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Benning FMC, Jenni S, Garcia CY, Nguyen TH, Zhang X, Chao LH. Helical reconstruction of VP39 reveals principles for baculovirus nucleocapsid assembly. Nat Commun 2024; 15:250. [PMID: 38177118 PMCID: PMC10767040 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44596-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: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Baculoviruses are insect-infecting pathogens with wide applications as biological pesticides, in vitro protein production vehicles and gene therapy tools. Its cylindrical nucleocapsid, which encapsulates and protects the circular double-stranded viral DNA encoding proteins for viral replication and entry, is formed by the highly conserved major capsid protein VP39. The mechanism for VP39 assembly remains unknown. We use electron cryomicroscopy to determine a 3.2 Å helical reconstruction of an infectious nucleocapsid of Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus, revealing how dimers of VP39 assemble into a 14-stranded helical tube. We show that VP39 comprises a distinct protein fold conserved across baculoviruses, which includes a Zinc finger domain and a stabilizing intra-dimer sling. Analysis of sample polymorphism shows that VP39 assembles in several closely-related helical geometries. This VP39 reconstruction reveals general principles for baculoviral nucleocapsid assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Friederike M C Benning
- Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Simon Jenni
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Coby Y Garcia
- Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Harvard College, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Tran H Nguyen
- Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Xuewu Zhang
- Department of Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Luke H Chao
- Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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2
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Benning FMC, Jenni S, Garcia CY, Nguyen TH, Zhang X, Chao LH. Helical reconstruction of VP39 reveals principles for baculovirus nucleocapsid assembly. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.15.545104. [PMID: 37398449 PMCID: PMC10312762 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.15.545104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Baculoviruses are insect-infecting pathogens with wide applications as biological pesticides, in vitro protein production vehicles and gene therapy tools. Its cylindrical nucleocapsid, which encapsulates and protects the circular double-stranded viral DNA encoding proteins for viral replication and entry, is formed by the highly conserved major capsid protein VP39. The mechanism for VP39 assembly remains unknown. We determined a 3.2 Å electron cryomicroscopy helical reconstruction of an infectious nucleocapsid of Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus, revealing how dimers of VP39 assemble into a 14-stranded helical tube. We show that VP39 comprises a unique protein fold conserved across baculoviruses, which includes a Zinc finger domain and a stabilizing intra-dimer sling. Analysis of sample polymorphism revealed that VP39 assembles in several closely-related helical geometries. This VP39 reconstruction reveals general principles for baculoviral nucleocapsid assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Friederike M. C. Benning
- Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Simon Jenni
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Coby Y. Garcia
- Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Harvard College, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Tran H. Nguyen
- Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Xuewu Zhang
- Department of Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Luke H. Chao
- Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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3
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Elias-Mordechai M, David N, Oren S, Georgia Pelah M, Jopp J, Fichtman B, Harel A, Berkovich R, Sal-Man N. A single filament biomechanical study of the enteropathogenic Escherichia coli Type III secretion system reveals a high elastic aspect ratio. NANOSCALE 2023; 15:15027-15037. [PMID: 37668452 DOI: 10.1039/d3nr01953e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
Type III secretion systems (T3SSs) are syringe-like protein complexes used by some of the most harmful bacterial pathogens to infect host cells. While the T3SS filament, a long hollow conduit that bridges between bacteria and host cells, has been characterized structurally, very little is known about its physical properties. These filaments should endure shear and normal stresses imposed by the viscous mucosal flow during infection within the intestinal tract. We used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to probe the longitudinal and radial mechanical response of individual T3SS filaments by pulling on filaments extending directly from bacterial surfaces and later pressing into filaments that were detached from the bacteria. The measured longitudinal elastic moduli were higher by about two orders of magnitude than the radial elastic moduli. These proportions are commensurate with the role of the T3SS filament, which requires horizontal flexibility while maintaining its structural integrity to withstand intense stresses during infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moran Elias-Mordechai
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 8410501, Israel.
| | - Nofar David
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 8410501, Israel.
| | - Sonia Oren
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 8410501, Israel.
| | - Maya Georgia Pelah
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 8410501, Israel.
| | - Jürgen Jopp
- The Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 8410501, Israel
| | - Boris Fichtman
- Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, Safed, Israel
| | - Amnon Harel
- Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, Safed, Israel
| | - Ronen Berkovich
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 8410501, Israel.
- The Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 8410501, Israel
| | - Neta Sal-Man
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 8410501, Israel.
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4
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Miller JG, Hughes SA, Modlin C, Conticello VP. Structures of synthetic helical filaments and tubes based on peptide and peptido-mimetic polymers. Q Rev Biophys 2022; 55:1-103. [PMID: 35307042 DOI: 10.1017/s0033583522000014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
AbstractSynthetic peptide and peptido-mimetic filaments and tubes represent a diverse class of nanomaterials with a broad range of potential applications, such as drug delivery, vaccine development, synthetic catalyst design, encapsulation, and energy transduction. The structures of these filaments comprise supramolecular polymers based on helical arrangements of subunits that can be derived from self-assembly of monomers based on diverse structural motifs. In recent years, structural analyses of these materials at near-atomic resolution (NAR) have yielded critical insights into the relationship between sequence, local conformation, and higher-order structure and morphology. This structural information offers the opportunity for development of new tools to facilitate the predictable and reproduciblede novodesign of synthetic helical filaments. However, these studies have also revealed several significant impediments to the latter process – most notably, the common occurrence of structural polymorphism due to the lability of helical symmetry in structural space. This article summarizes the current state of knowledge on the structures of designed peptide and peptido-mimetic filamentous assemblies, with a focus on structures that have been solved to NAR for which reliable atomic models are available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessalyn G Miller
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, GA30322
| | - Spencer A Hughes
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, GA30322
| | - Charles Modlin
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, GA30322
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5
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Cryo-EM structure of the EspA filament from enteropathogenic Escherichia coli: Revealing the mechanism of effector translocation in the T3SS. Structure 2021; 29:479-487.e4. [PMID: 33453150 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2020.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 11/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The type III secretion system (T3SS) is a virulence mechanism employed by Gram-negative pathogens. The T3SS forms a proteinaceous channel that projects a needle into the extracellular medium where it interacts with the host cell to deliver virulence factors. Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) is unique in adopting a needle extension to the T3SS-a filament formed by EspA-which is absolutely required for efficient colonization of the gut. Here, we describe the cryoelectron microscopy structure of native EspA filaments from EPEC at 3.6-Å resolution. Within the filament, positively charged residues adjacent to a hydrophobic groove line the lumen of the filament in a spiral manner, suggesting a mechanism of substrate translocation mediated via electrostatics. Using structure-guided mutagenesis, in vivo studies corroborate the role of these residues in secretion and translocation function. The high-resolution structure of the EspA filament could aid in structure-guided drug design of antivirulence therapeutics.
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Cryoelectron-microscopy structure of the enteropathogenic Escherichia coli type III secretion system EspA filament. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2022826118. [PMID: 33397726 PMCID: PMC7812819 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2022826118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) utilize a macromolecular type III secretion system (T3SS) to inject effector proteins into eukaryotic cells. This apparatus spans the inner and outer bacterial membranes and includes a helical needle protruding into the extracellular space. Thus far observed only in EPEC and EHEC and not found in other pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria that have a T3SS is an additional helical filament made by the EspA protein that forms a long extension to the needle, mediating both attachment to eukaryotic cells and transport of effector proteins through the intestinal mucus layer. Here, we present the structure of the EspA filament from EPEC at 3.4 Å resolution. The structure reveals that the EspA filament is a right-handed 1-start helical assembly with a conserved lumen architecture with respect to the needle to ensure the seamless transport of unfolded cargos en route to the target cell. This functional conservation is despite the fact that there is little apparent overall conservation at the level of sequence or structure with the needle. We also unveil the molecular details of the immunodominant EspA epitope that can now be exploited for the rational design of epitope display systems.
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Miletic S, Goessweiner-Mohr N, Marlovits TC. The Structure of the Type III Secretion System Needle Complex. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2020; 427:67-90. [PMID: 31667599 DOI: 10.1007/82_2019_178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
The type III secretion system (T3SS) is an essential virulence factor of many pathogenic bacterial species including Salmonella, Yersinia, Shigella and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC). It is an intricate molecular machine that spans the bacterial membranes and injects effector proteins into target host cells, enabling bacterial infection. The T3SS needle complex comprises of proteinaceous rings supporting a needle filament which extends out into the extracellular environment. It serves as the central conduit for translocating effector proteins. Multiple laboratories have dedicated a remarkable effort to decipher the structure and function of the needle complex. A combination of structural biology techniques such as cryo-electron microscopy (cryoEM), X-ray crystallography, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and computer modelling have been utilized to study different structural components at progressively higher resolutions. This chapter will provide an overview of the structural details of the T3SS needle complex, shedding light on this essential component of this fascinating bacterial system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean Miletic
- Center for Structural Systems Biology, Institute for Structural and Systems Biology, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, 85 Notkestraße, Hamburg, 22607, Germany
| | | | - Thomas C Marlovits
- Center for Structural Systems Biology, Institute for Structural and Systems Biology, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, 85 Notkestraße, Hamburg, 22607, Germany.
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8
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Kamanova J. Bordetella Type III Secretion Injectosome and Effector Proteins. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:466. [PMID: 33014891 PMCID: PMC7498569 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.00466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a resurging acute respiratory disease of humans primarily caused by the Gram-negative coccobacilli Bordetella pertussis, and less commonly by the human-adapted lineage of B. parapertussis HU. The ovine-adapted lineage of B. parapertussis OV infects only sheep, while B. bronchiseptica causes chronic and often asymptomatic respiratory infections in a broad range of mammals but rarely in humans. A largely overlapping set of virulence factors inflicts the pathogenicity of these bordetellae. Their genomes also harbor a pathogenicity island, named bsc locus, that encodes components of the type III secretion injectosome, and adjacent btr locus with the type III regulatory proteins. The Bsc injectosome of bordetellae translocates the cytotoxic BteA effector protein, also referred to as BopC, into the cells of the mammalian hosts. While the role of type III secretion activity in the persistent colonization of the lower respiratory tract by B. bronchiseptica is well recognized, the functionality of the type III secretion injectosome in B. pertussis was overlooked for many years due to the adaptation of laboratory-passaged B. pertussis strains. This review highlights the current knowledge of the type III secretion system in the so-called classical Bordetella species, comprising B. pertussis, B. parapertussis, and B. bronchiseptica, and discusses its functional divergence. Comparison with other well-studied bacterial injectosomes, regulation of the type III secretion on the transcriptional and post-transcriptional level, and activities of BteA effector protein and BopN protein, homologous to the type III secretion gatekeepers, are addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Kamanova
- Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
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9
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Abstract
Type III protein secretion systems (T3SSs), or injectisomes, are multiprotein nanomachines present in many Gram-negative bacteria that have a sustained long-standing close relationship with a eukaryotic host. These secretion systems have evolved to modulate host cellular functions through the activity of the effector proteins they deliver. To reach their destination, T3SS effectors must cross the multibarrier bacterial envelope and the eukaryotic cell membrane. Passage through the bacterial envelope is mediated by the needle complex, a central component of T3SSs that expands both the inner and outer membranes of Gram-negative bacteria. A set of T3SS secreted proteins, known as translocators, form a channel in the eukaryotic plasma membrane through which the effector proteins are delivered to reach the host cell cytosol. While the effector proteins are tailored to the specific lifestyle of the bacterium that encodes them, the injectisome is conserved among the different T3SSs. The central role of T3SSs in pathogenesis and their high degree of conservation make them a desirable target for the development of antimicrobial therapies against several important bacterial pathogens.
