A Buried Water Network Modulates the Activity of the Escherichia coli Disulphide Catalyst DsbA

The formation of disulphide bonds is an essential step in the folding of many proteins that enter the secretory pathway; therefore, it is not surprising that eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms have dedicated enzymatic systems to catalyse this process. In bacteria, one such enzyme is disulphide bond-forming protein A (DsbA), a thioredoxin-like thiol oxidase that catalyses the oxidative folding of proteins required for virulence and fitness. A large body of work on DsbA proteins, particularly Escherichia coli DsbA (EcDsbA), has demonstrated the key role that the Cys³⁰-XX-Cys³³ catalytic motif and its unique redox properties play in the thiol oxidase activity of this enzyme. Using mutational and functional analyses, here we identify that a set of charged residues, which form an acidic groove on the non-catalytic face of the enzyme, further modulate the activity of EcDsbA. Our high-resolution structures indicate that these residues form a water-mediated proton wire that can transfer protons from the bulk solvent to the active site. Our results support the view that proton shuffling may facilitate the stabilisation of the buried Cys³³ thiolate formed during the redox reaction and promote the correct direction of the EcDsbA-substrate thiol-disulphide exchange. Comparison with other proteins of the same class and proteins of the thioredoxin-superfamily in general suggest that a proton relay system appears to be a conserved catalytic feature among this widespread superfamily of proteins. Furthermore, this study also indicates that the acidic groove of DsbA could be a promising allosteric site to develop novel DsbA inhibitors as antibacterial therapeutics.

Expression, purification and characterization of the suppressor of copper sensitivity (Scs) B membrane protein from Proteus mirabilis

Suppressor of copper sensitivity (Scs) proteins play a role in the bacterial response to copper stress in many Gram-negative bacteria, including in the human pathogen Proteus mirabilis. Recently, the ScsC protein from P. mirabilis (PmScsC) was characterized as a trimeric protein with isomerase activity that contributes to the ability of the bacterium to swarm in the presence of copper. The CXXC motif catalytic cysteines of PmScsC are maintained in their active reduced state by the action of its membrane-bound partner protein, the Proteus mirabilis ScsB (PmScsB). Thus, PmScsC and PmScsB form a redox relay in vivo. The predicted domain arrangement of PmScsB comprises a central transmembrane β-domain and two soluble, periplasmic domains, the N-terminal α-domain and C-terminal γ-domain. Here, we provide a procedure for the recombinant expression and purification of the full-length PmScsB protein. Using Lemo21(DE3) cells we expressed PmScsB and, after extraction and purification, we were able to achieve a yield of 3 mg of purified protein per 8L of bacterial culture. Furthermore, using two orthogonal methods - AMS labelling of free thiols and a scrambled RNase activity assay - PmScsB is shown to catalyze the reduction of PmScsC. Our results demonstrate that the PmScsC and PmScsB redox relay can be reconstituted in vitro using recombinant full-length PmScsB membrane protein. This finding provides a promising starting point for the in vitro biochemical and structural characterization of the P. mirabilis ScsC and ScsB interaction.

Structural bioinformatic analysis of DsbA proteins and their pathogenicity associated substrates

The disulfide bond (DSB) forming system and in particular DsbA, is a key bacterial oxidative folding catalyst. Due to its role in promoting the correct assembly of a wide range of virulence factors required at different stages of the infection process, DsbA is a master virulence rheostat, making it an attractive target for the development of new virulence blockers. Although DSB systems have been extensively studied across different bacterial species, to date, little is known about how DsbA oxidoreductases are able to recognize and interact with such a wide range of substrates. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the DsbA enzymes, with special attention on their interaction with the partner oxidase DsbB and substrates associated with bacterial virulence. The structurally and functionally diverse set of bacterial proteins that rely on DsbA-mediated disulfide bond formation are summarized. Local sequence and secondary structure elements of these substrates are analyzed to identify common elements recognized by DsbA enzymes. This not only provides information on protein folding systems in bacteria but also offers tools for identifying new DsbA substrates and informs current efforts aimed at developing DsbA targeted anti-microbials.

Identification of a Thiol-Disulfide Oxidoreductase (SdbA) Catalyzing Disulfide Bond Formation in the Superantigen SpeA in Streptococcus pyogenes

Mechanisms of disulfide bond formation in the human pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes are currently unknown. To date, no disulfide bond-forming thiol-disulfide oxidoreductase (TDOR) has been described and at least one disulfide bonded protein is known in S. pyogenes. This protein is the superantigen SpeA, which contains 3 cysteine residues (Cys 87, Cys90, and Cys98) and has a disulfide bond formed between Cys87 and Cys98. In this study, candidate TDORs were identified from the genome sequence of S. pyogenes MGAS8232. Using mutational and biochemical approaches, one of the candidate proteins, SpyM18_2037 (named here SdbA), was shown to be the catalyst that introduces the disulfide bond in SpeA. SpeA in the culture supernatant remained reduced when sdbA was inactivated and restored to the oxidized state when a functional copy of sdbA was returned to the sdbA-knockout mutant. SdbA has a typical C₄₆XXC₄₉ active site motif commonly found in TDORs. Site-directed mutagenesis experiments showed that the cysteines in the CXXC motif were required for the disulfide bond in SpeA to form. Interactions between SdbA and SpeA were examined using cysteine variant proteins. The results showed that SdbA_C49A formed a mixed disulfide with SpeA_C87A, suggesting that the N-terminal Cys46 of SdbA and the C-terminal Cys98 of SpeA participated in the initial reaction. SpeA oxidized by SdbA displayed biological activities suggesting that SpeA was properly folded following oxidation by SdbA. In conclusion, formation of the disulfide bond in SpeA is catalyzed by SdbA and the findings represent the first report of disulfide bond formation in S. pyogenes. IMPORTANCE Here, we reported the first example of disulfide bond formation in Streptococcus pyogenes. The results showed that a thiol-disulfide oxidoreductase, named SdbA, is responsible for introducing the disulfide bond in the superantigen SpeA. The cysteine residues in the CXXC motif of SdbA are needed for catalyzing the disulfide bond in SpeA. The disulfide bond in SpeA and neighboring amino acids form a disulfide loop that is conserved among many superantigens, including those from Staphylococcus aureus. SpeA and staphylococcal enterotoxins lacking the disulfide bond are biologically inactive. Thus, the discovery of the enzyme that catalyzes the disulfide bond in SpeA is important for understanding the biochemistry of SpeA production and presents a target for mitigating the virulence of S. pyogenes.

Engineering of the Dsb (disulfide bond) proteins - contribution towards understanding their mechanism of action and their applications in biotechnology and medicine

The Dsb protein family in prokaryotes catalyzes the generation of disulfide bonds between thiol groups of cysteine residues in nascent proteins, ensuring their proper three-dimensional structure; these bonds are crucial for protein stability and function. The first Dsb protein, Escherichia coli DsbA, was described in 1991. Since then, many details of the bond-formation process have been described through microbiological, biochemical, biophysical and bioinformatics strategies. Research with the model microorganism E. coli and many other bacterial species revealed an enormous diversity of bond-formation mechanisms. Research using Dsb protein engineering has significantly helped to reveal details of the disulfide bond formation. The first part of this review presents the research that led to understanding the mechanism of action of DsbA proteins, which directly transfer their own disulfide into target proteins. The second part concentrates on the mechanism of electron transport through the cell cytoplasmic membrane. Third and lastly, the review discusses the contribution of this research towards new antibacterial agents.

