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Hall KT, Kenedy MR, Johnson DK, Hefty PS, Akins DR. A conserved C-terminal domain of TamB interacts with multiple BamA POTRA domains in Borreliella burgdorferi. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0304839. [PMID: 39208212 PMCID: PMC11361582 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Lyme disease is the leading tick-borne infection in the United States, caused by the pathogenic spirochete Borreliella burgdorferi, formerly known as Borrelia burgdorferi. Diderms, or bacteria with dual-membrane ultrastructure, such as B. burgdorferi, have multiple methods of transporting and integrating outer membrane proteins (OMPs). Most integral OMPs are transported through the β-barrel assembly machine (BAM) complex. This complex consists of the channel-forming OMP BamA and accessory lipoproteins that interact with the five periplasmic, polypeptide transport-associated (POTRA) domains of BamA. Another system, the translocation and assembly module (TAM) system, has also been implicated in OMP assembly and export. The TAM system consists of two proteins, the BamA paralog TamA which has three POTRA domains and the inner membrane protein TamB. TamB is characterized by a C-terminal DUF490 domain that interacts with the POTRA domains of TamA. Interestingly, while TamB is found in almost all diderms, including B. burgdorferi, TamA is found almost exclusively in Proteobacteria. This strongly suggests a TamA-independent role of TamB in most diderms. We previously demonstrated that BamA interacts with TamB in B. burgdorferi and hypothesized that this is facilitated by the BamA POTRA domains interacting with the TamB DUF490 domain. In this study, we utilized protein-protein co-purification assays to empirically demonstrate that the B. burgdorferi TamB DUF490 domain interacts with BamA POTRA2 and POTRA3. We also observed that the DUF490 domain of TamB interacts with the accessory lipoprotein BamB. To examine if the BamA-TamB interaction is more ubiquitous among diderms, we examined BamA-TamB interactions in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (St). Interestingly, even though St encodes a TamA protein that interacts with TamB, we observed that the TamB DUF490 of St interacts with BamA in this organism. Our combined findings strongly suggest that the TamB-BamA interaction occurs independent of the TamA component of the TAM protein export system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kari T. Hall
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States of America
| | - Melisha R. Kenedy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States of America
| | - David K. Johnson
- Chemical Computational Biology Core and the Molecular Graphics and Modeling Laboratory, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, United States of America
| | - P. Scott Hefty
- Department of Molecular Biosciences and the Center for Chemical Biology of Infectious Disease, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, United States of America
| | - Darrin R. Akins
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States of America
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2
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Wang X, Nyenhuis SB, Bernstein HD. The translocation assembly module (TAM) catalyzes the assembly of bacterial outer membrane proteins in vitro. Nat Commun 2024; 15:7246. [PMID: 39174534 PMCID: PMC11341756 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51628-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The translocation and assembly module (TAM) has been proposed to play a crucial role in the assembly of a small subset of outer membrane proteins (OMPs) in Proteobacteria based on experiments conducted in vivo using tamA and tamB mutant strains and in vitro using biophysical methods. TAM consists of an OMP (TamA) and a periplasmic protein that is anchored to the inner membrane by a single α helix (TamB). Here we examine the function of the purified E. coli complex in vitro after reconstituting it into proteoliposomes. We find that TAM catalyzes the assembly of four model OMPs nearly as well as the β-barrel assembly machine (BAM), a universal heterooligomer that contains a TamA homolog (BamA) and that catalyzes the assembly of almost all E. coli OMPs. Consistent with previous results, both TamA and TamB are required for significant TAM activity. Our study provides direct evidence that TAM can function as an independent OMP insertase and describes a new method to gain insights into TAM function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Wang
- Genetics and Biochemistry Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Sarah B Nyenhuis
- Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Harris D Bernstein
- Genetics and Biochemistry Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
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3
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Goh KJ, Stubenrauch CJ, Lithgow T. The TAM, a Translocation and Assembly Module for protein assembly and potential conduit for phospholipid transfer. EMBO Rep 2024; 25:1711-1720. [PMID: 38467907 PMCID: PMC11014939 DOI: 10.1038/s44319-024-00111-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The assembly of β-barrel proteins into the bacterial outer membrane is an essential process enabling the colonization of new environmental niches. The TAM was discovered as a module of the β-barrel protein assembly machinery; it is a heterodimeric complex composed of an outer membrane protein (TamA) bound to an inner membrane protein (TamB). The TAM spans the periplasm, providing a scaffold through the peptidoglycan layer and catalyzing the translocation and assembly of β-barrel proteins into the outer membrane. Recently, studies on another membrane protein (YhdP) have suggested that TamB might play a role in phospholipid transport to the outer membrane. Here we review and re-evaluate the literature covering the experimental studies on the TAM over the past decade, to reconcile what appear to be conflicting claims on the function of the TAM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwok Jian Goh
- Centre to Impact AMR, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
- Infection Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Christopher J Stubenrauch
- Centre to Impact AMR, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
- Infection Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Trevor Lithgow
- Centre to Impact AMR, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia.
