scholarly journals Tol-Pal proteins are critical cell envelope components of Erwinia chrysanthemi affecting cell morphology and virulence

Microbiology ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 151 (10) ◽  
pp. 3337-3347 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-François Dubuisson ◽  
Anne Vianney ◽  
Nicole Hugouvieux-Cotte-Pattat ◽  
Jean Claude Lazzaroni
Keyword(s):  
Cell Morphology ◽  
Cell Envelope ◽  
Membrane Integrity ◽  
Erwinia Chrysanthemi ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
High Identity ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Pectate Lyases ◽  
High Concentrations

The tol-pal genes are necessary for maintaining the outer-membrane integrity of Gram-negative bacteria. These genes were first described in Escherichia coli, and more recently in several other species. They are involved in the pathogenesis of E. coli, Haemophilus ducreyi, Vibrio cholerae and Salmonella enterica. The role of the tol-pal genes in bacterial pathogenesis was investigated in the phytopathogenic enterobacterium Erwinia chrysanthemi, assuming that this organism might be a good model for such a study. The whole Er. chrysanthemi tol-pal region was characterized. Tol-Pal proteins, except TolA, showed high identity scores with their E. coli homologues. Er. chrysanthemi mutants were constructed by introducing a uidA–kan cassette in the ybgC, tolQ, tolA, tolB, pal and ybgF genes. All the mutants were hypersensitive to bile salts. Mutations in tolQ, tolA, tolB and pal were deleterious for the bacteria, which required high concentrations of sugars or osmoprotectants for their viability. Consistent with this observation, they were greatly impaired in their cell morphology and division, which was evidenced by observations of cell filaments, spherical forms, membrane blebbing and mislocalized bacterial septa. Moreover, tol-pal mutants showed a reduced virulence in a potato tuber model and on chicory leaves. This could be explained by a combination of impaired phenotypes in the tol-pal mutants, such as reduced growth and motility and a decreased production of pectate lyases, the major virulence factor of Er. chrysanthemi.

scholarly journals Binding From both sides: TolR and full-length OmpA bind and maintain the local structure of the E. coli cell wall

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alister T. Boags ◽  
Firdaus Samsudin ◽  
Syma Khalid
Keyword(s):  
Cell Wall ◽  
Electrostatic Interactions ◽  
Cell Envelope ◽  
Binding Domain ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
Inner Membrane ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Non Covalent Interactions ◽  
Covalent Interactions

SUMMARYWe present a molecular modeling and simulation study of the of the E. coli cell envelope, with a particular focus on the role of TolR, a native protein of the E. coli inner membrane in interactions with the cell wall. TolR has been proposed to bind to peptidoglycan, but the only structure of this protein thus far is in a conformation in which the putative peptidoglycan binding domain is not accessible. We show that a model of the extended conformation of the protein in which this domain is exposed, binds peptidoglycan largely through electrostatic interactions. We show that non-covalent interactions of TolR and OmpA with the cell wall, from the inner membrane and outer membrane sides respectively, maintain the position of the cell wall even in the absence of Braun’s lipoprotein. When OmpA is truncated to remove the peptidoglycan binding domain, TolR is able to pull the cell wall down towards the inner membrane. The charged residues that mediate the cell-wall interactions of TolR in our simulations, are conserved across a number of species of Gram-negative bacteria.

