1
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Dutta A, Kanaujia SP. The Structural Features of MlaD Illuminate its Unique Ligand-Transporting Mechanism and Ancestry. Protein J 2024; 43:298-315. [PMID: 38347327 DOI: 10.1007/s10930-023-10179-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
The membrane-associated solute-binding protein (SBP) MlaD of the maintenance of lipid asymmetry (Mla) system has been reported to help the transport of phospholipids (PLs) between the outer and inner membranes of Gram-negative bacteria. Despite the availability of structural information, the molecular mechanism underlying the transport of PLs and the ancestry of the protein MlaD remain unclear. In this study, we report the crystal structures of the periplasmic region of MlaD from Escherichia coli (EcMlaD) at a resolution range of 2.3-3.2 Å. The EcMlaD protomer consists of two distinct regions, viz. N-terminal β-barrel fold consisting of seven strands (referred to as MlaD domain) and C-terminal α-helical domain (HD). The protein EcMlaD oligomerizes to give rise to a homo-hexameric ring with a central channel that is hydrophobic and continuous with a variable diameter. Interestingly, the structural analysis revealed that the HD, instead of the MlaD domain, plays a critical role in determining the oligomeric state of the protein. Based on the analysis of available structural information, we propose a working mechanism of PL transport, viz. "asymmetric protomer movement (APM)". Wherein half of the EcMlaD hexamer would rise in the periplasmic side along with an outward movement of pore loops, resulting in the change of the central channel geometry. Furthermore, this study highlights that, unlike typical SBPs, EcMlaD possesses a fold similar to EF/AMT-type beta(6)-barrel and a unique ancestry. Altogether, the findings firmly establish EcMlaD to be a non-canonical SBP with a unique ligand-transport mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angshu Dutta
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, 781039, India
| | - Shankar Prasad Kanaujia
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, 781039, India.
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2
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Cooper BF, Ratkevičiūtė G, Clifton LA, Johnston H, Holyfield R, Hardy DJ, Caulton SG, Chatterton W, Sridhar P, Wotherspoon P, Hughes GW, Hall SC, Lovering AL, Knowles TJ. An octameric PqiC toroid stabilises the outer-membrane interaction of the PqiABC transport system. EMBO Rep 2024; 25:82-101. [PMID: 38228789 PMCID: PMC10897342 DOI: 10.1038/s44319-023-00014-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
The E. coli Paraquat Inducible (Pqi) Pathway is a putative Gram-negative phospholipid transport system. The pathway comprises three components: an integral inner membrane protein (PqiA), a periplasmic spanning MCE family protein (PqiB) and an outer membrane lipoprotein (PqiC). Interactions between all complex components, including stoichiometry, remain uncharacterised; nevertheless, once assembled into their quaternary complex, the trio of Pqi proteins are anticipated to provide a continuous channel between the inner and outer membranes of diderms. Here, we present X-ray structures of both the native and a truncated, soluble construct of the PqiC lipoprotein, providing insight into its biological assembly, and utilise neutron reflectometry to characterise the nature of the PqiB-PqiC-membrane interaction. Finally, we employ phenotypic complementation assays to probe specific PqiC residues, which imply the interaction between PqiB and PqiC is less intimate than previously anticipated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin F Cooper
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, OX1 3RE, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Luke A Clifton
- ISIS Pulsed Neutron & Muon Source, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Harwell Oxford Campus, OX11 OQX, Didcot, UK
| | - Hannah Johnston
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, B15 2TT, Birmingham, UK
| | - Rachel Holyfield
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, B15 2TT, Birmingham, UK
| | - David J Hardy
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, B15 2TT, Birmingham, UK
| | - Simon G Caulton
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, B15 2TT, Birmingham, UK
| | - William Chatterton
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, B15 2TT, Birmingham, UK
| | - Pooja Sridhar
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, B15 2TT, Birmingham, UK
| | - Peter Wotherspoon
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, B15 2TT, Birmingham, UK
| | - Gareth W Hughes
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, B15 2TT, Birmingham, UK
| | - Stephen Cl Hall
- ISIS Pulsed Neutron & Muon Source, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Harwell Oxford Campus, OX11 OQX, Didcot, UK
| | - Andrew L Lovering
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, B15 2TT, Birmingham, UK
| | - Timothy J Knowles
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, B15 2TT, Birmingham, UK.
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3
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Cooper BF, Clark R, Kudhail A, Bhabha G, Ekiert DC, Khalid S, Isom GL. Phospholipid transport to the bacterial outer membrane through an envelope-spanning bridge. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.05.561070. [PMID: 37873249 PMCID: PMC10592960 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.05.561070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
The outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria provides a formidable barrier, essential for both pathogenesis and antimicrobial resistance. Biogenesis of the outer membrane requires the transport of phospholipids across the cell envelope. Recently, YhdP was implicated as a major protagonist in the transport of phospholipids from the inner membrane to the outer membrane however the molecular mechanism of YhdP mediated transport remains elusive. Here, utilising AlphaFold, we observe YhdP to form an elongated assembly of 60 β strands that curve to form a continuous hydrophobic groove. This architecture is consistent with our negative stain electron microscopy data which reveals YhdP to be approximately 250 Å in length and thus sufficient to span the bacterial cell envelope. Furthermore, molecular dynamics simulations and in vivo bacterial growth assays indicate essential helical regions at the N- and C-termini of YhdP, that may embed into the inner and outer membranes respectively, reinforcing its envelope spanning nature. Our in vivo crosslinking data reveal phosphate-containing substrates captured along the length of the YhdP groove, providing direct evidence that YhdP transports phospholipids. This finding is congruent with our molecular dynamics simulations which demonstrate the propensity for inner membrane lipids to spontaneously enter the groove of YhdP. Collectively, our results support a model in which YhdP bridges the cell envelope, providing a hydrophobic environment for the transport of phospholipids to the outer membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin F. Cooper
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Robert Clark
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Anju Kudhail
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Gira Bhabha
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016
| | - Damian C. Ekiert
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016
- Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016
| | - Syma Khalid
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Georgia L. Isom
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3RE, UK
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4
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Chen Y, Wang Y, Chng SS. A conserved membrane protein negatively regulates Mce1 complexes in mycobacteria. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5897. [PMID: 37736771 PMCID: PMC10517005 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41578-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Tuberculosis continues to pose a serious threat to global health. Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis, is an intracellular pathogen that relies on various mechanisms to survive and persist within the host. Among their many virulence factors, mycobacteria encode Mce systems. Some of these systems are implicated in lipid uptake, but the molecular basis for Mce function(s) is poorly understood. To gain insights into the composition and architecture of Mce systems, we characterized the putative Mce1 complex involved in fatty acid transport. We show that the Mce1 system in Mycobacterium smegmatis comprises a canonical ATP-binding cassette transporter associated with distinct heterohexameric assemblies of substrate-binding proteins. Furthermore, we establish that the conserved membrane protein Mce1N negatively regulates Mce1 function via a unique mechanism involving blocking transporter assembly. Our work offers a molecular understanding of Mce complexes, sheds light on mycobacterial lipid metabolism and its regulation, and informs future anti-mycobacterial strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yushu Chen
- Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117543, Singapore
| | - Yuchun Wang
- Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117543, Singapore
| | - Shu-Sin Chng
- Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117543, Singapore.
- Singapore Center for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, National University of Singapore (SCELSE-NUS), Singapore, 117456, Singapore.
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5
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Chen J, Fruhauf A, Fan C, Ponce J, Ueberheide B, Bhabha G, Ekiert DC. Structure of an endogenous mycobacterial MCE lipid transporter. Nature 2023; 620:445-452. [PMID: 37495693 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06366-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
To replicate inside macrophages and cause tuberculosis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis must scavenge a variety of nutrients from the host1,2. The mammalian cell entry (MCE) proteins are important virulence factors in M. tuberculosis1,3, where they are encoded by large gene clusters and have been implicated in the transport of fatty acids4-7 and cholesterol1,4,8 across the impermeable mycobacterial cell envelope. Very little is known about how cargos are transported across this barrier, and it remains unclear how the approximately ten proteins encoded by a mycobacterial mce gene cluster assemble to transport cargo across the cell envelope. Here we report the cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of the endogenous Mce1 lipid-import machine of Mycobacterium smegmatis-a non-pathogenic relative of M. tuberculosis. The structure reveals how the proteins of the Mce1 system assemble to form an elongated ABC transporter complex that is long enough to span the cell envelope. The Mce1 complex is dominated by a curved, needle-like domain that appears to be unrelated to previously described protein structures, and creates a protected hydrophobic pathway for lipid transport across the periplasm. Our structural data revealed the presence of a subunit of the Mce1 complex, which we identified using a combination of cryo-EM and AlphaFold2, and name LucB. Our data lead to a structural model for Mce1-mediated lipid import across the mycobacterial cell envelope.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Chen
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alice Fruhauf
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Catherine Fan
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jackeline Ponce
- Proteomics Laboratory, Division of Advanced Research Technologies, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Beatrix Ueberheide
- Proteomics Laboratory, Division of Advanced Research Technologies, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Neurology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Gira Bhabha
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Damian C Ekiert
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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6
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McDonnell RT, Patel N, Wehrspan ZJ, Elcock AH. Atomic Models of All Major Trans-Envelope Complexes Involved in Lipid Trafficking in Escherichia Coli Constructed Using a Combination of AlphaFold2, AF2Complex, and Membrane Morphing Simulations. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.28.538765. [PMID: 37162969 PMCID: PMC10168319 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.28.538765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
In Gram-negative bacteria, several trans-envelope complexes (TECs) have been identified that span the periplasmic space in order to facilitate lipid transport between the inner- and outer- membranes. While partial or near-complete structures of some of these TECs have been solved by conventional experimental techniques, most remain incomplete. Here we describe how a combination of computational approaches, constrained by experimental data, can be used to build complete atomic models for four TECs implicated in lipid transport in Escherichia coli . We use DeepMind's protein structure prediction algorithm, AlphaFold2, and a variant of it designed to predict protein complexes, AF2Complex, to predict the oligomeric states of key components of TECs and their likely interfaces with other components. After obtaining initial models of the complete TECs by superimposing predicted structures of subcomplexes, we use the membrane orientation prediction algorithm OPM to predict the likely orientations of the inner- and outer- membrane components in each TEC. Since, in all cases, the predicted membrane orientations in these initial models are tilted relative to each other, we devise a novel molecular mechanics-based strategy that we call "membrane morphing" that adjusts each TEC model until the two membranes are properly aligned with each other and separated by a distance consistent with estimates of the periplasmic width in E. coli . The study highlights the potential power of combining computational methods, operating within limits set by both experimental data and by cell physiology, for producing useable atomic structures of very large protein complexes.
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7
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Guillén-Samander A, De Camilli P. Endoplasmic Reticulum Membrane Contact Sites, Lipid Transport, and Neurodegeneration. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2023; 15:a041257. [PMID: 36123033 PMCID: PMC10071438 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a041257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) is an endomembrane system that plays a multiplicity of roles in cell physiology and populates even the most distal cell compartments, including dendritic tips and axon terminals of neurons. Some of its functions are achieved by a cross talk with other intracellular membranous organelles and with the plasma membrane at membrane contacts sites (MCSs). As the ER synthesizes most membrane lipids, lipid exchanges mediated by lipid transfer proteins at MCSs are a particularly important aspect of this cross talk, which synergizes with the cross talk mediated by vesicular transport. Several mutations of genes that encode proteins localized at ER MCSs result in familial neurodegenerative diseases, emphasizing the importance of the normal lipid traffic within cells for a healthy brain. Here, we provide an overview of such diseases, with a specific focus on proteins that directly or indirectly impact lipid transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés Guillén-Samander
- Departments of Neuroscience and of Cell Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration and Repair, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, Maryland 20815, USA
| | - Pietro De Camilli
- Departments of Neuroscience and of Cell Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration and Repair, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, Maryland 20815, USA
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8
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Chen J, Fruhauf A, Fan C, Ponce J, Ueberheide B, Bhabha G, Ekiert D. Structure of an endogenous mycobacterial MCE lipid transporter. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-2412186. [PMID: 36711512 PMCID: PMC9882608 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2412186/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
To replicate inside human macrophages and cause the disease tuberculosis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis ( Mtb ) must scavenge a variety of nutrients from the host 1,2 . The Mammalian Cell Entry (MCE) proteins are important virulence factors in Mtb 1,3 , where they are encoded in large gene clusters and have been implicated in the transport of fatty acids 4â€"7 and cholesterol 1,4,8 across the impermeable mycobacterial cell envelope. Very little is known about how cargos are transported across this barrier, and how the ~10 proteins encoded in a mycobacterial mce gene cluster might assemble to transport cargo across the cell envelope remains unknown. Here we report the cryo-EM structure of the endogenous Mce1 fatty acid import machine from Mycobacterium smegmatis , a non-pathogenic relative of Mtb . The structure reveals how the proteins of the Mce1 system assemble to form an elongated ABC transporter complex, long enough to span the cell envelope. The Mce1 complex is dominated by a curved, needle-like domain that appears to be unrelated to previously described protein structures, and creates a protected hydrophobic pathway for lipid transport across the periplasm. Unexpectedly, our structural data revealed the presence of a previously unknown subunit of the Mce1 complex, which we identified using a combination of cryo-EM and AlphaFold2, and name LucB. Our data lead to a structural model for Mce1-mediated fatty acid import across the mycobacterial cell envelope.
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9
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Giacometti SI, MacRae MR, Dancel-Manning K, Bhabha G, Ekiert DC. Lipid Transport Across Bacterial Membranes. Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol 2022; 38:125-153. [PMID: 35850151 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-cellbio-120420-022914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The movement of lipids within and between membranes in bacteria is essential for building and maintaining the bacterial cell envelope. Moving lipids to their final destination is often energetically unfavorable and does not readily occur spontaneously. Bacteria have evolved several protein-mediated transport systems that bind specific lipid substrates and catalyze the transport of lipids across membranes and from one membrane to another. Specific protein flippases act in translocating lipids across the plasma membrane, overcoming the obstacle of moving relatively large and chemically diverse lipids between leaflets of the bilayer. Active transporters found in double-membraned bacteria have evolved sophisticated mechanisms to traffic lipids between the two membranes, including assembling to form large, multiprotein complexes that resemble bridges, shuttles, and tunnels, shielding lipids from the hydrophilic environment of the periplasm during transport. In this review, we explore our current understanding of the mechanisms thought to drive bacterial lipid transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina I Giacometti
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; , , ,
| | - Mark R MacRae
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; , , ,
| | - Kristen Dancel-Manning
- Office of Science and Research, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA;
| | - Gira Bhabha
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; , , ,
| | - Damian C Ekiert
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; , , ,
- Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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10
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Li H, Chen G, Gao S, Li J, Wan X, Zhang F. A Transfer Learning-Based Classification Model for Particle Pruning in Cryo-Electron Microscopy. JOURNAL OF COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY : A JOURNAL OF COMPUTATIONAL MOLECULAR CELL BIOLOGY 2022; 29:1117-1131. [PMID: 35985012 DOI: 10.1089/cmb.2022.0101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
The cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) single-particle analysis requires tens of thousands of particle projections to reveal structural information of macromolecular complexes. However, due to the low signal-to-noise ratio and the presence of high contrast artifacts and contaminants in the micrographs, the semiautomatic and fully automatic particle picking algorithms tend to suffer from high false-positive rates, which degrades the confidence of structure determination. In this study, we introduce PickerOptimizer (PO), a transfer learning-based classification neural network for particle pruning in cryo-EM, as an additional strategy to complement the current automated particle picking algorithms. To achieve high classification performance with minimal human intervention, we adopted two key strategies: (1) utilizing the transfer learning techniques to train the convolutional neural network, where the knowledge gained from public classification datasets is applied to the field of cryo-EM. (2) Designing a multiloss strategy, a combination of multiple loss functions, to guide the optimization of the network parameters. To reduce the domain shift between cryo-EM images and natural images for pretraining, we build the first image classification dataset for cryo-EM, which contains positive and negative samples collected from EMPIAR entries. The PO is tested on 14 public experimental datasets, achieving accuracy and F1 scores above 95% in most cases. Furthermore, three case studies are provided to verify the model performance by applying PO on problematic particle selections, showing that our algorithm achieved better or comparable performance compared with other particle pruning strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongjia Li
- High Performance Computer Research Center, Institute of Computing Technology, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ge Chen
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Domain-Oriented Computing Technology Research Center, Institute of Computing Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Shan Gao
- High Performance Computer Research Center, Institute of Computing Technology, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jintao Li
- High Performance Computer Research Center, Institute of Computing Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaohua Wan
- High Performance Computer Research Center, Institute of Computing Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Fa Zhang
- High Performance Computer Research Center, Institute of Computing Technology, Beijing, China
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11
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Yeow J, Chng SS. Of zones, bridges and chaperones - phospholipid transport in bacterial outer membrane assembly and homeostasis. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2022; 168. [PMID: 35384832 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The outer membrane (OM) is a formidable permeability barrier that protects Gram-negative bacteria from detergents and antibiotics. It possesses exquisite lipid asymmetry, requiring the placement and retention of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in the outer leaflet, and phospholipids (PLs) in the inner leaflet. To establish OM lipid asymmetry, LPS are transported from the inner membrane (IM) directly to the outer leaflet of the OM. In contrast, mechanisms for PL trafficking across the cell envelope are much less understood. In this review, we summarize and discuss recent advances in our understanding of PL transport, making parallel comparisons to well-established pathways for OM lipoprotein (Lol) and LPS (Lpt). Insights into putative PL transport systems highlight possible connections back to the 'Bayer bridges', adhesion zones between the IM and the OM that had been observed more than 50 years ago, and proposed as passages for export of OM components, including LPS and PLs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiang Yeow
- Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117543, Singapore
| | - Shu-Sin Chng
- Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117543, Singapore
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12
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Sun J, Rutherford ST, Silhavy TJ, Huang KC. Physical properties of the bacterial outer membrane. Nat Rev Microbiol 2022; 20:236-248. [PMID: 34732874 PMCID: PMC8934262 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-021-00638-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
It has long been appreciated that the Gram-negative outer membrane acts as a permeability barrier, but recent studies have uncovered a more expansive and versatile role for the outer membrane in cellular physiology and viability. Owing to recent developments in microfluidics and microscopy, the structural, rheological and mechanical properties of the outer membrane are becoming apparent across multiple scales. In this Review, we discuss experimental and computational studies that have revealed key molecular factors and interactions that give rise to the spatial organization, limited diffusivity and stress-bearing capacity of the outer membrane. These physical properties suggest broad connections between cellular structure and physiology, and we explore future prospects for further elucidation of the implications of outer membrane construction for cellular fitness and survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiawei Sun
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Steven T. Rutherford
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA,To whom correspondence should be addressed: , ,
| | - Thomas J. Silhavy
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA,To whom correspondence should be addressed: , ,
| | - Kerwyn Casey Huang
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA. .,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA. .,Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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13
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Sfeir A, Fishell G, Schier AF, Dustin ML, Gan WB, Joyner A, Lehmann R, Ron D, Roth D, Talbot WS, Yelon D, Zychlinsky A. Basic science under threat: Lessons from the Skirball Institute. Cell 2022; 185:755-758. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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14
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Martorana AM, Moura ECCM, Sperandeo P, Di Vincenzo F, Liang X, Toone E, Zhou P, Polissi A. Degradation of Components of the Lpt Transenvelope Machinery Reveals LPS-Dependent Lpt Complex Stability in Escherichia coli. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 8:758228. [PMID: 35004843 PMCID: PMC8727689 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.758228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a peculiar component of the outer membrane (OM) of many Gram-negative bacteria that renders these bacteria highly impermeable to many toxic molecules, including antibiotics. LPS is assembled at the OM by a dedicated intermembrane transport system, the Lpt (LPS transport) machinery, composed of seven essential proteins located in the inner membrane (IM) (LptB2CFG), periplasm (LptA), and OM (LptDE). Defects in LPS transport compromise LPS insertion and assembly at the OM and result in an overall modification of the cell envelope and its permeability barrier properties. LptA is a key component of the Lpt machine. It connects the IM and OM sub-complexes by interacting with the IM protein LptC and the OM protein LptD, thus enabling the LPS transport across the periplasm. Defects in Lpt system assembly result in LptA degradation whose stability can be considered a marker of an improperly assembled Lpt system. Indeed, LptA recruitment by its IM and OM docking sites requires correct maturation of the LptB2CFG and LptDE sub-complexes, respectively. These quality control checkpoints are crucial to avoid LPS mistargeting. To further dissect the requirements for the complete Lpt transenvelope bridge assembly, we explored the importance of LPS presence by blocking its synthesis using an inhibitor compound. Here, we found that the interruption of LPS synthesis results in the degradation of both LptA and LptD, suggesting that, in the absence of the LPS substrate, the stability of the Lpt complex is compromised. Under these conditions, DegP, a major chaperone–protease in Escherichia coli, is responsible for LptD but not LptA degradation. Importantly, LptD and LptA stability is not affected by stressors disturbing the integrity of LPS or peptidoglycan layers, further supporting the notion that the LPS substrate is fundamental to keeping the Lpt transenvelope complex assembled and that LptA and LptD play a major role in the stability of the Lpt system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra M Martorana
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Elisabete C C M Moura
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Paola Sperandeo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Flavia Di Vincenzo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Xiaofei Liang
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Eric Toone
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Pei Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States.,Department of Biochemistry, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Alessandra Polissi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
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15
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Egea PF. Moving Lipids, by the Numbers. CONTACT 2022; 5. [PMID: 36128030 PMCID: PMC9484574 DOI: 10.1177/25152564221103080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Pascal F. Egea
- Department of Biological Chemistry, School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA
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16
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Vieni C, Coudray N, Isom GL, Bhabha G, Ekiert DC. Role of Ring6 in the function of the E. coli MCE protein LetB. J Mol Biol 2022; 434:167463. [PMID: 35077766 PMCID: PMC9112829 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2022.167463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 01/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
LetB is a tunnel-forming protein found in the cell envelope of some double-membraned bacteria, and is thought to be important for the transport of lipids between the inner and outer membranes. In Escherichia coli the LetB tunnel is formed from a stack of seven rings (Ring1 - Ring7), in which each ring is composed of a homo-hexameric assembly of MCE domains. The primary sequence of each MCE domain of the LetB protein is substantially divergent from the others, making each MCE ring unique in nature. The role of each MCE domain and how it contributes to the function of LetB is not well understood. Here we probed the importance of each MCE ring for the function of LetB, using a combination of bacterial growth assays and cryo-EM. Surprisingly, we find that ΔRing3 and ΔRing6 mutants, in which Ring3 and Ring6 have been deleted, confer increased resistance to membrane perturbing agents. Specific mutations in the pore-lining loops of Ring6 similarly confer increased resistance. A cryo-EM structure of the ΔRing6 mutant shows that despite the absence of Ring6, which leads to a shorter assembly, the overall architecture is maintained, highlighting the modular nature of MCE proteins. Previous work has shown that Ring6 is dynamic and in its closed state, may restrict the passage of substrate through the tunnel. Our work suggests that removal of Ring6 may relieve this restriction. The deletion of Ring6 combined with mutations in the pore-lining loops leads to a model for the tunnel gating mechanism of LetB. Together, these results provide insight into the functional roles of individual MCE domains and pore-lining loops in the LetB protein.
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17
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Egea PF. Mechanisms of Non-Vesicular Exchange of Lipids at Membrane Contact Sites: Of Shuttles, Tunnels and, Funnels. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:784367. [PMID: 34912813 PMCID: PMC8667587 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.784367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic cells are characterized by their exquisite compartmentalization resulting from a cornucopia of membrane-bound organelles. Each of these compartments hosts a flurry of biochemical reactions and supports biological functions such as genome storage, membrane protein and lipid biosynthesis/degradation and ATP synthesis, all essential to cellular life. Acting as hubs for the transfer of matter and signals between organelles and throughout the cell, membrane contacts sites (MCSs), sites of close apposition between membranes from different organelles, are essential to cellular homeostasis. One of the now well-acknowledged function of MCSs involves the non-vesicular trafficking of lipids; its characterization answered one long-standing question of eukaryotic cell biology revealing how some organelles receive and distribute their membrane lipids in absence of vesicular trafficking. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in synergy with the mitochondria, stands as the nexus for the biosynthesis and distribution of phospholipids (PLs) throughout the cell by contacting nearly all other organelle types. MCSs create and maintain lipid fluxes and gradients essential to the functional asymmetry and polarity of biological membranes throughout the cell. Membrane apposition is mediated by proteinaceous tethers some of which function as lipid transfer proteins (LTPs). We summarize here the current state of mechanistic knowledge of some of the major classes of LTPs and tethers based on the available atomic to near-atomic resolution structures of several "model" MCSs from yeast but also in Metazoans; we describe different models of lipid transfer at MCSs and analyze the determinants of their specificity and directionality. Each of these systems illustrate fundamental principles and mechanisms for the non-vesicular exchange of lipids between eukaryotic membrane-bound organelles essential to a wide range of cellular processes such as at PL biosynthesis and distribution, lipid storage, autophagy and organelle biogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal F Egea
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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18
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ATP disrupts lipid-binding equilibrium to drive retrograde transport critical for bacterial outer membrane asymmetry. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2110055118. [PMID: 34873038 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2110055118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The hallmark of the gram-negative bacterial envelope is the presence of the outer membrane (OM). The OM is asymmetric, comprising lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in the outer leaflet and phospholipids (PLs) in the inner leaflet; this critical feature confers permeability barrier function against external insults, including antibiotics. To maintain OM lipid asymmetry, the OmpC-Mla system is believed to remove aberrantly localized PLs from the OM and transport them to the inner membrane (IM). Key to the system in driving lipid trafficking is the MlaFEDB ATP-binding cassette transporter complex in the IM, but mechanistic details, including transport directionality, remain enigmatic. Here, we develop a sensitive point-to-point in vitro lipid transfer assay that allows direct tracking of [14C]-labeled PLs between the periplasmic chaperone MlaC and MlaFEDB reconstituted into nanodiscs. We reveal that MlaC spontaneously transfers PLs to the IM transporter in an MlaD-dependent manner that can be further enhanced by coupled ATP hydrolysis. In addition, we show that MlaD is important for modulating productive coupling between ATP hydrolysis and such retrograde PL transfer. We further demonstrate that spontaneous PL transfer also occurs from MlaFEDB to MlaC, but such anterograde movement is instead abolished by ATP hydrolysis. Our work uncovers a model where PLs reversibly partition between two lipid-binding sites in MlaC and MlaFEDB, and ATP binding and/or hydrolysis shift this equilibrium to ultimately drive retrograde PL transport by the OmpC-Mla system. These mechanistic insights will inform future efforts toward discovering new antibiotics against gram-negative pathogens.
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19
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Thoma J, Burmann BM. Architects of their own environment: How membrane proteins shape the Gram-negative cell envelope. ADVANCES IN PROTEIN CHEMISTRY AND STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 2021; 128:1-34. [PMID: 35034716 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apcsb.2021.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Gram-negative bacteria are surrounded by a complex multilayered cell envelope, consisting of an inner and an outer membrane, and separated by the aqueous periplasm, which contains a thin peptidoglycan cell wall. These bacteria employ an arsenal of highly specialized membrane protein machineries to ensure the correct assembly and maintenance of the membranes forming the cell envelope. Here, we review the diverse protein systems, which perform these functions in Escherichia coli, such as the folding and insertion of membrane proteins, the transport of lipoproteins and lipopolysaccharide within the cell envelope, the targeting of phospholipids, and the regulation of mistargeted envelope components. Some of these protein machineries have been known for a long time, yet still hold surprises. Others have only recently been described and some are still missing pieces or yet remain to be discovered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Thoma
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden; Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden.
| | - Björn M Burmann
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden; Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
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20
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YhdP, TamB, and YdbH Are Redundant but Essential for Growth and Lipid Homeostasis of the Gram-Negative Outer Membrane. mBio 2021; 12:e0271421. [PMID: 34781743 PMCID: PMC8593681 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02714-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The bacterial cell envelope is the first line of defense and point of contact with the environment and other organisms. Envelope biogenesis is therefore crucial for the survival and physiology of bacteria and is often targeted by antimicrobials. Gram-negative bacteria have a multilayered envelope delimited by an inner and outer membrane (IM and OM, respectively). The OM is a barrier against many antimicrobials because of its asymmetric lipid structure, with phospholipids composing the inner leaflet and lipopolysaccharides (LPS) the outer leaflet. Since lipid synthesis occurs at the IM, phospholipids and LPS are transported across the cell envelope and asymmetrically assembled at the OM during growth. How phospholipids are transported to the OM remains unknown. Recently, the Escherichia coli protein YhdP has been proposed to participate in this process through an unknown mechanism. YhdP belongs to the AsmA-like clan and contains domains homologous to those found in lipid transporters. Here, we used genetics to investigate the six members of the AsmA-like clan of proteins in E. coli. Our data show that YhdP and its paralogs TamB and YdbH are redundant, but not equivalent, in performing an essential function in the cell envelope. Among the AsmA-like paralogs, only the combined loss of YhdP, TamB, and YdbH is lethal, and any of these three proteins is sufficient for growth. We also show that these proteins are required for OM lipid homeostasis and propose that they are the long-sought-after phospholipid transporters that are required for OM biogenesis.
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21
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Abstract
The maturation of chemical synthesis during the 20th century has elevated the discipline from a largely empirical into a rational science. This ability to purposefully craft matter at the molecular level has put chemists in a privileged position to contribute to progress in neighboring natural sciences. Recently, we have witnessed another major advance in the field in which chemists use chemical and biological "synthetic" methods together to alter the structures and properties of biological macromolecules in ways heretofore unimagined. This interdisciplinary approach to synthesis has even allowed us to expand upon the defining characteristics of living organisms at the molecular level. In this perspective, we present a case study for the successful addition of new chemistries to the fundamental processes of the central dogma of molecular biology, exemplified by the expansion of the genetic code.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian S. Diercks
- Department of Chemistry, Scripps Research, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
- These authors contributed equally
| | - David A. Dik
- Department of Chemistry, Scripps Research, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Peter G. Schultz
- Department of Chemistry, Scripps Research, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
- Lead contact
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22
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Low WY, Chng SS. Current mechanistic understanding of intermembrane lipid trafficking important for maintenance of bacterial outer membrane lipid asymmetry. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2021; 65:163-171. [PMID: 34753108 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2021.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The outer membrane (OM) of Gram-negative bacteria exhibits unique lipid asymmetry that makes it an effective permeability barrier against toxic molecules, including antibiotics. Central to the maintenance of OM lipid asymmetry is the OmpC-Mla (maintenance of lipid asymmetry) system, which mediates the retrograde transport of phospholipids from the outer leaflet of the OM to the inner membrane. The molecular mechanism(s) of this lipid trafficking process is not fully understood; however, recent advances in structural elucidations and biochemical reconstitutions have provided detailed new insights. Here, we present an integrated understanding of how the OmpC-Mla system transports mislocalized phospholipids across the bacterial cell envelope.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Yi Low
- Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore 117543, Singapore.
| | - Shu-Sin Chng
- Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore 117543, Singapore; Singapore Center for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, National University of Singapore (SCELSE-NUS) 117456, Singapore.
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23
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Reinisch KM, Prinz WA. Mechanisms of nonvesicular lipid transport. J Cell Biol 2021; 220:211813. [PMID: 33605998 PMCID: PMC7901144 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202012058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Revised: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We have long known that lipids traffic between cellular membranes via vesicles but have only recently appreciated the role of nonvesicular lipid transport. Nonvesicular transport can be high volume, supporting biogenesis of rapidly expanding membranes, or more targeted and precise, allowing cells to rapidly alter levels of specific lipids in membranes. Most such transport probably occurs at membrane contact sites, where organelles are closely apposed, and requires lipid transport proteins (LTPs), which solubilize lipids to shield them from the aqueous phase during their transport between membranes. Some LTPs are cup like and shuttle lipid monomers between membranes. Others form conduits allowing lipid flow between membranes. This review describes what we know about nonvesicular lipid transfer mechanisms while also identifying many remaining unknowns: How do LTPs facilitate lipid movement from and into membranes, do LTPs require accessory proteins for efficient transfer in vivo, and how is directionality of transport determined?
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin M Reinisch
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - William A Prinz
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
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24
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Abstract
The mammalian-cell-entry (Mce) proteins of Mycobacterium tuberculosis enable the bacterium to acquire lipids from the host cells. Asthana et al. [IUCrJ (2021). 8, 757-774] present the first structural insights into the potential assembly of Mce1 and Mce4, advancing our understanding of lipid transport by the human pathogen that causes tuberculosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghader Bashiri
- Laboratory of Molecular and Microbial Biochemistry, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
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25
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Asthana P, Singh D, Pedersen JS, Hynönen MJ, Sulu R, Murthy AV, Laitaoja M, Jänis J, Riley LW, Venkatesan R. Structural insights into the substrate-binding proteins Mce1A and Mce4A from Mycobacterium tuberculosis. IUCRJ 2021; 8:757-774. [PMID: 34584737 PMCID: PMC8420772 DOI: 10.1107/s2052252521006199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), which is responsible for more than a million deaths annually, uses lipids as the source of carbon and energy for its survival in the latent phase of infection. Mtb cannot synthesize all of the lipid molecules required for its growth and pathogenicity. Therefore, it relies on transporters such as the mammalian cell entry (Mce) complexes to import lipids from the host across the cell wall. Despite their importance for the survival and pathogenicity of Mtb, information on the structural properties of these proteins is not yet available. Each of the four Mce complexes in Mtb (Mce1-4) comprises six substrate-binding proteins (SBPs; MceA-F), each of which contains four conserved domains (N-terminal transmembrane, MCE, helical and C-terminal unstructured tail domains). Here, the properties of the various domains of Mtb Mce1A and Mce4A, which are involved in the import of mycolic/fatty acids and cholesterol, respectively, are reported. In the crystal structure of the MCE domain of Mce4A (MtMce4A39-140) a domain-swapped conformation is observed, whereas solution studies, including small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), indicate that all Mce1A and Mce4A domains are predominantly monomeric. Further, structural comparisons show interesting differences from the bacterial homologs MlaD, PqiB and LetB, which form homohexamers when assembled as functional transporter complexes. These data, and the fact that there are six SBPs in each Mtb mce operon, suggest that the MceA-F SBPs from Mce1-4 may form heterohexamers. Also, interestingly, the purification and SAXS analysis showed that the helical domains interact with the detergent micelle, suggesting that when assembled the helical domains of MceA-F may form a hydrophobic pore for lipid transport, as observed in EcPqiB. Overall, these data highlight the unique structural properties of the Mtb Mce SBPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pooja Asthana
- Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Dhirendra Singh
- Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Jan Skov Pedersen
- Department of Chemistry and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Mikko J. Hynönen
- Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Ramita Sulu
- Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Abhinandan V. Murthy
- Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Mikko Laitaoja
- Department of Chemistry, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland
| | - Janne Jänis
- Department of Chemistry, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland
| | - Lee W. Riley
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Rajaram Venkatesan
- Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
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26
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BonA from Acinetobacter baumannii Forms a Divisome-Localized Decamer That Supports Outer Envelope Function. mBio 2021; 12:e0148021. [PMID: 34311571 PMCID: PMC8406262 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01480-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Acinetobacter baumannii is a high-risk pathogen due to the rapid global spread of multidrug-resistant lineages. Its phylogenetic divergence from other ESKAPE pathogens means that determinants of its antimicrobial resistance can be difficult to extrapolate from other widely studied bacteria. A recent study showed that A. baumannii upregulates production of an outer membrane lipoprotein, which we designate BonA, in response to challenge with polymyxins. Here, we show that BonA has limited sequence similarity and distinct structural features compared to lipoproteins from other bacterial species. Analyses through X-ray crystallography, small-angle X-ray scattering, electron microscopy, and multiangle light scattering demonstrate that BonA has a dual BON (Bacterial OsmY and Nodulation) domain architecture and forms a decamer via an unusual oligomerization mechanism. This analysis also indicates this decamer is transient, suggesting dynamic oligomerization plays a role in BonA function. Antisera recognizing BonA shows it is an outer membrane protein localized to the divisome. Loss of BonA modulates the density of the outer membrane, consistent with a change in its structure or link to the peptidoglycan, and prevents motility in a clinical strain (ATCC 17978). Consistent with these findings, the dimensions of the BonA decamer are sufficient to permeate the peptidoglycan layer, with the potential to form a membrane-spanning complex during cell division. IMPORTANCE The pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii is considered an urgent threat to human health. A. baumannii is highly resistant to treatment with antibiotics, in part due to its protective cell envelope. This bacterium is only distantly related to other bacterial pathogens, so its cell envelope has distinct properties and contains components distinct from those of other bacteria that support its function. Here, we report the discovery of BonA, a protein that supports A. baumannii outer envelope function and is required for cell motility. We determine the atomic structure of BonA and show that it forms part of the cell division machinery and functions by forming a complex, features that mirror those of distantly related homologs from other bacteria. By improving our understanding of the A. baumannii cell envelope this work will assist in treating this pathogen.
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27
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Dutta A, Chandravanshi M, Kanaujia SP. Conserved features of the MlaD domain aid the trafficking of hydrophobic molecules. Proteins 2021; 89:1473-1488. [PMID: 34196044 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
In Gram-negative bacteria, the maintenance of lipid asymmetry (Mla) system is involved in the transport of phospholipids between the inner (IM) and outer membrane. The Mla system utilizes a unique IM-associated periplasmic solute-binding protein, MlaD, which possesses a conserved domain, MlaD domain. While proteins carrying the MlaD domain are known to be primarily involved in the trafficking of hydrophobic molecules, not much is known about this domain itself. Thus, in this study, the characterization of the MlaD domain employing bioinformatics analysis is reported. The profiling of the MlaD domain of different architectures reveals the abundance of glycine and hydrophobic residues and the lack of cysteine residues. The domain possesses a conserved N-terminal region and a well-preserved glycine residue that constitutes a consensus motif across different architectures. Phylogenetic analysis shows that the MlaD domain archetypes are evolutionarily closer and marked by the conservation of a functionally crucial pore loop located at the C-terminal region. The study also establishes the critical role of the domain-associated permeases and the driving forces governing the transport of hydrophobic molecules. This sheds sufficient light on the structure-function-evolutionary relationship of MlaD domain. The hexameric interface analysis reveals that the MlaD domain itself is not a sole player in the oligomerization of the proteins. Further, an operonic and interactome map analysis reveals that the Mla and the Mce systems are dependent on the structural homologs of the nuclear transport factor 2 superfamily.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angshu Dutta
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, India
| | - Monika Chandravanshi
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, India
| | - Shankar Prasad Kanaujia
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, India
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28
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Mann D, Fan J, Somboon K, Farrell DP, Muenks A, Tzokov SB, DiMaio F, Khalid S, Miller SI, Bergeron JRC. Structure and lipid dynamics in the maintenance of lipid asymmetry inner membrane complex of A. baumannii. Commun Biol 2021; 4:817. [PMID: 34188171 PMCID: PMC8241846 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02318-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Multi-resistant bacteria are a major threat in modern medicine. The gram-negative coccobacillus Acinetobacter baumannii currently leads the WHO list of pathogens in critical need for new therapeutic development. The maintenance of lipid asymmetry (MLA) protein complex is one of the core machineries that transport lipids from/to the outer membrane in gram-negative bacteria. It also contributes to broad-range antibiotic resistance in several pathogens, most prominently in A. baumannii. Nonetheless, the molecular details of its role in lipid transport has remained largely elusive. Here, we report the cryo-EM maps of the core MLA complex, MlaBDEF, from the pathogen A. baumannii, in the apo-, ATP- and ADP-bound states, revealing multiple lipid binding sites in the cytosolic and periplasmic side of the complex. Molecular dynamics simulations suggest their potential trajectory across the membrane. Collectively with the recently-reported structures of the E. coli orthologue, this data also allows us to propose a molecular mechanism of lipid transport by the MLA system. Daniel Mann et al. describe a higher-resolution structure of the maintenance of lipid asymmetry inner membrane complex (MlaBDEF) in the Gram-negative pathogen, Acinetobacter baumannii. With this improved structural map, the authors clarify the secondary structure elements of MlaE helices and report on potential lipid dynamics by the MLA system that could inform the development of future therapeutics against A. baumannii infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Mann
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.,Ernst-Ruska-Centre 3, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany
| | - Junping Fan
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Washington, Seattle, USA.,Department of Chemical Biology, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Kamolrat Somboon
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Daniel P Farrell
- Department of Biochemistry, The University of Washington, Seattle, USA
| | - Andrew Muenks
- Department of Biochemistry, The University of Washington, Seattle, USA
| | - Svetomir B Tzokov
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Frank DiMaio
- Department of Biochemistry, The University of Washington, Seattle, USA
| | - Syma Khalid
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Samuel I Miller
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Washington, Seattle, USA.,Department of Genetics, The University of Washington, Seattle, USA.,Department of Medicine, The University of Washington, Seattle, USA
| | - Julien R C Bergeron
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK. .,Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King's College London, London, UK.
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29
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Zhou C, Shi H, Zhang M, Zhou L, Xiao L, Feng S, Im W, Zhou M, Zhang X, Huang Y. Structural Insight into Phospholipid Transport by the MlaFEBD Complex from P. aeruginosa. J Mol Biol 2021; 433:166986. [PMID: 33845086 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.166986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The outer membrane (OM) of Gram-negative bacteria, which consists of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in the outer leaflet and phospholipids (PLs) in the inner leaflet, plays a key role in antibiotic resistance and pathogen virulence. The maintenance of lipid asymmetry (Mla) pathway is known to be involved in PL transport and contributes to the lipid homeostasis of the OM, yet the underlying molecular mechanism and the directionality of PL transport in this pathway remain elusive. Here, we reported the cryo-EM structures of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter MlaFEBD from P. areuginosa, the core complex in the Mla pathway, in nucleotide-free (apo)-, ADP (ATP + vanadate)- and ATP (AMPPNP)-bound states as well as the structures of MlaFEB from E. coli in apo- and AMPPNP-bound states at a resolution range of 3.4-3.9 Å. The structures show that the MlaFEBD complex contains a total of twelve protein molecules with a stoichiometry of MlaF2E2B2D6, and binds a plethora of PLs at different locations. In contrast to canonical ABC transporters, nucleotide binding fails to trigger significant conformational changes of both MlaFEBD and MlaFEB in the nucleotide-binding and transmembrane domains of the ABC transporter, correlated with their low ATPase activities exhibited in both detergent micelles and lipid nanodiscs. Intriguingly, PLs or detergents appeared to relocate to the membrane-proximal end from the distal end of the hydrophobic tunnel formed by the MlaD hexamer in MlaFEBD upon addition of ATP, indicating that retrograde PL transport might occur in the tunnel in an ATP-dependent manner. Site-specific photocrosslinking experiment confirms that the substrate-binding pocket in the dimeric MlaE and the MlaD hexamer are able to bind PLs in vitro, in line with the notion that MlaFEBD complex functions as a PL transporter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changping Zhou
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100101, China
| | - Huigang Shi
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100101, China
| | - Manfeng Zhang
- Lingnan Guangdong Laboratory of Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lijun Zhou
- Institute of Bio-analytical Chemistry, School of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, No. 200 Xiao Ling Wei Street, Nanjing 210094, China
| | - Le Xiao
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100101, China
| | - Shasha Feng
- Departments of Biological Sciences and Chemistry, Lehigh University, PA 18015, USA
| | - Wonpil Im
- Departments of Biological Sciences and Chemistry, Lehigh University, PA 18015, USA
| | - Min Zhou
- Institute of Bio-analytical Chemistry, School of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, No. 200 Xiao Ling Wei Street, Nanjing 210094, China.
| | - Xinzheng Zhang
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100101, China.
| | - Yihua Huang
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100101, China.
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30
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Evidence for the Mycobacterial Mce4 Transporter Being a Multiprotein Complex. J Bacteriol 2021; 203:JB.00685-20. [PMID: 33649150 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00685-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Mycobacteria possess Mce transporters that import lipids and are thought to function analogously to ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters. However, whereas ABC transporters import substrates using a single solute-binding protein (SBP) to deliver a substrate to permease proteins in the membrane, mycobacterial Mce transporters have a potential for six SBPs (MceA to MceF) working with a pair of permeases (YrbEA and YrbEB), a cytoplasmic ATPase (MceG), and multiple Mce-associated membrane (Mam) and orphaned Mam (Omam) proteins to transport lipids. In this study, we used the model mycobacterium Mycobacterium smegmatis to study the requirement for individual Mce, Mam, and Omam proteins in Mce4 transport of cholesterol. All of the Mce4 and Mam4 proteins we investigated were required for cholesterol uptake. However, not all Omam proteins, which are encoded by genes outside mce loci, proved to contribute to cholesterol import. OmamA and OmamB were required for cholesterol import, while OmamC, OmamD, OmamE, and OmamF were not. In the absence of any single Mce4, Mam4, or Omam protein that we tested, the abundance of Mce4A and Mce4E declined. This relationship between the levels of Mce4A and Mce4E and these additional proteins suggests a network of interactions that assemble and/or stabilize a multiprotein Mce4 transporter complex. Further support for Mce transporters being multiprotein complexes was obtained by immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry, in which we identified every single Mce, YrbE, MceG, Mam, and Omam protein with a role in cholesterol transport as associating with Mce4A. This study represents the first time any of these Mce4 transporter proteins has been shown to associate.IMPORTANCE How lipids travel between membranes of diderm bacteria is a challenging mechanistic question because lipids, which are hydrophobic molecules, must traverse a hydrophilic periplasm. This question is even more complex for mycobacteria, which have a unique cell envelope that is highly impermeable to molecules. A growing body of knowledge identifies Mce transporters as lipid importers for mycobacteria. Here, using protein stability experiments and immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry, we provide evidence for mycobacterial Mce transporters existing as multiprotein complexes.
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31
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Tang X, Chang S, Zhang K, Luo Q, Zhang Z, Wang T, Qiao W, Wang C, Shen C, Zhang Z, Zhu X, Wei X, Dong C, Zhang X, Dong H. Structural basis for bacterial lipoprotein relocation by the transporter LolCDE. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2021; 28:347-355. [PMID: 33782615 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-021-00573-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Lipoproteins in the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria are involved in various vital physiological activities, including multidrug resistance. Synthesized in the cytoplasm and matured in the inner membrane, lipoproteins must be transported to the outer membrane through the Lol pathway mediated by the ATP-binding cassette transporter LolCDE in the inner membrane via an unknown mechanism. Here, we report cryo-EM structures of Escherichia coli LolCDE in apo, lipoprotein-bound, LolA-bound, ADP-bound and AMP-PNP-bound states at a resolution of 3.2-3.8 Å, covering the complete lipoprotein transport cycle. Mutagenesis and in vivo viability assays verify features of the structures and reveal functional residues and structural characteristics of LolCDE. The results provide insights into the mechanisms of sorting and transport of outer-membrane lipoproteins and may guide the development of novel therapies against multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodi Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Shenghai Chang
- Department of Biophysics and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University, School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Center of Cryo Electron Microscopy, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Zhejiang Laboratory for System and Precision Medicine, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ke Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Qinghua Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Zhengyu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Ting Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Wen Qiao
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Chen Wang
- Department of Biophysics and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University, School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Center of Cryo Electron Microscopy, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Zhejiang Laboratory for System and Precision Medicine, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Chongrong Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Zhibo Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiaofeng Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.,College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiawei Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Changjiang Dong
- Biomedical Research Centre, Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.
| | - Xing Zhang
- Department of Biophysics and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University, School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. .,Center of Cryo Electron Microscopy, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. .,Zhejiang Laboratory for System and Precision Medicine, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Haohao Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
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32
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Szczepaniak J, Press C, Kleanthous C. The multifarious roles of Tol-Pal in Gram-negative bacteria. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2021; 44:490-506. [PMID: 32472934 PMCID: PMC7391070 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuaa018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In the 1960s several groups reported the isolation and preliminary genetic mapping of
Escherichia coli strains tolerant towards the
action of colicins. These pioneering studies kick-started two new fields in bacteriology;
one centred on how bacteriocins like colicins exploit the Tol (or more commonly Tol-Pal)
system to kill bacteria, the other on the physiological role of this cell
envelope-spanning assembly. The following half century has seen significant advances in
the first of these fields whereas the second has remained elusive, until recently. Here,
we review work that begins to shed light on Tol-Pal function in Gram-negative bacteria.
