A new membrane-bound OprI lipoprotein expression vector. High production of heterologous fusion proteins in gram (-) bacteria and the implications for oral vaccination

Challenges in the production of itaconic acid by metabolically engineered Escherichia coli

Metabolic engineering allows the production of a variety of high-value chemicals in heterologous hosts. For example, itaconic acid (IA) has been produced in several microorganisms, such as Escherichia coli, Aspergillus niger, and Synechocystis sp. through the expression of cis-aconitate decarboxylase gene (cad) from Aspergillus terreus. Recently, we showed that inactivation of the isocitrate dehydrogenase gene and overexpression of the aconitase gene dramatically enhanced the production levels of IA in E. coli expressing cad. Furthermore, we demonstrated that it is possible to produce IA directly from starch by engineered E. coli that additionally expresses the α-amylase gene from Streptococcus bovis. In this study, we sum up our findings regarding the challenges of IA production in E. coli.

Self-adjuvanting lipoimmunogens for therapeutic HPV vaccine development: potential clinical impact

The goal of therapeutic HPV vaccines is the induction of cytotoxic T lymphocyte immunity against HPV-associated cancers. Recombinant proteins and synthetic peptides have high safety profiles but low immunogenicity, which limits their efficacy when used in a vaccine. Self-adjuvanting lipid moieties have been conjugated to synthetic peptides or expressed as lipoproteins to enhance the immunogenicity of vaccine candidates. Mono-, di- and tri-palmitoylated peptides have been demonstrated to activate dendritic cells and induce robust cellular immunity against infectious diseases and cancer. Recently, a platform technology using the high-yield production of recombinant lipoproteins with Toll-like receptor 2 agonist activity was established for the development of novel subunit vaccines. This technology represents a novel strategy for the development of therapeutic HPV vaccines. In this review, we describe recent progress in the design of therapeutic HPV vaccines using lipoimmunogens.

A new cloning system based on the OprI lipoprotein for the production of recombinant bacterial cell wall-derived immunogenic formulations

The conjugation of antigens with ligands of pattern recognition receptors (PRR) is emerging as a promising strategy for the modulation of specific immunity. Here, we describe a new Escherichia coli system for the cloning and expression of heterologous antigens in fusion with the OprI lipoprotein, a TLR ligand from the Pseudomonas aeruginosa outer membrane (OM). Analysis of the OprI expressed by this system reveals a triacylated lipid moiety mainly composed by palmitic acid residues. By offering a tight regulation of expression and allowing for antigen purification by metal affinity chromatography, the new system circumvents the major drawbacks of former versions. In addition, the anchoring of OprI to the OM of the host cell is further explored for the production of novel recombinant bacterial cell wall-derived formulations (OM fragments and OM vesicles) with distinct potential for PRR activation. As an example, the African swine fever virus ORF A104R was cloned and the recombinant antigen was obtained in the three formulations. Overall, our results validate a new system suitable for the production of immunogenic formulations that can be used for the development of experimental vaccines and for studies on the modulation of acquired immunity.

Genome-wide analysis and literature-based survey of lipoproteins in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram-negative opportunistic pathogen able to cause acute or chronic infections. Like all other Pseudomonas species, P. aeruginosa has a large genome, >6 Mb, encoding more than 5000 proteins. Many proteins are localized in membranes, among them lipoproteins, which can be found tethered to the inner or the outer membrane. Lipoproteins are translocated from the cytoplasm and their N-terminal signal peptide is cleaved by the signal peptidase II, which recognizes a specific sequence called the lipobox just before the first cysteine of the mature lipoprotein. A majority of lipoproteins are transported to the outer membrane via the LolCDEAB system, while those having an avoidance signal remain in the inner membrane. In Escherichia coli, the presence of an aspartate residue after the cysteine is sufficient to cause the lipoprotein to remain in the inner membrane, while in P. aeruginosa the situation is more complex and involves amino acids at position +3 and +4 after the cysteine. Previous studies indicated that there are 185 lipoproteins in P. aeruginosa, with a minority in the inner membrane. A reanalysis led to a reduction of this number to 175, while new retention signals could be predicted, increasing the percentage of inner-membrane lipoproteins to 20 %. About one-third (62 out of 175) of the lipoprotein genes are present in the 17 Pseudomonas genomes sequenced, meaning that these genes are part of the core genome of the genus. Lipoproteins can be classified into families, including those outer-membrane proteins having a structural role or involved in efflux of antibiotics. Comparison of various microarray data indicates that exposure to epithelial cells or some antibiotics, or conversion to mucoidy, has a major influence on the expression of lipoprotein genes in P. aeruginosa.