Escherichia coli tol and rcs genes participate in the complex network affecting curli synthesis

Microbiology ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 151 (7) ◽  
pp. 2487-2497 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Vianney ◽  
Grégory Jubelin ◽  
Sophie Renault ◽  
Corine Dorel ◽  
Philippe Lejeune ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Membrane Integrity ◽  
Regulatory Proteins ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Dominant Effect ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
E Coli

Curli are necessary for the adherence of Escherichia coli to surfaces, and to each other, during biofilm formation, and the csgBA and csgDEFG operons are both required for their synthesis. A recent survey of gene expression in Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms has identified tolA as a gene activated in biofilms. The tol genes play a fundamental role in maintaining the outer-membrane integrity of Gram-negative bacteria. RcsC, the sensor of the RcsBCD phosphorelay, is involved, together with RcsA, in colanic acid capsule synthesis, and also modulates the expression of tolQRA and csgDEFG. In addition, the RcsBCD phosphorelay is activated in tol mutants or when Tol proteins are overexpressed. These results led the authors to investigate the role of the tol genes in biofilm formation in laboratory and clinical isolates of E. coli. It was shown that the adherence of cells was lowered in the tol mutants. This could be the result of a drastic decrease in the expression of the csgBA operon, even though the expression of csgDEFG was slightly increased under such conditions. It was also shown that the Rcs system negatively controls the expression of the two csg operons in an RcsA-dependent manner. In the tol mutants, activation of csgDEFG occurred via OmpR and was dominant upon repression by RcsB and RcsA, while these two regulatory proteins repressed csgBA through a dominant effect on the activator protein CsgD, thus affecting curli synthesis. The results demonstrate that the Rcs system, previously known to control the synthesis of the capsule and the flagella, is an additional component involved in the regulation of curli. Furthermore, it is shown that the defect in cell motility observed in the tol mutants depends on RcsB and RcsA.

scholarly journals Sequential metabolic expressions of the lethal process in human serum-treated Escherichia coli: role of lysozyme

1980 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 735-745
Author(s):  
R J Martinez ◽  
S F Carroll
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Human Serum ◽  
Membrane Integrity ◽  
Response To Treatment ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
Human Lysozyme ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Normal Human ◽  
Hydrolysis Of

Several metabolic parameters indicative of Escherichia coli function and integrity were kinetically examined in response to treatment with normal human serum in the presence and absence of functional human lysozyme. Specific inhibition of this enzyme in bacteriolytic and bactericidal reactions was accomplished by using purified rabbit anti-human lysozyme immunoglobulin G. Initiation of the complement-mediated alterations of cytoplasmic membrane integrity, as judged by the leakage of 86Rb from prelabeled cells or the hydrolysis of o-nitrophenyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside by a cryptic strain, was found to be independent of lysozyme action. Furthermore, inhibition of macromolecular synthesis by E. coli in response to serum treatment occurred at the same time regardless of the functional state of lysozyme. Although the rate and extent of bacteriolysis were reduced in the absence of lysozyme, the bactericidal kinetics was unaffected. These results demonstrate that the lethal events associated with the action of antibody and complement on gram-negative bacteria are independent of lysozyme, suggesting an accessory role for this enzyme in immune reactions. A possible temporal sequence of complement-induced effects occurring at the cell surface is presented.

Properties of haemolysin E (HlyE) from a pathogenic Escherichia coli avian isolate and studies of HlyE export

Microbiology ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 150 (5) ◽  
pp. 1495-1505 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neil R. Wyborn ◽  
Angela Clark ◽  
Ruth E. Roberts ◽  
Stuart J. Jamieson ◽  
Svetomir Tzokov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Blood Cells ◽  
Cell Envelope ◽  
Membrane Integrity ◽  
Intrinsic Property ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Pathogenic Escherichia Coli ◽  
Carboxyl Terminal ◽  
K 12

Haemolysin E (HlyE) is a novel pore-forming toxin first identified in Escherichia coli K-12. Analysis of the 3-D structure of HlyE led to the proposal that a unique hydrophobic β-hairpin structure (the β-tongue, residues 177–203) interacts with the lipid bilayer in target membranes. In seeming contradiction to this, the hlyE sequence from a pathogenic E. coli strain (JM4660) that lacks all other haemolysins has been reported to encode an Arg residue at position 188 that was difficult to reconcile with the proposed role of the β-tongue. Here it is shown that the JM4660 hlyE sequence encodes Gly, not Arg, at position 188 and that substitution of Gly188 by Arg in E. coli K-12 HlyE abolishes activity, emphasizing the importance of the head domain in HlyE function. Nevertheless, 76 other amino acid substitutions were confirmed compared to the HlyE protein of E. coli K-12. The JM4660 HlyE protein was dimeric, suggesting a mechanism for improving toxin solubility, and it lysed red blood cells from many species by forming 36–41 Å diameter pores. However, the haemolytic phenotype of JM4660 was found to be unstable due to defects in HlyE export, indicating that export of active HlyE is not an intrinsic property of the protein but requires additional components. TnphoA mutagenesis of hlyE shows that secretion from the cytoplasm to the periplasm does not require the carboxyl-terminal region of HlyE. Finally, disruption of genes associated with cell envelope function, including tatC, impairs HlyE export, indicating that outer membrane integrity is important for effective HlyE secretion.

PBP1a glycosyltransferase and transpeptidase activities are both required for maintaining cell morphology and envelope integrity in Shewanella oneidensis

2020 ◽  
Vol 367 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianhua Yin ◽  
Ting Zhang ◽  
Jingxiao Cai ◽  
Jie Lou ◽  
Dan Cheng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Morphology ◽  
Cell Envelope ◽  
Shewanella Oneidensis ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
Penicillin Binding Protein ◽  
Normal Morphology ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Outer Membrane Lipoprotein ◽  
Membrane Lipoprotein ◽  
Low Levels

ABSTRACT In rod-shaped Gram-negative bacteria, penicillin binding protein 1a (PBP1a) and 1b (PBP1b) form peptidoglycan-synthesizing complexes with the outer membrane lipoprotein LpoA and LpoB, respectively. Escherichia coli mutants lacking PBP1b/LpoB are sicker than those lacking PBP1a/LpoA. However, we previously found that mutants lacking PBP1a/LpoA but not PBP1b/LpoB are deleterious in Shewanella oneidensis. Here, we show that S. oneidensis PBP1a (SoPBP1a) contains conserved signature motifs with its E. coli counterpart, EcPBP1a. Although EcPBP1a play a less prominent role in E. coli, it is capable of substituting for the SoPBP1a in a manner dependent on SoLpoA. In S. oneidensis, expression of PBP1b is lower than PBP1a, and therefore the additional expression of SoPBP1b at low levels can functionally compensate for the absence of SoPBP1a. Importantly, S. oneidensis PBP1a variants lacking either glycosyltransferase (GTase) or transpeptidase (TPase) activity fail to maintain normal morphology and cell envelope integrity. Similarly, SoPBP1b variants also fail to compensate for the loss of SoPBP1a. Furthermore, overproduction of variants of SoPBP1a, but not SoPBP1b, has detrimental effects on cell morphology in S. oneidensis wild type cells. Overall, our results indicate that the combined enzymatic activities of SoPBP1a are essential for cell wall homeostasis.

scholarly journals Roles of ATP Hydrolysis by FtsEX and Interaction with FtsA in Regulation of Septal Peptidoglycan Synthesis and Hydrolysis

mBio ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shishen Du ◽  
Sebastien Pichoff ◽  
Joe Lutkenhaus
Keyword(s):  
Cell Separation ◽  
Atp Hydrolysis ◽  
Cell Envelope ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
Separation System ◽  
Content Type ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Peptidoglycan Synthesis ◽  
Hydrolysis Of

