The Di-iron RIC Protein (YtfE) ofEscherichia coliInteracts with the DNA-Binding Protein from Starved Cells (Dps) To Diminish RIC Protein-Mediated Redox Stress
ABSTRACTThe RIC (repair of iron clusters) protein ofEscherichia coliis a di-iron hemerythrin-like protein that has a proposed function in repairing stress-damaged iron-sulfur clusters. In this work, we performed a bacterial two-hybrid screening to search for RIC-protein interaction partners inE. coli. As a result, theDNA-bindingprotein fromstarved cells (Dps) was identified, and its potential interaction with RIC was tested by bacterial adenylate cyclase-based two-hybrid (BACTH) system, bimolecular fluorescence complementation, and pulldown assays. Using the activity of two Fe-S-containing enzymes as indicators of cellular Fe-S cluster damage, we observed that strains with single deletions ofricordpshave significantly lower aconitase and fumarase activities. In contrast, theric dpsdouble mutant strain displayed no loss of aconitase and fumarase activity with respect to that of the wild type. Additionally, while complementation of theric dpsdouble mutant withricled to a severe loss of aconitase activity, this effect was no longer observed when a gene encoding a di-iron site variant of the RIC protein was employed. Thedpsmutant exhibited a large increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, but this increase was eliminated whenricwas also inactivated. Absence of other iron storage proteins, or of peroxidase and catalases, had no impact on RIC-mediated redox stress induction. Hence, we show that RIC interacts with Dps in a manner that serves to protectE. colifrom RIC protein-induced ROS.IMPORTANCEThe mammalian immune system produces reactive oxygen and nitrogen species that kill bacterial pathogens by damaging key cellular components, such as lipids, DNA, and proteins. However, bacteria possess detoxifying and repair systems that mitigate these deleterious effects. TheEscherichia coliRIC (repair of iron clusters) protein is a di-iron hemerythrin-like protein that repairs stress-damaged iron-sulfur clusters.E. coliDps is an iron storage protein of the ferritin superfamily with DNA-binding capacity that protects cells from oxidative stress. This work shows that theE. coliRIC and Dps proteins interact in a fashion that counters RIC protein-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS). Altogether, we provide evidence for the formation of a new bacterial protein complex and reveal a novel contribution for Dps in bacterial redox stress protection.