YqfS from Bacillus subtilis is a spore protein and a new functional member of the type IV apurinic/apyrimidinic-endonuclease family.
The enzymatic properties and the physiological function of the type IV apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP)-endonuclease homolog of Bacillus subtilis, encoded by yqfS, a gene specifically expressed in spores, were studied here. To this end, a recombinant YqfS protein containing an N-terminal His6 tag was synthesized in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity. An anti-His6-YqfS polyclonal antibody exclusively localized YqfS in cell extracts prepared from B. subtilis spores. The His6-YqfS protein demonstrated enzymatic properties characteristic of the type IV family of DNA repair enzymes, such as AP-endonucleases and 3'-phosphatases. However, the purified protein lacked both 5'-phosphatase and exonuclease III activities. YqfS showed not only a high level of amino acid identity with E. coli Nfo but also a high resistance to inactivation by EDTA, in the presence of DNA containing AP sites (AP-DNA). These results suggest that YqfS possesses a trinuclear Zn center in which the three metal atoms are intimately coordinated by nine conserved basic residues and two water molecules. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays demonstrated that YqfS possesses structural properties that permit it to bind and scan undamaged DNA as well as to strongly interact with AP-DNA. The ability of yqfS to genetically complement the DNA repair deficiency of an E. coli mutant lacking the major AP-endonucleases Nfo and exonuclease III strongly suggests that its product confers protection to cells against the deleterious effects of oxidative promoters and alkylating agents. Thus, we conclude that YqfS of B. subtilis is a spore-specific protein that has structural and enzymatic properties required to participate in the repair of AP sites and 3' blocking groups of DNA generated during both spore dormancy and germination.
Salas-Pacheco
José M
JM
Institute of Investigation in Experimental Biology, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Guanajuato, Guanajuato 36060, Gto, Mexico.
Urtiz-Estrada
Norma
N
Martínez-Cadena
Guadalupe
G
Yasbin
Ronald E
RE
Pedraza-Reyes
Mario
M
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000502:physiology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019757:Carbon-Oxygen Lyases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D004260:DNA Repair / Q000502:physiology; D043603:DNA-(Apurinic or Apyrimidinic Site) Lyase; D043223:Deoxyribonuclease IV (Phage T4-Induced); D004720:Endonucleases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D006639:Histidine / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D009154:Mutation; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology; D015032:Zinc / Q000378:metabolism
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D006639:Histidine; D004247:DNA; D004720:Endonucleases; D043223:Deoxyribonuclease IV (Phage T4-Induced); C468972:endonuclease IV, E coli; D019757:Carbon-Oxygen Lyases; D043603:DNA-(Apurinic or Apyrimidinic Site) Lyase; D015032:Zinc