Publications

• Corepressor-induced organization and assembly of the biotin repressor: a model for allosteric activation of a transcriptional regulator.

  Weaver L.H., Kwon K., Beckett D., Matthews B.W.

  The Escherichia coli biotin repressor binds to the biotin operator to repress transcription of the biotin biosynthetic operon. In this work, a structure determined by x-ray crystallography of a complex of the repressor bound to biotin, which also functions as an activator of DNA binding by the bio ... >> More

  The Escherichia coli biotin repressor binds to the biotin operator to repress transcription of the biotin biosynthetic operon. In this work, a structure determined by x-ray crystallography of a complex of the repressor bound to biotin, which also functions as an activator of DNA binding by the biotin repressor (BirA), is described. In contrast to the monomeric aporepressor, the complex is dimeric with an interface composed in part of an extended beta-sheet. Model building, coupled with biochemical data, suggests that this is the dimeric form of BirA that binds DNA. Segments of three surface loops that are disordered in the aporepressor structure are located in the interface region of the dimer and exhibit greater order than was observed in the aporepressor structure. The results suggest that the corepressor of BirA causes a disorder-to-order transition that is a prerequisite to repressor dimerization and DNA binding. << Less

  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 98:6045-6050(2001) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

• Purification and characterization of intact and truncated forms of the Escherichia coli biotin carboxyl carrier subunit of acetyl-CoA carboxylase.

  Nenortas E., Beckett D.

  Biotin biosynthesis and retention in Escherichia coli is regulated by the multifunctional protein, BirA. The protein acts as both the transcriptional repressor of the biotin biosynthetic operon and as a ligase for covalent attachment of biotin to a unique lysine residue of the acetyl-CoA carboxyla ... >> More

  Biotin biosynthesis and retention in Escherichia coli is regulated by the multifunctional protein, BirA. The protein acts as both the transcriptional repressor of the biotin biosynthetic operon and as a ligase for covalent attachment of biotin to a unique lysine residue of the acetyl-CoA carboxylase. Biotinyl-5'-AMP is the activated intermediate for the ligase reaction and the allosteric effector for DNA binding. We have purified and characterized apoBCCP and a truncated form containing the COOH-terminal 87 residues (apoBCCP87). Molecular masses of the proteins measured using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry conformed to the expected values. The assembly states of apoBCCP and apoBCCP87 were determined using sedimentation equilibrium ultracentrifugation. Nearly quantitative enzymatic transfer of biotin from BirA-biotinyl-5'-AMP to the apoBCCP forms was assessed using two methods, mass spectrometric analysis of acceptor proteins after incubation with BirA-bio-5'-AMP and a steady state fluorescence assay. The BirA catalyzed rates of transfer of biotin from bio-5'-AMP to apoBCCP and apoBCCP87 were measured by stopped-flow fluorescence. Kinetic parameters estimated from these measurements indicate that the intact and truncated forms of the acceptor protein are functionally identical. << Less

  J Biol Chem 271:7559-7567(1996) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

• Structural and functional studies of the biotin protein ligase from Aquifex aeolicus reveal a critical role for a conserved residue in target specificity.

  Tron C.M., McNae I.W., Nutley M., Clarke D.J., Cooper A., Walkinshaw M.D., Baxter R.L., Campopiano D.J.

  Biotin protein ligase (BPL; EC 6.3.4.15) catalyses the formation of biotinyl-5'-AMP from biotin and ATP, and the succeeding biotinylation of the biotin carboxyl carrier protein. We describe the crystal structures, at 2.4 A resolution, of the class I BPL from the hyperthermophilic bacteria Aquifex ... >> More

  Biotin protein ligase (BPL; EC 6.3.4.15) catalyses the formation of biotinyl-5'-AMP from biotin and ATP, and the succeeding biotinylation of the biotin carboxyl carrier protein. We describe the crystal structures, at 2.4 A resolution, of the class I BPL from the hyperthermophilic bacteria Aquifex aeolicus (AaBPL) in its ligand-free form and in complex with biotin and ATP. The solvent-exposed beta- and gamma-phosphates of ATP are located in the inter-subunit cavity formed by the N- and C-terminal domains. The Arg40 residue from the conserved GXGRXG motif is shown to interact with the carboxyl group of biotin and to stabilise the alpha- and beta-phosphates of the nucleotide. The structure of the mutant AaBPL R40G in both the ligand-free and biotin-bound forms reveals that the mutated loop has collapsed, thus hindering ATP binding. Isothermal titration calorimetry indicated that the presence of biotin is not required for ATP binding to wild-type AaBPL in the absence of Mg(2+), and the binding of biotin and ATP has been determined to occur via a random but cooperative process. The affinity for biotin is relatively unaffected by the R40G mutation. In contrast, the thermodynamic data indicate that binding of ATP to AaBPL R40G is very weak in the absence or in the presence of biotin. The AaBPL R40G mutant remains catalytically active but shows poor substrate specificity; mass spectrometry and Western blot studies revealed that the mutant biotinylates both the target A. aeolicus BCCPDelta67 fragment and BSA, and is subject to self-biotinylation. << Less

  J Mol Biol 387:129-146(2009) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

• Active site conformational changes upon reaction intermediate biotinyl-5'-AMP binding in biotin protein ligase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

  Ma Q., Akhter Y., Wilmanns M., Ehebauer M.T.

