THUMP from archaeal tRNA:m22G10 methyltransferase, a genuine autonomously folding domain

The tRNA:m 22 G10 methyltransferase of Pyrococus abyssi (PAB1283, a member of COG1041) catalyzes the N2 , N2 -dimethylation of guanosine at position 10 in tRNA. Boundaries of its THUMP (THioUridine synthases, RNA Methyltransferases and Pseudo-uridine synthases)—containing N-terminal domain [1–152] and C-terminal catalytic domain [157–329] were assessed by trypsin limited proteolysis. An inter-domain flexible region of at least six residues was revealed. The N-terminal domain was then produced as a standalone protein (THUMPα) and further characterized. This autonomously folded unit exhibits very low affinity for tRNA. Using protein fold-recognition (FR) methods, we identified the similarity between THUMPα and a putative RNA-recognition module observed in the crystal structure of another THUMP-containing protein (ThiI thiolase of Bacillus anthracis ). A comparative model of THUMPα structure was generated, which fulfills experimentally defined restraints, i.e. chemical modification of surface exposed residues assessed by mass spectrometry, and identification of an intramolecular disulfide bridge. A model of the whole PAB1283 enzyme docked onto its tRNA Asp substrate suggests that the THUMP module specifically takes support on the co-axially stacked helices of T-arm and acceptor stem of tRNA and, together with the catalytic domain, screw-clamp structured tRNA. We propose that this mode of interactions may be common to other THUMP-containing enzymes that specifically modify nucleotides in the 3D-core of tRNA.

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Gabant, Guillaume, Auxilien, Sylvie, Tuszynska, Irina, Locard, Marie, Gajda, Michal J., Chaussinand, Guylaine, Fernandez, Bernard, Dedieu, Alain, Grosjean, Henri, Golinelli-Pimpaneau, Béatrice, Bujnicki, Janusz M., Armengaud, Jean
Format: article biblioteca
Language:eng
Online Access:http://agritrop.cirad.fr/602183/
http://agritrop.cirad.fr/602183/1/Publi10.pdf
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