1
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Guler P, Bendori SO, Borenstein T, Aframian N, Kessel A, Eldar A. Arbitrium communication controls phage lysogeny through non-lethal modulation of a host toxin-antitoxin defence system. Nat Microbiol 2024; 9:150-160. [PMID: 38177304 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-023-01551-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Temperate Bacillus phages often utilize arbitrium communication to control lysis/lysogeny decisions, but the mechanisms by which this control is exerted remains largely unknown. Here we find that the arbitrium system of Bacillus subtilis phage ϕ3T modulates the host-encoded MazEF toxin-antitoxin system to this aim. Upon infection, the MazF ribonuclease is activated by three phage genes. At low arbitrium signal concentrations, MazF is inactivated by two phage-encoded MazE homologues: the arbitrium-controlled AimX and the later-expressed YosL proteins. At high signal, MazF remains active, promoting lysogeny without harming the bacterial host. MazF cleavage sites are enriched on transcripts of phage lytic genes but absent from the phage repressor in ϕ3T and other Spβ-like phages. Combined with low activation levels of MazF during infections, this pattern explains the phage-specific effect. Our results show how a bacterial toxin-antitoxin system has been co-opted by a phage to control lysis/lysogeny decisions without compromising host viability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Polina Guler
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Shira Omer Bendori
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Tom Borenstein
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Nitzan Aframian
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Amit Kessel
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Avigdor Eldar
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
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2
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Frumkin I, Laub MT. Selection of a de novo gene that can promote survival of Escherichia coli by modulating protein homeostasis pathways. Nat Ecol Evol 2023; 7:2067-2079. [PMID: 37945946 PMCID: PMC10697842 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-02224-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Cellular novelty can emerge when non-functional loci become functional genes in a process termed de novo gene birth. But how proteins with random amino acid sequences beneficially integrate into existing cellular pathways remains poorly understood. We screened ~108 genes, generated from random nucleotide sequences and devoid of homology to natural genes, for their ability to rescue growth arrest of Escherichia coli cells producing the ribonuclease toxin MazF. We identified ~2,000 genes that could promote growth, probably by reducing transcription from the promoter driving toxin expression. Additionally, one random protein, named Random antitoxin of MazF (RamF), modulated protein homeostasis by interacting with chaperones, leading to MazF proteolysis and a consequent loss of its toxicity. Finally, we demonstrate that random proteins can improve during evolution by identifying beneficial mutations that turned RamF into a more efficient inhibitor. Our work provides a mechanistic basis for how de novo gene birth can produce functional proteins that effectively benefit cells evolving under stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Idan Frumkin
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Michael T Laub
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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3
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Tu Q, Pu M, Li Y, Wang Y, Li M, Song L, Li M, An X, Fan H, Tong Y. Acinetobacter Baumannii Phages: Past, Present and Future. Viruses 2023; 15:v15030673. [PMID: 36992382 PMCID: PMC10057898 DOI: 10.3390/v15030673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) is one of the most common clinical pathogens and a typical multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacterium. With the increase of drug-resistant A. baumannii infections, it is urgent to find some new treatment strategies, such as phage therapy. In this paper, we described the different drug resistances of A. baumannii and some basic properties of A. baumannii phages, analyzed the interaction between phages and their hosts, and focused on A. baumannii phage therapies. Finally, we discussed the chance and challenge of phage therapy. This paper aims to provide a more comprehensive understanding of A. baumannii phages and theoretical support for the clinical application of A. baumannii phages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qihang Tu
- College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Mingfang Pu
- College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Yahao Li
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering (BAIC-SM), Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Yuer Wang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Maochen Li
- College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Lihua Song
- College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Mengzhe Li
- College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Xiaoping An
- College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Huahao Fan
- College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
- Correspondence: (H.F.); (Y.T.)
| | - Yigang Tong
- College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering (BAIC-SM), Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
- Correspondence: (H.F.); (Y.T.)