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10
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Hughes SA, Wang F, Wang S, Kreutzberger MAB, Osinski T, Orlova A, Wall JS, Zuo X, Egelman EH, Conticello VP. Ambidextrous helical nanotubes from self-assembly of designed helical hairpin motifs. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:14456-14464. [PMID: 31262809 PMCID: PMC6642399 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1903910116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Tandem repeat proteins exhibit native designability and represent potentially useful scaffolds for the construction of synthetic biomimetic assemblies. We have designed 2 synthetic peptides, HEAT_R1 and LRV_M3Δ1, based on the consensus sequences of single repeats of thermophilic HEAT (PBS_HEAT) and Leucine-Rich Variant (LRV) structural motifs, respectively. Self-assembly of the peptides afforded high-aspect ratio helical nanotubes. Cryo-electron microscopy with direct electron detection was employed to analyze the structures of the solvated filaments. The 3D reconstructions from the cryo-EM maps led to atomic models for the HEAT_R1 and LRV_M3Δ1 filaments at resolutions of 6.0 and 4.4 Å, respectively. Surprisingly, despite sequence similarity at the lateral packing interface, HEAT_R1 and LRV_M3Δ1 filaments adopt the opposite helical hand and differ significantly in helical geometry, while retaining a local conformation similar to previously characterized repeat proteins of the same class. The differences in the 2 filaments could be rationalized on the basis of differences in cohesive interactions at the lateral and axial interfaces. These structural data reinforce previous observations regarding the structural plasticity of helical protein assemblies and the need for high-resolution structural analysis. Despite these observations, the native designability of tandem repeat proteins offers the opportunity to engineer novel helical nanotubes. Moreover, the resultant nanotubes have independently addressable and chemically distinguishable interior and exterior surfaces that would facilitate applications in selective recognition, transport, and release.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fengbin Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908
| | - Shengyuan Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Mark A B Kreutzberger
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908
| | - Tomasz Osinski
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908
| | - Albina Orlova
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908
| | - Joseph S Wall
- Department of Biology, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973
| | - Xiaobing Zuo
- X-Ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439
| | - Edward H Egelman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908
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11
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Abstract
Many bacteria have evolved specialized nanomachines with the remarkable ability to inject multiple bacterially encoded effector proteins into eukaryotic or prokaryotic cells. Known as type III, type IV, and type VI secretion systems, these machines play a central role in the pathogenic or symbiotic interactions between multiple bacteria and their eukaryotic hosts, or in the establishment of bacterial communities in a diversity of environments. Here we focus on recent progress elucidating the structure and assembly pathways of these machines. As many of the interactions shaped by these machines are of medical importance, they provide an opportunity to develop novel therapeutic approaches to combat important human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge E Galán
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06536, USA.
| | - Gabriel Waksman
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Birkbeck, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HX, UK; Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
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12
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Huber ST, Kuhm T, Sachse C. Automated tracing of helical assemblies from electron cryo-micrographs. J Struct Biol 2017; 202:1-12. [PMID: 29191673 PMCID: PMC5847486 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2017.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2017] [Revised: 11/24/2017] [Accepted: 11/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Structure determination of helical specimens commonly requires datasets from thousands of micrographs often obtained by automated cryo-EM data acquisition. Interactive tracing of helical assemblies from such a number of micrographs is labor-intense and time-consuming. Here, we introduce an automated tracing tool MicHelixTrace that precisely locates helix traces from micrographs of rigid as well as very flexible helical assemblies with small numbers of false positives. The computer program is fast and has low computational requirements. In addition to helix coordinates required for a subsequent helical reconstruction work-flow, we determine the persistence length of the polymer ensemble. This information provides a useful measure to characterize mechanical properties of helical assemblies and to evaluate the potential for high-resolution structure determination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan T Huber
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Structural and Computational Biology Unit, Meyerhofstraße 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tanja Kuhm
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Structural and Computational Biology Unit, Meyerhofstraße 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Carsten Sachse
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Structural and Computational Biology Unit, Meyerhofstraße 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany.
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13
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Gaytán MO, Martínez-Santos VI, Soto E, González-Pedrajo B. Type Three Secretion System in Attaching and Effacing Pathogens. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2016; 6:129. [PMID: 27818950 PMCID: PMC5073101 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2016.00129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2016] [Accepted: 09/27/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli and enterohemorrhagic E. coli are diarrheagenic bacterial human pathogens that cause severe gastroenteritis. These enteric pathotypes, together with the mouse pathogen Citrobacter rodentium, belong to the family of attaching and effacing pathogens that form a distinctive histological lesion in the intestinal epithelium. The virulence of these bacteria depends on a type III secretion system (T3SS), which mediates the translocation of effector proteins from the bacterial cytosol into the infected cells. The core architecture of the T3SS consists of a multi-ring basal body embedded in the bacterial membranes, a periplasmic inner rod, a transmembrane export apparatus in the inner membrane, and cytosolic components including an ATPase complex and the C-ring. In addition, two distinct hollow appendages are assembled on the extracellular face of the basal body creating a channel for protein secretion: an approximately 23 nm needle, and a filament that extends up to 600 nm. This filamentous structure allows these pathogens to get through the host cells mucus barrier. Upon contact with the target cell, a translocation pore is assembled in the host membrane through which the effector proteins are injected. Assembly of the T3SS is strictly regulated to ensure proper timing of substrate secretion. The different type III substrates coexist in the bacterial cytoplasm, and their hierarchical secretion is determined by specialized chaperones in coordination with two molecular switches and the so-called sorting platform. In this review, we present recent advances in the understanding of the T3SS in attaching and effacing pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meztlli O Gaytán
- Departamento de Genética Molecular, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Verónica I Martínez-Santos
- Departamento de Genética Molecular, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Eduardo Soto
- Departamento de Genética Molecular, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Bertha González-Pedrajo
- Departamento de Genética Molecular, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Ciudad de México, Mexico
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14
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Burkinshaw BJ, Deng W, Lameignère E, Wasney GA, Zhu H, Worrall LJ, Finlay BB, Strynadka NCJ. Structural analysis of a specialized type III secretion system peptidoglycan-cleaving enzyme. J Biol Chem 2015; 290:10406-17. [PMID: 25678709 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m115.639013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2015] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The Gram-negative bacterium enteropathogenic Escherichia coli uses a syringe-like type III secretion system (T3SS) to inject virulence or "effector" proteins into the cytoplasm of host intestinal epithelial cells. To assemble, the T3SS must traverse both bacterial membranes, as well as the peptidoglycan layer. Peptidoglycan is made of repeating N-acetylmuramic acid and N-acetylglucosamine disaccharides cross-linked by pentapeptides to form a tight mesh barrier. Assembly of many macromolecular machines requires a dedicated peptidoglycan lytic enzyme (PG-lytic enzyme) to locally clear peptidoglycan. Here we have solved the first structure of a T3SS-associated PG-lytic enzyme, EtgA from enteropathogenic E. coli. Unexpectedly, the active site of EtgA has features in common with both lytic transglycosylases and hen egg white lysozyme. Most notably, the β-hairpin region resembles that of lysozyme and contains an aspartate that aligns with lysozyme Asp-52 (a residue critical for catalysis), a conservation not observed in other previously characterized lytic transglycosylase families to which the conserved T3SS enzymes had been presumed to belong. Mutation of the EtgA catalytic glutamate, Glu-42, conserved across lytic transglycosylases and hen egg white lysozyme, and this differentiating aspartate diminishes type III secretion in vivo, supporting its essential role in clearing the peptidoglycan for T3SS assembly. Finally, we show that EtgA forms a 1:1 complex with the building block of the polymerized T3SS inner rod component, EscI, and that this interaction enhances PG-lytic activity of EtgA in vitro, collectively providing the necessary strict localization and regulation of the lytic activity to prevent overall cell lysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brianne J Burkinshaw
- From the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the Center for Blood Research
| | | | - Emilie Lameignère
- From the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the Center for Blood Research
| | - Gregory A Wasney
- From the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the Center for Blood Research
| | - Haizhong Zhu
- From the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the Center for Blood Research
| | - Liam J Worrall
- From the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the Center for Blood Research
| | - B Brett Finlay
- From the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the Center for Blood Research, the Michael Smith Laboratories, and the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Natalie C J Strynadka
- From the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the Center for Blood Research,
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15
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Galán JE, Lara-Tejero M, Marlovits TC, Wagner S. Bacterial type III secretion systems: specialized nanomachines for protein delivery into target cells. Annu Rev Microbiol 2014; 68:415-38. [PMID: 25002086 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-micro-092412-155725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 367] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
One of the most exciting developments in the field of bacterial pathogenesis in recent years is the discovery that many pathogens utilize complex nanomachines to deliver bacterially encoded effector proteins into target eukaryotic cells. These effector proteins modulate a variety of cellular functions for the pathogen's benefit. One of these protein-delivery machines is the type III secretion system (T3SS). T3SSs are widespread in nature and are encoded not only by bacteria pathogenic to vertebrates or plants but also by bacteria that are symbiotic to plants or insects. A central component of T3SSs is the needle complex, a supramolecular structure that mediates the passage of the secreted proteins across the bacterial envelope. Working in conjunction with several cytoplasmic components, the needle complex engages specific substrates in sequential order, moves them across the bacterial envelope, and ultimately delivers them into eukaryotic cells. The central role of T3SSs in pathogenesis makes them great targets for novel antimicrobial strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge E Galán
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06536;
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16
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Burkinshaw BJ, Strynadka NCJ. Assembly and structure of the T3SS. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2014; 1843:1649-63. [PMID: 24512838 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2014.01.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2013] [Revised: 01/27/2014] [Accepted: 01/29/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The Type III Secretion System (T3SS) is a multi-mega Dalton apparatus assembled from more than twenty components and is found in many species of animal and plant bacterial pathogens. The T3SS creates a contiguous channel through the bacterial and host membranes, allowing injection of specialized bacterial effector proteins directly to the host cell. In this review, we discuss our current understanding of T3SS assembly and structure, as well as highlight structurally characterized Salmonella effectors. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Protein trafficking and secretion in bacteria. Guest Editors: Anastassios Economou and Ross Dalbey.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brianne J Burkinshaw
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for Blood Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Natalie C J Strynadka
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for Blood Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada.
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17
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Desfosses A, Ciuffa R, Gutsche I, Sachse C. SPRING - an image processing package for single-particle based helical reconstruction from electron cryomicrographs. J Struct Biol 2013; 185:15-26. [PMID: 24269218 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2013.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2013] [Revised: 11/12/2013] [Accepted: 11/13/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Helical reconstruction from electron cryomicrographs has become a routine technique for macromolecular structure determination of helical assemblies since the first days of Fourier-based three-dimensional image reconstruction. In the past decade, the single-particle technique has had an important impact on the advancement of helical reconstruction. Here, we present the software package SPRING that combines Fourier based symmetry analysis and real-space helical processing into a single workflow. One of the most time-consuming steps in helical reconstruction is the determination of the initial symmetry parameters. First, we propose a class-based helical reconstruction approach that enables the simultaneous exploration and evaluation of many symmetry combinations at low resolution. Second, multiple symmetry solutions can be further assessed and refined by single-particle based helical reconstruction using the correlation of simulated and experimental power spectra. Finally, the 3D structure can be determined to high resolution. In order to validate the procedure, we use the reference specimen Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV). After refinement of the helical symmetry, a total of 50,000 asymmetric units from two micrographs are sufficient to reconstruct a subnanometer 3D structure of TMV at 6.4Å resolution. Furthermore, we introduce the individual programs of the software and discuss enhancements of the helical reconstruction workflow. Thanks to its user-friendly interface and documentation, SPRING can be utilized by the novice as well as the expert user. In addition to the study of well-ordered helical structures, the development of a streamlined workflow for single-particle based helical reconstruction opens new possibilities to analyze specimens that are heterogeneous in symmetries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ambroise Desfosses
- EMBL - European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Structural and Computational Biology Unit, Meyerhofstr. 1, 69917 Heidelberg, Germany; Univ. Grenoble Alpes, UVHCI, F-38000 Grenoble, France; CNRS, UVHCI, F-38000 Grenoble, France; Unit for Virus Host-Cell Interactions, Univ. Grenoble Alpes-EMBL-CNRS, 6 rue Jules Horowitz, 38042 Grenoble, France
| | - Rodolfo Ciuffa
- EMBL - European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Structural and Computational Biology Unit, Meyerhofstr. 1, 69917 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Irina Gutsche
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, UVHCI, F-38000 Grenoble, France; CNRS, UVHCI, F-38000 Grenoble, France; Unit for Virus Host-Cell Interactions, Univ. Grenoble Alpes-EMBL-CNRS, 6 rue Jules Horowitz, 38042 Grenoble, France
| | - Carsten Sachse
- EMBL - European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Structural and Computational Biology Unit, Meyerhofstr. 1, 69917 Heidelberg, Germany.
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18
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Behrmann E, Tao G, Stokes DL, Egelman EH, Raunser S, Penczek PA. Real-space processing of helical filaments in SPARX. J Struct Biol 2012; 177:302-13. [PMID: 22248449 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2011.12.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2011] [Revised: 12/13/2011] [Accepted: 12/15/2011] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
We present a major revision of the iterative helical real-space refinement (IHRSR) procedure and its implementation in the SPARX single particle image processing environment. We built on over a decade of experience with IHRSR helical structure determination and we took advantage of the flexible SPARX infrastructure to arrive at an implementation that offers ease of use, flexibility in designing helical structure determination strategy, and high computational efficiency. We introduced the 3D projection matching code which now is able to work with non-cubic volumes, the geometry better suited for long helical filaments, we enhanced procedures for establishing helical symmetry parameters, and we parallelized the code using distributed memory paradigm. Additional features include a graphical user interface that facilitates entering and editing of parameters controlling the structure determination strategy of the program. In addition, we present a novel approach to detect and evaluate structural heterogeneity due to conformer mixtures that takes advantage of helical structure redundancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elmar Behrmann
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Physiology, Department of Physical Biochemistry, Otto-Hahn-Straße 11, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
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19
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Interactions and predicted host membrane topology of the enteropathogenic Escherichia coli translocator protein EspB. J Bacteriol 2011; 193:2972-80. [PMID: 21498649 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00153-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Type 3 secretion systems (T3SSs) are critical for the virulence of numerous deadly Gram-negative pathogens. T3SS translocator proteins are required for effector proteins to traverse the host cell membrane and perturb cell function. Translocator proteins include two hydrophobic proteins, represented in enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) by EspB and EspD, which are thought to interact and form a pore in the host membrane. Here we adapted a sequence motif recognized by a host kinase to demonstrate that residues on the carboxyl-terminal side of the EspB transmembrane domain are localized to the host cell cytoplasm. Using functional internal polyhistidine tags, we confirm an interaction between EspD and EspB, and we demonstrate, for the first time, an interaction between EspD and the hydrophilic translocator protein EspA. Using a panel of espB insertion mutations, we describe two regions on either side of a putative transmembrane domain that are required for the binding of EspB to EspD. Finally, we demonstrate that EspB variants incapable of binding EspD fail to adopt the proper host cell membrane topology. These results provide new insights into interactions between translocator proteins critical for virulence.
