1
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Yoniles J, Summers JA, Zielinski KA, Antolini C, Panjalingam M, Lisova S, Moss FR, Di Perna MA, Kupitz C, Hunter MS, Pollack L, Wakatsuki S, Dahlberg PD. Time-resolved cryogenic electron tomography for the study of transient cellular processes. Mol Biol Cell 2024; 35:mr4. [PMID: 38717434 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e24-01-0042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Cryogenic electron tomography (cryo-ET) is the highest resolution imaging technique applicable to the life sciences, enabling subnanometer visualization of specimens preserved in their near native states. The rapid plunge freezing process used to prepare samples lends itself to time-resolved studies, which researchers have pursued for in vitro samples for decades. Here, we focus on developing a freezing apparatus for time-resolved studies in situ. The device mixes cellular samples with solution-phase stimulants before spraying them directly onto an electron microscopy grid that is transiting into cryogenic liquid ethane. By varying the flow rates of cell and stimulant solutions within the device, we can control the reaction time from tens of milliseconds to over a second before freezing. In a proof-of-principle demonstration, the freezing method is applied to a model bacterium, Caulobacter crescentus, mixed with an acidic buffer. Through cryo-ET we resolved structural changes throughout the cell, including surface-layer protein dissolution, outer membrane deformation, and cytosolic rearrangement, all within 1.5 s of reaction time. This new approach, Time-Resolved cryo-ET (TR-cryo-ET), enhances the capabilities of cryo-ET by incorporating a subsecond temporal axis and enables the visualization of induced structural changes at the molecular, organelle, or cellular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Yoniles
- Biophysics Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Jacob A Summers
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Kara A Zielinski
- School of Applied and Engineering Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - Cali Antolini
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025
- Linac Coherent Light Source, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025
| | | | - Stella Lisova
- Linac Coherent Light Source, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025
| | - Frank R Moss
- Linac Coherent Light Source, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025
| | | | - Christopher Kupitz
- Linac Coherent Light Source, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025
| | - Mark S Hunter
- Linac Coherent Light Source, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025
| | - Lois Pollack
- School of Applied and Engineering Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - Soichi Wakatsuki
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025
| | - Peter D Dahlberg
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025
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2
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Mazal H, Wieser FF, Sandoghdar V. Insights into protein structure using cryogenic light microscopy. Biochem Soc Trans 2023; 51:2041-2059. [PMID: 38015555 PMCID: PMC10754291 DOI: 10.1042/bst20221246] [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: 08/26/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Fluorescence microscopy has witnessed many clever innovations in the last two decades, leading to new methods such as structured illumination and super-resolution microscopies. The attainable resolution in biological samples is, however, ultimately limited by residual motion within the sample or in the microscope setup. Thus, such experiments are typically performed on chemically fixed samples. Cryogenic light microscopy (Cryo-LM) has been investigated as an alternative, drawing on various preservation techniques developed for cryogenic electron microscopy (Cryo-EM). Moreover, this approach offers a powerful platform for correlative microscopy. Another key advantage of Cryo-LM is the strong reduction in photobleaching at low temperatures, facilitating the collection of orders of magnitude more photons from a single fluorophore. This results in much higher localization precision, leading to Angstrom resolution. In this review, we discuss the general development and progress of Cryo-LM with an emphasis on its application in harnessing structural information on proteins and protein complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hisham Mazal
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
- Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Franz-Ferdinand Wieser
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
- Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
- Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Vahid Sandoghdar
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
- Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
- Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
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3
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Zappa S, Berne C, Morton RI, De Stercke J, Brun YV. The HmrABCX pathway regulates the transition between motile and sessile lifestyles in Caulobacter crescentus by a HfiA-independent mechanism. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.13.571505. [PMID: 38168291 PMCID: PMC10760086 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.13.571505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Through its cell cycle, the bacterium Caulobacter crescentus switches from a motile, free-living state, to a sessile surface-attached cell. During this coordinated process, cells undergo irreversible morphological changes, such as shedding of their polar flagellum and synthesis of an adhesive holdfast at the same pole. In this work, we used genetic screens to identify genes involved in the regulation of the motile to sessile lifestyle transition. We identified a predicted hybrid histidine kinase that inhibits biofilm formation and activates the motile lifestyle: HmrA (Holdfast and motility regulator A). Genetic screens and genomic localization led to the identification of additional genes that regulate the proportion of cells harboring an active flagellum or a holdfast and that form a putative phosphorelay pathway with HmrA. Further genetic analysis indicates that the Hmr pathway is independent of the holdfast synthesis regulator HfiA and may impact c-di-GMP synthesis through the diguanylate cyclase DgcB pathway. Finally, we provide evidence that the Hmr pathway is involved in the regulation of sessile-to-motile lifestyle as a function of environmental stresses, namely excess copper and non-optimal temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien Zappa
- Département de microbiologie, infectiologie et immunologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, CANADA
| | - Cecile Berne
- Département de microbiologie, infectiologie et immunologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, CANADA
| | - Robert I. Morton
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
- Present address: Boston Scientific, Yokneam, Northern, ISRAEL
| | - Jonathan De Stercke
- Département de microbiologie, infectiologie et immunologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, CANADA
- Present address: Unité de Recherche en Biologie des Micro-organismes, Université de Namur, 61 rue de Bruxelles, B-5000 Namur, BELGIUM
| | - Yves V. Brun
- Département de microbiologie, infectiologie et immunologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, CANADA
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
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4
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Louis G, Cherry P, Michaux C, Rahuel-Clermont S, Dieu M, Tilquin F, Maertens L, Van Houdt R, Renard P, Perpete E, Matroule JY. A cytoplasmic chemoreceptor and reactive oxygen species mediate bacterial chemotaxis to copper. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:105207. [PMID: 37660909 PMCID: PMC10579534 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Chemotaxis is a widespread strategy used by unicellular and multicellular living organisms to maintain their fitness in stressful environments. We previously showed that bacteria can trigger a negative chemotactic response to a copper (Cu)-rich environment. Cu ion toxicity on bacterial cell physiology has been mainly linked to mismetallation events and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, although the precise role of Cu-generated ROS remains largely debated. Here, using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry on cell fractionates, we found that the cytoplasmic Cu ion content mirrors variations of the extracellular Cu ion concentration. ROS-sensitive fluorescent probe and biosensor allowed us to show that the increase of cytoplasmic Cu ion content triggers a dose-dependent oxidative stress, which can be abrogated by superoxide dismutase and catalase overexpression. The inhibition of ROS production in the cytoplasm not only improves bacterial growth but also impedes Cu chemotaxis, indicating that ROS derived from cytoplasmic Cu ions mediate the control of bacterial chemotaxis to Cu. We also identified the Cu chemoreceptor McpR, which binds Cu ions with low affinity, suggesting a labile interaction. In addition, we demonstrate that the cysteine 75 and histidine 99 within the McpR sensor domain are key residues in Cu chemotaxis and Cu coordination. Finally, we discovered that in vitro both Cu(I) and Cu(II) ions modulate McpR conformation in a distinct manner. Overall, our study provides mechanistic insights on a redox-based control of Cu chemotaxis, indicating that the cellular redox status can play a key role in bacterial chemotaxis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gwennaëlle Louis
- Research Unit in Biology of Microorganisms (URBM), Department of Biology, Namur Research Institute for Life Sciences (NARILIS), University of Namur, Namur, Belgium
| | - Pauline Cherry
- Research Unit in Biology of Microorganisms (URBM), Department of Biology, Namur Research Institute for Life Sciences (NARILIS), University of Namur, Namur, Belgium
| | - Catherine Michaux
- Laboratoire de Chimie Physique des Biomolécules, Namur Research Institute for Life Sciences (NARILIS) and Namur Institute of Structured Matter (NISM), University of Namur, Namur, Belgium
| | | | - Marc Dieu
- MaSUN, Mass Spectrometry Facility, University of Namur, Namur, Belgium
| | - Françoise Tilquin
- Research Unit in Biology of Microorganisms (URBM), Department of Biology, Namur Research Institute for Life Sciences (NARILIS), University of Namur, Namur, Belgium
| | - Laurens Maertens
- Research Unit in Biology of Microorganisms (URBM), Department of Biology, Namur Research Institute for Life Sciences (NARILIS), University of Namur, Namur, Belgium; Microbiology Unit, Interdisciplinary Biosciences, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Mol, Belgium
| | - Rob Van Houdt
- Microbiology Unit, Interdisciplinary Biosciences, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Mol, Belgium
| | - Patricia Renard
- MaSUN, Mass Spectrometry Facility, University of Namur, Namur, Belgium
| | - Eric Perpete
- Laboratoire de Chimie Physique des Biomolécules, Namur Research Institute for Life Sciences (NARILIS) and Namur Institute of Structured Matter (NISM), University of Namur, Namur, Belgium
| | - Jean-Yves Matroule
- Research Unit in Biology of Microorganisms (URBM), Department of Biology, Namur Research Institute for Life Sciences (NARILIS), University of Namur, Namur, Belgium.