Identification of Redox Partners of the Thiol-Disulfide Oxidoreductase SdbA in Streptococcus gordonii

We previously identified a novel thiol-disulfide oxidoreductase, SdbA, in Streptococcus gordonii that formed disulfide bonds in substrate proteins and played a role in multiple phenotypes. In this study, we used mutational, phenotypic, and biochemical approaches to identify and characterize the redox partners of SdbA. Unexpectedly, the results showed that SdbA has multiple redox partners, forming a complex oxidative protein-folding pathway. The primary redox partners of SdbA that maintain its active site in an oxidized state are a surface-exposed thioredoxin family lipoprotein called SdbB (Sgo_1171) and an integral membrane protein annotated as CcdA2. Inactivation of sdbB and ccdA2 simultaneously, but not individually, recapitulated the sdbA mutant phenotype. The sdbB-ccdA2 mutant had defects in a range of cellular processes, including autolysis, bacteriocin production, genetic competence, and extracellular DNA (eDNA) release. AtlS, the natural substrate of SdbA produced by the sdbB-ccdA2 mutant lacked activity and an intramolecular disulfide bond. The redox state of SdbA in the sdbB-ccdA2 mutant was found to be in a reduced form and was restored when sdbB and ccdA2 were knocked back into the mutant. In addition, we showed that SdbB formed a disulfide-linked complex with SdbA in the cell. Recombinant SdbB and CcdA2 exhibited oxidase activity and reoxidized reduced SdbA in vitro Collectively, our results demonstrate that S. gordonii uses multiple redox partners for oxidative protein folding.IMPORTANCE Streptococcus gordonii is a commensal bacterium of the human dental plaque. Previously, we identified an enzyme, SdbA, that forms disulfide bonds in substrate proteins and plays a role in a number of cellular processes in S. gordonii Here, we identified the redox partners of SdbA. We showed that SdbA has multiple redox partners, SdbB and CcdA2, forming a complex oxidative protein-folding pathway. This pathway is essential for autolysis, bacteriocin production, genetic competence, and extracellular DNA (eDNA) release in S. gordonii These cellular processes are considered to be important for the success of S. gordonii as a dental plaque organism. This is the first example of an oxidative protein-folding pathway in Gram-positive bacteria that consists of an enzyme that uses multiple redox partners to function.

Inhibition of Diverse DsbA Enzymes in Multi-DsbA Encoding Pathogens

AIMS

DsbA catalyzes disulfide bond formation in secreted and outer membrane proteins in bacteria. In pathogens, DsbA is a major facilitator of virulence constituting a target for antivirulence antimicrobial development. However, many pathogens encode multiple and diverse DsbA enzymes for virulence factor folding during infection. The aim of this study was to determine whether our recently identified inhibitors of Escherichia coli K-12 DsbA can inhibit the diverse DsbA enzymes found in two important human pathogens and attenuate their virulence.

RESULTS

DsbA inhibitors from two chemical classes (phenylthiophene and phenoxyphenyl derivatives) inhibited the virulence of uropathogenic E. coli and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, encoding two and three diverse DsbA homologues, respectively. Inhibitors blocked the virulence of dsbA null mutants complemented with structurally diverse DsbL and SrgA, suggesting that they were not selective for prototypical DsbA. Structural characterization of DsbA-inhibitor complexes showed that compounds from each class bind in a similar region of the hydrophobic groove adjacent to the Cys30-Pro31-His32-Cys33 (CPHC) active site. Modeling of DsbL- and SrgA-inhibitor interactions showed that these accessory enzymes could accommodate the inhibitors in their different hydrophobic grooves, supporting our in vivo findings. Further, we identified highly conserved residues surrounding the active site for 20 diverse bacterial DsbA enzymes, which could be exploited in developing inhibitors with a broad spectrum of activity. Innovation and Conclusion: We have developed tools to analyze the specificity of DsbA inhibitors in bacterial pathogens encoding multiple DsbA enzymes. This work demonstrates that DsbA inhibitors can be developed to target diverse homologues found in bacteria. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 29, 653-666.

Disulfide bond formation in prokaryotes

Interest in protein disulfide bond formation has recently increased because of the prominent role of disulfide bonds in bacterial virulence and survival. The first discovered pathway that introduces disulfide bonds into cell envelope proteins consists of Escherichia coli enzymes DsbA and DsbB. Since its discovery, variations on the DsbAB pathway have been found in bacteria and archaea, probably reflecting specific requirements for survival in their ecological niches. One variation found amongst Actinobacteria and Cyanobacteria is the replacement of DsbB by a homologue of human vitamin K epoxide reductase. Many Gram-positive bacteria express enzymes involved in disulfide bond formation that are similar, but non-homologous, to DsbAB. While bacterial pathways promote disulfide bond formation in the bacterial cell envelope, some archaeal extremophiles express proteins with disulfide bonds both in the cytoplasm and in the extra-cytoplasmic space, possibly to stabilize proteins in the face of extreme conditions, such as growth at high temperatures. Here, we summarize the diversity of disulfide-bond-catalysing systems across prokaryotic lineages, discuss examples for understanding the biological basis of such systems, and present perspectives on how such systems are enabling advances in biomedical engineering and drug development.

Aeropyrum pernix membrane topology of protein VKOR promotes protein disulfide bond formation in two subcellular compartments

Disulfide bonds confer stability and activity to proteins. Bioinformatic approaches allow predictions of which organisms make protein disulfide bonds and in which subcellular compartments disulfide bond formation takes place. Such an analysis, along with biochemical and protein structural data, suggests that many of the extremophile Crenarachaea make protein disulfide bonds in both the cytoplasm and the cell envelope. We have sought to determine the oxidative folding pathways in the sequenced genomes of the Crenarchaea, by seeking homologues of the enzymes known to be involved in disulfide bond formation in bacteria. Some Crenarchaea have two homologues of the cytoplasmic membrane protein VKOR, a protein required in many bacteria for the oxidation of bacterial DsbAs. We show that the two VKORs of Aeropyrum pernix assume opposite orientations in the cytoplasmic membrane, when expressed in E. coli. One has its active cysteines oriented toward the E. coli periplasm (ApVKORo) and the other toward the cytoplasm (ApVKORi). Furthermore, the ApVKORo promotes disulfide bond formation in the E. coli cell envelope, while the ApVKORi promotes disulfide bond formation in the E. coli cytoplasm via a co-expressed archaeal protein ApPDO. Amongst the VKORs from different archaeal species, the pairs of VKORs in each species are much more closely related to each other than to the VKORs of the other species. The results suggest two independent occurrences of the evolution of the two topologically inverted VKORs in archaea. Our results suggest a mechanistic basis for the formation of disulfide bonds in the cytoplasm of Crenarchaea.

