scholarly journals The vimE Gene Downstream of vimA Is Independently Expressed and Is Involved in Modulating Proteolytic Activity in Porphyromonas gingivalis W83

2004 ◽  
Vol 72 (10) ◽  
pp. 5555-5564 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elaine Vanterpool ◽  
Francis Roy ◽  
Hansel M. Fletcher

ABSTRACT Regulation/activation of the Porphyromonas gingivalis gingipains is poorly understood. A unique 1.3-kb open reading frame downstream of the bcp-recA-vimA transcriptional unit was cloned, insertionally inactivated with the ermF-ermAM antibiotic resistance cassette, and used to create a defective mutant by allelic exchange. In contrast to the wild-type W83 strain, the growth rate of the mutant strain (designated FLL93) was reduced, and when plated on Brucella blood agar it was nonpigmented and nonhemolytic. Arginine- and lysine-specific gingipain activities were reduced by approximately 90 and 85%, respectively, relative to activities of the parent strain. These activities were unaffected by the culture's growth phase, in contrast to the vimA-defective mutant P. gingivalis FLL92, which has increased proteolytic activity in stationary phase. Expression of the rgpA, rgpB, and kgp gingipain genes was unaltered in P. gingivalis FLL93 compared to that of the wild-type strain. Further, in extracellular protein fractions a 64-kDa band was identified that was immunoreactive with the RgpB-specific proenzyme antibodies. Active-site labeling with dansyl-glutamyl-glycyl-arginyl chloromethyl ketone or immunoblot analysis showed no detectable protein band representing the gingipain catalytic domain. In vitro protease activity could be slightly induced by a urea denaturation-renaturation cycle in an extracellular protein fraction, in contrast to the vimA-defective mutant P. gingivalis FLL92. Expression of flanking genes, including recA, vimA, and Pg0792, was unaltered by the mutation. Taken together, these results suggest that the vimA downstream gene, designated vimE (for virulence-modulating gene E), is involved in the regulation of protease activity in P. gingivalis.

2003 ◽  
Vol 71 (7) ◽  
pp. 3740-3747 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Jon Olango ◽  
Francis Roy ◽  
Shaun M. Sheets ◽  
Mary K. Young ◽  
Hansel M. Fletcher

ABSTRACT We have previously shown that the unique vimA (virulence-modulating) gene could modulate proteolytic activity in Porphyromomas gingivalis. Although a reduction in cysteine protease activity was observed in the vimA-defective mutant, P. gingivalis FLL92, compared to that of the wild-type strain, no changes were seen in the expression of the gingipain genes. This result might suggest posttranscriptional regulation of protease expression. To determine whether there was a defect in the translation, transport, or maturation of the gingipains, P. gingivalis FLL92 was further characterized. In contrast to the wild-type strain, a 90% reduction was seen in both Rgp and Kgp protease activities in strain FLL92 during the exponential growth phase. These activities, however, increased to approximately 60% of that of the wild-type strain during stationary phase. Throughout all the growth phases, Rgp and Kgp activities were mostly soluble, in contrast to those of the wild-type strain. Western blot analyses identified unique Rgp- and Kgp-immunoreactive bands in extracellular protein fractions from FLL92 grown to late exponential phase. Also, the RgpB proenzyme was identified in this fraction by mass spectrometry. In addition, in vitro protease activity could be induced by a urea denaturation-renaturation cycle in this fraction. These results indicate that protease activity in P. gingivalis may be growth phase regulated, possibly by multiple mechanisms. Furthermore, the gingipain RgpB is excreted in an inactive form in the vimA mutant. In addition, these results provide the first evidence of posttranslational regulation of protease activity in P. gingivalis and may suggest an important role for the vimA gene in protease activation in this organism.