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5
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Hadjidemetriou K, Kaur S, Cassidy CK, Zhang P. Mechanisms of E. coli chemotaxis signaling pathways visualized using cryoET and computational approaches. Biochem Soc Trans 2022; 50:1595-1605. [PMID: 36421737 PMCID: PMC9788364 DOI: 10.1042/bst20220191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Chemotaxis signaling pathways enable bacteria to sense and respond to their chemical environment and, in some species, are critical for lifestyle processes such as biofilm formation and pathogenesis. The signal transduction underlying chemotaxis behavior is mediated by large, highly ordered protein complexes known as chemosensory arrays. For nearly two decades, cryo-electron tomography (cryoET) has been used to image chemosensory arrays, providing an increasingly detailed understanding of their structure and function. In this mini-review, we provide an overview of the use of cryoET to study chemosensory arrays, including imaging strategies, key results, and outstanding questions. We further discuss the application of molecular modeling and simulation techniques to complement structure determination efforts and provide insight into signaling mechanisms. We close the review with a brief outlook, highlighting promising future directions for the field.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Satinder Kaur
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, U.K
| | - C. Keith Cassidy
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, U.K
| | - Peijun Zhang
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, U.K
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, U.K
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Oxford Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, U.K
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6
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Liedtke J, Depelteau JS, Briegel A. How advances in cryo-electron tomography have contributed to our current view of bacterial cell biology. J Struct Biol X 2022; 6:100065. [PMID: 35252838 PMCID: PMC8894267 DOI: 10.1016/j.yjsbx.2022.100065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Advancements in the field of cryo-electron tomography have greatly contributed to our current understanding of prokaryotic cell organization and revealed intracellular structures with remarkable architecture. In this review, we present some of the prominent advancements in cryo-electron tomography, illustrated by a subset of structural examples to demonstrate the power of the technique. More specifically, we focus on technical advances in automation of data collection and processing, sample thinning approaches, correlative cryo-light and electron microscopy, and sub-tomogram averaging methods. In turn, each of these advances enabled new insights into bacterial cell architecture, cell cycle progression, and the structure and function of molecular machines. Taken together, these significant advances within the cryo-electron tomography workflow have led to a greater understanding of prokaryotic biology. The advances made the technique available to a wider audience and more biological questions and provide the basis for continued advances in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janine Liedtke
- Department of Microbial Sciences, Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE Leiden, The Netherlands.,Centre for Microbial Cell Biology, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jamie S Depelteau
- Department of Microbial Sciences, Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE Leiden, The Netherlands.,Centre for Microbial Cell Biology, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Ariane Briegel
- Department of Microbial Sciences, Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE Leiden, The Netherlands.,Centre for Microbial Cell Biology, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE Leiden, The Netherlands
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7
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Studying bacterial chemosensory array with CryoEM. Biochem Soc Trans 2021; 49:2081-2089. [PMID: 34495335 PMCID: PMC8589424 DOI: 10.1042/bst20210080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Bacteria direct their movement in respond to gradients of nutrients and other stimuli in the environment through the chemosensory system. The behavior is mediated by chemosensory arrays that are made up of thousands of proteins to form an organized array near the cell pole. In this review, we briefly introduce the architecture and function of the chemosensory array and its core signaling unit. We describe the in vivo and in vitro systems that have been used for structural studies of chemosensory array by cryoEM, including reconstituted lipid nanodiscs, 2D lipid monolayer arrays, lysed bacterial ghosts, bacterial minicells and native bacteria cells. Lastly, we review recent advances in structural analysis of chemosensory arrays using state-of-the-art cryoEM and cryoET methodologies, focusing on the latest developments and insights with a perspective on current challenges and future directions.
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8
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How an unusual chemosensory system forms arrays on the bacterial nucleoid. Biochem Soc Trans 2021; 48:347-356. [PMID: 32129822 DOI: 10.1042/bst20180450] [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: 10/25/2019] [Revised: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Chemosensory systems are signaling pathways elegantly organized in hexagonal arrays that confer unique functional features to these systems such as signal amplification. Chemosensory arrays adopt different subcellular localizations from one bacterial species to another, yet keeping their supramolecular organization unmodified. In the gliding bacterium Myxococcus xanthus, a cytoplasmic chemosensory system, Frz, forms multiple clusters on the nucleoid through the direct binding of the FrzCD receptor to DNA. A small CheW-like protein, FrzB, might be responsible for the formation of multiple (instead of just one) Frz arrays. In this review, we summarize what is known on Frz array formation on the bacterial chromosome and discuss hypotheses on how FrzB might contribute to the nucleation of multiple clusters. Finally, we will propose some possible biological explanations for this type of localization pattern.
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9
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Dahlberg PD, Saurabh S, Sartor AM, Wang J, Mitchell PG, Chiu W, Shapiro L, Moerner WE. Cryogenic single-molecule fluorescence annotations for electron tomography reveal in situ organization of key proteins in Caulobacter. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:13937-13944. [PMID: 32513734 PMCID: PMC7321984 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2001849117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Superresolution fluorescence microscopy and cryogenic electron tomography (CET) are powerful imaging methods for exploring the subcellular organization of biomolecules. Superresolution fluorescence microscopy based on covalent labeling highlights specific proteins and has sufficient sensitivity to observe single fluorescent molecules, but the reconstructions lack detailed cellular context. CET has molecular-scale resolution but lacks specific and nonperturbative intracellular labeling techniques. Here, we describe an imaging scheme that correlates cryogenic single-molecule fluorescence localizations with CET reconstructions. Our approach achieves single-molecule localizations with an average lateral precision of 9 nm, and a relative registration error between the set of localizations and CET reconstruction of ∼30 nm. We illustrate the workflow by annotating the positions of three proteins in the bacterium Caulobacter crescentus: McpA, PopZ, and SpmX. McpA, which forms a part of the chemoreceptor array, acts as a validation structure by being visible under both imaging modalities. In contrast, PopZ and SpmX cannot be directly identified in CET. While not directly discernable, PopZ fills a region at the cell poles that is devoid of electron-dense ribosomes. We annotate the position of PopZ with single-molecule localizations and confirm its position within the ribosome excluded region. We further use the locations of PopZ to provide context for localizations of SpmX, a low-copy integral membrane protein sequestered by PopZ as part of a signaling pathway that leads to an asymmetric cell division. Our correlative approach reveals that SpmX localizes along one side of the cell pole and its extent closely matches that of the PopZ region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter D Dahlberg
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Saumya Saurabh
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Annina M Sartor
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Jiarui Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Patrick G Mitchell
- Division of Cryo-EM and Bioimaging, Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025
| | - Wah Chiu
- Division of Cryo-EM and Bioimaging, Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Lucy Shapiro
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - W E Moerner
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305;
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10
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Strategies for identifying dynamic regions in protein complexes: Flexibility changes accompany methylation in chemotaxis receptor signaling states. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2020; 1862:183312. [PMID: 32304758 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2020.183312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Bacterial chemoreceptors are organized in arrays composed of helical receptors arranged as trimers of dimers, coupled to a histidine kinase CheA and a coupling protein CheW. Ligand binding to the external domain inhibits the kinase activity, leading to a change in the swimming behavior. Adaptation to an ongoing stimulus involves reversible methylation and demethylation of specific glutamate residues. However, the exact mechanism of signal propagation through the helical receptor to the histidine kinase remains elusive. Dynamics of the receptor cytoplasmic domain is thought to play an important role in the signal transduction, and current models propose inverse dynamic changes in different regions of the receptor. We hypothesize that the adaptational modification (methylation) controls the dynamics by stabilizing a partially ordered domain, which in turn modulates the binding of the kinase, CheA. We investigated the difference in dynamics between the methylated and unmethylated states of the chemoreceptor using solid-state NMR. The unmethylated receptor (CF4E) shows increased flexibility relative to the methylated mimic (CF4Q). Methylation helix 1 (MH1) has been shown to be flexible in the methylated mimic receptor. Our analysis indicates that in addition to MH1, methylation helix 2 also becomes flexible in the unmethylated receptor. In addition, we have demonstrated that both states of the receptor have a rigid region and segments with intermediate timescale dynamics. The strategies used in this study for identifying dynamic regions are applicable to a broad class of proteins and protein complexes with intrinsic disorder and dynamics spanning multiple timescales.
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11
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The Two Chemotaxis Clusters in Caulobacter crescentus Play Different Roles in Chemotaxis and Biofilm Regulation. J Bacteriol 2019; 201:JB.00071-19. [PMID: 31109992 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00071-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The holdfast polysaccharide adhesin is crucial for irreversible cell adhesion and biofilm formation in Caulobacter crescentus Holdfast production is tightly controlled via developmental regulators, as well as via environmental and physical signals. Here, we identify a novel mode of regulation of holdfast synthesis that involves chemotaxis proteins. We characterized the two identified chemotaxis clusters of C. crescentus and showed that only the previously characterized major cluster is involved in the chemotactic response toward different carbon sources. However, both chemotaxis clusters encoded in the C. crescentus genome play a role in biofilm formation and holdfast production by regulating the expression of hfiA, the gene encoding the holdfast inhibitor HfiA. We show that CheA and CheB proteins act in an antagonistic manner, as follows: while the two CheA proteins negatively regulate hfiA expression, the CheB proteins are positive regulators, thus providing a modulation of holdfast synthesis and surface attachment.IMPORTANCE Chemosensory systems constitute major signal transduction pathways in bacteria. These systems are involved in chemotaxis and other cell responses to environment conditions, such as the production of adhesins to enable irreversible adhesion to a surface and surface colonization. The C. crescentus genome encodes two complete chemotaxis clusters. Here, we characterized the second novel chemotaxis-like cluster. While only the major chemotaxis cluster is involved in chemotaxis, both chemotaxis systems modulate C. crescentus adhesion by controlling expression of the holdfast synthesis inhibitor HfiA. Here, we identify a new level in holdfast regulation, providing new insights into the control of adhesin production that leads to the formation of biofilms in response to the environment.
