Escherichia coli DNA helicases: mechanisms of DNA unwinding

Biochemistry of homologous recombination in Escherichia coli

Homologous recombination is a fundamental biological process. Biochemical understanding of this process is most advanced for Escherichia coli. At least 25 gene products are involved in promoting genetic exchange. At present, this includes the RecA, RecBCD (exonuclease V), RecE (exonuclease VIII), RecF, RecG, RecJ, RecN, RecOR, RecQ, RecT, RuvAB, RuvC, SbcCD, and SSB proteins, as well as DNA polymerase I, DNA gyrase, DNA topoisomerase I, DNA ligase, and DNA helicases. The activities displayed by these enzymes include homologous DNA pairing and strand exchange, helicase, branch migration, Holliday junction binding and cleavage, nuclease, ATPase, topoisomerase, DNA binding, ATP binding, polymerase, and ligase, and, collectively, they define biochemical events that are essential for efficient recombination. In addition to these needed proteins, a cis-acting recombination hot spot known as Chi (chi: 5'-GCTGGTGG-3') plays a crucial regulatory function. The biochemical steps that comprise homologous recombination can be formally divided into four parts: (i) processing of DNA molecules into suitable recombination substrates, (ii) homologous pairing of the DNA partners and the exchange of DNA strands, (iii) extension of the nascent DNA heteroduplex; and (iv) resolution of the resulting crossover structure. This review focuses on the biochemical mechanisms underlying these steps, with particular emphases on the activities of the proteins involved and on the integration of these activities into likely biochemical pathways for recombination.

The Escherichia coli RuvB branch migration protein forms double hexameric rings around DNA

The RuvB protein is induced in Escherichia coli as part of the SOS response to DNA damage. It is required for genetic recombination and the postreplication repair of DNA. In vitro, the RuvB protein promotes the branch migration of Holliday junctions and has a DNA helicase activity in reactions that require ATP hydrolysis. We have used electron microscopy, image analysis, and three-dimensional reconstruction to show that the RuvB protein, in the presence of ATP, forms a dodecamer on double-stranded DNA in which two stacked hexameric rings encircle the DNA and are oriented in opposite directions with D6 symmetry. Although helicases are ubiquitous and essential for many aspects of DNA repair, replication, and transcription, three-dimensional reconstruction of a helicase has not yet been reported, to our knowledge. The structural arrangement that is seen may be common to other helicases, such as the simian virus 40 large tumor antigen.

Detection of dsRNA-binding domains in RNA helicase A and Drosophila maleless: implications for monomeric RNA helicases

Searches with dsRNA-binding domain profiles detected two copies of the domain in each of RNA helicase A, Drosophila maleless and C. elegans ORF T20G5-11 (of unknown function). RNA helicase A is unusual in being one of the few characterised DEAD/DExH helicases that are active as monomers. Other monomeric DEAD/DExH RNA helicases (p68, NPH-II) have domains that match another RNA-binding motif, the RGG repeat. The DEAD/DExH domain appears to be insufficient on its own to promote helicase activity and additional RNA-binding capacity must be supplied either as domains adjacent to the DEAD/DExH-box or by bound partners as in the eIF-4AB dimer. The presence or absence of extra RNA-binding domains should allow classification of DEAD/DExH proteins as monomeric or multimeric helicases.

Membrane association and role in DNA uptake of the Bacillus subtilis PriA analogue ComF1

The late competence protein ComF1 is required for genetic transformation in Bacillus subtilis. Because of the sequence similarities of ComF1 to known ATP-dependent DNA helicases and translocases, we have hypothesized that this protein either unwinds bound double-stranded DNA or helps in the translocation of the transforming single-stranded DNA across the cell membrane. Two important implications of this hypothesis (the association of ComF1 with the membrane and its specific requirement for DNA uptake) have been tested in this report. Using cell fractionation techniques and Western blotting analysis, we show that ComF1 is located almost exclusively on the cell membrane and that it is membrane-targeted independently of other competence proteins. Moreover, ComF1 behaves like an integral membrane protein in extractability and detergent partition assays. We also show that this protein is required for the DNA-uptake step during transformation but not for DNA binding to the cell surface. DNA uptake is blocked in strains with null mutations or in-frame deletions in comF1 but also in strains that overproduce the ComF1 protein under competence conditions. This last observation suggests that ComF1 expression must be balanced with that of other competence proteins, with which it may interact to form a multisubunit complex for DNA uptake.