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4
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Johnson GE, Parker DJ, Lalanne JB, Parker ML, Li GW. BaM-seq and TBaM-seq, highly multiplexed and targeted RNA-seq protocols for rapid, low-cost library generation from bacterial samples. NAR Genom Bioinform 2023; 5:lqad017. [PMID: 36879903 PMCID: PMC9985320 DOI: 10.1093/nargab/lqad017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability to profile transcriptomes and characterize global gene expression changes has been greatly enabled by the development of RNA sequencing technologies (RNA-seq). However, the process of generating sequencing-compatible cDNA libraries from RNA samples can be time-consuming and expensive, especially for bacterial mRNAs which lack poly(A)-tails that are often used to streamline this process for eukaryotic samples. Compared to the increasing throughput and decreasing cost of sequencing, library preparation has had limited advances. Here, we describe bacterial-multiplexed-seq (BaM-seq), an approach that enables simple barcoding of many bacterial RNA samples that decreases the time and cost of library preparation. We also present targeted-bacterial-multiplexed-seq (TBaM-seq) that allows for differential expression analysis of specific gene panels with over 100-fold enrichment in read coverage. In addition, we introduce the concept of transcriptome redistribution based on TBaM-seq that dramatically reduces the required sequencing depth while still allowing for quantification of both highly and lowly abundant transcripts. These methods accurately measure gene expression changes with high technical reproducibility and agreement with gold standard, lower throughput approaches. Together, use of these library preparation protocols allows for fast, affordable generation of sequencing libraries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace E Johnson
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Darren J Parker
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jean-Benoit Lalanne
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Mirae L Parker
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Computational & Systems Biology Graduate Program, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Gene-Wei Li
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
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5
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Unveil the Secret of the Bacteria and Phage Arms Race. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24054363. [PMID: 36901793 PMCID: PMC10002423 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteria have developed different mechanisms to defend against phages, such as preventing phages from being adsorbed on the surface of host bacteria; through the superinfection exclusion (Sie) block of phage's nucleic acid injection; by restricting modification (R-M) systems, CRISPR-Cas, aborting infection (Abi) and other defense systems to interfere with the replication of phage genes in the host; through the quorum sensing (QS) enhancement of phage's resistant effect. At the same time, phages have also evolved a variety of counter-defense strategies, such as degrading extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) that mask receptors or recognize new receptors, thereby regaining the ability to adsorb host cells; modifying its own genes to prevent the R-M systems from recognizing phage genes or evolving proteins that can inhibit the R-M complex; through the gene mutation itself, building nucleus-like compartments or evolving anti-CRISPR (Acr) proteins to resist CRISPR-Cas systems; and by producing antirepressors or blocking the combination of autoinducers (AIs) and its receptors to suppress the QS. The arms race between bacteria and phages is conducive to the coevolution between bacteria and phages. This review details bacterial anti-phage strategies and anti-defense strategies of phages and will provide basic theoretical support for phage therapy while deeply understanding the interaction mechanism between bacteria and phages.
