Identifying a Molecular Mechanism That Imparts Species-Specific Toxicity to YoeB Toxins.

ABSTRACT: The ribosome-dependent E. coli (Ec) mRNase toxin YoeB has been demonstrated to protect cells during thermal stress. Agrobacterium tumefaciens (At), a plant pathogen, also encodes a YoeB toxin. Initial studies indicated that AtYoeB does not impact the growth of Ec, but its expression is toxic to the native host At. The current work examines this species-specific effect. We establish the highly similar structure and function of Ec and AtYoeB toxins, including the ability of the AtYoeB toxin to inhibit Ec ribosomes in vitro. Comparison of YoeB sequences and structures highlights a four-residue helix between β-strands 2 and 3 that interacts with mRNA bases within the ribosome. This helix sequence is varied among YoeB toxins, and this variation correlates with bacterial cla

SUBMITTER: Ames JR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7256200 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature