Characterization of the metal ion binding site in the anti-terminator protein, HutP, of Bacillus subtilis.

ABSTRACT: HutP is an RNA-binding protein that regulates the expression of the histidine utilization (hut) operon in Bacillus subtilis, by binding to cis-acting regulatory sequences on hut mRNA. It requires L-histidine and an Mg2+ ion for binding to the specific sequence within the hut mRNA. In the present study, we show that several divalent cations can mediate the HutP-RNA interactions. The best divalent cations were Mn2+, Zn2+ and Cd2+, followed by Mg2+, Co2+ and Ni2+, while Cu2+, Yb2+ and Hg2+ were ineffective. In the HutP-RNA interactions, divalent cations cannot be replaced by monovalent cations, suggesting that a divalent metal ion is required for mediating the protein-RNA interactions. To clarify their importance, we have crystallized HutP in the presence of three different metal ions (Mg2+,

SUBMITTER: Kumarevel T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1236978 | biostudies-literature | 2005

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature