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Olczak T, Śmiga M, Antonyuk SV, Smalley JW. Hemophore-like proteins of the HmuY family in the oral and gut microbiome: unraveling the mystery of their evolution. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2024; 88:e0013123. [PMID: 38305743 PMCID: PMC10966948 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00131-23] [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] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
SUMMARY Heme (iron protoporphyrin IX, FePPIX) is the main source of iron and PPIX for host-associated pathogenic bacteria, including members of the Bacteroidota (formerly Bacteroidetes) phylum. Porphyromonas gingivalis, a keystone oral pathogen, uses a unique heme uptake (Hmu) system, comprising a hemophore-like protein, designated as the first member of the novel HmuY family. Compared to classical, secreted hemophores utilized by Gram-negative bacteria or near-iron transporter domain-based hemophores utilized by Gram-positive bacteria, the HmuY family comprises structurally similar proteins that have undergone diversification during evolution. The best characterized are P. gingivalis HmuY and its homologs from Tannerella forsythia (Tfo), Prevotella intermedia (PinO and PinA), Bacteroides vulgatus (Bvu), and Bacteroides fragilis (BfrA, BfrB, and BfrC). In contrast to the two histidine residues coordinating heme iron in P. gingivalis HmuY, Tfo, PinO, PinA, Bvu, and BfrA preferentially use two methionine residues. Interestingly, BfrB, despite conserved methionine residue, binds the PPIX ring without iron coordination. BfrC binds neither heme nor PPIX in keeping with the lack of conserved histidine or methionine residues used by other members of the HmuY family. HmuY competes for heme binding and heme sequestration from host hemoproteins with other members of the HmuY family to increase P. gingivalis competitiveness. The participation of HmuY in the host immune response confirms its relevance in relation to the survival of P. gingivalis and its ability to induce dysbiosis not only in the oral microbiome but also in the gut microbiome or other host niches, leading to local injuries and involvement in comorbidities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Olczak
- Laboratory of Medical Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Michał Śmiga
- Laboratory of Medical Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Svetlana V. Antonyuk
- Molecular Biophysics Group, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, the University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - John W. Smalley
- Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences, School of Dentistry, the University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
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Śmiga M, Ślęzak P, Olczak T. Comparative analysis of Porphyromonas gingivalis A7436 and ATCC 33277 strains reveals differences in the expression of heme acquisition systems. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0286523. [PMID: 38289063 PMCID: PMC10913741 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02865-23] [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: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Porphyromonas gingivalis strains exhibit different phenotypes in vitro, different virulence potential in animal models, and different associations with human diseases, with strains classified as virulent/more virulent (e.g., A7436 and W83) or as less virulent/avirulent (e.g., ATCC 33277). In this study, we comparatively analyzed the A7436 and ATCC 33277 strains to better understand their variability. Global gene expression analysis in response to heme and iron limitation revealed more pronounced differences in the A7436 than in the ATCC 33277 strain; however, in both strains, the largest changes were observed in genes encoding hypothetical proteins, genes whose products participate in energy metabolism, and in genes encoding proteins engaged in transport and binding proteins. Our results confirmed that variability between P. gingivalis strains is due to differences in the arrangement of their genomes. Analysis of gene expression of heme acquisition systems demonstrated that not only the availability of iron and heme in the external environment but also the ability to store iron intracellularly can influence the P. gingivalis phenotype. Therefore, we assume that differences in virulence potential may also be due to differences in the production of systems involved in iron and heme acquisition, mainly the Hmu system. In addition, our study showed that hemoglobin, in a concentration-dependent manner, differentially influences the virulence potential of P. gingivalis strains. We conclude that iron and heme homeostasis may add to the variability observed between P. gingivalis strains. IMPORTANCE Periodontitis belongs to a group of multifactorial diseases, characterized by inflammation and destruction of tooth-supporting tissues. P. gingivalis is one of the most important microbial factors involved in the initiation and progression of periodontitis. To survive in the host, the bacterium must acquire heme as a source of iron and protoporphyrin IX. P. gingivalis strains respond differently to changing iron and heme concentrations, which may be due to differences in the expression of systems involved in iron and heme acquisition. The ability to accumulate iron intracellularly, being different in more and less virulent P. gingivalis strains, may influence their phenotypes, production of virulence factors (including proteins engaged in heme acquisition), and virulence potential of this bacterium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michał Śmiga
- Laboratory of Medical Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Paulina Ślęzak
- Laboratory of Medical Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Teresa Olczak
- Laboratory of Medical Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland
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Śmiga M, Siemińska K, Trindade SC, Gomes-Filho IS, Nobre dos Santos EK, Olczak T. Hemophore-like proteins produced by periodontopathogens are recognized by the host immune system and react differentially with IgG antibodies. J Oral Microbiol 2023; 15:2214455. [PMID: 37213663 PMCID: PMC10193874 DOI: 10.1080/20002297.2023.2214455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 04/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Aims Hemophore-like proteins sequester heme from host hemoproteins. We aimed to determine whether the host immune system can recognize not only Porphyromonas gingivalis HmuY but also its homologs expressed by other periodontopathogens, and how periodontitis influences the production of respective antibodies. Methods The reactivity of total bacterial antigens and purified proteins with serum IgG antibodies of 18 individuals with periodontitis and 17 individuals without periodontitis was examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). To compare IgG reactivity between groups with and without periodontitis and within the various dilutions of sera, statistical analysis was performed using the Mann-Whitney U-test and two-way ANOVA test with the post-hoc Bonferroni test. Results Individuals with periodontitis produced IgG antibodies reacting more strongly not only with total P. gingivalis antigens (P = 0.0002; 1:400) and P. gingivalis HmuY (P = 0.0016; 1:100) but also with Prevotella intermedia PinA (P = 0.0059; 1:100), and with low efficiency with P. intermedia PinO (P = 0.0021; 1:100). No increase in the reactivity of IgG antibodies with Tannerella forsythia Tfo and P. gingivalis HusA was found in individuals with periodontitis. Conclusions Although hemophore-like proteins are structurally related, they are differentially recognized by the host immune system. Our findings point to specific antigens, mainly P. gingivalis HmuY and P. intermedia PinA, whose immunoreactivity could be further investigated to develop markers of periodontitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michał Śmiga
- Laboratory of Medical Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Klaudia Siemińska
- Laboratory of Medical Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Soraya C. Trindade
- Laboratory of Oral Biology, Department of Health, Feira de Santana State University, Feira de Santana, Brazil
- Laboratory of Immunology and Molecular Biology, Institute of Health Science, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Isaac S. Gomes-Filho
- Laboratory of Oral Biology, Department of Health, Feira de Santana State University, Feira de Santana, Brazil
| | - Ellen K. Nobre dos Santos
- Laboratory of Immunology and Molecular Biology, Institute of Health Science, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Teresa Olczak
- Laboratory of Medical Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland
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Śmiga M, Ślęzak P, Wagner M, Olczak T. Interplay between Porphyromonas gingivalis Hemophore-Like Protein HmuY and Kgp/RgpA Gingipains Plays a Superior Role in Heme Supply. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0459322. [PMID: 36752645 PMCID: PMC10100897 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04593-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
