Crystal Structure of the Transcription Regulator RsrR Reveals a [2Fe-2S] Cluster Coordinated by Cys, Glu, and His Residues

Synergy of native mass spectrometry and other biophysical techniques in studies of iron‑sulfur cluster proteins and their assembly

The application of mass spectrometric methodologies has revolutionised biological chemistry, from identification through to structural and conformational studies of proteins and other macromolecules. Native mass spectrometry (MS), in which proteins retain their native structure, is a rapidly growing field. This is particularly the case for studies of metalloproteins, where non-covalently bound cofactors remain bound following ionisation. Such metalloproteins include those that contain an iron‑sulfur (FeS) cluster and, despite their fragility and O2 sensitivity, they have been a particular focus for applications of native MS because of its capacity to accurately monitor mass changes that reveal chemical changes at the cluster. Here we review recent advances in these applications of native MS, which, together with data from more traditionally applied biophysical methods, have yielded a remarkable breadth of information about the FeS species present, and provided key mechanistic insight not only for FeS cluster proteins themselves, but also their assembly.

Bacterial Metallostasis: Metal Sensing, Metalloproteome Remodeling, and Metal Trafficking

Transition metals function as structural and catalytic cofactors for a large diversity of proteins and enzymes that collectively comprise the metalloproteome. Metallostasis considers all cellular processes, notably metal sensing, metalloproteome remodeling, and trafficking (or allocation) of metals that collectively ensure the functional integrity and adaptability of the metalloproteome. Bacteria employ both protein and RNA-based mechanisms that sense intracellular transition metal bioavailability and orchestrate systems-level outputs that maintain metallostasis. In this review, we contextualize metallostasis by briefly discussing the metalloproteome and specialized roles that metals play in biology. We then offer a comprehensive perspective on the diversity of metalloregulatory proteins and metal-sensing riboswitches, defining general principles within each sensor superfamily that capture how specificity is encoded in the sequence, and how selectivity can be leveraged in downstream synthetic biology and biotechnology applications. This is followed by a discussion of recent work that highlights selected metalloregulatory outputs, including metalloproteome remodeling and metal allocation by metallochaperones to both client proteins and compartments. We close by briefly discussing places where more work is needed to fill in gaps in our understanding of metallostasis.

Iron-sulfur Rrf2 transcription factors: an emerging versatile platform for sensing stress

The widespread family of Rrf2 transcription factors has emerged as having prominent roles in diverse bacterial functions. These proteins share an overall common structure to sense and respond to stress signals. In many known cases, signaling occurs through iron-sulfur cluster cofactors. Recent research has highlighted distinct characteristics of individual family members that have enabled the Rrf2 family as a whole to sense a diverse array of stresses and subsequently alter gene expression to maintain homeostasis. Here, we review unique traits of four Rrf2 family members (IscR, NsrR, RisR, and RirA), which include iron-sulfur ligation schemes, stress-sensing mechanisms, protein conformation changes, and differential gene regulation, that allow these transcription factors to rapidly respond to environmental cues routinely encountered by bacteria.

Fe-S biogenesis by SMS and SUF pathways: A focus on the assembly step

FeS clusters are prosthetic groups present in all organisms. Proteins with FeS centers are involved in most cellular processes. ISC and SUF are machineries necessary for the formation and insertion of FeS in proteins. Recently, a phylogenetic analysis on more than 10,000 genomes of prokaryotes have uncovered two new systems, MIS and SMS, which were proposed to be ancestral to ISC and SUF. SMS is composed of SmsBC, two homologs of SufBC(D), the scaffolding complex of SUF. In this review, we will specifically focus on the current knowledge of the SUF system and on the new perspectives given by the recent discovery of its ancestor, the SMS system.

