title: Substitution of basic amino acids within endonuclease V enhances nontarget DNA binding.
abstract: Several DNA-interactive proteins, including the DNA repair enzyme T4 endonuclease V, have been shown to locate their target recognition sites utilizing an electrostatically mediated facilitated diffusion mechanism. Previous work indicates that a decrease in the affinity of endonuclease V for nontarget DNA results in an increased nontarget dissociation rate. This study was designed to investigate the effect of an increase in the affinity of endonuclease V for nontarget DNA. Using a working structural model of the enzyme as a guide, the electrostatic character of endonuclease V was altered. Substitution of Thr-7 with Lys-7 resulted in an enzyme with wild type in vitro characteristics. Mutations which increased the positive charge along a proposed solvent-exposed alpha-helical face had significant effects. The mutants Ala-30, Val-31----Lys-30, Leu-31 and Asn-37----Lys-37 displayed wild type in vitro apurinic-specific and dimer-specific nicking activities. Although the processive dimer-specific nicking rate of the Lys-37 mutant resembled that of wild type, the rate of the Lys-30, Leu-31 mutant was reduced by 60%. In addition, the salt concentration range over which these mutants processively nick dimer-containing DNA has been greatly expanded. Both mutants are shown to have an increased affinity for nontarget DNA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nickell
authors.forename: W F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Lloyd
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D001435:Bacteriophages / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D002417:Cattle; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000378:metabolism; D043224:Deoxyribonuclease (Pyrimidine Dimer); D004706:Endodeoxyribonucleases / Q000378:metabolism*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000528:radiation effects; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D005814:Genes, Viral; D007700:Kinetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D009154:Mutation; D010957:Plasmids; D014764:Viral Proteins
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004279:DNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins; D004247:DNA; D004706:Endodeoxyribonucleases; C470698:endonuclease V, phage T4; D043224:Deoxyribonuclease (Pyrimidine Dimer)