Integration of the overproduced bacteriophage T5 receptor protein in the outer membrane of Escherichia coli

Functional and structural dissection of the tape measure protein of lactococcal phage TP901-1

The tail tape measure protein (TMP) of tailed bacteriophages (also called phages) dictates the tail length and facilitates DNA transit to the cell cytoplasm during infection. Here, a thorough mutational analysis of the TMP from lactococcal phage TP901-1 (TMP_TP901-1) was undertaken. We generated 56 mutants aimed at defining TMP_TP901-1 domains that are essential for tail assembly and successful infection. Through analysis of the derived mutants, we determined that TP901-1 infectivity requires the N-terminal 154 aa residues, the C-terminal 60 residues and the first predicted hydrophobic region of TMP_TP901-1 as a minimum. Furthermore, the role of TMP_TP901-1 in tail length determination was visualized by electron microscopic imaging of TMP-deletion mutants. The inverse linear correlation between the extent of TMP_TP901-1-encoding gene deletions and tail length of the corresponding virion provides an estimate of TMP_TP901-1 regions interacting with the connector or involved in initiator complex formation. This study represents the most thorough characterisation of a TMP from a Gram-positive host-infecting phage and provides essential advances to understanding its role in virion assembly, morphology and infection.

Polar flagella rotation in Vibrio parahaemolyticus confers resistance to bacteriophage infection

Bacteriophage has been recognized as a novel approach to treat bacterial infectious diseases. However, phage resistance may reduce the efficacy of phage therapy. Here, we described a mechanism of bacterial resistance to phage infections. In Gram-negative enteric pathogen Vibrio parahaemolyticus, we found that polar flagella can reduce the phage infectivity. Deletion of polar flagella, but not the lateral flagella, can dramatically promote the adsorption of phage to the bacteria and enhances the phage infectivity to V. parahaemolyticus, indicating that polar flagella play an inhibitory role in the phage infection. Notably, it is the rotation, not the physical presence, of polar flagella that inhibits the phage infection of V. parahaemolyticus. Strikingly, phage dramatically reduces the virulence of V. parahaemolyticus only when polar flagella were absent both in vitro and in vivo. These results indicated that polar flagella rotation is a previously unidentified mechanism that confers bacteriophage resistance.

O antigen is the receptor of Vibrio cholerae serogroup O1 El Tor typing phage VP4

Bacteriophage VP4 is a lytic phage of the Vibrio cholerae serogroup O1, and it is used in phage subtyping of V. cholerae biotype El Tor. Studies of phage infection mechanisms will promote the understanding of the basis of phage subtyping as well as the genetic differences between sensitive and resistant strains. In this study, we investigated the receptor that phage VP4 uses to bind to El Tor strains of V. cholerae and found that it infects strains through adsorbing the O antigen of V. cholerae O1. In some natural isolates that are resistant to VP4 infection, mutations were identified in the wb* cluster (O-antigen gene cluster), which is responsible for the biosynthesis of O antigen. Mutations in the manB, wbeE, and wbeU genes caused failure of adsorption of VP4 to these strains, whereas the observed amino acid residue mutations within wbeW and manC have no effect on VP4 infection. Additionally, although mutations in two resistant strains were found only in manB and wbeW, complementing both genes did not restore sensitivity to VP4 infection, suggesting that other resistance mechanisms may exist. Therefore, the mechanism of VP4 infection may provide a basis for subtyping the phage. Elaborate mutations of the O antigen may imbue V. cholerae strains with resistance to phage infection.

An outer membrane porin protein modulates phage susceptibility in Edwardsiella ictaluri

Bacteriophages ΦeiAU and ΦeiDWF are lytic to the catfish pathogen Edwardsiella (Edw.) ictaluri. The Edw. ictaluri host factors that modulate phage-host interactions have not been described previously. This study identified eleven unique Edw. ictaluri host factors essential for phage infection by screening a transposon mutagenized library of two Edw. ictaluri strains for phage-resistant mutants. Two mutants were isolated with independent insertions in the ompLC gene that encodes a putative outer membrane porin. Phage binding and efficiency of plaquing assays with Edw. ictaluri EILO, its ompLC mutant and a complemented mutant demonstrated that OmpLC serves as a receptor for phage ΦeiAU and ΦeiDWF adsorption. Comparison of translated OmpLCs from 15 Edw. ictaluri strains with varying degrees of phage susceptibility revealed that amino acid variations were clustered on the predicted extracellular loop 8 of OmpLC. Deletion of loop 8 of OmpLC completely abolished phage infectivity in Edw. ictaluri. Site-directed mutagenesis and transfer of modified ompLC genes to complement the ompLC mutants demonstrated that changes in ompLC sequences affect the degree of phage susceptibility. Furthermore, Edw. ictaluri strain Alg-08-183 was observed to be resistant to ΦeiAU, but phage progeny could be produced if phage DNA was electroporated into this strain. A host-range mutant of ΦeiAU, ΦeiAU-183, was isolated that was capable of infecting strain Alg-08-183 by using OmpLC as a receptor for adsorption. The results of this study identified Edw. ictaluri host factors required for phage infection and indicated that OmpLC is a principal molecular determinant of phage susceptibility in this pathogen.

