The peptidyl-prolyl isomerase domain of the CyP-40 cyclophilin homolog Cpr7 is not required to support growth or glucocorticoid receptor activity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

CyP-40 cyclophilins are found in association with molecular chaperone Hsp90-steroid receptor complexes. The amino-terminal portion of these cyclophilins harbors the characteristic peptidyl-prolyl isomerase (PPI-ase) domain, whereas three copies of the tetratricopeptide (TPR) motif, a structure shown to be involved in protein-protein interactions, and a putative calmodulin-binding domain are located in the carboxyl-terminal half of the protein. The TPR domains mediate binding to Hsp90, but a requirement for the PPIase domain has not been established. To address this, we have investigated the effects of mutations that alter the PPIase domain of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae CyP-40 homolog, Cpr7. Because Cpr7 is required for rapid growth and full Hsp90 activity, a functional assessment of the PPIase domain could be performed in vivo. A mutation in the catalytic domain altering a conserved site predicted to be essential for isomerase activity did not compromise Cpr7 function. Furthermore, deletion of the entire PPIase domain did not significantly affect growth or Hsp90-mediated steroid receptor activity. These results indicate that the TPR-containing carboxyl terminus of Cpr7 is sufficient for fundamental Cpr7-dependent activity.