Disulfide Bonds: A Key Modification in Bacterial Extracytoplasmic Proteins

Disulfide bonds are a common posttranslational modification that contributes to the folding and stability of extracytoplasmic proteins. Almost all organisms, from eukaryotes to prokaryotes, have evolved enzymes to make and break these bonds. Accurate and efficient disulfide bond formation can be vital for protein function; therefore, the enzymes that catalyze disulfide bond formation are involved in multiple biological processes. Recent advances clearly show that oral bacteria also have the ability to from disulfide bonds, and this ability has an effect on a range of dental plaque-related phenotypes. In the gram-positive Streptococcus gordonii, the ability to form disulfide bonds affected autolysis, extracellular DNA release, biofilm formation, genetic competence, and bacteriocin production. In Actinomyces oris, disulfide bond formation is needed for pilus assembly, coaggregation, and biofilm formation. In other gram-positive bacteria, such as Enterococcus faecalis, disulfide bonds are formed in secreted bacteriocins and required for activity. In these oral bacteria, the enzymes that catalyze the disulfide bonds are quite diverse and share little sequence homology, but all contain a CXXC catalytic active site motif and a conserved C-terminal cis-proline, signature features of a thiol-disulfide oxidoreductase. Emerging evidence also indicates that gram-negative oral bacteria, such as Porphyromonas gingivalis and Tannerella forsythia, use disulfide bonds to stabilize their outer membrane porin proteins. Bioinformatic screens reveal that these gram-negative bacteria carry genes coding for thiol-disulfide oxidoreductases in their genomes. In conclusion, disulfide bond formation in oral bacteria is an emerging field, and the ability to form disulfide bonds plays an important role in dental plaque formation and fitness for the bacteria.

A shape-shifting redox foldase contributes to Proteus mirabilis copper resistance

Copper resistance is a key virulence trait of the uropathogen Proteus mirabilis. Here we show that P. mirabilis ScsC (PmScsC) contributes to this defence mechanism by enabling swarming in the presence of copper. We also demonstrate that PmScsC is a thioredoxin-like disulfide isomerase but, unlike other characterized proteins in this family, it is trimeric. PmScsC trimerization and its active site cysteine are required for wild-type swarming activity in the presence of copper. Moreover, PmScsC exhibits unprecedented motion as a consequence of a shape-shifting motif linking the catalytic and trimerization domains. The linker accesses strand, loop and helical conformations enabling the sampling of an enormous folding landscape by the catalytic domains. Mutation of the shape-shifting motif abolishes disulfide isomerase activity, as does removal of the trimerization domain, showing that both features are essential to foldase function. More broadly, the shape-shifter peptide has the potential for ‘plug and play’ application in protein engineering.

Bacterial disulfide isomerases shuffle incorrect disulfide bonds. Here, the authors structurally characterize the disulfide isomerase ScsC from Proteus mirabilis and identify a functionally important shape-shifting motif that allows ScsC to adopt a diverse range of conformations and enable swarming in the presence of copper stress.

Bacterial thiol oxidoreductases - from basic research to new antibacterial strategies

The recent, rapid increase in bacterial antimicrobial resistance has become a major public health concern. One approach to generate new classes of antibacterials is targeting virulence rather than the viability of bacteria. Proteins of the Dsb system, which play a key role in the virulence of many pathogenic microorganisms, represent potential new drug targets. The first part of the article presents current knowledge of how the Dsb system impacts function of various protein secretion systems that influence the virulence of many pathogenic bacteria. Next, the review describes methods used to study the structure, biochemistry, and microbiology of the Dsb proteins and shows how these experiments broaden our knowledge about their function. The lessons gained from basic research have led to a specific search for inhibitors blocking the Dsb networks.

Structural and Biochemical Characterization of Chlamydia trachomatis DsbA Reveals a Cysteine-Rich and Weakly Oxidising Oxidoreductase

The Gram negative bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis is an obligate intracellular human pathogen that can cause pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility and blinding trachoma. C. trachomatis encodes a homolog of the dithiol oxidoreductase DsbA. Bacterial DsbA proteins introduce disulfide bonds to folding proteins providing structural bracing for secreted virulence factors, consequently these proteins are potential targets for antimicrobial drugs. Despite sharing functional and structural characteristics, the DsbA enzymes studied to date vary widely in their redox character. In this study we show that the truncated soluble form of the predicted membrane anchored protein C. trachomatis DsbA (CtDsbA) has oxidase activity and redox properties broadly similar to other characterized DsbA proteins. However CtDsbA is distinguished from other DsbAs by having six cysteines, including a second disulfide bond, and an unusual dipeptide sequence in its catalytic motif (Cys-Ser-Ala-Cys). We report the 2.7 Å crystal structure of CtDsbA revealing a typical DsbA fold, which is most similar to that of DsbA-II type proteins. Consistent with this, the catalytic surface of CtDsbA is negatively charged and lacks the hydrophobic groove found in EcDsbA and DsbAs from other enterobacteriaceae. Biochemical characterization of CtDsbA reveals it to be weakly oxidizing compared to other DsbAs and with only a mildly destabilizing active site disulfide bond. Analysis of the crystal structure suggests that this redox character is consistent with a lack of contributing factors to stabilize the active site nucleophilic thiolate relative to more oxidizing DsbA proteins.

Engineering of Helicobacter pylori Dimeric Oxidoreductase DsbK (HP0231)

The formation of disulfide bonds that are catalyzed by proteins of the Dsb (disulfide bond) family is crucial for the correct folding of many extracytoplasmic proteins. Thus, this formation plays an essential, pivotal role in the assembly of many virulence factors. The Helicobacter pylori disulfide bond-forming system is uncomplicated compared to the best-characterized Escherichia coli Dsb pathways. It possesses only two extracytoplasmic Dsb proteins named HP0377 and HP0231. As previously shown, HP0377 is a reductase involved in the process of cytochrome c maturation. Additionally, it also possesses disulfide isomerase activity. HP0231 was the first periplasmic dimeric oxidoreductase involved in disulfide generation to be described. Although HP0231 function is critical for oxidative protein folding, its structure resembles that of dimeric EcDsbG, which does not confer this activity. However, the HP0231 catalytic motifs (CXXC and the so-called cis-Pro loop) are identical to that of monomeric EcDsbA. To understand the functioning of HP0231, we decided to study the relations between its sequence, structure and activity through an extensive analysis of various HP0231 point mutants, using in vivo and in vitro strategies. Our work shows the crucial role of the cis-Pro loop, as changing valine to threonine in this motif completely abolishes the protein function in vivo. Functioning of HP0231 is conditioned by the combination of CXXC and the cis-Pro loop, as replacing the HP0231 CXXC motif by the motif from EcDsbG or EcDsbC results in bifunctional protein, at least in E. coli. We also showed that the dimerization domain of HP0231 ensures contact with its substrates. Moreover, the activity of this oxidase is independent on the structure of the catalytic domain. Finally, we showed that HP0231 chaperone activity is independent of its redox function.

Thiol-Disulfide Exchange in Gram-Positive Firmicutes

Extracytoplasmic thiol-disulfide oxidoreductases (TDORs) catalyze the oxidation, reduction, and isomerization of protein disulfide bonds. Although these processes have been characterized in Gram-negative bacteria, the majority of Gram-positive TDORs have only recently been discovered. Results from recent studies have revealed distinct trends in the types of TDOR used by different groups of Gram-positive bacteria, and in their biological functions. Actinobacteria TDORs can be essential for viability, while Firmicute TDORs influence various physiological processes, including protein stability, oxidative stress resistance, bacteriocin production, and virulence. In this review we discuss the diverse extracytoplasmic TDORs used by Gram-positive bacteria, with a focus on Gram-positive Firmicutes.

