title: Mechanism of the CO-sensing heme protein CooA: new insights from the truncated heme domain and UVRR spectroscopy.
abstract: The bacterial CO-sensing heme protein CooA activates expression of genes whose products perform CO-metabolism by binding its target DNA in response to CO binding. The required conformational change has been proposed to result from CO-induced displacement of the heme and of the adjacent C-helix, which connects the sensory and DNA-binding domains. Support for this proposal comes from UV Resonance Raman (UVRR) spectroscopy, which reveals a more hydrophobic environment for the C-helix residue Trp110 when CO binds. In addition, we find a tyrosine UVRR response, which is attributable to weakening of a Tyr55-Glu83 H-bond that anchors the proximal side of the heme. Both Trp and Tyr responses are augmented in the heme domain when the DNA-binding domain has been removed, apparently reflecting loss of the inter-domain restraint. This augmentation is abolished by a Glu83Gln substitution, which weakens the anchoring H-bond. The CO recombination rate following photolysis of the CO adduct is similar for truncated and full-length protein, though truncation does increase the rate of CO association in the absence of photolysis; together these data indicate that truncation causes a faster dissociation of the endogenous Pro2 ligand. These findings are discussed in the light of structural evidence that the N-terminal tail, once released from the heme, selects the proper orientation of the DNA-binding domain, via docking interactions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kuchinskas
authors.forename: Hwan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Youn
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Kerby
authors.forename: Gary P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Thomas L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Poulos
authors.forename: Thomas G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Spiro
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001665:Binding Sites; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D006418:Heme / Q000737:chemistry*; D006420:Hemeproteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008958:Models, Molecular; D011485:Protein Binding; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet / Q000379:methods; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D006420:Hemeproteins; D006418:Heme; D002248:Carbon Monoxide