To acquire heme as a source of iron and protoporphyrin IX, Porphyromonas gingivalis uses gingipains, Hmu, and Hus systems. The aim of this study was to assess the correlation between the production and function of the most important virulence factors of P. gingivalis involved in heme supply, namely, hemophore-like proteins (HmuY and HusA) and gingipains. Respective mutant strains were used, and the expression of genes at the transcript and protein levels, as well as the importance of these genes' products for virulence potential, was examined. We found that HmuY and Kgp/RgpA gingipains are among the main P. gingivalis virulence factors synergistically engaged in heme supply. Their expression is related mainly when P. gingivalis grows in conditions rich in iron and heme sources, resembling those found in severe periodontitis. We confirmed that HmuY production is strictly dependent on the availability of heme and iron in the external environment, whereas we did not observe such dependence in the production of HusA. Moreover, we found that the HmuY protein can easily sequester heme from the HusA protein. The only correlation in the production of HmuY and HusA hemophore-like proteins could occur in P. gingivalis grown in conditions rich in iron and heme sources, mimicking an environment typical for severe periodontitis. Based on our observations, we suggest that HmuY is the major heme-binding protein produced by P. gingivalis, especially in iron- and heme-depleted conditions, typical for healthy periodontium and the initial stages of infection. The HusA protein could play a supporting role in P. gingivalis heme uptake. IMPORTANCE Altered or disturbed mutualism between oral microbiome members results in dysbiosis with local injuries and subsequently in systemic diseases. Periodontitis belongs to a group of multifactorial infectious diseases, characterized by inflammation and destruction of tooth-supporting tissues. Porphyromonas gingivalis is considered the main etiologic agent and keystone pathogen responsible for developing advanced periodontitis. As part of the infective process, P. gingivalis must acquire heme to survive and multiply at the infection site. Analysis of the mutual relationship between its main virulence factors showed that heme acquisition in P. gingivalis is a complex process in which mainly the Hmu system, with the leading role played by the HmuY hemophore-like protein, and Kgp and RgpA gingipains prefer cooperative interplay. It seems that the Hus system, including HusA hemophore-like protein, could be involved in another, so far uncharacterized, stage of iron and heme supply.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michał Śmiga
- Laboratory of Medical Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Paulina Ślęzak
- Laboratory of Medical Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Mateusz Wagner
- Laboratory of Medical Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Teresa Olczak
- Laboratory of Medical Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland
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Kosno J, Siemińska K, Olczak T. Unique Properties of Heme Binding of the Porphyromonas gingivalis HmuY Hemophore-like Protein Result from the Evolutionary Adaptation of the Protein Structure. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27051703. [PMID: 35268804 PMCID: PMC8911585 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27051703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
To acquire heme, Porphyromonas gingivalis uses a hemophore-like protein (HmuY). HmuY sequesters heme from host hemoproteins or heme-binding proteins produced by cohabiting bacteria, and delivers it to the TonB-dependent outer-membrane receptor (HmuR). Although three-dimensional protein structures of members of the novel HmuY family are overall similar, significant differences exist in their heme-binding pockets. Histidines (H134 and H166) coordinating the heme iron in P. gingivalis HmuY are unique and poorly conserved in the majority of its homologs, which utilize methionines. To examine whether changes observed in the evolution of these proteins in the Bacteroidetes phylum might result in improved heme binding ability of HmuY over its homologs, we substituted histidine residues with methionine residues. Compared to the native HmuY, site-directed mutagenesis variants bound Fe(III)heme with lower ability in a similar manner to Bacteroides vulgatus Bvu and Tannerella forsythia Tfo. However, a mixed histidine-methionine couple in the HmuY was sufficient to bind Fe(II)heme, similarly to T. forsythia Tfo, Prevotella intermedia PinO and PinA. Double substitution resulted in abolished heme binding. The structure of HmuY heme-binding pocket may have been subjected to evolution, allowing for P. gingivalis to gain an advantage in heme acquisition regardless of environmental redox conditions.
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Hao X, Li Z, Li W, Katz J, Michalek SM, Barnum SR, Pozzo-Miller L, Saito T, Saido TC, Wang Q, Roberson ED, Zhang P. Periodontal Infection Aggravates C1q-Mediated Microglial Activation and Synapse Pruning in Alzheimer's Mice. Front Immunol 2022; 13:816640. [PMID: 35178049 PMCID: PMC8845011 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.816640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Periodontitis is a dysbiotic infectious disease that leads to the destruction of tooth supporting tissues. There is increasing evidence that periodontitis may affect the development and severity of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the mechanism(s) by which periodontal infection impacts the neurodegenerative process in AD remains unclear. In the present study, using an amyloid precursor protein (APP) knock-in (App KI) AD mouse model, we showed that oral infection with Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg), a keystone pathogen of periodontitis, worsened behavioral and cognitive impairment and accelerated amyloid beta (Aβ) accumulation in AD mice, thus unquestionably and significantly aggravating AD. We also provide new evidence that the neuroinflammatory status established by AD, is greatly complicated by periodontal infection and the consequential entry of Pg into the brain via Aβ-primed microglial activation, and that Pg-induced brain overactivation of complement C1q is critical for periodontitis-associated acceleration of AD progression by amplifying microglial activation, neuroinflammation, and tagging synapses for microglial engulfment. Our study renders support for the importance of periodontal infection in the innate immune regulation of AD and the possibility of targeting microbial etiology and periodontal treatment to ameliorate the clinical manifestation of AD and lower AD prevalence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxiao Hao
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Zhaofei Li
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Jannet Katz
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Suzanne M. Michalek
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | | | - Lucas Pozzo-Miller
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Takashi Saito
- Laboratory for Proteolytic Neuroscience, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Japan
- Department of Neurocognitive Science, Institute of Brain Science, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Takaomi C. Saido
- Laboratory for Proteolytic Neuroscience, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Japan
| | - Qin Wang
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Erik D. Roberson
- Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Ping Zhang
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
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Śmiga M, Ślęzak P, Siemińska K, Olczak T. Virulence mechanisms used in the pathogenesis of periodontal diseases caused by Porphyromonas gingivalis. POSTEP HIG MED DOSW 2020. [DOI: 10.5604/01.3001.0014.3053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Periodontal diseases are characterized by progressive inflammation that destroys the tooth-supporting tissues, leading to gum bleeding and tooth loss. Porphyromonas gingivalis is considered one of the main etiological agents responsible for the initiation and progression of chronic periodontitis. This gram-negative, anaerobic bacterium is a part of a multi-species oral biofilm. P. gingivalis does not have the full pathway of protoporphyrin IX synthesis, nor does it produce siderophores. Therefore, for survival and proliferation, it requires heme as a source of iron and protoporphyrin IX. In order to obtain heme, P. gingivalis uses a number of
mechanisms that affect the ability of this bacterium to initiate a pathological condition. This
review presents the current knowledge regarding the best-known and characterized systems
involved in heme acquisition by P. gingivalis. We focused on processes occurring in the initial
states of infection, where gingipain, hemagglutinins, and hemolysins play a crucial role. The
mechanisms encoded by hmu, iht and hus operons, including proteins with hemophore-like
properties, as well as TonB-dependent outer membrane receptors are described. We present
their function and participation in the progression of the infection. In addition, we describe
mechanisms produced by P. gingivalis and other periodontopathogens in synergistic processes
promoting the growth and virulence of P. gingivalis. We also describe processes regulating iron
and heme homeostasis, including the homolog of the Fur protein, the two-component system
HaeSR, as well as the OxyR, SigH, and PgDps proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michał Śmiga
- Pracownia Biologii Medycznej, Wydział Biotechnologii, Uniwersytet Wrocławski
| | - Paulina Ślęzak
- Pracownia Biologii Medycznej, Wydział Biotechnologii, Uniwersytet Wrocławski
| | - Klaudia Siemińska
- Pracownia Biologii Medycznej, Wydział Biotechnologii, Uniwersytet Wrocławski
| | - Teresa Olczak
- Pracownia Biologii Medycznej, Wydział Biotechnologii, Uniwersytet Wrocławski
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Prevotella intermedia produces two proteins homologous to Porphyromonas gingivalis HmuY but with different heme coordination mode. Biochem J 2020; 477:381-405. [PMID: 31899475 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20190607] [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: 08/21/2019] [Revised: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 01/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
As part of the infective process, Porphyromonas gingivalis must acquire heme which is indispensable for life and enables the microorganism to survive and multiply at the infection site. This oral pathogenic bacterium uses a newly discovered novel hmu heme uptake system with a leading role played by the HmuY hemophore-like protein, responsible for acquiring heme and increasing virulence of this periodontopathogen. We demonstrated that Prevotella intermedia produces two HmuY homologs, termed PinO and PinA. Both proteins were produced at higher mRNA and protein levels when the bacterium grew under low-iron/heme conditions. PinO and PinA bound heme, but preferentially under reducing conditions, and in a manner different from that of the P. gingivalis HmuY. The analysis of the three-dimensional structures confirmed differences between apo-PinO and apo-HmuY, mainly in the fold forming the heme-binding pocket. Instead of two histidine residues coordinating heme iron in P. gingivalis HmuY, PinO and PinA could use one methionine residue to fulfill this function, with potential support of additional methionine residue/s. The P. intermedia proteins sequestered heme only from the host albumin-heme complex under reducing conditions. Our findings suggest that HmuY-like family might comprise proteins subjected during evolution to significant diversification, resulting in different heme coordination modes. The newer data presented in this manuscript on HmuY homologs produced by P. intermedia sheds more light on the novel mechanism of heme uptake, could be helpful in discovering their biological function, and in developing novel therapeutic approaches.
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Śmiga M, Bielecki M, Olczak M, Olczak T. Porphyromonas gingivalis PgFur Is a Member of a Novel Fur Subfamily With Non-canonical Function. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2019; 9:233. [PMID: 31312617 PMCID: PMC6613475 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 06/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Porphyromonas gingivalis, a keystone pathogen of chronic periodontitis, uses ferric uptake regulator homolog (PgFur) to regulate production of virulence factors. This study aimed to characterize PgFur protein in regard to its structure-function relationship. We experimentally identified the 5′ mRNA sequence encoding the 171-amino-acid-long PgFur protein in the A7436 strain and examined this PgFur version as a full-length protein. PgFur protein did not bind to the canonical Escherichia coli Fur box, but the wild-type phenotype of the mutant Δpgfur strain was restored partially when expression of the ecfur gene was induced from the native pgfur promoter. The full-length PgFur protein contained one zinc atom per protein monomer, but did not bind iron, manganese, or heme. Single cysteine substitutions of CXXC motifs resulted in phenotypes similar to the mutant Δpgfur strain. The modified proteins were produced in E. coli at significantly lower levels, were highly unstable, and did not bind zinc. The pgfur gene was expressed at the highest levels in bacteria cultured for 24 h in the absence of iron and heme or at higher levels in bacteria cultured for 10 h in the presence of protoporphyrin IX source. No influence of high availability of Fe2+, Zn2+, or Mn2+ on pgfur gene expression was observed. Two chromosomal mutant strains producing protein lacking 4 (pgfurΔ4aa) or 13 (pgfurΔ13aa) C-terminal amino acid residues were examined in regard to importance of the C-terminal lysine-rich region. The pgfurΔ13aa strain showed a phenotype typical for the mutant Δpgfur strain, but both the wild-type PgFur protein and its truncated version bound zinc with similar ability. The Δpgfur mutant strain produced higher amounts of HmuY protein compared with the wild-type strain, suggesting compromised regulation of its expression. Potential PgFur ligands, Fe2+, Mn2+, Zn2+, PPIX, or serum components, did not influence HmuY production in the Δpgfur mutant strain. The mutant pgfurΔ4aa and pgfurΔ13aa strains exhibited affected HmuY protein production. PgFur, regardless of the presence of the C-terminal lysine-rich region, bound to the hmu operon promoter. Our data suggest that cooperation of PgFur with partners/cofactors and/or protein/DNA modifications would be required to accomplish its role played in an in vivo multilayer regulatory network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michał Śmiga
- Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Marcin Bielecki
- Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Mariusz Olczak
- Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Teresa Olczak
- Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland
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Dominy SS, Lynch C, Ermini F, Benedyk M, Marczyk A, Konradi A, Nguyen M, Haditsch U, Raha D, Griffin C, Holsinger LJ, Arastu-Kapur S, Kaba S, Lee A, Ryder MI, Potempa B, Mydel P, Hellvard A, Adamowicz K, Hasturk H, Walker GD, Reynolds EC, Faull RLM, Curtis MA, Dragunow M, Potempa J. Porphyromonas gingivalis in Alzheimer's disease brains: Evidence for disease causation and treatment with small-molecule inhibitors. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2019; 5:eaau3333. [PMID: 30746447 PMCID: PMC6357742 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aau3333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 984] [Impact Index Per Article: 196.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Porphyromonas gingivalis, the keystone pathogen in chronic periodontitis, was identified in the brain of Alzheimer's disease patients. Toxic proteases from the bacterium called gingipains were also identified in the brain of Alzheimer's patients, and levels correlated with tau and ubiquitin pathology. Oral P. gingivalis infection in mice resulted in brain colonization and increased production of Aβ1-42, a component of amyloid plaques. Further, gingipains were neurotoxic in vivo and in vitro, exerting detrimental effects on tau, a protein needed for normal neuronal function. To block this neurotoxicity, we designed and synthesized small-molecule inhibitors targeting gingipains. Gingipain inhibition reduced the bacterial load of an established P. gingivalis brain infection, blocked Aβ1-42 production, reduced neuroinflammation, and rescued neurons in the hippocampus. These data suggest that gingipain inhibitors could be valuable for treating P. gingivalis brain colonization and neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen S. Dominy
- Cortexyme, Inc., 269 East Grand Ave., South San Francisco, CA, USA
- Corresponding author.
| | - Casey Lynch
- Cortexyme, Inc., 269 East Grand Ave., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Florian Ermini
- Cortexyme, Inc., 269 East Grand Ave., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Malgorzata Benedyk
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
- Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Agata Marczyk
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Andrei Konradi
- Cortexyme, Inc., 269 East Grand Ave., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Mai Nguyen
- Cortexyme, Inc., 269 East Grand Ave., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ursula Haditsch
- Cortexyme, Inc., 269 East Grand Ave., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Debasish Raha
- Cortexyme, Inc., 269 East Grand Ave., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Samer Kaba
- Cortexyme, Inc., 269 East Grand Ave., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Alexander Lee
- Cortexyme, Inc., 269 East Grand Ave., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Mark I. Ryder
- Division of Periodontology, Department of Orofacial Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Barbara Potempa
- Department of Oral Immunology and Infectious Diseases, University of Louisville School of Dentistry, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Piotr Mydel
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
- Broegelman Research Laboratory, Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Annelie Hellvard
- Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
- Broegelman Research Laboratory, Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Karina Adamowicz
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Hatice Hasturk
- The Forsyth Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Harvard University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Glenn D. Walker
- Cooperative Research Centre for Oral Health Science, Melbourne Dental School and the Bio21 Institute of Molecular Science and Biotechnology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Eric C. Reynolds
- Cooperative Research Centre for Oral Health Science, Melbourne Dental School and the Bio21 Institute of Molecular Science and Biotechnology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Richard L. M. Faull
- Department of Anatomy with Radiology, Centre for Brain Research and NeuroValida, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Maurice A. Curtis
- Centre for Brain Research and NeuroValida, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Mike Dragunow
- Centre for Brain Research and NeuroValida, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Jan Potempa
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
- Department of Oral Immunology and Infectious Diseases, University of Louisville School of Dentistry, Louisville, KY, USA
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11
