Mechanism for the TtDnaA–Tt-oriC cooperative interaction at high temperature and duplex opening at an unusual AT-rich region in Thermoanaerobacter tengcongensis

Thermoanaerobacter tengcongensis is an anaerobic low-GC thermophilic bacterium. To further elucidate the replication initiation of chromosomal DNA at high temperature, the interaction between the replication initiator (TtDnaA) and the putative origin (Tt-oriC) in this thermophile was investigated. We found that efficient binding of TtDnaA to Tt-oriC at high temperature requires (i) at least two neighboring DnaA boxes, (ii) the specific feature of the TtDnaA Domain IV and (iii) the self-oligomerization of TtDnaA. Replacement of the TtDnaA Domain IV by the counterpart of Escherichia coli DnaA or disruption of its oligomerization by amino acid mutations (W9A/L20S) abolished the oriC-binding activity of TtDnaA at 60°C, but not at 37°C. Moreover, ATP-TtDnaA, but not ADP-TtDnaA or the oligomerization-deficient mutants was able to unwind the Tt-oriC duplex. The minimal oriC required for this duplex opening in vitro was demonstrated to consist of DnaA boxes 1–8 and an unusual AT-rich region. Interestingly, although no typical ATP-DnaA box was found in this AT-rich region, it was exclusively bound by ATP-TtDnaA and acted as the duplex-opening and replication-initiation site. Taken together, we propose that oligomerization of ATP-DnaA and simultaneously binding of several DnaA boxes and/or AT-rich region may be generally required in replication initiation at high temperature.