ABSTRACT In Escherichia coli, FtsEX coordinates peptidoglycan (PG) synthesis and hydrolysis at the septum. It acts on FtsA in the cytoplasm to promote recruitment of septal PG synthetases and recruits EnvC, an activator of septal PG hydrolases, in the periplasm. Following recruitment, ATP hydrolysis by FtsEX is thought to regulate both PG synthesis and hydrolysis, but how it does this is not well understood. Here, we show that an ATPase mutant of FtsEX blocks septal PG synthesis similarly to cephalexin, suggesting that ATP hydrolysis by FtsEX is required throughout septation. Using mutants that uncouple the roles of FtsEX in septal PG synthesis and hydrolysis, we find that recruitment of EnvC to the septum by FtsEX, but not ATP hydrolysis, is required to promote cell separation when the NlpD-mediated cell separation system is present. However, ATP hydrolysis by FtsEX becomes necessary for efficient cell separation when the NlpD system is inactivated, suggesting that the ATPase activity of FtsEX is required for optimal activity of EnvC. Importantly, under conditions that suppress the role of FtsEX in cell division, disruption of the FtsEX-FtsA interaction delays cell separation, highlighting the importance of this interaction in coupling the cell separation system with the septal PG synthetic complex. IMPORTANCE Cytokinesis in Gram-negative bacteria requires coordinated invagination of the three layers of the cell envelope; otherwise, cells become sensitive to hydrophobic antibiotics and can even undergo cell lysis. In E. coli, the ABC transporter FtsEX couples the synthesis and hydrolysis of the stress-bearing peptidoglycan layer at the septum by interacting with FtsA and EnvC, respectively. ATP hydrolysis by FtsEX is critical for its function, but the reason why is not clear. Here, we find that in the absence of ATP hydrolysis, FtsEX blocks septal PG synthesis similarly to cephalexin. However, an FtsEX ATPase mutant, under conditions where it cannot block division, rescues ftsEX phenotypes as long as a partially redundant cell separation system is present. Furthermore, we find that the FtsEX-FtsA interaction is important for efficient cell separation.

scholarly journals A Francisella tularensis L,D-carboxypeptidase plays important roles in cell morphology, envelope integrity, and virulence

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Briana Zellner ◽  
Dominique Mengin-Lecreulx ◽  
Brenden Tully ◽  
William T. Gunning ◽  
Robert Booth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Francisella Tularensis ◽  
Cell Morphology ◽  
Membrane Integrity ◽  
Infection Model ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Virulent Type ◽  
Endopeptidase Activity ◽  
Altered Cell

SummaryFrancisella tularensis is a Gram-negative, intracellular bacterium that causes the zoonotic disease tularemia. Intracellular pathogens, including F. tularensis, have evolved mechanisms to survive in the harsh environment of macrophages and neutrophils, where they are exposed to cell membrane-damaging molecules. The bacterial cell wall, primarily composed of peptidoglycan (PG), maintains cell morphology, structure, and membrane integrity. Intracellular Gram-negative bacteria protect themselves from macrophage and neutrophil killing by recycling and repairing damaged PG – a process that involves over 50 different PG synthesis and recycling enzymes. Here, we identified a PG recycling enzyme, L,D-carboxypeptidase A (LdcA), of F. tularensis that is responsible for converting PG tetrapeptide stems to tripeptide stems. Unlike E. coli LdcA and most other orthologs, F. tularensis LdcA does not localize to the cytoplasm and also exhibits L,D-endopeptidase activity, converting PG pentapeptide stems to tripeptide stems. Loss of F. tularensis LdcA led to altered cell morphology and membrane integrity, as well as attenuation in a mouse pulmonary infection model and in primary and immortalized macrophages. Finally, an F. tularensis ldcA mutant protected mice against virulent Type A F. tularensis SchuS4 pulmonary challenge.

