scholarly journals Molecular basis for the maintenance of lipid asymmetry in the outer membrane ofEscherichia coli

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiang Yeow ◽  
Kang Wei Tan ◽  
Daniel A. Holdbrook ◽  
Zhi-Soon Chong ◽  
Jan K. Marzinek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Outer Membrane ◽  
Molecular Basis ◽  
Cell Envelope ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Molecular Architecture ◽  
Hairpin Loop ◽  
Lipid Asymmetry ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Outer Leaflet

AbstractA distinctive feature of the Gram-negative bacterial cell envelope is the asymmetric outer membrane (OM), where lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and phospholipids (PLs) reside in the outer and inner leaflets, respectively. This unique lipid asymmetry renders the OM impermeable to external insults. InEscherichia coli, the OmpC-MlaA complex is believed to maintain lipid asymmetry by removing mislocalized PLs from the outer leaflet of the OM. How it performs this function is unknown. Here, we define the molecular architecture of the OmpC-MlaA complex to gain insights into its role in PL transport. We establish that MlaA sits entirely within the bilayer in complex with OmpC and provides a hydrophilic channel possibly for PL translocation across the OM. Furthermore, we show that flexibility in a hairpin loop adjacent to the channel modulates MlaA activity. Finally, we demonstrate that OmpC plays an active role in maintaining OM lipid asymmetry together with MlaA. Our work offers glimpses into how the OmpC-MlaA complex transports PLs across the OM and has important implications for future antimicrobial drug development.

scholarly journals Functional Analysis of the Protein Machinery Required for Transport of Lipopolysaccharide to the Outer Membrane of Escherichia coli

2008 ◽  
Vol 190 (13) ◽  
pp. 4460-4469 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paola Sperandeo ◽  
Fion K. Lau ◽  
Andrea Carpentieri ◽  
Cristina De Castro ◽  
Antonio Molinaro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Outer Membrane ◽  
Biosynthetic Pathway ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
Membrane Structures ◽  
Cellular Compartment ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Outer Leaflet ◽  
Assembly Pathway

ABSTRACT Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is an essential component of the outer membrane (OM) in most gram-negative bacteria, and its structure and biosynthetic pathway are well known. Nevertheless, the mechanisms of transport and assembly of this molecule at the cell surface are poorly understood. The inner membrane (IM) transport protein MsbA is responsible for flipping LPS across the IM. Additional components of the LPS transport machinery downstream of MsbA have been identified, including the OM protein complex LptD/LptE (formerly Imp/RlpB), the periplasmic LptA protein, the IM-associated cytoplasmic ATP binding cassette protein LptB, and LptC (formerly YrbK), an essential IM component of the LPS transport machinery characterized in this work. Here we show that depletion of any of the proteins mentioned above leads to common phenotypes, including (i) the presence of abnormal membrane structures in the periplasm, (ii) accumulation of de novo-synthesized LPS in two membrane fractions with lower density than the OM, and (iii) accumulation of a modified LPS, which is ligated to repeating units of colanic acid in the outer leaflet of the IM. Our results suggest that LptA, LptB, LptC, LptD, and LptE operate in the LPS assembly pathway and, together with other as-yet-unidentified components, could be part of a complex devoted to the transport of LPS from the periplasmic surface of the IM to the OM. Moreover, the location of at least one of these five proteins in every cellular compartment suggests a model for how the LPS assembly pathway is organized and ordered in space.

scholarly journals Outer Membrane Vesicle Production by Escherichia coli Is Independent of Membrane Instability

2006 ◽  
Vol 188 (15) ◽  
pp. 5385-5392 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda J. McBroom ◽  
Alexandra P. Johnson ◽  
Sreekanth Vemulapalli ◽  
Meta J. Kuehn
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Outer Membrane ◽  
Cell Envelope ◽  
Membrane Vesicle ◽  
Membrane Vesicles ◽  
Fold Increase ◽  
Outer Membrane Vesicles ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Physiological Basis ◽  
Gram Negative

ABSTRACT It has been long noted that gram-negative bacteria produce outer membrane vesicles, and recent data demonstrate that vesicles released by pathogenic strains can transmit virulence factors to host cells. However, the mechanism of vesicle release has remained undetermined. This genetic study addresses whether these structures are merely a result of membrane instability or are formed by a more directed process. To elucidate the regulatory mechanisms and physiological basis of vesiculation, we conducted a screen in Escherichia coli to identify gene disruptions that caused vesicle over- or underproduction. Only a few low-vesiculation mutants and no null mutants were recovered, suggesting that vesiculation may be a fundamental characteristic of gram-negative bacterial growth. Gene disruptions were identified that caused differences in vesicle production ranging from a 5-fold decrease to a 200-fold increase relative to wild-type levels. These disruptions included loci governing outer membrane components and peptidoglycan synthesis as well as the σE cell envelope stress response. Mutations causing vesicle overproduction did not result in upregulation of the ompC gene encoding a major outer membrane protein. Detergent sensitivity, leakiness, and growth characteristics of the novel vesiculation mutant strains did not correlate with vesiculation levels, demonstrating that vesicle production is not predictive of envelope instability.