Oligomeric states and siderophore binding of the ligand-gated FhuA protein that forms channels across Escherichia coli outer membranes

The channel-forming FhuA protein, which translocates ferrichrome across Escherichia coli outer membranes, binds 1 mol ligand/mol monomer in detergent solution. The protein is homogenous and migrates as a single band with a mobility corresponding to 77 kDa in SDS/PAGE electrophoresis. Analytical ultracentrifugation revealed a monodisperse species (s(20,w) = 3.8 S) with a mass of 77,800 +/- 3200 Da. The properties of ligand binding, determined by two independent methods, revealed one binding site/monomer, but are complicated by a pronounced convexity of the Scatchard plot and a Hill coefficient calculated to be 2.5. This strongly suggests that oligomeric species are present. Cross-linking agents revealed the existence of possibly transient, mostly dimeric and trimeric species. The difference between the FhuA protein in detergent solution and in its native membrane environment may be related to the removal of lateral pressure that exists in situ.

Modeling ligand-gated receptor activity. FhuA-mediated ferrichrome efflux from lipid vesicles triggered by phage T5

An in vitro assay of iron-ferrichrome translocation across the FhuA protein of outer membranes from Escherichia coli has been devised. Upon reconstitution into large lipid vesicles, bacteriophage T5 binds to this polyvalent receptor, triggering a conformational change that resulted in channel opening. This facilitates the translocation of an iron(III)-siderophore, without the complexities involved in the in vivo process. Efflux of 55Fe(III)-ferrichrome across FhuA channels was determined quantitatively by monitoring the release of trapped radioactivity. The assay is rapid, reliable, and specific, because other bacteriophages, such as Phi80, fail to trigger channel opening of the FhuA receptor.

Regulation of expression of the gene for vitamin B12 receptor cloned on a multicopy plasmid in Escherichia coli

The btuB gene of Escherichia coli codes for a protein (BtuB) located in the outer membrane. BtuB is the receptor for vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin). We have cloned the btuB gene into pUC8 using transposon Tn5 as the marker to first isolate several parts of the relevant DNA fragment from the specialized transducing phage lambda darg13. After reconstitution of the gene, Tn5 was removed by selecting for spontaneous excision. The partial nucleotide sequence and transcriptional start of the btuB gene were determined. The BtuB+ plasmid allowed a large amplification of the synthesis of BtuB, resulting in a 65-fold increased level of vitamin B12 binding. The level of vitamin B12 binding was reduced by a factor of 22 when cells were grown in the presence of high concentrations of vitamin B12. The regulation of the gene was studied in more detail by the use of a protein fusion between the extreme amino-terminus of BtuB and beta-galactosidase of E. coli. The kinetics of repression and derepression were consistent with the presence in the cells of a large amount of a regulatory molecule exhibiting an apparent Km for vitamin B12 of 3 microM.

Peptidoglycan association of bacteriophage T5 receptor in Escherichia coli K-12

A total of 50% of the FhuA proteins (also called TonA proteins) present in Escherichia coli cells were associated with the peptidoglycan and 50% were free, whether or not this protein was overproduced. This FhuA-peptidoglycan association was made via the lipoprotein.

Preparation of the FhuA (TonA) receptor protein from cell envelopes of an overproducing strain of Escherichia coli K-12

