Identification of a novel zinc-binding protein, C1orf123, as an interactor with a heavy metal-associated domain

PLoS One. 2018 Sep 27;13(9):e0204355. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0204355. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

Heavy metal-associated (HMA) domains bind metal ions at its Cys-x-x-Cys (CxxC) motif and constitute an intracellular network for trafficking of metal ions for utilization and detoxification. We thus expect that novel metalloproteins can be identified by screening proteins interacting with a HMA domain. In this study, we performed yeast two-hybrid screening of the human proteome and found an uncharacterized protein encoded as open reading frame 123 in chromosome 1 (C1orf123) that can interact specifically with the HMA domain of a copper chaperone for superoxide dismutase (CCSdI). Our X-ray structural analysis of C1orf123 further revealed that it binds a Zn2+ ion in a tetrahedral coordination with four thiolate groups from two conserved CxxC motifs. For the interaction between C1orf123 and CCSdI, the CxxC motifs in both C1orf123 and CCSdI were required, implying metal-mediated interaction through the CxxC motifs. Notably, C1orf123 did not interact with several other HMA domains containing CxxC motifs, supporting high specificity in the interaction between C1orf123 and CCSdI. Based upon these results, we further discuss functional and structural significance of the interaction between C1orf123 and CCS.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Cations, Divalent / metabolism
  • Escherichia coli
  • Humans
  • Membrane Transport Proteins
  • Metals, Heavy
  • Models, Molecular
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Domains
  • Protein Structure, Secondary
  • Proteins / genetics
  • Proteins / metabolism*
  • Solutions
  • Static Electricity
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Superoxide Dismutase / metabolism
  • Two-Hybrid System Techniques
  • Zinc / metabolism*

Substances

  • CZIB protein, human
  • Cations, Divalent
  • Membrane Transport Proteins
  • Metals, Heavy
  • Proteins
  • Solutions
  • Superoxide Dismutase
  • Zinc

Grants and funding

This work was supported by Grants-in-Aid 16H04768 for Scientific Research (B) (to YF) and 17H05705, 18H04564 for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas (to YF) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.