scholarly journals Envelope Control of Outer Membrane Vesicle Production in Gram-Negative Bacteria

Biochemistry ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 52 (18) ◽  
pp. 3031-3040 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmen Schwechheimer ◽  
Claretta J. Sullivan ◽  
Meta J. Kuehn
mBio ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey W. Schertzer ◽  
Marvin Whiteley

ABSTRACTGram-negative bacteria naturally produce outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) that arise through bulging and pinching off of the outer membrane. OMVs have several biological functions for bacteria, most notably as trafficking vehicles for toxins, antimicrobials, and signaling molecules. While their biological roles are now appreciated, the mechanism of OMV formation has not been fully elucidated. We recently demonstrated that the signaling molecule 2-heptyl-3-hydroxy-4-quinolone (PQS) is required for OMV biogenesis inP. aeruginosa. We hypothesized that PQS stimulates OMV formation through direct interaction with the outer leaflet of the outer membrane. To test this hypothesis, we employed a red blood cell (RBC) model that has been used extensively to study small-molecule–membrane interactions. Our results revealed that addition of PQS to RBCs induced membrane curvature, resulting in the formation of membrane spicules (spikes), consistent with small molecules that are inserted stably into the outer leaflet of the membrane. Radiotracer experiments demonstrated that sufficient PQS was inserted into the membrane to account for this curvature and that curvature induction was specific to PQS structure. These data suggest that a low rate of interleaflet flip-flop forces PQS to accumulate in and expand the outer leaflet relative to the inner leaflet, thus inducing membrane curvature. In support of PQS-mediated outer leaflet expansion, the PQS effect was antagonized by chlorpromazine, a molecule known to be preferentially inserted into the inner leaflet. Based on these data, we propose a bilayer-couple model to describeP. aeruginosaOMV biogenesis and suggest that this is a general mechanism for bacterial OMV formation.IMPORTANCEDespite the ubiquity and importance of outer membrane vesicle (OMV) production in Gram-negative bacteria, the molecular details of OMV biogenesis are not fully understood. Early experiments showed that 2-heptyl-3-hydroxy-4-quinolone (PQS) induces OMV formation through physical interaction with the membrane but did not elucidate the mechanism. The present study demonstrates that PQS specifically and reversibly promotes blebbing of model membranes dependent upon the same properties that are required for OMV formation inP. aeruginosa. These results are consistent with a mechanism where expansion of the outer leaflet relative to the inner leaflet induces localized membrane curvature. This “bilayer-couple” model can account for OMV formation under all conditions and is easily generalized to other Gram-negative bacteria. The model therefore raises the possibility of a universal paradigm for vesicle production in prokaryotes with features strikingly different from what is known in eukaryotes.


mBio ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joachim Reidl

ABSTRACT Recent research has focused on the biological role of outer membrane vesicles (OMVs), which are derived from the outer membranes (OMs) of Gram-negative bacteria, and their potential exploitation as therapeutics. OMVs have been characterized in many ways and functions. Until recently, research focused on hypothetical and empirical models that addressed the molecular mechanisms of OMV biogenesis, such as vesicles bulging from the OM in various ways. The recently reported study by Elhenawy et al. (mBio 7:e00940-16, 2016, http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/mBio.00940-16 ) provided further insights into OMV biogenesis of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. That study showed that deacylation of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) influences the level of OMV production and, furthermore, determines a sorting of high versus low acylated LPS in OMs and OMVs, respectively. Interestingly, deacylation may inversely correlate with other LPS modifications, suggesting some synergy toward optimized host resistance via best OM compositions for S . Typhimurium.


