title: The fur homologue in Borrelia burgdorferi.
abstract: Borrelia burgdorferi contains a gene that codes for a Fur homologue. The function of this Fur protein is unknown; however, spirochetes grown at 23 or 35 degrees C expressed fur as determined by reverse transcriptase PCR. The fur gene (BB0647) was cloned and overexpressed as a His-Fur fusion protein in Escherichia coli. The fusion protein was purified by zinc-chelate chromatography, and the N-terminal His tag was removed to generate recombinant Fur for use in mobility shift studies. Fur bound DNA containing the E. coli Fur box sequence (GATAATGATAATCATTATC) or Bacillus subtilis Per box sequence (TTATAAT-ATTATAA) with an apparent Kd of approximately 20 nM. Fur also bound the upstream sequences of three Borrelia genes: BB0646 (gene encoding a hydrolase of the alpha/beta-fold family), BB0647 (fur), and BB0690 (napA). Addition of metal ions was not required. Binding activity was greatly decreased by either exposure to oxidizing agents (H2O2, t-butyl hydroperoxide, cumene hydroperoxide, or diamide) or by addition of Zn2+. B. burgdorferi NapA is a homologue of Dps. Dps functions in E. coli to protect DNA against damage during periods of redox stress. Fur may function in B. burgdorferi as a repressor and regulate oxidative stress genes. Additional genes (10 chromosomal and 15 plasmid) that may be Fur regulated were identified by in silico analysis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for Infectious Diseases, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, New York 11794-5120, USA. lkatona@notes.cc.sunysb.edu
authors.forename: Laura I
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Katona
authors.forename: Rafal
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tokarz
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Kuhlow
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Benach
authors.forename: Jorge L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Benach
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D025065:Borrelia burgdorferi / Q000235:genetics*; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D015032:Zinc / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; C068477:ferric uptake regulating proteins, bacterial; D004247:DNA; D015032:Zinc