Solution NMR structure and functional analysis of the integral membrane protein YgaP from Escherichia coli

Abstract

The solution NMR structure of the α-helical integral membrane protein YgaP from Escherichia coli in mixed 1,2-diheptanoyl- sn-glycerol-3- phosphocholine/1-myristoyl-2-hydroxy-snglycero- 3-phospho-(1′-rac- glycerol) micelles is presented. In these micelles, YgaP forms a homodimer with the two transmembrane helices being the dimer interface, whereas the N-terminal cytoplasmic domain includes a rhodanese-fold in accordance to its sequence homology to the rhodanese family of sulfurtransferases. The enzymatic sulfur transfer activity of full-length YgaP as well as of the N-terminal rhodanese domain only was investigated performing a series of titrations with sodium thiosulfate and potassium cyanide monitored by NMR and EPR. The data indicate the thiosulfate concentration-dependent addition of several sulfur atoms to the catalytic Cys-63, which process can be reversed by the addition of potassium cyanide. The catalytic reaction induces thereby conformational changes within the rhodanese domain, as well as on the transmembrane α-helices of YgaP. These results provide insights into a potential mechanism of YgaP during the catalytic thiosulfate activity in vivo. © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.