Fe-S cluster homeostasis and beyond: The multifaceted roles of IscR

The role of IscR in regulating the transcription of genes involved in Fe-S cluster homeostasis has been well established for the model organism Escherichia coli K12. In this bacterium, IscR coordinates expression of the Isc and Suf Fe-S cluster assembly pathways to meet cellular Fe-S cluster demands shaped by a variety of environmental cues. However, since its initial discovery nearly 25 years ago, there has been growing evidence that IscR function extends well beyond Fe-S cluster homeostasis, not only in E. coli, but in bacteria of diverse lifestyles. Notably, pathogenic bacteria have exploited the ability of IscR to respond to changes in oxygen tension, oxidative and nitrosative stress, and iron availability to navigate their trajectory in their respective hosts as changes in these cues are frequently encountered during host infection. In this review, we highlight these broader roles of IscR in different cellular processes and, in particular, discuss the importance of IscR as a virulence factor for many bacterial pathogens.

Fe/S proteins in microbial sulfur oxidation

Iron-sulfur clusters serve as indispensable cofactors within proteins across all three domains of life. Fe/S clusters emerged early during the evolution of life on our planet and the biogeochemical cycle of sulfur is one of the most ancient and important element cycles. It is therefore no surprise that Fe/S proteins have crucial roles in the multiple steps of microbial sulfur metabolism. During dissimilatory sulfur oxidation in prokaryotes, Fe/S proteins not only serve as electron carriers in several steps, but also perform catalytic roles, including unprecedented reactions. Two cytoplasmic enzyme systems that oxidize sulfane sulfur to sulfite are of particular interest in this context: The rDsr pathway employs the reverse acting dissimilatory sulfite reductase rDsrAB as its key enzyme, while the sHdr pathway utilizes polypeptides resembling the HdrA, HdrB and HdrC subunits of heterodisulfide reductase from methanogenic archaea. Both pathways involve components predicted to bind unusual noncubane Fe/S clusters acting as catalysts for the formation of disulfide or sulfite. Mapping of Fe/S cluster machineries on the sulfur-oxidizing prokaryote tree reveals that ISC, SUF, MIS and SMS are all sufficient to meet the Fe/S cluster maturation requirements for operation of the sHdr or rDsr pathways. The sHdr pathway is dependent on lipoate-binding proteins that are assembled by a novel pathway, involving two Radical SAM proteins, namely LipS1 and LipS2. These proteins coordinate sulfur-donating auxiliary Fe/S clusters in atypical patterns by three cysteines and one histidine and act as lipoyl synthases by jointly inserting two sulfur atoms to an octanoyl residue. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Biogenesis and Function of Fe/S proteins.

Multimodal Spectroscopic Analysis of the Fe-S Clusters of the as-Isolated Escherichia coli SufBC2D Complex

Iron-sulfur (Fe-S) clusters are essential inorganic cofactors dedicated to a wide range of biological functions, including electron transfer and catalysis. Specialized multiprotein machineries present in all types of organisms support their biosynthesis. These machineries encompass a scaffold protein, on which Fe-S clusters are assembled before being transferred to cellular targets. Here, we describe the first characterization of the native Fe-S cluster of the anaerobically purified SufBC2D scaffold from Escherichia coli by XAS and Mössbauer, UV-visible absorption, and EPR spectroscopies. Interestingly, we propose that SufBC2D harbors two iron-sulfur-containing species, a [2Fe-2S] cluster and an as-yet unidentified species. Mutagenesis and biochemistry were used to propose amino acid ligands for the [2Fe-2S] cluster, supporting the hypothesis that both SufB and SufD are involved in the Fe-S cluster ligation. The [2Fe-2S] cluster can be transferred to ferredoxin in agreement with the SufBC2D scaffold function. These results are discussed in the context of Fe-S cluster biogenesis.

Iron-sulfur protein odyssey: exploring their cluster functional versatility and challenging identification