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20
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Hamada D, Hamaguchi M, Suzuki KN, Sakata I, Yanagihara I. Cytoskeleton-modulating effectors of enteropathogenic and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli: a case for EspB as an intrinsically less-ordered effector. FEBS J 2010; 277:2409-15. [PMID: 20477867 DOI: 10.1111/j.1742-4658.2010.07655.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Enterohemorrhagic and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli produce various effector proteins that are directly injected into the host-cell cytosol through the type III secretion system. E. coli secreted protein (Esp)B is one such effector protein, and affects host-cell morphology by reorganizing actin networks. Unlike most globular proteins that have well-ordered, rigid structures, the structures of type III secretion system effectors from pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria, including EspB, are often less well-ordered. This minireview focuses on the functional relationship between the structural properties of these proteins and their roles in type III secretion system-associated pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daizo Hamada
- Division of Structural Biology (G-COE), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe University, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Japan.
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21
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Structural study of the Serratia entomophila antifeeding prophage: three-dimensional structure of the helical sheath. J Bacteriol 2010; 192:4522-5. [PMID: 20601477 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00224-10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The sheath of the Serratia entomophila antifeeding prophage, which is pathogenic to the New Zealand grass grub Costelytra zealandica, is a 3-fold helix formed by a 4-fold symmetric repeating motif disposed around a helical inner tube. This structure, determined by electron microscopy and image processing, is distinct from that of the other known morphologically similar bacteriophage sheaths.
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22
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The RecB nuclease domain binds to RecA-DNA filaments: implications for filament loading. J Mol Biol 2009; 391:269-74. [PMID: 19540850 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2009.06.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2009] [Revised: 05/29/2009] [Accepted: 06/16/2009] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The E. coli RecBCD enzyme facilitates the loading of RecA onto single-stranded DNA produced by the combined helicase/nuclease activity of RecBCD. The nuclease domain of RecB protein, RecB(nuc), has been previously shown to bind RecA. Surprisingly, RecB(nuc) also binds to phage and eukaryotic homologs of RecA, leading to the suggestion that RecB(nuc) interacts with the polymerization motif that is present in all three proteins. This mode of interaction could only be with monomeric RecA, as this motif would be buried in filaments. We show that RecB(nuc) binds extensively to the outside of RecA-DNA filaments. Three-dimensional reconstructions suggest that RecB(nuc) binds to the ATP-binding core of RecA, with a displacement of the C-terminal domain of RecA. Solution experiments confirm that the interaction of RecB(nuc) is only with the RecA core. Since the RecA C-terminal domain has been shown to be regulatory, the interaction observed may be part of the loading mechanism where RecB displaces the RecA C-terminal domain and activates a RecA monomer for polymerization.
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23
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Wang YA, Yu X, Silverman PM, Harris RL, Egelman EH. The structure of F-pili. J Mol Biol 2008; 385:22-9. [PMID: 18992755 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2008.10.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2008] [Revised: 10/01/2008] [Accepted: 10/16/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Exchange of DNA between bacteria involves conjugative pili. While the prevailing view has been that F-pili are completely retracted before single-stranded DNA is passed from one cell to another, it has recently been reported that the F-pilus, in addition to establishing the contact between mating cells, serves as a channel for passing DNA between spatially separated cells during conjugation. The structure and function of F-pili are poorly understood. They are built from a single subunit having only 70 residues, and the small size of the subunit has made these filaments difficult to study. Here, we have applied electron cryo-microscopy and single-particle methods to solve the long-existing ambiguity in the packing geometry of F-pilin subunits. We show that the F-pilus has an entirely different symmetry from any of the known bacterial pili as well as any of the filamentous bacteriophages, which have been suggested to be structural homologs. Two subunit packing schemes were identified: one has stacked rings of four subunits axially spaced by approximately 12.8 A, while the other has a one-start helical symmetry with an axial rise of approximately 3.5 A per subunit and a pitch of approximately 12.2 A. Both structures have a central lumen of approximately 30 A diameter that is more than large enough to allow for the passage of single-stranded DNA. Remarkably, both schemes appear to coexist within the same filaments, in contrast to filamentous phages that have been described as belonging to one of two possible symmetry classes. For the segments composed of rings, the twist between adjacent rings is quite variable, while the segments having a one-start helix are in multiple states of both twist and extension. This coexistence of two very different symmetries is similar to what has recently been reported for an archaeal Methanococcus maripaludis pili filament and an archaeal Sulfolobus shibatae flagellar filament.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying A Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908-0733, USA
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24
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Egelman EH. Problems in fitting high resolution structures into electron microscopic reconstructions. HFSP JOURNAL 2008; 2:324-31. [PMID: 19436497 DOI: 10.2976/1.2992221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2008] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Great advances have been made in electron microscopy (EM) over the past decade, with the result that a number of protein complexes have been solved at near-atomic resolution using EM imaging. However, only a limited number of such complexes are expected to have the high degree of internal order needed to achieve this type of resolution. Many other complexes and polymers will be visualized and reconstructed by EM at an intermediate level of resolution, where the polypeptide chain cannot be directly traced. Crystal and nuclear magnetic resonance structures for components or subunits of these higher-order assemblies are frequently available. One of the greatest strengths of EM continues to be the ability to dock high-resolution structures of components into low or intermediate resolution reconstructions of assemblies to build pseudoatomic models for quaternary structure. This review discusses the strengths and limitations of this approach, with particular emphasis on protein polymers. I discuss how limitations in resolution can lead to ambiguities in building models, and these cannot be always be resolved with available data. The use of homology models for quaternary structure are particularly problematic, given accumulating evidence for the divergence of quaternary structures at the same time that tertiary structure can be conserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward H Egelman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908-0733
