Structures of archaeal DNA segregation machinery reveal bacterial and eukaryotic linkages.
Although recent studies have provided a wealth of information about archaeal biology, nothing is known about the molecular basis of DNA segregation in these organisms. Here, we unveil the machinery and assembly mechanism of the archaeal Sulfolobus pNOB8 partition system. This system uses three proteins: ParA; an atypical ParB adaptor; and a centromere-binding component, AspA. AspA utilizes a spreading mechanism to create a DNA superhelix onto which ParB assembles. This supercomplex links to the ParA motor, which contains a bacteria-like Walker motif. The C domain of ParB harbors structural similarity to CenpA, which dictates eukaryotic segregation. Thus, this archaeal system combines bacteria-like and eukarya-like components, which suggests the possible conservation of DNA segregation principles across the three domains of life.
Department of Biochemistry, Duke University School of Medicine, 243 Nanaline H. Duke, Box 3711, Durham, NC 27710, USA. maria.schumacher@duke.edu daniela.barilla@york.ac.uk.
Maria A
MA
Schumacher
Department of Biochemistry, Duke University School of Medicine, 243 Nanaline H. Duke, Box 3711, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
Nam K
NK
Tonthat
Department of Biochemistry, Duke University School of Medicine, 243 Nanaline H. Duke, Box 3711, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
Jeehyun
J
Lee
Department of Biology, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK.
Fernando A
FA
Rodriguez-Castañeda
Department of Biochemistry, Duke University School of Medicine, 243 Nanaline H. Duke, Box 3711, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
Naga Babu
NB
Chinnam
Department of Biology, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK.
Anne K
AK
Kalliomaa-Sanford
Department of Biology, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK.
Irene W
IW
Ng
Department of Biology, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK.
Madhuri T
MT
Barge
Department of Biochemistry, Duke University School of Medicine, 243 Nanaline H. Duke, Box 3711, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
Porsha L R
PL
Shaw
Department of Biology, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK. maria.schumacher@duke.edu daniela.barilla@york.ac.uk.
Daniela
D
Barillà
D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D019843:Archaeal Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics; D002503:Centromere / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D000076247:Centromere Protein A; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D020090:Chromosome Segregation / Q000235:genetics; D019847:Chromosomes, Archaeal / Q000235:genetics*; D019641:DNA, Archaeal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D004278:DNA, Superhelical / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D007716:Kluyveromyces / Q000235:genetics; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D016944:Sulfolobus / Q000235:genetics*
D019843:Archaeal Proteins; D001324:Autoantigens; D000076247:Centromere Protein A; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D019641:DNA, Archaeal; D004278:DNA, Superhelical