Sandbox Reserved 1063: Difference between revisions

AdcR is a zinc-dependent transcriptional regulator that controls the activation of over seventy genes within the bacteria [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streptococcus_pneumoniae''Streptococcus pneumoniae'']<ref>DOI:10.1093/nar/gku1304 </ref>. Zinc plays a vital role in organism homeostasis acting as a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cofactor_(biochemistry) co-factor] and a regulator of enzymatic activity, however zinc can lead to cell toxicity and deficiency of other vital metals that are also necessary for protein function<ref> Fraústo da Silva J, Williams R. The Biological Chemistry of Elements: The Inorganic Chemistry of Life. Second ed. Oxford University Press; Oxford: 2001.</ref><ref> DOI: 10.1021/cr900077w</ref>. Given the importance of zinc in general homeostasis the vital role of AdcR in ''Streptococcus pneumoniae'' can be understood given its ability to regulate zinc transfer proteins within the bacteria.

[[Image:Image1.jpg | 300 px|left|thumb| Members of the MarR protein family conserve a number of features including a general triangular shape, a two fold pseudosymmetric homo dimer, and a wingled helix-turn-helix pattern. Proteins 3BPX, 2FBK, 3KP5, and 2PFB (members of the MarR family) are pictured above.]]

Consistent with AdcR's identity as a member of the MarR protein family, AdcR exhibits a triangular shape consisting of a two fold pseudosymetric homo dimer with its own unique winged helix-turn-helix [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helix-turn-helix (wHTH)] binding domain. This structure calls for multiple zinc binding sites that facilitate protein conformational change allowing for DNA binding and regulation through the wHTH domain.