Atomic Structure of the DNA Repair [4Fe-4S] Enzyme Endonuclease III

The crystal structure of the DNA repair enzyme endonuclease III, which recognizes and cleaves DNA at damaged bases, has been solved to 2.0 angstrom resolution with an R factor of 0.185. This iron-sulfur [4Fe-4S] enzyme is elongated and bilobal with a deep cleft separating two similarly sized domains: a novel, sequence-continuous, six-helix domain (residues 22 to 132) and a Greek-key, four-helix domain formed by the amino-terminal and three carboxyl-terminal helices (residues 1 to 21 and 133 to 211) together with the [4Fe-4S] cluster. The cluster is bound entirely within the carboxyl-terminal loop with a ligation pattern (Cys-X$_6$-Cys-X$_2$-Cys-X$_5$-Cys) distinct from all other known [4Fe-4S] proteins. Sequence conservation and the positive electrostatic potential of conserved regions identify a surface suitable for binding duplex B-DNA across the long axis of the enzyme, matching a 46 angstrom length of protected DNA. The primary role of the [4Fe-4S] cluster appears to involve positioning conserved basic residues for interaction with the DNA phosphate backbone. The crystallographically identified inhibitor binding region, which recognizes the damaged base thymine glycol, is a seven-residue β-hairpin (residues 113 to 119). Location and side chain orientation at the base of the inhibitor binding site implicate Glu$^{112}$ in the N-glycosylase mechanism and Lys$^{120}$ in the β-elimination mechanism. Overall, the structure reveals an unusual fold and a new biological function for [4Fe-4S] clusters and provides a structural basis for studying recognition of damaged DNA and the N-glycosylase and apurinic/apyrimidinic-lyase mechanisms.