scholarly journals LytM Proteins Play a Crucial Role in Cell Separation, Outer Membrane Composition, and Pathogenesis in Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae

mBio ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Giuseppe Ercoli ◽  
Chiara Tani ◽  
Alfredo Pezzicoli ◽  
Irene Vacca ◽  
Manuele Martinelli ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTLytM proteins belong to a family of bacterial metalloproteases. In Gram-negative bacteria, LytM factors are mainly reported to have a direct effect on cell division by influencing cleavage and remodeling of peptidoglycan. In this study, mining nontypeableHaemophilus influenzae(NTHI) genomes, three highly conserved open reading frames (ORFs) containing a LytM domain were identified, and the proteins encoded by the ORFs were named YebA, EnvC, and NlpD on the basis of their homology with theEscherichia coliproteins. Immunoblotting and confocal analysis showed that while NTHI NlpD is exposed on the bacterial surface, YebA and EnvC reside in the periplasm. NTHI ΔyebAand ΔnlpDdeletion mutants revealed an aberrant division phenotype characterized by an altered cell architecture and extensive membrane blebbing. The morphology of the ΔenvCdeletion mutant was identical to that of the wild-type strain, but it showed a drastic reduction of periplasmic proteins, including the chaperones HtrA, SurA, and Skp, and an accumulation of β-barrel-containing outer membrane proteins comprising the autotransporters Hap, IgA serine protease, and HMW2A, as observed by proteomic analysis. These data suggest that EnvC may influence the bacterial surface protein repertoire by facilitating the passage of the periplasmic chaperones through the peptidoglycan layer to the close vicinity of the inner face of the outer membrane. This hypothesis was further corroborated by the fact that an NTHIenvCdefective strain had an impaired capacity to adhere to epithelial cells and to form biofilm. Notably, this strain also showed a reduced serum resistance. These results suggest that LytM factors are not only important components of cell division but they may also influence NTHI physiology and pathogenesis by affecting membrane composition.IMPORTANCENontypeableHaemophilus influenzae(NTHI) is an opportunistic pathogen that colonizes the human nasopharynx and can cause serious infections in children (acute otitis media) and adults (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Several virulence factors are well studied, but the complete scenario of NTHI pathogenesis is still unclear. We identified and characterized three NTHI LytM factors homologous to the Escherichia coli LytM proteins. Although LytM factors are reported to play a crucial role in the cell division process, in NTHI they are also involved in other bacterial functions. In particular, YebA and NlpD are fundamental for membrane stability: indeed, their absence causes an increased release of outer membrane vesicles (OMVs). On the other hand, our data suggest that EnvC could directly or indirectly affect peptidoglycan permeability and consequently, bacterial periplasmic and outer membrane protein distribution. Interestingly, by modulating the surface composition of virulence determinants, EnvC also has an impact on NTHI pathogenesis.

2015 ◽  
Vol 59 (6) ◽  
pp. 3246-3251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jerónimo Rodríguez-Beltrán ◽  
Gabriel Cabot ◽  
Estela Ynés Valencia ◽  
Coloma Costas ◽  
German Bou ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTThe modulating effect ofN-acetylcysteine (NAC) on the activity of different antibiotics has been studied inPseudomonas aeruginosa. Our results demonstrate that, in contrast to previous reports, only the activity of imipenem is clearly affected by NAC. MIC and checkerboard determinations indicate that the NAC-based modulation of imipenem activity is dependent mainly on OprD. SDS-PAGE of outer membrane proteins (OMPs) after NAC treatments demonstrates that NAC does not modify the expression of OprD, suggesting that NAC competitively inhibits the uptake of imipenem through OprD. Similar effects on imipenem activity were obtained withP. aeruginosaclinical isolates. Our results indicate that imipenem-susceptibleP. aeruginosastrains become resistant upon simultaneous treatment with NAC and imipenem. Moreover, the generality of the observed effects of NAC on antibiotic activity was assessed with two additional bacterial species,Escherichia coliandAcinetobacter baumannii. Caution should be taken during treatments, as the activity of imipenem may be modified by physiologically attainable concentrations of NAC, particularly during intravenous and nebulized regimes.


