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Krusenstjerna AC, Jusufovic N, Saylor TC, Stevenson B. DnaA modulates gene expression and morphologyof the Lyme Disease spirochete. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.08.598065. [PMID: 38895450 PMCID: PMC11185795 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.08.598065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
All bacteria encode a multifunctional DNA-binding protein, DnaA, which initiates chromosomal replication. Despite having the most complex, segmented bacterial genome, little is known about Borrelia burgdorferi DnaA and its role in maintaining the spirochete's physiology. We utilized inducible CRISPR-interference and overexpression to modulate cellular levels of DnaA to better understand this essential protein. Dysregulation of DnaA, either up or down, significantly slowed replication and increased or decreased cell lengths. Using fluorescent microscopy, we found the DnaA CRISPRi mutants had increased numbers of chromosomes with irregular spacing patterns. The DnaA-depleted spirochetes also exhibited a significant defect in helical morphology. RNA-seq of the conditional mutants showed significant changes in the levels of transcripts involved with flagellar synthesis, elongation, cell division, virulence, and other functions. These findings demonstrate that the DnaA plays a commanding role in maintaining borrelial growth dynamics and protein expression, which are essential for the survival of the Lyme disease spirochete.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew C Krusenstjerna
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Nerina Jusufovic
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Timothy C Saylor
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Brian Stevenson
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
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2
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Zamba-Campero M, Soliman D, Yu H, Lasseter AG, Chang YY, Liu J, Aravind L, Jewett MW, Storz G, Adams PP. Broadly conserved FlgV controls flagellar assembly and Borrelia burgdorferi dissemination in mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.09.574855. [PMID: 38260563 PMCID: PMC10802407 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.09.574855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Flagella propel pathogens through their environments yet are expensive to synthesize and are immunogenic. Thus, complex hierarchical regulatory networks control flagellar gene expression. Spirochetes are highly motile bacteria, but peculiarly in the Lyme spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, the archetypal flagellar regulator σ28 is absent. We rediscovered gene bb0268 in B. burgdorferi as flgV, a broadly-conserved gene in the flagellar superoperon alongside σ28 in many Spirochaetes, Firmicutes and other phyla, with distant homologs in Epsilonproteobacteria. We found that B. burgdorferi FlgV is localized within flagellar motors. B. burgdorferi lacking flgV construct fewer and shorter flagellar filaments and are defective in cell division and motility. During the enzootic cycle, B. burgdorferi lacking flgV survive and replicate in Ixodes ticks but are attenuated for dissemination and infection in mice. Our work defines infection timepoints when spirochete motility is most crucial and implicates FlgV as a broadly distributed structural flagellar component that modulates flagellar assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Zamba-Campero
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Daniel Soliman
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Huaxin Yu
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06536, USA
- Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
| | - Amanda G. Lasseter
- Division of Immunity and Pathogenesis, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Orlando, FL, 32827, USA
| | - Yuen-Yan Chang
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jun Liu
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06536, USA
- Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
| | - L. Aravind
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
| | - Mollie W. Jewett
- Division of Immunity and Pathogenesis, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Orlando, FL, 32827, USA
| | - Gisela Storz
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Philip P. Adams
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Division of Immunity and Pathogenesis, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Orlando, FL, 32827, USA
- Postdoctoral Research Associate Program, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Independent Research Scholar Program, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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3
