Article

A zinc(II)/lead(II)/cadmium(II)-inducible operon from the Cyanobacterium anabaena is regulated by AztR, an alpha3N ArsR/SmtB metalloregulator.

Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, 2128 TAMU, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843-2128, USA.
Biochemistry (impact factor: 3.42). 07/2005; 44(24):8673-83. DOI:10.1021/bi050450+ pp.8673-83
Source: PubMed

ABSTRACT A novel Zn(II)/Pb(II)/Cd(II)-responsive operon that consists of genes encoding a Zn(II)/Pb(II) CPx-ATPase efflux pump (aztA) and a Zn(II)/Cd(II)/Pb(II)-specific SmtB/ArsR family repressor (aztR) has been identified and characterized from the cyanobacterium Anabaena PCC 7120. In vivo real time quantitative RT-PCR assays reveal that both aztR and aztA expression are induced by divalent metal ions Zn(II), Cd(II), and Pb(II) but not by other divalent [Co(II), Ni(II)] or monovalent metal ions [Cu(I) and Ag(I)]. The introduction of a plasmid containing the azt operon into a Zn(II)/Cd(II)-hypersensitive Escherichia coli strain GG48 functionally restores Zn(II) and Pb(II) resistance with a limited effect on Cd(II) resistance. Gel mobility shift assays and aztR O/P-lacZ induction experiments confirm that AztR is the metal-regulated repressor of this operon. In vitro biochemical and mutagenesis studies indicate that AztR contains a sole metal-binding site, designated the alpha3N site, that binds Zn(II), Cd(II), and Pb(II) with a high affinity. Optical absorption spectra of Co(II)- and Cd(II)-substituted AztR and (113)Cd NMR spectroscopy of (113)Cd(II)-substituted AztR reveal that the sole alpha3N site in AztR is a CadC-like distorted tetrahedral S(3)(N,O) metal site. The first metal-coordination shell in the AztR alpha3N site differs from other alpha3N family members that sense Cd(II)/Pb(II) and those alpha5 repressors that sense Zn(II)/Co(II). Our results reveal that the alpha3N site in AztR mediates derepression of the azt operon in the presence of Zn(II), as well as Cd(II) and Pb(II); this might have provided Anabaena with an evolutionary advantage to adapt to heavy-metal-rich environments, while maintaining homeostasis of an essential metal ion, Zn(II).

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Keywords

113)Cd NMR spectroscopy
 
alpha3N family members
 
alpha3N site
 
azt operon
 
aztA expression
 
AztR alpha3N site
 
AztR mediates derepression
 
aztR O/P-lacZ induction experiments
 
binds Zn(II)
 
cyanobacterium Anabaena PCC 7120
 
divalent metal ions Zn(II)
 
essential metal ion
 
first metal-coordination shell
 
monovalent metal ions [Cu(I)
 
novel Zn(II)/Pb(II)/Cd(II)-responsive operon
 
Optical absorption spectra
 
sole alpha3N site
 
sole metal-binding site
 
Zn(II)/Cd(II)-hypersensitive Escherichia coli strain GG48 functionally restores Zn(II)
 
Zn(II)/Cd(II)/Pb(II)-specific SmtB/ArsR family repressor
 

Tong Liu