DNA binding and cleavage by the HNH homing endonuclease I-HmuI

J Mol Biol. 2004 Sep 3;342(1):43-56. doi: 10.1016/j.jmb.2004.07.032.

Abstract

The structure of I-HmuI, which represents the last family of homing endonucleases without a defining crystallographic structure, has been determined in complex with its DNA target. A series of diverse protein structural domains and motifs, contacting sequential stretches of nucleotide bases, are distributed along the DNA target. I-HmuI contains an N-terminal domain with a DNA-binding surface found in the I-PpoI homing endonuclease and an associated HNH/N active site found in the bacterial colicins, and a C-terminal DNA-binding domain previously observed in the I-TevI homing endonuclease. The combination and exchange of these features between protein families indicates that the genetic mobility associated with homing endonucleases extends to the level of independent structural domains. I-HmuI provides an unambiguous structural connection between the His-Cys box endonucleases and the bacterial colicins, supporting the hypothesis that these enzymes diverged from a common ancestral nuclease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Base Sequence
  • Binding Sites
  • Colicins / chemistry
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • DNA / chemistry
  • DNA / metabolism*
  • Deoxyribonuclease I / chemistry*
  • Deoxyribonuclease I / metabolism*
  • Metals / chemistry
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Sequence Alignment

Substances

  • Colicins
  • Metals
  • DNA
  • Deoxyribonuclease I