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Mulvihill E, Pfreundschuh M, Thoma J, Ritzmann N, Müller DJ. High-Resolution Imaging of Maltoporin LamB while Quantifying the Free-Energy Landscape and Asymmetry of Sugar Binding. NANO LETTERS 2019; 19:6442-6453. [PMID: 31385710 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.9b02674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Maltoporins are a family of membrane proteins that facilitate the diffusion of hydrophilic molecules and maltosaccharides across the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. Two contradicting models propose the sugar binding, uptake, and transport by maltoporins to be either symmetric or asymmetric. Here, we address this contradiction and introduce force-distance-based atomic force microscopy to image single maltoporin LamB trimers in the membrane at sub-nanometer resolution and simultaneously quantify the binding of different malto-oligosaccharides. We assay subtle differences of the binding free-energy landscape of maltotriose, maltotetraose, and maltopentaose, which quantifies how binding strength and affinity increase with the malto-oligosaccharide chain length. The ligand-binding parameters change considerably by mutating the extracellular loop 3, which folds into and constricts the transmembrane pore of LamB. By recording LamB topographs and structurally mapping binding events at sub-nanometer resolution, we observe LamB to preferentially bind maltodextrin from the periplasmic side, which shows sugar binding and uptake to be asymmetric. The study introduces atomic force microscopy as an analytical nanoscopic tool that can differentiate among the factors modulating and models describing the binding and uptake of substrates by membrane proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Estefania Mulvihill
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering , Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zurich , Mattenstrasse 26 , 4058 Basel , Switzerland
| | - Moritz Pfreundschuh
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering , Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zurich , Mattenstrasse 26 , 4058 Basel , Switzerland
| | - Johannes Thoma
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering , Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zurich , Mattenstrasse 26 , 4058 Basel , Switzerland
| | - Noah Ritzmann
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering , Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zurich , Mattenstrasse 26 , 4058 Basel , Switzerland
| | - Daniel J Müller
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering , Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zurich , Mattenstrasse 26 , 4058 Basel , Switzerland
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Chumjan W, Winterhalter M, Schulte A, Benz R, Suginta W. Chitoporin from the Marine Bacterium Vibrio harveyi: PROBING THE ESSENTIAL ROLES OF TRP136 AT THE SURFACE OF THE CONSTRICTION ZONE. J Biol Chem 2015; 290:19184-96. [PMID: 26082491 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m115.660530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
VhChiP is a sugar-specific porin present in the outer membrane of the marine bacterium Vibrio harveyi. VhChiP is responsible for the uptake of chitin oligosaccharides, with particular selectivity for chitohexaose. In this study, we employed electrophysiological and biochemical approaches to demonstrate that Trp(136), located at the mouth of the VhChiP pore, plays an essential role in controlling the channel's ion conductivity, chitin affinity, and permeability. Kinetic analysis of sugar translocation obtained from single channel recordings indicated that the Trp(136) mutations W136A, W136D, W136R, and W136F considerably reduce the binding affinity of the protein channel for its best substrate, chitohexaose. Liposome swelling assays confirmed that the Trp(136) mutations decreased the rate of bulk chitohexaose permeation through the VhChiP channel. Notably, all of the mutants show increases in the off-rate for chitohexaose of up to 20-fold compared with that of the native channel. Furthermore, the cation/anion permeability ratio Pc/Pa is decreased in the W136R mutant and increased in the W136D mutant. This demonstrates that the negatively charged surface at the interior of the protein lumen preferentially attracts cationic species, leading to the cation selectivity of this trimeric channel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Watcharin Chumjan
- From the Biochemistry-Electrochemistry Research Unit, the School of Biochemistry, and
| | - Mathias Winterhalter
- the Department of Life Sciences and Chemistry, Jacobs University Bremen, D-28759 Bremen, Germany
| | - Albert Schulte
- From the Biochemistry-Electrochemistry Research Unit, the School of Chemistry, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand and
| | - Roland Benz
- the Department of Life Sciences and Chemistry, Jacobs University Bremen, D-28759 Bremen, Germany
| | - Wipa Suginta
- From the Biochemistry-Electrochemistry Research Unit, the School of Biochemistry, and
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Jayawardena HSN, Jayawardana KW, Chen X, Yan M. Maltoheptaose promotes nanoparticle internalization by Escherichia coli. Chem Commun (Camb) 2013; 49:3034-6. [PMID: 23463337 DOI: 10.1039/c3cc40491a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Nanoparticles conjugated with d-maltoheptaose (G7) showed a striking increase in the internalization by Escherichia coli. This applies to strains with and without the maltodextrin transport channel and particles ranging from a few to a hundred nanometers.
