Rv0802c is an acyltransferase that succinylates and acetylates Mycobacterium tuberculosis nucleoid-associated protein HU

Microbiology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 167 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chinmay Anand ◽  
Meghna Santoshi ◽  
Prakruti R Singh ◽  
Valakunja Nagaraja

Among the nucleoid-associated proteins (NAPs), HU is the most conserved in eubacteria, engaged in overall chromosome organization and regulation of gene expression. Unlike other bacteria, HU from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MtHU), has a long carboxyl terminal domain enriched in basic amino acids, resembling eukaryotic histone N-terminal tails. As with histones, MtHU undergoes post-translational modifications and we have previously identified interacting kinases, methyltransferases, an acetyltransferase and a deacetylase. Here we show that Rv0802c interacts and succinylates MtHU. Although categorized as a succinyltransferase, we show that this GNAT superfamily member can catalyse both succinylation and acetylation of MtHU with comparable kinetic parameters. Like acetylation of MtHU, succinylation of MtHU caused reduced interaction of the NAP with DNA, determined by electrophoretic mobility shift assay and surface plasmon resonance. However, in vivo expression of Rv0802c did not significantly alter the nucleoid architecture. Although such succinylation of NAPs is rare, these modifications of the archetypal NAP may provide avenues to the organism to compensate for the underrepresentation of NAPs in its genome to control the dynamics of nucleoid architecture and cellular functions.

2012 ◽  
Vol 194 (18) ◽  
pp. 4904-4919 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lara L. Hause ◽  
Kevin S. McIver

ABSTRACTThe Mga regulator ofStreptococcus pyogenesdirectly activates the transcription of a core regulon that encodes virulence factors such as M protein (emm), C5a peptidase (scpA), and streptococcal inhibitor of complement (sic) by directly binding to a 45-bp binding site as determined by an electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and DNase I protection. However, by comparing the nucleotide sequences of all established Mga binding sites, we found that they exhibit only 13.4% identity with no discernible symmetry. To determine the core nucleotides involved in functional Mga-DNA interactions, the M1T1 Pemm1binding site was altered and screened for nucleotides important for DNA bindingin vitroand for transcriptional activation using a plasmid-based luciferase reporterin vivo. Following this analysis, 34 nucleotides within the Pemm1binding site that had an effect on Mga binding, Mga-dependent transcriptional activation, or both were identified. Of these critical nucleotides, guanines and cytosines within the major groove were disproportionately identified clustered at the 5′ and 3′ ends of the binding site and with runs of nonessential adenines between the critical nucleotides. On the basis of these results, a Pemm1minimal binding site of 35 bp bound Mga at a level comparable to the level of binding of the larger 45-bp site. Comparison of Pemmwith directed mutagenesis performed in the M1T1 Mga-regulated PscpAand Psicpromoters, as well as methylation interference analysis of PscpA, establish that Mga binds to DNA in a promoter-specific manner.


2020 ◽  
Vol 88 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong-Han Chen ◽  
Chien-Che Chang ◽  
Yu-Han Yuan ◽  
Shwu-Jen Liaw

ABSTRACT Proteus mirabilis, a frequent uropathogen, forms extensive biofilms on catheters that are infamously difficult to treat. To explore the mechanisms of biofilm formation by P. mirabilis, we performed in vivo transposon mutagenesis. A mutant with impaired biofilm formation was isolated. The mutant was found to have Tn5 inserted in the zapD gene, encoding an outer membrane protein of the putative type 1 secretion system ZapBCD. zapBCD and its upstream zapA gene, encoding a protease, constitute an operon under the control of CpxR, a two-component regulator. The cpxR mutant and zapA mutant strains also had a biofilm-forming defect. CpxR positively regulates the promoter activities of zapABCD, cpxP, and cpxR. An electrophoretic mobility shift assay revealed that CpxR binds zapA promoter DNA. The loss of zapD reduced CpxR-regulated gene expression of cpxR, zapA, cpxP, and mrpA, the mannose-resistant Proteus-like (MR/P) fimbrial major subunit gene. The restoration of biofilm formation in the zapD mutant with a CpxR-expressing plasmid reinforces the idea that CpxR-mediated gene expression contributes to zapD-involved biofilm formation. In trans expression of zapBCD from a zapBCD-expressing plasmid also reestablished the biofilm formation ability of the cpxR mutant to a certain level. The zapD and cpxR mutants had significantly lower protease activity, adhesion, and autoaggregation ability and production of exopolysaccharides and extracellular DNA (eDNA) than did the wild type. Finally, we identified copper as a signal for CpxR to increase biofilm formation. The loss of cpxR or zapD abolished the copper-mediated biofilm upshift. CpxR was required for copper-induced expression of zapA and cpxR. Taken together, these data highlight the important role of CpxR-regulated zapD in biofilm formation and the underlying mechanisms in P. mirabilis.