DNA methylation in Yersinia enterocolitica: role of the DNA adenine methyltransferase in mismatch repair and regulation of virulence factors

Microbiology ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 151 (7) ◽  
pp. 2291-2299 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Fälker ◽  
M. Alexander Schmidt ◽  
Gerhard Heusipp
Keyword(s):  
Mismatch Repair ◽  
Yersinia Enterocolitica ◽  
Virulence Genes ◽  
Spontaneous Mutation ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Physiological Processes ◽  
Dna Adenine Methyltransferase

DNA adenine methyltransferase (Dam) plays an important role in physiological processes of Gram-negative bacteria such as mismatch repair and replication. In addition, Dam regulates the expression of virulence genes in various species. The authors cloned the dam gene of Yersinia enterocolitica and showed that Dam is essential for viability. Dam overproduction in Y. enterocolitica resulted in an increased frequency of spontaneous mutation and decreased resistance to 2-aminopurine; however, these effects were only marginal compared to the effect of overproduction of Escherichia coli-derived Dam in Y. enterocolitica, implying different roles or activities of Dam in mismatch repair of the two species. These differences in Dam function are not the cause for the essentiality of Dam in Y. enterocolitica, as Dam of E. coli can complement a dam defect in Y. enterocolitica. Instead, Dam seems to interfere with expression of essential genes. Furthermore, Dam mediates virulence of Y. enterocolitica. Dam overproduction results in increased tissue culture invasion of Y. enterocolitica, while the expression of specifically in vivo-expressed genes is not altered.

Interaction of Gram-Negative Bacteria with the Lysosomal Fraction of Polymorphonuclear Leukocytes II. Changes in the Cell Envelope of Escherichia coli

1970 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 311-318
Author(s):  
D. Friedberg ◽  
I. Friedberg ◽  
M. Shilo
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Polymorphonuclear Leukocytes ◽  
Cytoplasmic Membrane ◽  
Morphological Changes ◽  
Cell Envelope ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
Intact Cells ◽  
Lysosomal Fraction ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Absorbing Material

Interaction of lysosomal fraction with Escherichia coli caused damage to the cell envelope of these intact cells and to the cytoplasmic membrane of E. coli spheroplasts. The damage to the cytoplasmic membrane was manifested in the release of 260-nm absorbing material and β-galactosidase from the spheroplasts, and by increased permeability of cryptic cells to O -nitrophenyl-β- d -galactopyranoside; damage to the cell wall was measured by release of alkaline phosphatase. Microscope observation showed morphological changes in the cell envelope.

Diacylglycerol kinase A is essential for polymyxin resistance provided by EptA, MCR-1 and other lipid A phosphoethanolamine transferases.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandria B. Purcell ◽  
Bradley J. Voss ◽  
M. Stephen Trent
Keyword(s):  
Lipid A ◽  
Cell Envelope ◽  
Diacylglycerol Kinase ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Severe Reduction ◽  
Bacterial Fitness ◽  
Phosphoethanolamine Transferases ◽  
Kinase A

Gram-negative bacteria utilize glycerophospholipids (GPLs) as phospho-form donors to modify various surface structures. These modifications play important roles in bacterial fitness in diverse environments influencing cell motility, recognition by the host during infection, and antimicrobial resistance. A well-known example is the modification of the lipid A component of lipopolysaccharide by the phosphoethanolamine (pEtN) transferase EptA that utilizes phosphatidyethanoalmine (PE) as the phospho-form donor. Addition of pEtN to lipid A promotes resistance to cationic antimicrobial peptides (CAMPs), including the polymyxin antibiotics like colistin. A consequence of pEtN modification is the production of diacylglycerol (DAG) that must be recycled back into GPL synthesis via the diacylglycerol kinase A (DgkA). DgkA phosphorylates DAG forming phosphatidic acid, the precursor for GPL synthesis. Here we report that deletion of dgkA in polymyxin-resistant E. coli results in a severe reduction of pEtN modification and loss of antibiotic resistance. We demonstrate that inhibition of EptA is regulated post-transcriptionally and is not due to EptA degradation during DAG accumulation. We also show that the inhibition of lipid A modification by DAG is a conserved feature of different Gram-negative pEtN transferases. Altogether, our data suggests that inhibition of EptA activity during DAG accumulation likely prevents disruption of GPL synthesis helping to maintain cell envelope homeostasis.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document