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Worrall LJ, Majewski DD, Strynadka NCJ. Structural Insights into Type III Secretion Systems of the Bacterial Flagellum and Injectisome. Annu Rev Microbiol 2023; 77:669-698. [PMID: 37713458 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-micro-032521-025503] [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: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
Two of the most fascinating bacterial nanomachines-the broadly disseminated rotary flagellum at the heart of cellular motility and the eukaryotic cell-puncturing injectisome essential to specific pathogenic species-utilize at their core a conserved export machinery called the type III secretion system (T3SS). The T3SS not only secretes the components that self-assemble into their extracellular appendages but also, in the case of the injectisome, subsequently directly translocates modulating effector proteins from the bacterial cell into the infected host. The injectisome is thought to have evolved from the flagellum as a minimal secretory system lacking motility, with the subsequent acquisition of additional components tailored to its specialized role in manipulating eukaryotic hosts for pathogenic advantage. Both nanomachines have long been the focus of intense interest, but advances in structural and functional understanding have taken a significant step forward since 2015, facilitated by the revolutionary advances in cryo-electron microscopy technologies. With several seminal structures of each nanomachine now captured, we review here the molecular similarities and differences that underlie their diverse functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam J Worrall
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Centre for Blood Research, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; , ,
| | - Dorothy D Majewski
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Centre for Blood Research, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; , ,
- Current affiliation: Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Natalie C J Strynadka
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Centre for Blood Research, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; , ,
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4
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Soto JE, Lara-Tejero M. The sorting platform in the type III secretion pathway: From assembly to function. Bioessays 2023; 45:e2300078. [PMID: 37329195 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202300078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The type III secretion system (T3SS) is a specialized nanomachine that enables bacteria to secrete proteins in a specific order and directly deliver a specific set of them, collectively known as effectors, into eukaryotic organisms. The core structure of the T3SS is a syringe-like apparatus composed of multiple building blocks, including both membrane-associated and soluble proteins. The cytosolic components organize together in a chamber-like structure known as the sorting platform (SP), responsible for recruiting, sorting, and initiating the substrates destined to engage this secretion pathway. In this article, we provide an overview of recent findings on the SP's structure and function, with a particular focus on its assembly pathway. Furthermore, we discuss the molecular mechanisms behind the recruitment and hierarchical sorting of substrates by this cytosolic complex. Overall, the T3SS is a highly specialized and complex system that requires precise coordination to function properly. A deeper understanding of how the SP orchestrates T3S could enhance our comprehension of this complex nanomachine, which is central to the host-pathogen interface, and could aid in the development of novel strategies to fight bacterial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Eduardo Soto
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - María Lara-Tejero
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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5
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Diving into the complexity of the spirochetal endoflagellum. Trends Microbiol 2023; 31:294-307. [PMID: 36244923 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2022.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Spirochaetes, a phylum that includes medically important pathogens such as the causative agents of Lyme disease, syphilis, and leptospirosis, are in many ways highly unique bacteria. Their cell morphology, subcellular organization, and metabolism reveal atypical features. Spirochetal motility is also singular, dependent on the presence of periplasmic flagella or endoflagella, inserted subterminally at cell poles and not penetrating the outer membrane and elongating outside the cell as in enterobacteria. In this review we present a comprehensive comparative genomics analysis of endoflagellar systems in spirochetes, highlighting recent findings on the flagellar basal body and filament. Continued progress in understanding the function and architecture of spirochetal flagella is uncovering paradigm-shifting mechanisms of bacterial motility.