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6
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Ebihara S, Yen H, Tobe T. A novel toxin-antitoxin system swpAB alters gene expression patterns and reduces virulence expression in enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli. Microbiol Immunol 2023; 67:171-184. [PMID: 36636756 DOI: 10.1111/1348-0421.13054] [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: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are found widely among many bacteria, including enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC), but their functions are still poorly understood. In this study, we identified and characterized a novel TA system belonging to the relBE family, classified as a type II TA system, found in EHEC. The protein encoded by the toxin gene is homologous to RelE ribonuclease. Using various conditions for increasing the toxin activity, high-level induction of a toxin gene, and repression of an antitoxin gene in wild-type EHEC, we showed that the TA system, named swpAB (switching of gene expression profile), is involved in selective repression of a set of genes, including some virulence genes, and in the reduction of adherence capacity, rather than in suppression of bacterial growth. A detailed analysis of the profiles of RNA levels along sequences at 15 min after high expression of swpA revealed that two virulence genes, espA and tir, were direct targets of the SwpA toxin. These results suggested that the swpAB system can alter gene expression patterns and change bacterial physiological activity without affecting bacterial growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinya Ebihara
- Department of Clinical Laboratory and Biomedical Sciences, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Hilo Yen
- Department of Clinical Laboratory and Biomedical Sciences, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Toru Tobe
- Department of Clinical Laboratory and Biomedical Sciences, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
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7
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Krin E, Baharoglu Z, Sismeiro O, Varet H, Coppée JY, Mazel D. Systematic transcriptome analysis allows the identification of new type I and type II Toxin/Antitoxin systems located in the superintegron of Vibrio cholerae. Res Microbiol 2023; 174:103997. [PMID: 36347445 DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2022.103997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Vibrio cholerae N16961 genome encodes 18 type II Toxin/Antitoxin (TA) systems, all but one located inside gene cassettes of its chromosomal superintegron (SI). This study aims to investigate additional TA systems in this genome. We screened for all two-genes operons of uncharacterized function by analyzing previous RNAseq data. Assays on nine candidates, revealed one additional functional type II TA encoded by the VCA0497-0498 operon, carried inside a SI cassette. We showed that VCA0498 antitoxin alone and in complex with VCA0497 represses its own operon promoter. VCA0497-0498 is the second element of the recently identified dhiT/dhiA superfamily uncharacterized type II TA system. RNAseq analysis revealed that another SI cassette encodes a novel type I TA system: VCA0495 gene and its two associated antisense non-coding RNAs, ncRNA495 and ncRNA496. Silencing of both antisense ncRNAs lead to cell death, demonstrating the type I TA function. Both VCA0497 and VCA0495 toxins do not show any homology to functionally characterized toxins, however our preliminary data suggest that their activity may end up in mRNA degradation, directly or indirectly. Our findings increase the TA systems number carried in this SI to 19, preferentially located in its distal end, confirming their importance in this large cassette array.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelyne Krin
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 3525, Unité de Plasticité du Génome Bactérien, 28 rue du Docteur Roux, F-75015 Paris, France.
| | - Zeynep Baharoglu
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 3525, Unité de Plasticité du Génome Bactérien, 28 rue du Docteur Roux, F-75015 Paris, France.
| | - Odile Sismeiro
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Transcriptome and EpiGenome, Biomics Center for Innovation and Technological Research, 28 rue du Docteur Roux, F-75015 Paris, France.
| | - Hugo Varet
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Transcriptome and EpiGenome, Biomics Center for Innovation and Technological Research, 28 rue du Docteur Roux, F-75015 Paris, France.
| | - Jean-Yves Coppée
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Transcriptome and EpiGenome, Biomics Center for Innovation and Technological Research, 28 rue du Docteur Roux, F-75015 Paris, France.
| | - Didier Mazel
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 3525, Unité de Plasticité du Génome Bactérien, 28 rue du Docteur Roux, F-75015 Paris, France.
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8
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Yu V, Ronzone E, Lord D, Peti W, Page R. MqsR is a noncanonical microbial RNase toxin that is inhibited by antitoxin MqsA via steric blockage of substrate binding. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102535. [PMID: 36162504 PMCID: PMC9636575 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The MqsRA toxin-antitoxin system is a component of the Escherichia coli stress response. Free MqsR, a ribonuclease, cleaves mRNAs containing a 5′-GC-3′ sequence causing a global shutdown of translation and the cell to enter a state of dormancy. Despite a general understanding of MqsR function, the molecular mechanism(s) by which MqsR binds and cleaves RNA and how one or more of these activities is inhibited by its cognate antitoxin MqsA is still poorly understood. Here, we used NMR spectroscopy coupled with mRNA cleavage assays to identify the molecular mechanism of MqsR substrate recognition and the MqsR residues that are essential for its catalytic activity. We show that MqsR preferentially binds substrates that contain purines in the −2 and −1 position relative to the MqsR consensus cleavage sequence and that two residues of MqsR, Tyr81, and Lys56 are strictly required for mRNA cleavage. We also show that MqsA inhibits MqsR activity by sterically blocking mRNA substrates from binding while leaving the active site fully accessible to mononucleotides. Together, these data identify the residues of MqsR that mediate RNA cleavage and reveal a novel mechanism that regulates MqsR substrate specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Yu
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut, USA
| | - Erik Ronzone
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Dana Lord
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Wolfgang Peti
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut, USA
| | - Rebecca Page
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut, USA.
