1
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Li W, He Z, Di W, Xu W, Li Y, Sun B. Transposition mechanism of IS Apl1-the determinant of colistin resistance dissemination. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2024; 68:e0123123. [PMID: 38289082 PMCID: PMC10916398 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01231-23] [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: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Multidrug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, a prominent family of gram-negative pathogenic bacteria, causes a wide range of severe diseases. Strains carrying the mobile colistin resistance (mcr-1) gene show resistance to polymyxin, the last line of defense against multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria. However, the transmission of mcr-1 is not well understood. In this study, genomes of mcr-1-positive strains were obtained from the NCBI database, revealing their widespread distribution in China. We also showed that ISApl1, a crucial factor in mcr-1 transmission, is capable of self-transposition. Moreover, the self-cyclization of ISApl1 is mediated by its own encoded transposase. The electrophoretic mobility shift assay experiment validated that the transposase can bind to the inverted repeats (IRs) on both ends, facilitating the cyclization of ISApl1. Through knockout or shortening of IRs at both ends of ISApl1, we demonstrated that the cyclization of ISApl1 is dependent on the sequences of the IRs at both ends. Simultaneously, altering the ATCG content of the bases at both ends of ISApl1 can impact the excision rate by modifying the binding ability between IRs and ISAPL1. Finally, we showed that heat-unstable nucleoid protein (HU) can inhibit ISApl1 transposition by binding to the IRs and preventing ISAPL1 binding and expression. In conclusion, the regulation of ISApl1-self-circling is predominantly controlled by the inverted repeat (IR) sequence and the HU protein. This molecular mechanism deepens our comprehension of mcr-1 dissemination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Li
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Zhien He
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Wei Di
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Weifeng Xu
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Yujie Li
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Baolin Sun
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
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2
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Jusufovic N, Krusenstjerna AC, Savage CR, Saylor TC, Brissette CA, Zückert WR, Schlax PJ, Motaleb MA, Stevenson B. Borrelia burgdorferi PlzA is a cyclic-di-GMP dependent DNA and RNA binding protein. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.01.30.526351. [PMID: 36778503 PMCID: PMC9915621 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.30.526351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The PilZ domain-containing protein, PlzA, is the only known cyclic di-GMP binding protein encoded by all Lyme disease spirochetes. PlzA has been implicated in the regulation of many borrelial processes, but the effector mechanism of PlzA was not previously known. Here we report that PlzA can bind DNA and RNA and that nucleic acid binding requires c-di-GMP, with the affinity of PlzA for nucleic acids increasing as concentrations of c-di-GMP were increased. A mutant PlzA that is incapable of binding c-di-GMP did not bind to any tested nucleic acids. We also determined that PlzA interacts predominantly with the major groove of DNA and that sequence length plays a role in DNA binding affinity. PlzA is a dual-domain protein with a PilZ-like N-terminal domain linked to a canonical C-terminal PilZ domain. Dissection of the domains demonstrated that the separated N-terminal domain bound nucleic acids independently of c-di-GMP. The C-terminal domain, which includes the c-di-GMP binding motifs, did not bind nucleic acids under any tested conditions. Our data are supported by computational docking, which predicts that c-di-GMP binding at the C-terminal domain stabilizes the overall protein structure and facilitates PlzA-DNA interactions via residues in the N-terminal domain. Based on our data, we propose that levels of c-di-GMP during the various stages of the enzootic life cycle direct PlzA binding to regulatory targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nerina Jusufovic
- Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, 40526-0001, USA
| | - Andrew C. Krusenstjerna
- Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, 40526-0001, USA
| | - Christina R. Savage
- Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, 40526-0001, USA
| | - Timothy C. Saylor
- Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, 40526-0001, USA
| | - Catherine A. Brissette
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of North Dakota, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Grand Forks, ND 58203-9061, USA
| | - Wolfram R. Zückert
- Department of Microbiology, Molecular Genetics and Immunology, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - Paula J. Schlax
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Bates College, Lewiston, ME, 04240-6030, USA
| | - Md A. Motaleb
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834-435, USA
| | - Brian Stevenson
- Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, 40526-0001, USA
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, 40526-0001, USA
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3
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Maruyama H, Ohniwa RL, Ushijima Y, Morikawa K, Takeyasu K. Atomic Force Microscopy Imaging and Analysis of Prokaryotic Genome Organization. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2819:263-277. [PMID: 39028511 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3930-6_13] [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] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
This protocol describes the application of atomic force microscopy for structural analysis of prokaryotic and organellar nucleoids. It is based on a simple cell manipulation procedure that enables stepwise dissection of the nucleoid. The procedure includes (i) on-substrate lysis of cells and (ii) enzyme treatment, followed by atomic force microscopy. This type of dissection analysis permits analysis of nucleoid structure ranging from the fundamental units assembled on DNA to higher-order levels of organization. The combination with molecular-genetic and biochemical techniques further permits analysis of the functions of key nucleoid factors relevant to signal-induced structural reorganization or building up of basic structures, as seen for Dps in Escherichia coli and TrmBL2 in Thermococcus kodakarensis. These systems are described here as examples of the successful application of AFM for this purpose. Moreover, we describe the procedures needed for quantitative analysis of the data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Maruyama
- Department of Bacteriology, Osaka Dental University, Hirakata, Osaka, Japan
| | - Ryosuke L Ohniwa
- Institute of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Yuri Ushijima
- Institute of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Kazuya Morikawa
- Institute of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
| | - Kunio Takeyasu
- Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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4
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Hoareau M, Gerges E, Crémazy FGE. Shedding Light on Bacterial Chromosome Structure: Exploring the Significance of 3C-Based Approaches. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2819:3-26. [PMID: 39028499 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3930-6_1] [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] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
The complex architecture of DNA within living organisms is essential for maintaining the genetic information that dictates their functions and characteristics. Among the many complexities of genetic material organization, the folding and arrangement of DNA into chromosomes play a critical role in regulating gene expression, replication, and other essential cellular processes. Bacteria, despite their apparently simple cellular structure, exhibit a remarkable level of chromosomal organization that influences their adaptability and survival in diverse environments. Understanding the three-dimensional arrangement of bacterial chromosomes has long been a challenge due to technical limitations, but the development of Chromosome Conformation Capture (3C) methods revolutionized our ability to explore the hierarchical structure and the dynamics of bacterial genomes. Here, we review the major advances in the field of bacterial chromosome structure using 3C technology over the past decade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marion Hoareau
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, Inserm, Infection et inflammation, Montigny-Le-Bretonneux, France
| | - Elias Gerges
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, Inserm, Infection et inflammation, Montigny-Le-Bretonneux, France
| | - Frédéric G E Crémazy
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, Inserm, Infection et inflammation, Montigny-Le-Bretonneux, France.
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5
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Zhang Y, Tian L, Lu C. Chloroplast gene expression: Recent advances and perspectives. PLANT COMMUNICATIONS 2023; 4:100611. [PMID: 37147800 PMCID: PMC10504595 DOI: 10.1016/j.xplc.2023.100611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Chloroplasts evolved from an ancient cyanobacterial endosymbiont more than 1.5 billion years ago. During subsequent coevolution with the nuclear genome, the chloroplast genome has remained independent, albeit strongly reduced, with its own transcriptional machinery and distinct features, such as chloroplast-specific innovations in gene expression and complicated post-transcriptional processing. Light activates the expression of chloroplast genes via mechanisms that optimize photosynthesis, minimize photodamage, and prioritize energy investments. Over the past few years, studies have moved from describing phases of chloroplast gene expression to exploring the underlying mechanisms. In this review, we focus on recent advances and emerging principles that govern chloroplast gene expression in land plants. We discuss engineering of pentatricopeptide repeat proteins and its biotechnological effects on chloroplast RNA research; new techniques for characterizing the molecular mechanisms of chloroplast gene expression; and important aspects of chloroplast gene expression for improving crop yield and stress tolerance. We also discuss biological and mechanistic questions that remain to be answered in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat Improvement, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, China
| | - Lin Tian
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat Improvement, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, China
| | - Congming Lu
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat Improvement, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, China.
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6
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Park JH, Lee ES, Jung YJ. Functional characterization of the DNA-binding protein from starved cells (DPS) as a molecular chaperone under heat stress. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2023; 667:180-185. [PMID: 37229826 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.05.064] [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: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The DNA-binding protein from starved cells, known as DPS, has been characterized as a crucial factor in protecting E. coli from external stresses. The DPS functions in various cellular processes, including protein-DNA binding, ferroxidase activity, compaction of chromosome and regulation of stress resistance gene expression. DPS proteins exist as oligomeric complexes; however, the specific biochemical activity of oligomeric DPS in conferring heat shock tolerance has not been fully understood. Therefore, we investigated the novel functional role of DPS under heat shock. To elucidate the functional role of DPS under heat shock conditions, we purified recombinant GST-DPS protein and demonstrated its thermostability and existence in its highly oligomeric form. Furthermore, we discovered that the hydrophobic region of GST-DPS influenced the formation of oligomers, which exhibited molecular chaperone activity, thereby preventing the aggregation of substrate proteins. Collectively, our findings highlight the novel functional role of DPS, as a molecular chaperone and may confer thermotolerance to E. coli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joung Hun Park
- Division of Ecological Safety, National Institute of Ecology, Seocheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun Seon Lee
- Division of Ecological Safety, National Institute of Ecology, Seocheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Jun Jung
- Division of Ecological Safety, National Institute of Ecology, Seocheon, Republic of Korea.
