Azorhizobium caulinodans chemotaxis is controlled by an unusual phosphorelay network

Azorhizobium caulinodans is a nitrogen-fixing bacterium that forms root nodules on its host legume, Sesbania rostrata . This agriculturally significant symbiotic relationship is important in lowland rice cultivation, and allows for nitrogen fixation under flood conditions. Chemotaxis plays an important role in bacterial colonization of the rhizosphere. Plant roots release chemical compounds that are sensed by bacteria, triggering chemotaxis along a concentration gradient toward the roots. This gives motile bacteria a significant competitive advantage during root surface colonization. Although plant-associated bacterial genomes often encode multiple chemotaxis systems, A. caulinodans appears to encode only one. The che cluster on the A. caulinodans genome contains cheA , cheW , cheY2 , cheB , and cheR . Two other chemotaxis genes, cheY1 and cheZ , are located independently from the che operon. Both CheY1 and CheY2 are involved in chemotaxis, with CheY1 being the predominant signaling protein. A. caulinodans CheA contains an unusual set of C-terminal domains: a CheW-like/Receiver pair (termed W2-Rec), follows the more common single CheW-like domain. W2-Rec impacts both chemotaxis and CheA function. We found a preference for transfer of phosphoryl groups from CheA to CheY2, rather than to W2-Rec or CheY1, which appears to be involved in flagellar motor binding. Furthermore, we observed increased phosphoryl group stabilities on CheY1 compared to CheY2 or W2-Rec. Finally, CheZ enhanced dephosphorylation of CheY2 substantially more than CheY1, but had no effect on the dephosphorylation rate of W2-Rec. This network of phosphotransfer reactions highlights a previously uncharacterized scheme for regulation of chemotactic responses. IMPORTANCE Chemotaxis allows bacteria to move towards nutrients and away from toxins in their environment. Chemotactic movement provides a competitive advantage over non-specific motion. CheY is an essential mediator of the chemotactic response with phosphorylated and unphosphorylated forms of CheY differentially interacting with the flagellar motor to change swimming behavior. Previously established schemes of CheY dephosphorylation include action of a phosphatase and/or transfer of the phosphoryl group to another receiver domain that acts as a sink. Here, we propose A. caulinodans uses a concerted mechanism in which the Hpt domain of CheA, CheY2, and CheZ function together as a dual sink system to rapidly reset chemotactic signaling. To the best of our knowledge, this mechanism is unlike any that have previously been evaluated. Chemotaxis systems that utilize both receiver and Hpt domains as phosphate sinks likely occur in other bacterial species.

Crystal structure of brigatinib Form A (Alunbrig®), C29H39ClN7O2P

The crystal structure of brigatinib Form A has been solved and refined using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data and optimized using density functional theory techniques. Brigatinib Form A crystallizes in space group P-1 (#2) with a = 9.59616(20), b = 10.9351(3), c = 14.9913(6) Å, α = 76.1210(13), β = 79.9082(11), γ = 74.0802(6)°, V = 1458.497(15) Å3, and Z = 2. Structure solution was complicated by the lowest cost factor solution having an unreasonable conformation of the dimethylphosphoryl group. The second-best structure yielded a better refinement. The crystal structure is characterized by alternating layers of aliphatic and aromatic portions of the molecules along the b-axis. Strong N–H⋯N hydrogen bonds link the molecules into pairs, with a graph set R2,2(8). There is a strong intramolecular N–H⋯O hydrogen bond to the phosphoryl group, which determines the orientation of this group. The powder pattern has been submitted to ICDD® for inclusion in the Powder Diffraction File™ (PDF®).

A unique genomic island-governed cannibalism in Bacillus enhanced biofilm formation through a novel regulation mechanism

Cannibalism is a differentiation strategy and social multicellular behavior in biofilms. The novel factors and mechanisms to trigger the bacterial cannibalism remain scarce. Here, we report a novel bacillunoic acids-mediated strategy for manipulating cannibalism in Bacillus velezensis SQR9 biofilm formation. A subfraction of cells differentiate into cannibals that secrete toxic bacillunoic acids to lyse a fraction of their sensitive siblings, and the released nutrients enhance biofilm formation. Meanwhile, the self-immunity of cannibal cells was induced by bacillunoic acids. A two-component system, the OmpS-OmpR signal-transduction pathway, controls the expression of the ABC transporter BnaAB for self-immunity. Specifically, bacillunoic acids activate the autophosphorylation of OmpS, a transmembrane histidine kinase, which then transfers a phosphoryl group to its response regulator OmpR. The phosphorylation of OmpR activates the transcription of the transporter gene bnaAB by binding its promoter. Thus, bacillunoic acids are pumped out of cells by the ABC transporter BnaAB. Moreover, we discovered that strain SQR9 could use the bacillunoic acids-mediated cannibalism to optimize its community to produce more bacillunoic acids for bacterial competition. This study revealed that bacillunoic acids play a previously undiscovered dual role in both cannibalism during biofilm formation and interspecies competition, which has an important biological significance.

