scholarly journals The Crystal Structure of the Zinc Phosphodiesterase from Escherichia coli Provides Insight into Function and Cooperativity of tRNase Z-Family Proteins

2006 ◽  
Vol 188 (4) ◽  
pp. 1607-1614 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brenda Kostelecky ◽  
Ehmke Pohl ◽  
Andreas Vogel ◽  
Oliver Schilling ◽  
Wolfram Meyer-Klaucke

ABSTRACT The elaC gene product from Escherichia coli, ZiPD, is a 3′ tRNA-processing endonuclease belonging to the tRNase Z family of enzymes that have been identified in a wide variety of organisms. In contrast to the elaC homologue from Bacillus subtilis, E. coli elaC is not essential for viability, and although both enzymes process only precursor tRNA (pre-tRNA) lacking a CCA triplet at the 3′ end in vitro, the physiological role of ZiPD remains enigmatic because all pre-tRNA species in E. coli are transcribed with the CCA triplet. We present the first crystal structure of ZiPD determined by multiple anomalous diffraction at a resolution of 2.9 Å. This structure shares many features with the tRNase Z enzymes from B. subtilis and Thermotoga maritima, but there are distinct differences in metal binding and overall domain organization. Unlike the previously described homologous structures, ZiPD dimers display crystallographic symmetry and fully loaded metal sites. The ZiPD exosite is similar to that of the B. subtilis enzyme structurally, but its position with respect to the protein core differs substantially, illustrating its ability to act as a clamp in binding tRNA. Furthermore, the ZiPD crystal structure presented here provides insight into the enzyme's cooperativity and assists the ongoing attempt to elucidate the physiological function of this protein.

2003 ◽  
Vol 69 (11) ◽  
pp. 6442-6446 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tatsuya Ueki ◽  
Yasuhisa Sakamoto ◽  
Nobuo Yamaguchi ◽  
Hitoshi Michibata

ABSTRACT The genes encoding two vanadium-binding proteins, vanabin1 and vanabin2, from a vanadium-rich ascidian, Ascidia sydneiensis samea, were recently identified and cloned (T. Ueki, T. Adachi, S. Kawano, M. Aoshima, N. Yamaguchi, K. Kanamori, and H. Michibata, Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1626:43-50, 2003). The vanabins were found to bind vanadium(IV), and an excess of copper(II) ions inhibited the binding of vanadium(IV) to the vanabins in vitro. In this study, we constructed Escherichia coli strains that expressed vanabin1 or vanabin2 fused to maltose-binding protein (MBP) in the periplasmic space. We found that both strains accumulated about twenty times more copper(II) ions than the control BL21 strain, while no significant accumulation of vanadium was observed. The strains expressing either MBP-vanabin1 or MBP-vanabin2 absorbed approximately 70% of the copper ions in the medium to which 10 μM copper (II) ions were initially added. The MBP-vanabin1 and MBP-vanabin2 protein expressed in the periplasm bound to copper ions at a copper:protein molar ratio of 8:1 and 5:1, respectively, but MBP did not bind to copper ions. These data showed that the metal-binding proteins vanabin1 and vanabin2 bound copper ions directly and enhanced the bioaccumulation of copper ions by E. coli.


2000 ◽  
Vol 182 (21) ◽  
pp. 6154-6160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenji Atarashi ◽  
Akira Kaji

ABSTRACT Ribosome recycling factor (RRF) of Thermotoga maritimawas expressed in Escherichia coli from the cloned T. maritima RRF gene and purified. Expression of T. maritima RRF inhibited growth of the E. coli host in a dose-dependent manner, an effect counteracted by the overexpression of E. coli RRF. T. maritima RRF also inhibited the E. coli RRF reaction in vitro. Genes encoding RRFs fromStreptococcus pneumoniae and Helicobacter pylori have been cloned, and they also impair growth of E. coli, although the inhibitory effect of these RRFs was less pronounced than that of T. maritima RRF. The amino acid sequence at positions 57 to 62, 74 to 78, 118 to 122, 154 to 160, and 172 to 176 in T. maritima RRF differed totally from that ofE. coli RRF. This suggests that these regions are important for the inhibitory effect of heterologous RRF. We further suggest that bending and stretching of the RRF molecule at the hinge between two domains may be critical for RRF activity and therefore responsible forT. maritima RRF inhibition of the E. coli RRF reaction.


