E. Nenortas et D. Beckett, PURIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF INTACT AND TRUNCATED FORMS OF THE ESCHERICHIA-COLI BIOTIN CARBOXYL CARRIER SUBUNIT OF ACETYL-COA CARBOXYLASE, The Journal of biological chemistry, 271(13), 1996, pp. 7559-7567
Biotin biosynthesis and retention in Escherichia coli is regulated by
the multifunctional protein, BirA. The protein acts as both the transc
riptional repressor of the biotin biosynthetic operon and as a ligase
for covalent attachment of biotin to a unique lysine residue of the bi
otin carboxyl carrier protein (BCCP) subunit of the acetyl-CoA carboxy
lase. Biotinyl-5'-AMP is the activated intermediate for the ligase rea
ction and the allosteric effector for DNA binding. We have purified an
d characterized apoBCCP and a truncated form containing the COOH-termi
nal 87 residues (apoBCCP87). Molecular masses of the proteins measured
using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass
spectrometry conformed to the expected values. The assembly states of
apoBCCP and apoBCCP87 were determined using sedimentation equilibrium
ultracentrifugation. Nearly quantitative enzymatic transfer of biotin
from BirA-biotinyl-5'-AMP to the apoBCCP forms was assessed using two
methods, mass spectrometric analysis of acceptor proteins after incub
ation with BirA-bio-5'-AMP and a steady state fluorescence assay. The
BirA catalyzed rates of transfer of biotin from bio-5'-AMP to apoBCCP
and apoBCCPS7 were measured by stopped-flow fluorescence. Kinetic para
meters estimated from these measurements indicate that the intact and
truncated forms of the acceptor protein are functionally identical.