A recombinant lipoprotein containing an unsaturated fatty acid activates NF-kappaB through the TLR2 signaling pathway and induces a differential gene profile from a synthetic lipopeptide

The lipid moiety of a novel recombinant lipoprotein, which contains a dengue virus envelope protein domain 3, rlipo-D1E3, has been shown to activate antigen-presenting cells (APCs) as an intrinsic adjuvant. Because the lipid moiety of rlipo-D1E3 contains an unsaturated fatty acid, it is unclear if the receptor usage by bacterially derived lipoproteins is the same as that of the synthetic lipopeptide palmitoyl-3-Cys-Ser-(Lys)(4) (Pam3). In the present study, we show that the rlipo-D1E3 lipoprotein can induce the activation of spleen cells and bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BM-DCs) in wild-type and TLR4-deficient mice, but not in TLR2(-/-) mice. After analyzing the co-receptor usage of TLR2 using TLR1(-/-) or TLR6(-/-) mice, the TLR2 signaling triggered by rlipo-D1E3 and Pam3 could use either TLR1 or TLR6 as a co-receptor. Analysis of the MAPK signaling pathway revealed that rlipo-D1E3 could initiate the phosphorylation of p38, ERK1/2 and JNK1/2 earlier than the synthetic lipopeptide. In addition, the expression levels of IL-23, IL-27 and MIP-1 alpha in BM-DCs stimulated by rlipo-D1E3 were higher than the expression levels in BM-DCs stimulated by Pam3. Taken together, these results demonstrate that different TLR2 ligands can promote various immune responses by inducing different levels of biological cytokines and chemokines.

Outer membrane protein I of Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a target of cationic antimicrobial peptide/protein

Cationic antimicrobial peptides/proteins (AMPs) are important components of the host innate defense mechanisms against invading microorganisms. Here we demonstrate that OprI (outer membrane protein I) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa is responsible for its susceptibility to human ribonuclease 7 (hRNase 7) and alpha-helical cationic AMPs, instead of surface lipopolysaccharide, which is the initial binding site of cationic AMPs. The antimicrobial activities of hRNase 7 and alpha-helical cationic AMPs against P. aeruginosa were inhibited by the addition of exogenous OprI or anti-OprI antibody. On modification and internalization of OprI by hRNase 7 into cytosol, the bacterial membrane became permeable to metabolites. The lipoprotein was predicted to consist of an extended loop at the N terminus for hRNase 7/lipopolysaccharide binding, a trimeric alpha-helix, and a lysine residue at the C terminus for cell wall anchoring. Our findings highlight a novel mechanism of antimicrobial activity and document a previously unexplored target of alpha-helical cationic AMPs, which may be used for screening drugs to treat antibiotic-resistant bacterial infection.

Strategies for successful recombinant expression of disulfide bond-dependent proteins in Escherichia coli

Bacteria are simple and cost effective hosts for producing recombinant proteins. However, their physiological features may limit their use for obtaining in native form proteins of some specific structural classes, such as for instance polypeptides that undergo extensive post-translational modifications. To some extent, also the production of proteins that depending on disulfide bridges for their stability has been considered difficult in E. coli.

Both eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms keep their cytoplasm reduced and, consequently, disulfide bond formation is impaired in this subcellular compartment. Disulfide bridges can stabilize protein structure and are often present in high abundance in secreted proteins. In eukaryotic cells such bonds are formed in the oxidizing environment of endoplasmic reticulum during the export process. Bacteria do not possess a similar specialized subcellular compartment, but they have both export systems and enzymatic activities aimed at the formation and at the quality control of disulfide bonds in the oxidizing periplasm.

This article reviews the available strategies for exploiting the physiological mechanisms of bactera to produce properly folded disulfide-bonded proteins.

Entry route of Salmonella typhimurium directs the type of induced immune response

Secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) represents a first line of defense against mucosal pathogens by limiting their entrance. By using different strains of Salmonella typhimurium that target the two mechanisms of bacterial entry (microfold cell [M cell]- or dendritic cell-mediated), we demonstrated here that the distribution of bacteria after oral infection directed the type of induced immune response. M cell-penetrating invasive, but not noninvasive, S. typhimurium was found in large numbers in Peyer's patches (PPs), leading to the activation of immune cells and the release of fecal IgA. In contrast, both strains of bacteria were equally capable of reaching the mesenteric lymph node and the spleen and inducing IgG responses. These data suggest that PPs are absolutely required for the initiation of an IgA response to Salmonella, whereas they are dispensable for a systemic response. This compartmentalization could allow the fast generation of both mucosal and systemic acquired immunity to pathogens.

Attachment of the outer membrane lipoprotein (OprI) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to the mucosal surfaces of the respiratory and digestive tract of chickens

The development of mucosal vaccines requires antigen delivery and adjuvant systems that can efficiently help in presenting vaccine antigens to the mucosal immune system. The outer membrane lipoprotein I (OprI) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa seems to possess both the quality to induce a non-specific immune response (adjuvant effect through its lipid tail) as well as the quality to facilitate uptake of the vaccine antigen by interacting with Toll-like receptor 2/4 (TLR2/4) on antigen-presenting cells (APC) and epithelial cells (adhesion effect). Here, we show for the first time the adhesion of OprI to epithelial cells of the trachea and small intestine of chickens. Adhesion could be seen on cryosections after in vitro as well as after in vivo incubation of the trachea and intestine. This proves the value of OprI as a fusion partner in mucosal protein vaccine development, which is especially important for poultry where mass vaccination is only possible by the respiratory or oral route.

Mucosal prime-boost vaccination for tuberculosis based on TLR triggering OprI lipoprotein from Pseudomonas aeruginosa fused to mycolyl-transferase Ag85A

Toll-like receptor (TLR) triggering is an important step in the induction of T helper (Th) type 1 T cells which are key players in protection against the intracellular pathogen Mycobacterium (M.) tuberculosis. Here we report on the construction of a fusion protein consisting of a tuberculosis vaccine candidate mycolyl-transferase antigen 85A (Ag85A, Rv3804c) coupled to the outer membrane lipoprotein I (OprI) from Pseudomonas (P.) aeruginosa, a documented TLR2/TLR4 trigger. Subcutaneous boosting with this fusion protein in the absence of adjuvant increased significantly the Ag85A-specific humoral but not cellular immune responses of Ag85A-DNA vaccinated mice. Intranasal priming of C57BL/6 mice with live, attenuated Mycobacterium bovis bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine, followed by intranasal boosting with OprI-Ag85A increased systemic and local antigen-specific interferon (IFN)-gamma and interleukin (IL)-2 responses in spleen, draining cervical and mediastinal lymph nodes and particularly in lung tissue, as compared to responses in mice only vaccinated with BCG vaccine. Despite enhanced immune responses, boosting with OprI-Ag85A did not increase protective efficacy against M. tuberculosis of either plasmid DNA or BCG vaccine in this experimental setting.

