The gene 2.5 protein (gp2.5) of bacteriophage T7 is a single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) binding protein that has essential roles in DNA replication and recombination. In addition to binding DNA, gp2.5 physically interacts with T7 DNA polymerase and T7 primase-helicase during replication to coordinate events at the replication fork. We have determined a 1.9-A crystal structure of gp2.5 and show that it has a conserved OB-fold (oligosaccharide/oligonucleotide binding fold) that is well adapted for interactions with ssDNA. Superposition of the OB-folds of gp2.5 and other ssDNA binding proteins reveals a conserved patch of aromatic residues that stack against the bases of ssDNA in the other crystal structures, suggesting that gp2.5 binds to ssDNA in a similar manner. An acidic C-terminal extension of the gp2.5 protein, which is required for dimer formation and for interactions with the T7 DNA polymerase and the primase-helicase, appears to be flexible and may act as a switch that modulates the DNA binding affinity of gp2.5.
