to the polar receptor-kinase cluster in an Escherichia coli cell

Chemotactic adaptation to persisting stimulation involves reversible methylation of the chemoreceptors that form complexes with the histidine kinase CheA at a cell pole. The methyltransferase CheR targets to the C-terminal NWETF sequence of the chemoreceptor. In contrast, localization of the methylesterase CheB is largely unknown, although regulation of its activity via phosphorylation is central to adaptation. In this study, green fluorescent protein was fused to full-length CheB or its various parts: the N-terminal regulatory domain (N), the C-terminal catalytic domain (C) and the linker (L). The full-length and NL fusions and, to a lesser extent, the LC fusion localized to a pole. Deletion of the P2 domain from CheA abolished polar localization of the full-length and NL fusions, but did not affect that of the LC fusion. Pull-down assays demonstrated that the NL fragment, but not the LC fragment, binds to the P2 fragment of CheA. These results indicate that binding of the NL domain to the P2 domain targets CheB to the polar signalling complex. The LC fusion, like the chemoreceptor, partially localized in the absence of CheA, suggesting that the LC domain may interact with its substrate sites, either as part of the protein or as a proteolytic fragment.