An alternative interpretation of the slow KaiB-KaiC binding of the cyanobacterial clock proteins

Sci Rep. 2020 Jun 26;10(1):10439. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-67298-7.

Abstract

The biological clock of cyanobacteria is composed of three proteins, KaiA, KaiB, and KaiC. The KaiB-KaiC binding brings the slowness into the system, which is essential for the long period of the circadian rhythm. However, there is no consensus as to the origin of the slowness due to the pre-binding conformational transition of either KaiB or KaiC. In this study, we propose a simple KaiB-KaiC binding scheme in a hexameric form with an attractive interaction between adjacent bound KaiB monomers, which is independent of KaiB's conformational change. We then show that the present scheme can explain several important experimental results on the binding, including that used as evidence for the slow conformational transition of KaiB. The present result thus indicates that the slowness arises from KaiC rather than KaiB.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Circadian Rhythm
  • Circadian Rhythm Signaling Peptides and Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cyanobacteria / metabolism*
  • Cyanobacteria / physiology
  • Models, Biological
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Conformation

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Circadian Rhythm Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • KaiB protein, cyanobacteria
  • KaiC protein, cyanobacteria