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12
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Muok AR, Briegel A, Crane BR. Regulation of the chemotaxis histidine kinase CheA: A structural perspective. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2019; 1862:183030. [PMID: 31374212 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2019.183030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Revised: 07/24/2019] [Accepted: 07/25/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Bacteria sense and respond to their environment through a highly conserved assembly of transmembrane chemoreceptors (MCPs), the histidine kinase CheA, and the coupling protein CheW, hereafter termed "the chemosensory array". In recent years, great strides have been made in understanding the architecture of the chemosensory array and how this assembly engenders sensitive and cooperative responses. Nonetheless, a central outstanding question surrounds how receptors modulate the activity of the CheA kinase, the enzymatic output of the sensory system. With a focus on recent advances, we summarize the current understanding of array structure and function to comment on the molecular mechanism by which CheA, receptors and CheW generate the high sensitivity, gain and dynamic range emblematic of bacterial chemotaxis. The complexity of the chemosensory arrays has motivated investigation with many different approaches. In particular, structural methods, genetics, cellular activity assays, nanodisc technology and cryo-electron tomography have provided advances that bridge length scales and connect molecular mechanism to cellular function. Given the high degree of component integration in the chemosensory arrays, we ultimately aim to understand how such networked molecular interactions generate a whole that is truly greater than the sum of its parts. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Molecular biophysics of membranes and membrane proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alise R Muok
- Institute for Biology, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Ariane Briegel
- Institute for Biology, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Brian R Crane
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, United States of America.
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13
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Abstract
For automated acquisition of tilt series for electron tomography, software needs to handle complications such as movements of the sample in x/y and z, increased projected thickness at high tilt, specimen drift, etc. In addition, many applications require special functionality such as low dose acquisition, automated sequential (batch) tomography, or montage tomography. After reviewing how these difficulties can be addressed and a closer look at what advanced acquisition strategies are employed in biosciences, this chapter introduces acquisition software both developed in academia as well as by hardware vendors. It covers the hardware requirements and compatibility, the functional principle and workflow implemented, as well as what advanced functions are supported by the individual programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guenter P Resch
- Nexperion e.U.-Solutions for Electron Microscopy, Vienna, Austria.
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14
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Abstract
Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) allows the imaging of intact macromolecular complexes in the context of whole cells. The biological samples for cryo-EM are kept in a near-native state by flash freezing, without the need for any additional sample preparation or fixation steps. Since transmission electron microscopy only generates 2D projections of the samples, the specimen has to be tilted in order to recover its 3D structural information. This is done by collecting images of the sample with various tilt angles in respect to the electron beam. The acquired tilt series can then be computationally back-projected. This technique is called electron cryotomography (ECT), and has been instrumental in unraveling the architecture of chemoreceptor arrays. Here we describe the method of visualizing in vivo bacterial chemoreceptor arrays in three main steps: immobilization of bacterial cells on EM grids by plunge-freezing; 2D image acquisition in tilt series; and 3D tomogram reconstruction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Yang
- Department of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Ariane Briegel
- Department of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
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15
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Uncharacterized Bacterial Structures Revealed by Electron Cryotomography. J Bacteriol 2017; 199:JB.00100-17. [PMID: 28607161 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00100-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2017] [Accepted: 05/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Electron cryotomography (ECT) can reveal the native structure and arrangement of macromolecular complexes inside intact cells. This technique has greatly advanced our understanding of the ultrastructure of bacterial cells. We now view bacteria as structurally complex assemblies of macromolecular machines rather than as undifferentiated bags of enzymes. To date, our group has applied ECT to nearly 90 different bacterial species, collecting more than 15,000 cryotomograms. In addition to known structures, we have observed, to our knowledge, several uncharacterized features in these tomograms. Some are completely novel structures; others expand the features or species range of known structure types. Here, we present a survey of these uncharacterized bacterial structures in the hopes of accelerating their identification and study, and furthering our understanding of the structural complexity of bacterial cells.IMPORTANCE Bacteria are more structurally complex than is commonly appreciated. Here we present a survey of previously uncharacterized structures that we observed in bacterial cells by electron cryotomography, structures that will initiate new lines of research investigating their identities and roles.
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16
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Bardy SL, Briegel A, Rainville S, Krell T. Recent advances and future prospects in bacterial and archaeal locomotion and signal transduction. J Bacteriol 2017; 199:e00203-17. [PMID: 28484047 PMCID: PMC5573076 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00203-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Unraveling the structure and function of two-component and chemotactic signaling along with different aspects related to motility of bacteria and archaea are key research areas in modern microbiology. Escherichia coli is the traditional model organism to study chemotaxis signaling and motility. However, the recent study of a wide range of bacteria and even some archaea with different lifestyles has provided new insight into the eco-physiology of chemotaxis, which is essential for the host establishment of different pathogens or beneficial bacteria. The expanded range of model organisms has also permitted the study of chemosensory pathways unrelated to chemotaxis, multiple chemotaxis pathways within an organism, and new types of chemoreceptors. This research has greatly benefitted from technical advances in the field of cryo-microscopy that continues to reveal with increasing resolution the complexity and diversity of large protein complexes like the flagellar motor or chemoreceptor arrays. In addition, sensitive instruments now allow for an increasing number of experiments to be conducted at the single-cell level, thereby revealing information that is beginning to bridge the gap between individual cells and population behavior. Evidence has also accumulated showing that bacteria have evolved different mechanisms for surface sensing, which appears to be mediated by flagella and possibly type IV pili, and that the downstream signaling involves chemosensory pathways and two-component system based processes. Herein we summarize the recent advances and research tendencies in this field as presented at the latest Bacterial Locomotion and Signal Transduction (BLAST XIV) conference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia L. Bardy
- University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee, Biological Sciences, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | | | - Simon Rainville
- Laval University, Department of Physics, Engineering Physics and Optics, Quebec City, Québec, Canada
| | - Tino Krell
- Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Granada, Spain
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17
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Abstract
Electron cryotomography (ECT) provides three-dimensional views of macromolecular complexes inside cells in a native frozen-hydrated state. Over the last two decades, ECT has revealed the ultrastructure of cells in unprecedented detail. It has also allowed us to visualize the structures of macromolecular machines in their native context inside intact cells. In many cases, such machines cannot be purified intact for in vitro study. In other cases, the function of a structure is lost outside the cell, so that the mechanism can be understood only by observation in situ. In this review, we describe the technique and its history and provide examples of its power when applied to cell biology. We also discuss the integration of ECT with other techniques, including lower-resolution fluorescence imaging and higher-resolution atomic structure determination, to cover the full scale of cellular processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine M Oikonomou
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125; ,
| | - Grant J Jensen
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125; , .,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Pasadena, California 91125
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18
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Briegel A, Jensen G. Progress and Potential of Electron Cryotomography as Illustrated by Its Application to Bacterial Chemoreceptor Arrays. Annu Rev Biophys 2017; 46:1-21. [PMID: 28301773 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-biophys-070816-033555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Electron cryotomography (ECT) can produce three-dimensional images of biological samples such as intact cells in a near-native, frozen-hydrated state to macromolecular resolution (∼4 nm). Because one of its first and most common applications has been to bacterial chemoreceptor arrays, ECT's contributions to this field illustrate well its past, present, and future. While X-ray crystallography and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy have revealed the structures of nearly all the individual components of chemoreceptor arrays, ECT has revealed the mesoscale information about how the components are arranged within cells. Receptors assemble into a universally conserved 12-nm hexagonal lattice linked by CheA/CheW rings. Membrane-bound arrays are single layered; cytoplasmic arrays are double layered. Images of in vitro reconstitutions have led to a model of how arrays assemble, and images of native arrays in different states have shown that the conformational changes associated with signal transduction are subtle, constraining models of activation and system cooperativity. Phase plates, better detectors, and more stable stages promise even higher resolution and broader application in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariane Briegel
- Department of Biology, Leiden University, 2333 Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Grant Jensen
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125; .,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Pasadena, California 91125
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19
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Subramanian K, Tyson JJ. Spatiotemporal Models of the Asymmetric Division Cycle of Caulobacter crescentus. Results Probl Cell Differ 2017; 61:23-48. [PMID: 28409299 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-53150-2_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The spatial localization of proteins within the cytoplasm of bacteria is an underappreciated but critical aspect of cell cycle regulation for many prokaryotes. In Caulobacter crescentus-a model organism for the study of asymmetric cell reproduction in prokaryotes-heterogeneous localization of proteins has been identified as the underlying cause of asymmetry in cell morphology, DNA replication, and cell division. However, significant questions remain. Firstly, the mechanisms by which proteins localize in the organelle-free prokaryotic cytoplasm remain obscure. Furthermore, how variations in the spatial and temporal dynamics of cell fate determinants regulate signaling pathways and orchestrate the complex programs of asymmetric cell division and differentiation are subjects of ongoing research. In this chapter, we review current efforts in investigating these two questions. We describe how mathematical models of spatiotemporal protein dynamics are being used to generate and test competing hypotheses and provide complementary insight about the control mechanisms that regulate asymmetry in protein localization and cell division.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kartik Subramanian
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - John J Tyson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
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20
