Selected BTB/POZ‐kelch proteins bind ATP

Abstract

Proteins with a bric-à-brac, tramtrack, broad-complex/Poxvirus zinc fingers (BTB/POZ) domain are implicated in a broad variety of biological processes, including DNA binding, regulation of gene transcription and organization of macromolecular structures. Kelch domain containing BTB/POZ proteins like Mayven and Keap1 display limited sequence similarity with the actin-fragmin kinase from Physarum, a protein kinase with a kelch domain. We show that mouse Keap1, a Caenorhabditis elegans protein that we named CKR, and human Mayven bind 5'-p-fluorosulfonyl-benzoyl-adenosine (FSBA), a covalently modifying ATP analogue. Binding with 2-azido-ATP or ATP-Sepharose is also demonstrated. In contrast to Mayven, FSBA binding by CKR and Keap1 was specifically inhibited by excess ATP. The ATP binding pocket is located in the N-terminal half of Keap1. Our findings indicate that several, but not all, BTB/POZ-kelch domain proteins possess an inconspicuous ATP binding cassette.