Disulfide-Bond-Forming Pathways in Gram-Positive Bacteria

Disulfide bonds are important for the stability and function of many secreted proteins. In Gram-negative bacteria, these linkages are catalyzed by thiol-disulfide oxidoreductases (Dsb) in the periplasm. Protein oxidation has been well studied in these organisms, but it has not fully been explored in Gram-positive bacteria, which lack traditional periplasmic compartments. Recent bioinformatics analyses have suggested that the high-GC-content bacteria (i.e., actinobacteria) rely on disulfide-bond-forming pathways. In support of this, Dsb-like proteins have been identified in Mycobacterium tuberculosis, but their functions are not known. Actinomyces oris and Corynebacterium diphtheriae have recently emerged as models to study disulfide bond formation in actinobacteria. In both organisms, disulfide bonds are catalyzed by the membrane-bound oxidoreductase MdbA. Remarkably, unlike known Dsb proteins, MdbA is important for pathogenesis and growth, which makes it a potential target for new antibacterial drugs. This review will discuss disulfide-bond-forming pathways in bacteria, with a special focus on Gram-positive bacteria.

A thiol-disulfide oxidoreductase of the Gram-positive pathogen Corynebacterium diphtheriae is essential for viability, pilus assembly, toxin production and virulence

The Gram-positive pathogen Corynebacterium diphtheriae exports through the Sec apparatus many extracellular proteins that include the key virulence factors diphtheria toxin and the adhesive pili. How these proteins attain their native conformations after translocation as unfolded precursors remains elusive. The fact that the majority of these exported proteins contain multiple cysteine residues and that several membrane-bound oxidoreductases are encoded in the corynebacterial genome suggests the existence of an oxidative protein-folding pathway in this organism. Here we show that the shaft pilin SpaA harbors a disulfide bond in vivo and alanine substitution of these cysteines abrogates SpaA polymerization and leads to the secretion of degraded SpaA peptides. We then identified a thiol-disulfide oxidoreductase (MdbA), whose structure exhibits a conserved thioredoxin-like domain with a CPHC active site. Remarkably, deletion of mdbA results in a severe temperature-sensitive cell division phenotype. This mutant also fails to assemble pilus structures and is greatly defective in toxin production. Consistent with these defects, the ΔmdbA mutant is attenuated in a guinea pig model of diphtheritic toxemia. Given its diverse cellular functions in cell division, pilus assembly and toxin production, we propose that MdbA is a component of the general oxidative folding machine in C. diphtheriae.

Functional and evolutionary analyses of Helicobacter pylori HP0231 (DsbK) protein with strong oxidative and chaperone activity characterized by a highly diverged dimerization domain

Helicobacter pylori does not encode the classical DsbA/DsbB oxidoreductases that are crucial for oxidative folding of extracytoplasmic proteins. Instead, this microorganism encodes an untypical two proteins playing a role in disulfide bond formation – periplasmic HP0231, which structure resembles that of EcDsbC/DsbG, and its redox partner, a membrane protein HpDsbI (HP0595) with a β-propeller structure. The aim of presented work was to assess relations between HP0231 structure and function. We showed that HP0231 is most closely related evolutionarily to the catalytic domain of DsbG, even though it possesses a catalytic motif typical for canonical DsbA proteins. Similarly, the highly diverged N-terminal dimerization domain is homologous to the dimerization domain of DsbG. To better understand the functioning of this atypical oxidoreductase, we examined its activity using in vivo and in vitro experiments. We found that HP0231 exhibits oxidizing and chaperone activities but no isomerizing activity, even though H. pylori does not contain a classical DsbC. We also show that HP0231 is not involved in the introduction of disulfide bonds into HcpC (Helicobactercysteine-rich protein C), a protein involved in the modulation of the H. pylori interaction with its host. Additionally, we also constructed a truncated version of HP0231 lacking the dimerization domain, denoted HP0231m, and showed that it acts in Escherichia coli cells in a DsbB-dependent manner. In contrast, HP0231m and classical monomeric EcDsbA (E. coli DsbA protein) were both unable to complement the lack of HP0231 in H. pylori cells, though they exist in oxidized forms. HP0231m is inactive in the insulin reduction assay and possesses high chaperone activity, in contrast to EcDsbA. In conclusion, HP0231 combines oxidative functions characteristic of DsbA proteins and chaperone activity characteristic of DsbC/DsbG, and it lacks isomerization activity.

A Disulfide Bond-forming Machine Is Linked to the Sortase-mediated Pilus Assembly Pathway in the Gram-positive Bacterium Actinomyces oris

Export of cell surface pilins in Gram-positive bacteria likely occurs by the translocation of unfolded precursor polypeptides; however, how the unfolded pilins gain their native conformation is presently unknown. Here, we present physiological studies to demonstrate that the FimA pilin of Actinomyces oris contains two disulfide bonds. Alanine substitution of cysteine residues forming the C-terminal disulfide bridge abrogates pilus assembly, in turn eliminating biofilm formation and polymicrobial interaction. Transposon mutagenesis of A. oris yielded a mutant defective in adherence to Streptococcus oralis, and revealed the essential role of a vitamin K epoxide reductase (VKOR) gene in pilus assembly. Targeted deletion of vkor results in the same defects, which are rescued by ectopic expression of VKOR, but not a mutant containing an alanine substitution in its conserved CXXC motif. Depletion of mdbA, which encodes a membrane-bound thiol-disulfide oxidoreductase, abrogates pilus assembly and alters cell morphology. Remarkably, overexpression of MdbA or a counterpart from Corynebacterium diphtheriae, rescues the Δvkor mutant. By alkylation assays, we demonstrate that VKOR is required for MdbA reoxidation. Furthermore, crystallographic studies reveal that A. oris MdbA harbors a thioredoxin-like fold with the conserved CXXC active site. Consistently, each MdbA enzyme catalyzes proper disulfide bond formation within FimA in vitro that requires the catalytic CXXC motif. Because the majority of signal peptide-containing proteins encoded by A. oris possess multiple Cys residues, we propose that MdbA and VKOR constitute a major folding machine for the secretome of this organism. This oxidative protein folding pathway may be a common feature in Actinobacteria.

Crystal Structure of DsbA from Corynebacterium diphtheriae and Its Functional Implications for CueP in Gram-Positive Bacteria

In Gram-negative bacteria in the periplasmic space, the dimeric thioredoxin-fold protein DsbC isomerizes and reduces incorrect disulfide bonds of unfolded proteins, while the monomeric thioredoxin-fold protein DsbA introduces disulfide bonds in folding proteins. In the Gram-negative bacteria Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, the reduced form of CueP scavenges the production of hydroxyl radicals in the copper-mediated Fenton reaction, and DsbC is responsible for keeping CueP in the reduced, active form. Some DsbA proteins fulfill the functions of DsbCs, which are not present in Gram-positive bacteria. In this study, we identified a DsbA homologous protein (CdDsbA) in the Corynebacterium diphtheriae genome and determined its crystal structure in the reduced condition at 1.5 Å resolution. CdDsbA consists of a monomeric thioredoxin-like fold with an inserted helical domain and unique N-terminal extended region. We confirmed that CdDsbA has disulfide bond isomerase/reductase activity, and we present evidence that the N-terminal extended region is not required for this activity and folding of the core DsbA-like domain. Furthermore, we found that CdDsbA could reduce CueP from C. diphtheriae.

