1
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Wu Y, Bell A, Thomas GH, Bolam DN, Sargent F, Juge N, Palmer T, Severi E. Characterisation of anhydro-sialic acid transporters from mucosa-associated bacteria. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2024; 170:001448. [PMID: 38488830 PMCID: PMC10955332 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Sialic acid (Sia) transporters are critical to the capacity of host-associated bacteria to utilise Sia for growth and/or cell surface modification. While N-acetyl-neuraminic acid (Neu5Ac)-specific transporters have been studied extensively, little is known on transporters dedicated to anhydro-Sia forms such as 2,7-anhydro-Neu5Ac (2,7-AN) or 2,3-dehydro-2-deoxy-Neu5Ac (Neu5Ac2en). Here, we used a Sia-transport-null strain of Escherichia coli to investigate the function of members of anhydro-Sia transporter families previously identified by computational studies. First, we showed that the transporter NanG, from the Glycoside-Pentoside-Hexuronide:cation symporter family, is a specific 2,7-AN transporter, and identified by mutagenesis a crucial functional residue within the putative substrate-binding site. We then demonstrated that NanX transporters, of the Major Facilitator Superfamily, also only transport 2,7-AN and not Neu5Ac2en nor Neu5Ac. Finally, we provided evidence that SiaX transporters, of the Sodium-Solute Symporter superfamily, are promiscuous Neu5Ac/Neu5Ac2en transporters able to acquire either substrate equally well. The characterisation of anhydro-Sia transporters expands our current understanding of prokaryotic Sia metabolism within host-associated microbial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunhan Wu
- Microbes in Health and Disease, Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Framlington Place, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Andrew Bell
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Gut Microbes and Health Institute Strategic Programme, Rosalind Franklin Road, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UQ, UK
| | - Gavin H. Thomas
- Department of Biology and York Biomedical Research Institute (YBRI), Wentworth Way, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
| | - David N. Bolam
- Microbes in Health and Disease, Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Framlington Place, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Frank Sargent
- Microbes in Health and Disease, Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Framlington Place, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Nathalie Juge
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Gut Microbes and Health Institute Strategic Programme, Rosalind Franklin Road, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UQ, UK
| | - Tracy Palmer
- Microbes in Health and Disease, Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Framlington Place, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Emmanuele Severi
- Microbes in Health and Disease, Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Framlington Place, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK
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2
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Currie MJ, Davies JS, Scalise M, Gulati A, Wright JD, Newton-Vesty MC, Abeysekera GS, Subramanian R, Wahlgren WY, Friemann R, Allison JR, Mace PD, Griffin MDW, Demeler B, Wakatsuki S, Drew D, Indiveri C, Dobson RCJ, North RA. Structural and biophysical analysis of a Haemophilus influenzae tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic (TRAP) transporter. eLife 2024; 12:RP92307. [PMID: 38349818 PMCID: PMC10942642 DOI: 10.7554/elife.92307] [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] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic (TRAP) transporters are secondary-active transporters that receive their substrates via a soluble-binding protein to move bioorganic acids across bacterial or archaeal cell membranes. Recent cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of TRAP transporters provide a broad framework to understand how they work, but the mechanistic details of transport are not yet defined. Here we report the cryo-EM structure of the Haemophilus influenzae N-acetylneuraminate TRAP transporter (HiSiaQM) at 2.99 Å resolution (extending to 2.2 Å at the core), revealing new features. The improved resolution (the previous HiSiaQM structure is 4.7 Å resolution) permits accurate assignment of two Na+ sites and the architecture of the substrate-binding site, consistent with mutagenic and functional data. Moreover, rather than a monomer, the HiSiaQM structure is a homodimer. We observe lipids at the dimer interface, as well as a lipid trapped within the fusion that links the SiaQ and SiaM subunits. We show that the affinity (KD) for the complex between the soluble HiSiaP protein and HiSiaQM is in the micromolar range and that a related SiaP can bind HiSiaQM. This work provides key data that enhances our understanding of the 'elevator-with-an-operator' mechanism of TRAP transporters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Currie
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre, Maurice Wilkins Centre for Biodiscovery, MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, and School of Biological Sciences, University of CanterburyChristchurchNew Zealand
| | - James S Davies
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre, Maurice Wilkins Centre for Biodiscovery, MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, and School of Biological Sciences, University of CanterburyChristchurchNew Zealand
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm UniversityStockholmSweden
| | - Mariafrancesca Scalise
- Department DiBEST (Biologia, Ecologia, Scienze della Terra) Unit of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, University of CalabriaArcavacata di RendeItaly
| | - Ashutosh Gulati
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm UniversityStockholmSweden
| | - Joshua D Wright
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre, Maurice Wilkins Centre for Biodiscovery, MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, and School of Biological Sciences, University of CanterburyChristchurchNew Zealand
| | - Michael C Newton-Vesty
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre, Maurice Wilkins Centre for Biodiscovery, MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, and School of Biological Sciences, University of CanterburyChristchurchNew Zealand
| | - Gayan S Abeysekera
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre, Maurice Wilkins Centre for Biodiscovery, MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, and School of Biological Sciences, University of CanterburyChristchurchNew Zealand
| | - Ramaswamy Subramanian
- Biological Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, Bindley Bioscience Center, Purdue University West LafayetteWest LafayetteUnited States
| | - Weixiao Y Wahlgren
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
| | - Rosmarie Friemann
- Centre for Antibiotic Resistance Research (CARe) at University of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
| | - Jane R Allison
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre, Digital Life Institute, Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, and School of Biological Sciences, University of AucklandAucklandNew Zealand
| | - Peter D Mace
- Biochemistry Department, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of OtagoDunedinNew Zealand
| | - Michael DW Griffin
- ARC Centre for Cryo-electron Microscopy of Membrane Proteins, Bio Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, University of MelbourneMelbourneAustralia
| | - Borries Demeler
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of MontanaMissoulaUnited States
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of LethbridgeLethbridgeCanada
| | - Soichi Wakatsuki
- Biological Sciences Division, SLAC National Accelerator LaboratoryMenlo ParkUnited States
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
| | - David Drew
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm UniversityStockholmSweden
| | - Cesare Indiveri
- Department DiBEST (Biologia, Ecologia, Scienze della Terra) Unit of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, University of CalabriaArcavacata di RendeItaly
- CNR Institute of Biomembranes, Bioenergetics and Molecular Biotechnologies (IBIOM)BariItaly
| | - Renwick CJ Dobson
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre, Maurice Wilkins Centre for Biodiscovery, MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, and School of Biological Sciences, University of CanterburyChristchurchNew Zealand
- ARC Centre for Cryo-electron Microscopy of Membrane Proteins, Bio Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, University of MelbourneMelbourneAustralia
| | - Rachel A North
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm UniversityStockholmSweden
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of SydneySydneyAustralia
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3
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Davies JS, Currie MJ, Dobson RCJ, Horne CR, North RA. TRAPs: the 'elevator-with-an-operator' mechanism. Trends Biochem Sci 2024; 49:134-144. [PMID: 38102017 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2023.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic (TRAP) transporters are nutrient-uptake systems found in bacteria and archaea. These evolutionary divergent transporter systems couple a substrate-binding protein (SBP) to an elevator-type secondary transporter, which is a first-of-its-kind mechanism of transport. Here, we highlight breakthrough TRAP transporter structures and recent functional data that probe the mechanism of transport. Furthermore, we discuss recent structural and biophysical studies of the ion transporter superfamily (ITS) members and highlight mechanistic principles that are relevant for further exploration of the TRAP transporter system.
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Affiliation(s)
- James S Davies
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Michael J Currie
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre, Maurice Wilkins Centre for Biodiscovery, MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand; School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand
| | - Renwick C J Dobson
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre, Maurice Wilkins Centre for Biodiscovery, MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand; School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand; Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Christopher R Horne
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia.
| | - Rachel A North
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden; School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
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4
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Drew D, Boudker O. Ion and lipid orchestration of secondary active transport. Nature 2024; 626:963-974. [PMID: 38418916 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07062-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Transporting small molecules across cell membranes is an essential process in cell physiology. Many structurally diverse, secondary active transporters harness transmembrane electrochemical gradients of ions to power the uptake or efflux of nutrients, signalling molecules, drugs and other ions across cell membranes. Transporters reside in lipid bilayers on the interface between two aqueous compartments, where they are energized and regulated by symported, antiported and allosteric ions on both sides of the membrane and the membrane bilayer itself. Here we outline the mechanisms by which transporters couple ion and solute fluxes and discuss how structural and mechanistic variations enable them to meet specific physiological needs and adapt to environmental conditions. We then consider how general bilayer properties and specific lipid binding modulate transporter activity. Together, ion gradients and lipid properties ensure the effective transport, regulation and distribution of small molecules across cell membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Drew
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Olga Boudker
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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5
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Roden A, Engelin MK, Pos KM, Geertsma ER. Membrane-anchored substrate binding proteins are deployed in secondary TAXI transporters. Biol Chem 2023:hsz-2022-0337. [PMID: 36916166 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2022-0337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
Substrate-binding proteins (SBPs) are part of solute transport systems and serve to increase substrate affinity and uptake rates. In contrast to primary transport systems, the mechanism of SBP-dependent secondary transport is not well understood. Functional studies have thus far focused on Na+-coupled Tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic (TRAP) transporters for sialic acid. Herein, we report the in vitro functional characterization of TAXIPm-PQM from the human pathogen Proteus mirabilis. TAXIPm-PQM belongs to a TRAP-subfamily using a different type of SBP, designated TRAP-associated extracytoplasmic immunogenic (TAXI) protein. TAXIPm-PQM catalyzes proton-dependent α-ketoglutarate symport and its SBP is an essential component of the transport mechanism. Importantly, TAXIPm-PQM represents the first functionally characterized SBP-dependent secondary transporter that does not rely on a soluble SBP, but uses a membrane-anchored SBP instead.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Roden
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biocenter, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 9, D-60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Melanie K Engelin
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biocenter, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 9, D-60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Klaas M Pos
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biocenter, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 9, D-60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Eric R Geertsma
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biocenter, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 9, D-60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstrasse 108, D-01307 Dresden, Germany
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6
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Davies JS, Currie MJ, North RA, Scalise M, Wright JD, Copping JM, Remus DM, Gulati A, Morado DR, Jamieson SA, Newton-Vesty MC, Abeysekera GS, Ramaswamy S, Friemann R, Wakatsuki S, Allison JR, Indiveri C, Drew D, Mace PD, Dobson RCJ. Structure and mechanism of a tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic TRAP transporter. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1120. [PMID: 36849793 PMCID: PMC9971032 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36590-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023] Open
Abstract
In bacteria and archaea, tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic (TRAP) transporters uptake essential nutrients. TRAP transporters receive their substrates via a secreted soluble substrate-binding protein. How a sodium ion-driven secondary active transporter is strictly coupled to a substrate-binding protein is poorly understood. Here we report the cryo-EM structure of the sialic acid TRAP transporter SiaQM from Photobacterium profundum at 2.97 Å resolution. SiaM comprises a "transport" domain and a "scaffold" domain, with the transport domain consisting of helical hairpins as seen in the sodium ion-coupled elevator transporter VcINDY. The SiaQ protein forms intimate contacts with SiaM to extend the size of the scaffold domain, suggesting that TRAP transporters may operate as monomers, rather than the typically observed oligomers for elevator-type transporters. We identify the Na+ and sialic acid binding sites in SiaM and demonstrate a strict dependence on the substrate-binding protein SiaP for uptake. We report the SiaP crystal structure that, together with docking studies, suggest the molecular basis for how sialic acid is delivered to the SiaQM transporter complex. We thus propose a model for substrate transport by TRAP proteins, which we describe herein as an 'elevator-with-an-operator' mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- James S Davies
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre, Maurice Wilkins Centre for Biodiscovery, MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology and School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, PO Box 4800, Christchurch, 8140, New Zealand.,Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, 10691, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Michael J Currie
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre, Maurice Wilkins Centre for Biodiscovery, MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology and School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, PO Box 4800, Christchurch, 8140, New Zealand
| | - Rachel A North
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre, Maurice Wilkins Centre for Biodiscovery, MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology and School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, PO Box 4800, Christchurch, 8140, New Zealand. .,Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, 10691, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Mariafrancesca Scalise
- Department DiBEST (Biologia, Ecologia, Scienze della Terra) Unit of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci 4C, 87036, Arcavacata di Rende, Italy
| | - Joshua D Wright
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre, Maurice Wilkins Centre for Biodiscovery, MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology and School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, PO Box 4800, Christchurch, 8140, New Zealand
| | - Jack M Copping
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre, Digital Life Institute, Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, and School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand
| | - Daniela M Remus
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre, Maurice Wilkins Centre for Biodiscovery, MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology and School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, PO Box 4800, Christchurch, 8140, New Zealand
| | - Ashutosh Gulati
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, 10691, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Dustin R Morado
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, 17165, Solna, Sweden
| | - Sam A Jamieson
- Biochemistry Department, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand
| | - Michael C Newton-Vesty
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre, Maurice Wilkins Centre for Biodiscovery, MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology and School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, PO Box 4800, Christchurch, 8140, New Zealand
| | - Gayan S Abeysekera
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre, Maurice Wilkins Centre for Biodiscovery, MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology and School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, PO Box 4800, Christchurch, 8140, New Zealand
| | - Subramanian Ramaswamy
- Biological Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, Bindley Bioscience Center, Purdue University, 1203 W State St, West Lafayette, IN 47906, USA
| | - Rosmarie Friemann
- Centre for Antibiotic Resistance Research (CARe) at University of Gothenburg, Box 440, S-40530, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Soichi Wakatsuki
- Biological Sciences Division, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA.,Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Jane R Allison
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre, Digital Life Institute, Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, and School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand
| | - Cesare Indiveri
- Department DiBEST (Biologia, Ecologia, Scienze della Terra) Unit of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci 4C, 87036, Arcavacata di Rende, Italy.,CNR Institute of Biomembranes, Bioenergetics and Molecular Biotechnologies (IBIOM), Via Amendola 122/O, 70126, Bari, Italy
| | - David Drew
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, 10691, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Peter D Mace
- Biochemistry Department, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand
| | - Renwick C J Dobson
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre, Maurice Wilkins Centre for Biodiscovery, MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology and School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, PO Box 4800, Christchurch, 8140, New Zealand. .,Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia.
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7
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McDonald ND, Rosenberger JR, Almagro-Moreno S, Boyd EF. The Role of Nutrients and Nutritional Signals in the Pathogenesis of Vibrio cholerae. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2023; 1404:195-211. [PMID: 36792877 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-22997-8_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Vibrio cholerae, the agent of cholera, is a natural inhabitant of aquatic environments. Over the past decades, the importance of specific nutrients and micronutrients in the environmental survival, host colonization, and pathogenesis of this species has become increasingly clear. For instance, V. cholerae has evolved ingenious mechanisms that allow the bacterium to colonize and establish a niche in the intestine of human hosts, where it competes with commensals (gut microbiota) and other pathogenic bacteria for available nutrients. Here, we discuss the carbon and energy sources utilized by V. cholerae and what is known about the role of nutrition in V. cholerae colonization. We examine how nutritional signals affect virulence gene regulation and how interactions with intestinal commensal species can affect intestinal colonization.
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Affiliation(s)
- N D McDonald
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - J R Rosenberger
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - S Almagro-Moreno
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA.,National Center for Integrated Coastal Research, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - E Fidelma Boyd
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA.
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8
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Bell A, Severi E, Owen CD, Latousakis D, Juge N. Biochemical and structural basis of sialic acid utilization by gut microbes. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:102989. [PMID: 36758803 PMCID: PMC10017367 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.102989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The human gastrointestinal (GI) tract harbors diverse microbial communities collectively known as the gut microbiota that exert a profound impact on human health and disease. The repartition and availability of sialic acid derivatives in the gut have a significant impact on the modulation of gut microbes and host susceptibility to infection and inflammation. Although N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) is the main form of sialic acids in humans, the sialic acid family regroups more than 50 structurally and chemically distinct modified derivatives. In the GI tract, sialic acids are found in the terminal location of mucin glycan chains constituting the mucus layer and also come from human milk oligosaccharides in the infant gut or from meat-based foods in adults. The repartition of sialic acid in the GI tract influences the gut microbiota composition and pathogen colonization. In this review, we provide an update on the mechanisms underpinning sialic acid utilization by gut microbes, focusing on sialidases, transporters, and metabolic enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Bell
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Gut Microbes and Health Institute Strategic Programme, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Emmanuele Severi
- Microbes in Health and Disease, Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - C David Owen
- Diamond Light Source Ltd, Diamond House, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Dimitrios Latousakis
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Gut Microbes and Health Institute Strategic Programme, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Nathalie Juge
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Gut Microbes and Health Institute Strategic Programme, Norwich, United Kingdom.