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6
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Zhou X, Roujeinikova A. The Structure, Composition, and Role of Periplasmic Stator Scaffolds in Polar Bacterial Flagellar Motors. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:639490. [PMID: 33776972 PMCID: PMC7990780 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.639490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
In the bacterial flagellar motor, the cell-wall-anchored stator uses an electrochemical gradient across the cytoplasmic membrane to generate a turning force that is applied to the rotor connected to the flagellar filament. Existing theoretical concepts for the stator function are based on the assumption that it anchors around the rotor perimeter by binding to peptidoglycan (P). The existence of another anchoring region on the motor itself has been speculated upon, but is yet to be supported by binding studies. Due to the recent advances in electron cryotomography, evidence has emerged that polar flagellar motors contain substantial proteinaceous periplasmic structures next to the stator, without which the stator does not assemble and the motor does not function. These structures have a morphology of disks, as is the case with Vibrio spp., or a round cage, as is the case with Helicobacter pylori. It is now recognized that such additional periplasmic components are a common feature of polar flagellar motors, which sustain higher torque and greater swimming speeds compared to peritrichous bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica. This review summarizes the data available on the structure, composition, and role of the periplasmic scaffold in polar bacterial flagellar motors and discusses the new paradigm for how such motors assemble and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaotian Zhou
- Infection and Immunity Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.,Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Anna Roujeinikova
- Infection and Immunity Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.,Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
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7
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Klose M, Scheungrab M, Luckner M, Wanner G, Linder S. FIB-SEM-based analysis of Borrelia intracellular processing by human macrophages. J Cell Sci 2021; 134:jcs252320. [PMID: 33380490 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.252320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Borrelia burgdorferi is the causative agent of Lyme disease, a multisystemic disorder affecting primarily skin, joints and nervous system. Successful internalization and intracellular processing of borreliae by immune cells, like macrophages, is decisive for the outcome of a respective infection. Here, we use, for the first time, focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy tomography (FIB-SEM tomography) to visualize the interaction of borreliae with primary human macrophages with high resolution. We report that interaction between macrophages and the elongated and highly motile borreliae can lead to formation of membrane tunnels that extend deeper into the host cytoplasm than the actual phagosome, most probably as a result of partial extrication of captured borreliae. We also show that membrane tubulation at borreliae-containing phagosomes, a process suggested earlier as a mechanism leading to phagosome compaction but hard to visualize in live-cell imaging, is apparently a frequent phenomenon. Finally, we demonstrate that the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) forms multiple STIM1-positive contact sites with both membrane tunnels and phagosome tubulations, confirming the important role of the ER during uptake and intracellular processing of borreliae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Klose
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Virology and Hygiene, University Medical Center Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Manja Luckner
- Biozentrum der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Gerhard Wanner
- Biozentrum der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Stefan Linder
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Virology and Hygiene, University Medical Center Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
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8
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Milne-Davies B, Wimmi S, Diepold A. Adaptivity and dynamics in type III secretion systems. Mol Microbiol 2020; 115:395-411. [PMID: 33251695 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The type III secretion system is the common core of two bacterial molecular machines: the flagellum and the injectisome. The flagellum is the most widely distributed prokaryotic locomotion device, whereas the injectisome is a syringe-like apparatus for inter-kingdom protein translocation, which is essential for virulence in important human pathogens. The successful concept of the type III secretion system has been modified for different bacterial needs. It can be adapted to changing conditions, and was found to be a dynamic complex constantly exchanging components. In this review, we highlight the flexibility, adaptivity, and dynamic nature of the type III secretion system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bailey Milne-Davies
- Department of Ecophysiology, Max-Planck-Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
| | - Stephan Wimmi
- Department of Ecophysiology, Max-Planck-Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Diepold
- Department of Ecophysiology, Max-Planck-Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
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9
