title: The velvet family of fungal regulators contains a DNA-binding domain structurally similar to NF-κB.
abstract: Morphological development of fungi and their combined production of secondary metabolites are both acting in defence and protection. These processes are mainly coordinated by velvet regulators, which contain a yet functionally and structurally uncharacterized velvet domain. Here we demonstrate that the velvet domain of VosA is a novel DNA-binding motif that specifically recognizes an 11-nucleotide consensus sequence consisting of two motifs in the promoters of key developmental regulatory genes. The crystal structure analysis of the VosA velvet domain revealed an unforeseen structural similarity with the Rel homology domain (RHD) of the mammalian transcription factor NF-κB. Based on this structural similarity several conserved amino acid residues present in all velvet domains have been identified and shown to be essential for the DNA binding ability of VosA. The velvet domain is also involved in dimer formation as seen in the solved crystal structures of the VosA homodimer and the VosA-VelB heterodimer. These findings suggest that defence mechanisms of both fungi and animals might be governed by structurally related DNA-binding transcription factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Structural Biology, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August University, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Yasar Luqman
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August University, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gerke
authors.affiliation: Departments of Bacteriology and Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America.
authors.forename: Hee-Soo
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August University, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Özgür
authors.initials: Ö
authors.lastname: Bayram
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Structural Biology, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August University, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Neumann
authors.affiliation: Departments of Bacteriology and Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Structural Biology, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August University, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Achim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dickmanns
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Dae-Jon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sun Chang
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Departments of Bacteriology and Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America.
authors.forename: Jae-Hyuk
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August University, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Gerhard H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Braus
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Structural Biology, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August University, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ficner
mesh_terms: D001233:Aspergillus nidulans / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D016384:Consensus Sequence / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D005800:Genes, Fungal / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D020573:Genes, rel / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D016328:NF-kappa B