AlphaFold2-guided description of CoBaHMA, a novel family of bacterial
domains within the Heavy-Metal Associated superfamily
Abstract
Three-dimensional structure information, now available at the proteome
scale, may facilitate the detection of remote evolutionary relationships
in protein superfamilies. Here, we illustrate this with the
identification of a novel family of protein domains related to the
ferredoxin-like superfold, by combining (i) transitive sequence
similarity searches, (ii) clustering approaches and (iii) the use of
AlphaFold2 3D structure models. Domains of this family called CoBaHMA,
were initially identified in relation with the intracellular
biomineralization of calcium carbonates by Cyanobacteria. They are part
of the large heavy-metal-associated (HMA) superfamily, departing from
the latter by specific sequence and structural features. In particular,
most CoBaHMA domains share conserved basic amino acids, forming a
positively charged surface, which is likely to interact with anionic
partners. CoBaHMA domains are found in diverse modular organizations in
bacteria, existing in the form of monodomain proteins or as part of
larger proteins, some of which are membrane proteins involved in
transport or lipid metabolism. This suggests that the CoBaHMA domains
may exert a regulatory function, involving interactions with anionic
lipids. This hypothesis might have a particular resonance in the context
of the compartmentalization observed for cyanobacterial intracellular
calcium carbonates.