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7
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Liu H, Knox CA, Jakkula LUMR, Wang Y, Peddireddi L, Ganta RR. Evaluating EcxR for Its Possible Role in Ehrlichia chaffeensis Gene Regulation. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:12719. [PMID: 36361509 PMCID: PMC9657007 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232112719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Ehrlichia chaffeensis, a tick-transmitted intraphagosomal bacterium, is the causative agent of human monocytic ehrlichiosis. The pathogen also infects several other vertebrate hosts. E. chaffeensis has a biphasic developmental cycle during its growth in vertebrate monocytes/macrophages and invertebrate tick cells. Host- and vector-specific differences in the gene expression from many genes of E. chaffeensis are well documented. It is unclear how the organism regulates gene expression during its developmental cycle and for its adaptation to vertebrate and tick host cell environments. We previously mapped promoters of several E. chaffeensis genes which are recognized by its only two sigma factors: σ32 and σ70. In the current study, we investigated in assessing five predicted E. chaffeensis transcription regulators; EcxR, CtrA, MerR, HU and Tr1 for their possible roles in regulating the pathogen gene expression. Promoter segments of three genes each transcribed with the RNA polymerase containing σ70 (HU, P28-Omp14 and P28-Omp19) and σ32 (ClpB, DnaK and GroES/L) were evaluated by employing multiple independent molecular methods. We report that EcxR binds to all six promoters tested. Promoter-specific binding of EcxR to several gene promoters results in varying levels of gene expression enhancement. This is the first detailed molecular characterization of transcription regulators where we identified EcxR as a gene regulator having multiple promoter-specific interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Roman R. Ganta
- Center of Excellence for Vector-Borne Diseases (CEVBD), Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
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8
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Huang L, Zhang Z, McMacken R. Interaction of the Escherichia coli HU Protein with Various Topological Forms of DNA. Biomolecules 2021; 11:1724. [PMID: 34827722 PMCID: PMC8616027 DOI: 10.3390/biom11111724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Revised: 11/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
E. coli histone-like protein HU has been shown to interact with different topological forms of DNA. Using radiolabeled HU, we examine the effects of DNA supercoiling on HU-DNA interactions. We show that HU binds preferentially to negatively supercoiled DNA and that the affinity of HU for DNA increases with increases in the negative superhelical density of DNA. Binding of HU to DNA is most sensitively influenced by DNA supercoiling within a narrow but physiologically relevant range of superhelicity (σ = -0.06-0). Under stoichiometric binding conditions, the affinity of HU for negatively supercoiled DNA (σ = -0.06) is more than 10 times higher than that for relaxed DNA at physiologically relevant HU/DNA mass ratios (e.g., 1:10). This binding preference, however, becomes negligible at HU/DNA mass ratios higher than 1:2. At saturation, HU binds both negatively supercoiled and relaxed DNA with similar stoichiometries, i.e., 5-6 base pairs per HU dimer. In our chemical crosslinking studies, we demonstrate that HU molecules bound to negatively supercoiled DNA are more readily crosslinked than those bound to linear DNA. At in vivo HU/DNA ratios, HU appears to exist predominantly in a tetrameric form on negatively supercoiled DNA and in a dimeric form on linear DNA. Using a DNA ligase-mediated nick closure assay, we show that approximately 20 HU dimers are required to constrain one negative supercoil on relaxed DNA. Although fewer HU dimers may be needed to constrain one negative supercoil on negatively supercoiled DNA, our results and estimates of the cellular level of HU argue against a major role for HU in constraining supercoils in vivo. We discuss our data within the context of the dynamic distribution of the HU protein in cells, where temporal and local changes of DNA supercoiling are known to take place.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Huang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA;
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Zhenfeng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Roger McMacken
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA;
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9
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Amemiya HM, Schroeder J, Freddolino PL. Nucleoid-associated proteins shape chromatin structure and transcriptional regulation across the bacterial kingdom. Transcription 2021; 12:182-218. [PMID: 34499567 PMCID: PMC8632127 DOI: 10.1080/21541264.2021.1973865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 08/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Genome architecture has proven to be critical in determining gene regulation across almost all domains of life. While many of the key components and mechanisms of eukaryotic genome organization have been described, the interplay between bacterial DNA organization and gene regulation is only now being fully appreciated. An increasing pool of evidence has demonstrated that the bacterial chromosome can reasonably be thought of as chromatin, and that bacterial chromosomes contain transcriptionally silent and transcriptionally active regions analogous to heterochromatin and euchromatin, respectively. The roles played by histones in eukaryotic systems appear to be shared across a range of nucleoid-associated proteins (NAPs) in bacteria, which function to compact, structure, and regulate large portions of bacterial chromosomes. The broad range of extant NAPs, and the extent to which they differ from species to species, has raised additional challenges in identifying and characterizing their roles in all but a handful of model bacteria. Here we review the regulatory roles played by NAPs in several well-studied bacteria and use the resulting state of knowledge to provide a working definition for NAPs, based on their function, binding pattern, and expression levels. We present a screening procedure which can be applied to any species for which transcriptomic data are available. Finally, we note that NAPs tend to play two major regulatory roles - xenogeneic silencers and developmental regulators - and that many unrecognized potential NAPs exist in each bacterial species examined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haley M. Amemiya
- University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Jeremy Schroeder
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Peter L. Freddolino
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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10
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HBD1 protein with a tandem repeat of two HMG-box domains is a DNA clip to organize chloroplast nucleoids in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2021053118. [PMID: 33975946 PMCID: PMC8157925 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2021053118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Compaction of bulky DNA is a universal issue for all DNA-based life forms. Chloroplast nucleoids (chloroplast DNA-protein complexes) are critical for chloroplast DNA maintenance and transcription, thereby supporting photosynthesis, but their detailed structure remains enigmatic. Our proteomic analysis of chloroplast nucleoids of the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii identified a protein (HBD1) with a tandem repeat of two DNA-binding high mobility group box (HMG-box) domains, which is structurally similar to major mitochondrial nucleoid proteins transcription factor A, mitochondrial (TFAM), and ARS binding factor 2 protein (Abf2p). Disruption of the HBD1 gene by CRISPR-Cas9-mediated genome editing resulted in the scattering of chloroplast nucleoids. This phenotype was complemented when intact HBD1 was reintroduced, whereas a truncated HBD1 with a single HMG-box domain failed to complement the phenotype. Furthermore, ectopic expression of HBD1 in the mitochondria of yeast Δabf2 mutant successfully complemented the defects, suggesting functional similarity between HBD1 and Abf2p. Furthermore, in vitro assays of HBD1, including the electrophoretic mobility shift assay and DNA origami/atomic force microscopy, showed that HBD1 is capable of introducing U-turns and cross-strand bridges, indicating that proteins with two HMG-box domains would function as DNA clips to compact DNA in both chloroplast and mitochondrial nucleoids.
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11
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Synthesis and antibacterial study of cell-penetrating peptide conjugated trifluoroacetyl and thioacetyl lysine modified peptides. Eur J Med Chem 2021; 219:113447. [PMID: 33892275 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2021.113447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Substrate-based sirtuin inhibitors target bacterial genome and RNA and provide a promising approach to address bacterial resistance issues, if cellular internalisation can be achieved. We designed N-trifluoroacetyl lysine and N-thioacetyl lysine peptides (KP 13, KP 15 and KP 24) as inhibitors of bacterial sirtuins and their cell-penetrating peptide conjugates Tat KP 13, Tat KP 15 and Tat KP 24. The conjugated peptides were successfully internalised and showed signs of bacterial transcription inhibition resulting in enhanced antibacterial potency against model Gram negative and Gram positive pathogens. Synergistic activity in combination with streptomycin and polymyxin B has also been established. These peptides were effective in inhibiting biofilm formation and eradicating preformed biofilms. Morphological analysis using both SEM and TEM showed bacterial membrane disruption. Calcein dye leakage analysis established the selectivity of these peptides to bacterial membranes. This study documents the first report of the application of substrate-based sirtuin inhibitors as antimicrobial therapeutics.
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12
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Thakur B, Gupta A, Guptasarma P. A novel protein-engineered dsDNA-binding protein (HU-Simulacrum) inspired by HU, a nucleoid-associated DNABII protein. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2020; 534:47-52. [PMID: 33310187 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.11.088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
HU, a DNA-binding protein, has a helical N-terminal region (NTR) of ∼44 residues and a beta strand- and IDR-rich C-terminal region (CTR) of ∼46 residues. CTR binds to DNA through (i) a clasp (two arginine/lysine-rich, IDR-rich beta hairpins that bind to phosphate groups in the minor groove), (ii) a flat surface (comprising four antiparallel beta strands that abut the major groove), and (iii) a charge cluster (two lysine residues upon a short C-terminal helix). HU forms a dimer displaying extensive inter-subunit CTR-CTR contacts. A single-chain simulacrum of these contacts (HU-Simul) incorporating all DNA-binding elements was created by fusing together the CTRs of Escherichia coli HU-A and Thermus thermophilus HU. HU-Simul is monomeric, binds to dsDNA and cruciform DNA, but not to ssDNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhishem Thakur
- Centre for Protein Science, Design and Engineering (CPSDE), Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Mohali, Knowledge City, Sector-81, SAS Nagar, Punjab, 140306, India.
| | - Archit Gupta
- Centre for Protein Science, Design and Engineering (CPSDE), Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Mohali, Knowledge City, Sector-81, SAS Nagar, Punjab, 140306, India
| | - Purnananda Guptasarma
- Centre for Protein Science, Design and Engineering (CPSDE), Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Mohali, Knowledge City, Sector-81, SAS Nagar, Punjab, 140306, India.