What emerges from these studies is that Tol-Pal is an energised system with fundamental,
interlinked roles in cell division – coordinating the re-structuring of peptidoglycan at
division sites and stabilising the connection between the outer membrane and underlying
cell wall. This latter role is achieved by Tol-Pal exploiting the proton motive force to
catalyse the accumulation of the outer membrane peptidoglycan associated lipoprotein Pal
at division sites while simultaneously mobilising Pal molecules from around the cell.
These studies begin to explain the diverse phenotypic outcomes of tol-pal
mutations, point to other cell envelope roles Tol-Pal may have and raise many new
questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Szczepaniak
- Department of Biochemistry, South Parks Road, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Cara Press
- Department of Biochemistry, South Parks Road, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Colin Kleanthous
- Department of Biochemistry, South Parks Road, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
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33
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Wilson A, Ruiz N. Transport of lipopolysaccharides and phospholipids to the outer membrane. Curr Opin Microbiol 2021; 60:51-57. [PMID: 33601322 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2021.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 01/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Cells must build and maintain at least one membrane that surrounds essential cellular components and provides structural integrity. Gram-negative bacteria possess an inner membrane, which separates the aqueous cytoplasmic and periplasmic compartments, and an outer membrane, which surrounds the periplasm. The outer membrane is an asymmetric bilayer with phospholipids in its inner leaflet and lipopolysaccharides in its outer leaflet. This structure provides cellular integrity and prevents the entry of many toxic compounds into the cell. Constructing the outer membrane is challenging, since its lipid constituents must be synthesized within the inner membrane, transported across the periplasm, and ultimately assembled into an asymmetric structure. This review highlights major recent advances in our understanding of the mechanism and structure of the intermembrane, multi-protein machine that transports lipopolysaccharide across the cell envelope. Although our understanding of phospholipid transport is very limited, we also provide a brief update on this topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Wilson
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Natividad Ruiz
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
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34
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Isom GL, Coudray N, MacRae MR, McManus CT, Ekiert DC, Bhabha G. LetB Structure Reveals a Tunnel for Lipid Transport across the Bacterial Envelope. Cell 2021; 181:653-664.e19. [PMID: 32359438 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.03.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Revised: 12/22/2019] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Gram-negative bacteria are surrounded by an outer membrane composed of phospholipids and lipopolysaccharide, which acts as a barrier and contributes to antibiotic resistance. The systems that mediate phospholipid trafficking across the periplasm, such as MCE (Mammalian Cell Entry) transporters, have not been well characterized. Our ~3.5 Å cryo-EM structure of the E. coli MCE protein LetB reveals an ~0.6 megadalton complex that consists of seven stacked rings, with a central hydrophobic tunnel sufficiently long to span the periplasm. Lipids bind inside the tunnel, suggesting that it functions as a pathway for lipid transport. Cryo-EM structures in the open and closed states reveal a dynamic tunnel lining, with implications for gating or substrate translocation. Our results support a model in which LetB establishes a physical link between the two membranes and creates a hydrophobic pathway for the translocation of lipids across the periplasm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia L Isom
- Department of Cell Biology, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Nicolas Coudray
- Department of Cell Biology, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Applied Bioinformatics Laboratories, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mark R MacRae
- Department of Cell Biology, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Collin T McManus
- Department of Cell Biology, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Damian C Ekiert
- Department of Cell Biology, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Gira Bhabha
- Department of Cell Biology, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.
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35
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Bishop RE. Phospholipid transporter shifts into reverse. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2020; 28:8-10. [PMID: 33361785 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-020-00546-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Russell E Bishop
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences and the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
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36
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Coudray N, Isom GL, MacRae MR, Saiduddin MN, Bhabha G, Ekiert DC. Structure of bacterial phospholipid transporter MlaFEDB with substrate bound. eLife 2020; 9:e62518. [PMID: 33236984 PMCID: PMC7790496 DOI: 10.7554/elife.62518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In double-membraned bacteria, phospholipid transport across the cell envelope is critical to maintain the outer membrane barrier, which plays a key role in virulence and antibiotic resistance. An MCE transport system called Mla has been implicated in phospholipid trafficking and outer membrane integrity, and includes an ABC transporter, MlaFEDB. The transmembrane subunit, MlaE, has minimal sequence similarity to other transporters, and the structure of the entire inner-membrane MlaFEDB complex remains unknown. Here, we report the cryo-EM structure of MlaFEDB at 3.05 Å resolution, revealing distant relationships to the LPS and MacAB transporters, as well as the eukaryotic ABCA/ABCG families. A continuous transport pathway extends from the MlaE substrate-binding site, through the channel of MlaD, and into the periplasm. Unexpectedly, two phospholipids are bound to MlaFEDB, suggesting that multiple lipid substrates may be transported each cycle. Our structure provides mechanistic insight into substrate recognition and transport by MlaFEDB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Coudray
- Department of Cell Biology, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of MedicineNew YorkUnited States
- Applied Bioinformatics Laboratories, New York University School of MedicineNew YorkUnited States
| | - Georgia L Isom
- Department of Cell Biology, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of MedicineNew YorkUnited States
| | - Mark R MacRae
- Department of Cell Biology, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of MedicineNew YorkUnited States
| | - Mariyah N Saiduddin
- Department of Cell Biology, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of MedicineNew YorkUnited States
| | - Gira Bhabha
- Department of Cell Biology, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of MedicineNew YorkUnited States
| | - Damian C Ekiert
- Department of Cell Biology, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of MedicineNew YorkUnited States
- Department of Microbiology, New York University School of MedicineNew YorkUnited States
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37
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38
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Lundstedt E, Kahne D, Ruiz N. Assembly and Maintenance of Lipids at the Bacterial Outer Membrane. Chem Rev 2020; 121:5098-5123. [PMID: 32955879 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.0c00587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria is essential for their survival in harsh environments and provides intrinsic resistance to many antibiotics. This membrane is remarkable; it is a highly asymmetric lipid bilayer. The inner leaflet of the outer membrane contains phospholipids, whereas the fatty acyl chains attached to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) comprise the hydrophobic portion of the outer leaflet. This lipid asymmetry, and in particular the exclusion of phospholipids from the outer leaflet, is key to creating an almost impenetrable barrier to hydrophobic molecules that can otherwise pass through phospholipid bilayers. It has long been known that these lipids are not made in the outer membrane. It is now believed that conserved multisubunit protein machines extract these lipids after their synthesis is completed at the inner membrane and transport them to the outer membrane. A longstanding question is how the cell builds and maintains this asymmetric lipid bilayer in coordination with the assembly of the other components of the cell envelope. This Review describes the trans-envelope lipid transport systems that have been identified to participate in outer-membrane biogenesis: LPS transport via the Lpt machine, and phospholipid transport via the Mla pathway and several recently proposed transporters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Lundstedt
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Daniel Kahne
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States.,Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Natividad Ruiz
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
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