Genetic studies on the poliovirus 2C protein, an NTPase. A plausible mechanism of guanidine effect on the 2C function and evidence for the importance of 2C oligomerization

Poliovirus RNA replication is known to be inhibited by millimolar concentrations of guanidine. A variety of guanidine-resistant (gr) and guanidine-dependent (gd) poliovirus strains were selected, and mutations responsible for the phenotypic alterations were mapped to distinct loci of the viral NTP-binding pattern containing protein 2C. Together with already published results, our data have demonstrated that the overwhelming majority of guanidine mutants of poliovirus 2C can be assigned to one of the two classes, N (with a change in Asn179) or M (with a change in Met187). As inferred from the structure/function relations in other NTP-binding proteins, both these "main" mutations should reside in a loop adjoining the so-called B motif known to interact with the Mg2+ involved in the NTP splitting. In classes M (always) and N (not infrequently), these B motif mutations were combined with mutations in, or close to, motif A (involved in binding of the NTP phosphate moieties) and/or motif C (another conserved element of a subset of NTP-binding proteins). These data strongly support the notion that the region of polypeptide 2C involved in the NTP utilization is affected by the guanidine mutations and by the presence of the drug itself. The mutations, however, never altered highly conserved amino acid residues assumed to be essential for the NTP binding or splitting. These facts and some other considerations led us to propose that guanidine affects coupling between the NTP binding and/or splitting, on the one hand, and the 2C function (related to conformational changes), on the other. Both N and M classes of mutants contain gr and gd variants, and the gr/gd interconversion as well as modulations of the guanidine phenotype can be caused by additional mutations within each class; sometimes, these additional substitutions are located far away from the "main" mutations. It is suggested that the target for guanidine action involves long-range tertiary interactions. Under conditions restrictive for the individual growth of each parent, efficient reciprocal intra-allelic complementation between guanidine-sensitive (gs) and gd strains (of M or N classes) was observed. The complementation occurred at the level of viral RNA synthesis. These data allowed us to propose that oligomerization of polypeptide 2C is an essential step in the replication of viral genome.

Interactions of bacteriophage T7 DNA primase/helicase protein with single-stranded and double-stranded DNAs

Protein-DNA interactions of bacteriophage T7 DNA primase/helicase protein 4A' with small synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides were investigated using a 20-base-paired hairpin duplex, and 10-, 30-, and 60-base-long single-stranded DNA. The effect of nucleotide cofactors on DNA binding was examined using membrane binding assays which showed that 4A' binds DNA optimally only in the presence of MgdTMP-PCP, the nonhydrolyzable analog of dTTP. About 20% of single-stranded DNA binding was observed in the presence of MgdTDP, but none was detectable in the absence of nucleotides. Native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that the DNAs bind predominantly to the hexameric form of 4A'. Larger oligomers of 4A' can bind DNA, but no DNA binding was observed to species smaller than the hexamer. Quantitative equilibrium binding studies at increasing 4A' concentrations and at increasing DNA concentrations showed tight binding of one 10-mer or 30-mer per hexamer. The 4A' hexamer can bind a second strand of DNA, but with a 50-fold weaker affinity than the first strand. The 60-mer showed tight binding to two 4A' hexamers, suggesting that a hexamer may interact with only 30-40 bases of single-stranded DNA. This was corroborated by nuclease protection experiments where the smallest length of DNA protected by 4A' or 4B protein was found to be about 30 bases. Equilibrium binding studies and competitive DNA binding data are consistent with a weaker affinity of 4A' for the duplex DNA. Only 20-25% of duplex DNA binding was observed at increasing 4A' protein in the presence of MgdTMP-PCP. About four duplex DNAs can bind each 4A' hexamer at increasing DNA concentrations, but their weaker binding was evident from their facile dissociation from 4A' in the presence of competing single-stranded DNA.

DNA-binding domain of bovine papillomavirus type 1 E1 helicase: structural and functional aspects