Rheostat re-wired: alternative hypotheses for the control of thioredoxin reduction potentials

Thioredoxins are small soluble proteins that contain a redox-active disulfide (CXXC). These disulfides are tuned to oxidizing or reducing potentials depending on the function of the thioredoxin within the cell. The mechanism by which the potential is tuned has been controversial, with two main hypotheses: first, that redox potential (Em) is specifically governed by a molecular 'rheostat'-the XX amino acids, which influence the Cys pKa values, and thereby, Em; and second, the overall thermodynamics of protein folding stability regulates the potential. Here, we use protein film voltammetry (PFV) to measure the pH dependence of the redox potentials of a series of wild-type and mutant archaeal Trxs, PFV and glutathionine-equilibrium to corroborate the measured potentials, the fluorescence probe BADAN to measure pKa values, guanidinium-based denaturation to measure protein unfolding, and X-ray crystallography to provide a structural basis for our functional analyses. We find that when these archaeal thioredoxins are probed directly using PFV, both the high and low potential thioredoxins display consistent 2H+:2e- coupling over a physiological pH range, in conflict with the conventional 'rheostat' model. Instead, folding measurements reveals an excellent correlation to reduction potentials, supporting the second hypothesis and revealing the molecular mechanism of reduction potential control in the ubiquitous Trx family.

Crystal structure of the dithiol oxidase DsbA enzyme from proteus mirabilis bound non-covalently to an active site peptide ligand

The disulfide bond forming DsbA enzymes and their DsbB interaction partners are attractive targets for development of antivirulence drugs because both are essential for virulence factor assembly in Gram-negative pathogens. Here we characterize PmDsbA from Proteus mirabilis, a bacterial pathogen increasingly associated with multidrug resistance. PmDsbA exhibits the characteristic properties of a DsbA, including an oxidizing potential, destabilizing disulfide, acidic active site cysteine, and dithiol oxidase catalytic activity. We evaluated a peptide, PWATCDS, derived from the partner protein DsbB and showed by thermal shift and isothermal titration calorimetry that it binds to PmDsbA. The crystal structures of PmDsbA, and the active site variant PmDsbAC30S were determined to high resolution. Analysis of these structures allows categorization of PmDsbA into the DsbA class exemplified by the archetypal Escherichia coli DsbA enzyme. We also present a crystal structure of PmDsbAC30S in complex with the peptide PWATCDS. The structure shows that the peptide binds non-covalently to the active site CXXC motif, the cis-Pro loop, and the hydrophobic groove adjacent to the active site of the enzyme. This high-resolution structural data provides a critical advance for future structure-based design of non-covalent peptidomimetic inhibitors. Such inhibitors would represent an entirely new antibacterial class that work by switching off the DSB virulence assembly machinery.

Four structural subclasses of the antivirulence drug target disulfide oxidoreductase DsbA provide a platform for design of subclass-specific inhibitors

By catalyzing oxidative protein folding, the bacterial disulfide bond protein A (DsbA) plays an essential role in the assembly of many virulence factors. Predictably, DsbA disruption affects multiple downstream effector molecules, resulting in pleiotropic effects on the virulence of important human pathogens. These findings mark DsbA as a master regulator of virulence, and identify the enzyme as a target for a new class of antivirulence agents that disarm pathogenic bacteria rather than killing them. The purpose of this article is to discuss and expand upon recent findings on DsbA and to provide additional novel insights into the druggability of this important disulfide oxidoreductase by comparing the structures and properties of 13 well-characterized DsbA enzymes. Our structural analysis involved comparison of the overall fold, the surface properties, the conformations of three loops contributing to the binding surface and the sequence identity of residues contributing to these loops. Two distinct structural classes were identified, classes I and II, which are differentiated by their central β-sheet arrangements and which roughly separate the DsbAs produced by Gram-negative from Gram-positive organisms. The classes can be further subdivided into a total of four subclasses on the basis of surface features. Class Ia is equivalent to the Enterobacteriaceae class that has been defined previously. Bioinformatic analyses support the classification of DsbAs into 3 of the 4 subclasses, but did not pick up the 4th subclass which is only apparent from analysis of DsbA electrostatic surface properties. In the context of inhibitor development, the discrete structural subclasses provide a platform for developing DsbA inhibitory scaffolds with a subclass-wide spectrum of activity. We expect that more DsbA classes are likely to be identified, as enzymes from other pathogens are explored, and we highlight the issues associated with structure-based inhibitor development targeting this pivotal mediator of bacterial virulence. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Thiol-Based Redox Processes.

The multidrug resistance IncA/C transferable plasmid encodes a novel domain-swapped dimeric protein-disulfide isomerase

The multidrug resistance-encoding IncA/C conjugative plasmids disseminate antibiotic resistance genes among clinically relevant enteric bacteria. A plasmid-encoded disulfide isomerase is associated with conjugation. Sequence analysis of several IncA/C plasmids and IncA/C-related integrative and conjugative elements (ICE) from commensal and pathogenic bacteria identified a conserved DsbC/DsbG homolog (DsbP). The crystal structure of DsbP reveals an N-terminal domain, a linker region, and a C-terminal catalytic domain. A DsbP homodimer is formed through domain swapping of two DsbP N-terminal domains. The catalytic domain incorporates a thioredoxin-fold with characteristic CXXC and cis-Pro motifs. Overall, the structure and redox properties of DsbP diverge from the Escherichia coli DsbC and DsbG disulfide isomerases. Specifically, the V-shaped dimer of DsbP is inverted compared with EcDsbC and EcDsbG. In addition, the redox potential of DsbP (-161 mV) is more reducing than EcDsbC (-130 mV) and EcDsbG (-126 mV). Other catalytic properties of DsbP more closely resemble those of EcDsbG than EcDsbC. These catalytic differences are in part a consequence of the unusual active site motif of DsbP (CAVC); substitution to the EcDsbC-like (CGYC) motif converts the catalytic properties to those of EcDsbC. Structural comparison of the 12 independent subunit structures of DsbP that we determined revealed that conformational changes in the linker region contribute to mobility of the catalytic domain, providing mechanistic insight into DsbP function. In summary, our data reveal that the conserved plasmid-encoded DsbP protein is a bona fide disulfide isomerase and suggest that a dedicated oxidative folding enzyme is important for conjugative plasmid transfer.

Comparative sequence, structure and redox analyses of Klebsiella pneumoniae DsbA show that anti-virulence target DsbA enzymes fall into distinct classes

Bacterial DsbA enzymes catalyze oxidative folding of virulence factors, and have been identified as targets for antivirulence drugs. However, DsbA enzymes characterized to date exhibit a wide spectrum of redox properties and divergent structural features compared to the prototypical DsbA enzyme of Escherichia coli DsbA (EcDsbA). Nonetheless, sequence analysis shows that DsbAs are more highly conserved than their known substrate virulence factors, highlighting the potential to inhibit virulence across a range of organisms by targeting DsbA. For example, Salmonella enterica typhimurium (SeDsbA, 86 % sequence identity to EcDsbA) shares almost identical structural, surface and redox properties. Using comparative sequence and structure analysis we predicted that five other bacterial DsbAs would share these properties. To confirm this, we characterized Klebsiella pneumoniae DsbA (KpDsbA, 81 % identity to EcDsbA). As expected, the redox properties, structure and surface features (from crystal and NMR data) of KpDsbA were almost identical to those of EcDsbA and SeDsbA. Moreover, KpDsbA and EcDsbA bind peptides derived from their respective DsbBs with almost equal affinity, supporting the notion that compounds designed to inhibit EcDsbA will also inhibit KpDsbA. Taken together, our data show that DsbAs fall into different classes; that DsbAs within a class may be predicted by sequence analysis of binding loops; that DsbAs within a class are able to complement one another in vivo and that compounds designed to inhibit EcDsbA are likely to inhibit DsbAs within the same class.

