scholarly journals Colicin Biology

2007 ◽  
Vol 71 (1) ◽  
pp. 158-229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Cascales ◽  
Susan K. Buchanan ◽  
Denis Duché ◽  
Colin Kleanthous ◽  
Roland Lloubès ◽  
...  

SUMMARY Colicins are proteins produced by and toxic for some strains of Escherichia coli. They are produced by strains of E. coli carrying a colicinogenic plasmid that bears the genetic determinants for colicin synthesis, immunity, and release. Insights gained into each fundamental aspect of their biology are presented: their synthesis, which is under SOS regulation; their release into the extracellular medium, which involves the colicin lysis protein; and their uptake mechanisms and modes of action. Colicins are organized into three domains, each one involved in a different step of the process of killing sensitive bacteria. The structures of some colicins are known at the atomic level and are discussed. Colicins exert their lethal action by first binding to specific receptors, which are outer membrane proteins used for the entry of specific nutrients. They are then translocated through the outer membrane and transit through the periplasm by either the Tol or the TonB system. The components of each system are known, and their implication in the functioning of the system is described. Colicins then reach their lethal target and act either by forming a voltage-dependent channel into the inner membrane or by using their endonuclease activity on DNA, rRNA, or tRNA. The mechanisms of inhibition by specific and cognate immunity proteins are presented. Finally, the use of colicins as laboratory or biotechnological tools and their mode of evolution are discussed.

2011 ◽  
Vol 205 ◽  
pp. S216
Author(s):  
S. Wang ◽  
D. Zhang ◽  
X. Lin ◽  
H. Li ◽  
X. Peng

Author(s):  
Shuaiyang Wang ◽  
Chunbo You ◽  
Fareed Qumar Memon ◽  
Geyin Zhang ◽  
Yawei Sun ◽  
...  

Abstract The two-component system BaeSR participates in antibiotics resistance of Escherichia coli. To know whether the outer membrane proteins involve in the antibiotics resistance mediated by BaeSR, deletion of acrB was constructed and the recombined plasmid p-baeR was introduced into E. coli K12 and K12△acrB. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of antibacterial agents were determined by 2-fold broth micro-dilution method. Gene expressions related with major outer membrane proteins and multidrug efflux pump-related genes were determined by real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The results revealed that the MICs of K12ΔacrB to the tested drugs except for gentamycin and amikacin decreased 2- to 16.75-folds compared with those of K12. When BaeR was overexpressed, the MICs of K12ΔacrB/p-baeR to ceftiofur and cefotaxime increased 2.5- and 2-fold, respectively, compared with their corresponding that of K12△acrB. At the same time, the expression levels of ompC, ompF, ompW, ompA and ompX showed significant reduction in K12ΔacrB/p-baeR as compared with K12△acrB. Moreover, the expression levels of ompR, marA, rob and tolC also significantly ‘decreased’ in K12ΔacrB/p-baeR. These findings indicated that BaeR overproduction can decrease cephalosporins susceptibility in acrB-free E. coli by decreasing the expression level of outer membrane proteins.


2008 ◽  
Vol 190 (11) ◽  
pp. 4001-4016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wallace A. Kaserer ◽  
Xiaoxu Jiang ◽  
Qiaobin Xiao ◽  
Daniel C. Scott ◽  
Matthew Bauler ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT We created hybrid proteins to study the functions of TonB. We first fused the portion of Escherichia coli tonB that encodes the C-terminal 69 amino acids (amino acids 170 to 239) of TonB downstream from E. coli malE (MalE-TonB69C). Production of MalE-TonB69C in tonB + bacteria inhibited siderophore transport. After overexpression and purification of the fusion protein on an amylose column, we proteolytically released the TonB C terminus and characterized it. Fluorescence spectra positioned its sole tryptophan (W213) in a weakly polar site in the protein interior, shielded from quenchers. Affinity chromatography showed the binding of the TonB C-domain to other proteins: immobilized TonB-dependent (FepA and colicin B) and TonB-independent (FepAΔ3-17, OmpA, and lysozyme) proteins adsorbed MalE-TonB69C, revealing a general affinity of the C terminus for other proteins. Additional constructions fused full-length TonB upstream or downstream of green fluorescent protein (GFP). TonB-GFP constructs had partial functionality but no fluorescence; GFP-TonB fusion proteins were functional and fluorescent. The activity of the latter constructs, which localized GFP in the cytoplasm and TonB in the cell envelope, indicate that the TonB N terminus remains in the inner membrane during its biological function. Finally, sequence analyses revealed homology in the TonB C terminus to E. coli YcfS, a proline-rich protein that contains the lysin (LysM) peptidoglycan-binding motif. LysM structural mimicry occurs in two positions of the dimeric TonB C-domain, and experiments confirmed that it physically binds to the murein sacculus. Together, these findings infer that the TonB N terminus remains associated with the inner membrane, while the downstream region bridges the cell envelope from the affinity of the C terminus for peptidoglycan. This architecture suggests a membrane surveillance model of action, in which TonB finds occupied receptor proteins by surveying the underside of peptidoglycan-associated outer membrane proteins.


