The Structure of Clostridioides difficile SecA2 ATPase Exposes Regions Responsible for Differential Target Recognition of the SecA1 and SecA2-Dependent Systems.
Lindic, N., Loboda, J., Usenik, A., Vidmar, R., Turk, D.(2020) Int J Mol Sci 21
- PubMed: 32858965 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21176153
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
6T4H - PubMed Abstract: 
SecA protein is a major component of the general bacterial secretory system. It is an ATPase that couples nucleotide hydrolysis to protein translocation. In some Gram-positive pathogens, a second paralogue, SecA2, exports a different set of substrates, usually virulence factors. To identify SecA2 features different from SecA(1)s, we determined the crystal structure of SecA2 from Clostridioides difficile , an important nosocomial pathogen, in apo and ATP-γ-S-bound form. The structure reveals a closed monomer lacking the C-terminal tail (CTT) with an otherwise similar multidomain organization to its SecA(1) homologues and conserved binding of ATP-γ-S. The average in vitro ATPase activity rate of C. difficile SecA2 was 2.6 ± 0.1 µmolPi/min/µmol. Template-based modeling combined with evolutionary conservation analysis supports a model where C. difficile SecA2 in open conformation binds the target protein, ensures its movement through the SecY channel, and enables dimerization through PPXD/HWD cross-interaction of monomers during the process. Both approaches exposed regions with differences between SecA(1) and SecA2 homologues, which are in agreement with the unique adaptation of SecA2 proteins for a specific type of substrate, a role that can be addressed in further studies.
Organizational Affiliation: 
Department of Biochemistry, Molecular and Structural Biology, Jozef Stefan Institute, Jamova Cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.