2019 ◽  
Vol 201 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anshul Sinha ◽  
Sammy Nyongesa ◽  
Charles Viau ◽  
Samantha Gruenheid ◽  
Frédéric J. Veyrier ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTOuter membrane vesicles (OMVs) are naturally produced by Gram-negative bacteria by a bulging of the outer membrane (OM) and subsequent release into the environment. By serving as vehicles for various cargos, including proteins, nucleic acids and small metabolites, OMVs are central to interbacterial interactions and both symbiotic and pathogenic host bacterial interactions. However, despite their importance, the mechanism of OMV formation remains unclear. Recent evidence indicates that covalent modifications of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) influence OMV biogenesis. Several enteric bacteria modify LPS with phosphoethanolamine (pEtN) using the iron-regulated PmrC (EptA) and CptA pEtN transferases. In wild-typeCitrobacter rodentium, the presence of increasing subtoxic concentrations of iron was found to stimulate OMV production 4- to 9-fold above baseline.C. rodentiumuses the two-component system PmrAB to sense and adapt to environmental iron. Compared to the wild type, theC. rodentiumΔpmrABstrain exhibited heightened OMV production at similar iron concentrations. PmrAB regulates transcription ofpmrC(also known aseptA) andcptA. OMV production in strains lacking eitherpmrC(eptA) orcptAwas similarly increased in comparison to that of the wild type. Importantly, plasmid complementation ofC. rodentiumstrains with eitherpmrC(eptA) orcptAresulted in a drastic inhibition of OMV production. Finally, we showed that β-lactamase and CroP, two enzymes found in theC. rodentiumperiplasm and outer membrane (OM), respectively, are associated with OMVs. These data suggest a novel mechanism by whichC. rodentiumand possibly other Gram-negative bacteria can negatively affect OMV production through the PmrAB-regulated genespmrC(eptA) andcptA.IMPORTANCEAlthough OMVs secreted by Gram-negative bacteria fulfill multiple functions, the molecular mechanism of OMV biogenesis remains ill defined. Our group has previously shown that PmrC (also known as EptA) and CptA maintain OM integrity and provide resistance to iron toxicity and antibiotics in the murine pathogenCitrobacter rodentium. In several enteric bacteria, these proteins modify the lipid A and core regions of lipopolysaccharide with phosphoethanolamine moieties. Here, we show that these proteins also repress OMV production in response to environmental iron inC. rodentium. These data support the emerging understanding that lipopolysaccharide modifications are important regulators of OMV biogenesis in Gram-negative bacteria.


mBio ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine E. Bonnington ◽  
Meta J. Kuehn

ABSTRACTThe ability of Gram-negative bacteria to carefully modulate outer membrane (OM) composition is essential to their survival. However, the asymmetric and heterogeneous structure of the Gram-negative OM poses unique challenges to the cell’s successful adaption to rapid environmental transitions. Although mechanisms to recycle and degrade OM phospholipid material exist, there is no known mechanism by which to remove unfavorable lipopolysaccharide (LPS) glycoforms, except slow dilution through cell growth. As all Gram-negative bacteria constitutively shed OM vesicles (OMVs), we propose that cells may utilize OMV formation as a way to selectively remove environmentally disadvantageous LPS species. We examined the native kinetics of OM composition during physiologically relevant environmental changes inSalmonella enterica, a well-characterized model system for activation of PhoP/Q and PmrA/B two-component systems (TCSs). In response to acidic pH, toxic metals, antimicrobial peptides, and lack of divalent cations, these TCSs modify the LPS lipid A and core, lengthen the O antigen, and upregulate specific OM proteins. An environmental change to PhoP/Q- and PmrA/B-activating conditions simultaneously induced the addition of modified species of LPS to the OM, downregulation of previously dominant species of LPS, greater OMV production, and increased OMV diameter. Comparison of the relative abundance of lipid A species present in the OM and the newly budded OMVs following two sets of rapid environmental shifts revealed the retention of lipid A species with modified phosphate moieties in the OM concomitant with the selective loss of palmitoylated species via vesiculation following exposure to moderately acidic environmental conditions.IMPORTANCEAll Gram-negative bacteria alter the structural composition of LPS present in their OM in response to various environmental stimuli. We developed a system to track the native dynamics of lipid A change inSalmonella entericaserovar Typhimurium following an environmental shift to PhoP/Q- and PmrA/B-inducing conditions. We show that growth conditions influence OMV production, size, and lipid A content. We further demonstrate that the lipid A content of OMVs does not fit a stochastic model of content selection, revealing the significant retention of lipid A species containing covalent modifications that mask their 1- and 4′-phosphate moieties under host-like conditions. Furthermore, palmitoylation of the lipid A to form hepta-acylated species substantially increases the likelihood of its incorporation into OMVs. These results highlight a role for the OMV response in OM remodeling and maintenance processes in Gram-negative bacteria.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiajun Wang ◽  
Rémi Terrasse ◽  
Jayesh Arun Bafna ◽  
Lorraine Benier ◽  
Mathias Winterhalter