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Hampton CM, Strauss JD, Ke Z, Dillard RS, Hammonds JE, Alonas E, Desai TM, Marin M, Storms RE, Leon F, Melikyan GB, Santangelo PJ, Spearman PW, Wright ER. Correlated fluorescence microscopy and cryo-electron tomography of virus-infected or transfected mammalian cells. Nat Protoc 2016; 12:150-167. [PMID: 27977021 DOI: 10.1038/nprot.2016.168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM) combines spatiotemporal information from fluorescence light microscopy (fLM) with high-resolution structural data from cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET). These technologies provide opportunities to bridge knowledge gaps between cell and structural biology. Here we describe our protocol for correlated cryo-fLM, cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), and cryo-ET (i.e., cryo-CLEM) of virus-infected or transfected mammalian cells. Mammalian-derived cells are cultured on EM substrates, using optimized conditions that ensure that the cells are spread thinly across the substrate and are not physically disrupted. The cells are then screened by fLM and vitrified before acquisition of cryo-fLM and cryo-ET images, which is followed by data processing. A complete session from grid preparation through data collection and processing takes 5-15 d for an individual experienced in cryo-EM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheri M Hampton
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Joshua D Strauss
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Zunlong Ke
- School of Biology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Rebecca S Dillard
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Jason E Hammonds
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Eric Alonas
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Tanay M Desai
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Mariana Marin
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Rachel E Storms
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Fredrick Leon
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Gregory B Melikyan
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Philip J Santangelo
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Paul W Spearman
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Elizabeth R Wright
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,Robert P. Apkarian Integrated Electron Microscopy Core, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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21
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Abstract
With the realization that bacteria achieve exquisite levels of spatiotemporal organization has come the challenge of discovering the underlying mechanisms. In this review, we describe three classes of such mechanisms, each of which has physical origins: the use of landmarks, the creation of higher-order structures that enable geometric sensing, and the emergence of length scales from systems of chemical reactions coupled to diffusion. We then examine the diversity of geometric cues that exist even in cells with relatively simple geometries, and end by discussing both new technologies that could drive further discovery and the implications of our current knowledge for the behavior, fitness, and evolution of bacteria. The organizational strategies described here are employed in a wide variety of systems and in species across all kingdoms of life; in many ways they provide a general blueprint for organizing the building blocks of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ned S Wingreen
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544;
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22
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Oikonomou CM, Chang YW, Jensen GJ. A new view into prokaryotic cell biology from electron cryotomography. Nat Rev Microbiol 2016; 14:205-20. [PMID: 26923112 PMCID: PMC5551487 DOI: 10.1038/nrmicro.2016.7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Electron cryotomography (ECT) enables intact cells to be visualized in 3D in an essentially native state to 'macromolecular' (∼4 nm) resolution, revealing the basic architectures of complete nanomachines and their arrangements in situ. Since its inception, ECT has advanced our understanding of many aspects of prokaryotic cell biology, from morphogenesis to subcellular compartmentalization and from metabolism to complex interspecies interactions. In this Review, we highlight how ECT has provided structural and mechanistic insights into the physiology of bacteria and archaea and discuss prospects for the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine M Oikonomou
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute; Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| | - Yi-Wei Chang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute; Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| | - Grant J Jensen
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute; Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, California 91125, USA
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23
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Abstract
Cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) has emerged as a leading technique for three-dimensional visualization of large macromolecular complexes and their conformational changes in their native cellular environment. However, the resolution and potential applications of cryo-ET are fundamentally limited by specimen thickness, preventing high-resolution in situ visualization of macromolecular structures in many bacteria (such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica). Minicells, which were discovered nearly 50 years ago, have recently been exploited as model systems to visualize molecular machines in situ, due to their smaller size and other unique properties. In this review, we discuss strategies for producing minicells and highlight their use in the study of chemotactic signaling, protein secretion, and DNA translocation. In combination with powerful genetic tools and advanced imaging techniques, minicells provide a springboard for in-depth structural studies of bacterial macromolecular complexes in situ and therefore offer a unique approach for gaining novel structural insights into many important processes in microbiology.
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24
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Strnad M, Elsterová J, Schrenková J, Vancová M, Rego ROM, Grubhoffer L, Nebesářová J. Correlative cryo-fluorescence and cryo-scanning electron microscopy as a straightforward tool to study host-pathogen interactions. Sci Rep 2015; 5:18029. [PMID: 26658551 PMCID: PMC4674872 DOI: 10.1038/srep18029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2015] [Accepted: 11/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Correlative light and electron microscopy is an imaging technique that enables identification and targeting of fluorescently tagged structures with subsequent imaging at near-to-nanometer resolution. We established a novel correlative cryo-fluorescence microscopy and cryo-scanning electron microscopy workflow, which enables imaging of the studied object of interest very close to its natural state, devoid of artifacts caused for instance by slow chemical fixation. This system was tested by investigating the interaction of the zoonotic bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi with two mammalian cell lines of neural origin in order to broaden our knowledge about the cell-association mechanisms that precedes the entry of the bacteria into the cell. This method appears to be an unprecedentedly fast (<3 hours), straightforward, and reliable solution to study the finer details of pathogen-host cell interactions and provides important insights into the complex and dynamic relationship between a pathogen and a host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Strnad
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, České Budějovice CZ-37005, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Branišovská 1760, České Budějovice CZ-37005, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Elsterová
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, České Budějovice CZ-37005, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Branišovská 1760, České Budějovice CZ-37005, Czech Republic.,Department of Virology, Veterinary Research Institute, Brno CZ-62100, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Schrenková
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, České Budějovice CZ-37005, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Branišovská 1760, České Budějovice CZ-37005, Czech Republic
| | - Marie Vancová
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, České Budějovice CZ-37005, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Branišovská 1760, České Budějovice CZ-37005, Czech Republic
| | - Ryan O M Rego
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, České Budějovice CZ-37005, Czech Republic
| | - Libor Grubhoffer
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, České Budějovice CZ-37005, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Branišovská 1760, České Budějovice CZ-37005, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Nebesářová
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, České Budějovice CZ-37005, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Branišovská 1760, České Budějovice CZ-37005, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Viničná 1594/7, Praha CZ-12800, Czech Republic
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25
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Subramanian K, Paul MR, Tyson JJ. Dynamical Localization of DivL and PleC in the Asymmetric Division Cycle of Caulobacter crescentus: A Theoretical Investigation of Alternative Models. PLoS Comput Biol 2015; 11:e1004348. [PMID: 26186202 PMCID: PMC4505887 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1004348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2014] [Accepted: 05/20/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell-fate asymmetry in the predivisional cell of Caulobacter crescentus requires that the regulatory protein DivL localizes to the new pole of the cell where it up-regulates CckA kinase, resulting in a gradient of CtrA~P across the cell. In the preceding stage of the cell cycle (the "stalked" cell), DivL is localized uniformly along the cell membrane and maintained in an inactive form by DivK~P. It is unclear how DivL overcomes inhibition by DivK~P in the predivisional cell simply by changing its location to the new pole. It has been suggested that co-localization of DivL with PleC phosphatase at the new pole is essential to DivL's activity there. However, there are contrasting views on whether the bifunctional enzyme, PleC, acts as a kinase or phosphatase at the new pole. To explore these ambiguities, we formulated a mathematical model of the spatiotemporal distributions of DivL, PleC and associated proteins (DivJ, DivK, CckA, and CtrA) during the asymmetric division cycle of a Caulobacter cell. By varying localization profiles of DivL and PleC in our model, we show how the physiologically observed spatial distributions of these proteins are essential for the transition from a stalked cell to a predivisional cell. Our simulations suggest that PleC is a kinase in predivisional cells, and that, by sequestering DivK~P, the kinase form of PleC enables DivL to be reactivated at the new pole. Hence, co-localization of PleC kinase and DivL is essential to establishing cellular asymmetry. Our simulations reproduce the experimentally observed spatial distribution and phosphorylation status of CtrA in wild-type and mutant cells. Based on the model, we explore novel combinations of mutant alleles, making predictions that can be tested experimentally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kartik Subramanian
- Graduate Program in Genetics, Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Mark R. Paul
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - John J. Tyson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
- Virginia Bioinformatics Institute, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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26
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Ding HJ, Oikonomou CM, Jensen GJ. The Caltech Tomography Database and Automatic Processing Pipeline. J Struct Biol 2015; 192:279-86. [PMID: 26087141 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2015.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2015] [Revised: 06/11/2015] [Accepted: 06/13/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Here we describe the Caltech Tomography Database and automatic image processing pipeline, designed to process, store, display, and distribute electron tomographic data including tilt-series, sample information, data collection parameters, 3D reconstructions, correlated light microscope images, snapshots, segmentations, movies, and other associated files. Tilt-series are typically uploaded automatically during collection to a user's "Inbox" and processed automatically, but can also be entered and processed in batches via scripts or file-by-file through an internet interface. As with the video website YouTube, each tilt-series is represented on the browsing page with a link to the full record, a thumbnail image and a video icon that delivers a movie of the tomogram in a pop-out window. Annotation tools allow users to add notes and snapshots. The database is fully searchable, and sets of tilt-series can be selected and re-processed, edited, or downloaded to a personal workstation. The results of further processing and snapshots of key results can be recorded in the database, automatically linked to the appropriate tilt-series. While the database is password-protected for local browsing and searching, datasets can be made public and individual files can be shared with collaborators over the Internet. Together these tools facilitate high-throughput tomography work by both individuals and groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Jane Ding
- Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91125, United States
| | - Catherine M Oikonomou
- Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91125, United States
| | - Grant J Jensen
- Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91125, United States; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, United States.