2015 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 155-161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chun-Zhen Hua ◽  
Wei-Lin Hu ◽  
Shi-Qiang Shang ◽  
Jian-Ping Li ◽  
Li-Quan Hong ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTNontypeableHaemophilus influenzae(NTHi) is one of the most common etiologies of acute otitis media, rhinosinusitis, and pneumonia. Outer membrane proteins (OMPs) are the main focus in new vaccine development against NTHi, as theH. influenzaetype b (Hib) vaccine does not cover noncapsulated NTHi. The OMPs P6 and protein D are the most promising candidate antigens for an NTHi vaccine, and low antibody levels against them in serum may be correlated with infection caused by NTHi. In the current study, we measured the antibody titers against P6, protein D, and their T- and B-cell combined peptide epitopes in healthy individuals of different ages. We found that children <1 month old had the lowest antibody levels against NTHi P6, protein D, and their T- and B-cell combined antigenic epitopes. Antibody titers increased at ages 1 to 6 months, peaked at 7 months to 3 years, and remained high at 4 to 6 years. The antibody titers started to decrease after 6 years and were the lowest in the 21- to 30-year group. The geometric mean titers (GMTs) of T- and B-cell combined antigenic epitopes in P6 and protein D were positively correlated with those of the protein antigens. Among 12 peptides tested, P6-61, P6-123, and protein D-167 epitopes were better recognized than others in human serum. These findings might contribute to the development of an effective serotype-independent vaccine forH. influenzae.


2005 ◽  
Vol 187 (1) ◽  
pp. 329-335 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gilli Barel ◽  
Alexandra Sirota ◽  
Hanne Volpin ◽  
Edouard Jurkevitch

ABSTRACT A two-dimensional electrophoretic analysis of protein distribution followed by identification of selected proteins by mass spectrometry was performed on fresh bdellovibrio cultures containing attack phase cells of the predatory bacterium Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus strain 109J-1 and the remains of an Escherichia coli or a Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato prey. Cleavage of the peptidoglycan-associated outer membrane proteins (OMPs) OmpA in E. coli and OprF in P. syringae occurred in both prey. The tryptic peptides obtained from the cleavage products of OmpA and OprF were all located within the 19-kDa pronase-resistant N-terminal parts of the corresponding proteins. The predator cell fraction was separated from the prey ghosts in fresh bdellovibrio cultures by centrifugation on a Percoll-sucrose cushion. Proteins from each fraction were separated by two-dimensional electrophoresis and identified by mass spectrometric analysis. As no prey OMP could be detected in the predator cell fraction, it was concluded that prey OMPs are not transferred to the predator, as had been suggested previously. However, a protein from the predator was found bound to ghost cell envelopes. This protein may correspond to a protein earlier suggested to be associated with the prey outer or cytoplasmic membranes. Along with recently described polypeptides from B. bacteriovorus strains 100 and 114, it forms a new family of putative outer membrane proteins.


2016 ◽  
Vol 198 (14) ◽  
pp. 1984-1992 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tara F. Mahoney ◽  
Dante P. Ricci ◽  
Thomas J. Silhavy

ABSTRACTThe biogenesis of the outer membrane (OM) ofEscherichia coliis a conserved and vital process. The assembly of integral β-barrel outer membrane proteins (OMPs), which represent a major component of the OM, depends on periplasmic chaperones and the heteropentameric β-barrel assembly machine (Bam complex) in the OM. However, not all OMPs are affected by null mutations in the same chaperones or nonessential Bam complex members, suggesting there are categories of substrates with divergent requirements for efficient assembly. We have previously demonstrated two classes of substrates, one comprising large, low-abundance, and difficult-to-assemble substrates that are heavily dependent on SurA and also Skp and FkpA, and the other comprising relatively simple and abundant substrates that are not as dependent on SurA but are strongly dependent on BamB for assembly. Here, we describe novel mutations inbamDthat lower levels of BamD 10-fold and >25-fold without altering the sequence of the mature protein. We utilized these mutations, as well as a previously characterized mutation that lowers wild-type BamA levels, to reveal a third class of substrates. These mutations preferentially cause a marked decrease in the levels of multimeric proteins. This susceptibility of multimers to lowered quantities of Bam machines in the cell may indicate that multiple Bam complexes are needed to efficiently assemble multimeric proteins into the OM.IMPORTANCEThe outer membrane (OM) of Gram-negative bacteria, such asEscherichia coli, serves as a selective permeability barrier that prevents the uptake of toxic molecules and antibiotics. Integral β-barrel proteins (OMPs) are assembled by the β-barrel assembly machine (Bam), components of which are conserved in mitochondria, chloroplasts, and all Gram-negative bacteria, including many clinically relevant pathogenic species. Bam is essential for OM biogenesis and accommodates a diverse array of client proteins; however, a mechanistic model that accounts for the selectivity and broad substrate range of Bam is lacking. Here, we show that the assembly of multimeric OMPs is more strongly affected than that of monomeric OMPs when essential Bam complex components are limiting, suggesting that multiple Bam complexes are needed to assemble multimeric proteins.