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9
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Peter MF, Ruland JA, Depping P, Schneberger N, Severi E, Moecking J, Gatterdam K, Tindall S, Durand A, Heinz V, Siebrasse JP, Koenig PA, Geyer M, Ziegler C, Kubitscheck U, Thomas GH, Hagelueken G. Structural and mechanistic analysis of a tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic TRAP transporter. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4471. [PMID: 35927235 PMCID: PMC9352664 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31907-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic (TRAP) transporters are found widely in bacteria and archaea and consist of three structural domains, a soluble substrate-binding protein (P-domain), and two transmembrane domains (Q- and M-domains). HiSiaPQM and its homologs are TRAP transporters for sialic acid and are essential for host colonization by pathogenic bacteria. Here, we reconstitute HiSiaQM into lipid nanodiscs and use cryo-EM to reveal the structure of a TRAP transporter. It is composed of 16 transmembrane helices that are unexpectedly structurally related to multimeric elevator-type transporters. The idiosyncratic Q-domain of TRAP transporters enables the formation of a monomeric elevator architecture. A model of the tripartite PQM complex is experimentally validated and reveals the coupling of the substrate-binding protein to the transporter domains. We use single-molecule total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy in solid-supported lipid bilayers and surface plasmon resonance to study the formation of the tripartite complex and to investigate the impact of interface mutants. Furthermore, we characterize high-affinity single variable domains on heavy chain (VHH) antibodies that bind to the periplasmic side of HiSiaQM and inhibit sialic acid uptake, providing insight into how TRAP transporter function might be inhibited in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin F Peter
- Institute of Structural Biology, University of Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jan A Ruland
- Institute for Physical und Theoretical Chemistry, University of Bonn, Wegelerstr. 12, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Peer Depping
- Institute of Structural Biology, University of Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany
- Aston Centre for Membrane Proteins and Lipids Research, Aston St., B4 7ET, Birmingham, UK
| | - Niels Schneberger
- Institute of Structural Biology, University of Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Emmanuele Severi
- Department of Biology (Area 10), University of York, York, YO10 5YW, UK
- Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle, NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Jonas Moecking
- Institute of Structural Biology, University of Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Karl Gatterdam
- Institute of Structural Biology, University of Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Sarah Tindall
- Department of Biology (Area 10), University of York, York, YO10 5YW, UK
| | - Alexandre Durand
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Molecule et Cellulaire, 1 Rue Laurent Fries, 67404, Illkirch Cedex, France
| | - Veronika Heinz
- Institute of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 31, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Jan Peter Siebrasse
- Institute for Physical und Theoretical Chemistry, University of Bonn, Wegelerstr. 12, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Paul-Albert Koenig
- Core Facility Nanobodies, University of Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Matthias Geyer
- Institute of Structural Biology, University of Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Christine Ziegler
- Institute of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 31, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Ulrich Kubitscheck
- Institute for Physical und Theoretical Chemistry, University of Bonn, Wegelerstr. 12, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Gavin H Thomas
- Department of Biology (Area 10), University of York, York, YO10 5YW, UK
| | - Gregor Hagelueken
- Institute of Structural Biology, University of Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany.
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10
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Bisson C, Salmon RC, West L, Rafferty JB, Hitchcock A, Thomas GH, Kelly DJ. The structural basis for high-affinity uptake of lignin-derived aromatic compounds by proteobacterial TRAP transporters. FEBS J 2021; 289:436-456. [PMID: 34375507 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The organic polymer lignin is a component of plant cell walls, which like (hemi)-cellulose is highly abundant in nature and relatively resistant to degradation. However, extracellular enzymes released by natural microbial consortia can cleave the β-aryl ether linkages in lignin, releasing monoaromatic phenylpropanoids that can be further catabolised by diverse species of bacteria. Biodegradation of lignin is therefore important in global carbon cycling, and its natural abundance also makes it an attractive biotechnological feedstock for the industrial production of commodity chemicals. Whilst the pathways for degradation of lignin-derived aromatics have been extensively characterised, much less is understood about how they are recognised and taken up from the environment. The purple phototrophic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas palustris can grow on a range of phenylpropanoid monomers and is a model organism for studying their uptake and breakdown. R. palustris encodes a tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic (TRAP) transporter (TarPQM) linked to genes encoding phenylpropanoid-degrading enzymes. The periplasmic solute-binding protein component of this transporter, TarP, has previously been shown to bind aromatic substrates. Here, we determine the high-resolution crystal structure of TarP from R. palustris as well as the structures of homologous proteins from the salt marsh bacterium Sagittula stellata and the halophile Chromohalobacter salexigens, which also grow on lignin-derived aromatics. In combination with tryptophan fluorescence ligand-binding assays, our ligand-bound co-crystal structures reveal the molecular basis for high-affinity recognition of phenylpropanoids by these TRAP transporters, which have potential for improving uptake of these compounds for biotechnological transformations of lignin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudine Bisson
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Sheffield, UK
| | - Robert C Salmon
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Sheffield, UK
| | - Laura West
- Department of Biology, University of York, UK
| | - John B Rafferty
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Sheffield, UK
| | - Andrew Hitchcock
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Sheffield, UK
| | | | - David J Kelly
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Sheffield, UK
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11
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Severi E, Rudden M, Bell A, Palmer T, Juge N, Thomas GH. Multiple evolutionary origins reflect the importance of sialic acid transporters in the colonization potential of bacterial pathogens and commensals. Microb Genom 2021; 7. [PMID: 34184979 PMCID: PMC8461474 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Located at the tip of cell surface glycoconjugates, sialic acids are at the forefront of host-microbe interactions and, being easily liberated by sialidase enzymes, are used as metabolites by numerous bacteria, particularly by pathogens and commensals living on or near diverse mucosal surfaces. These bacteria rely on specific transporters for the acquisition of host-derived sialic acids. Here, we present the first comprehensive genomic and phylogenetic analysis of bacterial sialic acid transporters, leading to the identification of multiple new families and subfamilies. Our phylogenetic analysis suggests that sialic acid-specific transport has evolved independently at least eight times during the evolution of bacteria, from within four of the major families/superfamilies of bacterial transporters, and we propose a robust classification scheme to bring together a myriad of different nomenclatures that exist to date. The new transporters discovered occur in diverse bacteria, including Spirochaetes, Bacteroidetes, Planctomycetes and Verrucomicrobia, many of which are species that have not been previously recognized to have sialometabolic capacities. Two subfamilies of transporters stand out in being fused to the sialic acid mutarotase enzyme, NanM, and these transporter fusions are enriched in bacteria present in gut microbial communities. Our analysis supports the increasing experimental evidence that competition for host-derived sialic acid is a key phenotype for successful colonization of complex mucosal microbiomes, such that a strong evolutionary selection has occurred for the emergence of sialic acid specificity within existing transporter architectures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuele Severi
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, UK.,Microbes in Health and Disease, Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | | | - Andrew Bell
- Gut Microbes and Health Institute Strategic Programme, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Tracy Palmer
- Microbes in Health and Disease, Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Nathalie Juge
- Gut Microbes and Health Institute Strategic Programme, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
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12
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Schäfer L, Meinert-Berning C, Kobus S, Höppner A, Smits SHJ, Steinbüchel A. Crystal structure of the sugar acid-binding protein CxaP from a TRAP transporter in Advenella mimigardefordensis strain DPN7 T. FEBS J 2021; 288:4905-4917. [PMID: 33630388 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Recently, CxaP, a sugar acid substrate binding protein (SBP) from Advenella mimigardefordensis strain DPN7T , was identified as part of a novel sugar uptake strategy. In the present study, the protein was successfully crystallized. Although several SBP structures of tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic transporters have already been solved, this is the first structure of an SBP accepting multiple sugar acid ligands. Protein crystals were obtained with bound d-xylonic acid, d-fuconic acid d-galactonic and d-gluconic acid, respectively. The protein shows the typical structure of an SBP of a tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic transporter consisting of two domains linked by a hinge and spanned by a long α-helix. By analysis of the structure, the substrate binding site of the protein was identified. The carboxylic group of the sugar acids interacts with Arg175, whereas the coordination of the hydroxylic groups at positions C2 and C3 is most probably realized by Arg154 and Asn151. Furthermore, it was observed that 2-keto-3-deoxy-d-gluconic acid is bound in protein crystals that were crystallized without the addition of any ligand, indicating that this molecule is prebound to the protein and is displaced by the other ligands if they are available. DATABASE: Structural data of CxaP complexes are available in the worldwide Protein Data Bank (https://www.rcsb.org) under the accession codes 7BBR (2-keto-3-deoxy-d-gluconic acid), 7BCR (d-galactonic acid), 7BCN (d-xylonic acid), 7BCO (d-fuconic acid) and 7BCP (d-gluconic acid).
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Schäfer
- Institute of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Westfälische Wilhelms University Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Christina Meinert-Berning
- Institute of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Westfälische Wilhelms University Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Stefanie Kobus
- Center for Structural Studies, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Astrid Höppner
- Center for Structural Studies, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Sander H J Smits
- Center for Structural Studies, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.,Institute of Biochemistry, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Alexander Steinbüchel
- Institute of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Westfälische Wilhelms University Münster, Münster, Germany.,Environmental Science Department, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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13
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Thomas GH. Microbial Musings – March 2021. Microbiology (Reading) 2021; 167. [DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Gavin H. Thomas
- Department of Biology, University of York, York YO10 5YW, UK
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14
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Peter MF, Gebhardt C, Glaenzer J, Schneberger N, de Boer M, Thomas GH, Cordes T, Hagelueken G. Triggering Closure of a Sialic Acid TRAP Transporter Substrate Binding Protein through Binding of Natural or Artificial Substrates. J Mol Biol 2021; 433:166756. [PMID: 33316271 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2020.166756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The pathogens Vibrio cholerae and Haemophilus influenzae use tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic transporters (TRAPs) to scavenge sialic acid from host tissues. They use it as a nutrient or to evade the innate immune system by sialylating surface lipopolysaccharides. An essential component of TRAP transporters is a periplasmic substrate binding protein (SBP). Without substrate, the SBP has been proposed to rest in an open-state, which is not recognised by the transporter. Substrate binding induces a conformational change of the SBP and it is thought that this closed state is recognised by the transporter, triggering substrate translocation. Here we use real time single molecule FRET experiments and crystallography to investigate the open- to closed-state transition of VcSiaP, the SBP of the sialic acid TRAP transporter from V. cholerae. We show that the conformational switching of VcSiaP is strictly substrate induced, confirming an important aspect of the proposed transport mechanism. Two new crystal structures of VcSiaP provide insights into the closing mechanism. While the first structure contains the natural ligand, sialic acid, the second structure contains an artificial peptide in the sialic acid binding site. Together, the two structures suggest that the ligand itself stabilises the closed state and that SBP closure is triggered by physically bridging the gap between the two lobes of the SBP. Finally, we demonstrate that the affinity for the artificial peptide substrate can be substantially increased by varying its amino acid sequence and by this, serve as a starting point for the development of peptide-based inhibitors of TRAP transporters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin F Peter
- Institute of Structural Biology, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Christian Gebhardt
- Physical and Synthetic Biology, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Janin Glaenzer
- Institute of Structural Biology, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Niels Schneberger
- Institute of Structural Biology, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Marijn de Boer
- Molecular Microscopy Research Group, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Gavin H Thomas
- Department of Biology (Area 10), University of York, York YO10 5YW, UK
| | - Thorben Cordes
- Physical and Synthetic Biology, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany; Molecular Microscopy Research Group, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Gregor Hagelueken
- Institute of Structural Biology, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany.
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15
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Coker JK, Moyne O, Rodionov DA, Zengler K. Carbohydrates great and small, from dietary fiber to sialic acids: How glycans influence the gut microbiome and affect human health. Gut Microbes 2021; 13:1-18. [PMID: 33615984 PMCID: PMC7899658 DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2020.1869502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Gut microbiome composition depends heavily upon diet and has strong ties to human health. Dietary carbohydrates shape the gut microbiome by providing a potent nutrient source for particular microbes. This review explores how dietary carbohydrates in general, including individual monosaccharides and complex polysaccharides, influence the gut microbiome with subsequent effects on host health and disease. In particular, the effects of sialic acids, a prominent and influential class of monosaccharides, are discussed. Complex plant carbohydrates, such as dietary fiber, generally promote microbial production of compounds beneficial to the host while preventing degradation of host carbohydrates from colonic mucus. In contrast, simple and easily digestible sugars such as glucose are often associated with adverse effects on health and the microbiome. The monosaccharide class of sialic acids exerts a powerful but nuanced effect on gut microbiota. Sialic acid consumption (in monosaccharide form, or as part of human milk oligosaccharides or certain animal-based foods) drives the growth of organisms with sialic acid metabolism capabilities. Minor chemical modifications of Neu5Ac, the most common form of sialic acid, can alter these effects. All aspects of carbohydrate composition are therefore relevant to consider when designing dietary therapeutic strategies to alter the gut microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna K Coker
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, USA
| | - Oriane Moyne
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, USA
| | - Dmitry A. Rodionov
- Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, USA
- A.A. Kharkevich Institute for Information Transmission Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Karsten Zengler
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, USA
- Center for Microbiome Innovation, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, USA
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16
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Bell A, Severi E, Lee M, Monaco S, Latousakis D, Angulo J, Thomas GH, Naismith JH, Juge N. Uncovering a novel molecular mechanism for scavenging sialic acids in bacteria. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:13724-13736. [PMID: 32669363 PMCID: PMC7535918 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra120.014454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Revised: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The human gut symbiont Ruminococcus gnavus scavenges host-derived N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) from mucins by converting it to 2,7-anhydro-Neu5Ac. We previously showed that 2,7-anhydro-Neu5Ac is transported into R. gnavus ATCC 29149 before being converted back to Neu5Ac for further metabolic processing. However, the molecular mechanism leading to the conversion of 2,7-anhydro-Neu5Ac to Neu5Ac remained elusive. Using 1D and 2D NMR, we elucidated the multistep enzymatic mechanism of the oxidoreductase (RgNanOx) that leads to the reversible conversion of 2,7-anhydro-Neu5Ac to Neu5Ac through formation of a 4-keto-2-deoxy-2,3-dehydro-N-acetylneuraminic acid intermediate and NAD+ regeneration. The crystal structure of RgNanOx in complex with the NAD+ cofactor showed a protein dimer with a Rossman fold. Guided by the RgNanOx structure, we identified catalytic residues by site-directed mutagenesis. Bioinformatics analyses revealed the presence of RgNanOx homologues across Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial species and co-occurrence with sialic acid transporters. We showed by electrospray ionization spray MS that the Escherichia coli homologue YjhC displayed activity against 2,7-anhydro-Neu5Ac and that E. coli could catabolize 2,7-anhydro-Neu5Ac. Differential scanning fluorimetry analyses confirmed the binding of YjhC to the substrates 2,7-anhydro-Neu5Ac and Neu5Ac, as well as to co-factors NAD and NADH. Finally, using E. coli mutants and complementation growth assays, we demonstrated that 2,7-anhydro-Neu5Ac catabolism in E. coli depended on YjhC and on the predicted sialic acid transporter YjhB. These results revealed the molecular mechanisms of 2,7-anhydro-Neu5Ac catabolism across bacterial species and a novel sialic acid transport and catabolism pathway in E. coli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Bell
- Gut Microbes and Health Institute Strategic Programme, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | | | - Micah Lee
- Division of Structural Biology, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Serena Monaco
- School of Pharmacy, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Dimitrios Latousakis
- Gut Microbes and Health Institute Strategic Programme, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Jesus Angulo
- School of Pharmacy, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, United Kingdom; Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain; Instituto de Investigaciones Químicas (CSIC-US), Sevilla, Spain
| | - Gavin H Thomas
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, United Kingdom
| | - James H Naismith
- Division of Structural Biology, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Nathalie Juge
- Gut Microbes and Health Institute Strategic Programme, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich, United Kingdom.
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17
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Elucidation of a sialic acid metabolism pathway in mucus-foraging Ruminococcus gnavus unravels mechanisms of bacterial adaptation to the gut. Nat Microbiol 2019; 4:2393-2404. [PMID: 31636419 PMCID: PMC6881182 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-019-0590-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Sialic acid (Neu5Ac) is commonly found in terminal location of colonic mucins glycans where it is a much-coveted nutrient for gut bacteria including Ruminococcus gnavus. R. gnavus is part of the healthy gut microbiota in humans but shows a disproportionate representation in diseases. There is therefore a need in understanding the molecular mechanisms underpinning its adaptation to the gut. Previous in vitro work demonstrated that R. gnavus mucin glycan-foraging strategy is strain-dependent and associated with the expression of an intramolecular trans-sialidase releasing 2,7-anhydro-Neu5Ac instead of Neu5Ac from mucins. Here, we have unravelled the metabolism pathway of 2,7-anhydro-Neu5Ac in R. gnavus which is underpinned by the exquisite specificity of the sialic transporter for 2,7-anhydro-Neu5Ac, and by the action of an oxidoreductase converting 2,7-anhydro-Neu5Ac into Neu5Ac which then becomes substrate of a Neu5Ac-specific aldolase. Having generated a R. gnavus nan cluster deletion mutant that lost the ability to grow on sialylated substrates, we showed that in gnotobiotic mice colonised with R. gnavus wild-type and mutant strains, the fitness of the nan mutant was significantly impaired with a reduced ability to colonise the mucus layer. Overall, our study revealed a unique sialic acid pathway in bacteria, with significant implications for the spatial adaptation of mucin-foraging gut symbionts in health and disease.
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18
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Minhas GS, Bawdon D, Herman R, Rudden M, Stone AP, James AG, Thomas GH, Newstead S. Structural basis of malodour precursor transport in the human axilla. eLife 2018; 7:e34995. [PMID: 29966586 PMCID: PMC6059767 DOI: 10.7554/elife.34995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2018] [Accepted: 06/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Mammals produce volatile odours that convey different types of societal information. In Homo sapiens, this is now recognised as body odour, a key chemical component of which is the sulphurous thioalcohol, 3-methyl-3-sulfanylhexan-1-ol (3M3SH). Volatile 3M3SH is produced in the underarm as a result of specific microbial activity, which act on the odourless dipeptide-containing malodour precursor molecule, S-Cys-Gly-3M3SH, secreted in the axilla (underarm) during colonisation. The mechanism by which these bacteria recognise S-Cys-Gly-3M3SH and produce body odour is still poorly understood. Here we report the structural and biochemical basis of bacterial transport of S-Cys-Gly-3M3SH by Staphylococcus hominis, which is converted to the sulphurous thioalcohol component 3M3SH in the bacterial cytoplasm, before being released into the environment. Knowledge of the molecular basis of precursor transport, essential for body odour formation, provides a novel opportunity to design specific inhibitors of malodour production in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gurdeep S Minhas
- Department of BiochemistryUniversity of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Daniel Bawdon
- Department of BiologyUniversity of YorkYorkUnited Kingdom
| | - Reyme Herman
- Department of BiologyUniversity of YorkYorkUnited Kingdom
| | | | - Andrew P Stone
- Department of BiologyUniversity of YorkYorkUnited Kingdom
| | | | - Gavin H Thomas
- Department of BiologyUniversity of YorkYorkUnited Kingdom
| | - Simon Newstead
- Department of BiochemistryUniversity of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
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19
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Rosa LT, Bianconi ME, Thomas GH, Kelly DJ. Tripartite ATP-Independent Periplasmic (TRAP) Transporters and Tripartite Tricarboxylate Transporters (TTT): From Uptake to Pathogenicity. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2018; 8:33. [PMID: 29479520 PMCID: PMC5812351 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2018.00033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2017] [Accepted: 01/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to efficiently scavenge nutrients in the host is essential for the viability of any pathogen. All catabolic pathways must begin with the transport of substrate from the environment through the cytoplasmic membrane, a role executed by membrane transporters. Although several classes of cytoplasmic membrane transporters are described, high-affinity uptake of substrates occurs through Solute Binding-Protein (SBP) dependent systems. Three families of SBP dependant transporters are known; the primary ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, and the secondary Tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic (TRAP) transporters and Tripartite Tricarboxylate Transporters (TTT). Far less well understood than the ABC family, the TRAP transporters are found to be abundant among bacteria from marine environments, and the TTT transporters are the most abundant family of proteins in many species of β-proteobacteria. In this review, recent knowledge about these families is covered, with emphasis on their physiological and structural mechanisms, relating to several examples of relevant uptake systems in pathogenicity and colonization, using the SiaPQM sialic acid uptake system from Haemophilus influenzae and the TctCBA citrate uptake system of Salmonella typhimurium as the prototypes for the TRAP and TTT transporters, respectively. High-throughput analysis of SBPs has recently expanded considerably the range of putative substrates known for TRAP transporters, while the repertoire for the TTT family has yet to be fully explored but both types of systems most commonly transport carboxylates. Specialized spectroscopic techniques and site-directed mutagenesis have enriched our knowledge of the way TRAP binding proteins capture their substrate, while structural comparisons show conserved regions for substrate coordination in both families. Genomic and protein sequence analyses show TTT SBP genes are strikingly overrepresented in some bacteria, especially in the β-proteobacteria and some α-proteobacteria. The reasons for this are not clear but might be related to a role for these proteins in signaling rather than transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo T Rosa
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Matheus E Bianconi
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Gavin H Thomas
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, United Kingdom
| | - David J Kelly
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
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20
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North RA, Horne CR, Davies JS, Remus DM, Muscroft-Taylor AC, Goyal P, Wahlgren WY, Ramaswamy S, Friemann R, Dobson RCJ. "Just a spoonful of sugar...": import of sialic acid across bacterial cell membranes. Biophys Rev 2017; 10:219-227. [PMID: 29222808 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-017-0343-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2017] [Accepted: 11/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic cell surfaces are decorated with a complex array of glycoconjugates that are usually capped with sialic acids, a large family of over 50 structurally distinct nine-carbon amino sugars, the most common member of which is N-acetylneuraminic acid. Once made available through the action of neuraminidases, bacterial pathogens and commensals utilise host-derived sialic acid by degrading it for energy or repurposing the sialic acid onto their own cell surface to camouflage the bacterium from the immune system. A functional sialic acid transporter has been shown to be essential for the uptake of sialic acid in a range of human bacterial pathogens and important for host colonisation and persistence. Here, we review the state-of-play in the field with respect to the molecular mechanisms by which these bio-nanomachines transport sialic acids across bacterial cell membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A North
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre and School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, P.O. Box 4800, Christchurch, 8140, New Zealand
| | - Christopher R Horne
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre and School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, P.O. Box 4800, Christchurch, 8140, New Zealand
| | - James S Davies
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre and School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, P.O. Box 4800, Christchurch, 8140, New Zealand
| | - Daniela M Remus
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre and School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, P.O. Box 4800, Christchurch, 8140, New Zealand
| | - Andrew C Muscroft-Taylor
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre and School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, P.O. Box 4800, Christchurch, 8140, New Zealand
| | - Parveen Goyal
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Gothenburg, Box 462, 40530, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Centre for Antibiotic Resistance Research (CARe) at University of Gothenburg, Box 440, 40530, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Weixiao Yuan Wahlgren
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Gothenburg, Box 462, 40530, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Centre for Antibiotic Resistance Research (CARe) at University of Gothenburg, Box 440, 40530, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - S Ramaswamy
- The Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine (InStem), G.K.V.K. Post Office, Bangalore, Karnataka, 560065, India
| | - Rosmarie Friemann
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Gothenburg, Box 462, 40530, Gothenburg, Sweden. .,Centre for Antibiotic Resistance Research (CARe) at University of Gothenburg, Box 440, 40530, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Renwick C J Dobson
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre and School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, P.O. Box 4800, Christchurch, 8140, New Zealand. .,Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia.
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21
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Sialic acid acquisition in bacteria-one substrate, many transporters. Biochem Soc Trans 2017; 44:760-5. [PMID: 27284039 DOI: 10.1042/bst20160056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The sialic acids are a family of 9-carbon sugar acids found predominantly on the cell-surface glycans of humans and other animals within the Deuterostomes and are also used in the biology of a wide range of bacteria that often live in association with these animals. For many bacteria sialic acids are simply a convenient source of food, whereas for some pathogens they are also used in immune evasion strategies. Many bacteria that use sialic acids derive them from the environment and so are dependent on sialic acid uptake. In this mini-review I will describe the discovery and characterization of bacterial sialic acids transporters, revealing that they have evolved multiple times across multiple diverse families of transporters, including the ATP-binding cassette (ABC), tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic (TRAP), major facilitator superfamily (MFS) and sodium solute symporter (SSS) transporter families. In addition there is evidence for protein-mediated transport of sialic acids across the outer membrane of Gram negative bacteria, which can be coupled to periplasmic processing of different sialic acids to the most common form, β-D-N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) that is most frequently taken up into the cell.
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Glaenzer J, Peter MF, Thomas GH, Hagelueken G. PELDOR Spectroscopy Reveals Two Defined States of a Sialic Acid TRAP Transporter SBP in Solution. Biophys J 2017; 112:109-120. [PMID: 28076802 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2016.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2016] [Revised: 11/29/2016] [Accepted: 12/08/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic (TRAP) transporters are a widespread class of membrane transporters in bacteria and archaea. Typical substrates for TRAP transporters are organic acids including the sialic acid N-acetylneuraminic acid. The substrate binding proteins (SBP) of TRAP transporters are the best studied component and are responsible for initial high-affinity substrate binding. To better understand the dynamics of the ligand binding process, pulsed electron-electron double resonance (PELDOR, also known as DEER) spectroscopy was applied to study the conformational changes in the N-acetylneuraminic acid-specific SBP VcSiaP. The protein is the SBP of VcSiaPQM, a sialic acid TRAP transporter from Vibrio cholerae. Spin-labeled double-cysteine mutants of VcSiaP were analyzed in the substrate-bound and -free state and the measured distances were compared to available crystal structures. The data were compatible with two clear states only, which are consistent with the open and closed forms seen in TRAP SBP crystal structures. Substrate titration experiments demonstrated the transition of the population from one state to the other with no other observed forms. Mutants of key residues involved in ligand binding and/or proposed to be involved in domain closure were produced and the corresponding PELDOR experiments reveal important insights into the open-closed transition. The results are in excellent agreement with previous in vivo sialylation experiments. The structure of the spin-labeled Q54R1/L173R1 R125A mutant was solved at 2.1 Å resolution, revealing no significant changes in the protein structure. Thus, the loss of domain closure appears to be solely due to loss of binding. In conclusion, these data are consistent with TRAP SBPs undergoing a simple two-state transition from an open-unliganded to closed-liganded state during the transport cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janin Glaenzer
- Institute for Physical & Theoretical Chemistry, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Martin F Peter
- Institute for Physical & Theoretical Chemistry, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | | | - Gregor Hagelueken
- Institute for Physical & Theoretical Chemistry, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
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Wöhlbrand L, Ruppersberg HS, Feenders C, Blasius B, Braun HP, Rabus R. Analysis of membrane-protein complexes of the marine sulfate reducer Desulfobacula toluolica Tol2 by 1D blue native-PAGE complexome profiling and 2D blue native-/SDS-PAGE. Proteomics 2016; 16:973-88. [PMID: 26792001 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.201500360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2015] [Revised: 12/16/2015] [Accepted: 12/30/2015] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) obtain energy from cytoplasmic reduction of sulfate to sulfide involving APS-reductase (AprAB) and dissimilatory sulfite reductase (DsrAB). These enzymes are predicted to obtain electrons from membrane redox complexes, i.e. the quinone-interacting membrane-bound oxidoreductase (QmoABC) and DsrMKJOP complexes. In addition to these conserved complexes, the genomes of SRB encode a large number of other (predicted) membrane redox complexes, the function and actual formation of which is unknown. This study reports the establishment of 1D Blue Native-PAGE complexome profiling and 2D BN-/SDS-PAGE for analysis of the membrane protein complexome of the marine sulfate reducer Desulfobacula toluolica Tol2. Analysis of normalized score profiles of >800 proteins in combination with hierarchical clustering and identification of 2D BN-/SDS-PAGE separated spots demonstrated separation of membrane complexes in their native form, e.g. ATP synthase. In addition to the QmoABC and DsrMKJOP complexes, other complexes were detected that constitute the basic membrane complexome of D. toluolica Tol2, e.g. transport proteins (e.g. sodium/sulfate symporters) or redox complexes involved in Na(+) -based bioenergetics (RnfABCDEG). Notably, size estimation indicates dimer and quadruple formation of the DsrMKJOP complex in vivo. Furthermore, cluster analysis suggests interaction of this complex with a rhodanese-like protein (Tol2_C05230) possibly representing a periplasmic electron transfer partner for DsrMKJOP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Wöhlbrand
- General and Molecular Microbiology, Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Hanna S Ruppersberg
- General and Molecular Microbiology, Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Christoph Feenders
- Mathematical Modelling, Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Bernd Blasius
- Mathematical Modelling, Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Hans-Peter Braun
- Plant Proteomics, Institute of Plant Genetics, Leibniz University Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Ralf Rabus
- General and Molecular Microbiology, Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
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Abstract
Similar to other genera and species of bacteria, whole genomic sequencing has revolutionized how we think about and address questions of basic Vibrio biology. In this review we examined 36 completely sequenced and annotated members of the Vibrionaceae family, encompassing 12 different species of the genera Vibrio, Aliivibrio, and Photobacterium. We reconstructed the phylogenetic relationships among representatives of this group of bacteria by using three housekeeping genes and 16S rRNA sequences. With an evolutionary framework in place, we describe the occurrence and distribution of primary and alternative sigma factors, global regulators present in all bacteria. Among Vibrio we show that the number and function of many of these sigma factors differs from species to species. We also describe the role of the Vibrio-specific regulator ToxRS in fitness and survival. Examination of the biochemical capabilities was and still is the foundation of classifying and identifying new Vibrio species. Using comparative genomics, we examine the distribution of carbon utilization patterns among Vibrio species as a possible marker for understanding bacteria-host interactions. Finally, we discuss the significant role that horizontal gene transfer, specifically, the distribution and structure of integrons, has played in Vibrio evolution.
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Transcription of Sialic Acid Catabolism Genes in Corynebacterium glutamicum Is Subject to Catabolite Repression and Control by the Transcriptional Repressor NanR. J Bacteriol 2016; 198:2204-18. [PMID: 27274030 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00820-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2015] [Accepted: 05/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Corynebacterium glutamicum metabolizes sialic acid (Neu5Ac) to fructose-6-phosphate (fructose-6P) via the consecutive activity of the sialic acid importer SiaEFGI, N-acetylneuraminic acid lyase (NanA), N-acetylmannosamine kinase (NanK), N-acetylmannosamine-6P epimerase (NanE), N-acetylglucosamine-6P deacetylase (NagA), and glucosamine-6P deaminase (NagB). Within the cluster of the three operons nagAB, nanAKE, and siaEFGI for Neu5Ac utilization a fourth operon is present, which comprises cg2936, encoding a GntR-type transcriptional regulator, here named NanR. Microarray studies and reporter gene assays showed that nagAB, nanAKE, siaEFGI, and nanR are repressed in wild-type (WT) C. glutamicum but highly induced in a ΔnanR C. glutamicum mutant. Purified NanR was found to specifically bind to the nucleotide motifs A[AC]G[CT][AC]TGATGTC[AT][TG]ATGT[AC]TA located within the nagA-nanA and nanR-sialA intergenic regions. Binding of NanR to promoter regions was abolished in the presence of the Neu5Ac metabolism intermediates GlcNAc-6P and N-acetylmannosamine-6-phosphate (ManNAc-6P). We observed consecutive utilization of glucose and Neu5Ac as well as fructose and Neu5Ac by WT C. glutamicum, whereas the deletion mutant C. glutamicum ΔnanR simultaneously consumed these sugars. Increased reporter gene activities for nagAB, nanAKE, and nanR were observed in cultivations of WT C. glutamicum with Neu5Ac as the sole substrate compared to cultivations when fructose was present. Taken together, our findings show that Neu5Ac metabolism in C. glutamicum is subject to catabolite repression, which involves control by the repressor NanR. IMPORTANCE Neu5Ac utilization is currently regarded as a common trait of both pathogenic and commensal bacteria. Interestingly, the nonpathogenic soil bacterium C. glutamicum efficiently utilizes Neu5Ac as a substrate for growth. Expression of genes for Neu5Ac utilization in C. glutamicum is here shown to depend on the transcriptional regulator NanR, which is the first GntR-type regulator of Neu5Ac metabolism not to use Neu5Ac as effector but relies instead on the inducers GlcNAc-6P and ManNAc-6P. The identification of conserved NanR-binding sites in intergenic regions within the operons for Neu5Ac utilization in pathogenic Corynebacterium species indicates that the mechanism for the control of Neu5Ac catabolism in C. glutamicum by NanR as described in this work is probably conserved within this genus.
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Abstract
Sialic acids, or the more broad term nonulosonic acids, comprise a family of nine-carbon keto-sugars ubiquitous on mammalian mucous membranes as terminal modifications of mucin glycoproteins. Sialic acids have a limited distribution among bacteria, and the ability to catabolize sialic acids is mainly confined to pathogenic and commensal species. This ability to utilize sialic acid as a carbon source is correlated with bacterial virulence, especially, in the sialic acid rich environment of the oral cavity, respiratory, intestinal, and urogenital tracts. This chapter discusses the distribution of sialic acid catabolizers among the sequenced bacterial genomes and examines the studies that have linked sialic acid catabolism with increased in vivo fitness in a number of species using several animal models. This chapter presents the most recent findings in sialobiology with a focus on sialic acid catabolism, which demonstrates an important relationship between the catabolism of sialic acid and bacterial pathogenesis.
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Host-Derived Sialic Acids Are an Important Nutrient Source Required for Optimal Bacterial Fitness In Vivo. mBio 2016; 7:e02237-15. [PMID: 27073099 PMCID: PMC4959520 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02237-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
A major challenge facing bacterial intestinal pathogens is competition for nutrient sources with the host microbiota. Vibrio cholerae is an intestinal pathogen that causes cholera, which affects millions each year; however, our knowledge of its nutritional requirements in the intestinal milieu is limited. In this study, we demonstrated that V. cholerae can grow efficiently on intestinal mucus and its component sialic acids and that a tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic SiaPQM strain, transporter-deficient mutant NC1777, was attenuated for colonization using a streptomycin-pretreated adult mouse model. In in vivo competition assays, NC1777 was significantly outcompeted for up to 3 days postinfection. NC1777 was also significantly outcompeted in in vitro competition assays in M9 minimal medium supplemented with intestinal mucus, indicating that sialic acid uptake is essential for fitness. Phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that the ability to utilize sialic acid was distributed among 452 bacterial species from eight phyla. The majority of species belonged to four phyla, Actinobacteria (members of Actinobacillus, Corynebacterium, Mycoplasma, and Streptomyces), Bacteroidetes (mainly Bacteroides, Capnocytophaga, and Prevotella), Firmicutes (members of Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Clostridium, and Lactobacillus), and Proteobacteria (including Escherichia, Shigella, Salmonella, Citrobacter, Haemophilus, Klebsiella, Pasteurella, Photobacterium, Vibrio, and Yersinia species), mostly commensals and/or pathogens. Overall, our data demonstrate that the ability to take up host-derived sugars and sialic acid specifically allows V. cholerae a competitive advantage in intestinal colonization and that this is a trait that is sporadic in its occurrence and phylogenetic distribution and ancestral in some genera but horizontally acquired in others. Sialic acids are nine carbon amino sugars that are abundant on all mucous surfaces. The deadly human pathogen Vibrio cholerae contains the genes required for scavenging, transport, and catabolism of sialic acid. We determined that the V. cholerae SiaPQM transporter is essential for sialic acid transport and that this trait allows the bacterium to outcompete noncatabolizers in vivo. We also showed that the ability to take up and catabolize sialic acid is prevalent among both commensals and pathogens that colonize the oral cavity and the respiratory, intestinal, and urogenital tracts. Phylogenetic analysis determined that the sialic acid catabolism phenotype is ancestral in some genera such as Yersinia, Streptococcus, and Staphylococcus and is acquired by horizontal gene transfer in others such as Vibrio, Aeromonas, and Klebsiella. The data demonstrate that this trait has evolved multiple times in different lineages, indicating the importance of specialized metabolism to niche expansion.
