scholarly journals Novel 3,6-Dihydroxypicolinic Acid Decarboxylase-Mediated Picolinic Acid Catabolism inAlcaligenes faecalisJQ135

2019 ◽  
Vol 201 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiguo Qiu ◽  
Yanting Zhang ◽  
Shigang Yao ◽  
Hao Ren ◽  
Meng Qian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aromatic Compounds ◽  
Picolinic Acid ◽  
Alcaligenes Faecalis ◽  
Degradation Pathway ◽  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Pyridine Derivative ◽  
Acid Decarboxylase ◽  
Microbial Cells ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Related Proteins

ABSTRACTPicolinic acid (PA), a typical C-2-carboxylated pyridine derivative, is a metabolite ofl-tryptophan and many other aromatic compounds in mammalian and microbial cells. Microorganisms can degrade and utilize PA for growth. However, the precise mechanism of PA metabolism remains unknown.Alcaligenes faecalisstrain JQ135 utilizes PA as its carbon and nitrogen source for growth. In this study, we screened a 6-hydroxypicolinic acid (6HPA) degradation-deficient mutant through random transposon mutagenesis. The mutant hydroxylated 6HPA into an intermediate, identified as 3,6-dihydroxypicolinic acid (3,6DHPA), with no further degradation. A novel decarboxylase, PicC, was identified to be responsible for the decarboxylation of 3,6DHPA to 2,5-dihydroxypyridine. Although, PicC belonged to the amidohydrolase 2 family, it shows low similarity (<45%) compared to other reported amidohydrolase 2 family decarboxylases. Moreover, PicC was found to form a monophyletic group in the phylogenetic tree constructed using PicC and related proteins. Further, the genetic deletion and complementation results demonstrated thatpicCwas essential for PA degradation. The PicC was Zn2+-dependent nonoxidative decarboxylase that can specifically catalyze the irreversible decarboxylation of 3,6DHPA to 2,5-dihydroxypyridine. TheKmandkcattoward 3,6DHPA were observed to be 13.44 μM and 4.77 s−1, respectively. Site-directed mutagenesis showed that His163 and His216 were essential for PicC activity. This study provides new insights into the microbial metabolism of PA at molecular level.IMPORTANCEPicolinic acid is a natural toxic pyridine derived froml-tryptophan metabolism and other aromatic compounds in mammalian and microbial cells. Microorganisms can degrade and utilize picolinic acid for their growth, and thus a microbial degradation pathway of picolinic acid has been proposed. Picolinic acid is converted into 6-hydroxypicolinic acid, 3,6-dihydroxypicolinic acid, and 2,5-dihydroxypyridine in turn. However, there was no physiological and genetic validation for this pathway. This study demonstrated that 3,6-dihydroxypicolinic acid was an intermediate in picolinic acid catabolism and further identified and characterized a novel amidohydrolase 2 family decarboxylase PicC. PicC was also shown to catalyze the decarboxylation of 3,6-dihydroxypicolinic acid into 2,5-dihydroxypyridine. This study provides a basis for understanding picolinic acid degradation and its underlying molecular mechanism.

scholarly journals Novel 3,6-Dihydroxypicolinic Acid Decarboxylase Mediated Picolinic Acid Catabolism inAlcaligenes faecalisJQ135

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiu Jiguo ◽  
Zhang Yanting ◽  
Yao Shigang ◽  
Ren Hao ◽  
Qian Meng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aromatic Compounds ◽  
Picolinic Acid ◽  
Degradation Pathway ◽  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Acid Decarboxylase ◽  
Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Deficient Mutant ◽  
Carbon And Nitrogen ◽  
Genetic Deletion ◽  
Related Proteins