Multi-drug resistance in Gram-negative bacteria is often associated with low permeability of the outer membrane. To investigate the role of membrane channels in the uptake of antibiotics, we extract, purify and reconstitute them into artificial planar membranes. To avoid this time-consuming procedure, here we show a robust approach using fusion of native outer membrane vesicles (OMV) into planar lipid bilayer which moreover allows also to some extend the characterization of membrane protein channels in their native environment. Two major membrane channels from <i>Escherichia coli</i>, OmpF and OmpC, were overexpressed from the host and the corresponding OMVs were collected. Each OMV fusion revealed surprisingly single or only few channel activities. The asymmetry of the OMV´s translates after fusion into the lipid membrane with the LPS dominantly present at the side of OMV addition. Compared to conventional reconstitution methods, the channels fused from OMVs containing LPS have similar conductance but a much broader distribution. The addition of Enrofloxacin on the LPS side yields somewhat higher association (<i>k<sub>on</sub></i>) and lower dissociation (<i>k<sub>off</sub></i>) rates compared to LPS-free reconstitution. We conclude that using outer membrane vesicles is a fast and easy approach for functional and structural studies of membrane channels in the native membrane.


BIO-PROTOCOL ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (23) ◽  
Author(s):  
Oh Kim ◽  
Bok Hong ◽  
Kyong-Su Park ◽  
Yae Yoon ◽  
Seng Choi ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (10) ◽  
pp. 5328
Author(s):  
Miao Ma ◽  
Margaux Lustig ◽  
Michèle Salem ◽  
Dominique Mengin-Lecreulx ◽  
Gilles Phan ◽  
...  

One of the major families of membrane proteins found in prokaryote genome corresponds to the transporters. Among them, the resistance-nodulation-cell division (RND) transporters are highly studied, as being responsible for one of the most problematic mechanisms used by bacteria to resist to antibiotics, i.e., the active efflux of drugs. In Gram-negative bacteria, these proteins are inserted in the inner membrane and form a tripartite assembly with an outer membrane factor and a periplasmic linker in order to cross the two membranes to expulse molecules outside of the cell. A lot of information has been collected to understand the functional mechanism of these pumps, especially with AcrAB-TolC from Escherichia coli, but one missing piece from all the suggested models is the role of peptidoglycan in the assembly. Here, by pull-down experiments with purified peptidoglycans, we precise the MexAB-OprM interaction with the peptidoglycan from Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, highlighting a role of the peptidoglycan in stabilizing the MexA-OprM complex and also differences between the two Gram-negative bacteria peptidoglycans.


2010 ◽  
Vol 192 (24) ◽  
pp. 6329-6335 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. K. Fenton ◽  
M. Kanna ◽  
R. D. Woods ◽  
S.-I. Aizawa ◽  
R. E. Sockett

ABSTRACT The Bdellovibrio are miniature “living antibiotic” predatory bacteria which invade, reseal, and digest other larger Gram-negative bacteria, including pathogens. Nutrients for the replication of Bdellovibrio bacteria come entirely from the digestion of the single invaded bacterium, now called a bdelloplast, which is bound by the original prey outer membrane. Bdellovibrio bacteria are efficient digesters of prey cells, yielding on average 4 to 6 progeny from digestion of a single prey cell of a genome size similar to that of the Bdellovibrio cell itself. The developmental intrabacterial cycle of Bdellovibrio is largely unknown and has never been visualized “live.” Using the latest motorized xy stage with a very defined z-axis control and engineered periplasmically fluorescent prey allows, for the first time, accurate return and visualization without prey bleaching of developing Bdellovibrio cells using solely the inner resources of a prey cell over several hours. We show that Bdellovibrio bacteria do not follow the familiar pattern of bacterial cell division by binary fission. Instead, they septate synchronously to produce both odd and even numbers of progeny, even when two separate Bdellovibrio cells have invaded and develop within a single prey bacterium, producing two different amounts of progeny. Evolution of this novel septation pattern, allowing odd progeny yields, allows optimal use of the finite prey cell resources to produce maximal replicated, predatory bacteria. When replication is complete, Bdellovibrio cells exit the exhausted prey and are seen leaving via discrete pores rather than by breakdown of the entire outer membrane of the prey.


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