A pH-Dependent Conformational Switch Controls N. meningitidis ClpP Protease Function

ClpPs are a conserved family of serine proteases that collaborate with ATP-dependent translocases to degrade protein substrates. Drugs targeting these enzymes have attracted interest for the treatment of cancer and bacterial infections due to their critical role in mitochondrial and bacterial proteostasis, respectively. As such, there is significant interest in understanding structure-function relationships in this protein family. ClpPs are known to crystallize in extended, compact, and compressed forms; however, it is unclear what conditions favor the formation of each form and whether they are populated by wild-type enzymes in solution. Here, we use cryo-EM and solution NMR spectroscopy to demonstrate that a pH-dependent conformational switch controls an equilibrium between the active extended and inactive compressed forms of ClpP from the Gram-negative pathogen Neisseria meningitidis. Our findings provide insight into how ClpPs exploit their rugged energy landscapes to enable key conformational changes that regulate their function.