AbstractAlcaligenesfaecalisstrain JQ135 utilizes picolinic acid (PA) as sole carbon and nitrogen source for growth. In this study, we screened a 6-hydroxypicolinic acid (6HPA) degradation-deficient mutant through random transposon mutagenesis. The mutant hydroxylated 6HPA into an intermediate, identified as 3,6-dihydroxypicolinic acid (3,6DHPA) with no further degradation. A novel decarboxylase PicC was identified that was found to be responsible for the decarboxylation of 3,6DHPA to 2.5-dihydroxypyridine. Although, PicC belonged to amidohydrolase_2 family, it shows low similarity (<45%) when compared to other reported amidohydrolase_2 family decarboxylases. Moreover, PicC was found to form a monophyletic group in the phylogenetic tree constructed using PicC and related proteins. Further, the genetic deletion and complementation results demonstrated thatpicCwas essential for PA degradation. The PicC was Zn2+-dependent non-oxidative decarboxylase that can specifically catalyze the irreversible decarboxylation of 3,6DHPA to 2.5-dihydroxypyridine. TheKmandkcattowards 3,6DHPA were observed to be 13.44 μM and 4.77 s-1, respectively. Site-directed mutagenesis showed that His163 and His216 were essential for PicC activity.ImportancePicolinic acid is a natural toxic pyridine derived from L-tryptophan metabolism and some aromatic compounds in mammalian and microbial cells. Microorganisms can degrade and utilize picolinic acid for their growth, and thus, a microbial degradation pathway of picolinic acid has been proposed. Picolinic acid is converted into 6-hydroxypicolinic acid, 3,6-dihydroxypicolinic acid, and 2,5-dihydroxypyridine in turn. However, there was no physiological and genetic validation for this pathway. This study demonstrated that 3,6DHPA was an intermediate in PA catabolism process and further identified and characterized a novel amidohydrolase_2 family decarboxylase PicC. It was also shown that PicC could catalyze the decarboxylation process of 3,6-dihydroxypicolinic acid into 2,5-dihydroxypyridine. This study provides a basis for understanding PA degradation pathway and the underlying molecular mechanism.

scholarly journals Identification and Characterization of a NovelpicGene Cluster Responsible for Picolinic Acid Degradation inAlcaligenes faecalisJQ135

2019 ◽  
Vol 201 (16) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiguo Qiu ◽  
Lingling Zhao ◽  
Siqiong Xu ◽  
Qing Chen ◽  
Le Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Cluster ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Picolinic Acid ◽  
Gene Clusters ◽  
Alcaligenes Faecalis ◽  
Degradation Pathway ◽  
Pyridine Derivative ◽  
Organic Chemical ◽  
Content Type ◽  
New Perspective

ABSTRACTPicolinic acid (PA) is a natural toxic pyridine derivative. Microorganisms can degrade and utilize PA for growth. However, the full catabolic pathway of PA and its physiological and genetic foundation remain unknown. In this study, we identified a gene cluster, designatedpicRCEDFB4B3B2B1A1A2A3, responsible for the degradation of PA fromAlcaligenes faecalisJQ135. Our results suggest that PA degradation pathway occurs as follows: PA was initially 6-hydroxylated to 6-hydroxypicolinic acid (6HPA) by PicA (a PA dehydrogenase). 6HPA was then 3-hydroxylated by PicB, a four-component 6HPA monooxygenase, to form 3,6-dihydroxypicolinic acid (3,6DHPA), which was then converted into 2,5-dihydroxypyridine (2,5DHP) by the decarboxylase PicC. 2,5DHP was further degraded to fumaric acid through PicD (2,5DHP 5,6-dioxygenase), PicE (N-formylmaleamic acid deformylase), PicF (maleamic acid amidohydrolase), and PicG (maleic acid isomerase). Homologouspicgene clusters with diverse organizations were found to be widely distributed inAlpha-,Beta-, andGammaproteobacteria. Our findings provide new insights into the microbial catabolism of environmental toxic pyridine derivatives.IMPORTANCEPicolinic acid is a common metabolite ofl-tryptophan and some aromatic compounds and is an important intermediate in organic chemical synthesis. Although the microbial degradation/detoxification of picolinic acid has been studied for over 50 years, the underlying molecular mechanisms are still unknown. Here, we show that thepicgene cluster is responsible for the complete degradation of picolinic acid. Thepicgene cluster was found to be widespread in otherAlpha-,Beta-, andGammaproteobacteria. These findings provide a new perspective for understanding the catabolic mechanisms of picolinic acid in bacteria.

scholarly journals A Novel Degradation Mechanism for Pyridine Derivatives inAlcaligenes faecalisJQ135

2018 ◽  
Vol 84 (15) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiguo Qiu ◽  
Bin Liu ◽  
Lingling Zhao ◽  
Yanting Zhang ◽  
Dan Cheng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nicotinic Acid ◽  
Maleic Acid ◽  
Degradation Mechanism ◽  
Picolinic Acid ◽  
Alcaligenes Faecalis ◽  
Pyridine Derivative ◽  
Pyridine Derivatives ◽  
Monooxygenase Activity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Gene Coding

ABSTRACT5-Hydroxypicolinic acid (5HPA), a natural pyridine derivative, is microbially degraded in the environment. However, the physiological, biochemical, and genetic foundations of 5HPA metabolism remain unknown. In this study, an operon (hpa), responsible for 5HPA degradation, was cloned fromAlcaligenes faecalisJQ135. HpaM was a monocomponent flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD)-dependent monooxygenase and shared low identity (only 28 to 31%) with reported monooxygenases. HpaM catalyzed theorthodecarboxylative hydroxylation of 5HPA, generating 2,5-dihydroxypyridine (2,5DHP). The monooxygenase activity of HpaM was FAD and NADH dependent. The apparentKmvalues of HpaM for 5HPA and NADH were 45.4 μM and 37.8 μM, respectively. The geneshpaX,hpaD, andhpaFwere found to encode 2,5DHP dioxygenase,N-formylmaleamic acid deformylase, and maleamate amidohydrolase, respectively; however, the three genes were not essential for 5HPA degradation inA. faecalisJQ135. Furthermore, the genemaiA, which encodes a maleic acidcis-transisomerase, was essential for the metabolism of 5HPA, nicotinic acid, and picolinic acid inA. faecalisJQ135, indicating that it might be a key gene in the metabolism of pyridine derivatives. The genes and proteins identified in this study showed a novel degradation mechanism of pyridine derivatives.IMPORTANCEUnlike the benzene ring, the uneven distribution of the electron density of the pyridine ring influences the positional reactivity and interaction with enzymes; e.g., theorthoandparaoxidations are more difficult than themetaoxidations. Hydroxylation is an important oxidation process for the pyridine derivative metabolism. In previous reports, theorthohydroxylations of pyridine derivatives were catalyzed by multicomponent molybdenum-containing monooxygenases, while themetahydroxylations were catalyzed by monocomponent FAD-dependent monooxygenases. This study identified the new monocomponent FAD-dependent monooxygenase HpaM that catalyzed theorthodecarboxylative hydroxylation of 5HPA. In addition, we found that themaiAgene coding for maleic acidcis-transisomerase was pivotal for the metabolism of 5HPA, nicotinic acid, and picolinic acid inA. faecalisJQ135. This study provides novel insights into the microbial metabolism of pyridine derivatives.

scholarly journals Arhodomonas sp. Strain Seminole and Its Genetic Potential To Degrade Aromatic Compounds under High-Salinity Conditions

2014 ◽  
Vol 80 (21) ◽  
pp. 6664-6676 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonal Dalvi ◽  
Carla Nicholson ◽  
Fares Najar ◽  
Bruce A. Roe ◽  
Patricia Canaan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aromatic Compounds ◽  
High Salinity ◽  
Sequence Similarity ◽  
Tca Cycle ◽  
Degradation Pathway ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Catabolic Genes ◽  
Benzene Toluene ◽  
Tca Cycle Intermediates

ABSTRACTArhodomonassp. strain Seminole was isolated from a crude oil-impacted brine soil and shown to degrade benzene, toluene, phenol, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (4-HBA), protocatechuic acid (PCA), and phenylacetic acid (PAA) as the sole sources of carbon at high salinity. Seminole is a member of the genusArhodomonasin the classGammaproteobacteria, sharing 96% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity withArhodomonas aquaeoleiHA-1. Analysis of the genome predicted a number of catabolic genes for the metabolism of benzene, toluene, 4-HBA, and PAA. The predicted pathways were corroborated by identification of enzymes present in the cytosolic proteomes of cells grown on aromatic compounds using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Genome analysis predicted a cluster of 19 genes necessary for the breakdown of benzene or toluene to acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) and pyruvate. Of these, 12 enzymes were identified in the proteome of toluene-grown cells compared to lactate-grown cells. Genomic analysis predicted 11 genes required for 4-HBA degradation to form the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediates. Of these, proteomic analysis of 4-HBA-grown cells identified 6 key enzymes involved in the 4-HBA degradation pathway. Similarly, 15 genes needed for the degradation of PAA to the TCA cycle intermediates were predicted. Of these, 9 enzymes of the PAA degradation pathway were identified only in PAA-grown cells and not in lactate-grown cells. Overall, we were able to reconstruct catabolic steps for the breakdown of a variety of aromatic compounds in an extreme halophile, strain Seminole. Such knowledge is important for understanding the role ofArhodomonasspp. in the natural attenuation of hydrocarbon-impacted hypersaline environments.

scholarly journals Identification and characterization of a novelpicgene cluster responsible for picolinic acid degradation inAlcaligenes faecalisJQ135