scholarly journals Lipopolysaccharide transport to the cell surface: biosynthesis and extraction from the inner membrane

2015 ◽  
Vol 370 (1679) ◽  
pp. 20150029 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brent W. Simpson ◽  
Janine M. May ◽  
David J. Sherman ◽  
Daniel Kahne ◽  
Natividad Ruiz
Keyword(s):  
Cell Surface ◽  
Outer Membrane ◽  
Cell Envelope ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
Inner Membrane ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Final Destination ◽  
Outer Leaflet ◽  
Hydrophobic Compounds ◽  
Animal Hosts

The cell surface of most Gram-negative bacteria is covered with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The network of charges and sugars provided by the dense packing of LPS molecules in the outer leaflet of the outer membrane interferes with the entry of hydrophobic compounds into the cell, including many antibiotics. In addition, LPS can be recognized by the immune system and plays a crucial role in many interactions between bacteria and their animal hosts. LPS is synthesized in the inner membrane of Gram-negative bacteria, so it must be transported across their cell envelope to assemble at the cell surface. Over the past two decades, much of the research on LPS biogenesis has focused on the discovery and understanding of Lpt, a multi-protein complex that spans the cell envelope and functions to transport LPS from the inner membrane to the outer membrane. This paper focuses on the early steps of the transport of LPS by the Lpt machinery: the extraction of LPS from the inner membrane. The accompanying paper (May JM, Sherman DJ, Simpson BW, Ruiz N, Kahne D. 2015 Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 370 , 20150027. ( doi:10.1098/rstb.2015.0027 )) describes the subsequent steps as LPS travels through the periplasm and the outer membrane to its final destination at the cell surface.

scholarly journals Functional Interaction between the Cytoplasmic ABC Protein LptB and the Inner Membrane LptC Protein, Components of the Lipopolysaccharide Transport Machinery in Escherichia coli

2016 ◽  
Vol 198 (16) ◽  
pp. 2192-2203 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandra M. Martorana ◽  
Mattia Benedet ◽  
Elisa A. Maccagni ◽  
Paola Sperandeo ◽  
Riccardo Villa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Outer Membrane ◽  
Critical Factor ◽  
Permeability Barrier ◽  
Inner Membrane ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Essential Proteins ◽  
Outer Leaflet ◽  
Abc Protein

ABSTRACTThe assembly of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the outer leaflet of the outer membrane (OM) requires the transenvelope Lpt (lipopolysaccharide transport) complex, made inEscherichia coliof seven essential proteins located in the inner membrane (IM) (LptBCFG), periplasm (LptA), and OM (LptDE). At the IM, LptBFG constitute an unusual ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporter, composed by the transmembrane LptFG proteins and the cytoplasmic LptB ATPase, which is thought to extract LPS from the IM and to provide the energy for its export across the periplasm to the cell surface. LptC is a small IM bitopic protein that binds to LptBFG and recruits LptA via its N- and C-terminal regions, and its role in LPS export is not completely understood. Here, we show that the expression level oflptBis a critical factor for suppressing lethality of deletions in the C-terminal region of LptC and the functioning of a hybrid Lpt machinery that carriesPa-LptC, the highly divergent LptC orthologue fromPseudomonas aeruginosa. We found that LptB overexpression stabilizes C-terminally truncated LptC mutant proteins, thereby allowing the formation of a sufficient amount of stable IM complexes to support growth. Moreover, the LptB level seems also critical for the assembly of IM complexes carryingPa-LptC which is otherwise defective in interactions with theE. coliLptFG components. Overall, our data suggest that LptB and LptC functionally interact and support a model whereby LptB plays a key role in the assembly of the Lpt machinery.IMPORTANCEThe asymmetric outer membrane (OM) of Gram-negative bacteria contains in its outer leaflet an unusual glycolipid, the lipopolysaccharide (LPS). LPS largely contributes to the peculiar permeability barrier properties of the OM that prevent the entry of many antibiotics, thus making Gram-negative pathogens difficult to treat. InEscherichia colithe LPS transporter (the Lpt machine) is made of seven essential proteins (LptABCDEFG) that form a transenvelope complex. Here, we show that increased expression of the membrane-associated ABC protein LptB can suppress defects of LptC, which participates in the formation of the periplasmic bridge. This reveals functional interactions between these two components and supports a role of LptB in the assembly of the Lpt machine.

