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Title: Full-length structure of a monomeric histidine kinase reveals basis for sensory regulation

Journal Article · · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [2]; ORCiD logo [3]
  1. Univ. of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX (United States). Dept. of Biophysics. Dept. of Biochemistry
  2. Univ. of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX (United States). Dept. of Biophysics. Dept. of Biochemistry; City Univ. of New York Advanced Science Research Center, New York, NY (United States). Structural Biology Initiative
  3. Univ. of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX (United States). Dept. of Biophysics. Dept. of Biochemistry; City Univ. of New York Advanced Science Research Center, New York, NY (United States). Structural Biology Initiative; City College of New York, NY (United States). Dept. of Chemistry

Although histidine kinases (HKs) are critical sensors of external stimuli in prokaryotes, the mechanisms by which their sensor domains control enzymatic activity remain unclear. In this paper, we report the full-length structure of a blue light-activated HK from Erythrobacter litoralis HTCC2594 (EL346) and the results of biochemical and biophysical studies that explain how it is activated by light. Contrary to the standard view that signaling occurs within HK dimers, EL346 functions as a monomer. Its structure reveals that the light–oxygen–voltage (LOV) sensor domain both controls kinase activity and prevents dimerization by binding one side of a dimerization/histidine phosphotransfer-like (DHpL) domain. The DHpL domain also contacts the catalytic/ATP-binding (CA) domain, keeping EL346 in an inhibited conformation in the dark. Upon light stimulation, interdomain interactions weaken to facilitate activation. Our data suggest that the LOV domain controls kinase activity by affecting the stability of the DHpL/CA interface, releasing the CA domain from an inhibited conformation upon photoactivation. Finally, we suggest parallels between EL346 and dimeric HKs, with sensor-induced movements in the DHp similarly remodeling the DHp/CA interface as part of activation.

Research Organization:
City Univ. of New York Advanced Science Research Center, New York, NY (United States); Univ. of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER); National Inst. of Health (NIH) (United States); Robert A. Welch Foundation (United States)
Contributing Organization:
City College of New York, NY (United States)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-06CH11357; R01 GM081875; R01 GM106239; I-1424
OSTI ID:
1214045
Journal Information:
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Vol. 111, Issue 50; ISSN 0027-8424
Publisher:
National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC (United States)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
ENGLISH
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 63 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Signal transduction in photoreceptor histidine kinases journal August 2019
Sequential conformational transitions and α-helical supercoiling regulate a sensor histidine kinase journal August 2017
Signaling ammonium across membranes through an ammonium sensor histidine kinase journal January 2018
Structural insights into the signalling mechanisms of two-component systems journal July 2018
Artificial signaling in mammalian cells enabled by prokaryotic two-component system journal December 2019
Electron transfer pathways in a light, oxygen, voltage (LOV) protein devoid of the photoactive cysteine journal October 2017
A thermostable flavin-based fluorescent protein from Chloroflexus aggregans : a framework for ultra-high resolution structural studies journal January 2019
Purification of bacterial membrane sensor kinases and biophysical methods for determination of their ligand and inhibitor interactions journal June 2016
Functional and topological diversity of LOV domain photoreceptors journal February 2016
Insights into histidine kinase activation mechanisms from the monomeric blue light sensor EL346 journal February 2019
Regulation of bacterial surface attachment by a network of sensory transduction proteins journal February 2019
Regulation of the Erythrobacter litoralis DSM 8509 general stress response by visible light journal June 2019
Shining light on the alphaproteobacterial general stress response: Comment on: Fiebig et al., Mol Microbiol , 2019. journal June 2019
Solving Blue Light Riddles: New Lessons from Flavin-binding LOV Photoreceptors journal January 2017
Regulation of bacterial surface attachment by a network of sensory transduction proteins journal May 2019
Regulation of the Erythrobacter litoralis DSM 8509 general stress response by visible light journal May 2019
Signaling ammonium across membranes through an ammonium sensor histidine kinase text January 2018
Electron transfer pathways in a light, oxygen, voltage (LOV) protein devoid of the photoactive cysteine text January 2017
Molecular Mechanisms of Two-Component Signal Transduction journal September 2016
A Novel Redox-Sensing Histidine Kinase That Controls Carbon Catabolite Repression in Azoarcus sp. CIB journal April 2019