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25
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Müller SA, Aebi U, Engel A. What transmission electron microscopes can visualize now and in the future. J Struct Biol 2008; 163:235-45. [PMID: 18614377 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2008.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2008] [Accepted: 05/21/2008] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Our review concentrates on the progress made in high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in the past decade. This includes significant improvements in sample preparation by quick-freezing aimed at preserving the specimen in a close-to-native state in the high vacuum of the microscope. Following advances in cold stage and TEM vacuum technology systems, the observation of native, frozen hydrated specimens has become a widely used approach. It fostered the development of computer guided, fully automated low-dose data acquisition systems allowing matched pairs of images and diffraction patterns to be recorded for electron crystallography, and the collection of entire tilt-series for electron tomography. To achieve optimal information transfer to atomic resolution, field emission electron guns combined with acceleration voltages of 200-300 kV are now routinely used. The outcome of these advances is illustrated by the atomic structure of mammalian aquaporin-O and by the pore-forming bacterial cytotoxin ClyA resolved to 12 A. Further, the Yersinia injectisome needle, a bacterial pseudopilus and the binding of phalloidin to muscle actin filaments were chosen to document the advantage of the high contrast offered by dedicated scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and/or the STEM's ability to measure the mass of protein complexes and directly link this to their shape. Continued progress emerging from leading research laboratories and microscope manufacturers will eventually enable us to determine the proteome of a single cell by electron tomography, and to more routinely solve the atomic structure of membrane proteins by electron crystallography.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirley A Müller
- Maurice E. Müller Institute for Structural Biology, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Klingelbergstr. 70, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland.
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26
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Wang YA, Yu X, Ng SYM, Jarrell KF, Egelman EH. The structure of an archaeal pilus. J Mol Biol 2008; 381:456-66. [PMID: 18602118 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2008.06.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2008] [Revised: 05/27/2008] [Accepted: 06/05/2008] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Bacterial pili are involved in a host of activities, including motility, adhesion, transformation, and immune escape. Structural studies of these pili have shown that several distinctly different classes exist, with no common origin. Remarkably, it is now known that the archaeal flagellar filament appears to have a common origin with the bacterial type IV pilus, and assembly in both systems involves hydrophobic N-terminal alpha-helices that form three-stranded coils in the center of these filaments. Recent work has identified further genes in archaea as being similar to bacterial type IV pilins, but the function or structures formed by such gene products was unknown. Using electron cryo-microscopy, we show that an archaeal pilus from Methanococcus maripaludis has a structure entirely different from that of any of the known bacterial pili. Two subunit packing arrangements were identified: one has rings of four subunits spaced by approximately 44 A and the other has a one-start helical symmetry with approximately 2.6 subunits per turn of a approximately 30 A pitch helix. Remarkably, these schemes appear to coexist within the same filaments. For the segments composed of rings, the twist between adjacent rings is quite variable, while for the segments having a one-start helix there is a large variability in both the axial rise and the twist per subunit. Since this pilus appears to be assembled from a type IV pilin-like protein with a hydrophobic N-terminal helix, it provides yet another example of how different quaternary structures can be formed from similar building blocks. This result has many implications for understanding the evolutionary divergence of bacteria and archaea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying A Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Box 800733, Charlottesville, VA 22908-0733, USA
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27
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Structural and functional properties of chimeric EspA-FliCi filaments of EPEC. J Mol Biol 2008; 378:243-50. [PMID: 18353364 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2008.02.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2007] [Revised: 02/18/2008] [Accepted: 02/20/2008] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli utilise a filamentous type III secretion system to translocate effector proteins into host gut epithelial cells. The primary constituent of the extracellular component of the filamentous type III secretion system is EspA. This forms a long flexible helical conduit between the bacterium and host and has a structure almost identical to that of the flagella filament. We have inserted the D3 domain of FliCi (from Salmonella typhimurium) into the outer domain of EspA and have studied the structure and function of modified filaments when expressed in an enteropathogenic E. coli espA mutant. We found that the chimeric protein EspA-FliCi filaments were biologically active as they supported protein secretion and translocation [assessed by their ability to trigger actin polymerisation beneath adherent bacteria (fluorescent actin staining test)]. The expressed filaments were recognised by both EspA and FliCi antisera. Visualisation and analysis of the chimeric filaments by electron microscopy after negative staining showed that, remarkably, EspA filaments are able to tolerate a large protein insertion without a significant effect on their helical architecture.