2014 ◽  
Vol 82 (5) ◽  
pp. 1880-1890 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philippa J. Randall ◽  
Nai-Jen Hsu ◽  
Dirk Lang ◽  
Susan Cooper ◽  
Boipelo Sebesho ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTMycobacterium tuberculosisinfection of the central nervous system is thought to be initiated once the bacilli have breached the blood brain barrier and are phagocytosed, primarily by microglial cells. In this study, the interactions ofM. tuberculosiswith neuronsin vitroandin vivowere investigated. The data obtained demonstrate that neurons can act as host cells forM. tuberculosis.M. tuberculosisbacilli were internalized by murine neuronal cultured cells in a time-dependent manner after exposure, with superior uptake by HT22 cells compared to Neuro-2a cells (17.7% versus 9.8%). Internalization ofM. tuberculosisbacilli by human SK-N-SH cultured neurons suggested the clinical relevance of the findings. Moreover, primary murine hippocampus-derived neuronal cultures could similarly internalizeM. tuberculosis. InternalizedM. tuberculosisbacilli represented a productive infection with retention of bacterial viability and replicative potential, increasing 2- to 4-fold within 48 h.M. tuberculosisbacillus infection of neurons was confirmedin vivoin the brains of C57BL/6 mice after intracerebral challenge. This study, therefore, demonstrates neurons as potential new target cells forM. tuberculosiswithin the central nervous system.


Microbiology ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 152 (9) ◽  
pp. 2749-2756 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nisheeth Agarwal ◽  
Tirumalai R. Raghunand ◽  
William R. Bishai

The wbl (whiB-like) genes encode putative transcription factors unique to actinomycetes. This study characterized the promoter element of one of the seven wbl genes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, whiB1 (Rv3219c). The results reveal that whiB1 is transcribed by a class I-type cAMP receptor protein (CRP)-dependent promoter, harbouring a CRP-binding site positioned at −58.5 with respect to its transcription start point. In vivo promoter activity analysis and electrophoretic mobility shift assays suggest that the expression of whiB1 is indeed regulated by cAMP-dependent binding of CRPM (encoded by the M. tuberculosis gene Rv3676) to the whiB1 5′ untranslated region (5′UTR). β-Galactosidase gene fusion analysis revealed induction of the whiB1 promoter in M. tuberculosis on addition of exogenous dibutyric cAMP (a diffusible cAMP analogue) only when an intact CRP-binding site was present. These results indicate that M. tuberculosis whiB1 transcription is regulated in part by cAMP levels via direct binding of cAMP-activated CRPM to a consensus CRP-binding site in the whiB1 5′UTR.


mBio ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lia Danelishvili ◽  
Lmar Babrak ◽  
Sasha J. Rose ◽  
Jamie Everman ◽  
Luiz E. Bermudez

ABSTRACT Inhibition of apoptotic death of macrophages by Mycobacterium tuberculosis represents an important mechanism of virulence that results in pathogen survival both in vitro and in vivo. To identify M. tuberculosis virulence determinants involved in the modulation of apoptosis, we previously screened a transposon bank of mutants in human macrophages, and an M. tuberculosis clone with a nonfunctional Rv3354 gene was identified as incompetent to suppress apoptosis. Here, we show that the Rv3354 gene encodes a protein kinase that is secreted within mononuclear phagocytic cells and is required for M. tuberculosis virulence. The Rv3354 effector targets the metalloprotease (JAMM) domain within subunit 5 of the COP9 signalosome (CSN5), resulting in suppression of apoptosis and in the destabilization of CSN function and regulatory cullin-RING ubiquitin E3 enzymatic activity. Our observation suggests that alteration of the metalloprotease activity of CSN by Rv3354 possibly prevents the ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis of M. tuberculosis-secreted proteins. IMPORTANCE Macrophage protein degradation is regulated by a protein complex called a signalosome. One of the signalosomes associated with activation of ubiquitin and protein labeling for degradation was found to interact with a secreted protein from M. tuberculosis, which binds to the complex and inactivates it. The interference with the ability to inactivate bacterial proteins secreted in the phagocyte cytosol may have crucial importance for bacterial survival within the phagocyte.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xin-Xin Liu ◽  
Wei-Bing Liu ◽  
Meng-Jia Shen ◽  
Bang-Ce Ye

