The substrate binding domain of LysR-type transcriptional regulators (LTTRs), a member of the type 2 periplasmic binding fold protein superfamily.
This model and hierarchy represent the the substrate-binding domain of the LysR-type transcriptional regulators that form the largest family of prokaryotic transcription factor. Homologs of some of LTTRs with similar domain organizations are also found in the archaea and eukaryotic organisms. The LTTRs are composed of two functional domains joined by a linker helix involved in oligomerization: an N-terminal HTH (helix-turn-helix) domain, which is responsible for the DNA-binding specificity, and a C-terminal substrate-binding domain, which is structurally homologous to the type 2 periplasmic binding proteins. As also observed in the periplasmic binding proteins, the C-terminal domain of the bacterial transcriptional repressor undergoes a conformational change upon substrate binding which in turn changes the DNA binding affinity of the repressor. The genes controlled by the LTTRs have diverse functional roles including amino acid biosynthesis, CO2 fixation, antibiotic resistance, degradation of aromatic compounds, oxidative stress responses, nodule formation of nitrogen-fixing bacteria, synthesis of virulence factors, toxin production, attachment and secretion, to name a few. The structural topology of this substrate-binding domain is most similar to that of the type 2 periplasmic binding proteins (PBP2), which are responsible for the uptake of a variety of substrates such as phosphate, sulfate, polysaccharides, lysine/arginine/ornithine, and histidine. The PBP2 bind their ligand in the cleft between these domains in a manner resembling a Venus flytrap. After binding their specific ligand with high affinity, they can interact with a cognate membrane transport complex comprised of two integral membrane domains and two cytoplasmically located ATPase domains. This interaction triggers the ligand translocation across the cytoplasmic membrane energized by ATP hydrolysis. Besides transport proteins, the PBP2 superfamily includes the substrate-binding domains from ionotropic glutamate receptors, LysR-like transcriptional regulators, and unorthodox sensor proteins involved in signal transduction.
Jiyao W et al.(2023). "The conserved domain database in 2023.",