The association of proton movement with galactose transport into subcellular membrane vesicles of Escherichia coli

Purification and properties of theEscherichia colinucleoside transporter NupG, a paradigm for a major facilitator transporter sub-family

NupG from Escherichia coli is the archetype of a family of nucleoside transporters found in several eubacterial groups and has distant homologues in eukaryotes, including man. To facilitate investigation of its molecular mechanism, we developed methods for expressing an oligohistidine-tagged form of NupG both at high levels (>20% of the inner membrane protein) in E. coli and in Xenopus laevis oocytes. In E. coli recombinant NupG transported purine (adenosine) and pyrimidine (uridine) nucleosides with apparent K(m) values of approximately 20-30 microM and transport was energized primarily by the membrane potential component of the proton motive force. Competition experiments in E. coli and measurements of uptake in oocytes confirmed that NupG was a broad-specificity transporter of purine and pyrimidine nucleosides. Importantly, using high-level expression in E. coli and magic-angle spinning cross-polarization solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance, we have for the first time been able directly to measure the binding of the permeant ([1'-(13)C]uridine) to the protein and to assess its relative mobility within the binding site, under non-energized conditions. Purification of over-expressed NupG to near homogeneity by metal chelate affinity chromatography, with retention of transport function in reconstitution assays, was also achieved. Fourier transform infrared and circular dichroism spectroscopy provided further evidence that the purified protein retained its 3D conformation and was predominantly alpha-helical in nature, consistent with a proposed structure containing 12 transmembrane helices. These findings open the way to elucidating the molecular mechanism of transport in this key family of membrane transporters.

The gusBC genes of Escherichia coli encode a glucuronide transport system

Two genes, gusB and gusC, from a natural fecal isolate of Escherichia coli are shown to encode proteins responsible for transport of beta-glucuronides with synthetic [(14)C]phenyl-1-thio-beta-d-glucuronide as the substrate. These genes are located in the gus operon downstream of the gusA gene on the E. coli genome, and their expression is induced by a variety of beta-d-glucuronides. Measurements of transport in right-side-out subcellular vesicles show the system has the characteristics of secondary active transport energized by the respiration-generated proton motive force. When the genes were cloned together downstream of the tac operator-promoter in the plasmid pTTQ18 expression vector, transport activity was increased considerably with isopropylthiogalactopyranoside as the inducer. Amplified expression of the GusB and GusC proteins enabled visualization and identification by N-terminal sequencing of both proteins, which migrated at ca. 32 kDa and 44 kDa, respectively. Separate expression of the GusB protein showed that it is essential for glucuronide transport and is located in the inner membrane, while the GusC protein does not catalyze transport but assists in an as yet unknown manner and is located in the outer membrane. The output of glucuronides as waste by mammals and uptake for nutrition by gut bacteria or reabsorption by the mammalian host is discussed.

Proton-linked L-rhamnose transport, and its comparison with L-fucose transport in Enterobacteriaceae

1. An alkaline pH change occurred when L-rhamnose, L-mannose or L-lyxose was added to L-rhamnose-grown energy-depleted suspensions of strains of Escherichia coli. This is diagnostic of sugar-H+ symport activity. 2. L-Rhamnose, L-mannose and L-lyxose were inducers of the sugar-H+ symport and of L-[14C]rhamnose transport activity. L-Rhamnose also induced the biochemically and genetically distinct L-fucose-H+ symport activity in strains competent for L-rhamnose metabolism. 3. Steady-state kinetic measurements showed that L-mannose and L-lyxose were competitive inhibitors (alternative substrates) for the L-rhamnose transport system, and that L-galactose and D-arabinose were competitive inhibitors (alternative substrates) for the L-fucose transport system. Additional measurements with other sugars of related structure defined the different substrate specificities of the two transport systems. 4. The relative rates of H+ symport and of sugar metabolism, and the relative values of their kinetic parameters, suggested that the physiological role of the transport activity was primarily for utilization of L-rhamnose, not for L-mannose or L-lyxose. 5. L-Rhamnose transport into subcellular vesicles of E. coli was dependent on respiration, was optimal at pH 7, and was inhibited by protonophores and ionophores. It was insensitive to N-ethylmaleimide or cytochalasin B. 6. L-Rhamnose, L-mannose and L-lyxose each elicited an alkaline pH change when added to energy-depleted suspensions of L-rhamnose-grown Salmonella typhimurium LT2, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Klebsiella aerogenes, Erwinia carotovora carotovora and Erwinia carotovora atroseptica. The relative rates of subsequent acidification varied, depending on both the organism and the sugar. L-Fucose promoted an alkaline pH change in all the L-rhamnose-induced organisms except the Erwinia species. No L-rhamnose-H+ symport occurred in any organism grown on L-fucose. 7. All these results showed that L-rhamnose transport into the micro-organisms occurred by a system different from that for L-fucose transport. Both systems are energized by the trans-membrane electrochemical gradient of protons. 8. Neither steady-state kinetic measurements nor binding-protein assays revealed the existence of a second L-rhamnose transport system in E. coli.

Proton-linked sugar transport systems in bacteria

The cell membranes of various bacteria contain proton-linked transport systems for D-xylose, L-arabinose, D-galactose, D-glucose, L-rhamnose, L-fucose, lactose, and melibiose. The melibiose transporter of E. coli is linked to both Na+ and H+ translocation. The substrate and inhibitor specificities of the monosaccharide transporters are described. By locating, cloning, and sequencing the genes encoding the sugar/H+ transporters in E. coli, the primary sequences of the transport proteins have been deduced. Those for xylose/H+, arabinose/H+, and galactose/H+ transport are homologous to each other. Furthermore, they are just as similar to the primary sequences of the following: glucose transport proteins found in a Cyanobacterium, yeast, alga, rat, mouse, and man; proteins for transport of galactose, lactose, or maltose in species of yeast; and to a developmentally regulated protein of Leishmania for which a function is not yet established. Some of these proteins catalyze facilitated diffusion of the sugar without cation transport. From the alignments of the homologous amino acid sequences, predictions of common structural features can be made: there are likely to be twelve membrane-spanning alpha-helices, possibly in two groups of six; there is a central hydrophilic region, probably comprised largely of alpha-helix; the highly conserved amino acid residues (40-50 out of 472-522 total) form discrete patterns or motifs throughout the proteins that are presumably critical for substrate recognition and the molecular mechanism of transport. Some of these features are found also in other transport proteins for citrate, tetracycline, lactose, or melibiose, the primary sequences of which are not similar to each other or to the homologous series of transporters. The glucose/Na+ transporter of rabbit and man is different in primary sequence to all the other sugar transporters characterized, but it is homologous to the proline/Na+ transporter of E. coli, and there is evidence for its structural similarity to glucose/H+ transporters in Plants. In vivo and in vitro mutagenesis of the lactose/H+ and melibiose/Na+ (H+) transporters of E. coli has identified individual amino acid residues alterations of which affect sugar and/or cation recognition and parameters of transport. Most of the bacterial transport proteins have been identified and the lactose/H+ transporter has been purified. The directions of future investigations are discussed.

Proton-linked L-fucose transport in Escherichia coli

1. Addition of L-fucose to energy-depleted anaerobic suspensions of Escherichia coli elicited an uncoupler-sensitive alkaline pH change diagnostic of L-fucose/H+ symport activity. 2. L-Galactose or D-arabinose were also substrates, but not inducers, for the L-fucose/H+ symporter. 3. L-Fucose transport into subcellular vesicles was dependent upon respiration, displayed a pH optimum of about 5.5, and was inhibited by protonophores and ionophores. 4. These results showed that L-fucose transport into E. coli was energized by the transmembrane electrochemical gradient of protons. 5. Neither steady state kinetic measurements nor assays of L-fucose binding to periplasmic proteins revealed the existence of a second L-fucose transport system.