scholarly journals Intermembrane transport: Glycerophospholipid homeostasis of the Gram-negative cell envelope

2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (35) ◽  
pp. 17147-17155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew J. Powers ◽  
M. Stephen Trent
Keyword(s):  
Outer Membrane ◽  
Bacterial Cell ◽  
Cell Envelope ◽  
Lipid Transport ◽  
Lipid Asymmetry ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Outer Membranes ◽  
Negative Cell ◽  
Initial Discovery ◽  
Structural Methods

This perspective addresses recent advances in lipid transport across the Gram-negative inner and outer membranes. While we include a summary of previously existing literature regarding this topic, we focus on the maintenance of lipid asymmetry (Mla) pathway. Discovered in 2009 by the Silhavy group [J. C. Malinverni, T. J. Silhavy, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 106, 8009–8014 (2009)], Mla has become increasingly appreciated for its role in bacterial cell envelope physiology. Through the work of many, we have gained an increasingly mechanistic understanding of the function of Mla via genetic, biochemical, and structural methods. Despite this, there is a degree of controversy surrounding the directionality in which Mla transports lipids. While the initial discovery and subsequent studies have posited that it mediated retrograde lipid transport (removing glycerophospholipids from the outer membrane and returning them to the inner membrane), others have asserted the opposite. This Perspective aims to lay out the evidence in an unbiased, yet critical, manner for Mla-mediated transport in addition to postulation of mechanisms for anterograde lipid transport from the inner to outer membranes.

Phase separation in the outer membrane of Escherichia coli

2021 ◽  
Vol 118 (44) ◽  
pp. e2112237118
Author(s):  
Georgina Benn ◽  
Irina V. Mikheyeva ◽  
Patrick George Inns ◽  
Joel C. Forster ◽  
Nikola Ojkic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Outer Membrane ◽  
Noncovalent Interactions ◽  
Outer Membrane Proteins ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Bacterial Surface ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Outer Leaflet ◽  
Live Bacteria ◽  
Bacterial Sensitivity

Gram-negative bacteria are surrounded by a protective outer membrane (OM) with phospholipids in its inner leaflet and lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in its outer leaflet. The OM is also populated with many β-barrel outer-membrane proteins (OMPs), some of which have been shown to cluster into supramolecular assemblies. However, it remains unknown how abundant OMPs are organized across the entire bacterial surface and how this relates to the lipids in the membrane. Here, we reveal how the OM is organized from molecular to cellular length scales, using atomic force microscopy to visualize the OM of live bacteria, including engineered Escherichia coli strains and complemented by specific labeling of abundant OMPs. We find that a predominant OMP in the E. coli OM, the porin OmpF, forms a near-static network across the surface, which is interspersed with barren patches of LPS that grow and merge with other patches during cell elongation. Embedded within the porin network is OmpA, which forms noncovalent interactions to the underlying cell wall. When the OM is destabilized by mislocalization of phospholipids to the outer leaflet, a new phase appears, correlating with bacterial sensitivity to harsh environments. We conclude that the OM is a mosaic of phase-separated LPS-rich and OMP-rich regions, the maintenance of which is essential to the integrity of the membrane and hence to the lifestyle of a gram-negative bacterium.

scholarly journals Molecular basis for the maintenance of lipid asymmetry in the outer membrane of Escherichia coli

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (S1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shu‐Sin Chng ◽  
Jiang Yeow ◽  
Kang Wei Tan ◽  
Daniel Holdbrook ◽  
Zhi‐Soon Chong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Outer Membrane ◽  
Molecular Basis ◽  
Lipid Asymmetry

scholarly journals Cell-based screen for discovering lipopolysaccharide biogenesis inhibitors

2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (26) ◽  
pp. 6834-6839 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ge Zhang ◽  
Vadim Baidin ◽  
Karanbir S. Pahil ◽  
Eileen Moison ◽  
David Tomasek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Outer Membrane ◽  
Bacterial Infections ◽  
Cell Envelope ◽  
New Drugs ◽  
Permeability Barrier ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Cellular Targets ◽  
Outer Leaflet ◽  
A Cell ◽  
Membrane Treatment

New drugs are needed to treat gram-negative bacterial infections. These bacteria are protected by an outer membrane which prevents many antibiotics from reaching their cellular targets. The outer leaflet of the outer membrane contains LPS, which is responsible for creating this permeability barrier. Interfering with LPS biogenesis affects bacterial viability. We developed a cell-based screen that identifies inhibitors of LPS biosynthesis and transport by exploiting the nonessentiality of this pathway inAcinetobacter. We used this screen to find an inhibitor of MsbA, an ATP-dependent flippase that translocates LPS across the inner membrane. Treatment with the inhibitor caused mislocalization of LPS to the cell interior. The discovery of an MsbA inhibitor, which is universally conserved in all gram-negative bacteria, validates MsbA as an antibacterial target. Because our cell-based screen reports on the function of the entire LPS biogenesis pathway, it could be used to identify compounds that inhibit other targets in the pathway, which can provide insights into vulnerabilities of the gram-negative cell envelope.

