9 - Protein DNA interactions (Repressors, activators) Flashcards
Conditions that may challenge bacteria
- Nutrient availability
- Antibiotics
- Toxins
- Temperature
Alteration of gene expression to survive (global responses)
- Sigma factors
- One component systems
- Two component systems
Mechanisms controlling transcription
- Sigma factors
- Transcriptional regulatory factors
Transcriptional factors
- Modify how the RNA polymerase + sigma factor binds to the promoter region
- Trans-acting proteins that bind to motifs of the DNA within the promoter region
- Their binding to DNA motifs is controlled by their 3D structure which is influenced by co-factors
- Act as activators (increasing transcription) or repressors (preventing transcription)
Transcriptional regulators of one component systems
- DNA Binding Domain (DBD) and effector binding domain (EBD)
- Act ‘in trans’ to either activate or repress transcription initiation from the promoter by interaction with RNA polymerase
- Divided into 16 superfamilies
Diversity of DBDs
- Five different DBD families in bacteria
- Different members of the same DBD family bind different operator sequences
- Specificity is determined by different amino acids in the helix and their interaction with the DNA nucleotides
Mechanism of DBDs
- One component system regulators dimerise
- Each monomer of the dimer binds
adjacent major grooves of the DNA double helix - The α-helix which binds the DNA is called the recognition helix (or sequence reading helix)
- Protein-DNA interaction does not disrupt the base pairing of the DNA (Bonds with bases non-covalently)
DBDs operator motif
Consensus sequence
Diversity of EBDs
- Very diverse
- Protein domain that binds co factors (small molecules) or respond to environmental triggers (eg temperature, pH).
- Forms a simple feedback loop-
when co-factor is not around,
the regulator is inactive and
cannot bind DNA (no transcription = no pump of molecule out of cell)
Functions of EBDs
- Specialised (recognise only one molecule)
- Generalist (recognise multiple related compounds)
Versatility of one component systems
Can have one or multiple EBDs linked to one DBD so the the response has multiple signals at once and improved sensitivity by having an array of same domains
Flexibility of one component systems
can be activators, repressors, or both
Initiation of transcription
- RNA polymerase 5 subunit holoenzyme
- Closed complex formed
- Isomerisation forms open complex
- RNA synthesis begins (initiation)
- SIgma factor dissociates
Closed complex
Forms when sigma factor binds promotor
Open complex
Forms when sigma factor separates the dsDNA strands
Different modes of repression in one component systems
- Steric hinderance
- Roadblock
- Deformation
- Anti-activation
- Inhibition of clearance from promoter
Steric hinderance
The repressor binds the promoter sequence and blocks sigma factor binding
Roadblock
Inhibition of initiation of mRNA synthesis at the +1 position by blocking this site