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Singh PK, Sharma P, Afanzar O, Goldfarb MH, Maklashina E, Eisenbach M, Cecchini G, Iverson TM. CryoEM structures reveal how the bacterial flagellum rotates and switches direction. Nat Microbiol 2024; 9:1271-1281. [PMID: 38632342 PMCID: PMC11087270 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-024-01674-1] [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: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Bacterial chemotaxis requires bidirectional flagellar rotation at different rates. Rotation is driven by a flagellar motor, which is a supercomplex containing multiple rings. Architectural uncertainty regarding the cytoplasmic C-ring, or 'switch', limits our understanding of how the motor transmits torque and direction to the flagellar rod. Here we report cryogenic electron microscopy structures for Salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium inner membrane MS-ring and C-ring in a counterclockwise pose (4.0 Å) and isolated C-ring in a clockwise pose alone (4.6 Å) and bound to a regulator (5.9 Å). Conformational differences between rotational poses include a 180° shift in FliF/FliG domains that rotates the outward-facing MotA/B binding site to inward facing. The regulator has specificity for the clockwise pose by bridging elements unique to this conformation. We used these structures to propose how the switch reverses rotation and transmits torque to the flagellum, which advances the understanding of bacterial chemotaxis and bidirectional motor rotation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prashant K Singh
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Pankaj Sharma
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Oshri Afanzar
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Margo H Goldfarb
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Elena Maklashina
- Molecular Biology Division, San Francisco VA Health Care System, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Michael Eisenbach
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Gary Cecchini
- Molecular Biology Division, San Francisco VA Health Care System, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - T M Iverson
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
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Manoj KM, Jacob VD, Kavdia M, Tamagawa H, Jaeken L, Soman V. Questioning rotary functionality in the bacterial flagellar system and proposing a murburn model for motility. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023; 41:15691-15714. [PMID: 36970840 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2191146] [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: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial flagellar system (BFS) was the primary example of a purported 'rotary-motor' functionality in a natural assembly. This mandates the translation of a circular motion of components inside into a linear displacement of the cell body outside, which is supposedly orchestrated with the following features of the BFS: (i) A chemical/electrical differential generates proton motive force (pmf, including a trans-membrane potential, TMP), which is electro-mechanically transduced by inward movement of protons via BFS. (ii) Membrane-bound proteins of BFS serve as stators and the slender filament acts as an external propeller, culminating into a hook-rod that pierces the membrane to connect to a 'broader assembly of deterministically movable rotor'. We had disclaimed the purported pmf/TMP-based respiratory/photosynthetic physiology involving Complex V, which was also perceived as a 'rotary machine' earlier. We pointed out that the murburn redox logic was operative therein. We pursue the following similar perspectives in BFS-context: (i) Low probability for the evolutionary attainment of an ordered/synchronized teaming of about two dozen types of proteins (assembled across five-seven distinct phases) towards the singular agendum of rotary motility. (ii) Vital redox activity (not the gambit of pmf/TMP!) powers the molecular and macroscopic activities of cells, including flagella. (iii) Flagellar movement is noted even in ambiances lacking/countering the directionality mandates sought by pmf/TMP. (iv) Structural features of BFS lack component(s) capable of harnessing/achieving pmf/TMP and functional rotation. A viable murburn model for conversion of molecular/biochemical activity into macroscopic/mechanical outcomes is proposed herein for understanding BFS-assisted motility. HIGHLIGHTSThe motor-like functionalism of bacterial flagellar system (BFS) is analyzedProton/Ion-differential based powering of BFS is unviable in bacteriaUncouplers-sponsored effects were misinterpreted, resulting in a detour in BFS researchThese findings mandate new explanation for nano-bio-mechanical movements in BFSA minimalist murburn model for the bacterial flagella-aided movement is proposedCommunicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelath Murali Manoj
- Satyamjayatu, The Science & Ethics Foundation, Palakkad District, Kerala, India
| | - Vivian David Jacob
- Satyamjayatu, The Science & Ethics Foundation, Palakkad District, Kerala, India
| | - Mahendra Kavdia
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Hirohisa Tamagawa
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Gifu University, Gifu City, Japan
| | - Laurent Jaeken
- Department of Industrial Sciences and Technology, Karel de Grote-Hogeschool, Antwerp University Association, Belgium
| | - Vidhu Soman
- Department of Bioscience & Bioengineering, IIT Bombay (& DSS Imagetech Pvt. Ltd), Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
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Diving into the complexity of the spirochetal endoflagellum. Trends Microbiol 2023; 31:294-307. [PMID: 36244923 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2022.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Spirochaetes, a phylum that includes medically important pathogens such as the causative agents of Lyme disease, syphilis, and leptospirosis, are in many ways highly unique bacteria. Their cell morphology, subcellular organization, and metabolism reveal atypical features. Spirochetal motility is also singular, dependent on the presence of periplasmic flagella or endoflagella, inserted subterminally at cell poles and not penetrating the outer membrane and elongating outside the cell as in enterobacteria. In this review we present a comprehensive comparative genomics analysis of endoflagellar systems in spirochetes, highlighting recent findings on the flagellar basal body and filament. Continued progress in understanding the function and architecture of spirochetal flagella is uncovering paradigm-shifting mechanisms of bacterial motility.
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Discovery of a Novel Inner Membrane-Associated Bacterial Structure Related to the Flagellar Type III Secretion System. J Bacteriol 2022; 204:e0014422. [PMID: 35862756 PMCID: PMC9380563 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00144-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The bacterial flagellar type III secretion system (fT3SS) is a suite of membrane-embedded and cytoplasmic proteins responsible for building the flagellar motility machinery. Homologous nonflagellar (NF-T3SS) proteins form the injectisome machinery that bacteria use to deliver effector proteins into eukaryotic cells, and other family members were recently reported to be involved in the formation of membrane nanotubes. Here, we describe a novel, evolutionarily widespread, hat-shaped structure embedded in the inner membranes of bacteria, of yet-unidentified function, that is present in species containing fT3SS. Mutant analysis suggests a relationship between this novel structure and the fT3SS, but not the NF-T3SS. While the function of this novel structure remains unknown, we hypothesize that either some of the fT3SS proteins assemble within the hat-like structure, perhaps including the fT3SS core complex, or that fT3SS components regulate other proteins that form part of this novel structure. IMPORTANCE The type III secretion system (T3SS) is a fascinating suite of proteins involved in building diverse macromolecular systems, including the bacterial flagellar motility machine, the injectisome machinery that bacteria use to inject effector proteins into host cells, and probably membrane nanotubes which connect bacterial cells. Here, we accidentally discovered a novel inner membrane-associated complex related to the flagellar T3SS. Examining our lab database, which is comprised of more than 40,000 cryo-tomograms of dozens of species, we discovered that this novel structure is both ubiquitous and ancient, being present in highly divergent classes of bacteria. Discovering a novel, widespread structure related to what are among the best-studied molecular machines in bacteria will open new venues for research aiming at understanding the function and evolution of T3SS proteins.
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Kaplan M, Chreifi G, Metskas LA, Liedtke J, Wood CR, Oikonomou CM, Nicolas WJ, Subramanian P, Zacharoff LA, Wang Y, Chang YW, Beeby M, Dobro MJ, Zhu Y, McBride MJ, Briegel A, Shaffer CL, Jensen GJ. In situ imaging of bacterial outer membrane projections and associated protein complexes using electron cryo-tomography. eLife 2021; 10:73099. [PMID: 34468314 PMCID: PMC8455137 DOI: 10.7554/elife.73099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to produce outer membrane projections in the form of tubular membrane extensions (MEs) and membrane vesicles (MVs) is a widespread phenomenon among diderm bacteria. Despite this, our knowledge of the ultrastructure of these extensions and their associated protein complexes remains limited. Here, we surveyed the ultrastructure and formation of MEs and MVs, and their associated protein complexes, in tens of thousands of electron cryo-tomograms of ~90 bacterial species that we have collected for various projects over the past 15 years (Jensen lab database), in addition to data generated in the Briegel lab. We identified outer MEs and MVs in 13 diderm bacterial species and classified several major ultrastructures: (1) tubes with a uniform diameter (with or without an internal scaffold), (2) tubes with irregular diameter, (3) tubes with a vesicular dilation at their tip, (4) pearling tubes, (5) connected chains of vesicles (with or without neck-like connectors), (6) budding vesicles and nanopods. We also identified several protein complexes associated with these MEs and MVs which were distributed either randomly or exclusively at the tip. These complexes include a secretin-like structure and a novel crown-shaped structure observed primarily in vesicles from lysed cells. In total, this work helps to characterize the diversity of bacterial membrane projections and lays the groundwork for future research in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Kaplan
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United States
| | - Georges Chreifi
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United States
| | - Lauren Ann Metskas
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United States
| | - Janine Liedtke
- Leiden University, Sylvius Laboratories, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Cecily R Wood
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, United States
| | - Catherine M Oikonomou
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United States
| | - William J Nicolas
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United States
| | - Poorna Subramanian
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United States
| | - Lori A Zacharoff
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Yuhang Wang
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United States
| | - Yi-Wei Chang
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, United States
| | - Morgan Beeby
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Yongtao Zhu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Minnesota State University, Mankato, United States
| | - Mark J McBride
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, United States
| | - Ariane Briegel
- Leiden University, Sylvius Laboratories, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Carrie L Shaffer
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, United States.,Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, United States.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, United States
| | - Grant J Jensen
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United States.,Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Brigham Young University, Provo, United States
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