title: Tn5 transposase active site mutants.
abstract: Tn5 transposase (Tnp) is a 53.3-kDa protein that is encoded by and facilitates movement of transposon Tn5. Tnp monomers contain a single active site that is responsible for catalyzing a series of four DNA breaking/joining reactions at one transposon end. Based on primary sequence homology and protein structural information, we designed and constructed a series of plasmids that encode for Tnps containing active site mutations. Following Tnp expression and purification, the active site mutants were tested for their ability to form protein-DNA complexes and perform each of the four catalytic steps in the transposition pathway in vitro. The results demonstrate that Asp-97, Asp-188, and Glu-326, visible in the active site of Tn5 crystal structures, are absolutely required for all catalytic steps. Mutations within a series of amino acid residues that are conserved in the IS4 family of transposases and retroviral integrases also impair Tnp catalytic activity. Mutations at either Tyr-319 or Arg-322 reduce both hairpin resolution and strand transfer activity within protein-DNA complexes. Mutations at Lys-333 reduce the ability of Tnps to form protein-DNA complexes, whereas mutations at the less strongly conserved Lys-330 have less of an effect on both synaptic complex formation and catalytic activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA.
authors.forename: Todd A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Naumann
authors.forename: William S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Reznikoff
mesh_terms: D001120:Arginine / Q000378:metabolism; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites / Q000235:genetics; D002384:Catalysis; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D008239:Lysine / Q000378:metabolism; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008970:Molecular Weight; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D009154:Mutation; D010957:Plasmids; D011487:Protein Conformation; D019895:Transposases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D014443:Tyrosine; D001120:Arginine; D019895:Transposases; D008239:Lysine