Preparation and biophysical characterization of recombinant Pseudomonas aeruginosa phosphorylcholine phosphatase

Phosphorylcholine Phosphatase: A Peculiar Enzyme of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Pseudomonas aeruginosa synthesizes phosphorylcholine phosphatase (PchP) when grown on choline, betaine, dimethylglycine or carnitine. In the presence of Mg²⁺ or Zn²⁺, PchP catalyzes the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenylphosphate (p-NPP) or phosphorylcholine (Pcho). The regulation of pchP gene expression is under the control of GbdR and NtrC; dimethylglycine is likely the metabolite directly involved in the induction of PchP. Therefore, the regulation of choline metabolism and consequently PchP synthesis may reflect an adaptive response of P. aeruginosa to environmental conditions. Bioinformatic and biochemistry studies shown that PchP contains two sites for alkylammonium compounds (AACs): one in the catalytic site near the metal ion-phosphoester pocket, and another in an inhibitory site responsible for the binding of the alkylammonium moiety. Both sites could be close to each other and interact through the residues ⁴²E, ⁴³E and ⁸²YYY⁸⁴. Zn²⁺ is better activator than Mg²⁺ at pH 5.0 and it is more effective at alleviating the inhibition produced by the entry of Pcho or different AACs in the inhibitory site. We postulate that Zn²⁺ induces at pH 5.0 a conformational change in the active center that is communicated to the inhibitory site, producing a compact or closed structure. However, at pH 7.4, this effect is not observed because to the hydrolysis of the [Zn²⁺L₂⁻¹L₂⁰(H₂O)₂] complex, which causes a change from octahedral to tetrahedral in the metal coordination geometry. This enzyme is also present in P. fluorescens, P. putida, P. syringae, and other organisms. We have recently crystallized PchP and solved its structure.

Choline catabolism, σ⁵⁴ factor and NtrC are required for the full expression of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa phosphorylcholine phosphatase gene

Choline favors the pathogenesis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa because hemolytic phospholipase C and phosphorylcholine phosphatase (PchP) are synthesized as a consequence of its catabolism. The experiments performed here resulted in the identification of the factors that regulate both the catabolism of choline and the gene coding for PchP. We have also identified and characterized the promoter of the pchP gene, its transcriptional organization and the factors that affect its expression. Deletion analyses reveal that the region between -188 and -68 contains all controlling elements necessary for pchP expression: a hypothetical -12/-24 promoter element, a consensus sequence for the integration host factor (-141/-133), and a palindromic sequence resembling a binding site for a potential enhancer binding protein (-190/-174). Our data also demonstrate that choline catabolism and NtrC (nitrogen regulatory protein) are necessary for the full expression of pchP and is partially dependent on σ(54) factor.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa phosphorylcholine phosphatase

Pseudomonas aeruginosa phosphorylcholine phosphatase (PchP) catalyzes the hydrolysis of phosphorylcholine to produce choline and inorganic phosphate. Phosphorylcholine is released by the action of haemolytic phospholipase C (PlcH) on phosphatidylcholine or sphingomyelin. PchP belongs to the HAD superfamily and its activity is dependent on Mg2+, Zn2+ or Cu2+. The possible importance of PchP in the pathogenesis of P. aeruginosa, the lack of information about its structure and its low identity to other members of this family led us to attempt its crystallization in order to solve its three-dimensional structure. Crystals of the protein have been grown and diffraction data have been obtained to 2.7 A resolution. The crystals belonged to the monoclinic space group C2, with unit-cell parameters a=137.16, b=159.15, c=73.31 A, beta=117.89 degrees. Statistical analysis of the unit-cell contents and the self-rotation function suggest a tetrameric state of the molecule with 222 point-group symmetry.