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13
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Samuels DS, Lybecker MC, Yang XF, Ouyang Z, Bourret TJ, Boyle WK, Stevenson B, Drecktrah D, Caimano MJ. Gene Regulation and Transcriptomics. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2020; 42:223-266. [PMID: 33300497 DOI: 10.21775/cimb.042.223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Borrelia (Borreliella) burgdorferi, along with closely related species, is the etiologic agent of Lyme disease. The spirochete subsists in an enzootic cycle that encompasses acquisition from a vertebrate host to a tick vector and transmission from a tick vector to a vertebrate host. To adapt to its environment and persist in each phase of its enzootic cycle, B. burgdorferi wields three systems to regulate the expression of genes: the RpoN-RpoS alternative sigma factor cascade, the Hk1/Rrp1 two-component system and its product c-di-GMP, and the stringent response mediated by RelBbu and DksA. These regulatory systems respond to enzootic phase-specific signals and are controlled or fine- tuned by transcription factors, including BosR and BadR, as well as small RNAs, including DsrABb and Bb6S RNA. In addition, several other DNA-binding and RNA-binding proteins have been identified, although their functions have not all been defined. Global changes in gene expression revealed by high-throughput transcriptomic studies have elucidated various regulons, albeit technical obstacles have mostly limited this experimental approach to cultivated spirochetes. Regardless, we know that the spirochete, which carries a relatively small genome, regulates the expression of a considerable number of genes required for the transitions between the tick vector and the vertebrate host as well as the adaptation to each.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Scott Samuels
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - Meghan C Lybecker
- Department of Biology, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, CO 80918, USA
| | - X Frank Yang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Zhiming Ouyang
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Travis J Bourret
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, 68105 USA
| | - William K Boyle
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, 68105 USA
| | - Brian Stevenson
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky School of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Dan Drecktrah
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - Melissa J Caimano
- Departments of Medicine, Pediatrics, and Molecular Biology and Biophysics, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA
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14
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Zhang H, Wei J, Qian W, Deng C. Analysis of HrpG regulons and HrpG-interacting proteins by ChIP-seq and affinity proteomics in Xanthomonas campestris. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2020; 21:388-400. [PMID: 31916392 PMCID: PMC7036363 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.12903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Revised: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 11/27/2019] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Gamma-proteobacteria Xanthomonas spp. cause at least 350 different plant diseases among important agricultural crops, which result in serious yield losses. Xanthomonas spp. rely mainly on the type III secretion system (T3SS) to infect their hosts and induce a hypersensitive response in nonhosts. HrpG, the master regulator of the T3SS, plays the dominant role in bacterial virulence. In this study, we used chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing (ChIP-seq) and tandem affinity purification (TAP) to systematically characterize the HrpG regulon and HrpG interacting proteins in vivo. We obtained 186 candidate HrpG downstream genes from the ChIP-seq analysis, which represented the genomic-wide regulon spectrum. A consensus HrpG-binding motif was obtained and three T3SS genes, hpa2, hrcU, and hrpE, were confirmed to be directly transcriptionally activated by HrpG in the inducing medium. A total of 273 putative HrpG interacting proteins were identified from the TAP data and the DNA-binding histone-like HU protein of Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (HUxcc ) was proved to be involved in bacterial virulence by increasing the complexity and intelligence of the bacterial signalling pathways in the T3SS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong‐Yu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant GenomicsInstitute of MicrobiologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- College of Life SciencesUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Jin‐Wei Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Plant GenomicsInstitute of MicrobiologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- College of Life SciencesUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Wei Qian
- State Key Laboratory of Plant GenomicsInstitute of MicrobiologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Chao‐Ying Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Plant GenomicsInstitute of MicrobiologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
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15
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Georgoulis A, Louka M, Mylonas S, Stavros P, Nounesis G, Vorgias CE. Consensus protein engineering on the thermostable histone-like bacterial protein HUs significantly improves stability and DNA binding affinity. Extremophiles 2020; 24:293-306. [PMID: 31980943 DOI: 10.1007/s00792-020-01154-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2019] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Consensus-based protein engineering strategy has been applied to various proteins and it can lead to the design of proteins with enhanced biological performance. Histone-like HUs comprise a protein family with sequence variety within a highly conserved 3D-fold. HU function includes compacting and regulating bacterial DNA in a wide range of biological conditions in bacteria. To explore the possible impact of consensus-based design in the thermodynamic stability of HU proteins, the approach was applied using a dataset of sequences derived from a group of 40 mesostable, thermostable, and hyperthermostable HUs. The consensus-derived HU protein was named HUBest, since it is expected to perform best. The synthetic HU gene was overexpressed in E. coli and the recombinant protein was purified. Subsequently, HUBest was characterized concerning its correct folding and thermodynamic stability, as well as its ability to interact with plasmid DNA. A substantial increase in HUBest stability at high temperatures is observed. HUBest has significantly improved biological performance at ambience temperature, presenting very low Kd values for binding plasmid DNA as indicated from the Gibbs energy profile of HUBest. This Kd may be associated to conformational changes leading to decreased thermodynamic stability and, therefore, higher flexibility at ambient temperature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasios Georgoulis
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 157 01, Zografou, Greece
| | - Maria Louka
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 157 01, Zografou, Greece
| | - Stratos Mylonas
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 157 01, Zografou, Greece
| | - Philemon Stavros
- Biomolecular Physics Laboratory, INRASTES, National Centre for Scientific Research "Demokritos", 153 10, Agia Paraskevi, Greece
| | - George Nounesis
- Biomolecular Physics Laboratory, INRASTES, National Centre for Scientific Research "Demokritos", 153 10, Agia Paraskevi, Greece
| | - Constantinos E Vorgias
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 157 01, Zografou, Greece.
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16
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Abstract
Diffusion within bacteria is often thought of as a "simple" random process by which molecules collide and interact with each other. New research however shows that this is far from the truth. Here we shed light on the complexity and importance of diffusion in bacteria, illustrating the similarities and differences of diffusive behaviors of molecules within different compartments of bacterial cells. We first describe common methodologies used to probe diffusion and the associated models and analyses. We then discuss distinct diffusive behaviors of molecules within different bacterial cellular compartments, highlighting the influence of metabolism, size, crowding, charge, binding, and more. We also explicitly discuss where further research and a united understanding of what dictates diffusive behaviors across the different compartments of the cell are required, pointing out new research avenues to pursue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher H Bohrer
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Jie Xiao
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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17
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Dahlke K, Sing CE. Influence of Nucleoid-Associated Proteins on DNA Supercoiling. J Phys Chem B 2019; 123:10152-10162. [PMID: 31710235 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.9b07436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
DNA supercoiling, where the DNA strand forms a writhe to relieve torsional stress, plays a vital role in packaging the genetic material in cells. Experiment, simulation, and theory have all demonstrated how supercoiling emerges due to the over- or underwinding of the DNA strand. Nucleoid-associated proteins (NAPs) help structure DNA in prokaryotes, yet the role that they play in the supercoiling process has not been as thoroughly investigated. We develop a coarse-grained simulation to model DNA supercoiling in the presence of proteins, providing a rigorous physical understanding of how NAPs affect supercoiling behavior. Specifically, we demonstrate how the force and torque necessary to form supercoils are affected by the presence of NAPs. NAPs that bend DNA stabilize the supercoil, thus shifting the transition between extended and supercoiled DNAs. We develop a theory to explain how NAP binding affects DNA supercoiling. This provides insight into how NAPs modulate DNA compaction via a combination of supercoiling and local protein-dependent deformations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katelyn Dahlke
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering , University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign , Urbana , Illinois 61801 , United States
| | - Charles E Sing
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering , University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign , Urbana , Illinois 61801 , United States
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18
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Hognon C, Garaude S, Timmins J, Chipot C, Dehez F, Monari A. Molecular Bases of DNA Packaging in Bacteria Revealed by All-Atom Molecular Dynamics Simulations: The Case of Histone-Like Proteins in Borrelia burgdorferi. J Phys Chem Lett 2019; 10:7200-7207. [PMID: 31693374 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.9b02978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
DNA compaction is essential to ensure the packaging of the genetic material in living cells and also plays a key role in the epigenetic regulation of gene expression. In both humans and bacteria, DNA packaging is achieved by specific well-conserved proteins. Here, by means of all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, including the determination of relevant free-energy profiles, we rationalize the molecular bases for this remarkable process in bacteria, illustrating the crucial role played by positively charged amino acids of a small histone-like protein. We also present compelling evidence that this histone-like protein alone can induce strong bending of a DNA duplex around its core domain, a process that requires overcoming a major free-energy barrier.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cécilia Hognon
- Université de Lorraine and CNRS, LPCT UMR 7019 , F-54000 Nancy , France
| | - Simon Garaude
- Université de Lorraine and CNRS, LPCT UMR 7019 , F-54000 Nancy , France
| | - Joanna Timmins
- Université Grenoble Alpes , CNRS, CEA, IBS , F-38000 Grenoble , France
| | - Christophe Chipot
- Université de Lorraine and CNRS, LPCT UMR 7019 , F-54000 Nancy , France
- Department of Physics , University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , 1110 West Green Street , Urbana , Illinois 61801 , United States
- Laboratoire International Associé Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , 54506 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy Cedex, France
| | - François Dehez
- Université de Lorraine and CNRS, LPCT UMR 7019 , F-54000 Nancy , France
- Laboratoire International Associé Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , 54506 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy Cedex, France
| | - Antonio Monari
- Université de Lorraine and CNRS, LPCT UMR 7019 , F-54000 Nancy , France
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19
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Pokharel P, Habouria H, Bessaiah H, Dozois CM. Serine Protease Autotransporters of the Enterobacteriaceae (SPATEs): Out and About and Chopping It Up. Microorganisms 2019; 7:E594. [PMID: 31766493 PMCID: PMC6956023 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms7120594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/13/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Autotransporters are secreted proteins with multiple functions produced by a variety of Gram-negative bacteria. In Enterobacteriaceae, a subgroup of these autotransporters are the SPATEs (serine protease autotransporters of Enterobacteriaceae). SPATEs play a crucial role in survival and virulence of pathogens such as Escherichia coli and Shigella spp. and contribute to intestinal and extra-intestinal infections. These high molecular weight proteases are transported to the external milieu by the type Va secretion system and function as proteases with diverse substrate specificities and biological functions including adherence and cytotoxicity. Herein, we provide an overview of SPATEs and discuss recent findings on the biological roles of these secreted proteins, including proteolysis of substrates, adherence to cells, modulation of the immune response, and virulence in host models. In closing, we highlight recent insights into the regulation of expression of SPATEs that could be exploited to understand fundamental SPATE biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pravil Pokharel
- Institut National de Recherche Scientifique (INRS)-Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Laval, QC H7V 1B7, Canada; (P.P.); (H.H.); (H.B.)
- Centre de Recherche en Infectiologie Porcine et Avicole (CRIPA), Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Hajer Habouria
- Institut National de Recherche Scientifique (INRS)-Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Laval, QC H7V 1B7, Canada; (P.P.); (H.H.); (H.B.)
- Centre de Recherche en Infectiologie Porcine et Avicole (CRIPA), Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Hicham Bessaiah
- Institut National de Recherche Scientifique (INRS)-Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Laval, QC H7V 1B7, Canada; (P.P.); (H.H.); (H.B.)
- Centre de Recherche en Infectiologie Porcine et Avicole (CRIPA), Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Charles M. Dozois
- Institut National de Recherche Scientifique (INRS)-Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Laval, QC H7V 1B7, Canada; (P.P.); (H.H.); (H.B.)
- Centre de Recherche en Infectiologie Porcine et Avicole (CRIPA), Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
- Institut Pasteur International Network, Laval, QC H7V 1B7, Canada
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20
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Wüllner D, Haupt A, Prochnow P, Leontiev R, Slusarenko AJ, Bandow JE. Interspecies Comparison of the Bacterial Response to Allicin Reveals Species-Specific Defense Strategies. Proteomics 2019; 19:e1900064. [PMID: 31622046 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.201900064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2019] [Revised: 09/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Allicin, a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent from garlic, disrupts thiol and redox homeostasis, proteostasis, and cell membrane integrity. Since medicine demands antimicrobials with so far unexploited mechanisms, allicin is a promising lead structure. While progress is being made in unraveling its mode of action, little is known on bacterial adaptation strategies. Some isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli withstand exposure to high allicin concentrations due to as yet unknown mechanisms. To elucidate resistance and sensitivity-conferring cellular processes, the acute proteomic responses of a resistant P. aeruginosa strain and the sensitive species Bacillus subtilis are compared to the published proteomic response of E. coli to allicin treatment. The cellular defense strategies share functional features: proteins involved in translation and maintenance of protein quality, redox homeostasis, and cell envelope modification are upregulated. In both Gram-negative species, protein synthesis of the majority of proteins is downregulated while the Gram-positive B. subtilis responded by upregulation of multiple regulons. A comparison of the B. subtilis proteomic response to a library of responses to antibiotic treatment reveals 30 proteins specifically upregulated by allicin. Upregulated oxidative stress proteins are shared with nitrofurantoin and diamide. Microscopy-based assays further indicate that in B. subtilis cell wall integrity is impaired.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Wüllner
- Applied Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, 44780, Bochum, Germany
| | - Annika Haupt
- Applied Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, 44780, Bochum, Germany
| | - Pascal Prochnow
- Applied Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, 44780, Bochum, Germany
| | - Roman Leontiev
- Department of Plant Physiology (Bio III), RWTH Aachen University, 52056, Aachen, Germany.,Division of Bioorganic Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Saarland University, 66041, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Alan J Slusarenko
- Department of Plant Physiology (Bio III), RWTH Aachen University, 52056, Aachen, Germany
| | - Julia E Bandow
- Applied Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, 44780, Bochum, Germany
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21
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Hocher A, Rojec M, Swadling JB, Esin A, Warnecke T. The DNA-binding protein HTa from Thermoplasma acidophilum is an archaeal histone analog. eLife 2019; 8:52542. [PMID: 31710291 PMCID: PMC6877293 DOI: 10.7554/elife.52542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 11/10/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Histones are a principal constituent of chromatin in eukaryotes and fundamental to our understanding of eukaryotic gene regulation. In archaea, histones are widespread but not universal: several lineages have lost histone genes. What prompted or facilitated these losses and how archaea without histones organize their chromatin remains largely unknown. Here, we elucidate primary chromatin architecture in an archaeon without histones, Thermoplasma acidophilum, which harbors a HU family protein (HTa) that protects part of the genome from micrococcal nuclease digestion. Charting HTa-based chromatin architecture in vitro, in vivo and in an HTa-expressing E. coli strain, we present evidence that HTa is an archaeal histone analog. HTa preferentially binds to GC-rich sequences, exhibits invariant positioning throughout the growth cycle, and shows archaeal histone-like oligomerization behavior. Our results suggest that HTa, a DNA-binding protein of bacterial origin, has converged onto an architectural role filled by histones in other archaea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Hocher
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences (LMS), London, United Kingdom.,Institute of Clinical Sciences (ICS), Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Maria Rojec
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences (LMS), London, United Kingdom.,Institute of Clinical Sciences (ICS), Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jacob B Swadling
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences (LMS), London, United Kingdom.,Institute of Clinical Sciences (ICS), Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alexander Esin
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences (LMS), London, United Kingdom.,Institute of Clinical Sciences (ICS), Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tobias Warnecke
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences (LMS), London, United Kingdom.,Institute of Clinical Sciences (ICS), Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
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22
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Hanson C, Bishop MM, Barney JT, Vargis E. Effect of growth media and phase on Raman spectra and discrimination of mycobacteria. JOURNAL OF BIOPHOTONICS 2019; 12:e201900150. [PMID: 31291064 DOI: 10.1002/jbio.201900150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2019] [Revised: 06/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
When developing a Raman spectral library to identify bacteria, differences between laboratory and real world conditions must be considered. For example, culturing bacteria in laboratory settings is performed under conditions for ideal bacteria growth. In contrast, culture conditions in the human body may differ and may not support optimized bacterial growth. To address these differences, researchers have studied the effect of conditions such as growth media and phase on Raman spectra. However, the majority of these studies focused on Gram-positive or Gram-negative bacteria. This article focuses on the influence of growth media and phase on Raman spectra and discrimination of mycobacteria, an acid-fast genus. Results showed that spectral differences from growth phase and media can be distinguished by spectral observation and multivariate analysis. Results were comparable to those found for other types of bacteria, such as Gram-positive and Gram-negative. In addition, the influence of growth phase and media had a significant impact on machine learning models and their resulting classification accuracy. This study highlights the need for machine learning models and their associated spectral libraries to account for various growth parameters and stages to further the transition of Raman spectral analysis of bacteria from laboratory to clinical settings.
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23
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Chan CH, Monari A, Ravanat JL, Dumont E. Probing interaction of a trilysine peptide with DNA underlying formation of guanine-lysine cross-links: insights from molecular dynamics. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2019; 21:23418-23424. [PMID: 31624816 DOI: 10.1039/c9cp04708e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
DNA-protein cross-links constitute bulky DNA lesions that interfere with the cellular machinery. Amongst these stable covalently tethered adducts, the efficient nucleophilic addition of the free amino group of lysines onto the guanine radical cation has been evidenced. In vitro addition of a trilysine peptide onto a guanine radical cation generated in a TGT oligonucleotide is so efficient that competitive addition of a water molecule, giving rise to 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine, is not observed. This suggests a spatial proximity between guanine and lysine for the stabilization of the prereactive complex. We report all-atom microsecond scale molecular dynamics simulations that probe the structure and interactions of the trilysine peptide (KKK) with two oligonucleotides. Our simulations reveal a strong, electrostatically driven yet dynamic interaction, spanning several association modes. Furthermore, the presence of neighbouring cytosines has been identified as a factor favoring KKK binding. Relying on ab initio molecular dynamics on a model system constituted of guanine and methylammonium, we also corroborate a mechanistic pathway involving fast deprotonation of the guanine radical cation followed by hydrogen transfer from ammonium leaving as a result a nitrogen reactive species that can subsequently cross-link with guanine. Our study sheds new light on a ubiquitous mechanism for DNA-protein cross-links also stressing out possible sequence dependences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen-Hui Chan
- Univ. Lyon, ENS de Lyon, CNRS UMR 5182, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Laboratoire de Chimie, F69342, Lyon, France.
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24
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Flores-Ríos R, Quatrini R, Loyola A. Endogenous and Foreign Nucleoid-Associated Proteins of Bacteria: Occurrence, Interactions and Effects on Mobile Genetic Elements and Host's Biology. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2019; 17:746-756. [PMID: 31303979 PMCID: PMC6606824 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2019.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2019] [Revised: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Mobile Genetic Elements (MGEs) are mosaics of functional gene modules of diverse evolutionary origin and are generally divergent from the hosts´ genetic background. Existing biases in base composition and codon usage of these elements` genes impose transcription and translation limitations that may affect the physical and regulatory integration of MGEs in new hosts. Stable appropriation of the foreign DNA depends on a number of host factors among which are the Nucleoid-Associated Proteins (NAPs). These small, basic, highly abundant proteins bind and bend DNA, altering its topology and folding, thereby affecting all known essential DNA metabolism related processes. Both chromosomally- (endogenous) and MGE- (foreign) encoded NAPs have been shown to exist in bacteria. While the role of host-encoded NAPs in xenogeneic silencing of both episomal (plasmids) and integrative MGEs (pathogenicity islands and prophages) is well acknowledged, less is known about the role of MGE-encoded NAPs in the foreign elements biology or their influence on the host's chromosome expression dynamics. Here we review existing literature on the topic, present examples on the positive and negative effects that endogenous and foreign NAPs exert on global transcriptional gene expression, MGE integrative and excisive recombination dynamics, persistence and transfer to suitable hosts and discuss the nature and relevance of synergistic and antagonizing higher order interactions between diverse types of NAPs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Raquel Quatrini
- Fundación Ciencia y Vida, Avenida Zañartu 1482, Ñuñoa, Santiago, Chile.,Millennium Nucleus in the Biology of Intestinal Microbiota, Santiago, Chile
| | - Alejandra Loyola
- Fundación Ciencia y Vida, Avenida Zañartu 1482, Ñuñoa, Santiago, Chile
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25
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Stojkova P, Spidlova P, Stulik J. Nucleoid-Associated Protein HU: A Lilliputian in Gene Regulation of Bacterial Virulence. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2019; 9:159. [PMID: 31134164 PMCID: PMC6523023 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2019] [Accepted: 04/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Nucleoid-associated proteins belong to a group of small but abundant proteins in bacterial cells. These transcription regulators are responsible for many important cellular processes and also are involved in pathogenesis of bacteria. The best-known nucleoid-associated proteins, such as HU, FIS, H-NS, and IHF, are often discussed. The most important findings in research concerning HU protein are described in this mini review. Its roles in DNA compaction, shape modulation, and negative supercoiling induction have been studied intensively. HU protein regulates bacteria survival, growth, SOS response, virulence genes expression, cell division, and many other cell processes. Elucidating the mechanism of HU protein action has been the subject of many research projects. This mini review provides a comprehensive overview of the HU protein.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Petra Spidlova
- Department of Molecular Pathology and Biology, Faculty of Military Health Sciences, University of Defence, Hradec Kralove, Czechia
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26
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Ogura M, Sato T, Abe K. Bacillus subtilis YlxR, Which Is Involved in Glucose-Responsive Metabolic Changes, Regulates Expression of tsaD for Protein Quality Control of Pyruvate Dehydrogenase. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:923. [PMID: 31118925 PMCID: PMC6504816 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Accepted: 04/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Glucose is the most favorable carbon source for many bacteria, which have several glucose-responsive gene networks. Recently, we found that in Bacillus subtilis glucose induces the expression of the extracellular sigma factor genes sigX and sigM through the acetylation of CshA (RNA helicase), which associates with RNA polymerase (RNAP). We performed a transposon mutagenesis screen for mutants with no glucose induction (GI) of sigX-lacZ. While screening for such mutants, we recently found that the GI of sigX/M involves YlxR, a nucleoid-associated protein (NAP) that regulates nearly 400 genes, including metabolic genes. It has been shown that acetylated CshA positively regulates expression of ylxR-containing operon. Here, we report additional mutations in yqfO or tsaD required for the GI of sigX. YqfO contains a universally conserved domain with unknown function. YqfO and YlxR were found to regulate expression of the tsaEBD-containing operon. Mutational analysis using lacZ fusions revealed the adenine-rich cis-element for YlxR. TsaD is a component of the TsaEBD enzyme required for the synthesis of threonylcarbamoyl adenosine (t6A). The t6A modification of tRNA is universal across the three domains of life. Western blot analysis showed that the tsaD mutation in the presence of glucose reduced levels of soluble PdhA, PdhB, and PdhD, which are subunits of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDHc). This resulted in severely defective PDHc function and thus reduced concentrations of cellular acetyl-CoA, a reaction product of PDHc and plausible source for CshA acetylation. Thus, we discuss a suggested glucose-responsive system (GRS) involving self-reinforcing CshA acetylation. This self-reinforcing pathway may contribute to the maintenance of the acetyl-CoA pool for protein acetylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitsuo Ogura
- Institute of Oceanic Research and Development, Tokai University, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Tsutomu Sato
- Department of Frontier Bioscience, Hosei University, Koganei, Japan
| | - Kimihiro Abe
- Research Center for Micro-Nano Technology, Hosei University, Koganei, Japan
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27
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Newly Identified Nucleoid-Associated-Like Protein YlxR Regulates Metabolic Gene Expression in Bacillus subtilis. mSphere 2018; 3:3/5/e00501-18. [PMID: 30355672 PMCID: PMC6200986 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00501-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Expression of genes encoding NAPs is often temporally regulated. According to results from single-cell analysis, the ylxR gene is induced by glucose and expressed in a bistable mode. These characteristics have not previously been reported for NAP gene expression. Transcriptional profiling of the ylxR disruptant revealed a change in the expression levels of approximately 400 genes, including genes for synthesis of 12 amino acids and 4 nucleotides, in addition to the SigX/M regulons. Thus, YlxR is a critical regulator of glucose response in B. subtilis. Glucose is the most favorable carbon source for the majority of bacteria, which have several glucose-responsive gene networks. Recently, we found that in Bacillus subtilis, glucose induces expression of the extracellular sigma factor genes sigX/M. To explore the factors affecting this phenomenon, we performed a transposon mutagenesis screen for mutants with no glucose induction (GI) of sigX-lacZ and identified ylxR. YlxR is widely conserved in eubacteria. Further analysis revealed that ylxR is induced by glucose addition. In vitro DNA-binding and cytological studies suggested that YlxR is a nucleoid-associated protein (NAP) in B. subtilis. In many cases, NAPs influence transcription, recombination, and genome stability. Thus, we performed transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis to evaluate the impact of ylxR disruption on the transcriptome in the presence of glucose and observed that YlxR has a profound impact on metabolic gene expression in addition to that of four sigma factor genes. The wide fluctuations of gene expression may result in abolition of GI of sigX/M in the ylxR disruptant. IMPORTANCE Expression of genes encoding NAPs is often temporally regulated. According to results from single-cell analysis, the ylxR gene is induced by glucose and expressed in a bistable mode. These characteristics have not previously been reported for NAP gene expression. Transcriptional profiling of the ylxR disruptant revealed a change in the expression levels of approximately 400 genes, including genes for synthesis of 12 amino acids and 4 nucleotides, in addition to the SigX/M regulons. Thus, YlxR is a critical regulator of glucose response in B. subtilis.
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Meenakshi S, Karthik M, Munavar MH. A putative curved DNA region upstream of rcsA in Escherichia coli plays a key role in transcriptional regulation by H-NS. FEBS Open Bio 2018; 8:1209-1218. [PMID: 30087827 PMCID: PMC6070653 DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.12348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2017] [Revised: 10/31/2017] [Accepted: 11/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well established that in Escherichia coli, the histone‐like nucleoid structuring (H‐NS) protein also functions as negative regulator of rcsA transcription. However, the exact mode of regulation of rcsA transcription by H‐NS has not been studied extensively. Here, we report the multicopy effect of dominant‐negative hns alleles on the transcription of rcsA based on expression of cps‐lac transcriptional fusion in ∆lon, ∆lon rpoB12, ∆lon rpoB77 and lon+ strains. Our results indicate that H‐NS defective in recognizing curved DNA fails to repress rcsA transcription significantly, while nonoligomeric H‐NS molecules still retain the repressor activity to an appreciable extent. Together with bioinformatics analysis, our study envisages a critical role for the putative curved DNA region present upstream of rcsA promoter in the transcriptional regulation of rcsA by H‐NS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanmugaraja Meenakshi
- Department of Molecular Biology School of Biological Sciences Centre for Advanced Studies in Functional and Organismal Genomics Madurai Kamaraj University [University with Potential for Excellence] Madurai India
| | - Maruthan Karthik
- Department of Molecular Biology School of Biological Sciences Centre for Advanced Studies in Functional and Organismal Genomics Madurai Kamaraj University [University with Potential for Excellence] Madurai India
| | - M Hussain Munavar
- Department of Molecular Biology School of Biological Sciences Centre for Advanced Studies in Functional and Organismal Genomics Madurai Kamaraj University [University with Potential for Excellence] Madurai India
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Dahlke K, Sing CE. Force-extension behavior of DNA in the presence of DNA-bending nucleoid associated proteins. J Chem Phys 2018; 148:084902. [PMID: 29495783 DOI: 10.1063/1.5016177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Interactions between nucleoid associated proteins (NAPs) and DNA affect DNA polymer conformation, leading to phenomena such as concentration dependent force-extension behavior. These effects, in turn, also impact the local binding behavior of the protein, such as high forces causing proteins to unbind, or proteins binding favorably to locally bent DNA. We develop a coarse-grained NAP-DNA simulation model that incorporates both force- and concentration-dependent behaviors, in order to study the interplay between NAP binding and DNA conformation. This model system includes multi-state protein binding and unbinding, motivated by prior work, but is now dependent on the local structure of the DNA, which is related to external forces acting on the DNA strand. We observe the expected qualitative binding behavior, where more proteins are bound at lower forces than at higher forces. Our model also includes NAP-induced DNA bending, which affects DNA elasticity. We see semi-quantitative matching of our simulated force-extension behavior to the reported experimental data. By using a coarse-grained simulation, we are also able to look at non-equilibrium behaviors, such as dynamic extension of a DNA strand. We stretch a DNA strand at different rates and at different NAP concentrations to observe how the time scales of the system (such as pulling time and unbinding time) work in concert. When these time scales are similar, we observe measurable rate-dependent changes in the system, which include the number of proteins bound and the force required to extend the DNA molecule. This suggests that the relative time scales of different dynamic processes play an important role in the behavior of NAP-DNA systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Dahlke
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - C E Sing
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
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Ferrándiz MJ, Carreño D, Ayora S, de la Campa AG. HU of Streptococcus pneumoniae Is Essential for the Preservation of DNA Supercoiling. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:493. [PMID: 29662473 PMCID: PMC5890176 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2017] [Accepted: 03/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The histone-like protein HU is a conserved nucleoid-associated protein that is involved in the maintenance of the bacterial chromosome architecture. It is the only known nucleoid-associated protein in Streptococcus pneumoniae, but it has not been studied. The pneumococcal gene encoding this protein, hlp, is shown herein to be essential for cell viability. Its disruption was only possible either when it was duplicated in the chromosome and its expression induced from the P Zn promoter, or when hlp was cloned into a plasmid under the control of the inducible P mal promoter. In vitro assays indicated that pneumococcal HU shows a preference for binding to supercoiled DNA rather than to linear or nicked DNA. In vivo experiments in which the amount of HU was manipulated showed a relationship between the amount of HU and the level of DNA supercoiling. A twofold reduction in the amount of HU triggered a 21% increase in DNA relaxation in untreated cells. However, in cells treated with novobiocin, a drug that relaxes DNA by inhibiting DNA gyrase, a 35% increase in DNA relaxation was observed, instead of the expected 20% in cells with a constitutive HU amount. Conversely, a fourfold HU increase caused only 14% of DNA relaxation in the presence of novobiocin. Taken together, these results support an essential role for HU in the maintenance of DNA supercoiling in S. pneumoniae.
