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Zarzecka U, Grinzato A, Kandiah E, Cysewski D, Berto P, Skorko-Glonek J, Zanotti G, Backert S. Functional analysis and cryo-electron microscopy of Campylobacterjejuni serine protease HtrA. Gut Microbes 2020; 12:1-16. [PMID: 32960677 PMCID: PMC7524362 DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2020.1810532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Campylobacter jejuni is a predominant zoonotic pathogen causing gastroenteritis and other diseases in humans. An important bacterial virulence factor is the secreted serine protease HtrA (HtrA Cj ), which targets tight and adherens junctional proteins in the gut epithelium. Here we have investigated the function and structure of HtrA Cj using biochemical assays and cryo-electron microscopy. Mass spectrometry analysis identified differences and similarities in the cleavage site specificity for HtrA Cj by comparison to the HtrA counterparts from Helicobacter pylori and Escherichia coli. We defined the architecture of HtrA Cj at 5.8 Å resolution as a dodecamer, built of four trimers. The contacts between the trimers are quite loose, a fact that explains the flexibility and mobility of the dodecameric assembly. This flexibility has also been studied through molecular dynamics simulation, which revealed opening of the dodecamer to expose the proteolytically active site of the protease. Moreover, we examined the rearrangements at the level of oligomerization in the presence or absence of substrate using size exclusion chromatography, which revealed hexamers, dodecamers and larger oligomeric forms, as well as remarkable stability of higher oligomeric forms (> 12-mers) compared to previously tested homologs from other bacteria. Extremely dynamic decay of the higher oligomeric forms into lower forms was observed after full cleavage of the substrate by the proteolytically active variant of HtrA Cj . Together, this is the first report on the in-depth functional and structural analysis of HtrA Cj , which may allow the construction of therapeutically relevant HtrA Cj inhibitors in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urszula Zarzecka
- Division of Microbiology, Department of Biology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany,Department of General and Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | | | | | - Dominik Cysewski
- Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Science, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Paola Berto
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padova, Italy
| | - Joanna Skorko-Glonek
- Department of General and Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Giuseppe Zanotti
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padova, Italy,Giuseppe Zanotti Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padova, Italy
| | - Steffen Backert
- Division of Microbiology, Department of Biology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany,CONTACT Steffen Backert Division of Microbiology, Department of Biology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
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Russell TM, Tang X, Goldstein JM, Bagarozzi D, Johnson BJB. The salt-sensitive structure and zinc inhibition of Borrelia burgdorferi protease BbHtrA. Mol Microbiol 2015; 99:586-96. [PMID: 26480895 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/18/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
HtrA serine proteases are highly conserved and essential ATP-independent proteases with chaperone activity. Bacteria express a variable number of HtrA homologues that contribute to the virulence and pathogenicity of bacterial pathogens. Lyme disease spirochetes possess a single HtrA protease homologue, Borrelia burgdorferi HtrA (BbHtrA). Previous studies established that, like the human orthologue HtrA1, BbHtrA is proteolytically active against numerous extracellular proteins in vitro. In this study, we utilized size exclusion chromatography and blue native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (BN-PAGE) to demonstrate BbHtrA oligomeric structures that were substrate independent and salt sensitive. Examination of the influence of transition metals on the activity of BbHtrA revealed that this protease is inhibited by Zn(2+) > Cu(2+) > Mn(2+). Extending this analysis to two other HtrA proteases, E. coli DegP and HtrA1, revealed that all three HtrA proteases were reversibly inhibited by ZnCl2 at all micro molar concentrations examined. Commercial inhibitors for HtrA proteases are not available and physiologic HtrA inhibitors are unknown. Our observation of conserved zinc inhibition of HtrA proteases will facilitate structural and functional studies of additional members of this important class of proteases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theresa M Russell
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Xiaoling Tang
- Division of Scientific Resources, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jason M Goldstein
- Division of Scientific Resources, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Dennis Bagarozzi
- Division of Scientific Resources, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Barbara J B Johnson
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Fort Collins, CO, USA
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Thompson NJ, Merdanovic M, Ehrmann M, van Duijn E, Heck AJR. Substrate occupancy at the onset of oligomeric transitions of DegP. Structure 2013; 22:281-90. [PMID: 24373769 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2013.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2013] [Revised: 11/14/2013] [Accepted: 11/20/2013] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The protease-chaperone DegP undergoes secondary through quaternary structural changes, regulating function and preventing indiscriminate proteolysis. Several structures of DegP oligomers have been observed, including the resting state 6-mer and the 12-mer and 24-mer active states. However, the precise events of the transition between the resting and active states still need to be elucidated. We used native mass spectrometry to demonstrate that binding of multiple substrate-mimicking peptide ligands to the DegP resting state occurs prior to the transition to an active conformation. This transition occurred at a 6-mer occupancy of 40% for each peptide ligand. We observed ligand-specific 9-mer formation with a maximum load of 9 peptides, whereas other substrates led to 12-mers accommodating 24 peptides. Based on these data, we present a model for the initial steps of substrate-induced transitions from the resting to active states of DegP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie J Thompson
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands; Netherlands Proteomics Centre, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Melisa Merdanovic
- Faculty of Biology, Center for Medical Biotechnology, University Duisburg-Essen, 45117 Essen, Germany
| | - Michael Ehrmann
- Faculty of Biology, Center for Medical Biotechnology, University Duisburg-Essen, 45117 Essen, Germany; School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3US, UK
| | - Esther van Duijn
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands; Netherlands Proteomics Centre, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Albert J R Heck
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands; Netherlands Proteomics Centre, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands.
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Eskra L, Covert J, Glasner J, Splitter G. Differential expression of iron acquisition genes by Brucella melitensis and Brucella canis during macrophage infection. PLoS One 2012; 7:e31747. [PMID: 22403618 PMCID: PMC3293887 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0031747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2011] [Accepted: 01/12/2012] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Brucella spp. cause chronic zoonotic disease often affecting individuals and animals in impoverished economic or public health conditions; however, these bacteria do not have obvious virulence factors. Restriction of iron availability to pathogens is an effective strategy of host defense. For brucellae, virulence depends on the ability to survive and replicate within the host cell where iron is an essential nutrient for the growth and survival of both mammalian and bacterial cells. Iron is a particularly scarce nutrient for bacteria with an intracellular lifestyle. Brucella melitensis and Brucella canis share ∼99% of their genomes but differ in intracellular lifestyles. To identify differences, gene transcription of these two pathogens was examined during infection of murine macrophages and compared to broth grown bacteria. Transcriptome analysis of B. melitensis and B. canis revealed differences of genes involved in iron transport. Gene transcription of the TonB, enterobactin, and ferric anguibactin transport systems was increased in B. canis but not B. melitensis during infection of macrophages. The data suggest differences in iron requirements that may contribute to differences observed in the lifestyles of these closely related pathogens. The initial importance of iron for B. canis but not for B. melitensis helps elucidate differing intracellular survival strategies for two closely related bacteria and provides insight for controlling these pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Eskra
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Jill Covert
- Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Jeremy Glasner
- Biotechnology Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Gary Splitter
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Singh N, Kuppili RR, Bose K. The structural basis of mode of activation and functional diversity: a case study with HtrA family of serine proteases. Arch Biochem Biophys 2011; 516:85-96. [PMID: 22027029 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2011.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2011] [Accepted: 10/03/2011] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
HtrA (High temperature requirement protease A) proteins that are primarily involved in protein quality control belong to a family of serine proteases conserved from bacteria to humans. HtrAs are oligomeric proteins that share a common trimeric pyramidal architecture where each monomer comprises a serine protease domain and one or two PDZ domains. Although the overall structural integrity is well maintained and they exhibit similar mechanism of activation, subtle conformational changes and structural plasticity especially in the flexible loop regions and domain interfaces lead to differences in their active site conformation and hence in their specificity and functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nitu Singh
- Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Tata Memorial Centre, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, India
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Unique residues involved in activation of the multitasking protease/chaperone HtrA from Chlamydia trachomatis. PLoS One 2011; 6:e24547. [PMID: 21931748 PMCID: PMC3169616 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0024547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2011] [Accepted: 08/12/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
DegP, a member of the HtrA family of proteins, conducts critical bacterial protein quality control by both chaperone and proteolysis activities. The regulatory mechanisms controlling these two distinct activities, however, are unknown. DegP activation is known to involve a unique mechanism of allosteric binding, conformational changes and oligomer formation. We have uncovered a novel role for the residues at the PDZ1:protease interface in oligomer formation specifically for chaperone substrates of Chlamydia trachomatis HtrA (DegP homolog). We have demonstrated that CtHtrA proteolysis could be activated by allosteric binding and oligomer formation. The PDZ1 activator cleft was required for the activation and oligomer formation. However, unique to CtHtrA was the critical role for residues at the PDZ1:protease interface in oligomer formation when the activator was an in vitro chaperone substrate. Furthermore, a potential in vivo chaperone substrate, the major outer membrane protein (MOMP) from Chlamydia, was able to activate CtHtrA and induce oligomer formation. Therefore, we have revealed novel residues involved in the activation of CtHtrA which are likely to have important in vivo implications for outer membrane protein assembly.
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