2004 ◽  
Vol 379 (3) ◽  
pp. 833-840 ◽  
Author(s):  
John W. SMALLEY ◽  
Michael F. THOMAS ◽  
Andrew J. BIRSS ◽  
Robert WITHNALL ◽  
Jack SILVER

The black pigment of Porphyromonas gingivalis is composed of the µ-oxo bishaem complex of Fe(III) protoporphyrin IX (µ-oxo oligomer, dimeric haem), namely [Fe(III)PPIX]2O. P. gingivalis W50 and Rgp (Arg-gingipain)- and Kgp (Lys-gingipain)-deficient mutants K1A, D7, E8 and W501 [Aduse-Opoku, Davies, Gallagher, Hashim, Evans, Rangarajan, Slaney and Curtis (2000) Microbiology 146, 1933–1940] were grown on horse blood/agar for 14 days and examined for the production of µ-oxo bishaem. µ-oxo Bishaem was detected by UV–visible, Mössbauer and Raman spectroscopies in wild-type W50 and in the black-pigmented RgpA- and RgpB-deficient mutants (W501 and D7 respectively), whereas no haem species were detected in the straw-coloured colonies of Kgp-deficient strain K1A. The dark brown pigment of the double RgpA/RgpB knockout mutant (E8) was not composed of µ-oxo bishaem, but of a high-spin monomeric Fe(III) protoporphyrin IX species (possibly a haem–albumin complex). In vitro incubation of oxyhaemoglobin with cells of the W50 strain and the RgpA- and RgpB-deficient mutants (W501 and D7) resulted in the formation of µ-oxo bishaem via methaemoglobin as an intermediate. Although the Kgp-deficient strain K1A converted oxyhaemoglobin into methaemoglobin, this was not further degraded into µ-oxo bishaem. The double RgpA/RgpB knockout was also not capable of producing µ-oxo bishaem from oxyhaemoglobin, but instead generated a haemoglobin haemichrome. Inhibition of Arg-X protease activity of W50, W501, D7 and K1A with leupeptin, under conditions where Lys-X protease activity was unaffected, prevented the production of µ-oxo bishaem from oxyhaemoglobin, but resulted in the formation of a haemoglobin haemichrome. These results show that one or both of RgpA and RgpB gingipains, in addition to the lysine-specific gingipain, is necessary for the production of µ-oxo bishaem from haemoglobin by whole cells of P. gingivalis.


2011 ◽  
Vol 80 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chen Li ◽  
Kurniyati ◽  
Bo Hu ◽  
Jiang Bian ◽  
Jianlan Sun ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTThe oral bacteriumPorphyromonas gingivalisis a key etiological agent of human periodontitis, a prevalent chronic disease that affects up to 80% of the adult population worldwide.P. gingivalisexhibits neuraminidase activity. However, the enzyme responsible for this activity, its biochemical features, and its role in the physiology and virulence ofP. gingivalisremain elusive. In this report, we found thatP. gingivalisencodes a neuraminidase, PG0352 (SiaPg). Transcriptional analysis showed thatPG0352is monocistronic and is regulated by a sigma70-like promoter. Biochemical analyses demonstrated that SiaPgis an exo-α-neuraminidase that cleaves glycosidic-linked sialic acids. Cryoelectron microscopy and tomography analyses revealed that thePG0352deletion mutant (ΔPG352) failed to produce an intact capsule layer. Compared to the wild type,in vitrostudies showed that ΔPG352 formed less biofilm and was less resistant to killing by the host complement.In vivostudies showed that while the wild type caused a spreading type of infection that affected multiple organs and all infected mice were killed, ΔPG352 only caused localized infection and all animals survived. Taken together, these results demonstrate that SiaPgis an important virulence factor that contributes to the biofilm formation, capsule biosynthesis, and pathogenicity ofP. gingivalis, and it can potentially serve as a new target for developing therapeutic agents againstP. gingivalisinfection.


1961 ◽  
Vol 113 (2) ◽  
pp. 359-380 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georges Ungar ◽  
Takuso Yamura ◽  
Jacqueline B. Isola ◽  
Sidney Kobrin