2015 ◽  
Vol 291 (4) ◽  
pp. 1921-1932 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthias Urfer ◽  
Jasmina Bogdanovic ◽  
Fabio Lo Monte ◽  
Kerstin Moehle ◽  
Katja Zerbe ◽  
...  

Increasing antibacterial resistance presents a major challenge in antibiotic discovery. One attractive target in Gram-negative bacteria is the unique asymmetric outer membrane (OM), which acts as a permeability barrier that protects the cell from external stresses, such as the presence of antibiotics. We describe a novel β-hairpin macrocyclic peptide JB-95 with potent antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli. This peptide exhibits no cellular lytic activity, but electron microscopy and fluorescence studies reveal an ability to selectively disrupt the OM but not the inner membrane of E. coli. The selective targeting of the OM probably occurs through interactions of JB-95 with selected β-barrel OM proteins, including BamA and LptD as shown by photolabeling experiments. Membrane proteomic studies reveal rapid depletion of many β-barrel OM proteins from JB-95-treated E. coli, consistent with induction of a membrane stress response and/or direct inhibition of the Bam folding machine. The results suggest that lethal disruption of the OM by JB-95 occurs through a novel mechanism of action at key interaction sites within clusters of β-barrel proteins in the OM. These findings open new avenues for developing antibiotics that specifically target β-barrel proteins and the integrity of the Gram-negative OM.


1991 ◽  
Vol 174 (5) ◽  
pp. 1167-1177 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Vuopio-Varkila ◽  
G K Schoolnik

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli grow as discrete colonies on the mucous membranes of the small intestine. A similar pattern can be demonstrated in vitro; termed localized adherence (LA), it is characterized by the presence of circumscribed clusters of bacteria attached to the surfaces of cultured epithelial cells. The LA phenotype was studied using B171, an O111:NM enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) strain, and HEp-2 cell monolayers. LA could be detected 30-60 min after exposure of HEp-2 cells to B171. However, bacteria transferred from infected HEp-2 cells to fresh monolayers exhibited LA within 15 min, indicating that LA is an inducible phenotype. Induction of the LA phenotype was found to be associated with de novo protein synthesis and changes in the outer membrane proteins, including the production of a new 18.5-kD polypeptide. A partial NH2-terminal amino acid sequence of this polypeptide was obtained and showed it to be identical through residue 12 to the recently described bundle-forming pilus subunit of EPEC. Expression of the 18.5-kD polypeptide required the 57-megadalton enteropathogenic E. coli adherence plasmid previously shown to be required for the LA phenotype in vitro and full virulence in vivo. This observation, the correspondence of the 18.5-kD polypeptide to an EPEC-specific pilus protein, and the temporal correlation of its expression with the development of the LA phenotype suggest that it may contribute to the EPEC colonial mode of growth.