Structural and biochemical characterization of the essential DsbA-like disulfide bond forming protein from Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Background

Bacterial Disulfide bond forming (Dsb) proteins facilitate proper folding and disulfide bond formation of periplasmic and secreted proteins. Previously, we have shown that Mycobacterium tuberculosis Mt-DsbE and Mt-DsbF aid in vitro oxidative folding of proteins. The M. tuberculosis proteome contains another predicted membrane-tethered Dsb protein, Mt-DsbA, which is encoded by an essential gene.

Results

Herein, we present structural and biochemical analyses of Mt-DsbA. The X-ray crystal structure of Mt-DsbA reveals a two-domain structure, comprising a canonical thioredoxin domain with the conserved CXXC active site cysteines in their reduced form, and an inserted α-helical domain containing a structural disulfide bond. The overall fold of Mt-DsbA resembles that of other DsbA-like proteins and not Mt-DsbE or Mt-DsbF. Biochemical characterization demonstrates that, unlike Mt-DsbE and Mt-DsbF, Mt-DsbA is unable to oxidatively fold reduced, denatured hirudin. Moreover, on the substrates tested in this study, Mt-DsbA has disulfide bond isomerase activity contrary to Mt-DsbE and Mt-DsbF.

Conclusion

These results suggest that Mt-DsbA acts upon a distinct subset of substrates as compared to Mt-DsbE and Mt-DsbF. One could speculate that Mt-DsbE and Mt-DsbF are functionally redundant whereas Mt-DsbA is not, offering an explanation for the essentiality of Mt-DsbA in M. tuberculosis.

Rv2969c, essential for optimal growth in Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is a DsbA-like enzyme that interacts with VKOR-derived peptides and has atypical features of DsbA-like disulfide oxidases

The bacterial disulfide machinery is an attractive molecular target for developing new antibacterials because it is required for the production of multiple virulence factors. The archetypal disulfide oxidase proteins in Escherichia coli (Ec) are DsbA and DsbB, which together form a functional unit: DsbA introduces disulfides into folding proteins and DsbB reoxidizes DsbA to maintain it in the active form. In Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), no DsbB homologue is encoded but a functionally similar but structurally divergent protein, MtbVKOR, has been identified. Here, the Mtb protein Rv2969c is investigated and it is shown that it is the DsbA-like partner protein of MtbVKOR. It is found that it has the characteristic redox features of a DsbA-like protein: a highly acidic catalytic cysteine, a highly oxidizing potential and a destabilizing active-site disulfide bond. Rv2969c also has peptide-oxidizing activity and recognizes peptide segments derived from the periplasmic loops of MtbVKOR. Unlike the archetypal EcDsbA enzyme, Rv2969c has little or no activity in disulfide-reducing and disulfide-isomerase assays. The crystal structure of Rv2969c reveals a canonical DsbA fold comprising a thioredoxin domain with an embedded helical domain. However, Rv2969c diverges considerably from other DsbAs, including having an additional C-terminal helix (H8) that may restrain the mobility of the catalytic helix H1. The enzyme is also characterized by a very shallow hydrophobic binding surface and a negative electrostatic surface potential surrounding the catalytic cysteine. The structure of Rv2969c was also used to model the structure of a paralogous DsbA-like domain of the Ser/Thr protein kinase PknE. Together, these results show that Rv2969c is a DsbA-like protein with unique properties and a limited substrate-binding specificity.

Advanced solid-state NMR approaches for structure determination of membrane proteins and amyloid fibrils

Solid-state NMR (SSNMR) spectroscopy has become an important technique for studying the biophysics and structure biology of proteins. This technique is especially useful for insoluble membrane proteins and amyloid fibrils, which are essential for biological functions and are associated with human diseases. In the past few years, as major contributors to the rapidly advancing discipline of biological SSNMR, we have developed a family of methods for high-resolution structure determination of microcrystalline, fibrous, and membrane proteins. Key developments include order-of-magnitude improvements in sensitivity, resolution, instrument stability, and sample longevity under data collection conditions. These technical advances now enable us to apply new types of 3D and 4D experiments to collect atomic-resolution structural restraints in a site-resolved manner, such as vector angles, chemical shift tensors, and internuclear distances, throughout large proteins. In this Account, we present the technological advances in SSNMR approaches towards protein structure determination. We also describe the application of those methods for large membrane proteins and amyloid fibrils. Particularly, the SSNMR measurements of an integral membrane protein DsbB support the formation of a charge-transfer complex between DsbB and ubiquinone during the disulfide bond transfer pathways. The high-resolution structure of the DsbA-DsbB complex demonstrates that the joint calculation of X-ray and SSNMR restraints for membrane proteins with low-resolution crystal structure is generally applicable. The SSNMR investigations of α-synuclein fibrils from both wild type and familial mutants reveal that the structured regions of α-synuclein fibrils include the early-onset Parkinson's disease mutation sites. These results pave the way to understanding the mechanism of fibrillation in Parkinson's disease.

Structure analysis of the extracellular domain reveals disulfide bond forming-protein properties of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Rv2969c

Disulfide bond-forming (Dsb) protein is a bacterial periplasmic protein that is essential for the correct folding and disulfide bond formation of secreted or cell wallassociated proteins. DsbA introduces disulfide bonds into folding proteins, and is re-oxidized through interaction with its redox partner DsbB. Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a Gram-positive bacterium, expresses a DsbA-like protein ( Rv2969c), an extracellular protein that has its Nterminus anchored in the cell membrane. Since Rv2969c is an essential gene, crucial for disulfide bond formation, research of DsbA may provide a target of a new class of anti-bacterial drugs for treatment of M.tuberculosis infection. In the present work, the crystal structures of the extracellular region of Rv2969c (Mtb DsbA) were determined in both its reduced and oxidized states. The overall structure of Mtb DsbA can be divided into two domains: a classical thioredoxin-like domain with a typical CXXC active site, and an α-helical domain. It largely resembles its Escherichia coli homologue EcDsbA, however, it possesses a truncated binding groove; in addition, its active site is surrounded by an acidic, rather than hydrophobic surface. In our oxidoreductase activity assay, Mtb DsbA exhibited a different substrate specificity when compared to EcDsbA. Moreover, structural analysis revealed a second disulfide bond in Mtb DsbA, which is rare in the previously reported DsbA structures, and is assumed to contribute to the overall stability of Mtb DsbA. To investigate the disulphide formation pathway in M.tuberculosis, we modeled Mtb Vitamin K epoxide reductase (Mtb VKOR), a binding partner of Mtb DsbA, to Mtb DsbA.

Functional analysis of paralogous thiol-disulfide oxidoreductases in Streptococcus gordonii

Disulfide bonds are important for the stability of many extracellular proteins, including bacterial virulence factors. Formation of these bonds is catalyzed by thiol-disulfide oxidoreductases (TDORs). Little is known about their formation in Gram-positive bacteria, particularly among facultative anaerobic Firmicutes, such as streptococci. To investigate disulfide bond formation in Streptococcus gordonii, we identified five putative TDORs from the sequenced genome. Each of the putative TDOR genes was insertionally inactivated with an erythromycin resistance cassette, and the mutants were analyzed for autolysis, extracellular DNA release, biofilm formation, bacteriocin production, and genetic competence. This analysis revealed a single TDOR, SdbA, which exhibited a pleiotropic mutant phenotype. Using an in silico analysis approach, we identified the major autolysin AtlS as a natural substrate of SdbA and showed that SdbA is critical to the formation of a disulfide bond that is required for autolytic activity. Analysis by BLAST search revealed homologs to SdbA in other Gram-positive species. This study provides the first in vivo evidence of an oxidoreductase, SdbA, that affects multiple phenotypes in a Gram-positive bacterium. SdbA shows low sequence homology to previously identified oxidoreductases, suggesting that it may belong to a different class of enzymes. Our results demonstrate that SdbA is required for disulfide bond formation in S. gordonii and indicate that this enzyme may represent a novel type of oxidoreductase in Gram-positive bacteria.