Protease activity was measured through the hydrolysis of synthetic amino acid esters in body fluids and tissues of guinea pigs, rats, mice, and humans. Significant in vitro activation was observed in serum and lung slices of sensitized guinea pigs on addition of the specific antigen. Increased proteolytic activity was also seen in reverse anaphylaxis. More marked activation occurred when guinea pig serum was treated with peptone and guinea pig or rat serum was treated with agar. Protease activation was demonstrated in specimens of human skin under the influence of a poison ivy extract or croton oil added in vitro. Urinary protease activity of guinea pigs increased significantly during the first hours of anaphylactic shock and very markedly in peptone shock. Peptone shock, elicited in mice pretreated with H. pertussis, was accompanied by a considerable increase in protease activity in the peritoneal fluid as compared with non-pretreated mice which were insensitive to peptone. Proteolytic activity resulting from the activation procedures was due to a number of proteases. The dominant substrate affinity and inhibition patterns suggest that serum and urine proteases are similar to but not identical with plasmin. Anaphylactic activation exhibited patterns different from those resulting from the action of anaphylactoid agents. Tissue enzymes are either of cathepsin- or chymotrypsin-type or mixtures of both. Some of the activated enzymes, although remarkably effective in hydrolyzing amino acid esters, show no activity on protein substrates. This does not justify, however, their designation as "esterases." They probably belong to the class of specific proteases acting only on a single or a small number of functionally significant protein substrates. There is at present sufficient evidence to prove not only that protease activation does occur in anaphylaxis and anaphylactoid conditions but also that it is an important component of the chain of reactions leading to the allergic response.


2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Roghayyeh Baghban ◽  
Safar Farajnia ◽  
Younes Ghasemi ◽  
Reyhaneh Hoseinpoor ◽  
Azam Safary ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Ocriplasmin (Jetrea) is using for the treatment of symptomatic vitreomacular adhesion. This enzyme undergoes rapid inactivation and limited activity duration as a result of its autolytic nature after injection within the eye. Moreover, the proteolytic activity can cause photoreceptor damage, which may result in visual impairment in more serious cases. Results The present research aimed to reduce the disadvantages of ocriplasmin using site-directed mutagenesis. To reduce the autolytic activity of ocriplasmin in the first variant, lysine 156 changed to glutamic acid and, in the second variant for the proteolytic activity reduction, alanine 59 mutated to threonine. The third variant contained both mutations. Expression of wild type and three mutant variants of ocriplasmin constructs were done in the Pichia pastoris expression system. The mutant variants were analyzed in silico and in vitro and compared to the wild type. The kinetic parameters of ocriplasmin variants showed both variants with K156E substitution were more resistant to autolytic degradation than wild-type. These variants also exhibited reduced Kcat and Vmax values. An increase in their Km values, leading to a decreased catalytic efficiency (the Kcat/Km ratio) of autolytic and mixed variants. Moreover, in the variant with A59T mutation, Kcat and Vmax values have reduced compared to wild type. The mix variants showed the most increase in Km value (almost 2-fold) as well as reduced enzymatic affinity to the substrate. Thus, the results indicated that combined mutations at the ocriplasmin sequence were more effective compared with single mutations. Conclusions The results indicated such variants represent valuable tools for the investigation of therapeutic strategies aiming at the non-surgical resolution of vitreomacular adhesion.


2001 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 2894-2905 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yisang Yoon ◽  
Kelly R. Pitts ◽  
Mark A. McNiven

Dynamins are large GTPases with mechanochemical properties that are known to constrict and tubulate membranes. A recently identified mammalian dynamin-like protein (DLP1) is essential for the proper cellular distribution of mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum in cultured cells. In this study, we investigated the ability of DLP1 to remodel membranes similar to conventional dynamin. We found that the expression of a GTPase-defective mutant, DLP1-K38A, in cultured cells led to the formation of large cytoplasmic aggregates. Electron microscopy (EM) of cells expressing DLP1-K38A revealed that these aggregates were comprised of membrane tubules of a consistent diameter. High-magnification EM revealed the presence of many regular striations along individual membrane tubules, and immunogold labeling confirmed the association of DLP1 with these structures. Biochemical experiments with the use of recombinant DLP1 and labeled GTP demonstrated that DLP1-K38A binds but does not hydrolyze or release GTP. Furthermore, the affinity of DLP1-K38A for membrane is increased compared with wild-type DLP1. To test whether DLP1 could tubulate membrane in vitro, recombinant DLP1 was combined with synthetic liposomes and nucleotides. We found that DLP1 protein alone assembled into sedimentable macromolecular structures in the presence of guanosine-5′-O-(3-thio)triphosphate (GTPγS) but not GTP. EM of the GTPγS-treated DLP1 revealed clusters of stacked helical ring structures. When liposomes were included with DLP1, formation of long membrane tubules similar in size to those formed in vivo was observed. Addition of GTPγS greatly enhanced membrane tubule formation, suggesting the GTP-bound form of DLP1 deforms liposomes into tubules as the DLP1-K38A does in vivo. These results provide the first evidence that the dynamin family member, DLP1, is able to tubulate membranes both in living cells and in vitro. Furthermore, these findings also indicate that despite the limited homology to conventional dynamins (35%) these proteins remodel membranes in a similar manner.


