title: Structure of the metal-independent restriction enzyme BfiI reveals fusion of a specific DNA-binding domain with a nonspecific nuclease.
abstract: Among all restriction endonucleases known to date, BfiI is unique in cleaving DNA in the absence of metal ions. BfiI represents a different evolutionary lineage of restriction enzymes, as shown by its crystal structure at 1.9-A resolution. The protein consists of two structural domains. The N-terminal catalytic domain is similar to Nuc, an EDTA-resistant nuclease from the phospholipase D superfamily. The C-terminal DNA-binding domain of BfiI exhibits a beta-barrel-like structure very similar to the effector DNA-binding domain of the Mg(2+)-dependent restriction enzyme EcoRII and to the B3-like DNA-binding domain of plant transcription factors. BfiI presumably evolved through domain fusion of a DNA-recognition element to a nonspecific nuclease akin to Nuc and elaborated a mechanism to limit DNA cleavage to a single double-strand break near the specific recognition sequence. The crystal structure suggests that the interdomain linker may act as an autoinhibitor controlling BfiI catalytic activity in the absence of a specific DNA sequence. A psi-blast search identified a BfiI homologue in a Mesorhizobium sp. BNC1 bacteria strain, a plant symbiont isolated from an EDTA-rich environment.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Protein-DNA Interaction, Institute of Biotechnology, Graiciuno 8, LT-02241 Vilnius, Lithuania. grazulis@ibt.lt
authors.forename: Saulius
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grazulis
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Manakova
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roessle
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bochtler
authors.forename: Giedre
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tamulaitiene
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Huber
authors.forename: Virginijus
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Siksnys
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D001665:Binding Sites; D020134:Catalytic Domain; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D003851:Deoxyribonucleases / Q000737:chemistry; D015252:Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific / Q000737:chemistry*; D025461:Feedback, Physiological; D015394:Molecular Structure; D011487:Protein Conformation
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D003851:Deoxyribonucleases; C113635:endodeoxyribonuclease BfiI; D015252:Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific