Structural insights into alginate binding by bacterial cell-surface protein

Expression, purification and preliminary crystallographic analysis of bacterial transmembrane protein EfeU for iron import

The bacterial Efe system functions as an importer of free Fe2+ into cells independently of iron-chelating compounds such as siderophores and consisted of iron-binding protein EfeO, peroxidase EfeB, and transmembrane permease EfeU. While we and other researchers reported crystal structures of EfeO and EfeB, that of EfeU remains undetermined. In this study, we constructed expression system of EfeU derived from Escherichia coli, selected E. coli Rosetta-gami 2 (DE3) as an expression host, and succeeded in purification of the proteins which were indicated to form an oligomer by blue native PAGE. We obtained preliminary data of the X-ray crystallography, suggesting that expression and purification methods we established in this study enable structural analysis of the bacterial Efe system.

Crystal structure and metal binding properties of the periplasmic iron component EfeM from Pseudomonas syringae EfeUOB/M iron-transport system

EfeUOB/M has been characterised in Pseudomonas syringae pathovar. syringae as a novel type of ferrous-iron transporter, consisting of an inner-membrane protein (EfeUPsy) and three periplasmic proteins (EfeOPsy, EfeMPsy and EfeBPsy). The role of an iron permease and peroxidase function has been identified for the EfeU and EfeB proteins, respectively, but the role of EfeO/M remains unclear. EfeMPsy is an 'M75-only' EfeO-like protein with a C-terminal peptidase-M75 domain (EfeOII/EfeM family). Herein, we report the 1.6 Å resolution crystal structure of EfeMPsy, the first structural report for an EfeM component of P. syringae pv. syringae. The structure possesses the bi-lobate architecture found in other bacterial periplasmic substrate/solute binding proteins. Metal binding studies, using SRCD and ICP-OES, reveal a preference of EfeMPsy for copper, iron and zinc. This work provides detailed knowledge of the structural scaffold, the metal site geometry, and the divalent metal binding potential of EfeM. This work provides crucial underpinning for a more detailed understanding of the role of EfeM/EfeO proteins and the peptidase-M75 domains in EfeUOB/M iron uptake systems in bacteria.

Crystal structures of EfeB and EfeO in a bacterial siderophore-independent iron transport system

EfeUOB is a siderophore-independent iron uptake mechanism in bacteria. EfeU, EfeO, and EfeB are a permease, an iron-binding or electron-transfer protein, and a peroxidase, respectively. A Gram-negative bacterium, Sphingomonas sp. strain A1, encodes EfeU, EfeO, EfeB together with alginate-binding protein Algp7, a truncated EfeO-like protein (EfeO_II), in the genome. The typical EfeO (EfeO_I) consists of N-terminal cupredoxin and C-terminal M75 peptidase domains. Here, we detail the structure and function of bacterial EfeB and EfeO. Crystal structures of strain A1 EfeB and Escherichia coli EfeO_I were determined at 2.30 Å and 1.85 Å resolutions, respectively. A molecule of heme involved in oxidase activity was bound to the C-terminal Dyp peroxidase domain of EfeB. Two domains of EfeO_I were connected by a short loop, and a zinc ion was bound to four residues, Glu156, Glu159, Asp173, and Glu255, in the C-terminal M75 peptidase domain. These residues formed tetrahedron geometry suitable for metal binding and are well conserved among various EfeO proteins including Algp7 (EfeO_II), although the metal-binding site (HxxE) is proposed in the C-terminal M75 peptidase domain. This is the first report on structure of a typical EfeO with two domains, postulating a novel metal-binding motif "ExxE-//-D-//-E" in the EfeO C-terminal M75 peptidase domain.

Structural studies on bacterial system used in the recognition and uptake of the macromolecule alginate

Alginate is an acidic heteropolysaccharide produced by brown seaweed and certain kinds of bacteria. The cells of Sphingomonas sp. strain A1, a gram-negative bacterium, have several alginate-degrading enzymes in their cytoplasm and efficiently utilize this polymer for their growth. Sphingomonas sp. strain A1 cells can directly incorporate alginate into their cytoplasm through a transport system consisting of a "pit" on their cell surface, substrate-binding proteins in their periplasm, and an ATP-binding cassette transporter in their inner membrane. This review deals with the structural and functional aspects of bacterial systems necessary for the recognition and uptake of alginate.

Binding mode of metal ions to the bacterial iron import protein EfeO

The tripartite EfeUOB system functions as a low pH iron importer in Gram-negative bacteria. In the alginate-assimilating bacterium Sphingomonas sp. strain A1, an additional EfeO-like protein (Algp7) is encoded downstream of the efeUOB operon. Here we show the metal binding mode of Algp7, which carries a M_75 metallopeptidase motif. The Algp7 protein was purified from recombinant E. coli cells and was subsequently characterized using differential scanning fluorimetry, fluorescence spectrometry, atomic absorption spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography. The fluorescence of a dye, SYPRO Orange, bound to denatured Algp7 in the absence and presence of metal ions was measured during heat treatment. The fluorescence profile of Algp7 in the presence of metals such as ferric, ferrous, and zinc ions, shifted to a higher temperature, suggesting that Algp7 binds these metal ions and that metal ion-bound Algp7 is more thermally stable than the ligand-free form. Algp7 was directly demonstrated to show an ability to bind copper ion by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Crystal structure of metal ion-bound Algp7 revealed that the metal ion is bound to the cleft surrounded by several acidic residues. Four residues, Glu79, Glu82, Asp96, and Glu178, distinct from the M_75 motif (His115xxGlu118), are coordinated to the metal ion. This is the first report to provide structural insights into metal binding by the bacterial EfeO element.