2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (45) ◽  
pp. 27989-27996
Author(s):  
Yasushi Daimon ◽  
Shin-ichiro Narita ◽  
Ryoji Miyazaki ◽  
Yohei Hizukuri ◽  
Hiroyuki Mori ◽  
...  

Escherichia coliperiplasmic zinc-metallopeptidase BepA normally functions by promoting maturation of LptD, a β-barrel outer-membrane protein involved in biogenesis of lipopolysaccharides, but degrades it when its membrane assembly is hampered. These processes should be properly regulated to ensure normal biogenesis of LptD. The underlying mechanism of regulation, however, remains to be elucidated. A recently solved BepA structure has revealed unique features: In particular, the active site is buried in the protease domain and conceivably inaccessible for substrate degradation. Additionally, the His-246 residue in the loop region containing helix α9 (α9/H246 loop), which has potential flexibility and covers the active site, coordinates the zinc ion as the fourth ligand to exclude a catalytic water molecule, thereby suggesting that the crystal structure of BepA represents a latent form. To examine the roles of the α9/H246 loop in the regulation of BepA activity, we constructed BepA mutants with a His-246 mutation or a deletion of the α9/H246 loop and analyzed their activities in vivo and in vitro. These mutants exhibited an elevated protease activity and, unlike the wild-type BepA, degraded LptD that is in the normal assembly pathway. In contrast, tethering of the α9/H246 loop repressed the LptD degradation, which suggests that the flexibility of this loop is important to the exhibition of protease activity. Based on these results, we propose that the α9/H246 loop undergoes a reversible structural change that enables His-246–mediated switching (histidine switch) of its protease activity, which is important for regulated degradation of stalled/misassembled LptD.


2020 ◽  
pp. jbc.RA120.014226
Author(s):  
Hui Shen ◽  
Robert Jordan Ontiveros ◽  
Michael C Owens ◽  
Monica Yun Liu ◽  
Uday Ghanty ◽  
...  

Oxidation of 5-methylcytosine (5mC) in DNA by the Ten-eleven translocation (TET) family of enzymes is indispensable for gene regulation in mammals. More recently, evidence has emerged to support a biological function for TET-mediated m5C oxidation in messenger RNA. Here, we describe a previously uncharacterized role of TET-mediated m5C oxidation in transfer RNA (tRNAs). We found that the TET-mediated oxidation product 5-hydroxylmethylcytosine (hm5C) is specifically enriched in tRNA inside cells and that the oxidation activity of TET2 on m5C in tRNAs can be readily observed in vitro. We further observed that hm5C levels in tRNA were significantly decreased in Tet2 KO mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) in comparison to wild type mESCs. Reciprocally, induced expression of the catalytic domain of TET2 led to an obvious increase in hm5C and a decrease in m5C in tRNAs relative to uninduced cells. Strikingly, we also show that TET2-mediated m5C oxidation in tRNA promotes translation in vitro. These results suggest TET2 may influence translation through impacting tRNA methylation and reveal an unexpected role for TET enzymes in regulating multiple nodes of the central dogma.