Synthesis, IR spectroscopic and structural studies of erbium and nickel complexes with N,N'-tetraethyl-N''-trifluoroacetylphosphoroustriamide

A synthesis procedure was developed and a new carbacylamidophosphate type ligand N,N'-tetraethyl-N''-trifluoroacetylphosphoroustriamide (CF3C(O)NHP(O)(NC2H5)2, HL) that contains C(O)NP(O) chelating fragment was isolated in the crystalline state. A mononuclear erbium complex [Er(HL)3(NO3)3] and a tetranuclear nickel complex [Ni4L4(OCH3)4(CH3OH)4] were isolated in the crystalline state. The suggestion about the type and coordination mode of the ligand in complexes was made based on IR spectroscopic investigations: deprotonated (acido-) form in bidentate manner in nickel complex and neutral form in monodentate manner in erbium complex. According to X-ray structural studies, different coordination modes of the ligand in complexes were determined: bidentate chelate manner via the oxygen atoms of the phosphoryl and carbonyl groups of the ligand with the formation of six-membered chelate cycles in case of nickel complex and monodentate manner via the oxygen atom of the phosphoryl group of the ligand in case of erbium complex, the coordination polyhedron of which was interpreted as a distorted three-handed trigonal prism.

Exploring the Mechanism of Shikimate Kinase through Quantum Mechanical and Molecular Mechanical (QM/MM) Methods

The chemical step of Shikimate Kinase Helicobacter pylori, involving the transfer of a phosphoryl group, has been studied by using quantum mechanical and molecular mechanical (QM/MM) methods. Understanding the mechanism of this chemical step, present in bacteria and other microorganisms but absent in humans, can lead to the development of novel drugs for the treatment of common diseases caused by those pathogenic organisms. Different mechanisms including associative, dissociative, and concerted have been proposed up to now but there is not a consensus on the type of pathway that the reaction follows. Herein, we found that the mechanism has features from the associative and concerted types. An analysis of the free energy landscape of the chemical step reveals that the reaction is a two-step process without a well-defined intermediate state.

Conformational Analysis of N-Alkyl-N-[2-(diphenylphosphoryl)ethyl]amides of Diphenylphosphorylacetic Acid: Dipole Moments, IR Spectroscopy, DFT Study

Experimental and theoretical conformational analysis of N-methyl-N-[2-(diphenylphosphoryl)ethyl]diphenylphosphorylacetamide, N-butyl-N-[2-(diphenylphosphoryl)ethyl]diphenylphosphorylacetamide, and N-octyl-N-[2-(diphenylphosphoryl)ethyl]diphenylphosphorylacetamide was carried out by the methods of dipole moments, IR spectroscopy, and Density Functional Theory (DFT) B3PW91/6-311++G(df,p) calculations. In solution, these N,N-dialkyl substituted bisphosphorylated acetamides exist as a conformational equilibrium of several forms divided into two groups—with Z- or E-configuration of the carbonyl group and alkyl substituent, and syn or anti arrangement of the phosphoryl-containing fragments relative to the amide plane. The substituents at the phosphorus atoms have eclipsed cis- or staggered gauche-orientation relative to the P=O groups, and cis orientation of the substituents is due to the presence of intramolecular H-contacts P=O...H−Cphenyl or p,π conjugation between the phosphoryl group and the phenyl ring. Preferred conformers of acetamides molecules are additionally stabilized by various intramolecular hydrogen contacts with the participation of oxygen atoms of the P=O or C=O groups and hydrogen atoms of the methylene and ethylene bridges, alkyl substituents, and phenyl rings. However, steric factors, such as a flat amide fragment, the bulky phenyl groups, and the configuration of alkyl bridges, make a significant contribution to the realization of preferred conformers.

