scholarly journals Cloning and Characterization of Archaeal Type I Signal Peptidase from Methanococcus voltae

2003 ◽  
Vol 185 (20) ◽  
pp. 5936-5942 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandy Y. M. Ng ◽  
Ken F. Jarrell

ABSTRACT Archaeal protein trafficking is a poorly characterized process. While putative type I signal peptidase genes have been identified in sequenced genomes for many archaea, no biochemical data have been presented to confirm that the gene product possesses signal peptidase activity. In this study, the putative type I signal peptidase gene in Methanococcus voltae was cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli, the membranes of which were used as the enzyme source in an in vitro peptidase assay. A truncated, His-tagged form of the M. voltae S-layer protein was generated for use as the substrate to monitor the signal peptidase activity. With M. voltae membranes as the enzyme source, signal peptidase activity in vitro was optimal between 30 and 40°C; it was dependent on a low concentration of KCl or NaCl but was effective over a broad concentration range up to 1 M. Processing of the M. voltae S-layer protein at the predicted cleavage site (confirmed by N-terminal sequencing) was demonstrated with the overexpressed archaeal gene product. Although E. coli signal peptidase was able to correctly process the signal peptide during overexpression of the M. voltae S-layer protein in vivo, the contribution of the E. coli signal peptidase to cleavage of the substrate in the in vitro assay was minimal since E. coli membranes alone did not show significant activity towards the S-layer substrate in in vitro assays. In addition, when the peptidase assays were performed in 1 M NaCl (a previously reported inhibitory condition for E. coli signal peptidase I), efficient processing of the substrate was observed only when the E. coli membranes contained overexpressed M. voltae signal peptidase. This is the first proof of expressed type I signal peptidase activity from a specific archaeal gene product.

2012 ◽  
Vol 56 (10) ◽  
pp. 5054-5060 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter A. Smith ◽  
Floyd E. Romesberg

ABSTRACTClinically approved antibiotics inhibit only a small number of conserved pathways that are essential for bacterial viability, and the physiological effects of inhibiting these pathways have been studied in great detail. Likewise, characterizing the effects of candidate antibiotics that function via novel mechanisms of action is critical for their development, which is of increasing importance due to the ever-growing problem of resistance. The arylomycins are a novel class of natural-product antibiotics that act via the inhibition of type I signal peptidase (SPase), which is an essential enzyme that functions as part of the general secretory pathway and is not the target of any clinically deployed antibiotic. Correspondingly, little is known about the effects of SPase inhibition or how bacteria may respond to mitigate the associated secretion stress. Using genetically sensitizedEscherichia coliandStaphylococcus aureusas model organisms, we examine the activity of arylomycin as a function of its concentration, bacterial cell density, target expression levels, and bacterial growth phase. The results reveal that the activity of the arylomycins results from an insufficient flux of proteins through the secretion pathway and the resulting mislocalization of proteins. Interestingly, this has profoundly different effects onE. coliandS. aureus. Finally, we examine the activity of arylomycin in combination with distinct classes of antibiotics and demonstrate that SPase inhibition results in synergistic sensitivity when combined with an aminoglycoside.


2003 ◽  
Vol 185 (16) ◽  
pp. 4861-4871 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie Stephenson ◽  
Christian Mueller ◽  
Min Jiang ◽  
Marta Perego

ABSTRACT In Bacillus subtilis, an export-import pathway regulates production of the Phr pentapeptide inhibitors of Rap proteins. Processing of the Phr precursor proteins into the active pentapeptide form is a key event in the initiation of sporulation and competence development. The PhrA (ARNQT) and PhrE (SRNVT) peptides inhibit the RapA and RapE phosphatases, respectively, whose activity is directed toward the Spo0F∼P intermediate response regulator of the sporulation phosphorelay. The PhrC (ERGMT) peptide inhibits the RapC protein acting on the ComA response regulator for competence with regard to DNA transformation. The structural organization of PhrA, PhrE, and PhrC suggested a role for type I signal peptidases in the processing of the Phr preinhibitor, encoded by the phr genes, into the proinhibitor form. The proinhibitor was then postulated to be cleaved to the active pentapeptide inhibitor by an additional enzyme. In this report, we provide evidence that Phr preinhibitor proteins are subject to only one processing event at the peptide bond on the amino-terminal end of the pentapeptide. This processing event is most likely independent of type I signal peptidase activity. In vivo and in vitro analyses indicate that none of the five signal peptidases of B. subtilis (SipS, SipT, SipU, SipV, and SipW) are indispensable for Phr processing. However, we show that SipV and SipT have a previously undescribed role in sporulation, competence, and cell growth.


