The molecular basis of phosphite and hypophosphite recognition by ABC-transporters

Claudine Bisson, Nathan B. P. Adams, Ben Stevenson, Amanda A. Brindley, Despo Polyviou, Thomas S. Bibby, Patrick J. Baker, C. Neil Hunter and Andrew Hitchcock ()
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Claudine Bisson: University of Sheffield
Nathan B. P. Adams: University of Sheffield
Ben Stevenson: University of Sheffield
Amanda A. Brindley: University of Sheffield
Despo Polyviou: University of Southampton
Thomas S. Bibby: University of Southampton
Patrick J. Baker: University of Sheffield
C. Neil Hunter: University of Sheffield
Andrew Hitchcock: University of Sheffield

Nature Communications, 2017, vol. 8, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: Abstract Inorganic phosphate is the major bioavailable form of the essential nutrient phosphorus. However, the concentration of phosphate in most natural habitats is low enough to limit microbial growth. Under phosphate-depleted conditions some bacteria utilise phosphite and hypophosphite as alternative sources of phosphorus, but the molecular basis of reduced phosphorus acquisition from the environment is not fully understood. Here, we present crystal structures and ligand binding affinities of periplasmic binding proteins from bacterial phosphite and hypophosphite ATP-binding cassette transporters. We reveal that phosphite and hypophosphite specificity results from a combination of steric selection and the presence of a P-H…π interaction between the ligand and a conserved aromatic residue in the ligand-binding pocket. The characterisation of high affinity and specific transporters has implications for the marine phosphorus redox cycle, and might aid the use of phosphite as an alternative phosphorus source in biotechnological, industrial and agricultural applications.

Date: 2017
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-01226-8

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