Microbiology ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 156 (10) ◽  
pp. 3052-3064 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Suwannakul ◽  
G. P. Stafford ◽  
S. A. Whawell ◽  
C. W. I. Douglas

Bistable populations of bacteria give rise to two or more subtypes that exhibit different phenotypes. We have explored whether the periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis exhibits bistable invasive phenotypes. Using a modified cell invasion assay, we show for the first time that there are two distinct subtypes within a population of P. gingivalis strains NCTC 11834 and W50 that display differences in their ability to invade oral epithelial cells. The highly invasive subtype invades cells at 10–30-fold higher levels than the poorly invasive subtype and remains highly invasive for approximately 12–16 generations. Analysis of the gingipain activity of these subtypes revealed that the highly invasive type had reduced cell-associated arginine-specific protease activity. The role of Arg-gingipain activity in invasion was verified by enhancement of invasion by rgpAB mutations and by inclusion of an Arg-gingipain inhibitor in invasion assays using wild-type bacteria. In addition, a population of ΔrgpAB bacteria did not contain a hyperinvasive subtype. Screening of the protease activity of wild-type populations of both strains identified high and low protease subtypes which also showed a corresponding reduction or enhancement, respectively, of invasive capabilities. Microarray analysis of these bistable populations revealed a putative signature set of genes that includes oxidative stress resistance and iron transport genes, and which might be critical to invasion of or survival within epithelial cells.


Blood ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 110 (11) ◽  
pp. 197-197
Author(s):  
Masami Niiya ◽  
Masayuki Endo ◽  
Philip W. Zoltick ◽  
Nidal E. Muvarak ◽  
David G. Motto ◽  
...  

Abstract ADAMTS13, a member of A Disintegrin and Metalloprotease with ThromboSpondin type 1 repeats (ADAMTS) family, is mainly synthesized in the hepatic stellate cells, endothelial cells and megakaryocytes or platelets. It controls the sizes of von Willebrand factor (VWF) multimers by cleaving VWF at the Tyr1605-Met1606 bond. Genetic deficiency of plasma ADAMTS13 activity results in hereditary thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), also named Upshaw-Schülman syndrome. To develop a potential gene therapy approach and to determine the domains of ADAMTS13 required for recognition and cleavage of VWF in vivo, a self-inactivating lentiviral vector encoding human wild-type ADAMTS13 or variant truncated after the spacer domain (construct MDTCS) was administrated by intra-amniotic injection on embryonic day 8. Direct stereomicroscopy and immunofluorescent microscopic analysis revealed that the green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter, ADAMTS13 and MDTCS were predominantly expressed in the heart, kidneys and skin. The synthesized ADAMTS13 and truncated variant were detectable in mouse plasma by immunoprecipitation and Western blot, as well as by proteolytic cleavage of FRETS-VWF73 substrate. The levels of proteolytic activity in plasma of mice expressing ADAMTS13 and MDTCS were 5 ± 7% and 60 ± 70%, respectively using normal human plasma as a standard, and this proteolytic activity persisted for at least 24 weeks in Adamts13−/−mice and 42 weeks in wild-type mice tested (the duration of observation). The mice expressing both recombinant ADAMTS13 and MDTCS showed a significantly decreased ratio of plasma VWF collagen-binding activity to antigen and a reduction in VWF multimer sizes as compared to those in the controls. Moreover, the mice expressing ADAMTS13 and MDTCS showed a significant prolongation of ferric chloride-induced carotid arterial occlusion time (9.0 ± 0.6 and 25.2 ± 3.2 min, respectively) as compared to the Adamts13−/− mice expressing GFP alone (5.6 ± 0.5 min) (p<0.01). The ferric chloride-induced carotid occlusion time in Adamts13−/− mice expressing ADAMTS13 was almost identical to that in wild type mice with same genetic background (C56BL/6) (8.0 ± 0.2 min) (p>0.05). The data demonstrate the correction of the prothrombotic phenotype in Adamts13−/−mice by gene transfer to the fetus by viral vectors encoding human wild type ADAMTS13 and the carboxyl terminal truncated variant (MDTCS), supporting the feasibility of developing a gene therapy based treatment for hereditary TTP. The discrepancy in the proteolytic activity of MDTCS between in vitro (Zhang P et al. Blood, 2007 in press) and in vivo in the present study suggests the potential cofactors in murine circulation that may rescue the defective proteolytic activity of the carboxyl-terminal truncated ADAMTS13 protease seen in vitro.


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