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28
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Moraes TF, Spreter T, Strynadka NC. Piecing together the type III injectisome of bacterial pathogens. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2008; 18:258-66. [PMID: 18258424 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2007.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2007] [Revised: 12/17/2007] [Accepted: 12/18/2007] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The Type III secretion system is a bacterial 'injectisome' which allows Gram-negative bacteria to shuttle virulence proteins directly into the host cells they infect. This macromolecular assembly consists of more than 20 different proteins put together to collectively span three biological membranes. The recent T3SS crystal structures of the major oligomeric inner membrane ring, the helical needle filament, needle tip protein, the associated ATPase, and outer membrane pilotin together with electron microscopy reconstructions have dramatically furthered our understanding of how this protein translocator functions. The crucial details that describe how these proteins assemble into this oligomeric complex will need a hybrid of structural methodologies including EM, crystallography, and NMR to clarify the intra- and inter-molecular interactions between different structural components of the apparatus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trevor F Moraes
- University of British Columbia, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the Center for Blood Research, Rm 4350 Life Sciences Center, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, Canada V6T 1Z3
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29
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Cohen-Krausz S, Trachtenberg S. The flagellar filament structure of the extreme acidothermophile Sulfolobus shibatae B12 suggests that archaeabacterial flagella have a unique and common symmetry and design. J Mol Biol 2007; 375:1113-24. [PMID: 18068187 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2007.10.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2007] [Revised: 10/06/2007] [Accepted: 10/16/2007] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Archaea, constituting a third domain of life between Eubacteria and Eukarya, characteristically inhabit extreme environments. They swim by rotating flagellar filaments that are phenomenologically and functionally similar to those of eubacteria. However, biochemical, genetic and structural evidence has pointed to significant differences but even greater similarity to eubacterial type IV pili. Here we determined the three-dimensional symmetry and structure of the flagellar filament of the acidothermophilic archaeabacterium Sulfolobus shibatae B12 using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). Processing of the cryo-negatively stained filaments included analysis of their helical symmetry and subsequent single particle reconstruction. Two filament subunit packing arrangements were identified: one has helical symmetry, similar to that of the extreme halophile Halobacterium salinarum, with ten subunits per 5.3 nm repeat and the other has helically arranged stacked disks with C(3) symmetry and 12 subunits per repeat. The two structures are related by a slight twist. The S. shibatae filament has a larger diameter compared to that of H. salinarum, at the opposite end of the archaeabacterial phylogenetic spectrum, but the basic three-start symmetry and the size and arrangement of the core domain are conserved and the filament lacks a central channel. This similarity suggests a unique and common underlying symmetry for archaeabacterial flagellar filaments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Cohen-Krausz
- Department of Membrane and Ultrastructure Research, The Hebrew University - Hadassah Medical School, PO Box 12272, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
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30
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Egelman EH. Single-particle reconstruction from EM images of helical filaments. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2007; 17:556-61. [PMID: 17851070 PMCID: PMC2443787 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2007.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2007] [Accepted: 07/17/2007] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Helical filaments were the first structures to be reconstructed in three dimensions from electron microscopic images, and continue to be extensively studied due to the large number of such helical polymers found in biology. In principle, a single image of a helical polymer provides all of the different projections needed to reconstruct the three-dimensional structure. Unfortunately, many helical filaments have been refractory to the application of traditional (Fourier-Bessel) methods due to variability, heterogeneity, and weak scattering. Over the past several years, many of these problems have been surmounted using single-particle type approaches that can do substantially better than Fourier-Bessel approaches. Applications of these new methods to viruses, actin filaments, pili and many other polymers show the great advantages of the new methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward H Egelman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Box 800733, Charlottesville, VA 22908-0733, USA.
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31
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Sorzano COS, Jonic S, Cottevieille M, Larquet E, Boisset N, Marco S. 3D electron microscopy of biological nanomachines: principles and applications. EUROPEAN BIOPHYSICS JOURNAL: EBJ 2007; 36:995-1013. [PMID: 17611751 DOI: 10.1007/s00249-007-0203-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2007] [Revised: 06/01/2007] [Accepted: 06/11/2007] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Transmission electron microscopy is a powerful technique for studying the three-dimensional (3D) structure of a wide range of biological specimens. Knowledge of this structure is crucial for fully understanding complex relationships among macromolecular complexes and organelles in living cells. In this paper, we present the principles and main application domains of 3D transmission electron microscopy in structural biology. Moreover, we survey current developments needed in this field, and discuss the close relationship of 3D transmission electron microscopy with other experimental techniques aimed at obtaining structural and dynamical information from the scale of whole living cells to atomic structure of macromolecular complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- C O S Sorzano
- Bioengineering Lab, Escuela Politécnica Superior, Univ. San Pablo CEU, Campus Urb, Montepríncipe s/n, 28668, Boadilla del Monte, Madrid, Spain.
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32
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Wang YA, Yu X, Overman S, Tsuboi M, Thomas GJ, Egelman EH. The Structure of a Filamentous Bacteriophage. J Mol Biol 2006; 361:209-15. [PMID: 16843489 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2006.06.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2006] [Revised: 05/26/2006] [Accepted: 06/12/2006] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Many thin helical polymers, including bacterial pili and filamentous bacteriophage, have been seen as refractory to high-resolution studies by electron microscopy. Studies of the quaternary structure of such filaments have depended upon techniques such as modeling or X-ray fiber diffraction, given that direct visualization of the subunit organization has not been possible. We report the first image reconstruction of a filamentous virus, bacteriophage fd, by cryoelectron microscopy. Although these thin ( approximately 70 A in diameter) rather featureless filaments scatter weakly, we have been able to achieve a nominal resolution of approximately 8 A using an iterative helical reconstruction procedure. We show that two different conformations of the virus exist, and that in both states the subunits are packed differently than in conflicting models previously proposed on the basis of X-ray fiber diffraction or solid-state NMR studies. A significant fraction of the population of wild-type fd is either disordered or in multiple conformational states, while in the presence of the Y21M mutation, this heterogeneity is greatly reduced, consistent with previous observations. These results show that new computational approaches to helical reconstruction can greatly extend the ability to visualize heterogeneous protein polymers at a reasonably high resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying A Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Box 800733, Charlottesville, VA 22908-0733, USA
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