2000 ◽  
Vol 182 (20) ◽  
pp. 5765-5770 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. L. van Roosmalen ◽  
J. D. H. Jongbloed ◽  
A. Kuipers ◽  
G. Venema ◽  
S. Bron ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Soluble forms of Bacillus signal peptidases which lack their unique amino-terminal membrane anchor are prone to degradation, which precludes their high-level production in the cytoplasm ofEscherichia coli. Here, we show that the degradation of soluble forms of the Bacillus signal peptidase SipS is largely due to self-cleavage. First, catalytically inactive soluble forms of this signal peptidase were not prone to degradation; in fact, these mutant proteins were produced at very high levels in E. coli. Second, the purified active soluble form of SipS displayed self-cleavage in vitro. Third, as determined by N-terminal sequencing, at least one of the sites of self-cleavage (between Ser15 and Met16 of the truncated enzyme) strongly resembles a typical signal peptidase cleavage site. Self-cleavage at the latter position results in complete inactivation of the enzyme, as Ser15 forms a catalytic dyad with Lys55. Ironically, self-cleavage between Ser15 and Met16 cannot be prevented by mutagenesis of Gly13 and Ser15, which conform to the −1, −3 rule for signal peptidase recognition, because these residues are critical for signal peptidase activity.


2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 897-911 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria De Rosa ◽  
Lu Lu ◽  
Edouard Zamaratski ◽  
Natalia Szałaj ◽  
Sha Cao ◽  
...  

2002 ◽  
Vol 46 (11) ◽  
pp. 3549-3554 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria D. F. S. Barbosa ◽  
Siqi Lin ◽  
Jay A. Markwalder ◽  
Jonathan A. Mills ◽  
Joseph A. DeVito ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Escherichia coli under-expressing lepB was utilized to test cellular inhibition of signal peptidase I (SPase). For the construction of a lepB regulatable strain, the E. coli lepB gene was cloned into pBAD, with expression dependent on l-arabinose. The chromosomal copy of lepB was replaced with a kanamycin resistance gene, which was subsequently removed. SPase production by the lepB regulatable strain in the presence of various concentrations of l-arabinose was monitored by Western blot analysis. At lower arabinose concentrations growth proceeded more slowly, possibly due to a decrease of SPase levels in the cells. A penem SPase inhibitor with little antimicrobial activity against E. coli when tested at 100 μM was utilized to validate the cell-based system. Under-expression of lepB sensitized the cells to penem, with complete growth inhibition observed at 10 to 30 μM. Growth was rescued by increasing the SPase levels. The cell-based assay was used to test cellular inhibition of SPase by compounds that inhibit the enzyme in vitro. MD1, MD2, and MD3 are SPase inhibitors with antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, although they do not inhibit growth of E. coli. MD1 presented the best spectrum of antimicrobial activity. Both MD1 and MD2 prevented growth of E. coli under-expressing lepB in the presence of polymyxin B nonapeptide, with growth rescue observed when wild-type levels of SPase were produced. MD3 and MD4, a reactive analog of MD3, inhibited growth of E. coli under-expressing lepB. However, growth rescue in the presence of these compounds following increased lepB expression was observed only after prolonged incubation.


2000 ◽  
Vol 182 (3) ◽  
pp. 855-858 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason D. Correia ◽  
Ken F. Jarrell

ABSTRACT Methanococcus voltae is a mesophilic archaeon with flagella composed of flagellins that are initially made with 11- or 12-amino-acid leader peptides that are cleaved prior to incorporation of the flagellin into the growing filament. Preflagellin peptidase activity was demonstrated in immunoblotting experiments with flagellin antibody to detect unprocessed and processed flagellin subunits.Escherichia coli membranes containing the expressedM. voltae preflagellin (as the substrate) were combined in vitro with methanogen membranes (as the enzyme source). Correct processing of the preflagellin to the mature flagellin was also shown directly by comparison of the N-terminal sequences of the two flagellin species. M. voltae preflagellin peptidase activity was optimal at 37°C and pH 8.5 and in the presence of 0.4 M KCl with 0.25% (vol/vol) Triton X-100.


1987 ◽  
Vol 248 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Charlier ◽  
R Sanchez

In contrast with most aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, the lysyl-tRNA synthetase of Escherichia coli is coded for by two genes, the normal lysS gene and the inducible lysU gene. During its purification from E. coli K12, lysyl-tRNA synthetase was monitored by its aminoacylation and adenosine(5′)tetraphospho(5′)adenosine (Ap4A) synthesis activities. Ap4A synthesis was measured by a new assay using DEAE-cellulose filters. The heterogeneity of lysyl-tRNA synthetase (LysRS) was revealed on hydroxyapatite; we focused on the first peak, LysRS1, because of its higher Ap4A/lysyl-tRNA activity ratio at that stage. Additional differences between LysRS1 and LysRS2 (major peak on hydroxyapatite) were collected. LysRS1 was eluted from phosphocellulose in the presence of the substrates, whereas LysRS2 was not. Phosphocellulose chromatography was used to show the increase of LysRS1 in cells submitted to heat shock. Also, the Mg2+ optimum in the Ap4A-synthesis reaction is much higher for LysRS1. LysRS1 showed a higher thermostability, which was specifically enhanced by Zn2+. These results in vivo and in vitro strongly suggest that LysRS1 is the heat-inducible lysU-gene product.