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27
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Greenswag AR, Li X, Borbat PP, Samanta D, Watts K, Freed JH, Crane BR. Preformed Soluble Chemoreceptor Trimers That Mimic Cellular Assembly States and Activate CheA Autophosphorylation. Biochemistry 2015; 54:3454-68. [PMID: 25967982 PMCID: PMC4772074 DOI: 10.1021/bi501570n] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2014] [Revised: 05/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Bacterial chemoreceptors associate with the histidine kinase CheA and coupling protein CheW to form extended membrane arrays that receive and transduce environmental signals. A receptor trimers-of-dimers resides at each vertex of the hexagonal protein lattice. CheA is fully activated and regulated when it is integrated into the receptor assembly. To mimic these states in solution, we have engineered chemoreceptor cytoplasmic kinase-control modules (KCMs) based on the Escherichia coli aspartate receptor Tar that are covalently fused and trimerized by a foldon domain (Tar(FO)). Small-angle X-ray scattering, multi-angle light scattering, and pulsed-dipolar electron spin resonance spectroscopy of spin-labeled proteins indicate that the Tar(FO) modules assemble into homogeneous trimers wherein the protein interaction regions closely associate at the end opposite to the foldon domains. The Tar(FO) variants greatly increase the saturation levels of phosphorylated CheA (CheA-P), indicating that the association with a trimer of receptor dimers changes the fraction of active kinase. However, the rate constants for CheA-P formation with the Tar variants are low compared to those for autophosphorylation by free CheA, and net phosphotransfer from CheA to CheY does not increase commensurately with CheA autophosphorylation. Thus, the Tar variants facilitate slow conversion to an active form of CheA that then undergoes stable autophosphorylation and is capable of subsequent phosphotransfer to CheY. Free CheA is largely incapable of phosphorylation but contains a small active fraction. Addition of Tar(FO) to CheA promotes a planar conformation of the regulatory domains consistent with array models for the assembly state of the ternary complex and different from that observed with a single inhibitory receptor. Introduction of Tar(FO) into E. coli cells activates endogenous CheA to produce increased clockwise flagellar rotation, with the effects increasing in the presence of the chemotaxis methylation system (CheB/CheR). Overall, the Tar(FO) modules demonstrate that trimerized signaling tips self-associate, bind CheA and CheW, and facilitate conversion of CheA to an active conformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna R. Greenswag
- Department
of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell
University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United
States
| | - Xiaoxiao Li
- Department
of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell
University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United
States
| | - Peter P. Borbat
- Center
for Advanced ESR Studies, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Dipanjan Samanta
- Department
of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell
University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United
States
| | - Kylie
J. Watts
- Division
of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California 92350, United States
| | - Jack H. Freed
- Center
for Advanced ESR Studies, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Brian R. Crane
- Department
of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell
University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United
States
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28
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Delgado L, Martínez G, López-Iglesias C, Mercadé E. Cryo-electron tomography of plunge-frozen whole bacteria and vitreous sections to analyze the recently described bacterial cytoplasmic structure, the Stack. J Struct Biol 2015; 189:220-9. [PMID: 25617813 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2015.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2014] [Accepted: 01/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Cryo-electron tomography (CET) of plunge-frozen whole bacteria and vitreous sections (CETOVIS) were used to revise and expand the structural knowledge of the "Stack", a recently described cytoplasmic structure in the Antarctic bacterium Pseudomonas deceptionensis M1(T). The advantages of both techniques can be complementarily combined to obtain more reliable insights into cells and their components with three-dimensional imaging at different resolutions. Cryo-electron microscopy (Cryo-EM) and CET of frozen-hydrated P. deceptionensis M1(T) cells confirmed that Stacks are found at different locations within the cell cytoplasm, in variable number, separately or grouped together, very close to the plasma membrane (PM) and oriented at different angles (from 35° to 90°) to the PM, thus establishing that they were not artifacts of the previous sample preparation methods. CET of plunge-frozen whole bacteria and vitreous sections verified that each Stack consisted of a pile of oval disc-like subunits, each disc being surrounded by a lipid bilayer membrane and separated from each other by a constant distance with a mean value of 5.2±1.3nm. FM4-64 staining and confocal microscopy corroborated the lipid nature of the membrane of the Stacked discs. Stacks did not appear to be invaginations of the PM because no continuity between both membranes was visible when whole bacteria were analyzed. We are still far from deciphering the function of these new structures, but a first experimental attempt links the Stacks with a given phase of the cell replication process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidia Delgado
- Cryo-Electron Microscopy, Scientific and Technological Centers, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gema Martínez
- Cryo-Electron Microscopy, Scientific and Technological Centers, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carmen López-Iglesias
- Cryo-Electron Microscopy, Scientific and Technological Centers, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Elena Mercadé
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
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Haselwandter CA, Wingreen NS. The role of membrane-mediated interactions in the assembly and architecture of chemoreceptor lattices. PLoS Comput Biol 2014; 10:e1003932. [PMID: 25503274 PMCID: PMC4263354 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1003932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2014] [Accepted: 09/22/2014] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
In vivo fluorescence microscopy and electron cryo-tomography have revealed that chemoreceptors self-assemble into extended honeycomb lattices of chemoreceptor trimers with a well-defined relative orientation of trimers. The signaling response of the observed chemoreceptor lattices is remarkable for its extreme sensitivity, which relies crucially on cooperative interactions among chemoreceptor trimers. In common with other membrane proteins, chemoreceptor trimers are expected to deform the surrounding lipid bilayer, inducing membrane-mediated anisotropic interactions between neighboring trimers. Here we introduce a biophysical model of bilayer-chemoreceptor interactions, which allows us to quantify the role of membrane-mediated interactions in the assembly and architecture of chemoreceptor lattices. We find that, even in the absence of direct protein-protein interactions, membrane-mediated interactions can yield assembly of chemoreceptor lattices at very dilute trimer concentrations. The model correctly predicts the observed honeycomb architecture of chemoreceptor lattices as well as the observed relative orientation of chemoreceptor trimers, suggests a series of “gateway” states for chemoreceptor lattice assembly, and provides a simple mechanism for the localization of large chemoreceptor lattices to the cell poles. Our model of bilayer-chemoreceptor interactions also helps to explain the observed dependence of chemotactic signaling on lipid bilayer properties. Finally, we consider the possibility that membrane-mediated interactions might contribute to cooperativity among neighboring chemoreceptor trimers. The chemotaxis system allows bacteria to respond to minute changes in chemical concentration, and serves as a paradigm for biological signal processing and the self-assembly of large protein lattices in living cells. The sensitivity of the chemotaxis system relies crucially on cooperative interactions among chemoreceptor trimers, which are organized into intricate honeycomb lattices. Chemoreceptors are membrane proteins and, hence, are expected to deform the surrounding lipid bilayer, leading to membrane-mediated interactions between chemoreceptor trimers. Using a biophysical model of bilayer-chemoreceptor interactions we show that the membrane-mediated interactions induced by chemoreceptor trimers provide a mechanism for the observed self-assembly of chemoreceptor lattices. We find that the directionality of membrane-mediated interactions between trimers complements protein-protein interactions in the stabilization of the observed honeycomb architecture of chemoreceptor lattices. Our results suggest that the symmetry of membrane protein complexes such as chemoreceptor trimers is reflected in the anisotropy of membrane-mediated interactions, yielding a general mechanism for the self-assembly of ordered protein lattices in cell membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph A. Haselwandter
- Departments of Physics & Astronomy and Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- * E-mail: (CAH); (NSW)
| | - Ned S. Wingreen
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
- * E-mail: (CAH); (NSW)
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30
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Lim HC, Surovtsev IV, Beltran BG, Huang F, Bewersdorf J, Jacobs-Wagner C. Evidence for a DNA-relay mechanism in ParABS-mediated chromosome segregation. eLife 2014; 3:e02758. [PMID: 24859756 PMCID: PMC4067530 DOI: 10.7554/elife.02758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 154] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2014] [Accepted: 05/16/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The widely conserved ParABS system plays a major role in bacterial chromosome segregation. How the components of this system work together to generate translocation force and directional motion remains uncertain. Here, we combine biochemical approaches, quantitative imaging and mathematical modeling to examine the mechanism by which ParA drives the translocation of the ParB/parS partition complex in Caulobacter crescentus. Our experiments, together with simulations grounded on experimentally-determined biochemical and cellular parameters, suggest a novel 'DNA-relay' mechanism in which the chromosome plays a mechanical function. In this model, DNA-bound ParA-ATP dimers serve as transient tethers that harness the elastic dynamics of the chromosome to relay the partition complex from one DNA region to another across a ParA-ATP dimer gradient. Since ParA-like proteins are implicated in the partitioning of various cytoplasmic cargos, the conservation of their DNA-binding activity suggests that the DNA-relay mechanism may be a general form of intracellular transport in bacteria.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.02758.001.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoong Chuin Lim
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, United States Microbial Diversity Institute, Yale University, West Haven, United States
| | - Ivan Vladimirovich Surovtsev
- Microbial Diversity Institute, Yale University, West Haven, United States Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, United States Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Yale University, New Haven, United States
| | - Bruno Gabriel Beltran
