The Symmetrical Structure of Structural Maintenance of Chromosomes (SMC) and MukB Proteins: Long, Antiparallel Coiled Coils, Folded at a Flexible Hinge

Abstract

Structural maintenance of chromosomes (SMC) proteins function in chromosome condensation and several other aspects of DNA processing. They are large proteins characterized by an NH2-terminal nucleotide triphosphate (NTP)-binding domain, two long segments of coiled coil separated by a hinge, and a COOH-terminal domain. Here, we have visualized by EM the SMC protein from Bacillus subtilis (BsSMC) and MukB from Escherichia coli, which we argue is a divergent SMC protein. Both BsSMC and MukB show two thin rods with globular domains at the ends emerging from the hinge. The hinge appears to be quite flexible: the arms can open up to 180°, separating the terminal domains by 100 nm, or close to near 0°, bringing the terminal globular domains together.