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Investigation of the Influence of Transition Metal Ions on the Fe-S Cluster Biosynthesis Protein SufU

Jayawardhana, W. Geethamala Dhananjalee
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1448034834

Abstract Details

2015, Master of Science (MS), Bowling Green State University, Chemistry.
IscU and SufU are proteins that play critical roles in iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster biosynthesis in Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, respectively. Though the function of IscU has been well characterized, there is ongoing debate about the role of SufU in Fe-S cluster biosynthesis in Gram positive Firmicutes, a bacterial classification that includes several notable human pathogens. Furthermore, metal-dependent conformational changes that are believed to be important in the Fe-S cluster biosynthesis cycle have been observed for IscU, but have not been well studied in SufU. Here, we present a comparison of the effects of different transition metals on the solution structures of SufU from Streptococcus mutans with IscU from Escherichia coli and SufU from Bacillus subtilis using three complementary techniques. In spite of the proposed differences in their functional roles, our results show a striking similarity between the responses of the three proteins to the titrated metal ions, both in terms of the enthalpies of the interactions and the resulting structural changes. Interestingly, the three proteins also discriminate between different transition metal ions, wherein they exhibit affinity for Zn2+ and Co2+, but not Fe3+. The three correlated techniques employed in this study provide new information relevant to understanding the role of SufU in Fe-S biosynthesis, and also serve as a foundation for future studies into whether altering the structures of key Fe-S biosynthesis proteins is a possible mechanism for toxic transition metal stress.
Andrew Torelli, Ph.D. (Advisor)
Ksenija Glusac, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Alexis Ostrowski, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
45 p.
Biochemistry; Chemistry
Iron-sulfur cluster biosynthesis; SufU; IscU; Metal-dependent; Structural changes

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Jayawardhana, W. G. D. (2015). Investigation of the Influence of Transition Metal Ions on the Fe-S Cluster Biosynthesis Protein SufU [Master's thesis, Bowling Green State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1448034834

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Jayawardhana, W. Geethamala. Investigation of the Influence of Transition Metal Ions on the Fe-S Cluster Biosynthesis Protein SufU. 2015. Bowling Green State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1448034834.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Jayawardhana, W. Geethamala. "Investigation of the Influence of Transition Metal Ions on the Fe-S Cluster Biosynthesis Protein SufU." Master's thesis, Bowling Green State University, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1448034834

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

bgsu1448034834
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© 2015, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Bowling Green State University and OhioLINK.