Molecular dynamics simulations of the periplasmic ferric-hydroxamate binding protein FhuD

Biometals. 2005 Aug;18(4):375-86. doi: 10.1007/s10534-005-3712-z.

Abstract

FhuD is a periplasmic binding protein (PBP) that, under iron-limiting conditions, transports various hydroxamate-type siderophores from the outer membrane receptor (FhuA) to the inner membrane ATP-binding cassette transporter (FhuBC). Unlike many other PBPs, FhuD possesses two independently folded domains that are connected by an alpha-helix rather than two or three central beta-strands. Crystal structures of FhuD with and without bound gallichrome have provided some insight into the mechanism of siderophore binding as well as suggested a potential mechanism for FhuD binding to FhuB. Since the alpha-helix connecting the two domains imposes greater rigidity on the structure relative to the beta-strands in other 'classical' PBPs, these structures reveal no large conformational change upon binding a hydroxamate-type siderophore. Therefore, it is difficult to explain how the inner membrane transporter FhuB can distinguish between ferrichrome-bound and ferrichrome-free FhuD. In the current study, we have employed a 30 ns molecular dynamics simulation of FhuD with its bound siderophore removed to explore the dynamic behavior of FhuD in the substrate-free state. The MD simulation suggests that FhuD is somewhat dynamic with a C-terminal domain closure of 6 degrees upon release of its siderophore. This relatively large motion suggests differences that would allow FhuB to distinguish between ferrichrome-bound and ferrichrome-free FhuD.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / chemistry
  • Biological Transport
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Escherichia coli / metabolism
  • Escherichia coli Proteins / chemistry
  • Escherichia coli Proteins / metabolism
  • Escherichia coli Proteins / physiology*
  • Ferrichrome / analogs & derivatives
  • Ferrichrome / chemistry
  • Membrane Transport Proteins / chemistry
  • Membrane Transport Proteins / metabolism
  • Membrane Transport Proteins / physiology*
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Conformation
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Periplasmic Binding Proteins / chemistry
  • Periplasmic Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Periplasmic Binding Proteins / physiology*
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Structure, Secondary
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Receptors, Virus / chemistry
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Siderophores / chemistry
  • Substrate Specificity
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins
  • Escherichia coli Proteins
  • FhuA protein, E coli
  • Membrane Transport Proteins
  • Periplasmic Binding Proteins
  • Receptors, Virus
  • Siderophores
  • fhuB protein, E coli
  • fhuD protein, E coli
  • Ferrichrome
  • gallichrome