Structural and functional characterization of HP0377, a thioredoxin-fold protein from Helicobacter pylori

Maturation of cytochrome c is carried out in the bacterial periplasm, where specialized thiol-disulfide oxidoreductases provide the correct reduction of oxidized apocytochrome c before covalent haem attachment. HP0377 from Helicobacter pylori is a thioredoxin-fold protein that has been implicated as a component of system II for cytochrome c assembly and shows limited sequence similarity to Escherichia coli DsbC, a disulfide-bond isomerase. To better understand the role of HP0377, its crystal structures have been determined in both reduced and partially oxidized states, which are highly similar to each other. Sedimentation-equilibrium experiments indicate that HP0377 is monomeric in solution. HP0377 adopts a thioredoxin fold but shows distinctive variations as in other thioredoxin-like bacterial periplasmic proteins. The active site of HP0377 closely resembles that of E. coli DsbC. A reductase assay suggests that HP0377 may play a role as a reductase in the biogenesis of holocytochrome c553 (HP1227). Binding experiments indicate that it can form a covalent complex with HP0518, a putative L,D-transpeptidase with a catalytic cysteine residue, via a disulfide bond. Furthermore, physicochemical properties of HP0377 and its R86A variant have been determined. These results suggest that HP0377 may perform multiple functions as a reductase in H. pylori.

Structure and function of DsbA, a key bacterial oxidative folding catalyst

Since its discovery in 1991, the bacterial periplasmic oxidative folding catalyst DsbA has been the focus of intense research. Early studies addressed why it is so oxidizing and how it is maintained in its less stable oxidized state. The crystal structure of Escherichia coli DsbA (EcDsbA) revealed that the oxidizing periplasmic enzyme is a distant evolutionary cousin of the reducing cytoplasmic enzyme thioredoxin. Recent significant developments have deepened our understanding of DsbA function, mechanism, and interactions: the structure of the partner membrane protein EcDsbB, including its complex with EcDsbA, proved a landmark in the field. Studies of DsbA machineries from bacteria other than E. coli K-12 have highlighted dramatic differences from the model organism, including a striking divergence in redox parameters and surface features. Several DsbA structures have provided the first clues to its interaction with substrates, and finally, evidence for a central role of DsbA in bacterial virulence has been demonstrated in a range of organisms. Here, we review current knowledge on DsbA, a bacterial periplasmic protein that introduces disulfide bonds into diverse substrate proteins and which may one day be the target of a new class of anti-virulence drugs to treat bacterial infection.

Mechanisms of oxidative protein folding in the bacterial cell envelope

Disulfide-bond formation is important for the correct folding of a great number of proteins that are exported to the cell envelope of bacteria. Bacterial cells have evolved elaborate systems to promote the joining of two cysteines to form a disulfide bond and to repair misoxidized proteins. In the past two decades, significant advances have occurred in our understanding of the enzyme systems (DsbA, DsbB, DsbC, DsbG, and DsbD) used by the gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli to ensure that correct pairs of cysteines are joined during the process of protein folding. However, a number of fundamental questions about these processes remain, especially about how they occur inside the cell. In addition, recent recognition of the increasing diversity among bacteria in the disulfide bond-forming capacity and in the systems for introducing disulfide bonds into proteins is raising new questions. We review here the marked progress in this field and discuss important questions that remain for future studies.

Characterization of the DsbA oxidative folding catalyst from Pseudomonas aeruginosa reveals a highly oxidizing protein that binds small molecules

Bacterial antibiotic resistance is an emerging global crisis, and treatment of multidrug-resistant gram-negative infections, particularly those caused by the opportunistic human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, remains a major challenge. This problem is compounded by a lack of new antibiotics in the development pipeline: only two new classes have been developed since the 1960s, and both are indicated for multidrug-resistant gram-positive infections. A promising new approach to combat antibiotic resistance is by targeting bacterial virulence, rather than bacterial viability. The bacterial periplasmic protein DsbA represents a central point for antivirulence intervention because its oxidoreductase activity is essential for the folding and function of almost all exported virulence factors. Here we describe the three-dimensional structure of this DsbA target from P. aeruginosa, and we establish for the first time that a member of this enzyme family is capable of binding small molecules. We also describe biochemical assays that validate the redox activity of PaDsbA. Together, the structural and functional characterization of PaDsbA provides the basis for future studies aimed at designing a new class of antivirulence compounds to combat antibiotic-resistant P. aeruginosa infection.

Backbone and side chain 1H, 15N and 13C assignments for the oxidised and reduced forms of the oxidoreductase protein DsbA from Staphylococcus aureus

The function and dynamics of the thiol-disulfide oxidoreductase DsbA in the low-GC gram positive bacterium, Staphylococcus aureus, are yet to be elucidated. Here we report 13C, 15N and 1H assignments for the oxidised and reduced forms of SaDsbA as a prelude to further studies on the enzyme.

Disulfide bond formation and cysteine exclusion in gram-positive bacteria

Most secretion pathways in bacteria and eukaryotic cells are challenged by the requirement for their substrate proteins to mature after they traverse a membrane barrier and enter a reactive oxidizing environment. For Gram-positive bacteria, the mechanisms that protect their exported proteins from misoxidation during their post-translocation maturation are poorly understood. To address this, we separated numerous bacterial species according to their tolerance for oxygen and divided their proteomes based on the predicted subcellular localization of their proteins. We then applied a previously established computational approach that utilizes cysteine incorporation patterns in proteins as an indicator of enzymatic systems that may exist in each species. The Sec-dependent exported proteins from aerobic Gram-positive Actinobacteria were found to encode cysteines in an even-biased pattern indicative of a functional disulfide bond formation system. In contrast, aerobic Gram-positive Firmicutes favor the exclusion of cysteines from both their cytoplasmic proteins and their substantially longer exported proteins. Supporting these findings, we show that Firmicutes, but not Actinobacteria, tolerate growth in reductant. We further demonstrate that the actinobacterium Corynebacterium glutamicum possesses disulfide-bonded proteins and two dimeric Dsb-like enzymes that can efficiently catalyze the formation of disulfide bonds. Our results suggest that cysteine exclusion is an important adaptive strategy against the challenges presented by oxidative environments.

Structure and function of the oxidoreductase DsbA1 from Neisseria meningitidis

Neisseria meningitidis encodes three DsbA oxidoreductases (NmDsbA1-NmDsbA3) that are vital for the oxidative folding of many membrane and secreted proteins, and these three enzymes are considered to exhibit different substrate specificities. This has led to the suggestion that each N. meningitidis DsbA (NmDsbA) may play a specialized role in different stages of pathogenesis; however, the molecular and structural bases of the different roles of NmDsbAs are unclear. With the aim of determining the molecular basis for substrate specificity and how this correlates to pathogenesis, we undertook a biochemical and structural characterization of the three NmDsbAs. We report the 2.0-A-resolution crystal structure of the oxidized form of NmDsbA1, which adopted a canonical DsbA fold similar to that observed in the structures of NmDsbA3 and Escherichia coli DsbA (EcDsbA). Structural comparisons revealed variations around the active site and candidate peptide-binding region. Additionally, we demonstrate that all three NmDsbAs are strong oxidases with similar redox potentials; however, they differ from EcDsbA in their ability to be reoxidized by E. coli DsbB. Collectively, our studies suggest that the small structural differences between the NmDsbA enzymes and EcDsbA are functionally significant and are the likely determinants of substrate specificity.