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Olczak T, Śmiga M, Kwiecień A, Bielecki M, Wróbel R, Olczak M, Ciunik Z. Antimicrobial activity of stable hemiaminals against Porphyromonas gingivalis. Anaerobe 2017; 44:27-33. [PMID: 28104533 DOI: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2017.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2016] [Revised: 01/09/2017] [Accepted: 01/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Porphyromonas gingivalis is a major etiologic agent and a key pathogen responsible for the development and progression of chronic periodontitis. Controlling the number of periodontal pathogens is one of the primary actions for maintaining oral health; therefore, active compounds with a capacity to exert antimicrobial activity have received considerable attention as they may represent potential new therapeutic agents for the treatment of chronic periodontitis. Heterocyclic compounds possessing 1,2,4- or 1,2,3-triazoles are known for several biological activities, including antibacterial properties. Among them are stable hemiaminals which can be obtained in reaction between nitrobenzaldehyde derivatives and 4-amino-1,2,4-triazole or 4-amino-3,5-dimethyl-1,2,4-triazole. In this study, we selected two relatively stable hemiaminals: (2,4-dinitrophenyl)(4H-1,2,4-triazole-4-ylamino)methanol (24DNTAM) and (2,4-dinitrophenyl)(4H-3,5-dimethyl-1,2,4-triazole-4-ylamino)methanol (24DNDMTAM). Both compounds showed promising anti-P. gingivalis activity, higher against ATCC 33277 strain as compared to A7436 strain. The lowest hemiaminal concentration inhibiting visible planktonic bacterial growth under high-iron/heme conditions was ∼0.06 mg/ml, and the lowest hemiaminal concentration showing killing of bacteria was ∼0.25 mg/ml. Antimicrobial activity was also observed against P. gingivalis grown on blood agar plates. Slightly higher antimicrobial activity of both compounds was observed when P. gingivalis was grown in co-cultures with epithelial HeLa cells under low-iron/heme conditions, which mimic those occurring in vivo. 24DNTAM was more effective against P. gingivalis, but exhibited higher cytotoxic activity against epithelial and red blood cells, as compared with 24DNDMTAM. We conclude that both hemiaminals might originate a novel group of biologically important molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Olczak
- Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw, 50-383 Wroclaw, Poland.
| | - Michał Śmiga
- Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw, 50-383 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Anna Kwiecień
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Wroclaw, 50-383 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Marcin Bielecki
- Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw, 50-383 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Robert Wróbel
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Wroclaw, 50-383 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Mariusz Olczak
- Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw, 50-383 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Zbigniew Ciunik
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Wroclaw, 50-383 Wroclaw, Poland
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12
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Gmiterek A, Kłopot A, Wójtowicz H, Trindade SC, Olczak M, Olczak T. Immune response of macrophages induced by Porphyromonas gingivalis requires HmuY protein. Immunobiology 2016; 221:1382-1394. [DOI: 10.1016/j.imbio.2016.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2016] [Revised: 06/30/2016] [Accepted: 07/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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13
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HmuY is an important virulence factor for Porphyromonas gingivalis growth in the heme-limited host environment and infection of macrophages. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2015; 467:748-53. [PMID: 26482851 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2015.10.070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2015] [Accepted: 10/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Porphyromonas gingivalis, the main etiologic agent and key pathogen responsible for initiation and progression of chronic periodontitis, is a haem auxotroph, and the uptake of this compound is essential for its survival and the ability to establish an infection. The aim of this study was to examine the role of a hemophore-like HmuY protein in P. gingivalis growth and infection of macrophages. Inactivation of the hmuY gene caused reduced P. gingivalis growth in vitro in the presence of serum as a heme sole source, as well as in vivo co-cultures with THP-1-derived macrophages. This resulted in diminished invasion efficiency of macrophages by live bacteria lacking functional hmuY gene. Both features were partially restored after addition of the purified HmuY protein, which was internalized when added either together with the hmuY mutant strain or alone to macrophage cultures. We conclude that HmuY is an important virulence factor of P. gingivalis for infection of macrophages in a heme-limited host environment.