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Affiliation(s)
- María-José Ferrándiz
- Unidad de Genética Bacteriana, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - David Carreño
- Unidad de Genética Bacteriana, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Silvia Ayora
- Departamento de Biotecnología Microbiana, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain
| | - Adela G de la Campa
- Unidad de Genética Bacteriana, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Presidencia, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain
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Kaguni JM. The Macromolecular Machines that Duplicate the Escherichia coli Chromosome as Targets for Drug Discovery. Antibiotics (Basel) 2018. [PMID: 29538288 PMCID: PMC5872134 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics7010023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA replication is an essential process. Although the fundamental strategies to duplicate chromosomes are similar in all free-living organisms, the enzymes of the three domains of life that perform similar functions in DNA replication differ in amino acid sequence and their three-dimensional structures. Moreover, the respective proteins generally utilize different enzymatic mechanisms. Hence, the replication proteins that are highly conserved among bacterial species are attractive targets to develop novel antibiotics as the compounds are unlikely to demonstrate off-target effects. For those proteins that differ among bacteria, compounds that are species-specific may be found. Escherichia coli has been developed as a model system to study DNA replication, serving as a benchmark for comparison. This review summarizes the functions of individual E. coli proteins, and the compounds that inhibit them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon M Kaguni
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1319, USA.
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Kamashev D, Agapova Y, Rastorguev S, Talyzina AA, Boyko KM, Korzhenevskiy DA, Vlaskina A, Vasilov R, Timofeev VI, Rakitina TV. Comparison of histone-like HU protein DNA-binding properties and HU/IHF protein sequence alignment. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0188037. [PMID: 29131864 PMCID: PMC5683647 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0188037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2017] [Accepted: 10/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The structure and function of bacterial nucleoid are controlled by histone-like proteins of HU/IHF family, omnipresent in bacteria and also founding archaea and some eukaryotes.HU protein binds dsDNA without sequence specificity and avidly binds DNA structures with propensity to be inclined such as forks, three/four-way junctions, nicks, overhangs and DNA bulges. Sequence comparison of thousands of known histone-like proteins from diverse bacteria phyla reveals relation between HU/IHF sequence, DNA–binding properties and other protein features. Methodology and principal findings Performed alignment and clusterization of the protein sequences show that HU/IHF family proteins can be unambiguously divided into three groups, HU proteins, IHF_A and IHF_B proteins. HU proteins, IHF_A and IHF_B proteins are further partitioned into several clades for IHF and HU; such a subdivision is in good agreement with bacterial taxonomy. We also analyzed a hundred of 3D fold comparative models built for HU sequences from all revealed HU clades. It appears that HU fold remains similar in spite of the HU sequence variations. We studied DNA–binding properties of HU from N. gonorrhoeae, which sequence is similar to one of E.coli HU, and HU from M. gallisepticum and S. melliferum which sequences are distant from E.coli protein. We found that in respect to dsDNA binding, only S. melliferum HU essentially differs from E.coli HU. In respect to binding of distorted DNA structures, S. melliferum HU and E.coli HU have similar properties but essentially different from M. gallisepticum HU and N. gonorrhea HU. We found that in respect to dsDNA binding, only S. melliferum HU binds DNA in non-cooperative manner and both mycoplasma HU bend dsDNA stronger than E.coli and N. gonorrhoeae. In respect to binding to distorted DNA structures, each HU protein has its individual profile of affinities to various DNA-structures with the increased specificity to DNA junction. Conclusions and significance HU/IHF family proteins sequence alignment and classification are updated. Comparative modeling demonstrates that HU protein 3D folding’s even more conservative than HU sequence. For the first time, DNA binding characteristics of HU from N. gonorrhoeae, M. gallisepticum and S. melliferum are studied. Here we provide detailed analysis of the similarity and variability of DNA-recognizing and bending of four HU proteins from closely and distantly related HU clades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitri Kamashev
- Kurchatov Complex of NBICS-Technologies, National Research Center «Kurchatov Institute», Moscow, Russian Federation
- * E-mail:
| | - Yulia Agapova
- Kurchatov Complex of NBICS-Technologies, National Research Center «Kurchatov Institute», Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Sergey Rastorguev
- Kurchatov Complex of NBICS-Technologies, National Research Center «Kurchatov Institute», Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Anna A. Talyzina
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, Russian Federation
| | - Konstantin M. Boyko
- Kurchatov Complex of NBICS-Technologies, National Research Center «Kurchatov Institute», Moscow, Russian Federation
- Bach Institute of Biochemistry, Research Center of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Dmitry A. Korzhenevskiy
- Kurchatov Complex of NBICS-Technologies, National Research Center «Kurchatov Institute», Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Anna Vlaskina
- Kurchatov Complex of NBICS-Technologies, National Research Center «Kurchatov Institute», Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Raif Vasilov
- Kurchatov Complex of NBICS-Technologies, National Research Center «Kurchatov Institute», Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Vladimir I. Timofeev
- Kurchatov Complex of NBICS-Technologies, National Research Center «Kurchatov Institute», Moscow, Russian Federation
- Federal Scientific Research Center “Crystallography and Photonics”, RAS, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Tatiana V. Rakitina
- Kurchatov Complex of NBICS-Technologies, National Research Center «Kurchatov Institute», Moscow, Russian Federation
- Shemyakin&Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, RAS, Moscow, Russian Federation
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A specific single-stranded DNA induces a distinct conformational change in the nucleoid-associated protein HU. Biochem Biophys Rep 2017; 8:318-324. [PMID: 28955971 PMCID: PMC5613972 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrep.2016.09.014] [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] [Received: 04/06/2016] [Revised: 08/23/2016] [Accepted: 09/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
In prokaryotic cells, genomic DNA forms an aggregated structure with various nucleoid-associated proteins (NAPs). The functions of genomic DNA are cooperatively modulated by NAPs, of which HU is considered to be one of the most important. HU binds double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) and serves as a structural modulator in the genome architecture. It plays important roles in diverse DNA functions, including replication, segregation, transcription and repair. Interestingly, it has been reported that HU also binds single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) regardless of sequence. However, structural analysis of HU with ssDNA has been lacking, and the functional relevance of this binding remains elusive. In this study, we found that ssDNA induced a significant change in the secondary structure of Thermus thermophilus HU (TtHU), as observed by analysis of circular dichroism spectra. Notably, this change in secondary structure was sequence specific, because the complementary ssDNA or dsDNA did not induce the change. Structural analysis using nuclear magnetic resonance confirmed that TtHU and this ssDNA formed a unique structure, which was different from the previously reported structure of HU in complex with dsDNA. Our data suggest that TtHU undergoes a distinct structural change when it associates with ssDNA of a specific sequence and subsequently exerts a yet-to-be-defined function. We observed the CD spectra and NMR spectra of TtHU bound to various DNA. The specific ssDNA affected the secondary structure of TtHU. The structure of TtHU bound to ssDNA was distinct from the structure bound to dsDNA.
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Yang TC, Ortiz D, Yang Q, De Angelis RW, Sanyal SJ, Catalano CE. Physical and Functional Characterization of a Viral Genome Maturation Complex. Biophys J 2017; 112:1551-1560. [PMID: 28445747 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2017.02.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2016] [Revised: 01/27/2017] [Accepted: 02/21/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Genome packaging is strongly conserved in the complex double-stranded DNA viruses, including the herpesviruses and many bacteriophages. In these cases, viral DNA is packaged into a procapsid shell by a terminase enzyme. The packaging substrate is typically a concatemer composed of multiple genomes linked in a head-to-tail fashion, and terminase enzymes perform two essential functions: 1) excision of a unit length genome from the concatemer (genome maturation) and 2) translocation of the duplex into a procapsid (genome packaging). While the packaging motors have been described in some detail, the maturation complexes remain ill characterized. Here we describe the assembly, physical characteristics, and catalytic activity of the λ-genome maturation complex. The λ-terminase protomer is composed of one large catalytic subunit tightly associated with two DNA recognition subunits. The isolated protomer binds DNA weakly and does not discriminate between nonspecific DNA and duplexes that contain the packaging initiation sequence, cos. The Escherichia coli integration host factor protein (IHF) is required for efficient λ-development in vivo and a specific IHF recognition sequence is found within cos. We show that IHF and the terminase protomer cooperatively assemble at the cos site and that the small terminase subunit plays the dominant role in complex assembly. Analytical ultracentrifugation analysis reveals that the maturation complex is composed of four protomers and one IHF heterodimer bound at the cos site. Tetramer assembly activates the cos-cleavage nuclease activity of the enzyme, which matures the genome end in preparation for packaging. The stoichiometry and catalytic activity of the complex is reminiscent of the type IIE and IIF restriction endonucleases and the two systems may share mechanistic features. This study, to our knowledge, provides our first detailed glimpse into the structural and functional features of a viral genome maturation complex, an essential intermediate in the development of complex dsDNA viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teng-Chieh Yang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - David Ortiz
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Qin Yang
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Rolando W De Angelis
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Saurarshi J Sanyal
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Carlos E Catalano
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado.
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Comparison of gene expression among normally divided cells, elongated cells, spheroplasts at the beginning of growth, and enlarged spheroplasts at 43 h of growth in Lelliottia amnigena. GENE REPORTS 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.genrep.2017.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Various mutations compensate for a deleterious lacZα insert in the replication enhancer of M13 bacteriophage. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0176421. [PMID: 28445507 PMCID: PMC5405960 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0176421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2017] [Accepted: 04/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
M13 and other members of the Ff class of filamentous bacteriophages have been extensively employed in myriad applications. The Ph.D. series of phage-displayed peptide libraries were constructed from the M13-based vector M13KE. As a direct descendent of M13mp19, M13KE contains the lacZα insert in the intergenic region between genes IV and II, where it interrupts the replication enhancer of the (+) strand origin. Phage carrying this 816-nucleotide insert are viable, but propagate in E. coli at a reduced rate compared to wild-type M13 phage, presumably due to a replication defect caused by the insert. We have previously reported thirteen compensatory mutations in the 5'-untranslated region of gene II, which encodes the replication initiator protein gIIp. Here we report several additional mutations in M13KE that restore a wild-type propagation rate. Several clones from constrained-loop variable peptide libraries were found to have ejected the majority of lacZα gene in order to reconstruct the replication enhancer, albeit with a small scar. In addition, new point mutations in the gene II 5'-untranslated region or the gene IV coding sequence have been spontaneously observed or synthetically engineered. Through phage propagation assays, we demonstrate that all these genetic modifications compensate for the replication defect in M13KE and restore the wild-type propagation rate. We discuss the mechanisms by which the insertion and ejection of the lacZα gene, as well as the mutations in the regulatory region of gene II, influence the efficiency of replication initiation at the (+) strand origin. We also examine the presence and relevance of fast-propagating mutants in phage-displayed peptide libraries.
