Cu+-ATPases receive Cu+ from specific chaperones via ligand exchange and subsequently drive the metal efflux from the cell cytoplasms. Cu+-ATPases have two transmembrane metal binding/transport sites (TM-MBS) and various cytoplasmic domains: the actuator (A-domain) and ATP binding domains (ATPBD), and regulatory N-terminal metal binding domains (N-MBD). Archaeoglobus fulgidus CopA, the Cu+-ATPase used in these studies, contains a single N-MBD and an apparently non-functional C-terminal MBD. The Cu+ dependent interaction of N-MBD and ATPBD was postulated as a possible mechanism for enzyme regulation. The Cu+ transfer from the chaperone to CopA is independent of the N-MBD capability to bind Cu+. Therefore, we hypothesized that ligand (Cu+ or nucleotide) binding to cytoplasmic domains might affect the interactions between the cytoplasmic domains. To test these ideas, the interactions among isolated cytoplasmic domains were characterized. Studies using isolated domains showed that while the N-MBD interacts with ATPBD, the presence of Cu+ or nucleotide (ADP) prevents this interaction. The N-MBD does not interact with the A domain. Alternatively, the C-MBD interacts with both ATPBD and A-domains in a ligand independent fashion. Only one Cu+ is transferred to CopA in absence of nucleotides, while the presence of ADP allows full loading of TM-MBS. These results suggest that the ligand binding affects the interactions between the cytoplasmic domains, and also change the conformation of CopA to help it accept the second Cu+ from chaperone.

CopA, a thermophilic membrane ATPase from Archaeoglobus fulgidus, drives the outward movement of Cu+ across cellular membranes. CopA contains at least two metal binding domains, a regulatory N-terminal Metal Binding Domain (N-MBD) and an occlusion/coordinating metal binding site in the 6th, 7th and 8th transmembrane segments. Previous studies showed that the presence of millimolar concentration of Cys is essential for CopA activity. The high affinity of CopA for metal in the presence of millimolar concentration of Cys suggests a multifaceted interaction of the enzyme with Cys. To elucidate the role of Cys, we studied its effect on the partial reactions of the catalytic cycle of CopA. We observed that 2-50 mM Cys accelerates enzyme turnover with little effect on the Cu+ affinity of CopA. Cys accelerates enzyme phosphorylation, but has no effect on the dephosphorylation rates. Thus, Cys increases steady state phosphoenzyme levels. Besides, Cys has no significant effect on E1¡ÃƒÂªE2 equilibrium. Similar results were observed in truncated CopA lacking the N-MBD suggesting that enzyme activation by Cys is independent of the regulatory metal binding sites. These results and the kinetic analysis of activation curves suggest that while Cu+ is delivered to the transport site as a Cu-Cys complex, Cys in the mM range stimulates the ATPase acting as a non-essential activator.

La symbiose entre Anthyllis vulneraria et Mesorhizobium metallidurans, mise en évidence dans l'ancienne mine Zn/Pb des Avinières à St Laurent-le-Minier (Gard) permet une entrée d'azote dans les sols grâce à la fixation biologique qui favorise l'installation d'une végétation pérenne d'intérêt pour limiter la pollution métallique via l'érosion éolienne et hydrique. M. metallidurans ayant la particularité de résister à de fortes concentrations en Zn et Cd, la recherche des gènes d'adaptation aux métaux lourds a été mise en œuvre pour mieux connaitre cette bactérie impliquée dans des opérations de phytostabilisation, par des approches de génétique moléculaire et de transcriptomie (RNAseq). Les gènes codant pour des systèmes de séquestration, d'exclusion, de réduction et d'efflux des métaux lourds, dont cadA1, codant pour une PIB-ATPase exportant Cd/Zn ont été identifiés chez deux souches métallicoles associées à Anthyllis ; M. metallidurans STM 2683T (mine des Avinières) et Mesorhizobium sp. STM 4661 (mine d'Eylie). Une étude fonctionnelle de cadA1 a permis de caractériser son rôle dans la résistance aux métaux lourds chez M. metallidurans. Ce gène a ensuite été testé comme marqueur de résistance pour étudier la diversité et la répartition des symbiotes d'Anthyllis sur des sites miniers et non pollués. Pour cela ce travail a été complété par des analyses phénotypiques de tolérance au Zn et Cd et des analyses phylogénétiques basées sur des marqueurs taxonomiques et symbiotiques. La contrainte métallique exercée par les environnements miniers semble influencer la composition et la diversité bactérienne avec une plus forte proportion (i) de phénotype métallicole lié à la présence du gène cadA1 et (ii) de rhizobia appartenant à M. metallidurans ou à une espèce très proche. La plante hôte semble quant à elle influencer la diversité symbiotique des rhizobia, indépendamment de la contrainte métallique. / Efficient nitrogen-fixing symbiosis between Anthyllis vulneraria and Mesorhizobium metallidurans, identified in the highly Zn/Pb polluted mining site of Avinières (St Laurent-le-Minier, Gard county, France) has recently been described as a potential key bioremediation agent for stimulating the growth of a sustainable plant cover and thus limit heavy metal dispersion from contaminated sites. M. metallidurans strains were shown to be resistant to high Zn and Cd concentrations. The aim of our work was to identify and characterize genes involved in heavy metal adaptation in M. metallidurans by using genetic and transcriptomic approaches (RNAseq technology). Putative genes involved in heavy metal adaptation mechanisms such as exclusion, binding, reduction and efflux, like cadA1, encoding an efflux system PIB-type ATPase involved in Zn and Cd export, were identified in two Mesorhizobium strains associated with Anthyllis: M. metallidurans STM 2683T (Avinières mine) and Mesorhizobium sp. STM 4661 (Eylie mine). Functional studies allowed us to characterize the cadA1 efflux protein as involved in metal tolerance in M. metallidurans. Then, cadA1 was used as a metal-resistance marker to study the diversity and the distribution of Anthyllis symbionts from mine soils and unpolluted soils. This work was completed by Zn- and Cd-tolerance phenotype assays and phylogenetic analyses using taxonomical and symbiotic markers. Metals in mine environments seemed to influence the bacterial composition and the diversity with a high proportion of (i) metal-tolerant phenotypes consistent with the detection of the cadA1 gene and (ii) strains belonging to the M. metallidurans species or to a bacterial species close to it. The plant-hosts seemed to impact symbiotic diversity independently of the metal-tolerant property.