A rapid and simple method for purification of the FhuA receptor protein from cell envelopes of a FhuA-overproducing strain of Escherichia coli K-12 was developed. The overproduction of FhuA was programmed by the thermoamplifiable plasmid pHK232, which carried the fhuACD genes of pLC19-19 of the Clarke and Carbon collection. At low temperature (27 degrees C), pHK232 specified the overproduction of FhuA to levels comparable to those of major outer membrane proteins OmpF, OmpC, and OmpA. The amount of these proteins in the outer membrane was reduced along with overproduction of FhuA. Upon runaway replication of pHK232 at 37 degrees C, the precursor of the FhuA protein, proFhuA, was also accumulated in the cell envelope in amounts similar to FhuA. For extraction of the FhuA protein, crude cell envelopes were washed with 2% Triton X-100-6 M urea to remove less tightly bound proteins. Then FhuA but not proFhuA was solubilized by treating Triton X-100-urea-washed membranes with 1% octylglucoside-1 mM EDTA. This procedure yielded FhuA protein free from other membrane proteins. The amount of lipopolysaccharide and phospholipids was low and ranged from 5 to 15% and 10 to 25% of the weight of the FhuA protein, respectively. As shown by direct inactivation and by competition assays, the isolated FhuA protein retained receptor activity for ferrichrome, albomycin, colicin M, and phages T5 and T1.

Cloning and expression of the gene for the vitamin B12 receptor protein in the outer membrane of Escherichia coli

The transport of cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12) in cells of Escherichia coli is dependent on a receptor protein (BtuB protein) located in the outer membrane. A 9.1-kilobase pair BamHI fragment carrying the btuB gene was cloned from a specialized transducing phage into multicopy plasmids. Insertions of transposon Tn1000 which prevented production of the receptor localized btuB to a 2-kilobase pair region. Further subcloning allowed isolation of this region as a 2.3-kilobase pair Sau3A fragment. The BtuB+ plasmids were shown by maxicell analysis to encode a polypeptide with a molecular weight of 66,000 in the outer membrane. This polypeptide was missing in cells with Tn1000 insertions in btuB and was reduced in amount upon growth of plasmid-bearing cells in repressing concentrations of vitamin B12. Several Tn1000 insertions outside the 5' end of the coding region exhibited reduced production of receptor. A deletion at the 3' end of btuB resulted in formation of an altered receptor. Amplified production of this polypeptide was associated with increased levels of binding of the receptor's ligands (vitamin B12 and phage BF23), increased rates of vitamin B12 uptake, and altered susceptibility to the group E colicins. Deficiency in various major outer membrane proteins did not affect production of the btuB product, and the amplified levels of this protein partially reversed the tolerance to E colicins seen in these mutants.

Analysis of the coliphage T5 DNA ejection process with free and liposome-associated TonA protein

Outer membrane protein TonA, the receptor for coliphage T5, has been partially purified and incorporated into the phospholipid bilayer of liposomes. Adsorption of the phage to its receptor in either a free or liposome-associated form is fast and sufficient to trigger the ejection of encapsidated DNA. In both in vitro systems the exit of DNA from the phage capsid is a very slow process. Ejected DNA can partially accumulate inside the liposome aqueous compartment, but the transfer from the phage head to the liposome internal space is never complete, perhaps because the liposome volume is too small. The presence of polyamines or divalent cations (magnesium) or both in the incubation medium diminished the extent of DNA ejection, possibly by stabilizing DNA inside the head. DNA movement was slowed as the temperature was decreased from 37 to 18 degrees C. Furthermore, incubation at 4 degrees C totally prevented this DNA movement, even if a large part of the DNA had already exited the capsid.

Molecular cloning of the ferrichrome-iron receptor of Escherichia coli K-12

A receptor protein in the outer membrane of Escherichia coli K-12 is required for the binding of ferrichrome-iron at the cell surface and for the transport of iron from this complex into the cell. This protein of Mr 78,000 is the product of the fhuA (previously called tonA) gene, located at 3.5 min on the E. coli chromosome. We cloned the fhuA gene into plasmid p343, a high-copy-number cosmid derived from pBR322. An 8.5-kilobase pair fragment of E. coli chromosomal DNA, generated by hydrolysis with the restriction endonuclease HindIII, was found to have conferred the FhuA+ phenotype to E. coli P8, which lacks the ferrichrome-iron receptor. A partial physical map of this recombinant plasmid pPM18 was established by determining the restriction endonuclease sites for BglII, EcoRI, PstI, PvuII, SmaI, and XhoI. The fhuA gene was localized to a 3.5-kilobase pair fragment of DNA whose extremities were defined by the restriction sites PstI-PvuII. A 7.5-fold enhancement of the rate of transport of iron from the ferrichrome complex was measured for cells which contained pPM18 as compared to wild-type E. coli K-12. Overproduction of the FhuA protein was detected by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of outer membrane proteins of the recombinant plasmid-containing strain. Proteins encoded by the subcloned DNA fragments were identified by [35S]methionine labeling of maxicells of E. coli CSR603, which contained recombinant plasmids; only one polypeptide chain, the presumptive fhuA gene product, was detected.