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Burroughs AM, Kaur G, Zhang D, Aravind L. Novel clades of the HU/IHF superfamily point to unexpected roles in the eukaryotic centrosome, chromosome partitioning, and biologic conflicts. Cell Cycle 2017; 16:1093-1103. [PMID: 28441108 PMCID: PMC5499826 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2017.1315494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The HU superfamily of proteins, with a unique DNA-binding mode, has been extensively studied as the primary chromosome-packaging protein of the bacterial superkingdom. Representatives also play a role in DNA-structuring during recombination events and in eukaryotic organellar genome maintenance. However, beyond these well-studied roles, little is understood of the functional diversification of this large superfamily. Using sensitive sequence and structure analysis methods we identify multiple novel clades of the HU superfamily. We present evidence that a novel eukaryotic clade prototyped by the human CCDC81 protein acquired roles beyond DNA-binding, likely in protein-protein interaction in centrosome organization and as a potential cargo-binding protein in conjunction with Dynein-VII. We also show that these eukaryotic versions were acquired via an early lateral transfer from bacteroidetes, where we predict a role in chromosome partition. This likely happened before the last eukaryotic common ancestor, pointing to potential endosymbiont contributions beyond that of the mitochondrial progenitor. Further, we show that the dramatic lineage-specific expansion of this domain in the bacteroidetes lineage primarily is linked to a functional shift related to potential recognition and preemption of genome invasive entities such as mobile elements. Remarkably, the CCDC81 clade has undergone a similar massive lineage-specific expansion within the archosaurian lineage in birds, suggesting a possible use of the HU superfamily in a similar capacity in recognition of non-self molecules even in this case.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Maxwell Burroughs
- a National Center for Biotechnology Information , National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda , MD , USA
| | - Gurmeet Kaur
- a National Center for Biotechnology Information , National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda , MD , USA
| | - Dapeng Zhang
- a National Center for Biotechnology Information , National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda , MD , USA
| | - L Aravind
- a National Center for Biotechnology Information , National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda , MD , USA
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Functional analyses of putative PalS (Palindromic Self-recognition) motifs in bacterial Hfq. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2017; 486:1048-1054. [PMID: 28366634 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2017.03.160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2017] [Accepted: 03/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The bacterial protein Hfq has been linked to nucleic acid metabolism and signaling, however its explicit role has been elusive. Recently it was proposed that the C-termini of Hfq subunits in Hfq6 complexes could be involved in functional interactions with other Hfq hexamers and/or nucleic acids. To test the proposed model of the native Hfq complex experimentally, we genetically engineered chimeric Hfq6 complexes, in which C-termini of bacterial Hfq subunits were substituted with a sequence derived from human histone H2B (hH2B) that includes multiple functionally significant amino acids whose modifications have been linked to carcinogenesis. We demonstrate that this substitution results in an enhanced formation of dodecameric assemblies by the Hfq-hH2B hybrid - a result pointing to the possibility of a (functional) homology between these motifs in proteins from distant kingdoms. We hypothesize that these putative Palindromic Self-recognition (PalS) motifs could act as proteins' 'cohesive ends' that could allow the protein complexes carrying such motifs to interact dynamically and dissociate-reassociate in response to stress and/or growth phase-specific changes. We provide experimental support to the latter hypothesis and demonstrate that in E. coli the dodecameric Hfq assemblies are formed in a growth stage-specific manner. We describe a refined system - consisting solely of purified Hfq, polynucleotide phosporylase (PNP) and ADP - that allows reconstitution in vitro of characteristic 'SDS-insensitive' Hfq6-Hfq6 assemblies observed in experiments with whole-cell extracts obtained from exponentially-growing cells. We also optimized conditions for the extraction of intact native dodecameric Hfq complexes.
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Facilitated Dissociation Kinetics of Dimeric Nucleoid-Associated Proteins Follow a Universal Curve. Biophys J 2016; 112:543-551. [PMID: 28012548 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2016.11.3198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2016] [Revised: 11/17/2016] [Accepted: 11/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent experimental work has demonstrated facilitated dissociation of certain nucleoid-associated proteins that exhibit an unbinding rate that depends on the concentration of freely diffusing proteins or DNA in solution. This concentration dependence arises due to binding competition with these other proteins or DNA. The identity of the binding competitor leads to different qualitative trends, motivating an investigation to understand observed differences in facilitated dissociation. We use a coarse-grained simulation that takes into account the dimeric nature of many nucleoid-associated proteins by allowing an intermediate binding state. The addition of this partially bound state allows the protein to be unbound, partially bound, or fully bound to a DNA strand, leaving opportunities for other molecules in solution to participate in the unbinding mechanism. Previous models postulated symmetric binding energies for each state of the coarse-grained protein corresponding to the symmetry of the dimeric protein; this model relaxes this assumption by assigning different energies for the different steps in the unbinding process. Allowing different unbinding energies not only has equilibrium effects on the system, but kinetic effects as well. We were able to reproduce the unbinding trends seen experimentally for both DNA and protein competitors. All trends collapse to a universal curve regardless of the unbinding energies used or the identity of the dissociation facilitator, suggesting that facilitated dissociation can be described with a single set of scaling parameters that are related to the energy landscape and geometric nature of the competitors.
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Krämer A, Wagner T, Yildiz Ö, Meyer-Almes FJ. Crystal Structure of a Histone Deacetylase Homologue from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Biochemistry 2016; 55:6858-6868. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.6b00613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Krämer
- University of Applied Sciences, Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, 64295 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Thomas Wagner
- University of Applied Sciences, Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, 64295 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Özkan Yildiz
- Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, Department
of Structural Biology, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Franz-Josef Meyer-Almes
- University of Applied Sciences, Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, 64295 Darmstadt, Germany
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Structural basis of the high thermal stability of the histone-like HU protein from the mollicute Spiroplasma melliferum KC3. Sci Rep 2016; 6:36366. [PMID: 27808161 PMCID: PMC5093408 DOI: 10.1038/srep36366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2016] [Accepted: 10/13/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The three-dimensional structure of the histone-like HU protein from the mycoplasma Spiroplasma melliferum KC3 (HUSpm) was determined at 1.4 Å resolution, and the thermal stability of the protein was evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry. A detailed analysis revealed that the three-dimensional structure of the HUSpm dimer is similar to that of its bacterial homologues but is characterized by stronger hydrophobic interactions at the dimer interface. This HUSpm dimer interface lacks salt bridges but is stabilized by a larger number of hydrogen bonds. According to the DSC data, HUSpm has a high denaturation temperature, comparable to that of HU proteins from thermophilic bacteria. To elucidate the structural basis of HUSpm thermal stability, we identified amino acid residues potentially responsible for this property and modified them by site-directed mutagenesis. A comparative analysis of the melting curves of mutant and wild-type HUSpm revealed the motifs that play a key role in protein thermal stability: non-conserved phenylalanine residues in the hydrophobic core, an additional hydrophobic loop at the N-terminal region of the protein, the absence of the internal cavity present at the dimer interface of some HU proteins, and the presence of additional hydrogen bonds between the monomers that are missing in homologous proteins.
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Jha JK, Ramachandran R, Chattoraj DK. Opening the Strands of Replication Origins-Still an Open Question. Front Mol Biosci 2016; 3:62. [PMID: 27747216 PMCID: PMC5043065 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2016.00062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2016] [Accepted: 09/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The local separation of duplex DNA strands (strand opening) is necessary for initiating basic transactions on DNA such as transcription, replication, and homologous recombination. Strand opening is commonly a stage at which these processes are regulated. Many different mechanisms are used to open the DNA duplex, the details of which are of great current interest. In this review, we focus on a few well-studied cases of DNA replication origin opening in bacteria. In particular, we discuss the opening of origins that support the theta (θ) mode of replication, which is used by all chromosomal origins and many extra-chromosomal elements such as plasmids and phages. Although the details of opening can vary among different origins, a common theme is binding of the initiator to multiple sites at the origin, causing stress that opens an adjacent and intrinsically unstable A+T rich region. The initiator stabilizes the opening by capturing one of the open strands. How the initiator binding energy is harnessed for strand opening remains to be understood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jyoti K Jha
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Revathy Ramachandran
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Dhruba K Chattoraj
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health Bethesda, MD, USA
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Genes on a Wire: The Nucleoid-Associated Protein HU Insulates Transcription Units in Escherichia coli. Sci Rep 2016; 6:31512. [PMID: 27545593 PMCID: PMC4992867 DOI: 10.1038/srep31512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2016] [Accepted: 07/21/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The extent to which chromosomal gene position in prokaryotes affects local gene expression remains an open question. Several studies have shown that chromosomal re-positioning of bacterial transcription units does not alter their expression pattern, except for a general decrease in gene expression levels from chromosomal origin to terminus proximal positions, which is believed to result from gene dosage effects. Surprisingly, the question as to whether this chromosomal context independence is a cis encoded property of a bacterial transcription unit, or if position independence is a property conferred by factors acting in trans, has not been addressed so far. For this purpose, we established a genetic test system assessing the chromosomal positioning effects by means of identical promoter-fluorescent reporter gene fusions inserted equidistantly from OriC into both chromosomal replichores of Escherichia coli K-12. Our investigations of the reporter activities in mutant cells lacking the conserved nucleoid associated protein HU uncovered various drastic chromosomal positional effects on gene transcription. In addition we present evidence that these positional effects are caused by transcriptional activity nearby the insertion site of our reporter modules. We therefore suggest that the nucleoid-associated protein HU is functionally insulating transcription units, most likely by constraining transcription induced DNA supercoiling.