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiguo Qiu ◽  
Lingling Zhao ◽  
Siqiong Xu ◽  
Qing Chen ◽  
Le Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Cluster ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle ◽  
Picolinic Acid ◽  
Gene Clusters ◽  
Alcaligenes Faecalis ◽  
Pyridine Derivative ◽  
Complete Degradation ◽  
Important Intermediate ◽  
New Perspective

AbstractPicolinic acid (PA) is a natural toxic pyridine derivative. Microorganisms can degrade and utilize PA for growth. However, the full metabolic pathway and its physiological and genetic foundation remain unknown. In this study, we identified thepicgene cluster responsible for the complete degradation of PA fromAlcaligenes faecalisJQ135. PA was initially 6-hydroxylated into 6-hydroxypicolinic acid (6HPA) by PA dehydrogenase (PicA). 6HPA was then 3-hydroxylated by a four-component 6HPA monooxygenase (PicB) to form 3,6-dihydroxypicolinic acid (3,6DHPA), which was then converted into 2,5-dihydroxypyridine (2,5DHP) by a decarboxylase (PicC). The 2,5DHP was further degraded into fumaric acid, through PicD (2,5DHP dioxygenase), PicE (N-formylmaleamic acid deformylase), PicF (maleamic acid amidohydrolase), and PicG (maleic acid isomerase). Homologouspicgene clusters with diverse organizations were found to be widely distributed inα-,β-, andγ-Proteobacteria. Our findings provide new insights into the microbial metabolism of environmental toxic pyridine derivatives.ImportancePicolinic acid is a common metabolite of L-tryptophan and some aromatic compounds and is an important intermediate of industrial concern. Although the microbial degradation/detoxification of picolinic acid has been studied for over 50 years, the underlying molecular mechanisms are still unknown. Here, we show thepicgene cluster responsible for the complete degradation of picolinic acid into the tricarboxylic acid cycle. This gene cluster was found to be widespread in otherα-,β-, andγ-Proteobacteria. These findings provide new perspective for understanding the mechanisms of picolinic acid biodegradation in bacteria.

scholarly journals A Patatin-Like Protein Associated with the Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) Granules of Haloferax mediterranei Acts as an Efficient Depolymerase in the Degradation of Native PHA

2015 ◽  
Vol 81 (9) ◽  
pp. 3029-3038 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guiming Liu ◽  
Jing Hou ◽  
Shuangfeng Cai ◽  
Dahe Zhao ◽  
Lei Cai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Value Added ◽  
Degradation Pathway ◽  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Haloferax Mediterranei ◽  
Content Type ◽  
New Strategy ◽  
Key Enzyme ◽  
Shed Light

ABSTRACTThe key enzymes and pathways involved in polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biosynthesis in haloarchaea have been identified in recent years, but the haloarchaeal enzymes for PHA degradation remain unknown. In this study, a patatin-like PHA depolymerase, PhaZh1, was determined to be located on the PHA granules in the haloarchaeonHaloferax mediterranei. PhaZh1 hydrolyzed the native PHA (nPHA) [including native polyhydroxybutyrate (nPHB) and native poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (nPHBV) in this study] granulesin vitrowith 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) monomer as the primary product. The site-directed mutagenesis of PhaZh1 indicated that Gly16, Ser47(in a classical lipase box, G-X-S47-X-G), and Asp195of this depolymerase were essential for its activity in nPHA granule hydrolysis. Notably,phaZh1andbdhA(encoding putative 3HB dehydrogenase) form a gene cluster (HFX_6463to_6464) inH. mediterranei. The 3HB monomer generated from nPHA degradation by PhaZh1 could be further converted into acetoacetate by BdhA, indicating that PhaZh1-BdhA may constitute the first part of a PHA degradation pathwayin vivo. Interestingly, although PhaZh1 showed efficient activity and was most likely the key enzyme in nPHA granule hydrolysisin vitro, the knockout ofphaZh1had no significant effect on the intracellular PHA mobilization, implying the existence of an alternative PHA mobilization pathway(s) that functions effectively within the cells ofH. mediterranei. Therefore, identification of this patatin-like depolymerase of haloarchaea may provide a new strategy for producing the high-value-added chiral compound (R)-3HB and may also shed light on the PHA mobilization in haloarchaea.

scholarly journals The Structure of the Cysteine-Rich Domain of Plasmodium falciparum P113 Identifies the Location of the RH5 Binding Site

mBio ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivan Campeotto ◽  
Francis Galaway ◽  
Shahid Mehmood ◽  
Lea K. Barfod ◽  
Doris Quinkert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Binding Site ◽  
Structural Information ◽  
Blood Stage ◽  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Effective Vaccine ◽  
Binding Region ◽  
Fab Fragment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Blood Stage Malaria