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Umrekar TR, Cohen E, Drobnič T, Gonzalez-Rodriguez N, Beeby M. CryoEM of bacterial secretion systems: A primer for microbiologists. Mol Microbiol 2020; 115:366-382. [PMID: 33140482 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
"CryoEM" has come of age, enabling considerable structural insights into many facets of molecular biology. Here, we present a primer for microbiologists to understand the capabilities and limitations of two complementary cryoEM techniques for studying bacterial secretion systems. The first, single particle analysis, determines the structures of purified protein complexes to resolutions sufficient for molecular modeling, while the second, electron cryotomography and subtomogram averaging, tends to determine more modest resolution structures of protein complexes in intact cells. We illustrate these abilities with examples of insights provided into how secretion systems work by cryoEM, with a focus on type III secretion systems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eli Cohen
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Tina Drobnič
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | | | - Morgan Beeby
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
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10
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Bajunaid W, Haidar-Ahmad N, Kottarampatel AH, Ourida Manigat F, Silué N, F. Tchagang C, Tomaro K, Campbell-Valois FX. The T3SS of Shigella: Expression, Structure, Function, and Role in Vacuole Escape. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8121933. [PMID: 33291504 PMCID: PMC7762205 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8121933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Shigella spp. are one of the leading causes of infectious diarrheal diseases. They are Escherichia coli pathovars that are characterized by the harboring of a large plasmid that encodes most virulence genes, including a type III secretion system (T3SS). The archetypal element of the T3SS is the injectisome, a syringe-like nanomachine composed of approximately 20 proteins, spanning both bacterial membranes and the cell wall, and topped with a needle. Upon contact of the tip of the needle with the plasma membrane, the injectisome secretes its protein substrates into host cells. Some of these substrates act as translocators or effectors whose functions are key to the invasion of the cytosol and the cell-to-cell spread characterizing the lifestyle of Shigella spp. Here, we review the structure, assembly, function, and methods to measure the activity of the injectisome with a focus on Shigella, but complemented with data from other T3SS if required. We also present the regulatory cascade that controls the expression of T3SS genes in Shigella. Finally, we describe the function of translocators and effectors during cell-to-cell spread, particularly during escape from the vacuole, a key element of Shigella’s pathogenesis that has yet to reveal all of its secrets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waad Bajunaid
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada; (W.B.); (N.H.-A.); (A.H.K.); (F.O.M.); (N.S.); (C.F.T.); (K.T.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Nathaline Haidar-Ahmad
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada; (W.B.); (N.H.-A.); (A.H.K.); (F.O.M.); (N.S.); (C.F.T.); (K.T.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Anwer Hasil Kottarampatel
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada; (W.B.); (N.H.-A.); (A.H.K.); (F.O.M.); (N.S.); (C.F.T.); (K.T.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - France Ourida Manigat
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada; (W.B.); (N.H.-A.); (A.H.K.); (F.O.M.); (N.S.); (C.F.T.); (K.T.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Navoun Silué
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada; (W.B.); (N.H.-A.); (A.H.K.); (F.O.M.); (N.S.); (C.F.T.); (K.T.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Caetanie F. Tchagang
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada; (W.B.); (N.H.-A.); (A.H.K.); (F.O.M.); (N.S.); (C.F.T.); (K.T.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Kyle Tomaro
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada; (W.B.); (N.H.-A.); (A.H.K.); (F.O.M.); (N.S.); (C.F.T.); (K.T.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - François-Xavier Campbell-Valois
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada; (W.B.); (N.H.-A.); (A.H.K.); (F.O.M.); (N.S.); (C.F.T.); (K.T.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
- Correspondence:
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Structural Conservation and Adaptation of the Bacterial Flagella Motor. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10111492. [PMID: 33138111 PMCID: PMC7693769 DOI: 10.3390/biom10111492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Many bacteria require flagella for the ability to move, survive, and cause infection. The flagellum is a complex nanomachine that has evolved to increase the fitness of each bacterium to diverse environments. Over several decades, molecular, biochemical, and structural insights into the flagella have led to a comprehensive understanding of the structure and function of this fascinating nanomachine. Notably, X-ray crystallography, cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), and cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) have elucidated the flagella and their components to unprecedented resolution, gleaning insights into their structural conservation and adaptation. In this review, we focus on recent structural studies that have led to a mechanistic understanding of flagellar assembly, function, and evolution.
