@article{RaduSchoenwetterBraunetal.2017,
  author    = {Radu, Laura and Schoenwetter, Elisabeth and Braun, Cathy and Marcoux, Julien and Koelmel, Wolfgang and Schmitt, Dominik R. and Kuper, Jochen and Cianf{\´e}rani, Sarah and Egly, Jean M. and Poterszman, Arnaud and Kisker, Caroline},
  title     = {The intricate network between the p34 and p44 subunits is central to the activity of the transcription/DNA repair factor TFIIH},
  series = {Nucleic Acids Research},
  volume    = {45},
  journal   = {Nucleic Acids Research},
  number    = {18},
  doi       = {10.1093/nar/gkx743},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-170173},
  pages     = {10872-10883},
  year      = {2017},
  abstract  = {The general transcription factor IIH (TFIIH) is a multi-protein complex and its 10 subunits are engaged in an intricate protein-protein interaction network critical for the regulation of its transcription and DNA repair activities that are so far little understood on a molecular level. In this study, we focused on the p44 and the p34 subunits, which are central for the structural integrity of core-TFIIH. We solved crystal structures of a complex formed by the p34 N-terminal vWA and p44 C-terminal zinc binding domains from Chaetomium thermophilum and from Homo sapiens. Intriguingly, our functional analyses clearly revealed the presence of a second interface located in the C-terminal zinc binding region of p34, which can rescue a disrupted interaction between the p34 vWA and the p44 RING domain. In addition, we demonstrate that the C-terminal zinc binding domain of p34 assumes a central role with respect to the stability and function of TFIIH. Our data reveal a redundant interaction network within core-TFIIH, which may serve to minimize the susceptibility to mutational impairment. This provides first insights why so far no mutations in the p34 or p44 TFIIH-core subunits have been identified that would lead to the hallmark nucleotide excision repair syndromes xeroderma pigmentosum or trichothiodystrophy.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Schmitt2017,
  author    = {Schmitt, Dominik},
  title     = {Structural Characterization of the TFIIH Subunits p34 and p44 from C. thermophilum},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-104851},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2017},
  abstract  = {Several important cellular processes, including transcription, nucleotide excision repair and cell cycle control are mediated by the multifaceted interplay of subunits within the general transcription factor II H (TFIIH). A better understanding of the molecular structure of TFIIH is the key to unravel the mechanism of action of this versatile protein complex within these pathways. This becomes especially important in the context of severe diseases like xeroderma pigmentosum, Cockayne syndrome and trichothiodystrophy, that arise from single point mutations in some of the TFIIH subunits. In an attempt to structurally characterize the TFIIH complex, we harnessed the qualities of the eukaryotic thermophile Chaetomium thermophilum, a remarkable fungus, which has only recently been recognized as a novel model organism. Homologues of TFIIH from C. thermophilum were expressed in E. coli, purified to homogeneity and subsequently utilized for crystallization trials and biochemical studies. The results of the present work include the first crystal structure of the p34 subunit of TFIIH, comprising the N-terminal domain of the protein. The structure revealed a von Willebrand Factor A (vWA) like fold, which is generally known to be involved in a multitude of protein-protein interactions. Structural comparison allowed to delineate similarities as well as differences to already known vWA domains, providing insight into the role of p34 within TFIIH. These results indicate that p34 assumes the role of a structural scaffold for other TFIIH subunits via its vWA domain, while likely serving additional functions, which are mediated through its C-terminal zinc binding domain and are so far unknown. Within TFIIH p34 interacts strongly with the p44 subunit, a positive regulator of the XPD helicase, which is required for regulation of RNA Polymerase II mediated transcription and essential for eukaryotic nucleotide excision repair. Based on the p34 vWA structure putative protein-protein interfaces were analyzed and binding sites for the p34 p44 interaction suggested. Continuous crystallization efforts then led to the first structure of a p34 p44 minimal complex, comprising the N-terminal vWA domain of p34 and the C-terminal C4C4 RING domain of p44. The structure of the p34 p44 minimal complex verified the previous hypothesis regarding the involved binding sites. In addition, careful analysis of the complex interface allowed to identify critical residues, which were subsequently mutated and analyzed with respect to their significance in mediating the p34 p44 interaction, by analytical size exclusion chromatography, electrophoretic mobility shift assays and isothermal titration calorimetry. The structure of the p34 p44 complex also revealed a binding mode of the p44 C4C4 RING domain, which differed from that of other known RING domains in several aspects, supporting the hypothesis that p44 contains a novel variation of this domain.},
  subject      = {DNA-Reparatur},
  language  = {en}
}