- Department of Mathematics, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, United States Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Yale University, New Haven, United States
| | - Fang Huang
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, United States
| | - Jörg Bewersdorf
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, United States Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, United States
| | - Christine Jacobs-Wagner
- Microbial Diversity Institute, Yale University, West Haven, United States Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, United States Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Yale University, New Haven, United States Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, United States
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31
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Santos TMA, Lin TY, Rajendran M, Anderson SM, Weibel DB. Polar localization of Escherichia coli chemoreceptors requires an intact Tol-Pal complex. Mol Microbiol 2014; 92:985-1004. [PMID: 24720726 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.12609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/05/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Subcellular biomolecular localization is critical for the metabolic and structural properties of the cell. The functional implications of the spatiotemporal distribution of protein complexes during the bacterial cell cycle have long been acknowledged; however, the molecular mechanisms for generating and maintaining their dynamic localization in bacteria are not completely understood. Here we demonstrate that the trans-envelope Tol-Pal complex, a widely conserved component of the cell envelope of Gram-negative bacteria, is required to maintain the polar positioning of chemoreceptor clusters in Escherichia coli. Localization of the chemoreceptors was independent of phospholipid composition of the membrane and the curvature of the cell wall. Instead, our data indicate that chemoreceptors interact with components of the Tol-Pal complex and that this interaction is required to polarly localize chemoreceptor clusters. We found that disruption of the Tol-Pal complex perturbs the polar localization of chemoreceptors, alters cell motility, and affects chemotaxis. We propose that the E. coli Tol-Pal complex restricts mobility of the chemoreceptor clusters at the cell poles and may be involved in regulatory mechanisms that co-ordinate cell division and segregation of the chemosensory machinery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thiago M A Santos
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 440 Henry Mall, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
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32
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Briegel A, Wong ML, Hodges HL, Oikonomou CM, Piasta KN, Harris MJ, Fowler DJ, Thompson LK, Falke JJ, Kiessling LL, Jensen GJ. New insights into bacterial chemoreceptor array structure and assembly from electron cryotomography. Biochemistry 2014; 53:1575-85. [PMID: 24580139 PMCID: PMC3985956 DOI: 10.1021/bi5000614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Bacterial chemoreceptors cluster in highly ordered, cooperative, extended arrays with a conserved architecture, but the principles that govern array assembly remain unclear. Here we show images of cellular arrays as well as selected chemoreceptor complexes reconstituted in vitro that reveal new principles of array structure and assembly. First, in every case, receptors clustered in a trimers-of-dimers configuration, suggesting this is a highly favored fundamental building block. Second, these trimers-of-receptor dimers exhibited great versatility in the kinds of contacts they formed with each other and with other components of the signaling pathway, although only one architectural type occurred in native arrays. Third, the membrane, while it likely accelerates the formation of arrays, was neither necessary nor sufficient for lattice formation. Molecular crowding substituted for the stabilizing effect of the membrane and allowed cytoplasmic receptor fragments to form sandwiched lattices that strongly resemble the cytoplasmic chemoreceptor arrays found in some bacterial species. Finally, the effective determinant of array structure seemed to be CheA and CheW, which formed a "superlattice" of alternating CheA-filled and CheA-empty rings that linked receptor trimers-of-dimer units into their native hexagonal lattice. While concomitant overexpression of receptors, CheA, and CheW yielded arrays with native spacing, the CheA occupancy was lower and less ordered, suggesting that temporal and spatial coordination of gene expression driven by a single transcription factor may be vital for full order, or that array overgrowth may trigger a disassembly process. The results described here provide new insights into the assembly intermediates and assembly mechanism of this massive macromolecular complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariane Briegel
- Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology , 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
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Lučič V, Rigort A, Baumeister W. Cryo-electron tomography: the challenge of doing structural biology in situ. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013; 202:407-19. [PMID: 23918936 PMCID: PMC3734081 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201304193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 257] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Electron microscopy played a key role in establishing cell biology as a discipline, by producing fundamental insights into cellular organization and ultrastructure. Many seminal discoveries were made possible by the development of new sample preparation methods and imaging modalities. Recent technical advances include sample vitrification that faithfully preserves molecular structures, three-dimensional imaging by electron tomography, and improved image-processing methods. These new techniques have enabled the extraction of high fidelity structural information and are beginning to reveal the macromolecular organization of unperturbed cellular environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladan Lučič
- Max-Planck-Institute of Biochemistry, Am Klopferspitz 18, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
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34
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Dobro MJ, Samson RY, Yu Z, McCullough J, Ding HJ, Chong PLG, Bell SD, Jensen GJ. Electron cryotomography of ESCRT assemblies and dividing Sulfolobus cells suggests that spiraling filaments are involved in membrane scission. Mol Biol Cell 2013; 24:2319-27. [PMID: 23761076 PMCID: PMC3727925 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e12-11-0785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
ESCRT filaments wrap helically around liposomes and assemble into various helical structures in vitro. Dividing Sulfolobus cells further exhibit a thin, dynamic belt coating division furrows. Together these data suggest that spiraling filaments are involved in membrane scission. The endosomal-sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) is evolutionarily conserved from Archaea to eukaryotes. The complex drives membrane scission events in a range of processes, including cytokinesis in Metazoa and some Archaea. CdvA is the protein in Archaea that recruits ESCRT-III to the membrane. Using electron cryotomography (ECT), we find that CdvA polymerizes into helical filaments wrapped around liposomes. ESCRT-III proteins are responsible for the cinching of membranes and have been shown to assemble into helical tubes in vitro, but here we show that they also can form nested tubes and nested cones, which reveal surprisingly numerous and versatile contacts. To observe the ESCRT–CdvA complex in a physiological context, we used ECT to image the archaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius and observed a distinct protein belt at the leading edge of constriction furrows in dividing cells. The known dimensions of ESCRT-III proteins constrain their possible orientations within each of these structures and point to the involvement of spiraling filaments in membrane scission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan J Dobro
- School of Natural Science, Hampshire College, Amherst, MA 01002, USA
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35
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Li X, Fleetwood AD, Bayas C, Bilwes AM, Ortega DR, Falke JJ, Zhulin IB, Crane BR. The 3.2 Å resolution structure of a receptor: CheA:CheW signaling complex defines overlapping binding sites and key residue interactions within bacterial chemosensory arrays. Biochemistry 2013; 52:3852-65. [PMID: 23668907 PMCID: PMC3694592 DOI: 10.1021/bi400383e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial chemosensory arrays are composed of extended networks of chemoreceptors (also known as methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins, MCPs), the histidine kinase CheA, and the adaptor protein CheW. Models of these arrays have been developed from cryoelectron microscopy, crystal structures of binary and ternary complexes, NMR spectroscopy, mutational, data and biochemical studies. A new 3.2 Å resolution crystal structure of a Thermotoga maritima MCP protein interaction region in complex with the CheA kinase-regulatory module (P4-P5) and adaptor protein CheW provides sufficient detail to define residue contacts at the interfaces formed among the three proteins. As in a previous 4.5 Å resolution structure, CheA-P5 and CheW interact through conserved hydrophobic surfaces at the ends of their β-barrels to form pseudo 6-fold symmetric rings in which the two proteins alternate around the circumference. The interface between P5 subdomain 1 and CheW subdomain 2 was anticipated from previous studies, whereas the related interface between CheW subdomain 1 and P5 subdomain 2 has only been observed in these ring assemblies. The receptor forms an unexpected structure in that the helical hairpin tip of each subunit has "unzipped" into a continuous α-helix; four such helices associate into a bundle, and the tetramers bridge adjacent P5-CheW rings in the lattice through interactions with both P5 and CheW. P5 and CheW each bind a receptor helix with a groove of conserved hydrophobic residues between subdomains 1 and 2. P5 binds the receptor helix N-terminal to the tip region (lower site), whereas CheW binds the same helix with inverted polarity near the bundle end (upper site). Sequence comparisons among different evolutionary classes of chemotaxis proteins show that the binding partners undergo correlated changes at key residue positions that involve the lower site. Such evolutionary analyses argue that both CheW and P5 bind to the receptor tip at overlapping positions. Computational genomics further reveal that two distinct CheW proteins in Thermotogae utilize the analogous recognition motifs to couple different receptor classes to the same CheA kinase. Important residues for function previously identified by mutagenesis, chemical modification and biophysical approaches also map to these same interfaces. Thus, although the native CheW-receptor interaction is not observed in the present crystal structure, the bioinformatics and previous data predict key features of this interface. The companion study of the P5-receptor interface in native arrays (accompanying paper Piasta et al. (2013) Biochemistry, DOI: 10.1021/bi400385c) shows that, despite the non-native receptor fold in the present crystal structure, the local helix-in-groove contacts of the crystallographic P5-receptor interaction are present in native arrays and are essential for receptor regulation of kinase activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxiao Li
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, United States
| | - Aaron D. Fleetwood
- Computer Science and Mathematics Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831 United States and Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville TN 37996 United States
| | - Camille Bayas
