Cooperativity in ATP Hydrolysis by MopR Is Modulated by Its Signal Reception Domain and by Its Protein and Phenol Concentrations.

The NtrC family of AAA+ proteins are bacterial transcriptional regulators that control σ54-dependent RNA polymerase transcription under certain stressful conditions. MopR, which is a member of this family, is responsive to phenol and stimulates its degradation. Biochemical studies to understand the role of ATP and phenol in oligomerization and allosteric regulation, which are described here, show that MopR undergoes concentration-dependent oligomerization in which dimers assemble into functional hexamers. The oligomerization occurs in a nucleation-dependent manner with a tetrameric intermediate. Additionally, phenol binding is shown to be responsible for shifting MopR's equilibrium from a repressed state (high affinity toward ATP) to a functionally active, derepressed state with low-affinity for ATP. Based on these findings, we propose a model for allosteric regulation of MopR. IMPORTANCE The NtrC family of bacterial transcriptional regulators are enzymes with a modular architecture that harbor a signal sensing domain followed by a AAA+ domain. MopR, a NtrC family member, responds to phenol and activates phenol adaptation pathways that are transcribed by σ54-dependent RNA polymerases. Our results show that for efficient ATP hydrolysis, MopR assembles as functional hexamers and that this activity of MopR is regulated by its effector (phenol), ATP, and protein concentration. Our findings, and the kinetic methods we employ, should be useful in dissecting the allosteric mechanisms of other AAA+ proteins, in general, and NtrC family members in particular.