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12
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Rossmann FM, Hug I, Sangermani M, Jenal U, Beeby M. In situ structure of the Caulobacter crescentus flagellar motor and visualization of binding of a CheY-homolog. Mol Microbiol 2020; 114:443-453. [PMID: 32449846 PMCID: PMC7534056 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Bacterial flagellar motility is controlled by the binding of CheY proteins to the cytoplasmic switch complex of the flagellar motor, resulting in changes in swimming speed or direction. Despite its importance for motor function, structural information about the interaction between effector proteins and the motor are scarce. To address this gap in knowledge, we used electron cryotomography and subtomogram averaging to visualize such interactions inside Caulobacter crescentus cells. In C. crescentus, several CheY homologs regulate motor function for different aspects of the bacterial lifestyle. We used subtomogram averaging to image binding of the CheY family protein CleD to the cytoplasmic Cring switch complex, the control center of the flagellar motor. This unambiguously confirmed the orientation of the motor switch protein FliM and the binding of a member of the CheY protein family to the outside rim of the C ring. We also uncovered previously unknown structural elaborations of the alphaproteobacterial flagellar motor, including two novel periplasmic ring structures, and the stator ring harboring eleven stator units, adding to our growing catalog of bacterial flagellar diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Isabelle Hug
- Focal Area of Infection BiologyBiozentrum of the University of BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Matteo Sangermani
- Focal Area of Infection BiologyBiozentrum of the University of BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Urs Jenal
- Focal Area of Infection BiologyBiozentrum of the University of BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Morgan Beeby
- Department of Life SciencesImperial College LondonLondonUK
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13
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Söderholm N, Singh B, Uhlin BE, Sandblad L. Exploring the bacterial nano-universe. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2020; 64:166-173. [PMID: 32846309 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2020.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Since the days of the first acknowledged microscopist, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, the 'animalcules', that is, bacteria and other microbes have been subject to increasingly detailed visualization. With the currently most sophisticated molecular imaging method; cryo electron tomography (Cryo-ET), we are reaching the milestone of being able to image an entire organism in a single dataset at nanometer resolution. Cryo-ET will enable the next revolution in our understanding of bacterial cells, their ultra-structure and intricate molecular nanomachines. Here, we highlight recent research discoveries based on constantly progressing technology developments. We discuss advantages and challenges of using Cryo-ET to visualize spatial structure of microorganisms and macromolecular complexes in their native environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niklas Söderholm
- Department of Molecular Biology and The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, 90187 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Birendra Singh
- Department of Integrative Medical Biology, Umeå University, 90187 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Bernt Eric Uhlin
- Department of Molecular Biology and The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, 90187 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Linda Sandblad
- Department of Chemistry and The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, 90187 Umeå, Sweden.
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14
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Abstract
Periplasmic flagella are complex nanomachines responsible for distinctive morphology and motility of spirochetes. Although bacterial flagella have been extensively studied for several decades in the model systems Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica, our understanding of periplasmic flagella in many disease-causing spirochetes remains incomplete. Recent advances, including molecular genetics, biochemistry, structural biology, and cryo-electron tomography, have greatly increased our understanding of structure and function of periplasmic flagella. In this chapter, we summarize some of the recent findings that provide new insights into the structure, assembly, and function of periplasmic flagella.
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15
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Zhang K, He J, Cantalano C, Guo Y, Liu J, Li C. FlhF regulates the number and configuration of periplasmic flagella in Borrelia burgdorferi. Mol Microbiol 2020; 113:1122-1139. [PMID: 32039533 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Revised: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The Lyme disease bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi has 7-11 periplasmic flagella (PF) that arise from the cell poles and extend toward the midcell as a flat-ribbon, which is distinct from other bacteria. FlhF, a signal recognition particle (SRP)-like GTPase, has been found to regulate the flagellar number and polarity; however, its role in B. burgdorferi remains unknown. B. burgdorferi has an FlhF homolog (BB0270). Structural and biochemical analyses show that BB0270 has a similar structure and enzymatic activity as its counterparts from other bacteria. Genetics and cryo-electron tomography studies reveal that deletion of BB0270 leads to mutant cells that have less PF (4 ± 2 PF per cell tip) and fail to form a flat-ribbon, indicative of a role of BB0270 in the control of PF number and configuration. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that BB0270 localizes at the cell poles and controls the number and position of PF via regulating the flagellar protein stability and the polar localization of the MS-ring protein FliF. Our study not only provides the detailed characterizations of BB0270 and its profound impacts on flagellar assembly, morphology and motility in B. burgdorferi, but also unveils mechanistic insights into how spirochetes control their unique flagellar patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Zhang
- Philips Institute for Oral Health Research, School of Dentistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Jun He
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Claudio Cantalano