Lipoprotein I, a TLR2/4 ligand modulates Th2-driven allergic immune responses

Asthma is an inflammatory lung disease that is initiated and directed by Th2 and inhibited by Th1 cytokines. Microbial infections have been shown to prevent allergic responses by inducing the secretion of the Th1 cytokines IL-12 and IFN-gamma. In this study, we examined whether administration of lipoprotein I (OprI) from Pseudomonas aeruginosa could prevent the inflammatory and physiological manifestations of asthma in a murine model of OVA-induced allergic asthma. OprI triggered dendritic cells to make IL-12 and TNF-alpha, with subsequent IFN-gamma production from T cells. OprI stimulation of dendritic cells involved both TLR2 and TLR4. Intranasal coadministration of OprI with OVA allergen resulted in a significant decrease in airway eosinophilia and Th2 (IL-4 and IL-13) cytokines and this effect was sustained after repeated allergen challenge. The immediate suppressive effect of OprI (within 2 days of administration) was accompanied by an increase in Th1 cytokine IFN-gamma production and a significant, but transient infiltration of neutrophils. OprI did not redirect the immune system toward a Th1 response since no increased activation of locally recruited Th1 cells could be observed upon repeated challenge with allergen. Our data show for the first time that a bacterial lipoprotein can modulate allergen-specific Th2 effector cells in an allergic response in vivo for a prolonged period via stimulation of the TLR2/4 signaling pathway.

A new mini-transposon for in vivo protein epitope tagging: application to Burkholderia multivorans

A short amino acid sequence coding for the mature Pseudomonas aeruginosa OprI lipoprotein was fused to a mini-Tn5 plasposon (mini-transposon with an origin of replication) with tetracycline resistance in order to generate in-frame fusion proteins after transposition. After conjugative transfer to Burkholderia multivorans, clones reacting with an anti-OprI mab were selected. In-frame OprI-tagged proteins were detected and identified for six clones. The six C-tagged proteins were detected by immunoblot. The different mutants had insertions into a histone H1-like coding gene, cspD, encoding a cold-shock protein, dsbC, encoding a putative outer membrane lipoprotein involved in thiol-disulfide exchange, paaE, a ferredoxin-NADPH reductase gene, a gene for the catabolism of propionate, and one encoding an unknown protein.

Construction and evaluation of a plasmid vector for the expression of recombinant lipoproteins in Escherichia coli

Outer membrane lipoproteins are emerging as key targets for protective immunity to many bacterial pathogens. Heterologous expression of lipoproteins in Escherichia coli does not always result in high level expression of acylated recombinant protein. Thus, these proteins do not take up their correct membrane topology and are lacking the immunostimulatory properties endowed by the lipid. To this end, we have designed a lipoprotein expression vector (pDUMP) that results in the production of fusion proteins containing the E. coli major outer membrane lipoprotein (Lpp) signal sequence, lipoprotein signal peptidase recognition site, and the +2 outer membrane sorting signal at their N termini. To test the ability of pDUMP to express lipoproteins from heterologous hosts, the surface lipoprotein PsaA from the Gram-positive organism Streptococcus pneumoniae and the outer membrane lipoproteins MlpA from the Gram-negative Pasteurella multocida and BlpA from the spirochete Brachyspira hyodysenteriae were cloned into both hexahistidine fusion vectors and pDUMP. High level expression of antigenically active protein from both the hexahistidine fusion vectors and pDUMP resulted in abundant bands of the predicted molecular masses when analyzed by SDS-PAGE. When grown in the presence of 3[H]palmitic acid, proteins encoded by pDUMP were observed to incorporate palmitic acid whilst the hexahistidine fusion proteins did not. Using mass spectrometry and image analysis we determined the efficiency of lipidation between the three clones to vary from 31.7 to 100%. In addition, lipidated, but not hexahistidine, forms of the proteins were presented on the E. coli surface.

Novel bacterial membrane surface display system using cell wall-less L-forms of Proteus mirabilis and Escherichia coli

We describe a novel membrane surface display system that allows the anchoring of foreign proteins in the cytoplasmic membrane (CM) of stable, cell wall-less L-form cells of Escherichia coli and Proteus mirabilis. The reporter protein, staphylokinase (Sak), was fused to transmembrane domains of integral membrane proteins from E. coli (lactose permease LacY, preprotein translocase SecY) and P. mirabilis (curved cell morphology protein CcmA). Both L-form strains overexpressed fusion proteins in amounts of 1 to 100 microg ml(-1), with higher expression for those with homologous anchor motifs. Various experimental approaches, e.g., cell fractionation, Percoll gradient purification, and solubilization of the CM, demonstrated that the fusion proteins are tightly bound to the CM and do not form aggregates. Trypsin digestion, as well as electron microscopy of immunogold-labeled replicas, confirmed that the protein was localized on the outside surface. The displayed Sak showed functional activity, indicating correct folding. This membrane surface display system features endotoxin-poor organisms and can provide a novel platform for numerous applications.

