A Mutation in the N Domain of Escherichia coli Lon Stabilizes Dodecamers and Selectively Alters Degradation of Model Substrates Article (Web of Science)

abstract

  • ABSTRACT Escherichia coli Lon, an ATP-dependent AAA + protease, recognizes and degrades many different substrates, including the RcsA and SulA regulatory proteins. More than a decade ago, the E240K mutation in the N domain of Lon was shown to prevent degradation of RcsA but not SulA in vivo . Here, we characterize the biochemical properties of the E240K mutant in vitro and present evidence that the effects of this mutation are complex. For example, Lon E240K exists almost exclusively as a dodecamer, whereas wild-type Lon equilibrates between hexamers and dodecamers. Moreover, Lon E240K displays degradation defects in vitro that do not correlate in any simple fashion with degron identity, substrate stability, or dodecamer formation. The Lon sequence segment near residue 240 is known to undergo nucleotide-dependent conformational changes, and our results suggest that this region may be important for coupling substrate binding with allosteric activation of Lon protease and ATPase activity.

authors

  • Baker, Tania A.
  • Sauer, Robert T.

publication date

  • 2013

published in

number of pages

  • 6

start page

  • 5622

end page

  • 5628

volume

  • 195

issue

  • 24