Iron-sulfur (Fe-S) clusters are an essential and ubiquitous class of protein-bound prosthetic centers that are involved in a broad range of biological processes (e.g. respiration, photosynthesis, DNA replication and repair and gene regulation) performing a wide range of functions including electron transfer, enzyme catalysis, and sensing. In a general manner, Fe-S clusters can gain or lose electrons through redox reactions, and are highly sensitive to oxidation, notably by small molecules such as oxygen and nitric oxide. The [2Fe-2S] and [4Fe-4S] clusters, the most common Fe-S cofactors, are typically coordinated by four amino acid side chains from the protein, usually cysteine thiolates, but other residues (e.g. histidine, aspartic acid) can also be found. While diversity in cluster coordination ensures the functional variety of the Fe-S clusters, the lack of conserved motifs makes new Fe-S protein identification challenging especially when the Fe-S cluster is also shared between two proteins as observed in several dimeric transcriptional regulators and in the mitoribosome. Thanks to the recent development of in cellulo, in vitro, and in silico approaches, new Fe-S proteins are still regularly identified, highlighting the functional diversity of this class of proteins. In this review, we will present three main functions of the Fe-S clusters and explain the difficulties encountered to identify Fe-S proteins and methods that have been employed to overcome these issues.

Stabilisation of the RirA [4Fe-4S] cluster results in loss of iron-sensing function

RirA is a global iron regulator in diverse Alphaproteobacteria that belongs to the Rrf2 superfamily of transcriptional regulators, which can contain an iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster. Under iron-replete conditions, RirA contains a [4Fe-4S] cluster, enabling high-affinity binding to RirA-regulated operator sequences, thereby causing the repression of cellular iron uptake. Under iron deficiency, one of the cluster irons dissociates, generating an unstable [3Fe-4S] form that subsequently degrades to a [2Fe-2S] form and then to apo RirA, resulting in loss of high-affinity DNA-binding. The cluster is coordinated by three conserved cysteine residues and an unknown fourth ligand. Considering the lability of one of the irons and the resulting cluster fragility, we hypothesized that the fourth ligand may not be an amino acid residue. To investigate this, we considered that the introduction of an amino acid residue that could coordinate the cluster might stabilize it. A structural model of RirA, based on the Rrf2 family nitrosative stress response regulator NsrR, highlighted residue 8, an Asn in the RirA sequence, as being appropriately positioned to coordinate the cluster. Substitution of Asn8 with Asp, the equivalent, cluster-coordinating residue of NsrR, or with Cys, resulted in proteins that contained a [4Fe-4S] cluster, with N8D RirA exhibiting spectroscopic properties very similar to NsrR. The variant proteins retained the ability to bind RirA-regulated DNA, and could still act as repressors of RirA-regulated genes in vivo. However, they were significantly more stable than wild-type RirA when exposed to O2 and/or low iron. Importantly, they exhibited reduced capacity to respond to cellular iron levels, even abolished in the case of the N8D version, and thus were no longer iron sensing. This work demonstrates the importance of cluster fragility for the iron-sensing function of RirA, and more broadly, how a single residue substitution can alter cluster coordination and functional properties in the Rrf2 superfamily of regulators.

A Diverged Transcriptional Network for Usage of Two Fe-S Cluster Biogenesis Machineries in the Delta-Proteobacterium Myxococcus xanthus

Myxococcus xanthus possesses two Fe-S cluster biogenesis machineries, ISC (iron-sulfur cluster) and SUF (sulfur mobilization). Here, we show that in comparison to the phylogenetically distant Enterobacteria, which also have both machineries, M. xanthus evolved an independent transcriptional scheme to coordinately regulate the expression of these machineries. This transcriptional response is directed by RisR, which we show to belong to a phylogenetically distant and biochemically distinct subgroup of the Rrf2 transcription factor family, in comparison to IscR that regulates the isc and suf operons in Enterobacteria. We report that RisR harbors an Fe-S cluster and that holo-RisR acts as a repressor of both the isc and suf operons, in contrast to Escherichia coli, where holo-IscR represses the isc operon whereas apo-IscR activates the suf operon. In addition, we establish that the nature of the cluster and the DNA binding sites of RisR, in the isc and suf operons, diverge from those of IscR. We further show that in M. xanthus, the two machineries appear to be fully interchangeable in maintaining housekeeping levels of Fe-S cluster biogenesis and in synthesizing the Fe-S cluster for their common regulator, RisR. We also demonstrate that in response to oxidative stress and iron limitation, transcriptional upregulation of the M. xanthus isc and suf operons was mediated solely by RisR and that the contribution of the SUF machinery was greater than the ISC machinery. Altogether, these findings shed light on the diversity of homeostatic mechanisms exploited by bacteria to coordinately use two Fe-S cluster biogenesis machineries. IMPORTANCE Fe-S proteins are ubiquitous and control a wide variety of key biological processes; therefore, maintaining Fe-S cluster homeostasis is an essential task for all organisms. Here, we provide the first example of how a bacterium from the Deltaproteobacteria branch coordinates expression of two Fe-S cluster biogenesis machineries. The results revealed a new model of coordination, highlighting the unique and common features that have independently emerged in phylogenetically distant bacteria to maintain Fe-S cluster homeostasis in response to environmental changes. Regulation is orchestrated by a previously uncharacterized transcriptional regulator, RisR, belonging to the Rrf2 superfamily, whose members are known to sense diverse environmental stresses frequently encountered by bacteria. Understanding how M. xanthus maintains Fe-S cluster homeostasis via RisR regulation revealed a strategy reflective of the aerobic lifestyle of this organsim. This new knowledge also paves the way to improve production of Fe-S-dependent secondary metabolites using M. xanthus as a chassis.