Microbiology ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 149 (12) ◽  
pp. 3437-3447 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dilip Chandu ◽  
Dipankar Nandi

PepN and its homologues are involved in the ATP-independent steps (downstream processing) during cytosolic protein degradation. To obtain insights into the contribution of PepN to the peptidase activity in Escherichia coli, the hydrolysis of a selection of endopeptidase and exopeptidase substrates was studied in extracts of wild-type strains and two pepN mutants, 9218 and DH5αΔpepN. Hydrolysis of three of the seven endopeptidase substrates tested was reduced in both pepN mutants. Similar studies revealed that hydrolysis of 10 of 14 exopeptidase substrates studied was greatly reduced in both pepN mutants. This decreased ability to cleave these substrates is pepN-specific as there is no reduction in the ability to hydrolyse exopeptidase substrates in E. coli mutants lacking other peptidases, pepA, pepB or pepE. PepN overexpression complemented the hydrolysis of the affected exopeptidase substrates. These results suggest that PepN is responsible for the majority of aminopeptidase activity in E. coli. Further in vitro studies with purified PepN revealed a preference to cleave basic and small amino acids as aminopeptidase substrates. Kinetic characterization revealed the aminopeptidase cleavage preference of E. coli PepN to be Arg>Ala>Lys>Gly. Finally, it was shown that PepN is a negative regulator of the sodium-salicylate-induced stress in E. coli, demonstrating a physiological role for this aminoendopeptidase under some stress conditions.


2004 ◽  
Vol 186 (22) ◽  
pp. 7690-7696 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina Bates Utz ◽  
Ann B. Nguyen ◽  
Darren J. Smalley ◽  
April B. Anderson ◽  
Tyrrell Conway

ABSTRACT Escherichia coli has four gluconate transporters, GntP, GntU, GntT, and IdnT, which are members of the major facilitator superfamily. The physiological function of GntP was previously unknown and is the subject of this study. GntP is not induced by gluconate, and despite being located adjacent to genes involved in glucuronate catabolism, gntP does not encode a glucuronate transporter. Here we identify gntP as the gene which encodes the fructuronate transporter. We show that gntP is induced by fructuronate and is a new member of the UxuR regulon: gntP is derepressed in an uxuR strain, UxuR binds in vitro specifically to an operator site that overlaps the gntP promoter, and UxuR binding is eliminated by fructuronate. Transcription of gntP requires activation by cyclic AMP (cAMP)-cAMP receptor protein. A gntP mutant cannot grow on fructuronate but grows normally on glucuronate and gluconate. Thus, the UxuR regulon is a module of sugar acid catabolism whose physiological role is for growth on fructuronate. Glucuronate, because it proceeds through a fructuronate intermediate, must induce the UxuR regulon and must also induce the ExuR regulon, which encodes the glucuronate transporter, ExuT, and the first step in its catabolism, UxaC. Thus, hexuronate catabolism in E. coli requires both the ExuR and UxuR regulons, while fructuronate catabolism requires only the UxuR regulon.


