1
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Somboon K, Melling O, Lejeune M, Pinheiro GMS, Paquelin A, Bardiaux B, Nilges M, Delepelaire P, Khalid S, Izadi-Pruneyre N. Dynamic interplay between a TonB-dependent heme transporter and a TonB protein in a membrane environment. mBio 2024; 15:e0178124. [PMID: 39475239 PMCID: PMC11633176 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01781-24] [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: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 10/03/2024] [Indexed: 12/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The envelope of Gram-negative bacteria is composed of two membranes separated by the periplasmic space. This organization imposes geometrical and distance constraints that are key for the mechanism of action of multicomponent systems spanning the envelope. However, consideration of all three compartments by experimental approaches is still elusive. Here, we have used the state-of-the-art molecular dynamics simulation in an Escherichia coli envelope model to obtain a dynamic view of molecular interactions between the outer membrane heme transporter HasR and the inner membrane TonB-like protein HasB. Their interaction allows the transfer of the inner membrane proton-motive force derived energy to the transporter for heme internalization. The simulations that incorporate both membranes show the key role of periplasmic domains of both proteins and their dynamics in complex formation and stability. They revealed a previously unidentified network of HasR-HasB protein-protein interactions in the periplasm. Experimental validation (mutations, in vivo phenotypic and biophysical assays) provides support for the simulation-predicted interactions. Based on structural and sequence conservation, the network of interaction revealed in this study is expected to occur in other nutrient import systems. IMPORTANCE Gram-negative bacteria import scarce nutrients such as metals and vitamins by an energized mechanism involving a multicomponent protein system that spans the cell envelope. It consists of an outer membrane TonB-dependent transporter (TBDT) and a TonB complex in the inner membrane that provides the proton motive force energy for the nutrient entry. Despite the intense research efforts focused on this system (a) from structural and fundamental microbiology perspectives and (b) for the interest in the development of new antibacterial strategies, the molecular mechanism of the system is not at all well understood. The lack of understanding comes from incomplete structural data and the experimental difficulties of studying an inherently flexible multicomponent complex that resides within the heterogeneous environment of the double membrane bacterial cell envelope. To address these challenges and obtain a comprehensive view of the molecular interactions at atomic level, here, we have used the combined power of advanced molecular simulations and complementary microbiology and biochemical experiments. Our results represent a significant step forward in understanding the structural and molecular bases of this vital mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamolrat Somboon
- School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Oliver Melling
- School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Maylis Lejeune
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3528, Structural Bioinformatics Unit, Paris, France
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3528, Bacterial Transmembrane Systems Unit, Paris, France
| | - Glaucia M. S. Pinheiro
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3528, Bacterial Transmembrane Systems Unit, Paris, France
| | - Annick Paquelin
- Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, UMR 7099, CNRS Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Benjamin Bardiaux
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3528, Structural Bioinformatics Unit, Paris, France
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3528, Bacterial Transmembrane Systems Unit, Paris, France
| | - Michael Nilges
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3528, Structural Bioinformatics Unit, Paris, France
| | - Phillippe Delepelaire
- Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, UMR 7099, CNRS Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Syma Khalid
- School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Nadia Izadi-Pruneyre
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3528, Structural Bioinformatics Unit, Paris, France
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3528, Bacterial Transmembrane Systems Unit, Paris, France
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2
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Zinke M, Lejeune M, Mechaly A, Bardiaux B, Boneca IG, Delepelaire P, Izadi-Pruneyre N. Ton motor conformational switch and peptidoglycan role in bacterial nutrient uptake. Nat Commun 2024; 15:331. [PMID: 38184686 PMCID: PMC10771500 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44606-z] [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: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Active nutrient uptake is fundamental for survival and pathogenicity of Gram-negative bacteria, which operate a multi-protein Ton system to transport essential nutrients like metals and vitamins. This system harnesses the proton motive force at the inner membrane to energize the import through the outer membrane, but the mechanism of energy transfer remains enigmatic. Here, we study the periplasmic domain of ExbD, a crucial component of the proton channel of the Ton system. We show that this domain is a dynamic dimer switching between two conformations representing the proton channel's open and closed states. By in vivo phenotypic assays we demonstrate that this conformational switch is essential for the nutrient uptake by bacteria. The open state of ExbD triggers a disorder to order transition of TonB, enabling TonB to supply energy to the nutrient transporter. We also reveal the anchoring role of the peptidoglycan layer in this mechanism. Herein, we propose a mechanistic model for the Ton system, emphasizing ExbD duality and the pivotal catalytic role of peptidoglycan. Sequence analysis suggests that this mechanism is conserved in other systems energizing gliding motility and membrane integrity. Our study fills important gaps in understanding bacterial motor mechanism and proposes novel antibacterial strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Zinke
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3528, Bacterial Transmembrane Systems Unit, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Maylis Lejeune
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3528, Bacterial Transmembrane Systems Unit, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Ariel Mechaly
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3528, Crystallography Platform, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Benjamin Bardiaux
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3528, Bacterial Transmembrane Systems Unit, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Ivo Gomperts Boneca
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR6047, INSERM U1306, Unité de Biologie et génétique de la paroi bactérienne, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Philippe Delepelaire
- Laboratoire de Biologie Physico-Chimique des Protéines Membranaires, Université Paris Cité, UMR7099 CNRS, F-75005, Paris, France
- Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, F-75005, Paris, France
| | - Nadia Izadi-Pruneyre
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3528, Bacterial Transmembrane Systems Unit, F-75015, Paris, France.
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3
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Pollet RM, Foley MH, Kumar SS, Elmore A, Jabara NT, Venkatesh S, Vasconcelos Pereira G, Martens EC, Koropatkin NM. Multiple TonB homologs are important for carbohydrate utilization by Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron. J Bacteriol 2023; 205:e0021823. [PMID: 37874167 PMCID: PMC10662123 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00218-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE The human gut microbiota, including Bacteroides, is required for the degradation of otherwise undigestible polysaccharides. The gut microbiota uses polysaccharides as an energy source, and fermentation products such as short-chain fatty acids are beneficial to the human host. This use of polysaccharides is dependent on the proper pairing of a TonB protein with polysaccharide-specific TonB-dependent transporters; however, the formation of these protein complexes is poorly understood. In this study, we examine the role of 11 predicted TonB homologs in polysaccharide uptake. We show that two proteins, TonB4 and TonB6, may be functionally redundant. This may allow for the development of drugs targeting Bacteroides species containing only a TonB4 homolog with limited impact on species encoding the redundant TonB6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca M. Pollet
- Department of Chemistry, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York, USA
- Biochemistry Program, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Matthew H. Foley
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Supriya Suresh Kumar
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Amanda Elmore
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | | | - Sameeksha Venkatesh
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | | | - Eric C. Martens
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Nicole M. Koropatkin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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4
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Zinke M, Lejeune M, Mechaly A, Bardiaux B, Boneca IG, Delepelaire P, Izadi-Pruneyre N. Ton Motor Conformational Switch and Peptidoglycan Role in Bacterial Nutrient Uptake. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.11.552980. [PMID: 37609138 PMCID: PMC10441417 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.11.552980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Active nutrient uptake is fundamental for survival and pathogenicity of Gram-negative bacteria, which operate a multi-protein Ton system to transport essential nutrients like metals and vitamins. This system harnesses the proton motive force at the inner membrane to energize the import through the outer membrane, but the mechanism of energy transfer remains enigmatic. Here, we study the periplasmic domain of ExbD, a crucial component of the proton channel of the Ton system. We show that this domain is a dynamic dimer switching between two conformations representing the proton channel's open and closed states. By in vivo phenotypic assays we demonstrate that this conformational switch is essential for the nutrient uptake by bacteria. The open state of ExbD triggers a disorder to order transition of TonB, enabling TonB to supply energy to the nutrient transporter. We also reveal the anchoring role of the peptidoglycan layer in this mechanism. Herein, we propose a mechanistic model for the Ton system, emphasizing ExbD duality and the pivotal catalytic role of peptidoglycan. Sequence analysis suggests that this mechanism is conserved in other systems energizing gliding motility and membrane integrity. Our study fills important gaps in understanding bacterial motor mechanism and proposes novel antibacterial strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Zinke
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3528, Bacterial Transmembrane Systems Unit, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Maylis Lejeune
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3528, Bacterial Transmembrane Systems Unit, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Ariel Mechaly
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3528, Crystallography Platform, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Benjamin Bardiaux
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3528, Bacterial Transmembrane Systems Unit, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Ivo Gomperts Boneca
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR6047, INSERM U1306, Unité de Biologie et génétique de la paroi bactérienne F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Philippe Delepelaire
- Laboratoire de Biologie Physico-Chimique des Protéines Membranaires, Université Paris Cité, UMR7099 CNRS, F-75005, Paris, France
- Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, F-75005, Paris, France
| | - Nadia Izadi-Pruneyre
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3528, Bacterial Transmembrane Systems Unit, F-75015 Paris, France
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5
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Pollet RM, Foley MH, Kumar SS, Elmore A, Jabara NT, Venkatesh S, Pereira GV, Martens EC, Koropatkin NM. Multiple TonB Homologs are Important for Carbohydrate Utilization by Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.07.548152. [PMID: 37461508 PMCID: PMC10350073 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.07.548152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
The human gut microbiota is able to degrade otherwise undigestible polysaccharides, largely through the activity of the Bacteroides. Uptake of polysaccharides into Bacteroides is controlled by TonB-dependent transporters (TBDT) whose transport is energized by an inner membrane complex composed of the proteins TonB, ExbB, and ExbD. Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron (B. theta) encodes 11 TonB homologs which are predicted to be able to contact TBDTs to facilitate transport. However, it is not clear which TonBs are important for polysaccharide uptake. Using strains in which each of the 11 predicted tonB genes are deleted, we show that TonB4 (BT2059) is important but not essential for proper growth on starch. In the absence of TonB4, we observed an increase in abundance of TonB6 (BT2762) in the membrane of B. theta, suggesting functional redundancy of these TonB proteins. Growth of the single deletion strains on pectin galactan, chondroitin sulfate, arabinan, and levan suggests a similar functional redundancy of the TonB proteins. A search for highly homologous proteins across other Bacteroides species and recent work in B. fragilis suggests that TonB4 is widely conserved and may play a common role in polysaccharide uptake. However, proteins similar to TonB6 are found only in B. theta and closely related species suggesting that the functional redundancy of TonB4 and TonB6 may be limited across the Bacteroides. This study extends our understanding of the protein network required for polysaccharide utilization in B. theta and highlights differences in TonB complexes across Bacteroides species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca M Pollet
- Department of Chemistry, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY, 12604, USA
- Biochemistry Program, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY, 12604, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Matthew H Foley
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Supriya Suresh Kumar
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Amanda Elmore
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Nisrine T Jabara
- Biochemistry Program, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY, 12604, USA
| | - Sameeksha Venkatesh
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | | | - Eric C Martens
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Nicole M Koropatkin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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6
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Biou V, Adaixo RJD, Chami M, Coureux PD, Laurent B, Enguéné VYN, de Amorim GC, Izadi-Pruneyre N, Malosse C, Chamot-Rooke J, Stahlberg H, Delepelaire P. Structural and molecular determinants for the interaction of ExbB from Serratia marcescens and HasB, a TonB paralog. Commun Biol 2022; 5:355. [PMID: 35418619 PMCID: PMC9008036 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03306-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
ExbB and ExbD are cytoplasmic membrane proteins that associate with TonB to convey the energy of the proton-motive force to outer membrane receptors in Gram-negative bacteria for iron uptake. The opportunistic pathogen Serratia marcescens (Sm) possesses both TonB and a heme-specific TonB paralog, HasB. ExbBSm has a long periplasmic extension absent in other bacteria such as E. coli (Ec). Long ExbB's are found in several genera of Alphaproteobacteria, most often in correlation with a hasB gene. We investigated specificity determinants of ExbBSm and HasB. We determined the cryo-EM structures of ExbBSm and of the ExbB-ExbDSm complex from S. marcescens. ExbBSm alone is a stable pentamer, and its complex includes two ExbD monomers. We showed that ExbBSm extension interacts with HasB and is involved in heme acquisition and we identified key residues in the membrane domain of ExbBSm and ExbBEc, essential for function and likely involved in the interaction with TonB/HasB. Our results shed light on the class of inner membrane energy machinery formed by ExbB, ExbD and HasB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valérie Biou
- grid.508487.60000 0004 7885 7602Laboratoire de Biologie Physico-Chimique des Protéines Membranaires, Université de Paris, UMR 7099 CNRS, F-75005 Paris, France ,grid.450875.b0000 0004 0643 538XInstitut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Ricardo Jorge Diogo Adaixo
- grid.6612.30000 0004 1937 0642Center for Cellular Imaging and NanoAnalytics, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 26, CH-4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Mohamed Chami
- grid.6612.30000 0004 1937 0642Center for Cellular Imaging and NanoAnalytics, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 26, CH-4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Pierre-Damien Coureux
- grid.10877.390000000121581279Laboratoire de Biologie Structurale de la Cellule, BIOC, UMR7654 CNRS/Ecole polytechnique, Palaiseau, France
| | - Benoist Laurent
- grid.450875.b0000 0004 0643 538XInstitut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, F-75005 Paris, France ,grid.508487.60000 0004 7885 7602Plateforme de Bioinformatique, Université de Paris, FRC 550 CNRS, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Véronique Yvette Ntsogo Enguéné
- grid.508487.60000 0004 7885 7602Laboratoire de Biologie Physico-Chimique des Protéines Membranaires, Université de Paris, UMR 7099 CNRS, F-75005 Paris, France ,grid.450875.b0000 0004 0643 538XInstitut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, F-75005 Paris, France ,grid.5335.00000000121885934Present Address: Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1GA UK
| | - Gisele Cardoso de Amorim
- Structural Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, C3BI, Institut Pasteur, CNRS UMR3528, CNRS, USR3756 Paris, France ,grid.8536.80000 0001 2294 473XPresent Address: Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ Brasil
| | - Nadia Izadi-Pruneyre
- Structural Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, C3BI, Institut Pasteur, CNRS UMR3528, CNRS, USR3756 Paris, France
| | - Christian Malosse
- grid.428999.70000 0001 2353 6535Mass Spectrometry for Biology Unit, CNRS USR 2000, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Julia Chamot-Rooke
- grid.428999.70000 0001 2353 6535Mass Spectrometry for Biology Unit, CNRS USR 2000, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Henning Stahlberg
- grid.6612.30000 0004 1937 0642Center for Cellular Imaging and NanoAnalytics, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 26, CH-4058 Basel, Switzerland ,grid.9851.50000 0001 2165 4204Present Address: Centre d’imagerie Dubochet UNIL-EPFL-UNIGE & Laboratoire de microscopie électronique biologique UNIL-EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Philippe Delepelaire
- grid.508487.60000 0004 7885 7602Laboratoire de Biologie Physico-Chimique des Protéines Membranaires, Université de Paris, UMR 7099 CNRS, F-75005 Paris, France ,grid.450875.b0000 0004 0643 538XInstitut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, F-75005 Paris, France
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7
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Extracellular haem utilization by the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa and its role in virulence and pathogenesis. Adv Microb Physiol 2021; 79:89-132. [PMID: 34836613 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ampbs.2021.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Iron is an essential micronutrient for all bacteria but presents a significant challenge given its limited bioavailability. Furthermore, iron's toxicity combined with the need to maintain iron levels within a narrow physiological range requires integrated systems to sense, regulate and transport a variety of iron complexes. Most bacteria encode systems to chelate and transport ferric iron (Fe3+) via siderophore receptor mediated uptake or via cytoplasmic energy dependent transport systems. Pathogenic bacteria have further lowered the barrier to iron acquisition by employing systems to utilize haem as a source of iron. Haem, a lipophilic and toxic molecule, presents a significant challenge for transport into the cell. As such pathogenic bacteria have evolved sophisticated cell surface signaling (CSS) and transport systems to sense and obtain haem from the host. Once internalized haem is cleaved by both oxidative and non-oxidative mechanisms to release iron. Herein we summarize our current understanding of the mechanism of haem sensing, uptake and utilization in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, its role in pathogenesis and virulence, and the potential of these systems as antimicrobial targets.
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8
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Kumar L, Cox CR, Sarkar SK. Matrix metalloprotease-1 inhibits and disrupts Enterococcus faecalis biofilms. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0210218. [PMID: 30633757 PMCID: PMC6329490 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0210218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2018] [Accepted: 12/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Enterococcus faecalis is a major opportunistic pathogen that readily forms protective biofilms leading to chronic infections. Biofilms protect bacteria from detergent solutions, antimicrobial agents, environmental stress, and effectively make bacteria 10 to 1000-fold more resistant to antibiotic treatment. Extracellular proteins and polysaccharides are primary components of biofilms and play a key role in cell survival, microbial persistence, cellular interaction, and maturation of E. faecalis biofilms. Degradation of biofilm components by mammalian proteases is an effective antibiofilm strategy because proteases are known to degrade bacterial proteins leading to bacterial cell lysis and growth inhibition. Here, we show that human matrix metalloprotease-1 inhibits and disrupts E. faecalis biofilms. MMPs are cell-secreted zinc- and calcium-dependent proteases that degrade and regulate various structural components of the extracellular matrix. Human MMP1 is known to degrade type-1 collagen and can also cleave a wide range of substrates. We found that recombinant human MMP1 significantly inhibited and disrupted biofilms of vancomycin sensitive and vancomycin resistant E. faecalis strains. The mechanism of antibiofilm activity is speculated to be linked with bacterial growth inhibition and degradation of biofilm matrix proteins by MMP1. These findings suggest that human MMP1 can potentially be used as a potent antibiofilm agent against E. faecalis biofilms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lokender Kumar
- Department of Physics, Colorado School of Mines, CO, United States of America
| | - Christopher R. Cox
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado School of Mines, CO, United States of America
| | - Susanta K. Sarkar
- Department of Physics, Colorado School of Mines, CO, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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9
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Pokorzynski ND, Thompson CC, Carabeo RA. Ironing Out the Unconventional Mechanisms of Iron Acquisition and Gene Regulation in Chlamydia. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2017; 7:394. [PMID: 28951853 PMCID: PMC5599777 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2017.00394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2017] [Accepted: 08/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The obligate intracellular pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis, along with its close species relatives, is known to be strictly dependent upon the availability of iron. Deprivation of iron in vitro induces an aberrant morphological phenotype termed "persistence." This persistent phenotype develops in response to various immunological and nutritional insults and may contribute to the development of sub-acute Chlamydia-associated chronic diseases in susceptible populations. Given the importance of iron to Chlamydia, relatively little is understood about its acquisition and its role in gene regulation in comparison to other iron-dependent bacteria. Analysis of the genome sequences of a variety of chlamydial species hinted at the involvement of unconventional mechanisms, being that Chlamydia lack many conventional systems of iron homeostasis that are highly conserved in other bacteria. Herein we detail past and current research regarding chlamydial iron biology in an attempt to provide context to the rapid progress of the field in recent years. We aim to highlight recent discoveries and innovations that illuminate the strategies involved in chlamydial iron homeostasis, including the vesicular mode of acquiring iron from the intracellular environment, and the identification of a putative iron-dependent transcriptional regulator that is synthesized as a fusion with a ABC-type transporter subunit. These recent findings, along with the noted absence of iron-related homologs, indicate that Chlamydia have evolved atypical approaches to the problem of iron homeostasis, reinvigorating research into the iron biology of this pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nick D Pokorzynski
- School of Molecular Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State UniversityPullman, WA, United States
| | - Christopher C Thompson
- Jefferiss Trust Laboratories, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, St. Mary's HospitalLondon, United Kingdom
| | - Rey A Carabeo
- School of Molecular Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State UniversityPullman, WA, United States
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10
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Abstract
Iron is essential for the survival of most bacteria but presents a significant challenge given its limited bioavailability. Furthermore, the toxicity of iron combined with the need to maintain physiological iron levels within a narrow concentration range requires sophisticated systems to sense, regulate, and transport iron. Most bacteria have evolved mechanisms to chelate and transport ferric iron (Fe3+) via siderophore receptor systems, and pathogenic bacteria have further lowered this barrier by employing mechanisms to utilize the host's hemoproteins. Once internalized, heme is cleaved by both oxidative and nonoxidative mechanisms to release iron. Heme, itself a lipophilic and toxic molecule, presents a significant challenge for transport into the cell. As such, pathogenic bacteria have evolved sophisticated cell surface signaling and transport systems to obtain heme from the host. In this review, we summarize the structure and function of the heme-sensing and transport systems of pathogenic bacteria and the potential of these systems as antimicrobial targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiliang Huang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland 21201;
| | - Angela Wilks
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland 21201;
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11
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Zhang X, Wang Z, Yin B, Wu H, Tang S, Wu L, Su Y, Lin Y, Liu X, Pang B, Kemper N, Hartung J, Bao E. A complex of trypsin and chymotrypsin effectively inhibited growth of pathogenic bacteria inducing cow mastitis and showed synergistic antibacterial activity with antibiotics. Livest Sci 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2016.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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12
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Structural basis of the signalling through a bacterial membrane receptor HasR deciphered by an integrative approach. Biochem J 2016; 473:2239-48. [PMID: 27208170 PMCID: PMC4941744 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20160131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2016] [Accepted: 05/13/2016] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
In bacteria, some scarce nutrients are sensed, bound and internalized by their specific transporter. In the present study, using an integrative structural approach, we study HasR, a bacterial haem transporter in both its free and its loaded forms. Bacteria use diverse signalling pathways to adapt gene expression to external stimuli. In Gram-negative bacteria, the binding of scarce nutrients to membrane transporters triggers a signalling process that up-regulates the expression of genes of various functions, from uptake of nutrient to production of virulence factors. Although proteins involved in this process have been identified, signal transduction through this family of transporters is not well understood. In the present study, using an integrative approach (EM, SAXS, X-ray crystallography and NMR), we have studied the structure of the haem transporter HasR captured in two stages of the signalling process, i.e. before and after the arrival of signalling activators (haem and its carrier protein). We show for the first time that the HasR domain responsible for signal transfer: (i) is highly flexible in two stages of signalling; (ii) extends into the periplasm at approximately 70–90 Å (1 Å=0.1 nm) from the HasR β-barrel; and (iii) exhibits local conformational changes in response to the arrival of signalling activators. These features would favour the signal transfer from HasR to its cytoplasmic membrane partners.
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FhuA interactions in a detergent-free nanodisc environment. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2013; 1838:364-71. [PMID: 24140007 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2013.09.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2013] [Revised: 09/27/2013] [Accepted: 09/30/2013] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
TonB-dependent membrane receptors from bacteria have been analyzed in detergent-containing solution, an environment that may influence the role of ligand in inducing downstream interactions. We report reconstitution of FhuA into a membrane mimetic: nanodiscs. In contrast to previous results in detergent, we show that binding of TonB to FhuA in nanodiscs depends strongly on ferricrocin. The stoichiometry of interaction is 1:1 and the binding constant KD is ~200nM; an equilibrium affinity that is ten-fold lower than reported in detergent. FhuA in nanodiscs also forms a high-affinity binding site for colicin M (KD ~3.5nM), while ferricrocin renders FhuA refractory to colicin binding. Together, these results demonstrate the importance of the ligand in regulating receptor interactions and the advantages of nanodiscs to study β-barrel membrane proteins in a membrane-like environment.
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Freed DM, Lukasik SM, Sikora A, Mokdad A, Cafiso DS. Monomeric TonB and the Ton box are required for the formation of a high-affinity transporter-TonB complex. Biochemistry 2013; 52:2638-48. [PMID: 23517233 DOI: 10.1021/bi3016108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The energy-dependent uptake of trace nutrients by Gram-negative bacteria involves the coupling of an outer membrane transport protein to the transperiplasmic protein TonB. In this study, a soluble construct of Escherichia coli TonB (residues 33-239) was used to determine the affinity of TonB for outer membrane transporters BtuB, FecA, and FhuA. Using fluorescence anisotropy, TonB(33-239) was found to bind with high affinity (tens of nanomolar) to both BtuB and FhuA; however, no high-affinity binding to FecA was observed. In BtuB, the high-affinity binding of TonB(33-239) was eliminated by mutations in the Ton box, which yield transport-defective protein, or by the addition of a Colicin E3 fragment, which stabilizes the Ton box in a folded state. These results indicate that transport requires a high-affinity transporter-TonB interaction that is mediated by the Ton box. Characterization of TonB(33-239) using double electron-electron resonance (DEER) demonstrates that a significant population of TonB(33-239) exists as a dimer; moreover, interspin distances are in approximate agreement with interlocked dimers observed previously by crystallography for shorter TonB fragments. When the TonB(33-239) dimer is bound to the outer membrane transporter, DEER shows that the TonB(33-239) dimer is converted to a monomeric form, suggesting that a dimer-monomer conversion takes place at the outer membrane during the TonB-dependent transport cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel M Freed
- Department of Chemistry and Center for Membrane Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904-4319, USA
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de Amorim GC, Prochnicka-Chalufour A, Delepelaire P, Lefèvre J, Simenel C, Wandersman C, Delepierre M, Izadi-Pruneyre N. The structure of HasB reveals a new class of TonB protein fold. PLoS One 2013; 8:e58964. [PMID: 23527057 PMCID: PMC3602595 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0058964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2012] [Accepted: 02/08/2013] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
TonB is a key protein in active transport of essential nutrients like vitamin B12 and metal sources through the outer membrane transporters of Gram-negative bacteria. This inner membrane protein spans the periplasm, contacts the outer membrane receptor by its periplasmic domain and transduces energy from the cytoplasmic membrane pmf to the receptor allowing nutrient internalization. Whereas generally a single TonB protein allows the acquisition of several nutrients through their cognate receptor, in some species one particular TonB is dedicated to a specific system. Despite a considerable amount of data available, the molecular mechanism of TonB-dependent active transport is still poorly understood. In this work, we present a structural study of a TonB-like protein, HasB dedicated to the HasR receptor. HasR acquires heme either free or via an extracellular heme transporter, the hemophore HasA. Heme is used as an iron source by bacteria. We have solved the structure of the HasB periplasmic domain of Serratia marcescens and describe its interaction with a critical region of HasR. Some important differences are observed between HasB and TonB structures. The HasB fold reveals a new structural class of TonB-like proteins. Furthermore, we have identified the structural features that explain the functional specificity of HasB. These results give a new insight into the molecular mechanism of nutrient active transport through the bacterial outer membrane and present the first detailed structural study of a specific TonB-like protein and its interaction with the receptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gisele Cardoso de Amorim
- Institut Pasteur, Unité de Résonance Magnétique Nucléaire des Biomolécules, Département de Biologie Structurale et Chimie, Paris, France
- CNRS, UMR 3528, Paris, France
| | - Ada Prochnicka-Chalufour
- Institut Pasteur, Unité de Résonance Magnétique Nucléaire des Biomolécules, Département de Biologie Structurale et Chimie, Paris, France
- CNRS, UMR 3528, Paris, France
| | - Philippe Delepelaire
- Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, CNRS Université Paris-Diderot UMR 7099, Paris, France
| | - Julien Lefèvre
- Institut Pasteur, Unité de Résonance Magnétique Nucléaire des Biomolécules, Département de Biologie Structurale et Chimie, Paris, France
- CNRS, UMR 3528, Paris, France
| | - Catherine Simenel
- Institut Pasteur, Unité de Résonance Magnétique Nucléaire des Biomolécules, Département de Biologie Structurale et Chimie, Paris, France
- CNRS, UMR 3528, Paris, France
| | - Cécile Wandersman
- Institut Pasteur, Unité des Membranes Bactériennes, Département de Microbiologie, Paris, France
| | - Muriel Delepierre
- Institut Pasteur, Unité de Résonance Magnétique Nucléaire des Biomolécules, Département de Biologie Structurale et Chimie, Paris, France
- CNRS, UMR 3528, Paris, France
| | - Nadia Izadi-Pruneyre
- Institut Pasteur, Unité de Résonance Magnétique Nucléaire des Biomolécules, Département de Biologie Structurale et Chimie, Paris, France
- CNRS, UMR 3528, Paris, France
- * E-mail:
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Poirier I, Hammann P, Kuhn L, Bertrand M. Strategies developed by the marine bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens BA3SM1 to resist metals: A proteome analysis. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2013; 128-129:215-32. [PMID: 23314334 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2012.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2012] [Revised: 12/05/2012] [Accepted: 12/09/2012] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
A global proteomic evaluation of the response of the marine bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens BA3SM1 to Cd, Zn and Cu was performed by two dimensional gel electrophoresis followed by mass spectrometry. When stressed with Cd, the most toxic metal for P. fluorescens BA3SM1, cell growth is rapidly affected and the number of proteins up-regulated (sixteen for 0.4 mM Cd) remains low in comparison with results obtained for Zn and Cu (twenty eight for 1.5mM Zn and forty four for 1.5 mM Cu). The changes in protein expression indicate that the cell adapts to metals by inducing essentially seven defense mechanisms: cell aggregation/biofilm formation (Zn=Cu>Cd); modification of envelope properties to increase the extracellular metal biosorption and/or control the uptake of metal (Cu>Zn); metal export (Cd=Zn and probably Cu); responses to oxidative stress (Cu>Zn>Cd); intracellular metal sequestration (Zn=Cu and probably Cd); hydrolysis of abnormally folded proteins (Cd=Cu), and the over-synthesis of proteins inhibited by metal (Cd>Cu>Zn). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report showing that a marine P. fluorescens is able to acquire a metal-resistant phenotype, making the strain BA3SM1 a promising agent for bioremediation processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle Poirier
- Microorganismes Métaux et Toxicité, Institut National des Sciences et Techniques de la Mer, Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers, Cherbourg-Octeville, France.
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Kenney GE, Rosenzweig AC. Genome mining for methanobactins. BMC Biol 2013; 11:17. [PMID: 23442874 PMCID: PMC3621798 DOI: 10.1186/1741-7007-11-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2012] [Accepted: 02/26/2013] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Methanobactins (Mbns) are a family of copper-binding natural products involved in copper uptake by methanotrophic bacteria. The few Mbns that have been structurally characterized feature copper coordination by two nitrogen-containing heterocycles next to thioamide groups embedded in a peptidic backbone of varying composition. Mbns are proposed to derive from post-translational modification of ribosomally synthesized peptides, but only a few genes encoding potential precursor peptides have been identified. Moreover, the relevance of neighboring genes in these genomes has been unclear. Results The potential for Mbn production in a wider range of bacterial species was assessed by mining microbial genomes. Operons encoding Mbn-like precursor peptides, MbnAs, were identified in 16 new species, including both methanotrophs and, surprisingly, non-methanotrophs. Along with MbnA, the core of the operon is formed by two putative biosynthetic genes denoted MbnB and MbnC. The species can be divided into five groups on the basis of their MbnA and MbnB sequences and their operon compositions. Additional biosynthetic proteins, including aminotransferases, sulfotransferases and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD)-dependent oxidoreductases were also identified in some families. Beyond biosynthetic machinery, a conserved set of transporters was identified, including MATE multidrug exporters and TonB-dependent transporters. Additional proteins of interest include a di-heme cytochrome c peroxidase and a partner protein, the roles of which remain a mystery. Conclusions This study indicates that Mbn-like compounds may be more widespread than previously thought, but are not present in all methanotrophs. This distribution of species suggests a broader role in metal homeostasis. These data provide a link between precursor peptide sequence and Mbn structure, facilitating predictions of new Mbn structures and supporting a post-translational modification biosynthetic pathway. In addition, testable models for Mbn transport and for methanotrophic copper regulation have emerged. Given the unusual modifications observed in Mbns characterized thus far, understanding the roles of the putative biosynthetic proteins is likely to reveal novel pathways and chemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace E Kenney
- Departments of Molecular Biosciences and of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
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Chymotrypsin both directly modulates bacterial growth and asserts ampicillin degradation-mediated protective effect on bacteria. ANN MICROBIOL 2012. [DOI: 10.1007/s13213-012-0512-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
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Mayfield JA, Dehner CA, DuBois JL. Recent advances in bacterial heme protein biochemistry. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2011; 15:260-6. [PMID: 21339081 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2011.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2010] [Accepted: 02/01/2011] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Recent progress in genetics, fed by the burst in genome sequence data, has led to the identification of a host of novel bacterial heme proteins that are now being characterized in structural and mechanistic terms. The following short review highlights very recent work with bacterial heme proteins involved in the uptake, biosynthesis, degradation, and use of heme in respiration and sensing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffery A Mayfield
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
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Benevides-Matos N, Biville F. The Hem and Has haem uptake systems in Serratia marcescens. Microbiology (Reading) 2010; 156:1749-1757. [DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.034405-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Serratia marcescens, like several other Gram-negative bacteria, possesses two functional haem uptake systems. The first, referred to as the Hem system, can transport haem present at a concentration equal to or above 10−6 M. It requires an active outer-membrane receptor which uses proton-motive force energy transmitted by the inner-membrane TonB protein. The other system, Has, takes up haem at lower concentrations and utilizes a small secreted haem-binding protein (haemophore) and its cognate TonB-dependent outer-membrane receptor HasR. Various combinations of mutations were used to examine haem uptake activity by the two systems in S. marcescens. The Hem uptake system enables S. marcescens to take up haem at a concentration of 10−6 M in the presence of various levels of iron depletion. The Has system, which enables such uptake even in the presence of lower haem concentrations, requires higher iron depletion conditions for function. Has haem uptake requires the presence of HasB, a TonB paralogue encoded by the has operon. These two systems enable S. marcescens to take up haem under various conditions from different sources, reflecting its capacity to confront conditions encountered in natural biotopes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Najla Benevides-Matos
- Unité des Membranes Bactériennes, Institut Pasteur (CNRS URA 2172), 25 Rue du Dr Roux, Paris CEDEX 15, France
| | - Francis Biville
- Unité des Membranes Bactériennes, Institut Pasteur (CNRS URA 2172), 25 Rue du Dr Roux, Paris CEDEX 15, France
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Survey of the year 2008: applications of isothermal titration calorimetry. J Mol Recognit 2010; 23:395-413. [DOI: 10.1002/jmr.1025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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Caillet-Saguy C, Piccioli M, Turano P, Izadi-Pruneyre N, Delepierre M, Bertini I, Lecroisey A. Mapping the interaction between the hemophore HasA and its outer membrane receptor HasR using CRINEPT-TROSY NMR spectroscopy. J Am Chem Soc 2009; 131:1736-44. [PMID: 19159260 DOI: 10.1021/ja804783x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The first step of heme acquisition by Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria through the so-called heme acquisition system, Has, requires delivery of the heme from the extracellular hemophore protein HasA to a specific outer membrane receptor, HasR. CRINEPT-TROSY NMR experiments in DPC micelles were here used to obtain information on the intermediate HasA-HasR complex in solution. A stable protein-protein adduct is detected both in the presence and in the absence of heme. Structural information on the complexed form of HasA is obtained from chemical shift mapping and statistical analysis of the spectral fingerprint of the protein NMR spectra obtained under different conditions. This approach shows the following: (i) only three different conformations are possible for HasA in solution: one for the isolated apoprotein, one for the isolated holoprotein, and one for the complexed protein, that is independent of the presence of the heme; (ii) the structure of the hemophore in the complex resembles the open conformation of the apoprotein; (iii) the surface contact area between HasA and HasR is independent of the presence of the heme, involving loop L1, loop L2, and the beta2-beta6 strands; (iv) upon complex formation the heme group is transferred from holoHasA to HasR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Célia Caillet-Saguy
- Unite de RMN des Biomolecules (CNRS URA 2185), Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
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Tong Y, Guo M. Bacterial heme-transport proteins and their heme-coordination modes. Arch Biochem Biophys 2008; 481:1-15. [PMID: 18977196 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2008.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2008] [Revised: 10/07/2008] [Accepted: 10/07/2008] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Efficient iron acquisition is critical for an invading microbe's survival and virulence. Most of the iron in mammals is incorporated into heme, which can be plundered by certain bacterial pathogens as a nutritional iron source. Utilization of exogenous heme by bacteria involves the binding of heme or hemoproteins to the cell surface receptors, followed by the transport of heme into cells. Once taken into the cytosol, heme is presented to heme oxygenases where the tetrapyrrole ring is cleaved in order to release the iron. Some Gram-negative bacteria also secrete extracellular heme-binding proteins called hemophores, which function to sequester heme from the environment. The heme-transport genes are often genetically linked as gene clusters under Fur (ferric uptake regulator) regulation. This review discusses the gene clusters and proteins involved in bacterial heme acquisition, transport and processing processes, with special focus on the heme-coordination, protein structures and mechanisms underlying heme-transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Tong
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Massachusetts, 285 Old Westport Road, Dartmouth, MA 02747-2300, USA
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