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9
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Wolf EJ, Grünberg S, Dai N, Chen TH, Roy B, Yigit E, Corrêa I. Human RNase 4 improves mRNA sequence characterization by LC–MS/MS. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:e106. [PMID: 35871301 PMCID: PMC9561288 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
With the rapid growth of synthetic messenger RNA (mRNA)-based therapeutics and vaccines, the development of analytical tools for characterization of long, complex RNAs has become essential. Tandem liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) permits direct assessment of the mRNA primary sequence and modifications thereof without conversion to cDNA or amplification. It relies upon digestion of mRNA with site-specific endoribonucleases to generate pools of short oligonucleotides that are then amenable to MS-based sequence analysis. Here, we showed that the uridine-specific human endoribonuclease hRNase 4 improves mRNA sequence coverage, in comparison with the benchmark enzyme RNase T1, by producing a larger population of uniquely mappable cleavage products. We deployed hRNase 4 to characterize mRNAs fully substituted with 1-methylpseudouridine (m1Ψ) or 5-methoxyuridine (mo5U), as well as mRNAs selectively depleted of uridine–two key strategies to reduce synthetic mRNA immunogenicity. Lastly, we demonstrated that hRNase 4 enables direct assessment of the 5′ cap incorporation into in vitro transcribed mRNA. Collectively, this study highlights the power of hRNase 4 to interrogate mRNA sequence, identity, and modifications by LC–MS/MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric J Wolf
- New England Biolabs, Inc, 43/44 Dunham Ridge, Beverly, MA 01915, USA
| | | | - Nan Dai
- New England Biolabs, Inc, 43/44 Dunham Ridge, Beverly, MA 01915, USA
| | - Tien-Hao Chen
- New England Biolabs, Inc, 43/44 Dunham Ridge, Beverly, MA 01915, USA
| | - Bijoyita Roy
- New England Biolabs, Inc, 43/44 Dunham Ridge, Beverly, MA 01915, USA
| | - Erbay Yigit
- New England Biolabs, Inc, 43/44 Dunham Ridge, Beverly, MA 01915, USA
| | - Ivan R Corrêa
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +1 978 380 7504;
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10
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Bikmetov D, Hall AMJ, Livenskyi A, Gollan B, Ovchinnikov S, Gilep K, Kim J, Larrouy-Maumus G, Zgoda V, Borukhov S, Severinov K, Helaine S, Dubiley S. GNAT toxins evolve toward narrow tRNA target specificities. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:5807-5817. [PMID: 35609997 PMCID: PMC9177977 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2022] [Revised: 04/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Type II toxin–antitoxin (TA) systems are two-gene modules widely distributed among prokaryotes. GNAT toxins associated with the DUF1778 antitoxins represent a large family of type II TAs. GNAT toxins inhibit cell growth by disrupting translation via acetylation of aminoacyl-tRNAs. In this work, we explored the evolutionary trajectory of GNAT toxins. Using LC/MS detection of acetylated aminoacyl-tRNAs combined with ribosome profiling, we systematically investigated the in vivo substrate specificity of an array of diverse GNAT toxins. Our functional data show that the majority of GNAT toxins are specific to Gly-tRNA isoacceptors. However, the phylogenetic analysis shows that the ancestor of GNAT toxins was likely a relaxed specificity enzyme capable of acetylating multiple elongator tRNAs. Together, our data provide a remarkable snapshot of the evolution of substrate specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Alexei Livenskyi
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia
- Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119992, Russia
| | - Bridget Gollan
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Stepan Ovchinnikov
- Center for Life Sciences, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Skolkovo 143025, Russia
| | - Konstantin Gilep
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia
| | - Jenny Y Kim
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Gerald Larrouy-Maumus
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Viktor Zgoda
- Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Moscow 119435, Russia
| | - Sergei Borukhov
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine, Stratford, NJ 08084-1489, USA
| | | | | | - Svetlana Dubiley
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +7 499 135 6089;
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11
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Mansour M, Giudice E, Xu X, Akarsu H, Bordes P, Guillet V, Bigot DJ, Slama N, D'urso G, Chat S, Redder P, Falquet L, Mourey L, Gillet R, Genevaux P. Substrate recognition and cryo-EM structure of the ribosome-bound TAC toxin of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2641. [PMID: 35552387 PMCID: PMC9098466 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30373-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxins of toxin-antitoxin systems use diverse mechanisms to control bacterial growth. Here, we focus on the deleterious toxin of the atypical tripartite toxin-antitoxin-chaperone (TAC) system of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, whose inhibition requires the concerted action of the antitoxin and its dedicated SecB-like chaperone. We show that the TAC toxin is a bona fide ribonuclease and identify exact cleavage sites in mRNA targets on a transcriptome-wide scale in vivo. mRNA cleavage by the toxin occurs after the second nucleotide of the ribosomal A-site codon during translation, with a strong preference for CCA codons in vivo. Finally, we report the cryo-EM structure of the ribosome-bound TAC toxin in the presence of native M. tuberculosis cspA mRNA, revealing the specific mechanism by which the TAC toxin interacts with the ribosome and the tRNA in the P-site to cleave its mRNA target. Toxin-antitoxin systems are widespread in bacteria. Here the authors present structures of M. tuberculosis HigBTAC alone and bound to the ribosome in the presence of native cspA mRNA, shedding light on its mechanism of translation inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moise Mansour
- Laboratoire de Microbiologie et de Génétique Moléculaires, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Emmanuel Giudice
- Institut de Génétique et Développement de Rennes (IGDR), UMR6290, Université de Rennes, CNRS, Rennes, France
| | - Xibing Xu
- Laboratoire de Microbiologie et de Génétique Moléculaires, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Hatice Akarsu
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg & Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Fribourg, Switzerland.,Institute of Veterinary Bacteriology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Patricia Bordes
- Laboratoire de Microbiologie et de Génétique Moléculaires, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Valérie Guillet
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, IPBS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Donna-Joe Bigot
- Laboratoire de Microbiologie et de Génétique Moléculaires, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France.,Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, IPBS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Nawel Slama
- Laboratoire de Microbiologie et de Génétique Moléculaires, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Gaetano D'urso
- Institut de Génétique et Développement de Rennes (IGDR), UMR6290, Université de Rennes, CNRS, Rennes, France
| | - Sophie Chat
- Institut de Génétique et Développement de Rennes (IGDR), UMR6290, Université de Rennes, CNRS, Rennes, France
| | - Peter Redder
- Laboratoire de Microbiologie et de Génétique Moléculaires, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Laurent Falquet
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg & Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Lionel Mourey
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, IPBS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Reynald Gillet
- Institut de Génétique et Développement de Rennes (IGDR), UMR6290, Université de Rennes, CNRS, Rennes, France.
| | - Pierre Genevaux
- Laboratoire de Microbiologie et de Génétique Moléculaires, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France.