The E1 protein of bovine papillomavirus type 1 is a multifunctional enzyme required for papillomaviral DNA replication. It assists in the initiation of replication both as a site-specific DNA-binding protein and as a DNA helicase. Previous work has indicated that at limiting E1 concentrations, the E2 protein is required for efficient E1 binding to the replication origin. In this study, we have defined the domain of the E1 protein required for site-specific DNA binding. Experiments with a series of truncated proteins have shown that the first amino-terminal 299 amino acids contain the DNA-binding domain; however, the coterminal M protein, which is homologous to E1 for the first 129 amino acids, does not bind origin DNA. A series of small internal deletions and substitution mutations in the DNA-binding domain of E1 show that specific basic residues in this region of the protein, which are conserved in all E1 proteins of the papillomavirus family, likely play a direct role in binding DNA and that a flanking conserved hydrophobic subdomain is also important for DNA binding. A region of E1 that interacts with E2 for cooperative DNA binding is also retained in carboxy-terminal truncated proteins, and we show that the ability of full-length E1 to complex with E2 is sensitive to cold. The E1 substitution mutant proteins were expressed from mammalian expression vectors to ascertain whether site-specific DNA binding by E1 is required for transient DNA replication in the cell. These E1 proteins display a range of mutant phenotypes, consistent with the suggestion that site-specific binding by E1 is important. Interestingly, one E1 mutant which is defective for origin binding but can be rescued for such activity by E2 supports significant replication in the cell.

A physical model for the translocation and helicase activities of Escherichia coli transcription termination protein Rho

Transcription termination protein Rho of Escherichia coli interacts with newly synthesized RNA chains and brings about their release from elongation complexes paused at specific Rho-dependent termination sites. Rho is thought to accomplish this by binding to a specific Rho "loading site" on the nascent RNA and then translocating preferentially along the transcript in a 5'-->3' direction. On reaching the elongation complex, Rho releases the nascent RNA by a 5'-->3' RNA.DNA helicase activity. These translocation and helicase activities are driven by the RNA-dependent ATPase activity of Rho. In this paper we propose a mechanism for these processes that is based on the structure and properties of the Rho protein. Rho is a hexamer of identical subunits that are arranged as a trimer of asymmetric dimers with D3 symmetry. The binding of ATP and RNA to Rho also reflects this pattern; the Rho hexamer carries three strong and three weak binding sites for each of these entities. The asymmetric dimers of Rho correspond to functional dimers that can undergo conformational transitions driven by ATP hydrolysis. We propose that the quaternary structure of Rho coordinates the ATP-driven RNA binding and release processes to produce a biased random walk of the Rho hexamer along the RNA, followed by RNA.DNA helicase activity and transcript release. The proposed model may have implications for other hexameric DNA.DNA, RNA.DNA, and RNA.RNA helicases that function in replication and transcription.

Cloning and characterization of the Haemophilus influenzae mutB gene

The Haemophilus influenzae mutB+ gene complements Escherichia coli uvrD mutants. The E. coli uvrD+ gene complements H. influenzae mutB1 mutants.

Nucleotide excision repair

Nucleotide excision repair is the major DNA repair mechanism in all species tested. This repair system is the sole mechanism for removing bulky adducts from DNA, but it repairs essentially all DNA lesions, and thus, in addition to its main function, it plays a back-up role for other repair systems. In both pro- and eukaryotes nucleotide excision is accomplished by a multisubunit ATP-dependent nuclease. The excision nuclease of prokaryotes incises the eighth phosphodiester bond 5' and the fourth or fifth phosphodiester bond 3' to the modified nucleotide and thus excises a 12-13-mer. The excision nuclease of eukaryotes incises the 22nd, 23rd, or 24th phosphodiester bond 5' and the fifth phosphodiester bond 3' to the lesion and thus removes the adduct in a 27-29-mer. A transcription repair coupling factor encoded by the mfd gene in Escherichia coli and the ERCC6 gene in humans directs the excision nuclease to RNA polymerase stalled at a lesion in the transcribed strand and thus ensures preferential repair of this strand compared to the nontranscribed strand.

The yeast SNF2/SWI2 protein has DNA-stimulated ATPase activity required for transcriptional activation

The yeast SNF2 (SWI2) protein functions with SNF5, SNF6, SWI1, and SWI3 in the transcriptional activation of many differently regulated genes. These proteins appear to facilitate activation by gene-specific regulatory proteins. SNF2 is highly conserved among eukaryotes and defines a family of proteins with similarity to helicases and nucleic acid-dependent NTPases. Here, we present genetic and biochemical evidence that SNF2 has DNA-stimulated ATPase activity. Mutations in the nucleoside triphosphate (NTP)-binding motif and other conserved motifs impair SNF2 function. Swapping experiments with another member of this family indicate that the helicase-related domains are functionally interchangeable. Finally, bacterially expressed SNF2 protein has ATPase activity that is stimulated by double-stranded DNA, and mutation of the NTP-binding site abolishes this activity. Deletion analysis shows that the helicase-like region of SNF2 is necessary, but not sufficient, for transcriptional activation.