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Suginta W, Chumjan W, Mahendran KR, Janning P, Schulte A, Winterhalter M. Molecular uptake of chitooligosaccharides through chitoporin from the marine bacterium Vibrio harveyi. PLoS One 2013; 8:e55126. [PMID: 23383078 PMCID: PMC3558487 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0055126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2012] [Accepted: 12/18/2012] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chitin is the most abundant biopolymer in marine ecosystems. However, there is no accumulation of chitin in the ocean-floor sediments, since marine bacteria Vibrios are mainly responsible for a rapid turnover of chitin biomaterials. The catabolic pathway of chitin by Vibrios is a multi-step process that involves chitin attachment and degradation, followed by chitooligosaccharide uptake across the bacterial membranes, and catabolism of the transport products to fructose-6-phosphate, acetate and NH(3). PRINCIPAL FINDINGS This study reports the isolation of the gene corresponding to an outer membrane chitoporin from the genome of Vibrio harveyi. This porin, expressed in E. coli, (so called VhChiP) was found to be a SDS-resistant, heat-sensitive trimer. Immunoblotting using anti-ChiP polyclonal antibody confirmed the expression of the recombinant ChiP, as well as endogenous expression of the native protein in the V. harveyi cells. The specific function of VhChiP was investigated using planar lipid membrane reconstitution technique. VhChiP nicely inserted into artificial membranes and formed stable, trimeric channels with average single conductance of 1.8±0.13 nS. Single channel recordings at microsecond-time resolution resolved translocation of chitooligosaccharides, with the greatest rate being observed for chitohexaose. Liposome swelling assays showed no permeation of other oligosaccharides, including maltose, sucrose, maltopentaose, maltohexaose and raffinose, indicating that VhChiP is a highly-specific channel for chitooligosaccharides. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE We provide the first evidence that chitoporin from V. harveyi is a chitooligosaccharide specific channel. The results obtained from this study help to establish the fundamental role of VhChiP in the chitin catabolic cascade as the molecular gateway that Vibrios employ for chitooligosaccharide uptake for energy production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wipa Suginta
- Biochemistry-Electrochemistry Research Unit, Schools of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
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Knapp O, Maier E, Benz R, Geny B, Popoff MR. Identification of the channel-forming domain of Clostridium perfringens Epsilon-toxin (ETX). BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2009; 1788:2584-93. [PMID: 19835840 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2009.09.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2009] [Revised: 09/17/2009] [Accepted: 09/29/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Epsilon-toxin (ETX) is a potent toxin produced by Clostridium perfringens strains B and D. The bacteria are important pathogens in domestic animals and cause edema mediated by ETX. This toxin acts most likely by heptamer formation and rapid permeabilization of target cell membranes for monovalent anions and cations followed by a later entry of calcium. In this study, we compared the primary structure of ETX with that of the channel-forming stretches of a variety of binding components of A-B-types of toxins such as Anthrax protective antigen (PA), C2II of C2-toxin and Ib of Iota-toxin and found a remarkable homology to amino acids 151-180 of ETX. Site-directed mutagenesis of amino acids within the putative channel-forming domain resulted in changes of cytotoxicity and effects on channel characteristics in lipid bilayer experiments including changes of selectivity and partial channel block by methanethiosulfonate (MTS) reagents and antibodies against His(6)-tags from the trans-side of the lipid bilayer membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Knapp
- Department of Biotechnology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, D-97074 Würzburg, Germany
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Denker K, Orlik F, Schiffler B, Benz R. Site-directed Mutagenesis of the Greasy Slide Aromatic Residues Within the LamB (Maltoporin) Channel of Escherichia coli: Effect on Ion and Maltopentaose Transport. J Mol Biol 2005; 352:534-50. [PMID: 16095613 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2005.07.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2005] [Revised: 07/07/2005] [Accepted: 07/10/2005] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The 3D-structure of the maltooligosaccharide-specific LamB-channel of Escherichia coli (also called maltoporin) is known from X-ray crystallography. The 3D structure suggests that a number of aromatic residues (Y6, Y41, W74, F229, W358 and W420) within the channel lumen are involved in carbohydrate and ion transport. All aromatic residues were replaced by alanine-scanning mutagenesis. Furthermore, LamB mutants were created in which two, three, four, five and all six aromatic residues were replaced to study their effects on ion and maltopentaose transport through LamB. The purified mutant proteins were reconstituted into lipid bilayer membranes and the single-channel conductance of the mutants was studied in conductance experiments. The results suggest that all aromatic residues provide some steric hindrance for ion transport through LamB. Highest impact is provided by Y6 and Y41 that are localized opposite Y118, which form the central constriction of the LamB channel. Stability constants for binding of maltopentaose to the mutant channels were measured using titration experiments with the carbohydrate. The mutation of one or several aromatic residue(s) led to a substantial decrease of the stability constant of binding. The highest effect was observed when all aromatic residues were replaced by alanine because no binding of maltopentaose could be detected in such a case. However, binding was again possible when Y118 was replaced by tryptophan. The carbohydrate-induced block of the channel function could be used also for the study of current noise through the different mutant LamB-channels. The analysis of the power density spectra of some of the mutants allowed the evaluation of the on-rate and off-rate constants (k1 and k(-1)) of carbohydrate binding to the binding site inside the channels. The results suggest that both on-rate and off-rate constants were affected by the mutations. For most mutants, k1 decreased and k(-1) increased. The possible influence of the aromatic residues of the greasy slide on carbohydrate and ion transport through LamB is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrin Denker
