Phage ORF family recombinases: conservation of activities and involvement of the central channel in DNA binding.

Genetic and biochemical evidence suggests that λ Orf is a recombination mediator, promoting nucleation of either bacterial RecA or phage Redβ recombinases onto single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) bound by SSB protein. We have identified a diverse family of Orf proteins that includes representatives implicat...

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Main Authors: Fiona A Curtis, Ali D Malay, Alexander J Trotter, Lindsay A Wilson, Michael M H Barradell-Black, Laura Y Bowers, Patricia Reed, Christopher R T Hillyar, Robert P Yeo, John M Sanderson, Jonathan G Heddle, Gary J Sharples
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2014-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0102454
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author Fiona A Curtis
Ali D Malay
Alexander J Trotter
Lindsay A Wilson
Michael M H Barradell-Black
Laura Y Bowers
Patricia Reed
Christopher R T Hillyar
Robert P Yeo
John M Sanderson
Jonathan G Heddle
Gary J Sharples
author_facet Fiona A Curtis
Ali D Malay
Alexander J Trotter
Lindsay A Wilson
Michael M H Barradell-Black
Laura Y Bowers
Patricia Reed
Christopher R T Hillyar
Robert P Yeo
John M Sanderson
Jonathan G Heddle
Gary J Sharples
author_sort Fiona A Curtis
collection DOAJ
description Genetic and biochemical evidence suggests that λ Orf is a recombination mediator, promoting nucleation of either bacterial RecA or phage Redβ recombinases onto single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) bound by SSB protein. We have identified a diverse family of Orf proteins that includes representatives implicated in DNA base flipping and those fused to an HNH endonuclease domain. To confirm a functional relationship with the Orf family, a distantly-related homolog, YbcN, from Escherichia coli cryptic prophage DLP12 was purified and characterized. As with its λ relative, YbcN showed a preference for binding ssDNA over duplex. Neither Orf nor YbcN displayed a significant preference for duplex DNA containing mismatches or 1-3 nucleotide bulges. YbcN also bound E. coli SSB, although unlike Orf, it failed to associate with an SSB mutant lacking the flexible C-terminal tail involved in coordinating heterologous protein-protein interactions. Residues conserved in the Orf family that flank the central cavity in the λ Orf crystal structure were targeted for mutagenesis to help determine the mode of DNA binding. Several of these mutant proteins showed significant defects in DNA binding consistent with the central aperture being important for substrate recognition. The widespread conservation of Orf-like proteins highlights the importance of targeting SSB coated ssDNA during lambdoid phage recombination.
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spelling doaj-art-66379861a9e444e3be79f37ea369fcdb2025-08-20T02:22:45ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032014-01-0198e10245410.1371/journal.pone.0102454Phage ORF family recombinases: conservation of activities and involvement of the central channel in DNA binding.Fiona A CurtisAli D MalayAlexander J TrotterLindsay A WilsonMichael M H Barradell-BlackLaura Y BowersPatricia ReedChristopher R T HillyarRobert P YeoJohn M SandersonJonathan G HeddleGary J SharplesGenetic and biochemical evidence suggests that λ Orf is a recombination mediator, promoting nucleation of either bacterial RecA or phage Redβ recombinases onto single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) bound by SSB protein. We have identified a diverse family of Orf proteins that includes representatives implicated in DNA base flipping and those fused to an HNH endonuclease domain. To confirm a functional relationship with the Orf family, a distantly-related homolog, YbcN, from Escherichia coli cryptic prophage DLP12 was purified and characterized. As with its λ relative, YbcN showed a preference for binding ssDNA over duplex. Neither Orf nor YbcN displayed a significant preference for duplex DNA containing mismatches or 1-3 nucleotide bulges. YbcN also bound E. coli SSB, although unlike Orf, it failed to associate with an SSB mutant lacking the flexible C-terminal tail involved in coordinating heterologous protein-protein interactions. Residues conserved in the Orf family that flank the central cavity in the λ Orf crystal structure were targeted for mutagenesis to help determine the mode of DNA binding. Several of these mutant proteins showed significant defects in DNA binding consistent with the central aperture being important for substrate recognition. The widespread conservation of Orf-like proteins highlights the importance of targeting SSB coated ssDNA during lambdoid phage recombination.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0102454
spellingShingle Fiona A Curtis
Ali D Malay
Alexander J Trotter
Lindsay A Wilson
Michael M H Barradell-Black
Laura Y Bowers
Patricia Reed
Christopher R T Hillyar
Robert P Yeo
John M Sanderson
Jonathan G Heddle
Gary J Sharples
Phage ORF family recombinases: conservation of activities and involvement of the central channel in DNA binding.
PLoS ONE
title Phage ORF family recombinases: conservation of activities and involvement of the central channel in DNA binding.
title_full Phage ORF family recombinases: conservation of activities and involvement of the central channel in DNA binding.
title_fullStr Phage ORF family recombinases: conservation of activities and involvement of the central channel in DNA binding.
title_full_unstemmed Phage ORF family recombinases: conservation of activities and involvement of the central channel in DNA binding.
title_short Phage ORF family recombinases: conservation of activities and involvement of the central channel in DNA binding.
title_sort phage orf family recombinases conservation of activities and involvement of the central channel in dna binding
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0102454
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