scholarly journals Heavy isotope labeling and mass spectrometry reveal unexpected remodeling of bacterial cell wall expansion in response to drugs

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heiner Atze ◽  
Filippo Rusconi ◽  
Michel Arthur

Antibiotics of the β-lactam (penicillin) family inactivate target enzymes called D,D-transpeptidases or penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) that catalyze the last cross-linking step of peptidoglycan synthesis. The resulting net-like macromolecule is the essential component of bacterial cell walls that sustains the osmotic pressure of the cytoplasm. In Escherichia coli, bypass of PBPs by the YcbB L,D-transpeptidase leads to resistance to these drugs. We developed a new method based on heavy isotope labeling and mass spectrometry to elucidate PBP- and YcbB-mediated peptidoglycan polymerization. PBPs and YcbB similarly participated in single-strand insertion of glycan chains into the expanding bacterial side wall. This absence of any transpeptidase-specific signature suggests that the peptidoglycan expansion mode is determined by other components of polymerization complexes. YcbB did mediate β-lactam resistance by insertion of multiple strands that were exclusively cross-linked to existing tripeptide-containing acceptors. We propose that this unprecedented mode of polymerization depends upon accumulation of linear glycan chains due to PBP inactivation, formation of tripeptides due to cleavage of existing cross-links by a β-lactam-insensitive endopeptidase, and concerted cross-linking by YcbB.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henri Voedts ◽  
Delphine Dorchêne ◽  
Adam Lodge ◽  
Waldemar Vollmer ◽  
Michel Arthur ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTBacteria resist to the turgor pressure of the cytoplasm through a net-like macromolecule, the peptidoglycan, made of glycan strands connected via peptides cross-linked by penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs). We recently reported the emergence of β-lactam resistance resulting from a bypass of PBPs by the YcbB L,D-transpeptidase (LdtD), which form chemically distinct 3→3 cross-links compared to 4→3 formed by PBPs. Here we show that peptidoglycan expansion requires controlled hydrolysis of cross-links and identify amongst eight endopeptidase paralogues the minimum enzyme complements essential for bacterial growth with 4→3 (MepM) and 3→3 (MepM and MepK) cross-links. Purified Mep endopeptidases unexpectedly displayed a 4→3 and 3→3 dual specificity implying recognition of a common motif in the two cross-link types. Uncoupling of the polymerization of glycan chains from the 4→3 cross-linking reaction was found to facilitate the bypass of PBPs by YcbB. These results illustrate the plasticity of the peptidoglycan polymerization machinery in response to the selective pressure of β-lactams.


Science ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 365 (6457) ◽  
pp. eaax2685 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mengzhao Xue ◽  
Chung Sub Kim ◽  
Alan R. Healy ◽  
Kevin M. Wernke ◽  
Zhixun Wang ◽  
...  

Colibactin is a complex secondary metabolite produced by some genotoxic gut Escherichia coli strains. The presence of colibactin-producing bacteria correlates with the frequency and severity of colorectal cancer in humans. However, because colibactin has not been isolated or structurally characterized, studying the physiological effects of colibactin-producing bacteria in the human gut has been difficult. We used a combination of genetics, isotope labeling, tandem mass spectrometry, and chemical synthesis to deduce the structure of colibactin. Our structural assignment accounts for all known biosynthetic and cell biology data and suggests roles for the final unaccounted enzymes in the colibactin gene cluster.


2002 ◽  
Vol 277 (48) ◽  
pp. 46487-46492 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Taverner ◽  
Nathan E. Hall ◽  
Richard A. J. O'Hair ◽  
Richard J. Simpson

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Therese Dau ◽  
Kapil Gupta ◽  
Imre Berger ◽  
Juri Rappsilber

ABSTRACTCross-linking/mass spectrometry has become an important approach for studying protein structures and protein-protein interactions. The amino acid composition of some protein regions impedes the detection of cross-linked residues, although it would yield invaluable information for protein modelling. Here, we report on a sequential digestion strategy with trypsin and elastase to penetrate regions with a low density of trypsin cleavage sites. We exploited intrinsic substrate recognition properties of elastase to specifically target larger tryptic peptides. Our application of this protocol to the TAF4-12 complex allowed us to identify cross-links in previously inaccessible regions.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian E. Stieger ◽  
Philipp Doppler ◽  
Karl Mechtler

ABSTRACTCross-linking mass spectrometry (XLMS) is becoming increasingly popular, and current advances are widening the applicability of the technique so that it can be utilized by non-specialist laboratories. Specifically, the use of novel mass spectrometry-cleavable (MS-cleavable) reagents dramatically reduces complexity of the data by providing i) characteristic reporter ions and ii) the mass of the individual peptides, rather than that of the cross-linked moiety. However, optimum acquisition strategies to obtain the best quality data for such cross-linkers with higher energy C-trap dissociation (HCD) alone is yet to be achieved. Therefore, we have carefully investigated and optimized MS parameters to facilitate the identification of disuccinimidyl sulfoxide (DSSO)- based cross-links on HCD-equipped mass spectrometers. From the comparison of 9 different fragmentation energies we chose several stepped-HCD fragmentation methods that were evaluated on a variety of cross-linked proteins. The optimal stepped-HCD-method was then directly compared with previously described methods using an Orbitrap Fusion™ Lumos™ TribridTM instrument using a high-complexity sample. The final results indicate that our stepped-HCD method is able to identify more cross-links than other methods, mitigating the need for multistage MS (MSn) enabled instrumentation and alternative dissociation techniques.


Proteomes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 43
Author(s):  
Mariya E. Semkova ◽  
J. Justin Hsuan

Transglutaminases are a class of enzymes that catalyze the formation of a protein:protein cross-link between a lysine and a glutamine residue. These cross-links play important roles in diverse biological processes. Analysis of cross-linking sites in target proteins is required to elucidate their molecular action on target protein function and the molecular specificity of different transglutaminase isozymes. Mass-spectrometry using settings designed for linear peptide analysis and software designed for the analysis of disulfide bridges and chemical cross-links have previously been employed to identify transglutaminase cross-linking sites in proteins. As no control peptide with which to assess and improve the mass spectrometric analysis of TG cross-linked proteins was available, we developed a method for the enzymatic synthesis of a well-defined transglutaminase cross-linked peptide pair that mimics a predicted tryptic digestion product of collagen I. We then used this model peptide to determine optimal score thresholds for correct peptide identification from y- and b-ion series of fragments produced by collision-induced dissociation. We employed these settings in an analysis of fibrinogen cross-linked by the transglutaminase Factor XIIIa. This approach resulted in identification of a novel cross-linked peptide in the gamma subunit. We discuss the difference in behavior of ions derived from different cross-linked peptide sequences and the consequent demand for a more tailored mass spectrometry approach for cross-linked peptide identification compared to that routinely used for linear peptide analysis.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamar Tayri-Wilk ◽  
Moriya Slavin ◽  
Joanna Zamel ◽  
Ayelet Blass ◽  
Shon Cohen ◽  
...  

AbstractFormaldehyde is a widely used fixative in biology and medicine. The current mechanism of formaldehyde cross-linking of proteins is the formation of a methylene bridge that incorporates one carbon atom into the link. Here, we present mass spectrometry data that largely refute this mechanism. Instead, the data reveal that cross-linking of structured proteins mainly involves a reaction that incorporates two carbon atoms into the link. Under MS/MS fragmentation, the link cleaves symmetrically to yield previously unrecognized fragments carrying a modification of one carbon atom. If these characteristics are considered, then formaldehyde cross-linking is readily applicable to the structural approach of cross-linking coupled to mass spectrometry. Using a cross-linked mixture of purified proteins, a suitable analysis identifies tens of cross-links that fit well with their atomic structures. A more elaborate in situ cross-linking of human cells in culture identified 469 intra-protein and 90 inter-protein cross-links, which also agreed with available atomic structures. Interestingly, many of these cross-links could not be mapped onto a known structure and thus provide new structural insights. For example, two cross-links involving the protein βNAC localize its binding site on the ribosome. Also of note are cross-links of actin with several auxiliary proteins for which the structure is unknown. Based on these findings we suggest a revised chemical reaction, which has relevance to the reactivity and toxicity of formaldehyde.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 554-568 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kumar Yugandhar ◽  
Ting-Yi Wang ◽  
Alden King-Yung Leung ◽  
Michael Charles Lanz ◽  
Ievgen Motorykin ◽  
...  

Protein-protein interactions play a vital role in nearly all cellular functions. Hence, understanding their interaction patterns and three-dimensional structural conformations can provide crucial insights about various biological processes and underlying molecular mechanisms for many disease phenotypes. Cross-linking mass spectrometry (XL-MS) has the unique capability to detect protein-protein interactions at a large scale along with spatial constraints between interaction partners. The inception of MS-cleavable cross-linkers enabled the MS2-MS3 XL-MS acquisition strategy that provides cross-link information from both MS2 and MS3 level. However, the current cross-link search algorithm available for MS2-MS3 strategy follows a “MS2-centric” approach and suffers from a high rate of mis-identified cross-links. We demonstrate the problem using two new quality assessment metrics [“fraction of mis-identifications” (FMI) and “fraction of interprotein cross-links from known interactions” (FKI)]. We then address this problem, by designing a novel “MS3-centric” approach for cross-link identification and implementing it as a search engine named MaXLinker. MaXLinker outperforms the currently popular search engine with a lower mis-identification rate, and higher sensitivity and specificity. Moreover, we performed human proteome-wide cross-linking mass spectrometry using K562 cells. Employing MaXLinker, we identified a comprehensive set of 9319 unique cross-links at 1% false discovery rate, comprising 8051 intraprotein and 1268 interprotein cross-links. Finally, we experimentally validated the quality of a large number of novel interactions identified in our study, providing a conclusive evidence for MaXLinker's robust performance.


2017 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laetitia Sütterlin ◽  
Zainab Edoo ◽  
Jean-Emmanuel Hugonnet ◽  
Jean-Luc Mainardi ◽  
Michel Arthur

ABSTRACT In most bacteria, the essential targets of β-lactam antibiotics are the d , d -transpeptidases that catalyze the last step of peptidoglycan polymerization by forming 4→3 cross-links. The peptidoglycan of Clostridium difficile is unusual since it mainly contains 3→3 cross-links generated by l , d -transpeptidases. To gain insight into the characteristics of C. difficile peptidoglycan cross-linking enzymes, we purified the three putative C. difficile l , d -transpeptidase paralogues Ldt Cd1 , Ldt Cd2 , and Ldt Cd3 , which were previously identified by sequence analysis. The catalytic activities of the three proteins were assayed with a disaccharide-tetrapeptide purified from the C. difficile cell wall. Ldt Cd2 and Ldt Cd3 catalyzed the formation of 3→3 cross-links ( l , d -transpeptidase activity), the hydrolysis of the C-terminal d -Ala residue of the disaccharide-tetrapeptide substrate ( l , d -carboxypeptidase activity), and the exchange of the C-terminal d -Ala for d -Met. Ldt Cd1 displayed only l , d -carboxypeptidase activity. Mass spectrometry analyses indicated that Ldt Cd1 and Ldt Cd2 were acylated by β-lactams belonging to the carbapenem (imipenem, meropenem, and ertapenem), cephalosporin (ceftriaxone), and penicillin (ampicillin) classes. Acylation of Ldt Cd3 by these β-lactams was not detected. The acylation efficacy of Ldt Cd1 and Ldt Cd2 was higher for the carbapenems (480 to 6,600 M −1 s −1 ) than for ampicillin and ceftriaxone (3.9 to 82 M −1 s −1 ). In contrast, the efficacy of the hydrolysis of β-lactams by Ldt Cd1 and Ldt Cd2 was higher for ampicillin and ceftriaxone than for imipenem. These observations indicate that Ldt Cd1 and Ldt Cd2 are inactivated only by β-lactams of the carbapenem class due to a combination of rapid acylation and the stability of the resulting covalent adducts.


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