AbstractMycobacterium tuberculosisutilizes the fatty acids of the host as the carbon source. While the metabolism of odd chain fatty acids produces propionyl-CoA. Methylcitrate cycle is essential for Mycobacteria to utilize the propionyl-CoA to persist and grow on these fatty acids. InM. smegmatis, methylcitrate synthase, methylcitrate dehydratase, and methylisocitrate lyase involved in methylcitrate cycle were respectively encoded byprpC,prpD,and prpBin operonprpDBC. In this study, we found that the nitrogen regulator GlnR directly binds to the promoter region ofprpDBCoperon and inhibits its transcription. The typical binding sequence of GlnR was identified by bioinformatics analysis and electrophoretic mobility shift assay. The GlnR-binding motif was seperated by 164 bp with the binding site of PrpR which was a pathway-specific transcriptional activator of methylcitrate cycle. Moreover, the affinity constant of GlnR was much stronger than that of PrpR toprpDBC. The deletion ofglnRresulted in poor growth in propionate or cholesterol medium comparing with wild-type strain. The ΔglnRmutant strain also showed a higher survival in macrophages. These results illustrated that the nitrogen regulator GlnR regulated methylcitrate cycle through directly repressing the transcription ofprpDBCoperon. The finding reveals an unprecedented link between nitrogen metabolism and methylcitrate pathway, and provides a potential application for controlling populations of pathogenic mycobacteria.Author SummaryNutrients are crucial for the survival and pathogenicity ofMycobacterium tuberculosis. The success of this pathogen survival in macrophage due to its ability to assimilate fatty acids and cholesterol from host. The cholesterol and fatty acids are catabolized via β-oxidation to generate propionyl-CoA, which is then mainly metabolized via the methylcitrate cycle. The assimilation of propionyl-CoA needs to be tightly regulated to prevent its accumulation and alleviate toxicity in cell. Here, we identified a new regulator GlnR (the nitrogen transcriptional regulator) that repressed the transcription ofprpoperon involved in methylcitrate cycle inM. smegmatis. In this study, we found a typical GlnR binding box inprpoperon, and the affinity is much stronger than that of PrpR which is known as a pathway-specific transcriptional activator of methylcitrate cycle. In addition, deletion ofglnRobviously affect the growth of mutant in propionate or cholesterol medium, and show a better viability in macrophage. The findings not only provide the insights into the regulatory mechanism underlying crosstalk of nitrogen metabolism and carbon metabolism, but also reveal a potential application for controlling populations of pathogenic mycobacteria.


Microbiology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 166 (5) ◽  
pp. 484-497 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alejandra Arteaga Ide ◽  
Victor M. Hernández ◽  
Liliana Medina-Aparicio ◽  
Edson Carcamo-Noriega ◽  
Lourdes Girard ◽  
...  

In bacteria, l-arginine is a precursor of various metabolites and can serve as a source of carbon and/or nitrogen. Arginine catabolism by arginase, which hydrolyzes arginine to l-ornithine and urea, is common in nature but has not been studied in symbiotic nitrogen-fixing rhizobia. The genome of the alfalfa microsymbiont Sinorhizobium meliloti 1021 has two genes annotated as arginases, argI1 (smc03091) and argI2 (sma1711). Biochemical assays with purified ArgI1 and ArgI2 (as 6His-Sumo-tagged proteins) showed that only ArgI1 had detectable arginase activity. A 1021 argI1 null mutant lacked arginase activity and grew at a drastically reduced rate with arginine as sole nitrogen source. Wild-type growth and arginase activity were restored in the argI1 mutant genetically complemented with a genomically integrated argI1 gene. In the wild-type, arginase activity and argI1 transcription were induced several fold by exogenous arginine. ArgI1 purified as a 6His-Sumo-tagged protein had its highest in vitro enzymatic activity at pH 7.5 with Ni2+ as cofactor. The enzyme was also active with Mn2+ and Co2+, both of which gave the enzyme the highest activities at a more alkaline pH. The 6His-Sumo-ArgI1 comprised three identical subunits based on the migration of the urea-dissociated protein in a native polyacrylamide gel. A Lrp-like regulator (smc03092) divergently transcribed from argI1 was required for arginase induction by arginine or ornithine. This regulator was designated ArgIR. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays showed that purified ArgIR bound to the argI1 promoter in a region preceding the predicted argI1 transcriptional start. Our results indicate that ArgI1 is the sole arginase in S. meliloti , that it contributes substantially to arginine catabolism in vivo and that argI1 induction by arginine is dependent on ArgIR.