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, United States
| | - Alexandrine M. Bilwes
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, United States
| | - Davi R. Ortega
- Computer Science and Mathematics Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831 United States and Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville TN 37996 United States
| | | | - Igor B. Zhulin
- Computer Science and Mathematics Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831 United States and Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville TN 37996 United States,To whom correspondence should be addressed , Tel (607) 254-8634 (B.R.C); (I.B.Z), Tel (865) 201-1860
| | - Brian R. Crane
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, United States,To whom correspondence should be addressed , Tel (607) 254-8634 (B.R.C); (I.B.Z), Tel (865) 201-1860
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36
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Othmer HG, Xin X, Xue C. Excitation and adaptation in bacteria-a model signal transduction system that controls taxis and spatial pattern formation. Int J Mol Sci 2013; 14:9205-48. [PMID: 23624608 PMCID: PMC3676780 DOI: 10.3390/ijms14059205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2013] [Revised: 03/20/2013] [Accepted: 03/22/2013] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The machinery for transduction of chemotactic stimuli in the bacterium E. coli is one of the most completely characterized signal transduction systems, and because of its relative simplicity, quantitative analysis of this system is possible. Here we discuss models which reproduce many of the important behaviors of the system. The important characteristics of the signal transduction system are excitation and adaptation, and the latter implies that the transduction system can function as a "derivative sensor" with respect to the ligand concentration in that the DC component of a signal is ultimately ignored if it is not too large. This temporal sensing mechanism provides the bacterium with a memory of its passage through spatially- or temporally-varying signal fields, and adaptation is essential for successful chemotaxis. We also discuss some of the spatial patterns observed in populations and indicate how cell-level behavior can be embedded in population-level descriptions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans G. Othmer
- School of Mathematics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; E-Mail:
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: ; Tel.: +612-624-8325; Fax: +612-626-2017
| | - Xiangrong Xin
- School of Mathematics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; E-Mail:
| | - Chuan Xue
- Department of Mathematics, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; E-Mail:
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37
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Bhatnagar J, Sircar R, Borbat PP, Freed JH, Crane BR. Self-association of the histidine kinase CheA as studied by pulsed dipolar ESR spectroscopy. Biophys J 2012; 102:2192-201. [PMID: 22824284 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2012.03.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2011] [Revised: 02/29/2012] [Accepted: 03/12/2012] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Biologically important protein complexes often involve molecular interactions that are low affinity or transient. We apply pulsed dipolar electron spin resonance spectroscopy and site-directed spin labeling in what to our knowledge is a new approach to study aggregation and to identify regions on protein surfaces that participate in weak, but specific molecular interactions. As a test case, we have probed the self-association of the chemotaxis kinase CheA, which forms signaling clusters with chemoreceptors and the coupling protein CheW at the poles of bacterial cells. By measuring the intermolecular dipolar interactions sensed by spin-labels distributed over the protein surface, we show that the soluble CheA kinase aggregates to a small extent through interactions mediated by its regulatory (P5) domain. Direct dipolar distance measurements confirm that a hydrophobic surface at the periphery of P5 subdomain 2 associates CheA dimers in solution. This result is further supported by differential disulfide cross-linking from engineered cysteine reporter sites. We suggest that the periphery of P5 is an interaction site on CheA for other similar hydrophobic surfaces and plays an important role in structuring the signaling particle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaya Bhatnagar
- Advanced Center for ESR Studies (ACERT), Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
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38
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A "trimer of dimers"-based model for the chemotactic signal transduction network in bacterial chemotaxis. Bull Math Biol 2012; 74:2339-82. [PMID: 22864951 DOI: 10.1007/s11538-012-9756-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2012] [Accepted: 07/12/2012] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The network that controls chemotaxis in Escherichia coli is one of the most completely characterized signal transduction systems to date. Receptor clustering accounts for characteristics such as high sensitivity, precise adaptation over a wide dynamic range of ligand concentrations, and robustness to variations in the amounts of intracellular proteins. To gain insights into the structure-function relationship of receptor clusters and understand the mechanism behind the high-performance signaling, we develop and analyze a model for a single trimer of dimers. This new model extends an earlier model (Spiro et al. in Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 94:7263-7268, 1997) to incorporate the recent experimental findings that the core structure of receptor clusters is the trimer of receptor dimers. We show that the model can reproduce most of the experimentally-observed behaviors, including excitation, adaptation, high sensitivity, and robustness to parameter variations. In addition, the model makes a number of new predictions as to how the adaptation time varies with the expression level of various proteins involved in signal transduction. Our results provide a more mechanistically-based description of the structure-function relationship for the signaling system, and show the key role of the interaction among dimer members of the trimer in the chemotactic response of cells.
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39
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Wang X, Vu A, Lee K, Dahlquist FW. CheA-receptor interaction sites in bacterial chemotaxis. J Mol Biol 2012; 422:282-90. [PMID: 22659323 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2012.05.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2012] [Revised: 05/15/2012] [Accepted: 05/17/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
In bacterial chemotaxis, transmembrane chemoreceptors, the CheA histidine kinase, and the CheW coupling protein assemble into signaling complexes that allow bacteria to modulate their swimming behavior in response to environmental stimuli. Among the protein-protein interactions in the ternary complex, CheA-CheW and CheW-receptor interactions were studied previously, whereas CheA-receptor interaction has been less investigated. Here, we characterize the CheA-receptor interaction in Thermotoga maritima by NMR spectroscopy and validate the identified receptor binding site of CheA in Escherichia coli chemotaxis. We find that CheA interacts with a chemoreceptor in a manner similar to that of CheW, and the receptor binding site of CheA's regulatory domain is homologous to that of CheW. Collectively, the receptor binding sites in the CheA-CheW complex suggest that conformational changes in CheA are required for assembly of the CheA-CheW-receptor ternary complex and CheA activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiqing Wang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106–9510, USA
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40
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Molecular architecture of chemoreceptor arrays revealed by cryoelectron tomography of Escherichia coli minicells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2012; 109:E1481-8. [PMID: 22556268 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1200781109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 150] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The chemoreceptors of Escherichia coli localize to the cell poles and form a highly ordered array in concert with the CheA kinase and the CheW coupling factor. However, a high-resolution structure of the array has been lacking, and the molecular basis of array assembly has thus remained elusive. Here, we use cryoelectron tomography of flagellated E. coli minicells to derive a 3D map of the intact array. Docking of high-resolution structures into the 3D map provides a model of the core signaling complex, in which a CheA/CheW dimer bridges two adjacent receptor trimers via multiple hydrophobic interactions. A further, hitherto unknown, hydrophobic interaction between CheW and the homologous P5 domain of CheA in an adjacent core complex connects the complexes into an extended array. This architecture provides a structural basis for array formation and could explain the high sensitivity and cooperativity of chemotaxis signaling in E. coli.
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41
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Bacterial chemoreceptor arrays are hexagonally packed trimers of receptor dimers networked by rings of kinase and coupling proteins. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2012; 109:3766-71. [PMID: 22355139 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1115719109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 194] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemoreceptor arrays are supramolecular transmembrane machines of unknown structure that allow bacteria to sense their surroundings and respond by chemotaxis. We have combined X-ray crystallography of purified proteins with electron cryotomography of native arrays inside cells to reveal the arrangement of the component transmembrane receptors, histidine kinases (CheA) and CheW coupling proteins. Trimers of receptor dimers lie at the vertices of a hexagonal lattice in a "two-facing-two" configuration surrounding a ring of alternating CheA regulatory domains (P5) and CheW couplers. Whereas the CheA kinase domains (P4) project downward below the ring, the CheA dimerization domains (P3) link neighboring rings to form an extended, stable array. This highly interconnected protein architecture underlies the remarkable sensitivity and cooperative nature of transmembrane signaling in bacterial chemotaxis.
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42
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Chao TC, Hansmeier N. The current state of microbial proteomics: Where we are and where we want to go. Proteomics 2012; 12:638-50. [DOI: 10.1002/pmic.201100381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2011] [Revised: 08/15/2011] [Accepted: 08/22/2011] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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43
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Abstract
The electron microscope has contributed deep insights into biological structure since its invention nearly 80 years ago. Advances in instrumentation and methodology in recent decades have now enabled electron tomography to become the highest resolution three-dimensional (3D) imaging technique available for unique objects such as cells. Cells can be imaged either plastic-embedded or frozen-hydrated. Then the series of projection images are aligned and back-projected to generate a 3D reconstruction or 'tomogram'. Here, we review how electron tomography has begun to reveal the molecular organization of cells and how the existing and upcoming technologies promise even greater insights into structural cell biology.
