X-ray structure of the metal-sensor CnrX in both the apo- and copper-bound forms

Guillaume Pompidor (1) , Antoine P. Maillard (2) , Eric Girard (1) , Serge Gambarelli (3) , Richard Kahn (1) , Jacques Covès (1)

1 IBS - UMR 5075 - Institut de biologie structurale
2 PBRC - Pathogenèse bactérienne et réponses cellulaires
3 SCIB - UMR E3 - Service de Chimie Inorganique et Biologique

Both the X-ray structures of the apo- and the copper-bound forms of the metal-sensor domain (residues 31-148) of CnrX from Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34 were obtained at 1.74A resolution from a selenomethionine derivative. This four-helix hooked-hairpin is the first structure of a metal-sensor in an ECF-type signaling pathway. The copper ion is bound in a type 2-like center with a 3N1O coordination in the equatorial plane and shows an unprecedented remote fifth axial ligand with Met93 contributing a weak S-Cu bond. The signal onset cannot be explained by conformational changes associated with CnrX metallation.

Domaines: Sciences du Vivant [q-bio]

Guillaume Pompidor, Antoine P. Maillard, Eric Girard, Serge Gambarelli, Richard Kahn, et al.. X-ray structure of the metal-sensor CnrX in both the apo- and copper-bound forms. FEBS Letters, 2008, 582 (28), pp.3954-3958. ⟨10.1016/j.febslet.2008.10.042⟩. ⟨hal-02332941⟩