2018 ◽  
Vol 62 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Seong Won Choi ◽  
Yuexi Gu ◽  
Ryan Scott Peters ◽  
Padmini Salgame ◽  
Jerrold J. Ellner ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Host-directed therapy in tuberculosis is a potential adjunct to antibiotic chemotherapy directed at Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Ambroxol, a lead compound, emerged from a screen for autophagy-inducing drugs. At clinically relevant doses, ambroxol induced autophagy in vitro and in vivo and promoted mycobacterial killing in macrophages. Ambroxol also potentiated rifampin activity in a murine tuberculosis model.


2015 ◽  
Vol 59 (8) ◽  
pp. 4446-4452 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vadim Makarov ◽  
João Neres ◽  
Ruben C. Hartkoorn ◽  
Olga B. Ryabova ◽  
Elena Kazakova ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT8-Nitro-benzothiazinones (BTZs), such as BTZ043 and PBTZ169, inhibit decaprenylphosphoryl-β-d-ribose 2′-oxidase (DprE1) and display nanomolar bactericidal activity againstMycobacterium tuberculosisin vitro. Structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies revealed the 8-nitro group of the BTZ scaffold to be crucial for the mechanism of action, which involves formation of a semimercaptal bond with Cys387 in the active site of DprE1. To date, substitution of the 8-nitro group has led to extensive loss of antimycobacterial activity. Here, we report the synthesis and characterization of the pyrrole-benzothiazinones PyrBTZ01 and PyrBTZ02, non-nitro-benzothiazinones that retain significant antimycobacterial activity, with MICs of 0.16 μg/ml againstM. tuberculosis. These compounds inhibit DprE1 with 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of <8 μM and present favorablein vitroabsorption-distribution-metabolism-excretion/toxicity (ADME/T) andin vivopharmacokinetic profiles. The most promising compound, PyrBTZ01, did not show efficacy in a mouse model of acute tuberculosis, suggesting that BTZ-mediated killing through DprE1 inhibition requires a combination of both covalent bond formation and compound potency.


2015 ◽  
Vol 197 (23) ◽  
pp. 3666-3675 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mei G. Lei ◽  
Chia Y. Lee

ABSTRACTStaphylococcus aureuscapsule is an important virulence factor that is regulated by a large number of regulators. Capsule genes are expressed from a major promoter upstream of thecapoperon. A 10-bp inverted repeat (IR) located 13 bp upstream of the −35 region of the promoter was previously shown to affect capsule gene transcription. However, little is known about transcriptional activation of thecappromoter. To search for potential proteins which directly interact with thecappromoter region (Pcap), we directly analyzed the proteins interacting with the PcapDNA fragment from shifted gel bands identified by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. One of these regulators, RbsR, was further characterized and found to positively regulatecapgene expression by specifically binding to thecappromoter region. Footprinting analyses showed that RbsR protected a DNA region encompassing the 10-bp IR. Our results further showed thatrbsRwas directly controlled by SigB and that RbsR was a repressor of therbsUDKoperon, involved in ribose uptake and phosphorylation. The repression ofrbsUDKby RbsR could be derepressed byd-ribose. However,d-ribose did not affect RbsR activation of capsule.IMPORTANCEStaphylococcus aureusis an important human pathogen which produces a large number of virulence factors. We have been using capsule as a model virulence factor to study virulence regulation. Although many capsule regulators have been identified, the mechanism of regulation of most of these regulators is unknown. We show here that RbsR activates capsule by direct promoter binding and that SigB is required for the expression ofrbsR. These results define a new pathway wherein SigB activates capsule through RbsR. Our results further demonstrate that RbsR inhibits therbsoperon involved in ribose utilization, thereby providing an example of coregulation of metabolism and virulence inS. aureus. Thus, this study further advances our understanding of staphylococcal virulence regulation.


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