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Snijder HJA, Hakulinen J. Membrane Protein Production in E. coli for Applications in Drug Discovery. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2016; 896:59-77. [PMID: 27165319 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-27216-0_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Producing high quality purified membrane proteins for structure-based drug design and biophysical assays compatible with typical timelines in drug discovery is a significant challenge. Escherichia coli has been an expression host of the utmost importance for soluble proteins and has applications for membrane proteins as well. However, membrane protein overexpression in E. coli may lead to toxicity and low yields of functional product. Here, we review the challenges encountered with heterologous overproduction of α-helical membrane proteins in E. coli and a range of strategies to overcome them. A detailed protocol is also provided for expression and screening of membrane proteins in E. coli using a His-specific fluorescent probe and fluorescent size-exclusion chromatography.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jonna Hakulinen
- Discovery Sciences, AstraZeneca R&D, SE-43183, Mölndal, Sweden
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29
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Gangi Setty T, Cho C, Govindappa S, Apicella MA, Ramaswamy S. Bacterial periplasmic sialic acid-binding proteins exhibit a conserved binding site. ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA. SECTION D, BIOLOGICAL CRYSTALLOGRAPHY 2014; 70:1801-11. [PMID: 25004958 PMCID: PMC4089482 DOI: 10.1107/s139900471400830x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2013] [Accepted: 04/12/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Sialic acids are a family of related nine-carbon sugar acids that play important roles in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes. These sialic acids are incorporated/decorated onto lipooligosaccharides as terminal sugars in multiple bacteria to evade the host immune system. Many pathogenic bacteria scavenge sialic acids from their host and use them for molecular mimicry. The first step of this process is the transport of sialic acid to the cytoplasm, which often takes place using a tripartite ATP-independent transport system consisting of a periplasmic binding protein and a membrane transporter. In this paper, the structural characterization of periplasmic binding proteins from the pathogenic bacteria Fusobacterium nucleatum, Pasteurella multocida and Vibrio cholerae and their thermodynamic characterization are reported. The binding affinities of several mutations in the Neu5Ac binding site of the Haemophilus influenzae protein are also reported. The structure and the thermodynamics of the binding of sugars suggest that all of these proteins have a very well conserved binding pocket and similar binding affinities. A significant conformational change occurs when these proteins bind the sugar. While the C1 carboxylate has been identified as the primary binding site, a second conserved hydrogen-bonding network is involved in the initiation and stabilization of the conformational states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thanuja Gangi Setty
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, NCBS Campus, GKVK Post, Bangalore, Karnataka 560 065, India
| | - Christine Cho
- Department of Microbiology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242-1109, USA
| | - Sowmya Govindappa
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, NCBS Campus, GKVK Post, Bangalore, Karnataka 560 065, India
| | - Michael A. Apicella
- Department of Microbiology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242-1109, USA
| | - S. Ramaswamy
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, NCBS Campus, GKVK Post, Bangalore, Karnataka 560 065, India
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30
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Roles of the sodium-translocating NADH:quinone oxidoreductase (Na+-NQR) on vibrio cholerae metabolism, motility and osmotic stress resistance. PLoS One 2014; 9:e97083. [PMID: 24811312 PMCID: PMC4014592 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0097083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2013] [Accepted: 04/14/2014] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The Na+ translocating NADH:quinone oxidoreductase (Na+-NQR) is a unique respiratory enzyme catalyzing the electron transfer from NADH to quinone coupled with the translocation of sodium ions across the membrane. Typically, Vibrio spp., including Vibrio cholerae, have this enzyme but lack the proton-pumping NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (Complex I). Thus, Na+-NQR should significantly contribute to multiple aspects of V. cholerae physiology; however, no detailed characterization of this aspect has been reported so far. In this study, we broadly investigated the effects of loss of Na+-NQR on V. cholerae physiology by using Phenotype Microarray (Biolog), transcriptome and metabolomics analyses. We found that the V. cholerae ΔnqrA-F mutant showed multiple defects in metabolism detected by Phenotype Microarray. Transcriptome analysis revealed that the V. cholerae ΔnqrA-F mutant up-regulates 31 genes and down-regulates 55 genes in both early and mid-growth phases. The most up-regulated genes included the cadA and cadB genes, encoding a lysine decarboxylase and a lysine/cadaverine antiporter, respectively. Increased CadAB activity was further suggested by the metabolomics analysis. The down-regulated genes include sialic acid catabolism genes. Metabolomic analysis also suggested increased reductive pathway of TCA cycle and decreased purine metabolism in the V. cholerae ΔnqrA-F mutant. Lack of Na+-NQR did not affect any of the Na+ pumping-related phenotypes of V. cholerae suggesting that other secondary Na+ pump(s) can compensate for Na+ pumping activity of Na+-NQR. Overall, our study provides important insights into the contribution of Na+-NQR to V. cholerae physiology.
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31
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Hopkins AP, Hawkhead JA, Thomas GH. Transport and catabolism of the sialic acids N-glycolylneuraminic acid and 3-keto-3-deoxy-D-glycero-D-galactonononic acid by Escherichia coli K-12. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2013; 347:14-22. [PMID: 23848303 DOI: 10.1111/1574-6968.12213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2013] [Revised: 06/21/2013] [Accepted: 07/05/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Escherichia coli can transport and catabolize the common sialic acid, N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac), as a sole source of carbon and nitrogen, which is an important mucus-derived carbon source in the mammalian gut. Herein we demonstrate that E. coli can also grow efficiently on the related sialic acids, N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc) and 3-keto-3-deoxy-D-glycero-D-galactonononic acid (KDN), which are transported via the sialic acid transporter NanT and catabolized using the sialic acid aldolase NanA. Catabolism of Neu5Gc uses the same pathway as Neu5Ac, likely producing glycolate instead and acetate during its breakdown and catabolism of KDN requires NanA activity, while other components of the Neu5Ac catabolism pathway are non-essential. We also demonstrate that these two sialic acids can support growth of an E. coli ∆nanT strain expressing sialic acid transporters from two bacterial pathogens, namely the tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic transporter SiaPQM from Haemophilus influenzae and the sodium solute symport transporter STM1128 from Salmonella enterica ssp. Typhimurium, suggesting that the ability to use Neu5Gc and KDN in addition to Neu5Ac is present in a number of human pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam P Hopkins
- Department of Biology, University of York, Heslington, York, UK
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32
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Carraher C, Nazmi AR, Newcomb RD, Kralicek A. Recombinant expression, detergent solubilisation and purification of insect odorant receptor subunits. Protein Expr Purif 2013; 90:160-9. [PMID: 23770557 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2013.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2013] [Revised: 05/31/2013] [Accepted: 06/04/2013] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Insect odorant receptors (ORs) are seven transmembrane domain proteins that comprise a novel family of ligand-gated non-selective cation channels. The functional channel is made up of an odour activated ligand-binding OR and the OR co-receptor, Orco. However, the structure, stoichiometry and mechanism of activation of the receptor complex are not well understood. Here we demonstrate that baculovirus-mediated Sf9 cell expression and wheat germ cell-free expression, but not Escherichia coli cell-based or cell-free expression, can be used successfully to over-express a selection of insect ORs. From a panel of 19 detergents, 1%w/v Zwittergent 3-16 was able to solubilise five Drosophila melanogaster ORs produced from both eukaryotic expression systems. A large-scale purification protocol was then developed for DmOrco and the ligand-binding receptor, DmOr22a. The proteins were nickel-affinity purified using a deca-histidine tag in a buffer containing 0.2 mM Zwittergent 3-16, followed by size exclusion chromatography. These purified ORs appear to form similarly sized protein-detergent complexes when isolated from both expression systems. Circular dichroism analysis of both purified proteins suggests they are folded correctly. We also provide evidence that when DmOrco is expressed in Sf9 cells it undergoes post translational modification, probably glycosylation. Finally we show that the recombinant ORs can be incorporated into pre-formed liposomes. The ability to recombinantly express and purify insect ORs to homogeneity on a preparative scale, as well as insert them into liposomes, is a major step forward in enabling future structural and functional studies, as well as their use in OR based biosensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colm Carraher
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, Private Bag 92169, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