2016 ◽  
Vol 198 (6) ◽  
pp. 921-929 ◽  
Author(s):  
Garner R. Soltes ◽  
Jaclyn Schwalm ◽  
Dante P. Ricci ◽  
Thomas J. Silhavy

ABSTRACTThe periplasmic chaperone SurA is critical for the biogenesis of outer membrane proteins (OMPs) and, thus, the maintenance of membrane integrity inEscherichia coli. The activity of this modular chaperone has been attributed to a core chaperone module, with only minor importance assigned to the two SurA peptidyl-prolyl isomerase (PPIase) domains. In this work, we used synthetic phenotypes and covalent tethering to demonstrate that the activity of SurA is regulated by its PPIase domains and, furthermore, that its activity is correlated with the conformational state of the chaperone. When combined with mutations in the β-barrel assembly machine (BAM), SurA mutations resulting in deletion of the second parvulin domain (P2) inhibit OMP assembly, suggesting that P2 is involved in the regulation of SurA. The first parvulin domain (P1) potentiates this autoinhibition, as mutations that covalently tether the P1 domain to the core chaperone module severely impair OMP assembly. Furthermore, these inhibitory mutations negate the suppression of and biochemically stabilize the protein specified by a well-characterized gain-of-function mutation in P1, demonstrating that SurA cycles between distinct conformational and functional states during the OMP assembly process.IMPORTANCEThis work reveals the reversible autoinhibition of the SurA chaperone imposed by a heretofore underappreciated parvulin domain. Many β-barrel-associated outer membrane (OM) virulence factors, including the P-pilus and type I fimbriae, rely on SurA for proper assembly; thus, a mechanistic understanding of SurA function and inhibition may facilitate antibiotic intervention against Gram-negative pathogens, such as uropathogenicEscherichia coli,E. coliO157:H7,Shigella, andSalmonella. In addition, SurA is important for the assembly of critical OM biogenesis factors, such as the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) transport machine, suggesting that specific targeting of SurA may provide a useful means to subvert the OM barrier.


2014 ◽  
Vol 82 (11) ◽  
pp. 4767-4777 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Montero ◽  
Paz Orellana ◽  
Daniela Gutiérrez ◽  
Daniela Araya ◽  
Juan Carlos Salazar ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTShiga-toxin producingEscherichia coli(STEC) is the etiologic agent of acute diarrhea, dysentery, and hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS). There is no approved vaccine for STEC infection in humans, and antibiotic use is contraindicated, as it promotes Shiga toxin production. In order to identify STEC-associated antigens and immunogenic proteins, outer membrane proteins (OMPs) were extracted from STEC O26:H11, O103, O113:H21, and O157:H7 strains, and commensalE. colistrain HS was used as a control. SDS-PAGE, two-dimensional-PAGE analysis, Western blot assays using sera from pediatric HUS patients and controls, and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–tandem time of flight analyses were used to identify 12 immunogenic OMPs, some of which were not reactive with control sera. Importantly, seven of these proteins have not been previously reported to be immunogenic in STEC strains. Among these seven proteins, OmpT and Cah displayed IgG and IgA reactivity with sera from HUS patients. Genes encoding these two proteins were present in a majority of STEC strains. Knowledge of the antigens produced during infection of the host and the immune response to those antigens will be important for future vaccine development.