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA.,Institute for Structural Biology, Drug Discovery and Development, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Youzhong Guo
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA.,Institute for Structural Biology, Drug Discovery and Development, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Jun Liu
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Chunhao Li
- Philips Institute for Oral Health Research, School of Dentistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
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16
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Xu H, He J, Liu J, Motaleb MA. BB0326 is responsible for the formation of periplasmic flagellar collar and assembly of the stator complex in Borrelia burgdorferi. Mol Microbiol 2019; 113:418-429. [PMID: 31743518 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Revised: 11/15/2019] [Accepted: 11/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Borrelia burgdorferi is a highly motile spirochete due to its periplasmic flagella. Unlike flagella of other bacteria, spirochetes' periplasmic flagella possess a complex structure called the collar, about which little is known in terms of function and composition. Using various approaches, we have identified a novel protein, BB0326, as a key component of the collar. We show that a peripheral portion of the collar is diminished in the Δbb0326 mutant and restored in the complemented bb0326+ cells, leading us to rename BB0326 as periplasmic flagellar collar protein A or FlcA. The ΔflcA mutant cells produced fewer, abnormally tilted and shorter flagella, as well as diminished stators, suggesting that FlcA is crucial for flagellar and stator assemblies. We provide further evidence that FlcA interacts with the stator and that this collar-stator interaction is essential for the high torque needed to power the spirochete's periplasmic flagellar motors. These observations suggest that the collar provides various important functions to the spirochete's periplasmic flagellar assembly and rotation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Xu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA
| | - Jun He
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Jun Liu
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Md A Motaleb
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA
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17
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Chang Y, Moon KH, Zhao X, Norris SJ, Motaleb MA, Liu J. Structural insights into flagellar stator-rotor interactions. eLife 2019; 8:48979. [PMID: 31313986 PMCID: PMC6663468 DOI: 10.7554/elife.48979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2019] [Accepted: 07/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The bacterial flagellar motor is a molecular machine that can rotate the flagellar filament at high speed. The rotation is generated by the stator–rotor interaction, coupled with an ion flux through the torque-generating stator. Here we employed cryo-electron tomography to visualize the intact flagellar motor in the Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi. By analyzing the motor structures of wild-type and stator-deletion mutants, we not only localized the stator complex in situ, but also revealed the stator–rotor interaction at an unprecedented detail. Importantly, the stator–rotor interaction induces a conformational change in the flagella C-ring. Given our observation that a non-motile mutant, in which proton flux is blocked, cannot generate the similar conformational change, we propose that the proton-driven torque is responsible for the conformational change required for flagellar rotation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunjie Chang
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, United States.,Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale University, West Haven, United States
| | - Ki Hwan Moon
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, United States.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, United States
| | - Xiaowei Zhao
- Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale University, West Haven, United States.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, McGovern Medical School at University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, United States
| | - Steven J Norris
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, McGovern Medical School at University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, United States
| | - Md A Motaleb
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, United States
| | - Jun Liu
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, United States.,Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale University, West Haven, United States.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, McGovern Medical School at University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, United States
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18
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Castaño-Díez D, Zanetti G. In situ structure determination by subtomogram averaging. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2019; 58:68-75. [PMID: 31233977 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2019.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2019] [Revised: 05/06/2019] [Accepted: 05/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Cryo-tomography and subtomogram averaging are increasingly popular techniques for structural determination of macromolecular complexes in situ. They have the potential to achieve high-resolution views of native complexes, together with the details of their location relative to interacting molecules. The subtomogram averaging (StA) pipelines are well-established, with current developments aiming to optimise each step by reducing manual intervention and user decisions, following similar trends in single-particle approaches that have dramatically increased their popularity. Here, we review the main steps of typical StA workflows. We focus on considerations arising from the fact that the objects of study are embedded within unique crowded environments, and we emphasise those steps where careful decisions need to be made by the user.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Castaño-Díez
- BioEM Lab, Center for Cellular Imaging and Nanoanalytics, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 26, CH-4058, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Giulia Zanetti
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Birkbeck College, Malet St., London, WC1E 7HX, UK.
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