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44
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Briegel A, Beeby M, Thanbichler M, Jensen GJ. Activated chemoreceptor arrays remain intact and hexagonally packed. Mol Microbiol 2011; 82:748-57. [PMID: 21992450 PMCID: PMC3641884 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2011.07854.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Bacterial chemoreceptors cluster into exquisitively sensitive, tunable, highly ordered, polar arrays. While these arrays serve as paradigms of cell signalling in general, it remains unclear what conformational changes transduce signals from the periplasmic tips, where attractants and repellents bind, to the cytoplasmic signalling domains. Conflicting reports support and contest the hypothesis that activation causes large changes in the packing arrangement of the arrays, up to and including their complete disassembly. Using electron cryotomography, here we show that in Caulobacter crescentus, chemoreceptor arrays in cells grown in different media and immediately after exposure to the attractant galactose all exhibit the same 12 nm hexagonal packing arrangement, array size and other structural parameters. ΔcheB and ΔcheR mutants mimicking attractant- or repellent-bound states prior to adaptation also show the same lattice structure. We conclude that signal transduction and amplification must be accomplished through only small, nanoscale conformational changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariane Briegel
- Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
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45
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Schulmeister S, Grosse K, Sourjik V. Effects of receptor modification and temperature on dynamics of sensory complexes in Escherichia coli chemotaxis. BMC Microbiol 2011; 11:222. [PMID: 21978288 PMCID: PMC3203854 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2180-11-222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2011] [Accepted: 10/06/2011] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Extracellular stimuli in chemotaxis of Escherichia coli and other bacteria are processed by large clusters of sensory complexes. The stable core of these clusters is formed by transmembrane receptors, a kinase CheA, and an adaptor CheW, whereas adaptation enzymes CheR and CheB dynamically associate with the clusters via interactions with receptors and/or CheA. Several biochemical studies have indicated the dependence of the sensory complex stability on the adaptive modification state of receptors and/or on temperature, which may potentially allow environment-dependent tuning of its signalling properties. However, the extent of such regulation in vivo and its significance for chemotaxis remained unclear. RESULTS Here we used fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) to confirm in vivo that the exchange of CheA and CheW shows a modest dependency on the level of receptor modification/activity. An even more dramatic effect was observed for the exchange kinetics of CheR and CheB, indicating that their association with clusters may depend on the ability to bind substrate sites on receptors and on the regulatory phosphorylation of CheB. In contrast, environmental temperature did not have a discernible effect on stability of the cluster core. Strain-specific loss of E. coli chemotaxis at high temperature could instead be explained by a heat-induced reduction in the chemotaxis protein levels. Nevertheless, high basal levels of chemotaxis and flagellar proteins in common wild type strains MG1655 and W3110 enabled these strains to maintain their chemotactic ability up to 42°C. CONCLUSIONS Our results confirmed that clusters formed by less modified receptors are more dynamic, which can explain the previously observed adjustment of the chemotaxis response sensitivity according to the level of background stimulation. We further propose that the dependency of CheR exchange on the availability of unmethylated sites on receptors is important to improve the overall chemotaxis efficiency by suppressing molecular noise under conditions of high ligand concentrations. Moreover, the observed stability of the cluster core at high temperature is in line with the overall thermal robustness of the chemotaxis pathway and allows maintenance of chemotaxis up to 42°C in the common wild type strains of E. coli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonja Schulmeister
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Im Neuenheimer Feld 282, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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Ringgaard S, Schirner K, Davis BM, Waldor MK. A family of ParA-like ATPases promotes cell pole maturation by facilitating polar localization of chemotaxis proteins. Genes Dev 2011; 25:1544-55. [PMID: 21764856 DOI: 10.1101/gad.2061811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Stochastic processes are thought to mediate localization of membrane-associated chemotaxis signaling clusters in peritrichous bacteria. Here, we identified a new family of ParA-like ATPases (designated ParC [for partitioning chemotaxis]) encoded within chemotaxis operons of many polar-flagellated γ-proteobacteria that actively promote polar localization of chemotaxis proteins. In Vibrio cholerae, a single ParC focus is found at the flagellated old pole in newborn cells, and later bipolar ParC foci develop as the cell matures. The cell cycle-dependent redistribution of ParC occurs by its release from the old pole and subsequent relocalization at the new pole, consistent with a "diffusion and capture" model for ParC dynamics. Chemotaxis proteins encoded in the same cluster as ParC have a similar unipolar-to-bipolar transition; however, they reach the new pole after the arrival of ParC. Cells lacking ParC exhibit aberrantly localized foci of chemotaxis proteins, reduced chemotaxis, and altered motility, which likely accounts for their enhanced colonization of the proximal small intestine in an animal model of cholera. Collectively, our findings indicate that ParC promotes the efficiency of chemotactic signaling processes. In particular, ParC-facilitated development of a functional chemotaxis apparatus at the new pole readies this site for its development into a functional old pole after cell division.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Ringgaard
- Channing Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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Comolli LR, Luef B, Chan CS. High-resolution 2D and 3D cryo-TEM reveals structural adaptations of two stalk-forming bacteria to an Fe-oxidizing lifestyle. Environ Microbiol 2011; 13:2915-29. [PMID: 21895918 DOI: 10.1111/j.1462-2920.2011.02567.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Aerobic neutrophilic Fe-oxidizing bacteria (FeOB) thrive where oxic and iron-rich anoxic waters meet. Here, iron microbial mats are commonly developed by stalk-forming Fe-oxidizers adapted to these iron-rich gradient environments, somehow avoiding iron encrustation. Few details are known about FeOB physiology; thus, the bases of these adaptations, notably the mechanisms of interactions with iron, are poorly understood. We examined two stalked FeOB: the marine Zetaproteobacterium Mariprofundus ferrooxydans and a terrestrial Betaproteobacterium Gallionella-like organism. We used cryo-transmission electron microscopy and cryo-electron tomography to provide unprecedented ultrastructural data on intact cell-mineral systems. Both FeOB localize iron mineral formation at stalk extrusion sites, while avoiding surface and periplasmic mineralization. The M. ferrooxydans cell surface is densely covered in fibrils while the terrestrial FeOB surface is smooth, suggesting a difference in surface chemistry. Only the terrestrial FeOB exhibited a putative chemotaxis apparatus, which may be due to differences in chemotaxis mechanisms. Both FeOB have a single flagellum, which alone is insufficient to account for cell motion during iron oxidation, suggesting that stalk extrusion is a mechanism for motility. Our results delineate the physical framework of iron transformations and characterize possible structural adaptations to the iron-oxidizing lifestyle. This study shows ultrastructural similarities and differences between two distinct FeOB, setting the stage for further (e.g. genomic) comparisons that will help us understand functional differences and evolutionary history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis R Comolli
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Life Sciences Division, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
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Frank V, Koler M, Furst S, Vaknin A. The physical and functional thermal sensitivity of bacterial chemoreceptors. J Mol Biol 2011; 411:554-66. [PMID: 21718703 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2011.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2011] [Revised: 05/29/2011] [Accepted: 06/03/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The bacterium Escherichia coli exhibits chemotactic behavior at temperatures ranging from approximately 20 °C to at least 42 °C. This behavior is controlled by clusters of transmembrane chemoreceptors made from trimers of dimers that are linked together by cross-binding to cytoplasmic components. By detecting fluorescence energy transfer between various components of this system, we studied the underlying molecular behavior of these receptors in vivo and throughout their operating temperature range. We reveal a sharp modulation in the conformation of unclustered and clustered receptor trimers and, consequently, in kinase activity output. These modulations occurred at a characteristic temperature that depended on clustering and were lower for receptors at lower adaptational states. However, in the presence of dynamic adaptation, the response of kinase activity to a stimulus was sustained up to 45 °C, but sensitivity notably decreased. Thus, this molecular system exhibits a clear thermal sensitivity that emerges at the level of receptor trimers, but both receptor clustering and adaptation support the overall robust operation of the system at elevated temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vered Frank
- The Racah Institute of Physics, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
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Underbakke ES, Zhu Y, Kiessling LL. Protein footprinting in a complex milieu: identifying the interaction surfaces of the chemotaxis adaptor protein CheW. J Mol Biol 2011; 409:483-95. [PMID: 21463637 PMCID: PMC3179904 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2011.03.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2011] [Revised: 03/16/2011] [Accepted: 03/17/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Characterizing protein-protein interactions in a biologically relevant context is important for understanding the mechanisms of signal transduction. Most signal transduction systems are membrane associated and consist of large multiprotein complexes that undergo rapid reorganization--circumstances that present challenges to traditional structure determination methods. To study protein-protein interactions in a biologically relevant complex milieu, we employed a protein footprinting strategy based on isotope-coded affinity tag (ICAT) reagents. ICAT reagents are valuable tools for proteomics. Here, we show their utility in an alternative application--they are ideal for protein footprinting in complex backgrounds because the affinity tag moiety allows for enrichment of alkylated species prior to analysis. We employed a water-soluble ICAT reagent to monitor cysteine accessibility and thereby to identify residues involved in two different protein-protein interactions in the Escherichia coli chemotaxis signaling system. The chemotaxis system is an archetypal transmembrane signaling pathway in which a complex protein superstructure underlies sophisticated sensory performance. The formation of this superstructure depends on the adaptor protein CheW, which mediates a functionally important bridging interaction between transmembrane receptors and histidine kinase. ICAT footprinting was used to map the surfaces of CheW that interact with the large multidomain histidine kinase CheA, as well as with the transmembrane chemoreceptor Tsr in native E. coli membranes. By leveraging the affinity tag, we successfully identified CheW surfaces responsible for CheA-Tsr interaction. The proximity of the CheA and Tsr binding sites on CheW suggests the formation of a composite CheW-Tsr surface for the recruitment of the signaling kinase to the chemoreceptor complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric S Underbakke
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
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Alternative mechanism for bacteriophage adsorption to the motile bacterium Caulobacter crescentus. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2011; 108:9963-8. [PMID: 21613567 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1012388108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
2D and 3D cryo-electron microscopy, together with adsorption kinetics assays of Cb13 and CbK phage-infected Caulobacter crescentus, provides insight into the mechanisms of infection. Cb13 and CbK actively interact with the flagellum and subsequently attach to receptors on the cell pole. We present evidence that the first interaction of the phage with the bacterial flagellum takes place through a filament on the phage head. This contact with the flagellum facilitates concentration of phage particles around the receptor (i.e., the pilus portals) on the bacterial cell surface, thereby increasing the likelihood of infection. Phage head filaments have not been well characterized and their function is described here. Phage head filaments may systematically underlie the initial interactions of phages with their hosts in other systems and possibly represent a widespread mechanism of efficient phage propagation.
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