1956 ◽  
Vol 104 (2) ◽  
pp. 233-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edwin M. Lerner

The present experiments have shown that phagocytosis occurs in the absence of specific antibody and in the absence of a "suitable physical surface", as further that the presence of a rough surface does not increase the in vitro phagocytosis of pneumococci by polymorphonuclear leukocytes. This held true during repetition of Wood's experiments, as well as when more controlled quantitative techniques were employed, when conditions were made optimal for phagocytosis by increasing bacterial concentrations, and when blood leukocytes were substituted for exudate leukocytes. Evidence has been presented previously that the stimulation of phagocytosis of E. coli, B. abortus, and Type IV Pneumococcus, after contact with filter paper or an active compound present in filter paper, is a chemical effect rather than a physical effect. This type of stimulation did not occur with the Type I A5 Pneumococcus. The leukocyte of the circulating blood was found to be definitely superior to the exudate leukocyte in phagocytic capacity, under all the experimental conditions tested.


2006 ◽  
Vol 387 (4) ◽  
pp. 451-460 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Sieber ◽  
Frank Plöger ◽  
Raphaela Schwappacher ◽  
Rolf Bechtold ◽  
Michael Hanke ◽  
...  

Abstract Growth and differentiation factor 5 (GDF-5) is a homodimeric protein stabilized by a single disulfide bridge between cysteine 465 in the respective monomers, as well as by three intramolecular cysteine bridges within each subunit. A mature recombinant human GDF-5 variant with cysteine 465 replaced by alanine (rhGDF-5 C465A) was expressed in E. coli, purified to homogeneity, and chemically renatured. Biochemical analysis showed that this procedure eliminated the sole interchain disulfide bond. Surprisingly, the monomeric variant of rhGDF-5 is as potent in vitro as the dimeric form. This could be confirmed by alkaline phosphatase assays and Smad reporter gene activation. Furthermore, dimeric and monomeric rhGDF-5 show comparable binding to their specific type I receptor, BRIb. Studies on living cells showed that both the dimeric and monomeric rhGDF-5 induce homomeric BRIb and heteromeric BRIb/BRII oligomers. Our results suggest that rhGDF-5 C465A has the same biological activity as rhGDF-5 with respect to binding to, oligomerization of and signaling through the BMP receptor type Ib.


2008 ◽  
Vol 191 (21) ◽  
pp. 6732-6740 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandy Y. M. Ng ◽  
David J. VanDyke ◽  
Bonnie Chaban ◽  
John Wu ◽  
Yoshika Nosaka ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT In Archaea, the preflagellin peptidase (a type IV prepilin-like peptidase designated FlaK in Methanococcus voltae and Methanococcus maripaludis) is the enzyme that cleaves the N-terminal signal peptide from preflagellins. In methanogens and several other archaeal species, the typical flagellin signal peptide length is 11 to 12 amino acids, while in other archaea preflagellins possess extremely short signal peptides. A systematic approach to address the signal peptide length requirement for preflagellin processing is presented in this study. M. voltae preflagellin FlaB2 proteins with signal peptides 3 to 12 amino acids in length were generated and used as a substrate in an in vitro assay utilizing M. voltae membranes as an enzyme source. Processing by FlaK was observed in FlaB2 proteins containing signal peptides shortened to 5 amino acids; signal peptides 4 or 3 amino acids in length were unprocessed. In the case of Sulfolobus solfataricus, where the preflagellin peptidase PibD has broader substrate specificity, some predicted substrates have predicted signal peptides as short as 3 amino acids. Interestingly, the shorter signal peptides of the various mutant FlaB2 proteins not processed by FlaK were processed by PibD, suggesting that some archaeal preflagellin peptidases are likely adapted toward cleaving shorter signal peptides. The functional complementation of signal peptidase activity by FlaK and PibD in an M. maripaludis ΔflaK mutant indicated that processing of preflagellins was detected by complementation with either FlaK or PibD, yet only FlaK-complemented cells were flagellated. This suggested that a block in an assembly step subsequent to signal peptide removal occurred in the PibD complementation.


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