Af. Herbig et Jd. Helmann, Roles of metal ions and hydrogen peroxide in modulating the interaction ofthe Bacillus subtilis PerR peroxide regulon repressor with operator DNA, MOL MICROB, 41(4), 2001, pp. 849-859
The inducible response to H2O2 stress in Bacillus subtilis is under the con
trol of PerR, one of three Fur homologues in this organism. PerR was purifi
ed in both an inactive, metal-dependent form and an active, metal-containin
g form as determined using DNA-binding assays. Active PerR contains both zi
nc and iron and is designated PerR:Zn,Fe. Added manganous ion competes for
binding to the iron site and can restore DNA-binding activity to the metal-
dependent form of PerR, presumably generating PerR:Zn,Mn. The DNA-binding a
ctivity of PerR:Zn,Fe is eliminated by exposure to H2O2 whereas PerR:Zn,Mn
is comparatively resistant. DNA-binding activity can be restored by a thiol
-reducing agent, suggesting that redox-active cysteines are involved in per
oxide sensing. Experiments using reporter fusions demonstrate that elevated
levels of manganese repress PerR regulon genes and prevent their full indu
ction by H2O2. In contrast, in cells grown with iron supplementation, a Per
R-repressed gene is completely derepressed by H2O2. These results are consi
stent with the idea that the intracellular form of the PerR metalloprotein,
and therefore its hydrogen peroxide sensitivity, can be altered by growth
conditions.