- Lehrstuhl für Biotechnologie, Theodor-Boveri-Institut (Biozentrum) der Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, D-97074 Würzburg, Germany
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Andersen C, Schiffler B, Charbit A, Benz R. PH-induced collapse of the extracellular loops closes Escherichia coli maltoporin and allows the study of asymmetric sugar binding. J Biol Chem 2002; 277:41318-25. [PMID: 12185084 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m206804200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
LamB (maltoporin) is essential for the uptake of maltose and malto-oligosaccharides across the outer membrane of Escherichia coli. Purified LamB was reconstituted in artificial lipid bilayer membranes forming channels in the permanently open configuration at neutral pH. Almost complete channel closure was observed when the pH on both sides of the membrane was lowered to pH 4. When LamB was added to only one side of the membrane, the cis-side, and the pH was lowered at either side of the membrane, the cis- or the trans-side, the response to pH was asymmetric, suggesting preferential orientation of maltoporin channels and pH- dependent closure of only one side of the channel. In experiments with LamB mutants in which major external loops L4, L6, and/or L9 were deleted, we identified the surface-exposed loops L4 and L6 as the cause of pH-mediated closure. The pH dependence of the LamB channel is consistent with the assumption that it inserts in a preferential orientation into the lipid bilayer. About 70-80% of the reconstituted channels are oriented with the extracellular entrance toward the side to which the protein was added (the cis-side) and with the periplasmic opening on the opposite side (the trans-side). The possibility of closing the channels, which are oriented in the reverse direction by low pH at the trans-side, allowed the deduction of channel asymmetry with respect to carbohydrate binding kinetics. Whereas maltose binding was found to be almost symmetric with respect to the channel orientation, the sucrose and trehalose binding to LamB was asymmetric. The results are discussed in respect to possible physiological function of the pH-dependent closure of maltoporin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Andersen
- Universität Würzburg, Lehrstuhl für Biotechnologie, Biozentrum der Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, Germany.
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Abstract
The Gram-negative bacterial outer membrane contains several independent, biochemically distinct transport systems for the acquisition of solutes from the environment. Three or more different classes of membrane proteins exist within the porin superfamily, that facilitate the uptake of sugars, amino acids, nucleotides, vitamins and metals. In spite of crystallographic descriptions of these protein transporters over the past decade, the mechanisms by which porins catalyze solute internalization are controversial, and in some cases still obscure. For many years the research of Maurice Hofnung endeavored to explain the transport of maltose and maltodextrins by LamB, also known as maltoporin. In the shadow of recent crystal structures, his work helped outline a different picture of outer membrane transport physiology, that is a tribute to the powerful genetic approaches Maurice pioneered. These data suggest that the principal determinant of maltodextrin recognition by maltoporin derives from the configuration of aromatic amino acids in its surface loops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phillip E Klebba
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman 73019, USA.
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Orlik F, Andersen C, Benz R. Site-directed mutagenesis of tyrosine 118 within the central constriction site of the LamB (maltoporin) channel of Escherichia coli. II. Effect on maltose and maltooligosaccharide binding kinetics. Biophys J 2002; 83:309-21. [PMID: 12080122 PMCID: PMC1302149 DOI: 10.1016/s0006-3495(02)75171-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The 3-D structure of the maltooligosaccharide-specific LamB channel of Escherichia coli (also called maltoporin) is known from x-ray crystallography. The central constriction of the channel formed by the external loop 3 is controlled by tyrosine 118. Y118 was replaced by site-directed mutagenesis by 10 other amino acids (alanine (A), isoleucine (I), asparagine (N), serine (S), cysteine (C), aspartic acid (D), arginine (R), histidine (H), phenylalanine (F), and tryptophan (W)) including neutral ones, negatively and positively charged amino acids to study the effect of their size, their hydrophobicity index, and their charge on maltose and maltooligosaccharide binding to LamB. The mutants were reconstituted into lipid bilayer membranes and the stability constants for binding of maltose, maltotriose, maltopentaose, and maltoheptaose to the channel were measured using titration experiments. The mutation of Y118 to any other non-aromatic amino acid led to a substantial decrease of the stability constant of binding by factors between about two and six. The highest effect was observed for the mutant Y118A. Replacement of Y118 by the two other aromatic amino acids, phenylalanine (F) and tryptophan (W), resulted in a substantial increase of the stability constant maximally by a factor of almost 400 for the Y118W mutant. The carbohydrate-induced block of the channel function was used for the study of current noise through the different mutant LamB channels. The analysis of the power density spectra allowed the evaluation of the on- and off-rate constants (k(1) and k(-1)) of sugar binding. The results suggest that both rate constants were affected by the mutations. For most mutants, with the exception of Y118F and Y118W, k(1) decreased and k(-1) increased, whereas the opposite was found for the aromatic amino acid mutants. The results suggest that tyrosine 118 has a crucial effect on carbohydrate transport through LamB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Orlik
- Lehrstuhl für Biotechnologie, Theodor-Boveri-Institut (Biozentrum) der Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, D-97074 Würzburg, Germany
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