Structural and functional characterization of the oxidoreductase alpha-DsbA1 from Wolbachia pipientis

The alpha-proteobacterium Wolbachia pipientis is a highly successful intracellular endosymbiont of invertebrates that manipulates its host's reproductive biology to facilitate its own maternal transmission. The fastidious nature of Wolbachia and the lack of genetic transformation have hampered analysis of the molecular basis of these manipulations. Structure determination of key Wolbachia proteins will enable the development of inhibitors for chemical genetics studies. Wolbachia encodes a homologue (alpha-DsbA1) of the Escherichia coli dithiol oxidase enzyme EcDsbA, essential for the oxidative folding of many exported proteins. We found that the active-site cysteine pair of Wolbachia alpha-DsbA1 has the most reducing redox potential of any characterized DsbA. In addition, Wolbachia alpha-DsbA1 possesses a second disulfide that is highly conserved in alpha-proteobacterial DsbAs but not in other DsbAs. The alpha-DsbA1 structure lacks the characteristic hydrophobic features of EcDsbA, and the protein neither complements EcDsbA deletion mutants in E. coli nor interacts with EcDsbB, the redox partner of EcDsbA. The surface characteristics and redox profile of alpha-DsbA1 indicate that it probably plays a specialized oxidative folding role with a narrow substrate specificity. This first report of a Wolbachia protein structure provides the basis for future chemical genetics studies.

The superior folding of a RANTES analogue expressed in lactobacilli as compared to mammalian cells reveals a promising system to screen new RANTES mutants

Development of effective topical microbicides for the prevention of HIV-1 sexual transmission represents a primary goal for the control of the AIDS pandemic. The viral coreceptor CCR5, used by the vast majority of primary HIV-1 isolates, is considered a primary target molecule. RANTES and its derivatives are the most suitable protein-based compounds to fight HIV-1 via CCR5 targeting. Yet, receptor activation should be avoided to prevent pro-inflammatory effects and possibly provide anti-inflammatory properties. C1C5 RANTES is a chemokine mutant that exhibits high anti-HIV-1 potency coupled with CCR5 antagonism. However, the need for the formation of an N-terminal intramolecular disulfide bridge between non-natural cysteine residues at positions 1 and 5 represents a challenge for the correct folding of this protein in recombinant expression systems, a crucial step towards its development as a microbicide against HIV-1. We report here a rare case of superior folding in a prokaryote as compared to an eukaryotic expression system. Production of C1C5 RANTES was highly impaired in CHO cells, with a dramatic yield reduction compared to that of wild type RANTES and secretion of the molecule as disulfide-linked dimer. Conversely, a human vaginal isolate of Lactobacillus jensenii engineered to secrete C1C5 RANTES provided efficient delivery of the monomeric protein. This and other reports on successful secretion of complex proteins indicate that lactic acid bacteria are an excellent system for the expression of therapeutic proteins, which can be used as a platform for the engineering of conceptually novel RANTES mutants with potent anti-HIV-1 activity.

The structure of the bacterial oxidoreductase enzyme DsbA in complex with a peptide reveals a basis for substrate specificity in the catalytic cycle of DsbA enzymes

Oxidative protein folding in Gram-negative bacteria results in the formation of disulfide bonds between pairs of cysteine residues. This is a multistep process in which the dithiol-disulfide oxidoreductase enzyme, DsbA, plays a central role. The structure of DsbA comprises an all helical domain of unknown function and a thioredoxin domain, where active site cysteines shuttle between an oxidized, substrate-bound, reduced form and a DsbB-bound form, where DsbB is a membrane protein that reoxidizes DsbA. Most DsbA enzymes interact with a wide variety of reduced substrates and show little specificity. However, a number of DsbA enzymes have now been identified that have narrow substrate repertoires and appear to interact specifically with a smaller number of substrates. The transient nature of the DsbA-substrate complex has hampered our understanding of the factors that govern the interaction of DsbA enzymes with their substrates. Here we report the crystal structure of a complex between Escherichia coli DsbA and a peptide with a sequence derived from a substrate. The binding site identified in the DsbA-peptide complex was distinct from that observed for DsbB in the DsbA-DsbB complex. The structure revealed details of the DsbA-peptide interaction and suggested a mechanism by which DsbA can simultaneously show broad specificity for substrates yet exhibit specificity for DsbB. This mode of binding was supported by solution nuclear magnetic resonance data as well as functional data, which demonstrated that the substrate specificity of DsbA could be modified via changes at the binding interface identified in the structure of the complex.

Crystal structure and biophysical properties of Bacillus subtilis BdbD. An oxidizing thiol:disulfide oxidoreductase containing a novel metal site

BdbD is a thiol:disulfide oxidoreductase (TDOR) from Bacillus subtilis that functions to introduce disulfide bonds in substrate proteins/peptides on the outside of the cytoplasmic membrane and, as such, plays a key role in disulfide bond management. Here we demonstrate that the protein is membrane-associated in B. subtilis and present the crystal structure of the soluble part of the protein lacking its membrane anchor. This reveals that BdbD is similar in structure to Escherichia coli DsbA, with a thioredoxin-like domain with an inserted helical domain. A major difference, however, is the presence in BdbD of a metal site, fully occupied by Ca²⁺, at an inter-domain position some 14 Å away from the CXXC active site. The midpoint reduction potential of soluble BdbD was determined as −75 mV versus normal hydrogen electrode, and the active site N-terminal cysteine thiol was shown to have a low pK_a, consistent with BdbD being an oxidizing TDOR. Equilibrium unfolding studies revealed that the oxidizing power of the protein is based on the instability introduced by the disulfide bond in the oxidized form. The crystal structure of Ca²⁺-depleted BdbD showed that the protein remained folded, with only minor conformational changes. However, the reduced form of Ca²⁺-depleted BdbD was significantly less stable than reduced Ca²⁺-containing protein, and the midpoint reduction potential was shifted by approximately −20 mV, suggesting that Ca²⁺ functions to boost the oxidizing power of the protein. Finally, we demonstrate that electron exchange does not occur between BdbD and B. subtilis ResA, a low potential extra-cytoplasmic TDOR.

Properties of the thioredoxin fold superfamily are modulated by a single amino acid residue

The ubiquitous thioredoxin fold proteins catalyze oxidation, reduction, or disulfide exchange reactions depending on their redox properties. They also play vital roles in protein folding, redox control, and disease. Here, we have shown that a single residue strongly modifies both the redox properties of thioredoxin fold proteins and their ability to interact with substrates. This residue is adjacent in three-dimensional space to the characteristic CXXC active site motif of thioredoxin fold proteins but distant in sequence. This residue is just N-terminal to the conservative cis-proline. It is isoleucine 75 in the case of thioredoxin. Our findings support the conclusion that a very small percentage of the amino acid residues of thioredoxin-related proteins are capable of dictating the functions of these proteins.