Multigram Synthesis of Difluoromethylene Phosphonic and Phosphinic Amides and Phosphine Oxides via Formal [2,3]-Sigmatropic Allyl Phosphite – Allylphosphonate Rearrangement

We describe a method for the preparation of CF2-P(V) building blocks and monomers for biological and material chemistry applications in multigram quantities based on a formal [2,3]-sigmatropic phospha-Wittig rearrangement of readily available fluoroallyl bis(amido)phosphites, amido(aryl)phosphonites and diarylphosphinites. The proposed intramolecular phosphorylation approach complements the currently prevailing phosphoryldifluoromethylation methods by providing a straightforward access to difluoromethylene phosphonate analogues bearing dialkylamino and/or aryl substituents at the phosphoryl group. An important advantage of the developed method is that it does not rely on ozone-depleting HCF2Cl and CF2Br2 necessary for the preparation of phosphoryldifluoromethylating reagents. 2,3,3-Trifluoroallyloxy P(III) derivatives substituted with two dialkylamino and/or aryl groups underwent a facile [2,3]-phospha-Wittig rearrangement to give difluoromethylene phosphonic, phosphinic and phosphine oxides on up to a 0.15 mol (30 g) scale. The reaction was extended to P(III) derivatives of 1-substituted 2,3,3-trifluoro- and 3,3-difluoroallylic alcohols readily available from carbonyl compounds and, respectively, 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane and O-protected 2,2,2-trifluoroethanols. Products derived from O-(2-tetrahydropyranyl)-2,2,2-trifluoroethanol were synthesized and deprotected in a one-pot multistep protocol to give phosphonic, phosphinic and phosphine oxide analogues of α,α-difluoro-β-ketophosphonates on a multigram scale.

Structures of full-length VanR from Streptomyces coelicolor in both the inactive and activated states

Vancomycin has historically been used as a last-resort treatment for serious bacterial infections. However, vancomycin resistance has become widespread in certain pathogens, presenting a serious threat to public health. Resistance to vancomycin is conferred by a suite of resistance genes, the expression of which is controlled by the VanR–VanS two-component system. VanR is the response regulator in this system; in the presence of vancomycin, VanR accepts a phosphoryl group from VanS, thereby activating VanR as a transcription factor and inducing expression of the resistance genes. This paper presents the X-ray crystal structures of full-length VanR from Streptomyces coelicolor in both the inactive and activated states at resolutions of 2.3 and 2.0 Å, respectively. Comparison of the two structures illustrates that phosphorylation of VanR is accompanied by a disorder-to-order transition of helix 4, which lies within the receiver domain of the protein. This transition generates an interface that promotes dimerization of the receiver domain; dimerization in solution was verified using analytical ultracentrifugation. The inactive conformation of the protein does not appear intrinsically unable to bind DNA; rather, it is proposed that in the activated form DNA binding is enhanced by an avidity effect contributed by the receiver-domain dimerization.

A Single Point Mutation Controls the Rate of Interconversion Between the g+ and g− Rotamers of the Histidine 189 χ2 Angle That Activates Bacterial Enzyme I for Catalysis

Enzyme I (EI) of the bacterial phosphotransferase system (PTS) is a master regulator of bacterial metabolism and a promising target for development of a new class of broad-spectrum antibiotics. The catalytic activity of EI is mediated by several intradomain, interdomain, and intersubunit conformational equilibria. Therefore, in addition to its relevance as a drug target, EI is also a good model for investigating the dynamics/function relationship in multidomain, oligomeric proteins. Here, we use solution NMR and protein design to investigate how the conformational dynamics occurring within the N-terminal domain (EIN) affect the activity of EI. We show that the rotameric g+-to-g− transition of the active site residue His189 χ2 angle is decoupled from the state A-to-state B transition that describes a ∼90° rigid-body rearrangement of the EIN subdomains upon transition of the full-length enzyme to its catalytically competent closed form. In addition, we engineered EIN constructs with modulated conformational dynamics by hybridizing EIN from mesophilic and thermophilic species, and used these chimeras to assess the effect of increased or decreased active site flexibility on the enzymatic activity of EI. Our results indicate that the rate of the autophosphorylation reaction catalyzed by EI is independent from the kinetics of the g+-to-g− rotameric transition that exposes the phosphorylation site on EIN to the incoming phosphoryl group. In addition, our work provides an example of how engineering of hybrid mesophilic/thermophilic chimeras can assist investigations of the dynamics/function relationship in proteins, therefore opening new possibilities in biophysics.