ABSTRACT Plasmodium falciparum RH5 is a secreted parasite ligand that is essential for erythrocyte invasion through direct interaction with the host erythrocyte receptor basigin. RH5 forms a tripartite complex with two other secreted parasite proteins, CyRPA and RIPR, and is tethered to the surface of the parasite through membrane-anchored P113. Antibodies against RH5, CyRPA, and RIPR can inhibit parasite invasion, suggesting that vaccines containing these three components have the potential to prevent blood-stage malaria. To further explore the role of the P113-RH5 interaction, we selected monoclonal antibodies against P113 that were either inhibitory or noninhibitory for RH5 binding. Using a Fab fragment as a crystallization chaperone, we determined the crystal structure of the RH5 binding region of P113 and showed that it is composed of two domains with structural similarities to rhamnose-binding lectins. We identified the RH5 binding site on P113 by using a combination of hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry and site-directed mutagenesis. We found that a monoclonal antibody to P113 that bound to this interface and inhibited the RH5-P113 interaction did not inhibit parasite blood-stage growth. These findings provide further structural information on the protein interactions of RH5 and will be helpful in guiding the development of blood-stage malaria vaccines that target RH5. IMPORTANCE Malaria is a deadly infectious disease primarily caused by the parasite Plasmodium falciparum. It remains a major global health problem, and there is no highly effective vaccine. A parasite protein called RH5 is centrally involved in the invasion of host red blood cells, making it—and the other parasite proteins it interacts with—promising vaccine targets. We recently identified a protein called P113 that binds RH5, suggesting that it anchors RH5 to the parasite surface. In this paper, we use structural biology to locate and characterize the RH5 binding region on P113. These findings will be important to guide the development of new antimalarial vaccines to ultimately prevent this disease, which affects some of the poorest people on the planet.

scholarly journals Site-Directed Mutagenesis of the Heterotrimeric Killer Toxin Zymocin Identifies Residues Required for Early Steps in Toxin Action

2014 ◽  
Vol 80 (20) ◽  
pp. 6549-6559 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabrina Wemhoff ◽  
Roland Klassen ◽  
Friedhelm Meinhardt
Keyword(s):  
Kluyveromyces Lactis ◽  
Killer Toxin ◽  
Cysteine Residue ◽  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Target Cells ◽  
Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Protein Toxin ◽  
Assisted Delivery

ABSTRACTZymocin is aKluyveromyces lactisprotein toxin composed of αβγ subunits encoded by the cytoplasmic virus-like element k1 and functions by αβ-assisted delivery of the anticodon nuclease (ACNase) γ into target cells. The toxin binds to cells' chitin and exhibits chitinase activityin vitrothat might be important during γ import.Saccharomyces cerevisiaestrains carrying k1-derived hybrid elements deficient in either αβ (k1ORF2) or γ (k1ORF4) were generated. Loss of either gene abrogates toxicity, and unexpectedly, Orf2 secretion depends on Orf4 cosecretion. Functional zymocin assembly can be restored by nuclear expression of k1ORF2 or k1ORF4, providing an opportunity to conduct site-directed mutagenesis of holozymocin. Complementation required active site residues of α's chitinase domain and the sole cysteine residue of β (Cys250). Since βγ are reportedly disulfide linked, the requirement for the conserved γ C231 was probed. Toxicity of intracellularly expressed γ C231A indicated no major defect in ACNase activity, while complementation of k1ΔORF4 by γ C231A was lost, consistent with a role of β C250 and γ C231 in zymocin assembly. To test the capability of αβ to carry alternative cargos, the heterologous ACNase fromPichia acaciae(P. acaciaeOrf2 [PaOrf2]) was expressed, along with its immunity gene, in k1ΔORF4. While efficient secretion of PaOrf2 was detected, suppression of the k1ΔORF4-derived k1Orf2 secretion defect was not observed. Thus, the dependency of k1Orf2 on k1Orf4 cosecretion needs to be overcome prior to studying αβ's capability to deliver other cargo proteins into target cells.

scholarly journals Structural and Functional Insights into Peptidoglycan Access for the Lytic Amidase LytA of Streptococcus pneumoniae

mBio ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Mellroth ◽  
Tatyana Sandalova ◽  
Alexey Kikhney ◽  
Francisco Vilaplana ◽  
Dusan Hesek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Wall ◽  
Streptococcus Pneumoniae ◽  
Solution Structure ◽  
Substrate Binding ◽  
Substrate Recognition ◽  
Lytic Activity ◽  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Binding Motif ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Peptidoglycan Synthesis