The surface of a gram-negative bacterium is made up of the lipopolysaccharide (l. p. s.) and protein components of the outer leaflet of its outer membrane, and of capsular polysaccharide, flagella and fimbriae if present. In Salmonella all the special genes needed for synthesis of the O-specific oligosaccharide repeat unit (different in each O group) of the l. p. s. sidechains are found in the rfb cluster, near his . Nearly all so-far identified rfa genes, for synthesis of l. p. s. core, are clustered between cysE and pyrE . Genes for polymerization and modification of O units are scattered: some are part of prophage genomes and some show ‘form variation’ – spontaneous alternation between expression and non-expression, mechanism unknown. Escherichia coli differs by frequent presence of capsular polysaccharides (K antigens), some determined by kps genes, unlinked to l. p. s. genes, others by his -linked genes perhaps homologous with rfb . Expression of some non-l. p. s. polysaccharide genes, but not of l. p. s. genes, is greatly influenced by the environment. Major outer membrane proteins (more than 10 5 molec. /bacterium) include: a lipoprotein, in part covalently joined to the cell wall, perhaps anchoring the outer membrane; and several proteins of molec. mass 30000–40000 (one of them phage-determined), some of which serve to make the outer membrane permeable to small hydrophilic molecules. Genes affecting sensitivity (adsorbing capacity) to various phages and colicins (e. g. tonA, bfe ) specify various ‘minor’ outer membrane proteins concerned with uptake of nutrients (e. g. iron ferrichrome, vitamin B 12 ) when present at very low concentrations. Neither the ‘major’ nor the ‘minor’ protein genes are clustered: their expression is subject to conspicuous regulation by environmental conditions. In E. coli the flagellin and hook protein structural genes are located in different clusters of motility-related genes. Missense mutations in the flagellin gene may cause alteration in flagellar shape or in serological character, which in Salmonella is also affected by gene nml , for methylation of the free amino groups of some lysines of flagellin. Electron microscopy of re-annealed DNA from the relevant region indicates that change of flagellar antigenic phase in Salmonella results from a reversible inversion of a 750 base-pair segment, probably constituting the phase-determinant gene. Production of fimbriae (pili) requires function of several linked pil genes, and is subject to a kind of ‘form variation’ of unknown mechanism. Genes in conjugative plasmids when derepressed cause production of sex pili. E. coli protein antigens K88 and K99, apparently fimbrial, concerned with adhesion to intestinal mucosa and so with enteropathogenicity, are plasmid-determined.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Jimmy Budiardjo ◽  
Jacqueline J. Deay ◽  
Anna L. Calkins ◽  
Virangika K. Wimalasena ◽  
Daniel Montezano ◽  
...  

AbstractThe double membrane architecture of Gram-negative bacteria forms a barrier that is effectively impermeable to extracellular threats. Accordingly, researchers have shown increasing interest in developing antibiotics that target the accessible, surface-exposed proteins embedded in the outer membrane. TolC forms the outer membrane channel of an antibiotic efflux pump in Escherichia coli. Drawing from prior observations that colicin E1, a toxin produced by and lethal to E. coli, can bind to the TolC channel, we investigate the capacity of colicin E1 fragments to ‘plug’ TolC and inhibit its efflux function. First, using single-molecule fluorescence, we show that colicin E1 fragments that do not include the cytotoxic domain localize at the cell surface. Next, using real-time efflux measurements and minimum inhibitory concentration assays, we show that exposure of wild-type E. coli to fragments of colicin E1 indeed disrupts TolC efflux and heightens bacterial susceptibility to four common classes of antibiotics. This work demonstrates that extracellular plugging of outer membrane transporters can serve as a novel method to increase antibiotic susceptibility. In addition to the utility of these protein fragments as starting points for the development of novel antibiotic potentiators, the variety of outer membrane protein colicin binding partners provides an array of options that would allow our method to be used to inhibit other outer membrane protein functions.SignificanceWe find that fragments of a protein natively involved in intraspecies bacterial warfare can be exploited to plug the E. coli outer membrane antibiotic efflux machinery. This plugging disables a primary form of antibiotic resistance. Given the diversity of bacterial species of similar bacterial warfare protein targets, we anticipate that this method of plugging is generalizable to disabling the antibiotic efflux of other proteobacteria. Moreover, given the diversity of the targets of bacterial warfare proteins, this method could be used for disabling the function of a wide variety of other bacterial outer membrane proteins.


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