Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
6817
pubmed:dateCreated
2001-1-22
pubmed:databankReference
pubmed:abstractText
Staphylococcus aureus is a major human pathogen, the potency of which can be attributed to the regulated expression of an impressive array of virulence determinants. A key pleiotropic transcriptional regulator of these virulence factors is SarA, which is encoded by the sar (staphylococcal accessory regulator) locus. SarA was characterized initially as an activator of a second virulence regulatory locus, agr, through its interaction with a series of heptad repeats (AGTTAAG) within the agr promoter. Subsequent DNA-binding studies have revealed that SarA binds readily to multiple AT-rich sequences of variable lengths. Here we describe the crystal structure of SarA and a SarA-DNA complex at resolutions of 2.50 A and 2.95 A, respectively. SarA has a fold consisting of a four-helix core region and 'inducible regions' comprising a beta-hairpin and a carboxy-terminal loop. On binding DNA, the inducible regions undergo marked conformational changes, becoming part of extended and distorted alpha-helices, which encase the DNA. SarA recognizes an AT-rich site in which the DNA is highly overwound and adopts a D-DNA-like conformation by indirect readout. These structures thus provide insight into SarA-mediated transcription regulation.
pubmed:commentsCorrections
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jan
pubmed:issn
0028-0836
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:day
11
pubmed:volume
409
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
215-9
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2001
pubmed:articleTitle
Crystal structures of SarA, a pleiotropic regulator of virulence genes in S. aureus.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland 97201-3098, USA.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S., Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S., Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't