RNA-stimulated NTPase activity associated with yellow fever virus NS3 protein expressed in bacteria

The nonstructural protein NS3 of the prototypic flavivirus, yellow fever virus, was investigated for possession of an NTPase activity. The entire NS3 protein coding sequence and an amino-terminal truncated version thereof were engineered into Escherichia coli expression plasmids. Bacteria harboring these plasmids produced the expected polypeptides, which upon cell disruption were found in an insoluble aggregated material considerably enriched for the NS3-related polypeptides. Solubilization and renaturation of these materials, followed by examination of their ability to hydrolyze ATP, revealed an ATPase activity present in both the full-length and amino-terminal truncated NS3 preparations but not in a similarly prepared fraction from E. coli cells engineered to express an unrelated polypeptide. The amino-terminal truncated NS3 polypeptide was further enriched to greater than 95% purity by ion-exchange and affinity chromatography. Throughout the purification scheme, the ATPase activity cochromatographed with the recombinant NS3 polypeptide. The enzymatic activity of the purified material was shown to be a general NTPase and was dramatically stimulated by the presence of particular single-stranded polyribonucleotides. These results are discussed in view of similar activities identified for proteins of other positive-strand RNA viruses.

Overexpression, purification, DNA binding, and dimerization of the Escherichia coli uvrD gene product (helicase II)

We have subcloned the Escherichia coli uvrD gene under control of the inducible phage lambda PL promoter and report a procedure for the large-scale purification of helicase II protein. Yields of approximately 60 mg of > 99% pure helicase II protein, free of detectable nuclease activity, are obtained starting from 250 g of induced E. coli cells containing the overexpression plasmid. Overproduction of helicase II protein at these levels is lethal in E. coli. The extinction coefficient of helicase II protein was determined to be epsilon 280 = 1.06 (+/- 0.05) x 10(5) M-1 (monomer) cm-1 [20 mM Tris-HCl (pH 8.3 at 25 degrees C), 0.2 M NaCl, and 20% (v/v) glycerol, 25 degrees C]. We also present a preliminary characterization of the dimerization and DNA binding properties of helicase II and a systematic examination of its solubility properties. The apparent site size of a helicase II monomer on ss-DNA is 10 +/- 2 nucleotides as determined by quenching of the intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence of the protein upon binding poly(dT). In the absence of DNA, helicase II protein can self-assemble to form at least a dimeric species at concentrations > 0.25 microM (monomer) and exists in a monomer-dimer equilibrium under a variety of solution conditions. However, upon binding short oligodeoxynucleotides, the dimeric form of helicase II is stabilized, and dimerization stimulates the ss-DNA-dependent ATPase activity, suggesting that the dimer is functionally important. On the basis of these observations and similarities between helicase II and the E. coli Rep helicase, which appears to function as a dimer [Chao, K., & Lohman, T. (1991) J. Mol. Biol. 221, 1165-1181], we suggest that the active form of helicase II may also be a dimer or larger oligomer.

Inhibition of Rad3 DNA helicase activity by DNA adducts and abasic sites: implications for the role of a DNA helicase in damage-specific incision of DNA

The yeast nucleotide excision repair gene RAD3 is absolutely required for damage-specific incision of DNA. Rad3 protein is a DNA helicase, and previous studies have shown that its catalytic activity is inhibited by ultraviolet (UV) radiation damage. This inhibition is observed when base damage is confined to the DNA strand on which Rad3 protein binds and translocates, and not when damage is present exclusively on the complementary strand. In the present study, we show that Rad3 DNA helicase activity is inhibited in an identical strand-specific fashion by bulky base adducts formed by treating DNA with the antineoplastic agent cisplatin or the antibiotic compound CC-1065, which alter the secondary structure of DNA in different ways. In addition, Rad3 helicase activity is inhibited by small adducts generated by treatment of DNA with diethyl sulfate and by the presence of sites at which pyrimidines have been lost (abasic sites). No inhibition of Rad3 helicase activity was detected when DNA was methylated at various base positions. Cisplatin-modified single-stranded DNA and poly(deoxyuridylic acid) containing abasic sites are more effective competitors for Rad3 helicase activity than their undamaged counterparts, suggesting that Rad3 protein is sequestered at such lesions, resulting in the formation of stable Rad3 protein-DNA complexes. The observations of strand-specific inhibition of Rad3 helicase activity and the formation of stable complexes with the covalently modified strand suggest a general mechanism by which the RAD3 gene product may be involved in nucleotide excision repair in yeast.

