The novel human DNA helicase hFBH1 is an F-box protein

J Biol Chem. 2002 Jul 5;277(27):24530-7. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M201612200. Epub 2002 Apr 15.

Abstract

We have identified a novel DNA helicase in humans that belongs to members of the superfamily I helicase and found that it contains a well conserved F-box motif at its N terminus. We have named the enzyme hFBH1 (human F-box DNA helicase 1). Recombinant hFBH1, containing glutathione S-transferase at the N terminus, was expressed in Sf9 cells and purified. In this report, we show that hFBH1 exhibited DNA-dependent ATPase and DNA unwinding activities that displace duplex DNA in the 3' to 5' direction. The hFBH1 enzyme interacted with human SKP1 and formed an SCF (SKP1/Cullin/F-box) complex together with human Cullin and ROC1. In addition, the SCF complex containing hFBH1 as an F-box protein displayed ubiquitin ligase activity. We demonstrate that hFBH1 is the first F-box protein that possesses intrinsic enzyme activity. The potential role of the F-box motif and the helicase activity of the enzyme are discussed with regard to regulation of DNA metabolism.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • DNA Helicases / chemistry*
  • DNA Helicases / metabolism
  • DNA Primers
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Escherichia coli Proteins
  • Humans
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Protein Conformation
  • Recombinant Proteins / chemistry
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Spodoptera
  • Transfection

Substances

  • DNA Primers
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Escherichia coli Proteins
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • TraI protein, E coli
  • DNA Helicases
  • FBH1 protein, human