2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (19) ◽  
pp. 2272-2282
Author(s):  
Vu Ngoc Toan ◽  
Nguyen Minh Tri ◽  
Nguyen Dinh Thanh

Several 6- and 7-alkoxy-2-oxo-2H-chromene-4-carbaldehydes were prepared from corresponding alkyl ethers of 6- and 7-hydroxy-4-methyl-2-oxo-2H-chromen-2-ones by oxidation using selenium dioxide. 6- and 7-Alkoxy-4-methyl-2H-chromenes were obtained with yields of 57-85%. Corresponding 4-carbaldehyde derivatives were prepared with yields of 41-67%. Thiosemicarbazones of these aldehydes with D-galactose moiety were synthesized by reaction of these aldehydes with N-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-β-Dgalactopyranosyl) thiosemicarbazide with yields of 62-74%. These thiosemicarbazones were screened for their antibacterial and antifungal activities in vitro against bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and fungi, such as Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans. Several compounds exhibited strong inhibitory activity with MIC values of 0.78- 1.56 μM, including 8a (against S. aureus, E. coli, and C. albicans), 8d (against E. coli and A. niger), 9a (against S. aureus), and 9c (against S. aureus and C. albicans).


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaitlin S. Witherell ◽  
Jason Price ◽  
Ashok D. Bandaranayake ◽  
James Olson ◽  
Douglas R. Call

AbstractMultidrug-resistant bacteria are a growing global concern, and with increasingly prevalent resistance to last line antibiotics such as colistin, it is imperative that alternative treatment options are identified. Herein we investigated the mechanism of action of a novel antimicrobial peptide (CDP-B11) and its effectiveness against multidrug-resistant bacteria including Escherichia coli #0346, which harbors multiple antibiotic-resistance genes, including mobilized colistin resistance gene (mcr-1). Bacterial membrane potential and membrane integrity assays, measured by flow cytometry, were used to test membrane disruption. Bacterial growth inhibition assays and time to kill assays measured the effectiveness of CDP-B11 alone and in combination with colistin against E. coli #0346 and other bacteria. Hemolysis assays were used to quantify the hemolytic effects of CDP-B11 alone and in combination with colistin. Findings show CDP-B11 disrupts the outer membrane of E. coli #0346. CDP-B11 with colistin inhibits the growth of E. coli #0346 at ≥ 10× lower colistin concentrations compared to colistin alone in Mueller–Hinton media and M9 media. Growth is significantly inhibited in other clinically relevant strains, such as Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. In rich media and minimal media, the drug combination kills bacteria at a lower colistin concentration (1.25 μg/mL) compared to colistin alone (2.5 μg/mL). In minimal media, the combination is bactericidal with killing accelerated by up to 2 h compared to colistin alone. Importantly, no significant red blood hemolysis is evident for CDP-B11 alone or in combination with colistin. The characteristics of CDP-B11 presented here indicate that it can be used as a potential monotherapy or as combination therapy with colistin for the treatment of multidrug-resistant infections, including colistin-resistant infections.


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.


mBio ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher W. Lennon ◽  
Kimberly C. Lemmer ◽  
Jessica L. Irons ◽  
Max I. Sellman ◽  
Timothy J. Donohue ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTDksA is a global regulatory protein that, together with the alarmone ppGpp, is required for the “stringent response” to nutrient starvation in the gammaproteobacteriumEscherichia coliand for more moderate shifts between growth conditions. DksA modulates the expression of hundreds of genes, directly or indirectly. Mutants lacking a DksA homolog exhibit pleiotropic phenotypes in other gammaproteobacteria as well. Here we analyzed the DksA homolog RSP2654 in the more distantly relatedRhodobacter sphaeroides, an alphaproteobacterium. RSP2654 is 42% identical and similar in length toE. coliDksA but lacks the Zn finger motif of theE. coliDksA globular domain. Deletion of the RSP2654 gene results in defects in photosynthetic growth, impaired utilization of amino acids, and an increase in fatty acid content. RSP2654 complements the growth and regulatory defects of anE. colistrain lacking thedksAgene and modulates transcriptionin vitrowithE. coliRNA polymerase (RNAP) similarly toE. coliDksA. RSP2654 reduces RNAP-promoter complex stabilityin vitrowith RNAPs fromE. coliorR. sphaeroides, alone and synergistically with ppGpp, suggesting that even though it has limited sequence identity toE. coliDksA (DksAEc), it functions in a mechanistically similar manner. We therefore designate the RSP2654 protein DksARsp. Our work suggests that DksARsphas distinct and important physiological roles in alphaproteobacteria and will be useful for understanding structure-function relationships in DksA and the mechanism of synergy between DksA and ppGpp.IMPORTANCEThe role of DksA has been analyzed primarily in the gammaproteobacteria, in which it is best understood for its role in control of the synthesis of the translation apparatus and amino acid biosynthesis. Our work suggests that DksA plays distinct and important physiological roles in alphaproteobacteria, including the control of photosynthesis inRhodobacter sphaeroides. The study of DksARsp, should be useful for understanding structure-function relationships in the protein, including those that play a role in the little-understood synergy between DksA and ppGpp.


