Structural and Functional Characterization of RecG Helicase under Dilute and Molecular Crowding Conditions

In an ATP-dependent reaction, the Escherichia coli RecG helicase unwinds DNA junctions in vitro. We present evidence of a unique protein conformational change in the RecG helicase from an α-helix to a β-strand upon an ATP binding under dilute conditions using circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. In...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Sarika Saxena, Satoru Nagatoishi, Daisuke Miyoshi, Naoki Sugimoto
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2012-01-01
Series:Journal of Nucleic Acids
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/392039
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849406348899385344
author Sarika Saxena
Satoru Nagatoishi
Daisuke Miyoshi
Naoki Sugimoto
author_facet Sarika Saxena
Satoru Nagatoishi
Daisuke Miyoshi
Naoki Sugimoto
author_sort Sarika Saxena
collection DOAJ
description In an ATP-dependent reaction, the Escherichia coli RecG helicase unwinds DNA junctions in vitro. We present evidence of a unique protein conformational change in the RecG helicase from an α-helix to a β-strand upon an ATP binding under dilute conditions using circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. In contrast, under molecular crowding conditions, the α-helical conformation was stable even upon an ATP binding. These distinct conformational behaviors were observed to be independent of Na+ and Mg2+. Interestingly, CD measurements demonstrated that the spectra of a frayed duplex decreased with increasing of the RecG concentration both under dilute and molecular crowding conditions in the presence of ATP, suggesting that RecG unwound the frayed duplex. Our findings raise the possibility that the α-helix and β-strand forms of RecG are a preactive and an active structure with the helicase activity, respectively.
format Article
id doaj-art-53f6499a024b4b188a7de1545cfa22b9
institution Kabale University
issn 2090-0201
2090-021X
language English
publishDate 2012-01-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Journal of Nucleic Acids
spelling doaj-art-53f6499a024b4b188a7de1545cfa22b92025-08-20T03:36:25ZengWileyJournal of Nucleic Acids2090-02012090-021X2012-01-01201210.1155/2012/392039392039Structural and Functional Characterization of RecG Helicase under Dilute and Molecular Crowding ConditionsSarika Saxena0Satoru Nagatoishi1Daisuke Miyoshi2Naoki Sugimoto3Frontier Institute for Biomolecular Engineering Research (FIBER), Konan University, 7-1-20 Minatojima-Minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0047, JapanFrontier Institute for Biomolecular Engineering Research (FIBER), Konan University, 7-1-20 Minatojima-Minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0047, JapanFrontier Institute for Biomolecular Engineering Research (FIBER), Konan University, 7-1-20 Minatojima-Minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0047, JapanFrontier Institute for Biomolecular Engineering Research (FIBER), Konan University, 7-1-20 Minatojima-Minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0047, JapanIn an ATP-dependent reaction, the Escherichia coli RecG helicase unwinds DNA junctions in vitro. We present evidence of a unique protein conformational change in the RecG helicase from an α-helix to a β-strand upon an ATP binding under dilute conditions using circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. In contrast, under molecular crowding conditions, the α-helical conformation was stable even upon an ATP binding. These distinct conformational behaviors were observed to be independent of Na+ and Mg2+. Interestingly, CD measurements demonstrated that the spectra of a frayed duplex decreased with increasing of the RecG concentration both under dilute and molecular crowding conditions in the presence of ATP, suggesting that RecG unwound the frayed duplex. Our findings raise the possibility that the α-helix and β-strand forms of RecG are a preactive and an active structure with the helicase activity, respectively.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/392039
spellingShingle Sarika Saxena
Satoru Nagatoishi
Daisuke Miyoshi
Naoki Sugimoto
Structural and Functional Characterization of RecG Helicase under Dilute and Molecular Crowding Conditions
Journal of Nucleic Acids
title Structural and Functional Characterization of RecG Helicase under Dilute and Molecular Crowding Conditions
title_full Structural and Functional Characterization of RecG Helicase under Dilute and Molecular Crowding Conditions
title_fullStr Structural and Functional Characterization of RecG Helicase under Dilute and Molecular Crowding Conditions
title_full_unstemmed Structural and Functional Characterization of RecG Helicase under Dilute and Molecular Crowding Conditions
title_short Structural and Functional Characterization of RecG Helicase under Dilute and Molecular Crowding Conditions
title_sort structural and functional characterization of recg helicase under dilute and molecular crowding conditions
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/392039
work_keys_str_mv AT sarikasaxena structuralandfunctionalcharacterizationofrecghelicaseunderdiluteandmolecularcrowdingconditions
AT satorunagatoishi structuralandfunctionalcharacterizationofrecghelicaseunderdiluteandmolecularcrowdingconditions
AT daisukemiyoshi structuralandfunctionalcharacterizationofrecghelicaseunderdiluteandmolecularcrowdingconditions
AT naokisugimoto structuralandfunctionalcharacterizationofrecghelicaseunderdiluteandmolecularcrowdingconditions