Journal: Nucleic Acids Res / Year: 2026 Title: Bacillus subtilis DnaB forms multiple protein-protein interactions essential for DNA replication initiation. Authors: Aurélie Guyet / Reyes Ruiz Campoy / Petra Manja / Frederic D Schramm / Simone Pelliciari / Stepan Fenyk / Yuanyuan Li / Charles Winterhalter / Aravindan Ilangovan / Heath Murray / Abstract: DNA replication is initiated at specific chromosomal loci termed origins. In bacteria, the master replication initiation protein DnaA unwinds the origin (oriC), allowing a pair of replicative ...DNA replication is initiated at specific chromosomal loci termed origins. In bacteria, the master replication initiation protein DnaA unwinds the origin (oriC), allowing a pair of replicative helicases to be loaded around each strand of the DNA duplex. The molecular mechanisms for managing bacterial helicase loading at oriC are unclear. Here we have investigated the role of the essential accessory helicase loader DnaB in Bacillus subtilis. By identifying and characterizing DnaB residues that are critical for its role during DNA replication initiation, we have located three necessary protein-protein interactions that DnaB makes with initiation proteins DnaA, DnaD, and DnaI. Combining single particle cryo-electron microscopy, AlphaFold3 predictions, and two-hybrid interaction analyses, the data suggests that DnaB acts as an interaction hub to orchestrate dual helicase loading at the origin. We propose a model for DNA replication initiation in B. subtilis and related Firmicutes pathogens that employ DnaB-type helicase loaders.
History
Deposition
Mar 18, 2026
Deposition site: PDBE / Processing site: PDBE
Revision 1.0
Jul 15, 2026
Provider: repository / Type: Initial release
Revision 1.0
Jul 15, 2026
Data content type: EM metadata / Data content type: EM metadata / Provider: repository / Type: Initial release
Revision 1.0
Jul 15, 2026
Data content type: FSC / Data content type: FSC / Provider: repository / Type: Initial release
Revision 1.0
Jul 15, 2026
Data content type: Half map / Part number: 1 / Data content type: Half map / Provider: repository / Type: Initial release
Revision 1.0
Jul 15, 2026
Data content type: Half map / Part number: 2 / Data content type: Half map / Provider: repository / Type: Initial release
Revision 1.0
Jul 15, 2026
Data content type: Image / Data content type: Image / Provider: repository / Type: Initial release
Revision 1.0
Jul 15, 2026
Data content type: Primary map / Data content type: Primary map / Provider: repository / Type: Initial release
Replicativehelicaseloading/DNAremodelingproteinDnaB / Replication initiation and membrane attachment protein / Replicative helicase loader DnaB
Mass: 54960.770 Da / Num. of mol.: 4 Source method: isolated from a genetically manipulated source Details: DnaB chains A and D / Source: (gene. exp.) Bacillus subtilis (bacteria) / Gene: dnaB, BSU28990 / Production host: Escherichia coli (E. coli) / References: UniProt: P07908
Has protein modification
N
-
Experimental details
-
Experiment
Experiment
Method: ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
EM experiment
Aggregation state: PARTICLE / 3D reconstruction method: single particle reconstruction
-
Sample preparation
Component
Name: Bacillus subtilis DnaB / Type: ORGANELLE OR CELLULAR COMPONENT / Details: Apo / Entity ID: all / Source: RECOMBINANT
Molecular weight
Value: 0.104 MDa / Experimental value: NO
Source (natural)
Organism: Bacillus subtilis (bacteria)
Source (recombinant)
Organism: Escherichia coli (E. coli)
Buffer solution
pH: 7.4
Specimen
Embedding applied: NO / Shadowing applied: NO / Staining applied: NO / Vitrification applied: YES / Details: Apo DnaB
Electron dose: 40 e/Å2 / Film or detector model: GATAN K3 BIOQUANTUM (6k x 4k) / Num. of real images: 12516
-
Processing
EM software
ID
Name
Version
Category
1
cryoSPARC
4.7.1
particleselection
2
EPU
imageacquisition
4
cryoSPARC
4.7.1
CTFcorrection
7
UCSF ChimeraX
10
modelfitting
12
cryoSPARC
3Dreconstruction
13
PHENIX
1.21.2_5419
modelrefinement
CTF correction
Type: PHASE FLIPPING AND AMPLITUDE CORRECTION
Particle selection
Num. of particles selected: 2578235
Symmetry
Point symmetry: C2 (2 fold cyclic)
3D reconstruction
Resolution: 3.1 Å / Resolution method: FSC 0.143 CUT-OFF / Num. of particles: 144168 / Num. of class averages: 3 / Symmetry type: POINT
Atomic model building
B value: 139.5 / Protocol: RIGID BODY FIT / Space: REAL Details: Initial rigid body fitting was done using Chimera X (Fit to Map). After retracing terminal residues, as well as rebuilding around Arg57, further modelling and real space refinement was used ...Details: Initial rigid body fitting was done using Chimera X (Fit to Map). After retracing terminal residues, as well as rebuilding around Arg57, further modelling and real space refinement was used to refine the final model.
Atomic model building
Chain residue range: 7-288 / Details: Truncated alphafold DnaB tetramer prediction / Source name: AlphaFold / Type: in silico model
Refinement
Highest resolution: 3.1 Å Stereochemistry target values: REAL-SPACE (WEIGHTED MAP SUM AT ATOM CENTERS)
Refine LS restraints
Refine-ID
Type
Dev ideal
Number
ELECTRONMICROSCOPY
f_bond_d
0.002
7504
ELECTRONMICROSCOPY
f_angle_d
0.404
10148
ELECTRONMICROSCOPY
f_dihedral_angle_d
11.383
2874
ELECTRONMICROSCOPY
f_chiral_restr
0.036
1102
ELECTRONMICROSCOPY
f_plane_restr
0.003
1316
+
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