ABSTRACT The cytosolic N-acetylmuramoyl-l-alanine amidase LytA protein of Streptococcus pneumoniae, which is released by bacterial lysis, associates with the cell wall via its choline-binding motif. During exponential growth, LytA accesses its peptidoglycan substrate to cause lysis only when nascent peptidoglycan synthesis is stalled by nutrient starvation or β-lactam antibiotics. Here we present three-dimensional structures of LytA and establish the requirements for substrate binding and catalytic activity. The solution structure of the full-length LytA dimer reveals a peculiar fold, with the choline-binding domains forming a rigid V-shaped scaffold and the relatively more flexible amidase domains attached in a trans position. The 1.05-Å crystal structure of the amidase domain reveals a prominent Y-shaped binding crevice composed of three contiguous subregions, with a zinc-containing active site localized at the bottom of the branch point. Site-directed mutagenesis was employed to identify catalytic residues and to investigate the relative impact of potential substrate-interacting residues lining the binding crevice for the lytic activity of LytA. In vitro activity assays using defined muropeptide substrates reveal that LytA utilizes a large substrate recognition interface and requires large muropeptide substrates with several connected saccharides that interact with all subregions of the binding crevice for catalysis. We hypothesize that the substrate requirements restrict LytA to the sites on the cell wall where nascent peptidoglycan synthesis occurs. IMPORTANCE Streptococcus pneumoniae is a human respiratory tract pathogen responsible for millions of deaths annually. Its major pneumococcal autolysin, LytA, is required for autolysis and fratricidal lysis and functions as a virulence factor that facilitates the spread of toxins and factors involved in immune evasion. LytA is also activated by penicillin and vancomycin and is responsible for the lysis induced by these antibiotics. The factors that regulate the lytic activity of LytA are unclear, but it was recently demonstrated that control is at the level of substrate recognition and that LytA required access to the nascent peptidoglycan. The present study was undertaken to structurally and functionally investigate LytA and its substrate-interacting interface and to determine the requirements for substrate recognition and catalysis. Our results reveal that the amidase domain comprises a complex substrate-binding crevice and needs to interact with a large-motif epitope of peptidoglycan for catalysis.

scholarly journals Genome-Wide Screening Identifies Six Genes That Are Associated with Susceptibility to Escherichia coli Microcin PDI

2015 ◽  
Vol 81 (20) ◽  
pp. 6953-6963 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhe Zhao ◽  
Lauren J. Eberhart ◽  
Lisa H. Orfe ◽  
Shao-Yeh Lu ◽  
Thomas E. Besser ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Atp Synthase ◽  
Disulfide Bonds ◽  
Gene Knockout ◽  
Single Gene ◽  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Synthase Inhibitor ◽  
Loss Of Susceptibility

ABSTRACTThe microcin PDI inhibits a diverse group of pathogenicEscherichia colistrains. Coculture of a single-gene knockout library (BW25113;n= 3,985 mutants) against a microcin PDI-producing strain (E. coli25) identified six mutants that were not susceptible (ΔatpA, ΔatpF, ΔdsbA, ΔdsbB, ΔompF, and ΔompR). Complementation of these genes restored susceptibility in all cases, and the loss of susceptibility was confirmed through independent gene knockouts inE. coliO157:H7 Sakai. Heterologous expression ofE. coliompFconferred susceptibility toSalmonella entericaandYersinia enterocoliticastrains that are normally unaffected by microcin PDI. The expression of chimeric OmpF and site-directed mutagenesis revealed that the K47G48N49region within the first extracellular loop ofE. coliOmpF is a putative binding site for microcin PDI. OmpR is a transcriptional regulator forompF, and consequently loss of susceptibility by the ΔompRstrain most likely is related to this function. Deletion of AtpA and AtpF, as well as AtpE and AtpH (missed in the original library screen), resulted in the loss of susceptibility to microcin PDI and the loss of ATP synthase function. Coculture of a susceptible strain in the presence of an ATP synthase inhibitor resulted in a loss of susceptibility, confirming that a functional ATP synthase complex is required for microcin PDI activity. Intransexpression ofompFin the ΔdsbAand ΔdsbBstrains did not restore a susceptible phenotype, indicating that these proteins are probably involved with the formation of disulfide bonds for OmpF or microcin PDI.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document