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Variation on a theme: investigating the structural repertoires used by ferric uptake regulators to control gene expression

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Abstract

In every living organism, the control of metal homoeostasis is a tightly regulated process coordinated by several intertwined biological pathways. In many bacteria, the ferric uptake regulator (Fur) family of transcriptional factors (TFs) are key factors in controlling the expression of genes involved in metal homeostasis and can also regulate the expression of genes involved in responses to oxidative stresses. Since the crystallization of Escherichia coli Fur DNA binding domain, the crystal structure of several metalloregulators have been reported. While the Fur family of proteins adopt similar structures, each contains unique structural features relating to their specific biological functions. Moreover, recent groundbreaking studies have provided additional insights into the mechanisms underlying the binding of DNA by these metalloregulators. In this review, we present a comprehensive overview of the crystal structure of Fur family metalloregulators with a specific focus on the new structures of these TFs bound to DNA.

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  1. Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Roger Guindon Hall, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M5, Canada

    Sabina Sarvan, James Butcher, Alain Stintzi & Jean-François Couture

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  1. Sabina Sarvan
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Sarvan, S., Butcher, J., Stintzi, A. et al. Variation on a theme: investigating the structural repertoires used by ferric uptake regulators to control gene expression. Biometals 31, 681–704 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10534-018-0120-8

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