Bacterial lipoprotein-based vaccines induce tumor necrosis factor-dependent type 1 protective immunity against Leishmania major

Immunity against Leishmania major requires rapid induction of a type 1 immune response in which tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) plays an essential role. Hence, vaccination strategies that simulate the protective immune response found in hosts that have recovered from natural infection provide a rational approach to combat leishmaniasis. One method for optimizing the qualitative and quantitative immune responses after vaccination is to use an adjuvant. In this study we demonstrate that the OprI lipoprotein (L-OprI) from Pseudomonas aeruginosa induces a long-term cellular (gamma interferon [IFN-gamma]) and humoral (immunoglobulin G2a) type 1 immune response against a truncated 32-kDa version (COOHgp63) of the 63-kDa major cell surface glycoprotein gp63. By contrast, immunization with COOHgp63 either fused to OprI nonlipoprotein or with no adjuvant did not result in the induction of type 1 immune responses. The adjuvanticity of L-OprI is strongly dependent on its capacity to induce TNF-alpha, since generation of type 1 immune responses is clearly delayed and impaired in TNF-alpha(-/-) mice. Vaccination with L-OprICOOHgp63 fusion protein protected BALB/c mice against L. major infection for at least 19 weeks. Vaccinated mice were largely free of lesions or clearly controlled lesion size on termination of the experiment. The control of disease progression in mice vaccinated with L-OprICOOHgp63 was associated with enhancement of antigen-specific IFN-gamma production. These data indicate that bacterial lipoproteins constitute appropriate adjuvants to include in vaccines against diseases in which type 1 immune responses are important for protection.

In-frame fusion of a His-Cys motif into the Pseudomonas aeruginosa outer membrane OprI lipoprotein results in increased metal binding capacity by Escherichia coli

OprI, a small outer membrane lipoprotein from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, can be produced in large amounts and anchored at the surface on Escherichia coli cells. A four-time repeated (His-Cys) motif was fused to the C-terminal part of OprI. After induction, E. coli cells harbouring the recombinant oprI gene became more sensitive to Cd and Co. The same cells, after IPTG induction, bound four to eight times more Cd and Cr than control cells expressing oprI alone.

Expressing genes in different Escherichia coli compartments

Production of heterologous proteins or parts thereof in different extra-cytoplasmic compartments (in the periplasm, outer membrane or extracellularly) of Escherichia coli offers multiple applications, for example, in vaccine development, immobilised enzymes and bioremediation. Nowadays, not only surface display of short peptides, but also cell-surface anchoring or secretion of functional proteins is possible. Factors influencing folding, stability and export of extra-cytoplasmic proteins are also better understood.

Immune response to an 18-kilodalton outer membrane antigen identifies lipoprotein 20 as a Helicobacter pylori vaccine candidate

Experiments were performed using the standardized murine model of Helicobacter pylori infection to determine the immunogenicity of H. pylori outer membrane vesicles in immune protection. These vesicles, which are naturally shed from the surface of the bacterium, induce a protective response when administered intragastrically to mice in the presence of cholera holotoxin, despite the absence of the urease enzyme and associated Hsp54 chaperonin. Immunoblotting identified a specific serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) response to an 18-kDa outer membrane protein in a significant number of immunized animals. This commonly expressed, immunodominant protein was subsequently identified as lipoprotein 20 (Lpp20). Hybridoma backpacks secreting an IgG1 subclass monoclonal antibody to Lpp20 were generated in H. pylori-infected mice and were found to significantly reduce bacterial numbers, providing evidence that this surface-exposed antigen is a true vaccine candidate and not merely an antigenic marker for successful, protective immunization.