2021 ◽  
Vol 118 (44) ◽  
pp. e2112237118
Author(s):  
Georgina Benn ◽  
Irina V. Mikheyeva ◽  
Patrick George Inns ◽  
Joel C. Forster ◽  
Nikola Ojkic ◽  
...  

Gram-negative bacteria are surrounded by a protective outer membrane (OM) with phospholipids in its inner leaflet and lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in its outer leaflet. The OM is also populated with many β-barrel outer-membrane proteins (OMPs), some of which have been shown to cluster into supramolecular assemblies. However, it remains unknown how abundant OMPs are organized across the entire bacterial surface and how this relates to the lipids in the membrane. Here, we reveal how the OM is organized from molecular to cellular length scales, using atomic force microscopy to visualize the OM of live bacteria, including engineered Escherichia coli strains and complemented by specific labeling of abundant OMPs. We find that a predominant OMP in the E. coli OM, the porin OmpF, forms a near-static network across the surface, which is interspersed with barren patches of LPS that grow and merge with other patches during cell elongation. Embedded within the porin network is OmpA, which forms noncovalent interactions to the underlying cell wall. When the OM is destabilized by mislocalization of phospholipids to the outer leaflet, a new phase appears, correlating with bacterial sensitivity to harsh environments. We conclude that the OM is a mosaic of phase-separated LPS-rich and OMP-rich regions, the maintenance of which is essential to the integrity of the membrane and hence to the lifestyle of a gram-negative bacterium.


2012 ◽  
Vol 80 (5) ◽  
pp. 1815-1822 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi-Fang Liu ◽  
Jing-Jou Yan ◽  
Huan-Yao Lei ◽  
Ching-Hao Teng ◽  
Ming-Cheng Wang ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTOuter membrane proteins (OMPs) serve as the permeability channels for nutrients, toxins, and antibiotics. InEscherichia coli, OmpA has been shown to be involved in bacterial virulence, and OmpC is related to multidrug resistance. However, it is unclear whether OmpC also has a role in the virulence ofE. coli. The aims of this study were to characterize the role of OmpC in antimicrobial resistance and bacterial virulence inE. coli. TheompCdeletion mutant showed significantly decreased susceptibility to carbapenems and cefepime. To investigate the survival ofE. coliexposed to the innate immune system, a human blood bactericidal assay showed that theompCmutant increased survival in blood and serum but not in complement-inactivated serum. These effects were also demonstrated in the natural selection of OmpC mutants. Also, C1q interacted withE. colithrough a complex of antibodies bound to OmpC as a major target. Bacterial survival was increased in the wild-type strain in a dose-dependent manner by adding free recombinant OmpC protein or anti-C1q antibody to human serum. These results demonstrated that the interaction of OmpC-specific antibody and C1q was the key step in initiating the antibody-dependent classical pathway for the clearance of OmpC-expressingE. coli. Anti-OmpC antibody was detected in human sera, indicating that OmpC is an immunogen. These data indicate that the loss of OmpC inE. coliis resistant to not only antibiotics, but also the serum bactericidal effect, which is mediated from the C1q and anti-OmpC antibody-dependent classical pathway.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (10) ◽  
pp. 5328
Author(s):  
Miao Ma ◽  
Margaux Lustig ◽  
Michèle Salem ◽  
Dominique Mengin-Lecreulx ◽  
Gilles Phan ◽  
...  

One of the major families of membrane proteins found in prokaryote genome corresponds to the transporters. Among them, the resistance-nodulation-cell division (RND) transporters are highly studied, as being responsible for one of the most problematic mechanisms used by bacteria to resist to antibiotics, i.e., the active efflux of drugs. In Gram-negative bacteria, these proteins are inserted in the inner membrane and form a tripartite assembly with an outer membrane factor and a periplasmic linker in order to cross the two membranes to expulse molecules outside of the cell. A lot of information has been collected to understand the functional mechanism of these pumps, especially with AcrAB-TolC from Escherichia coli, but one missing piece from all the suggested models is the role of peptidoglycan in the assembly. Here, by pull-down experiments with purified peptidoglycans, we precise the MexAB-OprM interaction with the peptidoglycan from Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, highlighting a role of the peptidoglycan in stabilizing the MexA-OprM complex and also differences between the two Gram-negative bacteria peptidoglycans.


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