Three structural representatives of the PF06855 protein domain family from Staphyloccocus aureus and Bacillus subtilis have SAM domain-like folds and different functions

Abstract

Protein domain family PF06855 (DUF1250) is a family of small domains of unknown function found only in bacteria, and mostly in the order Bacillales and Lactobacillales. Here we describe the solution NMR or X-ray crystal structures of three representatives of this domain family, MW0776 and MW1311 from Staphyloccocus aureus and yozE from Bacillus subtilis. All three proteins adopt a four-helix motif similar to sterile alpha motif (SAM) domains. Phylogenetic analysis classifies MW1311 and yozE as functionally equivalent proteins of the UPF0346 family of unknown function, but excludes MW0776, which likely has a different biological function. Our structural characterization of the three domains supports this separation of function. The structures of MW0776, MW1311, and yozE constitute the first structural representatives from this protein domain family.

Evolvability in the context of antibiotic resistance

“…The llmg_2280 gene encodes a small 69 amino acid long protein of the YozE family (NCBI Reference Sequence: WP_011677077). Similar proteins have been described from Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtillis and these proteins may have a function that involves binding to RNA (Swapna et al 2012). Based on our results llmg_2280 represents an interesting new candidate gene that clearly plays a role in ciprofloxacin resistance in L. lactis.…”

Transcriptomic Adjustments of Staphylococcus aureus COL (MRSA) Forming Biofilms Under Acidic and Alkaline Conditions

“…Its role as an autolysin has recently been disputed as it was proved to be an early exponential phase protein whose expression was down-regulated by Agr, but still indicates that LytM plays an important role in BF development (Singh et al, 2010). YozE, a hypothetical YozE_SAM_like protein, belongs to a family of proteins with a four-helix motif similar to sterile alpha motif (SAM) domains and is likely to involve binding to DNA (Swapna et al, 2012). NP_72897 is a putative cell division protein, and ParC, is the DNA topoisomerase IV subunit A, responsible for relaxing supercoiled DNA and very important in bacteria replication, where the circular chromosome becomes catenated or linked.…”