Sr. Kar et al., THE CYANOBACTERIAL REPRESSOR SMTB IS PREDOMINANTLY A DIMER AND BINDS 2 ZN2+ IONS PER SUBUNIT, Biochemistry, 36(49), 1997, pp. 15343-15348
The Synechococcus PCC7942 metallothionein repressor gene smtB has been
cloned into a high expression vector and the protein purified to near
homogeneity (greater than or equal to 98%). Analytical ultracentrifug
ation studies demonstrate that the protein is predominantly dimeric in
0.1 M NaCl, pH 7.4, and 22 degrees C, exhibiting a monomer-dimer-tetr
amer equilibrium. The monomer-dimer (K-a(1,K-2)) and the dimer-tetrame
r (K-a(2,K-4)) association constants are 3.24 x 10(5) and 9.90 x 10(2)
M-1, respectively, The repressor binds two Zn2+ ions per subunit with
an overall K-d of 3.49 x 10(-6) M. In the presence of Zn2+, K-a(1,K-2
) increases by 2 orders of magnitude to 1.25 x 10(7) M-1 and the appar
ent weight-averaged sedimentation coefficient increases from 2.00 to 2
.22 S. The fact that the increase in sedimentation coefficient is grea
ter than that predicted by increased dimerization is interpreted as ca
used by compaction of the structure in the presence of metal ions, At
pH 6.0, 0.1 M NaCl, and 22 degrees C, the protein exhibits only a mono
mer-dimer equilibrium, with K-a(1,K-2) = 1.52 x 10(7) M-1 which is alm
ost identical to that seen upon binding Zn2+ at pH 7.4, The compaction
and conformational change in SmtB caused by Zn2+ is consistent with a
role for this altered quaternary state in derepression of smtA in Syn
echococcus challenged with heavy metal ions.