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Abstract
The initiation of chromosomal DNA replication starts at a replication origin, which in bacteria is a discrete locus that contains DNA sequence motifs recognized by an initiator protein whose role is to assemble the replication fork machinery at this site. In bacteria with a single chromosome, DnaA is the initiator and is highly conserved in all bacteria. As an adenine nucleotide binding protein, DnaA bound to ATP is active in the assembly of a DnaA oligomer onto these sites. Other proteins modulate DnaA oligomerization via their interaction with the N-terminal region of DnaA. Following the DnaA-dependent unwinding of an AT-rich region within the replication origin, DnaA then mediates the binding of DnaB, the replicative DNA helicase, in a complex with DnaC to form an intermediate named the prepriming complex. In the formation of this intermediate, the helicase is loaded onto the unwound region within the replication origin. As DnaC bound to DnaB inhibits its activity as a DNA helicase, DnaC must dissociate to activate DnaB. Apparently, the interaction of DnaB with primase (DnaG) and primer formation leads to the release of DnaC from DnaB, which is coordinated with or followed by translocation of DnaB to the junction of the replication fork. There, DnaB is able to coordinate its activity as a DNA helicase with the cellular replicase, DNA polymerase III holoenzyme, which uses the primers made by primase for leading strand DNA synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Chodavarapu
- Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - J M Kaguni
- Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States.
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O’Neil P, Lovell S, Mehzabeen N, Battaile K, Biswas I. Crystal structure of histone-like protein from Streptococcus mutans refined to 1.9 Å resolution. Acta Crystallogr F Struct Biol Commun 2016; 72:257-62. [PMID: 27050257 PMCID: PMC4822980 DOI: 10.1107/s2053230x1600217x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2015] [Accepted: 02/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Nucleoid-associated proteins (NAPs) in prokaryotes play an important architectural role in DNA bending, supercoiling and DNA compaction. In addition to architectural roles, some NAPs also play regulatory roles in DNA replication and repair, and act as global transcriptional regulators in many bacteria. Bacteria encode multiple NAPs and some of them are even essential for survival. Streptococcus mutans, a dental pathogen, encodes one such essential NAP called histone-like protein (HLP). Here, the three-dimensional structure of S. mutans HLP has been determined to 1.9 Å resolution. The HLP structure is a dimer and shares a high degree of similarity with other bacterial NAPs, including HU. Since HLPs are essential for the survival of pathogenic streptococci, this structure determination is potentially beneficial for future drug development against these pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierce O’Neil
- Department of Microbiology, Molecular Genetics and Immunology, University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Boulevard, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - Scott Lovell
- Protein Structure Laboratory, Del Shankel Structural Biology Center, University of Kansas, Kansas City, KS 66047, USA
| | - Nurjahan Mehzabeen
- Protein Structure Laboratory, Del Shankel Structural Biology Center, University of Kansas, Kansas City, KS 66047, USA
| | - Kevin Battaile
- IMCA-CAT, Hauptman–Woodward Medical Research Institute, APS, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439, USA
| | - Indranil Biswas
- Department of Microbiology, Molecular Genetics and Immunology, University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Boulevard, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
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Molecular Mechanisms of Transcription Initiation at gal Promoters and their Multi-Level Regulation by GalR, CRP and DNA Loop. Biomolecules 2015; 5:2782-807. [PMID: 26501343 PMCID: PMC4693257 DOI: 10.3390/biom5042782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2015] [Accepted: 09/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Studying the regulation of transcription of the gal operon that encodes the amphibolic pathway of d-galactose metabolism in Escherichia coli discerned a plethora of principles that operate in prokaryotic gene regulatory processes. In this chapter, we have reviewed some of the more recent findings in gal that continues to reveal unexpected but important mechanistic details. Since the operon is transcribed from two overlapping promoters, P1 and P2, regulated by common regulatory factors, each genetic or biochemical experiment allowed simultaneous discernment of two promoters. Recent studies range from genetic, biochemical through biophysical experiments providing explanations at physiological, mechanistic and single molecule levels. The salient observations highlighted here are: the axiom of determining transcription start points, discovery of a new promoter element different from the known ones that influences promoter strength, occurrence of an intrinsic DNA sequence element that overrides the transcription elongation pause created by a DNA-bound protein roadblock, first observation of a DNA loop and determination its trajectory, and piggybacking proteins and delivering to their DNA target.
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Sensitizing Pseudomonas aeruginosa to antibiotics by electrochemical disruption of membrane functions. Biomaterials 2015; 74:267-79. [PMID: 26461119 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2015.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2015] [Revised: 09/29/2015] [Accepted: 10/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Recently, we reported synergistic effects between 70 μA/cm(2) direct current and tobramycin in killing Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 persister cells, a phenomenon we named electrochemical control of persister cells (ECCP; Niepa et al. Biomaterials 33: 7356-7365, 2012). To understand the mechanism of ECCP, the effects of electrochemical treatments mediated via stainless steel 304 and carbon electrodes on P. aeruginosa PAO1 were systematically compared using complementary approaches in this study. Electron microscopic analysis revealed that μA/cm(2) level direct current (DC) caused substantial changes in the structure and membrane integrity of P. aeruginosa PAO1 cells. DC treatments using SS304 electrodes induced cell lysis, while the same level of DC generated using carbon electrodes led to aggregation of intracellular proteins and increased permeabilization of P. aeruginosa PAO1 cells to antibiotics. The profound effects of DC on the physiology of persister cells were corroborated with DNA microarray analysis, which revealed the induction of genes associated with pyocin production and SOS response in DC-treated persister cells. Interestingly, sequential treatment using DC mediated with carbon electrodes followed by tobramycin was found more effective than concurrent treatment; and total eradication of persister cells was achieved.
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Abstract
In recent years it has become clear that complex regulatory circuits control the initiation step of DNA replication by directing the assembly of a multicomponent molecular machine (the orisome) that separates DNA strands and loads replicative helicase at oriC, the unique chromosomal origin of replication. This chapter discusses recent efforts to understand the regulated protein-DNA interactions that are responsible for properly timed initiation of chromosome replication. It reviews information about newly identified nucleotide sequence features within Escherichia coli oriC and the new structural and biochemical attributes of the bacterial initiator protein DnaA. It also discusses the coordinated mechanisms that prevent improperly timed DNA replication. Identification of the genes that encoded the initiators came from studies on temperature-sensitive, conditional-lethal mutants of E. coli, in which two DNA replication-defective phenotypes, "immediate stop" mutants and "delayed stop" mutants, were identified. The kinetics of the delayed stop mutants suggested that the defective gene products were required specifically for the initiation step of DNA synthesis, and subsequently, two genes, dnaA and dnaC, were identified. The DnaA protein is the bacterial initiator, and in E. coli, the DnaC protein is required to load replicative helicase. Regulation of DnaA accessibility to oriC, the ordered assembly and disassembly of a multi-DnaA complex at oriC, and the means by which DnaA unwinds oriC remain important questions to be answered and the chapter discusses the current state of knowledge on these topics.
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Abstract
This review provides a brief review of the current understanding of the structure-function relationship of the Escherichia coli nucleoid developed after the overview by Pettijohn focusing on the physical properties of nucleoids. Isolation of nucleoids requires suppression of DNA expansion by various procedures. The ability to control the expansion of nucleoids in vitro has led to purification of nucleoids for chemical and physical analyses and for high-resolution imaging. Isolated E. coli genomes display a number of individually intertwined supercoiled loops emanating from a central core. Metabolic processes of the DNA double helix lead to three types of topological constraints that all cells must resolve to survive: linking number, catenates, and knots. The major species of nucleoid core protein share functional properties with eukaryotic histones forming chromatin; even the structures are different from histones. Eukaryotic histones play dynamic roles in the remodeling of eukaryotic chromatin, thereby controlling the access of RNA polymerase and transcription factors to promoters. The E. coli genome is tightly packed into the nucleoid, but, at each cell division, the genome must be faithfully replicated, divided, and segregated. Nucleoid activities such as transcription, replication, recombination, and repair are all affected by the structural properties and the special conformations of nucleoid. While it is apparent that much has been learned about the nucleoid, it is also evident that the fundamental interactions organizing the structure of DNA in the nucleoid still need to be clearly defined.
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Mechanisms of Evolutionary Innovation Point to Genetic Control Logic as the Key Difference Between Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes. J Mol Evol 2015. [PMID: 26208881 DOI: 10.1007/s00239-015-9688-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The evolution of life from the simplest, original form to complex, intelligent animal life occurred through a number of key innovations. Here we present a new tool to analyze these key innovations by proposing that the process of evolutionary innovation may follow one of three underlying processes, namely a Random Walk, a Critical Path, or a Many Paths process, and in some instances may also constitute a "Pull-up the Ladder" event. Our analysis is based on the occurrence of function in modern biology, rather than specific structure or mechanism. A function in modern biology may be classified in this way either on the basis of its evolution or the basis of its modern mechanism. Characterizing key innovations in this way helps identify the likelihood that an innovation could arise. In this paper, we describe the classification, and methods to classify functional features of modern organisms into these three classes based on the analysis of how a function is implemented in modern biology. We present the application of our categorization to the evolution of eukaryotic gene control. We use this approach to support the argument that there are few, and possibly no basic chemical differences between the functional constituents of the machinery of gene control between eukaryotes, bacteria and archaea. This suggests that the difference between eukaryotes and prokaryotes that allows the former to develop the complex genetic architecture seen in animals and plants is something other than their chemistry. We tentatively identify the difference as a difference in control logic, that prokaryotic genes are by default 'on' and eukaryotic genes are by default 'off.' The Many Paths evolutionary process suggests that, from a 'default off' starting point, the evolution of the genetic complexity of higher eukaryotes is a high probability event.
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