2006 ◽  
Vol 400 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Di Luccio ◽  
Robert A. Elling ◽  
David K. Wilson

The AKRs (aldo-keto reductases) are a superfamily of enzymes which mainly rely on NADPH to reversibly reduce various carbonyl-containing compounds to the corresponding alcohols. A small number have been found with dual NADPH/NADH specificity, usually preferring NADPH, but none are exclusive for NADH. Crystal structures of the dual-specificity enzyme xylose reductase (AKR2B5) indicate that NAD+ is bound via a key interaction with a glutamate that is able to change conformations to accommodate the 2′-phosphate of NADP+. Sequence comparisons suggest that analogous glutamate or aspartate residues may function in other AKRs to allow NADH utilization. Based on this, nine putative enzymes with potential NADH specificity were identified and seven genes were successfully expressed and purified from Drosophila melanogaster, Escherichia coli, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Sulfolobus solfataricus, Sinorhizobium meliloti and Thermotoga maritima. Each was assayed for co-substrate dependence with conventional AKR substrates. Three were exclusive for NADPH (AKR2E3, AKR3F2 and AKR3F3), two were dual-specific (AKR3C2 and AKR3F1) and one was specific for NADH (AKR11B2), the first such activity in an AKR. Fluorescence measurements of the seventh protein indicated that it bound both NADPH and NADH but had no activity. Mutation of the aspartate into an alanine residue or a more mobile glutamate in the NADH-specific E. coli protein converted it into an enzyme with dual specificity. These results show that the presence of this carboxylate is an indication of NADH dependence. This should allow improved prediction of co-substrate specificity and provide a basis for engineering enzymes with altered co-substrate utilization for this class of enzymes.


2005 ◽  
Vol 71 (7) ◽  
pp. 3468-3474 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gyeong Tae Eom ◽  
Jae Kwang Song ◽  
Jung Hoon Ahn ◽  
Yeon Soo Seo ◽  
Joon Shick Rhee

ABSTRACT The ABC transporter (TliDEF) from Pseudomonas fluorescens SIK W1, which mediated the secretion of a thermostable lipase (TliA) into the extracellular space in Escherichia coli, was engineered using directed evolution (error-prone PCR) to improve its secretion efficiency. TliD mutants with increased secretion efficiency were identified by coexpressing the mutated tliD library with the wild-type tliA lipase in E. coli and by screening the library with a tributyrin-emulsified indicator plate assay and a microtiter plate-based assay. Four selected mutants from one round of error-prone PCR mutagenesis, T6, T8, T24, and T35, showed 3.2-, 2.6-, 2.9-, and 3.0-fold increases in the level of secretion of TliA lipase, respectively, but had almost the same level of expression of TliD in the membrane as the strain with the wild-type TliDEF transporter. These results indicated that the improved secretion of TliA lipase was mediated by the transporter mutations. Each mutant had a single amino acid change in the predicted cytoplasmic regions in the membrane domain of TliD, implying that the corresponding region of TliD was important for the improved and successful secretion of the target protein. We therefore concluded that the efficiency of secretion of a heterologous protein in E. coli can be enhanced by in vitro engineering of the ABC transporter.


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