- Infection Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia.
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4
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Sposato D, Mercolino J, Torrini L, Sperandeo P, Lucidi M, Alegiani R, Varone I, Molesini G, Leoni L, Rampioni G, Visca P, Imperi F. Redundant essentiality of AsmA-like proteins in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. mSphere 2024; 9:e0067723. [PMID: 38305166 PMCID: PMC10900882 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00677-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The outer membrane (OM) is an essential structure of Gram-negative bacteria that provides mechanical strength and protection from large and/or hydrophobic toxic molecules, including many antibiotics. The OM is composed of glycerophospholipids (GPLs) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the inner and outer leaflets, respectively, and hosts integral β-barrel proteins and lipoproteins. While the systems responsible for translocation and insertion of LPS and OM proteins have been elucidated, the mechanism(s) mediating transport of GPLs from the inner membrane to the OM has remained elusive for decades. Very recently, studies performed in Escherichia coli proposed a role in this process for AsmA-like proteins that are predicted to share structural features with eukaryotic lipid transporters. In this study, we provide the first systematic investigation of AsmA-like proteins in a bacterium other than E. coli, the opportunistic human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Bioinformatic analyses revealed that P. aeruginosa possesses seven AsmA-like proteins. Deletion of asmA-like genes in many different combinations, coupled with conditional mutagenesis, revealed that four AsmA-like proteins are redundantly essential for growth and OM integrity in P. aeruginosa, including a novel AsmA-like protein (PA4735) that is not present in E. coli. Cells depleted of AsmA-like proteins showed severe defects in the OM permeability barrier that were partially rescued by lowering the synthesis or transport of LPS. Since fine balancing of GPL and LPS levels is crucial for OM integrity, this evidence supports the role of AsmA-like proteins in GPL transport toward the OM. IMPORTANCE Given the importance of the outer membrane (OM) for viability and antibiotic resistance in Gram-negative bacteria, in the last decades, several studies have focused on the characterization of the systems involved in OM biogenesis, which have also been explored as targets for antibacterial drug development. However, the mechanism mediating translocation of glycerophospholipids (GPLs) to the OM remained unknown until recent studies provided evidence that AsmA-like proteins could be responsible for this process. Here, we demonstrate for the first time that AsmA-like proteins are essential and redundant for growth and OM integrity in a Gram-negative bacterium other than the model organism Escherichia coli and demonstrate that the human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa has an additional essential AsmA-like protein that is not present in E. coli, thus expanding the range of AsmA-like proteins that play key functions in Gram-negative bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Luisa Torrini
- Department of Science, University Roma Tre, Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Sperandeo
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Lucidi
- Department of Science, University Roma Tre, Rome, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
| | | | - Ilaria Varone
- Department of Science, University Roma Tre, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Livia Leoni
- Department of Science, University Roma Tre, Rome, Italy
| | - Giordano Rampioni
- Department of Science, University Roma Tre, Rome, Italy
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Visca
- Department of Science, University Roma Tre, Rome, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Imperi
- Department of Science, University Roma Tre, Rome, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
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5
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Mintz KP, Danforth DR, Ruiz T. The Trimeric Autotransporter Adhesin EmaA and Infective Endocarditis. Pathogens 2024; 13:99. [PMID: 38392837 PMCID: PMC10892112 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13020099] [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: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Infective endocarditis (IE), a disease of the endocardial surface of the heart, is usually of bacterial origin and disproportionally affects individuals with underlying structural heart disease. Although IE is typically associated with Gram-positive bacteria, a minority of cases are caused by a group of Gram-negative species referred to as the HACEK group. These species, classically associated with the oral cavity, consist of bacteria from the genera Haemophilus (excluding Haemophilus influenzae), Aggregatibacter, Cardiobacterium, Eikenella, and Kingella. Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, a bacterium of the Pasteurellaceae family, is classically associated with Aggressive Periodontitis and is also concomitant with the chronic form of the disease. Bacterial colonization of the oral cavity serves as a reservoir for infection at distal body sites via hematological spreading. A. actinomycetemcomitans adheres to and causes disease at multiple physiologic niches using a diverse array of bacterial cell surface structures, which include both fimbrial and nonfimbrial adhesins. The nonfimbrial adhesin EmaA (extracellular matrix binding protein adhesin A), which displays sequence heterogeneity dependent on the serotype of the bacterium, has been identified as a virulence determinant in the initiation of IE. In this chapter, we will discuss the known biochemical, molecular, and structural aspects of this protein, including its interactions with extracellular matrix components and how this multifunctional adhesin may contribute to the pathogenicity of A. actinomycetemcomitans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith P. Mintz
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA;
| | - David R. Danforth
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA;
| | - Teresa Ruiz
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA;
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YhdP, TamB, and YdbH Are Redundant but Essential for Growth and Lipid Homeostasis of the Gram-Negative Outer Membrane. mBio 2021; 12:e0271421. [PMID: 34781743 PMCID: PMC8593681 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02714-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The bacterial cell envelope is the first line of defense and point of contact with the environment and other organisms. Envelope biogenesis is therefore crucial for the survival and physiology of bacteria and is often targeted by antimicrobials. Gram-negative bacteria have a multilayered envelope delimited by an inner and outer membrane (IM and OM, respectively). The OM is a barrier against many antimicrobials because of its asymmetric lipid structure, with phospholipids composing the inner leaflet and lipopolysaccharides (LPS) the outer leaflet. Since lipid synthesis occurs at the IM, phospholipids and LPS are transported across the cell envelope and asymmetrically assembled at the OM during growth. How phospholipids are transported to the OM remains unknown. Recently, the Escherichia coli protein YhdP has been proposed to participate in this process through an unknown mechanism. YhdP belongs to the AsmA-like clan and contains domains homologous to those found in lipid transporters. Here, we used genetics to investigate the six members of the AsmA-like clan of proteins in E. coli. Our data show that YhdP and its paralogs TamB and YdbH are redundant, but not equivalent, in performing an essential function in the cell envelope. Among the AsmA-like paralogs, only the combined loss of YhdP, TamB, and YdbH is lethal, and any of these three proteins is sufficient for growth. We also show that these proteins are required for OM lipid homeostasis and propose that they are the long-sought-after phospholipid transporters that are required for OM biogenesis.
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7
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Belibasakis GN, Maula T, Bao K, Lindholm M, Bostanci N, Oscarsson J, Ihalin R, Johansson A. Virulence and Pathogenicity Properties of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. Pathogens 2019; 8:E222. [PMID: 31698835 PMCID: PMC6963787 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens8040222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Revised: 10/29/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans is a periodontal pathogen colonizing the oral cavity of a large proportion of the human population. It is equipped with several potent virulence factors that can cause cell death and induce or evade inflammation. Because of the large genetic diversity within the species, both harmless and highly virulent genotypes of the bacterium have emerged. The oral condition and age, as well as the geographic origin of the individual, influence the risk to be colonized by a virulent genotype of the bacterium. In the present review, the virulence and pathogenicity properties of A. actinomycetemcomitans will be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgios N. Belibasakis
- Division of Oral Diseases, Department of Dental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, S-141 04 Huddinge, Sweden; (G.N.B.); (K.B.); (N.B.)
| | - Terhi Maula
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland; (T.M.); (R.I.)
| | - Kai Bao
- Division of Oral Diseases, Department of Dental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, S-141 04 Huddinge, Sweden; (G.N.B.); (K.B.); (N.B.)
| | - Mark Lindholm
- Department of Odontology, Umeå University, S-901 87 Umeå, Sweden; (M.L.); (J.O.)
| | - Nagihan Bostanci
- Division of Oral Diseases, Department of Dental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, S-141 04 Huddinge, Sweden; (G.N.B.); (K.B.); (N.B.)
| | - Jan Oscarsson
- Department of Odontology, Umeå University, S-901 87 Umeå, Sweden; (M.L.); (J.O.)
| | - Riikka Ihalin
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland; (T.M.); (R.I.)
| | - Anders Johansson
- Department of Odontology, Umeå University, S-901 87 Umeå, Sweden; (M.L.); (J.O.)