The rational design of iron-sulfur cluster binding site for prolonged stability in magnetoreceptor MagR

Iron-sulfur proteins play essential roles in a wide variety of cellular processes such as respiration, photosynthesis, nitrogen fixation and magnetoreception. The stability of iron-sulfur clusters varies significantly between anaerobic and aerobic conditions due to their intrinsic sensitivity to oxygen. Iron-sulfur proteins are well suited to various practical applications as molecular redox sensors or molecular “wires” for electron transfer. Various technologies have been developed recently using one particular iron-sulfur protein, MagR, as a magnetic tag. However, the limited protein stability and low magnetic sensitivity of MagR hindered its wide application. Here in this study, the iron-sulfur binding site of pigeon clMagR was rationally re-designed. One such mutation, T57C in pigeon MagR, showed improved iron-sulfur binding efficiency and higher iron content, as well as prolonged thermostability. Thus, clMagRT57C can serve as a prototype for further design of more stable and sensitive magnetic toolbox for magnetogenetics in the future.

Structural determinants of DNA recognition by the NO sensor NsrR and related Rrf2-type [FeS]-transcription factors

Several transcription factors of the Rrf2 family use an iron-sulfur cluster to regulate DNA binding through effectors such as nitric oxide (NO), cellular redox status and iron levels. [4Fe-4S]-NsrR from Streptomyces coelicolor (ScNsrR) modulates expression of three different genes via reaction and complex formation with variable amounts of NO, which results in detoxification of this gas. Here, we report the crystal structure of ScNsrR complexed with an hmpA1 gene operator fragment and compare it with those previously reported for [2Fe-2S]-RsrR/rsrR and apo-IscR/hyA complexes. Important structural differences reside in the variation of the DNA minor and major groove widths. In addition, different DNA curvatures and different interactions with the protein sensors are observed. We also report studies of NsrR binding to four hmpA1 variants, which indicate that flexibility in the central region is not a key binding determinant. Our study explores the promotor binding specificities of three closely related transcriptional regulators.

The crystal structure of the iron-sulfur protein NsrR from Streptomyces coelicolor bound to a gene operator fragment is reported and compared with other structures, giving insight into the structural determinants of DNA recognition by the NO sensor.

SifR is an Rrf2-family quinone sensor associated with catechol iron uptake in Streptococcus pneumoniae D39

Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) is a Gram-positive commensal and human respiratory pathogen. How this bacterium satisfies its nutritional iron (Fe) requirement in the context of endogenously produced hydrogen peroxide is not well understood. Here, we characterize a novel virulence-associated Rrf2-family transcriptional repressor that we term SifR (streptococcal IscR-like family transcriptional repressor) encoded by spd_1448 and conserved in Streptococci. Global transcriptomic analysis of a ΔsifR strain defines the SifR regulon as genes encoding a candidate catechol dioxygenase CatE, an uncharacterized oxidoreductase YwnB, a candidate flavin-dependent ferric reductase YhdA, a candidate heme-based ferric reductase domain-containing protein and the Piu (pneumococcus iron uptake) Fe transporter (piuBCDA). Previous work established that membrane-anchored PiuA binds Fe^III-bis-catechol or monocatechol complexes with high affinity, including the human catecholamine stress hormone, norepinephrine. We demonstrate that SifR senses quinone via a single conserved cysteine that represses its regulon when in the reduced form. Upon reaction with catechol-derived quinones, we show that SifR dissociates from the DNA leading to regulon derepression, allowing the pneumococcus to access a catechol-derived source of Fe while minimizing reactive electrophile stress induced by quinones. Consistent with this model, we show that CatE is an Fe^II-dependent 2,3-catechol dioxygenase with broad substrate specificity, YwnB is an NAD(P)H-dependent quinone reductase capable of reducing the oxidized and cyclized norepinephrine, adrenochrome, and YhdA is capable of reducing a number of Fe^III complexes, including PiuA-binding transport substrates. These findings are consistent with a model where Fe^III-catechol complexes serve as significant nutritional Fe sources in the host.

Modulation of MagR magnetic properties via iron-sulfur cluster binding

Iron-sulfur clusters are essential cofactors found in all kingdoms of life and play essential roles in fundamental processes, including but not limited to respiration, photosynthesis, and nitrogen fixation. The chemistry of iron-sulfur clusters makes them ideal for sensing various redox environmental signals, while the physics of iron-sulfur clusters and its host proteins have been long overlooked. One such protein, MagR, has been proposed as a putative animal magnetoreceptor. It forms a rod-like complex with cryptochromes (Cry) and possesses intrinsic magnetic moment. However, the magnetism modulation of MagR remains unknown. Here in this study, iron-sulfur cluster binding in MagR has been characterized. Three conserved cysteines of MagR play different roles in iron-sulfur cluster binding. Two forms of iron-sulfur clusters binding have been identified in pigeon MagR and showed different magnetic properties: [3Fe-4S]-MagR appears to be superparamagnetic and has saturation magnetization at 5 K but [2Fe-2S]-MagR is paramagnetic. While at 300 K, [2Fe-2S]-MagR is diamagnetic but [3Fe-4S]-MagR is paramagnetic. Together, the different types of iron-sulfur cluster binding in MagR attribute distinguished magnetic properties, which may provide a fascinating mechanism for animals to modulate the sensitivity in magnetic sensing.

Sensing mechanisms of iron-sulfur cluster regulatory proteins elucidated using native mass spectrometry

The ability to sense and respond to various key environmental cues is important for the survival and adaptability of many bacteria, including pathogens. The particular sensitivity of iron-sulfur (Fe-S) clusters is exploited in nature, such that multiple sensor-regulator proteins, which coordinate the detection of analytes with a (in many cases) global transcriptional response, are Fe-S cluster proteins. The fragility and sensitivity of these Fe-S clusters make studying such proteins difficult, and gaining insight of what they sense, and how they sense it and transduce the signal to affect transcription, is a major challenge. While mass spectrometry is very widely used in biological research, it is normally employed under denaturing conditions where non-covalently attached cofactors are lost. However, mass spectrometry under conditions where the protein retains its native structure and, thus, cofactors, is now itself a flourishing field, and the application of such 'native' mass spectrometry to study metalloproteins is now relatively widespread. Here we describe recent advances in using native MS to study Fe-S cluster proteins. Through its ability to accurately measure mass changes that reflect chemistry occurring at the cluster, this approach has yielded a remarkable richness of information that is not accessible by other, more traditional techniques.

Identification of a PadR-type regulator essential for intracellular pathogenesis of Burkholderia pseudomallei

Burkholderia pseudomallei (Bp) is the causative agent of melioidosis, a disease endemic to the tropics. Melioidosis manifests in various ways ranging from acute skin lesions to pneumonia and, in rare cases, infection of the central nervous system. Bp is a facultative intracellular pathogen and it can infect various cell types. The Bp intracellular lifecycle has been partially elucidated and is highly complex. Herein, we have identified a transcriptional regulator, BP1026B_II1198, that is differentially expressed as Bp transits through host cells. A deletion mutant of BP1026B_II1198 was attenuated in RAW264.7 cell and BALB/c mouse infection. To further characterize the function of this transcriptional regulator, we endeavored to determine the regulon of BP1026B_II1198. RNA-seq analysis showed the global picture of genes regulated while ChIP-seq analysis identified two specific BP1026B_II1198 binding regions on chromosome II. We investigated the transposon mutants of these genes controlled by BP1026B_II1198 and confirmed that these genes contribute to pathogenesis in RAW264.7 murine macrophage cells. Taken together, the data presented here shed light on the regulon of BP1026B_II1198 and its role during intracellular infection and highlights an integral portion of the highly complex regulation network of Bp during host infection.