  Protein biotinylation, a rare form of post-translational modification, is found in enzymes required for lipid biosynthesis. In mycobacteria, this process is essential for the formation of their complex and distinct cell wall and has become a focal point of drug discovery approaches. The enzyme res ... >> More

  Protein biotinylation, a rare form of post-translational modification, is found in enzymes required for lipid biosynthesis. In mycobacteria, this process is essential for the formation of their complex and distinct cell wall and has become a focal point of drug discovery approaches. The enzyme responsible for this process, biotin protein ligase, substantially varies in different species in terms of overall structural organization, regulation of function and substrate specificity. To advance the understanding of the molecular mechanism of biotinylation in Mycobacterium tuberculosis we have biochemically and structurally characterized the corresponding enzyme. We report the high-resolution crystal structures of the apo-form and reaction intermediate biotinyl-5'-AMP-bound form of M. tuberculosis biotin protein ligase. Binding of the reaction intermediate leads to clear disorder-to-order transitions. We show that a conserved lysine, Lys138, in the active site is essential for biotinylation. << Less

  Protein Sci. 23:932-939(2014) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

• Purification and properties of the biotin repressor. A bifunctional protein.

  Eisenberg M.A., Prakash O., Hsiung S.C.

  Definitive evidence is presented for the bifunctional nature of the biotin repressor protein which possesses both regulatory and enzymatic activities. The repressor protein can activate biotin in the presence of ATP to form biotinyl-5'-adenylate, the co-repressor which remains tightly bound to the ... >> More

  Definitive evidence is presented for the bifunctional nature of the biotin repressor protein which possesses both regulatory and enzymatic activities. The repressor protein can activate biotin in the presence of ATP to form biotinyl-5'-adenylate, the co-repressor which remains tightly bound to the repressor protein. This complex can either bind to the operator site and inhibit transcription or transfer the biotinyl moiety to a lysine residue of the apoenzyme of acetyl-CoA carboxylase. The two activities were coincident throughout a purification procedure which resulted in a 3500-fold increase in activity. Gel electrophoresis of the purified preparation, under native or denaturing conditions, showed three proteins with the activity corresponding to the major protein band of apparent Mr = 34,000. On gel exclusion chromatography, the activity was also associated with a protein of Mr varying fro 37,000-44,000, indicating the protein is monomeric. The occasional appearance of multiple bands with biological activity in the native gels suggests that the repressor protein can also exist in multimeric forms. On chromatofocusing, the repressor activity and the holoenzyme synthetase activity were coincidental, with the peak of activity at pH 7.2, the isoelectric point. Only a single protein band with Mr = 34,000 was observed on SDS gel electrophoresis of all fractions showing activity. << Less

  J. Biol. Chem. 257:15167-15173(1982) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

• Kinetics of biotinyl-5'-adenylate synthesis catalyzed by the Escherichia coli repressor of biotin biosynthesis and the stability of the enzyme-product complex.

  Xu Y., Beckett D.

  The Escherichia coli repressor of biotin biosynthesis is both a biotin ligase and the repressor of transcriptional initiation at the biotin biosynthetic operon. The small molecule, biotinyl-5'-adenylate (bio-5'-AMP), is the intermediate in the biotin ligation reaction and the positive allosteric e ... >> More

  The Escherichia coli repressor of biotin biosynthesis is both a biotin ligase and the repressor of transcriptional initiation at the biotin biosynthetic operon. The small molecule, biotinyl-5'-adenylate (bio-5'-AMP), is the intermediate in the biotin ligation reaction and the positive allosteric effector for sequence-specific DNA binding by BirA. Synthesis of the adenylate from the substrates biotin and ATP is catalyzed by BirA. Although BirA and other biotin holoenzyme synthetases have been the subject of biochemical studies, no direct measurements of the bio-5'-AMP synthesis reaction have been reported. No information relating to the mechanism and kinetic parameters governing adenylate synthesis is available. In addition to this lack of kinetic information, the thermodynamic stability of the BirA-bio-5'-AMP complex is not known. Since the BirA-adenylate complex plays a pivotal role in the biotin regulatory system, both the kinetic and thermodynamic information are essential to a quantitative understanding of the system. We have developed a method for measuring the time course of bio-5'-AMP synthesis. The results of these measurements indicate that the time course is characterized by an initial burst followed by a slow linear phase. The burst corresponds to the rapid synthesis of 1 mol of product per mole of enzyme, and the rate of the slow linear phase is limited by the release of product from the enzyme.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) << Less

  Biochemistry 33:7354-7360(1994) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

  This publication is cited by 2 other entries.

• Mechanisms Governing Precise Protein Biotinylation.

  Sternicki L.M., Wegener K.L., Bruning J.B., Booker G.W., Polyak S.W.

  Protein biotinylation is a key post-translational modification found throughout the living world. The covalent attachment of a biotin cofactor onto specific metabolic enzymes is essential for their activity. This modification is distinctive, in that it is carried out by a single enzyme: biotin pro ... >> More

  Protein biotinylation is a key post-translational modification found throughout the living world. The covalent attachment of a biotin cofactor onto specific metabolic enzymes is essential for their activity. This modification is distinctive, in that it is carried out by a single enzyme: biotin protein ligase (BPL), an enzyme that is able to biotinylate multiple target substrates without aberrant-off target biotinylation. BPL achieves this target selectivity by recognizing a sequence motif in the context of a highly conserved tertiary structure. One structural class of BPLs has developed an additional 'substrate verification' mechanism to further enable appropriate protein selection. This is crucial for the precise and selective biotinylation required for efficient biotin management, especially in organisms that are auxotrophic for biotin. << Less

  Trends Biochem Sci 42:383-394(2017) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]