Characterization of DNA Processing Protein A (DprA) of the Radiation-Resistant Bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans

Environmental DNA uptake by certain bacteria and its integration into their genome create genetic diversity and new phenotypes. DNA processing protein A (DprA) is part of a multiprotein complex and facilitates the natural transformation (NT) phenotype in most bacteria. Deinococcus radiodurans, an extremely radioresistant bacterium, is efficient in NT, and its genome encodes nearly all of the components of the natural competence complex. Here, we have characterized the DprA protein of this bacterium (DrDprA) for the known characteristics of DprA proteins of other bacteria and the mechanisms underlying the DNA-RecA interaction. DrDprA has three domains. In vitro studies showed that purified recombinant DrDprA binds to both single-strand DNA (ssDNA) and double-strand DNA (dsDNA) and is able to protect ssDNA from nucleolytic degradation. DrDprA showed a strong interaction with DrRecA and facilitated RecA-catalyzed functions in vivo. Mutational studies identified DrDprA amino acid residues crucial for oligomerization, the interaction with DrRecA, and DNA binding. Furthermore, we showed that both oligomerization and DNA binding properties of DrDprA are integral to its support of the DrRecA-catalyzed strand exchange reaction (SER) in vitro. Together, these data suggested that DrDprA is largely structurally conserved with other DprA homologs but shows some unique structure-function features like the existence of an additional C-terminal Drosophila melanogaster Miasto-like protein 1 (DML1) domain, equal affinities for ssDNA and dsDNA, and the collective roles of oligomerization and DNA binding properties in supporting DrRecA functions. IMPORTANCE Bacteria can take up extracellular DNA (eDNA) by natural transformation (NT). Many bacteria, including Deinococcus radiodurans, have constitutive competence systems and can take up eDNA throughout their growth phase. DprA (DNA processing protein A) is a transformation-specific recombination mediator protein (RMP) that plays a role in bacterial NT, and the absence of this gene significantly reduces the transformation efficiencies of both chromosomal and plasmid DNA. NT helps bacteria survive under adverse conditions and contributes to genetic diversity in bacteria. The present work describes the characterization of DprA from D. radiodurans and will add to the existing knowledge of DprA biology.