Native Mass Spectrometry of Iron-Sulfur Proteins

Iron-sulfur clusters constitute a large and widely distributed group of protein cofactors that play key roles in a wide range of metabolic processes. The inherent reactivity of iron-sulfur clusters toward small molecules, for example, O₂, NO, or free Fe, makes them ideal for sensing changes in the cellular environment. Nondenaturing, or native, MS is unique in its ability to preserve the noncovalent interactions of many (if not all) species, including stable intermediates, while providing accurate mass measurements in both thermodynamic and kinetic experimental regimes. Here, we provide practical guidance for the study of iron-sulfur proteins by native MS, illustrated by examples where it has been used to unambiguously determine the type of cluster coordinated to the protein framework. We also describe the use of time-resolved native MS to follow the kinetics of cluster conversion, allowing the elucidation of the precise series of molecular events for all species involved. Finally, we provide advice on a unique approach to a typical thermodynamic titration, uncovering early, quasi-stable, intermediates in the reaction of a cluster with nitric oxide, resulting in cluster nitrosylation.

Structural Insights into the Mechanism of the Radical SAM Carbide Synthase NifB, a Key Nitrogenase Cofactor Maturating Enzyme

Nitrogenase is a key player in the global nitrogen cycle, as it catalyzes the reduction of dinitrogen into ammonia. The active site of the nitrogenase MoFe protein corresponds to a [MoFe₇S₉C-(R)-homocitrate] species designated FeMo-cofactor, whose biosynthesis and insertion requires the action of over a dozen maturation proteins provided by the NIF (for NItrogen Fixation) assembly machinery. Among them, the radical SAM protein NifB plays an essential role, concomitantly inserting a carbide ion and coupling two [Fe₄S₄] clusters to form a [Fe₈S₉C] precursor called NifB-co. Here we report on the X-ray structure of NifB from Methanotrix thermoacetophila at 1.95 Å resolution in a state pending the binding of one [Fe₄S₄] cluster substrate. The overall NifB architecture indicates that this enzyme has a single SAM binding site, which at this stage is occupied by cysteine residue 62. The structure reveals a unique ligand binding mode for the K1-cluster involving cysteine residues 29 and 128 in addition to histidine 42 and glutamate 65. The latter, together with cysteine 62, belongs to a loop inserted in the active site, likely protecting the already present [Fe₄S₄] clusters. These two residues regulate the sequence of events, controlling SAM dual reactivity and preventing unwanted radical-based chemistry before the K2 [Fe₄S₄] cluster substrate is loaded into the protein. The location of the K1-cluster, too far away from the SAM binding site, supports a mechanism in which the K2-cluster is the site of methylation.

Electron and Proton Transfers Modulate DNA Binding by the Transcription Regulator RsrR

The [Fe₂S₂]-RsrR gene transcription regulator senses the redox status in bacteria by modulating DNA binding, while its cluster cycles between +1 and +2 states-only the latter binds DNA. We have previously shown that RsrR can undergo remarkable conformational changes involving a 100° rotation of tryptophan 9 between exposed (Out) and buried (In) states. Here, we have used the chemical modification of Trp9, site-directed mutagenesis, and crystallographic and computational chemical studies to show that (i) the Out and In states correspond to oxidized and reduced RsrR, respectively, (ii) His33 is protonated in the In state due to a change in its pK_a caused by cluster reduction, and (iii) Trp9 rotation is conditioned by the response of its dipole moment to environmental electrostatic changes. Our findings illustrate a novel function of protonation resulting from electron transfer.