Bound Lac repressor protein differentially inhibits the unwinding reactions catalyzed by DNA helicases

A partial duplex DNA substrate containing the Lac repressor binding site, within the duplex region, was constructed to examine the effect of bound Lac repressor on the unwinding reaction catalyzed by several DNA helicases. The substrate contained 90 base pairs of double-stranded DNA and, in the absence of Lac repressor, was effectively unwound by each of the seven helicases tested. The unwinding reactions catalyzed by Escherichia coli Rep protein, bacteriophage T4 Dda protein and E. coli DNA helicase I were not inhibited by the presence of bound Lac repressor. Both SV40 T antigen and E. coli helicase II were partially inhibited by bound repressor at the highest repressor concentrations tested. The helicase reactions catalyzed by E. coli DnaB protein and helicase IV were substantially inhibited by the presence of bound protein. When the length of the duplex region was increased to 323 base pairs the inhibition spectrum caused by bound Lac repressor on the unwinding reactions catalyzed by DnaB protein, helicase I and helicase II was essentially the same as that observed using the shorter partial duplex molecule. Inhibition of the unwinding reaction was due to the presence of bound Lac repressor as evidenced by the substantially weaker inhibition of helicase IV by Lac repressor in the presence of IPTG. In addition, we have shown that Rep protein displaces the bound repressor protein during the course of an unwinding reaction.

Recognition of model DNA replication forks by the SV40 large tumor antigen

The ability of the SV40 large tumor antigen (T antigen), a DNA helicase, to bind to model DNA replication forks was tested. DNA fork molecules were constructed either from two partially complementary oligonucleotides or from a single oligonucleotide able to form a 'panhandle' structure. T antigen specifically recognized the two-strand fork in a reaction dependent on the presence of ATP, dATP, or non-hydrolyzable analogs of ATP. T antigen asymmetrically bound the two-strand fork, protecting from nuclease cleavage a fork-proximal region on only one of the two strands. The asymmetric binding is consistent with the 3'-->5' directionality of the DNA helicase activity of T antigen. An analogous region on the one-strand fork was also bound by T antigen, suggesting that T antigen does not require a free single-stranded end to load onto the fork. Use of chemically modified DNA substrates indicated that T antigen binding to the fork utilized important contacts with the DNA sugar-phosphate backbone.

Three new DNA helicases from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

At least six DNA helicases have been identified during fractionation of extracts from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Three of those, DNA helicases B, C, and D, have been further purified and characterized. DNA helicases B and C co-purified with DNA polymerase delta through several chromatographic steps, but were separated from the polymerase by hydrophobic chromatography. DNA helicase D co-purified with Replication Factor C over seven chromatographic steps, and was only separated from it by glycerol gradient centrifugation in the presence of 0.2 M NaCl. All three helicases are DNA dependent ATPases with Km values for ATP of 190 microM, 325 microM, and 60 microM for DNA helicases B, C, and D, respectively. Their DNA helicase activities are comparable. They are 5'-3' helicases and have pH optima of 6.5-7 and Mg2+ optima of 1-2 mM. However, they differ in the nucleotide requirement for helicase action. Whereas all three helicases preferred ATP, dATP, UTP, CTP, and dCTP as cofactors, DNA helicase C also used GTP, but not dTTP. On the other hand, DNA helicase D used dTTP, but not GTP, and DNA helicase B used neither nucleotide as cofactor. These studies allowed us to conclude that DNA helicases B, C, and D are not only distinct enzymes, but also different from two previously identified yeast DNA helicases, the RAD3 protein and ATPase III.

Allosteric effects of nucleotide cofactors on Escherichia coli Rep helicase-DNA binding

The Escherichia coli Rep helicase unwinds duplex DNA during replication. The functional helicase appears to be a dimer that forms only on binding DNA. Both protomers of the dimer can bind either single-stranded or duplex DNA. Because binding and hydrolysis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) are essential for helicase function, the energetics of DNA binding and DNA-induced Rep dimerization were studied quantitatively in the presence of the nucleotide cofactors adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and the nonhydrolyzable ATP analog AMPP(NH)P. Large allosteric effects of nucleotide cofactors on DNA binding to Rep were observed. Binding of ADP favored Rep dimers in which both protomers bound single-stranded DNA, whereas binding of AMPP(NH)P favored simultaneous binding of both single-stranded and duplex DNA to the Rep dimer. A rolling model for the active unwinding of duplex DNA by the dimeric Rep helicase is proposed that explains vectorial unwinding and predicts that helicase translocation along DNA is coupled to ATP binding, whereas ATP hydrolysis drives unwinding of multiple DNA base pairs for each catalytic event.