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8
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Ranava D, Caumont-Sarcos A, Albenne C, Ieva R. Bacterial machineries for the assembly of membrane-embedded β-barrel proteins. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2018; 365:4961134. [DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fny087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- David Ranava
- Laboratoire de Microbiologie et de Génétique Moléculaires, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Anne Caumont-Sarcos
- Laboratoire de Microbiologie et de Génétique Moléculaires, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Cécile Albenne
- Laboratoire de Microbiologie et de Génétique Moléculaires, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Raffaele Ieva
- Laboratoire de Microbiologie et de Génétique Moléculaires, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France
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9
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A tamB homolog is involved in maintenance of cell envelope integrity and stress resistance of Deinococcus radiodurans. Sci Rep 2017; 7:45929. [PMID: 28383523 PMCID: PMC5382914 DOI: 10.1038/srep45929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2016] [Accepted: 03/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The translocation and assembly module (TAM) in bacteria consists of TamA and TamB that form a complex to control the transport and secretion of outer membrane proteins. Herein, we demonstrated that the DR_1462-DR_1461-DR_1460 gene loci on chromosome 1 of Deinococcus radiodurans, which lacks tamA homologs, is a tamB homolog (DR_146T) with two tamB motifs and a DUF490 motif. Mutation of DR_146T resulted in cell envelope peeling and a decrease in resistance to shear stress and osmotic pressure, as well as an increase in oxidative stress resistance, consistent with the phenotype of a surface layer (S-layer) protein SlpA (DR_2577) mutant, demonstrating the involvement of DR_146T in maintenance of cell envelope integrity. The 123 kDa SlpA was absent and only its fragments were present in the cell envelope of DR_146T mutant, suggesting that DR_146T might be involved in maintenance of the S-layer. A mutant lacking the DUF490 motif displayed only a slight alteration in phenotype compared with the wild type, suggesting DUF490 is less important than tamB motif for the function of DR_146T. These findings enhance our understanding of the properties of the multilayered envelope in extremophilic D. radiodurans, as well as the diversity and functions of TAMs in bacteria.
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10
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Iqbal H, Kenedy MR, Lybecker M, Akins DR. The TamB ortholog of Borrelia burgdorferi interacts with the β-barrel assembly machine (BAM) complex protein BamA. Mol Microbiol 2016; 102:757-774. [PMID: 27588694 PMCID: PMC5582053 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Two outer membrane protein (OMP) transport systems in diderm bacteria assist in assembly and export of OMPs. These two systems are the β-barrel assembly machine (BAM) complex and the translocation and assembly module (TAM). The BAM complex consists of the OMP component BamA along with several outer membrane associated proteins. The TAM also consists of an OMP, designated TamA, and a single inner membrane (IM) protein, TamB. Together TamA and TamB aid in the secretion of virulence-associated OMPs. In this study we characterized the hypothetical protein BB0794 in Borrelia burgdorferi. BB0794 contains a conserved DUF490 domain, which is a motif found in all TamB proteins. All spirochetes lack a TamA ortholog, but computational and physicochemical characterization of BB0794 revealed it is a TamB ortholog. Interestingly, BB0794 was observed to interact with BamA and a BB0794 regulatable mutant displayed altered cellular morphology and antibiotic sensitivity. The observation that B. burgdorferi contains a TamB ortholog that interacts with BamA and is required for proper outer membrane biogenesis not only identifies a novel role for TamB-like proteins, but also may explain why most diderms harbor a TamB-like protein while only a select group encodes TamA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henna Iqbal
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 73104, USA
| | - Melisha R Kenedy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 73104, USA
| | - Meghan Lybecker
- Department of Biology, University of Colorado - Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO, 80918, USA
| | - Darrin R Akins
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 73104, USA
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11
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Smith KP, Ruiz T, Mintz KP. Inner-membrane protein MorC is involved in fimbriae production and biofilm formation in Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. MICROBIOLOGY-SGM 2016; 162:513-525. [PMID: 26796329 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.000246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Fimbrial subunit synthesis, secretion and assembly on the surface of the periodontal pathogen Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans are essential for biofilm formation. A recent quantitative proteomics study employing an afimbriated strain and a developed mutant isogenic for the inner-membrane protein morphogenesis protein C (MorC) revealed that the abundance of the proteins of the fimbrial secretion apparatus in the membrane is dependent on MorC. To investigate further the relationship between MorC and fimbriation, we identified and complemented the defect in fimbriae production in the afimbriated laboratory strain. The transformed strain expressing a plasmid containing genes encoding the WT fimbrial subunit and the prepilin peptidase displayed all of the hallmarks of a fimbriated bacterium including the distinct star-like colony morphology, robust biofilm formation, biofilm architecture composed of discrete microcolonies and the presence of fimbriae. When the identical plasmid was transformed into a morC mutant strain, the bacterium did not display any of the phenotypes of fimbriated strains. Extension of these studies to a naturally fimbriated clinical strain showed that the resulting morC mutant maintained the characteristic colony morphology of fimbriated strains. There was, however, a reduction in the secretion of fimbrial subunits, and fewer fimbriae were observed on the surface of the mutant strain. Furthermore, the morC mutant of the fimbriated strain displayed a significantly altered biofilm microcolony architecture, while maintaining a similar biofilm mass to the parent strain. These results suggest that MorC influences fimbrial secretion and microcolony formation in A. actinomycetemcomitans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth P Smith
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Teresa Ruiz
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Keith P Mintz
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
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