scholarly journals Peptidoglycan Remodeling EnablesEscherichiacoliTo Survive Severe Outer Membrane Assembly Defect

mBio ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Niccolò Morè ◽  
Alessandra M. Martorana ◽  
Jacob Biboy ◽  
Christian Otten ◽  
Matthias Winkle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Outer Membrane ◽  
Bacterial Cell ◽  
Cell Envelope ◽  
Permeability Barrier ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cross Links ◽  
Peptidoglycan Layer

ABSTRACTGram-negative bacteria have a tripartite cell envelope with the cytoplasmic membrane (CM), a stress-bearing peptidoglycan (PG) layer, and the asymmetric outer membrane (OM) containing lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the outer leaflet. Cells must tightly coordinate the growth of their complex envelope to maintain cellular integrity and OM permeability barrier function. The biogenesis of PG and LPS relies on specialized macromolecular complexes that span the entire envelope. In this work, we show thatEscherichia colicells are capable of avoiding lysis when the transport of LPS to the OM is compromised, by utilizing LD-transpeptidases (LDTs) to generate 3-3 cross-links in the PG. This PG remodeling program relies mainly on the activities of the stress response LDT, LdtD, together with the major PG synthase PBP1B, its cognate activator LpoB, and the carboxypeptidase PBP6a. Our data support a model according to which these proteins cooperate to strengthen the PG in response to defective OM synthesis.IMPORTANCEIn Gram-negative bacteria, the outer membrane protects the cell against many toxic molecules, and the peptidoglycan layer provides protection against osmotic challenges, allowing bacterial cells to survive in changing environments. Maintaining cell envelope integrity is therefore a question of life or death for a bacterial cell. Here we show thatEscherichia colicells activate the LD-transpeptidase LdtD to introduce 3-3 cross-links in the peptidoglycan layer when the integrity of the outer membrane is compromised, and this response is required to avoid cell lysis. This peptidoglycan remodeling program is a strategy to increase the overall robustness of the bacterial cell envelope in response to defects in the outer membrane.

scholarly journals Novel Antibacterial Targets and Compounds Revealed by a High-Throughput Cell Wall Reporter Assay

2015 ◽  
Vol 197 (10) ◽  
pp. 1726-1734 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asha S. Nayar ◽  
Thomas J. Dougherty ◽  
Keith E. Ferguson ◽  
Brett A. Granger ◽  
Lisa McWilliams ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Cell Wall ◽  
Outer Membrane ◽  
High Throughput ◽  
Cell Envelope ◽  
Mechanisms Of Action ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Content Type ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Phenotypic Screen

ABSTRACTA high-throughput phenotypic screen based on aCitrobacter freundiiAmpC reporter expressed inEscherichia coliwas executed to discover novel inhibitors of bacterial cell wall synthesis, an attractive, well-validated target for antibiotic intervention. Here we describe the discovery and characterization of sulfonyl piperazine and pyrazole compounds, each with novel mechanisms of action.E. colimutants resistant to these compounds display no cross-resistance to antibiotics of other classes. Resistance to the sulfonyl piperazine maps to LpxH, which catalyzes the fourth step in the synthesis of lipid A, the outer membrane anchor of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). To our knowledge, this compound is the first reported inhibitor of LpxH. Resistance to the pyrazole compound mapped to mutations in either LolC or LolE, components of the essential LolCDE transporter complex, which is required for trafficking of lipoproteins to the outer membrane. Biochemical experiments withE. colispheroplasts showed that the pyrazole compound is capable of inhibiting the release of lipoproteins from the inner membrane. Both of these compounds have significant promise as chemical probes to further interrogate the potential of these novel cell wall components for antimicrobial therapy.IMPORTANCEThe prevalence of antibacterial resistance, particularly among Gram-negative organisms, signals a need for novel antibacterial agents. A phenotypic screen using AmpC as a sensor for compounds that inhibit processes involved in Gram-negative envelope biogenesis led to the identification of two novel inhibitors with unique mechanisms of action targetingEscherichia coliouter membrane biogenesis. One compound inhibits the transport system for lipoprotein transport to the outer membrane, while the other compound inhibits synthesis of lipopolysaccharide. These results indicate that it is still possible to uncover new compounds with intrinsic antibacterial activity that inhibit novel targets related to the cell envelope, suggesting that the Gram-negative cell envelope still has untapped potential for therapeutic intervention.

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