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Lewis WG, Robinson LS, Gilbert NM, Perry JC, Lewis AL. Degradation, foraging, and depletion of mucus sialoglycans by the vagina-adapted Actinobacterium Gardnerella vaginalis. J Biol Chem 2013; 288:12067-79. [PMID: 23479734 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m113.453654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a polymicrobial imbalance of the vaginal microbiota associated with reproductive infections, preterm birth, and other adverse health outcomes. Sialidase activity in vaginal fluids is diagnostic of BV and sialic acid-rich components of mucus have protective and immunological roles. However, whereas mucus degradation is believed to be important in the etiology and complications associated with BV, the role(s) of sialidases and the participation of individual bacterial species in the degradation of mucus barriers in BV have not been investigated. Here we demonstrate that the BV-associated bacterium Gardnerella vaginalis uses sialidase to break down and deplete sialic acid-containing mucus components in the vagina. Biochemical evidence using purified sialoglycan substrates supports a model in which 1) G. vaginalis extracellular sialidase hydrolyzes mucosal sialoglycans, 2) liberated sialic acid (N-acetylneuraminic acid) is transported into the bacterium, a process inhibited by excess N-glycolylneuraminic acid, and 3) sialic acid catabolism is initiated by an intracellular aldolase/lyase mechanism. G. vaginalis engaged in sialoglycan foraging in vitro, in the presence of human vaginal mucus, and in vivo, in a murine vaginal model, in each case leading to depletion of sialic acids. Comparison of sialic acid levels in human vaginal specimens also demonstrated significant depletion of mucus sialic acids in women with BV compared with women with a "normal" lactobacilli-dominated microbiota. Taken together, these studies show that G. vaginalis utilizes sialidase to support the degradation, foraging, and depletion of protective host mucus barriers, and that this process of mucus barrier degradation and depletion also occurs in the clinical setting of BV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Warren G Lewis
- Departments of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
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34
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Gruteser N, Marin K, Krämer R, Thomas GH. Sialic acid utilization by the soil bacterium Corynebacterium glutamicum. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2012; 336:131-8. [PMID: 22924979 DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2012.02663.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2012] [Revised: 08/20/2012] [Accepted: 08/21/2012] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to use the sialic acid, N-acetylneuraminic acid, Neu5Ac, as a nutrient has been characterized in a number of bacteria, most of which are human pathogens that encounter this molecule because of its presence on mucosal surfaces. The soil bacterium Corynebacterium glutamicum also has a full complement of genes for sialic acid catabolism, and we demonstrate that it can use Neu5Ac as a sole source of carbon and energy and isolate mutants with a much reduced growth lag on Neu5Ac. Disruption of the cg2937 gene, encoding a component of a predicted sialic acid-specific ABC transporter, results in a complete loss of growth of C. glutamicum on Neu5Ac and also a complete loss of [(14)C]-Neu5Ac uptake into cells. Uptake of [(14)C]-Neu5Ac is induced by pregrowth on Neu5Ac, but the additional presence of glucose prevents this induction. The demonstration that a member of the Actinobacteria can transport and catabolize Neu5Ac efficiently suggests that sialic acid metabolism has a physiological role in the soil environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadine Gruteser
- Department of Biology (Area 10), University of York, York, UK
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35
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Chowdhury N, Norris J, McAlister E, Lau SYK, Thomas GH, Boyd EF. The VC1777-VC1779 proteins are members of a sialic acid-specific subfamily of TRAP transporters (SiaPQM) and constitute the sole route of sialic acid uptake in the human pathogen Vibrio cholerae. MICROBIOLOGY-SGM 2012; 158:2158-2167. [PMID: 22556361 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.059659-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Sialic acids are nine-carbon amino sugars that are present on all mucous membranes and are often used by bacteria as nutrients. In pathogenic Vibrio the genes for sialic acid catabolism (SAC) are known to be important for host colonization, yet the route for sialic acid uptake is not proven. Vibrio cholerae contains a tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic (TRAP) transporter, SiaPQM (VC1777-VC1779), encoded by genes within the Vibrio pathogenicity island-2 (VPI-2), which are adjacent to the SAC genes nanA, nanE and nanK. We demonstrate a correlation of the occurrence of VPI-2 and the ability of Vibrio to grow on the common sialic acid N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac), and that a V. cholerae N16961 mutant defective in vc1777, encoding the large membrane protein component of the TRAP transporter, SiaM, is unable to grow on Neu5Ac as the sole carbon source. Using the genome context and known structures of the SiaP protein component of the TRAP transporter, we define a subfamily of Neu5Ac-specific TRAP transporters, of which the vc1777-vc1779 genes are the only representatives in V. cholerae. A recent report has suggested that an entirely different TRAP transporter (VC1927-VC1929) is the Neu5Ac transporter in V. cholerae. Bioinformatics and genomic analysis suggest strongly that this is a C(4)-dicarboxylate-specific TRAP transporter, and indeed disruption of vc1929 results in a defect in growth on C(4)-dicarboxylates but not Neu5Ac. Together these data demonstrate unequivocally that the siaPQM-encoded TRAP transporter within VPI-2 is the sole sialic acid transporter in V. cholerae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nityananda Chowdhury
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
| | - Jessica Norris
- Department of Biology (Area 10), University of York, York YO10 5YW, UK
| | - Erin McAlister
- Department of Biology (Area 10), University of York, York YO10 5YW, UK
| | - S Y Kathy Lau
- Department of Biology (Area 10), University of York, York YO10 5YW, UK
| | - Gavin H Thomas
- Department of Biology (Area 10), University of York, York YO10 5YW, UK
| | - E Fidelma Boyd
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
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Brautigam CA, Deka RK, Schuck P, Tomchick DR, Norgard MV. Structural and thermodynamic characterization of the interaction between two periplasmic Treponema pallidum lipoproteins that are components of a TPR-protein-associated TRAP transporter (TPAT). J Mol Biol 2012; 420:70-86. [PMID: 22504226 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2012.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2012] [Revised: 03/30/2012] [Accepted: 04/02/2012] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic transporters (TRAP-Ts) are bacterial transport systems that have been implicated in the import of small molecules into the cytoplasm. A newly discovered subfamily of TRAP-Ts [tetratricopeptide repeat-protein associated TRAP transporters (TPATs)] has four components. Three are common to both TRAP-Ts and TPATs: the P component, a ligand-binding protein, and a transmembrane symporter apparatus comprising the M and Q components (M and Q are sometimes fused to form a single polypeptide). TPATs are distinguished from TRAP-Ts by the presence of a unique protein called the "T component". In Treponema pallidum, this protein (TatT) is a water-soluble trimer whose protomers are each perforated by a pore. Its respective P component (TatP(T)) interacts with the TatT in vitro and in vivo. In this work, we further characterized this interaction. Co-crystal structures of two complexes between the two proteins confirm that up to three monomers of TatP(T) can bind to the TatT trimer. A putative ligand-binding cleft of TatP(T) aligns with the pore of TatT, strongly suggesting ligand transfer between T and P(T). We used a combination of site-directed mutagenesis and analytical ultracentrifugation to derive thermodynamic parameters for the interactions. These observations confirm that the observed crystallographic interface is recapitulated in solution. These results prompt a hypothesis of the molecular mechanism(s) of hydrophobic ligand transport by the TPATs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chad A Brautigam
- Department of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
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Sialic acid catabolism and transport gene clusters are lineage specific in Vibrio vulnificus. Appl Environ Microbiol 2012; 78:3407-15. [PMID: 22344665 DOI: 10.1128/aem.07395-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Sialic or nonulosonic acids are nine-carbon alpha ketosugars that are present in all vertebrate mucous membranes. Among bacteria, the ability to catabolize sialic acid as a carbon source is present mainly in pathogenic and commensal species of animals. Previously, it was shown that several Vibrio species carry homologues of the genes required for sialic acid transport and catabolism, which are genetically linked. In Vibrio cholerae on chromosome I, these genes are carried on the Vibrio pathogenicity island-2 region, which is confined to pathogenic isolates. We found that among the three sequenced Vibrio vulnificus clinical strains, these genes are present on chromosome II and are not associated with a pathogenicity island. To determine whether the sialic acid transport (SAT) and catabolism (SAC) region is universally present within V. vulnificus, we examined 67 natural isolates whose phylogenetic relationships are known. We found that the region was present predominantly among lineage I of V. vulnificus, which is comprised mainly of clinical isolates. We demonstrate that the isolates that contain this region can catabolize sialic acid as a sole carbon source. Two putative transporters are genetically linked to the region in V. vulnificus, the tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic (TRAP) transporter SiaPQM and a component of an ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter. We constructed an in-frame deletion mutation in siaM, a component of the TRAP transporter, and demonstrate that this transporter is essential for sialic acid uptake in this species. Expression analysis of the SAT and SAC genes indicates that sialic acid is an inducer of expression. Overall, our study demonstrates that the ability to catabolize and transport sialic acid is predominately lineage specific in V. vulnificus and that the TRAP transporter is essential for sialic acid uptake.
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