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12
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Chattopadhyay G, Bhasin M, Ahmed S, Gosain TP, Ganesan S, Das S, Thakur C, Chandra N, Singh R, Varadarajan R. Functional and Biochemical Characterization of the MazEF6 Toxin-Antitoxin System of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. J Bacteriol 2022; 204:e0005822. [PMID: 35357163 PMCID: PMC9053165 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00058-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The Mycobacterium tuberculosis genome harbors nine toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems that are members of the mazEF family, unlike other prokaryotes, which have only one or two. Although the overall tertiary folds of MazF toxins are predicted to be similar, it is unclear how they recognize structurally different RNAs and antitoxins with divergent sequence specificity. Here, we have expressed and purified the individual components and complex of the MazEF6 TA system from M. tuberculosis. Size exclusion chromatography-multiangle light scattering (SEC-MALS) was performed to determine the oligomerization status of the toxin, antitoxin, and the complex in different stoichiometric ratios. The relative stabilities of the proteins were determined by nano-differential scanning fluorimetry (nano-DSF). Microscale thermophoresis (MST) and yeast surface display (YSD) were performed to measure the relative affinities between the cognate toxin-antitoxin partners. The interaction between MazEF6 complexes and cognate promoter DNA was also studied using MST. Analysis of paired-end RNA sequencing data revealed that the overexpression of MazF6 resulted in differential expression of 323 transcripts in M. tuberculosis. Network analysis was performed to identify the nodes from the top-response network. The analysis of mRNA protection ratios resulted in identification of putative MazF6 cleavage site in its native host, M. tuberculosis. IMPORTANCE M. tuberculosis harbors a large number of type II toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems, the exact roles for most of which are unclear. Prior studies have reported that overexpression of several of these type II toxins inhibits bacterial growth and contributes to the formation of drug-tolerant populations in vitro. To obtain insights into M. tuberculosis MazEF6 type II TA system function, we determined stability, oligomeric states, and binding affinities of cognate partners with each other and with their promoter operator DNA. Using RNA-seq data obtained from M. tuberculosis overexpression strains, we have identified putative MazF6 cleavage sites and targets in its native, cellular context.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Munmun Bhasin
- Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Shahbaz Ahmed
- Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Tannu Priya Gosain
- Tuberculosis Research Laboratory, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, Haryana, India
| | - Srivarshini Ganesan
- Department of Biotechnology, Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Sayan Das
- Tuberculosis Research Laboratory, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, Haryana, India
| | - Chandrani Thakur
- Department of Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Nagasuma Chandra
- Department of Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Ramandeep Singh
- Tuberculosis Research Laboratory, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, Haryana, India
| | - Raghavan Varadarajan
- Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
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Promising Assays for Examining a Putative Role of Ribosomal Heterogeneity in COVID-19 Susceptibility and Severity. Life (Basel) 2022; 12:life12020203. [PMID: 35207490 PMCID: PMC8880406 DOI: 10.3390/life12020203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The heterogeneity of ribosomes, characterized by structural variations, arises from differences in types, numbers, and/or post-translational modifications of participating ribosomal proteins (RPs), ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) sequence variants plus post-transcriptional modifications, and additional molecules essential for forming a translational machinery. The ribosomal heterogeneity within an individual organism or a single cell leads to preferential translations of selected messenger RNA (mRNA) transcripts over others, especially in response to environmental cues. The role of ribosomal heterogeneity in SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection, propagation, related symptoms, or vaccine responses is not known, and a technique to examine these has not yet been developed. Tools to detect ribosomal heterogeneity or to profile translating mRNAs independently cannot identify unique or specialized ribosome(s) along with corresponding mRNA substrate(s). Concurrent characterizations of RPs and/or rRNAs with mRNA substrate from a single ribosome would be critical to decipher the putative role of ribosomal heterogeneity in the COVID-19 disease, caused by the SARS-CoV-2, which hijacks the host ribosome to preferentially translate its RNA genome. Such a protocol should be able to provide a high-throughput screening of clinical samples in a large population that would reach a statistical power for determining the impact of a specialized ribosome to specific characteristics of the disease. These characteristics may include host susceptibility, viral infectivity and transmissibility, severity of symptoms, antiviral treatment responses, and vaccine immunogenicity including its side effect and efficacy. In this study, several state-of-the-art techniques, in particular, chemical probing of ribosomal components or rRNA structures, proximity ligation to generate rRNA-mRNA chimeras for sequencing, nanopore gating of individual ribosomes, nanopore RNA sequencing and/or structural analyses, single-ribosome mass spectrometry, and microfluidic droplets for separating ribosomes or indexing rRNAs/mRNAs, are discussed. The key elements for further improvement and proper integration of the above techniques to potentially arrive at a high-throughput protocol for examining individual ribosomes and their mRNA substrates in a clinical setting are also presented.
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