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14
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Szafrański SP, Deng ZL, Tomasch J, Jarek M, Bhuju S, Meisinger C, Kühnisch J, Sztajer H, Wagner-Döbler I. Functional biomarkers for chronic periodontitis and insights into the roles of Prevotella nigrescens and Fusobacterium nucleatum; a metatranscriptome analysis. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes 2015; 1:15017. [PMID: 28721234 PMCID: PMC5515211 DOI: 10.1038/npjbiofilms.2015.17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2015] [Revised: 08/07/2015] [Accepted: 08/20/2015] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Periodontitis is the most prevalent inflammatory disease worldwide and is caused by a dysbiotic subgingival biofilm. Here we used metatranscriptomics to determine the functional shift from health to periodontitis, the response of individual species to dysbiosis and to discover biomarkers. METHODS Sixteen individuals were studied, from which six were diagnosed with chronic periodontitis. Illumina sequencing of the total messenger RNA (mRNA) yielded ~42 million reads per sample. A total of 324 human oral taxon phylotypes and 366,055 open reading frames from the HOMD database reference genomes were detected. RESULTS The transcriptionally active community shifted from Bacilli and Actinobacteria in health to Bacteroidia, Deltaproteobacteria, Spirochaetes and Synergistetes in periodontitis. Clusters of orthologous groups (COGs) related to carbohydrate transport and catabolism dominated in health, whereas protein degradation and amino acid catabolism dominated in disease. The LEfSe, random forest and support vector machine methods were applied to the 2,000 most highly expressed genes and discovered the three best functional biomarkers, namely haem binding protein HmuY from Porphyromonas gingivalis, flagellar filament core protein FlaB3 from Treponema denticola, and repeat protein of unknown function from Filifactor alocis. They predicted the diagnosis correctly for 14 from 16 individuals, and when applied to an independent study misclassified one out of six subjects only. Prevotella nigrescens shifted from commensalism to virulence by upregulating the expression of metalloproteases and the haem transporter. Expression of genes for the synthesis of the cytotoxic short-chain fatty acid butyrate was observed by Fusobacterium nucleatum under all conditions. Four additional species contributed to butyrate synthesis in periodontitis and they used an additional pathway. CONCLUSION Gene biomarkers of periodontitis are highly predictive. The pro-inflammatory role of F. nucelatum is not related to butyrate synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Szymon P Szafrański
- Research Group Microbial Communication, Department of Molecular Infection Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Zhi-Luo Deng
- Research Group Microbial Communication, Department of Molecular Infection Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Jürgen Tomasch
- Research Group Microbial Communication, Department of Molecular Infection Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Michael Jarek
- Genome Analytics, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Sabin Bhuju
- Genome Analytics, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Christa Meisinger
- Institute of Epidemiology II, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Jan Kühnisch
- Department of Conservative Dentistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, München, Germany
| | - Helena Sztajer
- Research Group Microbial Communication, Department of Molecular Infection Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Irene Wagner-Döbler
- Research Group Microbial Communication, Department of Molecular Infection Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Braunschweig, Germany
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15
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Śmiga M, Bielecki M, Olczak M, Smalley JW, Olczak T. Anti-HmuY antibodies specifically recognize Porphyromonas gingivalis HmuY protein but not homologous proteins in other periodontopathogens. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0117508. [PMID: 25658942 PMCID: PMC4320075 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0117508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2014] [Accepted: 12/26/2014] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Given the emerging evidence of an association between periodontal infections and systemic conditions, the search for specific methods to detect the presence of P. gingivalis, a principal etiologic agent in chronic periodontitis, is of high importance. The aim of this study was to characterize antibodies raised against purified P. gingivalis HmuY protein and selected epitopes of the HmuY molecule. Since other periodontopathogens produce homologs of HmuY, we also aimed to characterize responses of antibodies raised against the HmuY protein or its epitopes to the closest homologous proteins from Prevotella intermedia and Tannerella forsythia. Rabbits were immunized with purified HmuY protein or three synthetic, KLH-conjugated peptides, derived from the P. gingivalis HmuY protein. The reactivity of anti-HmuY antibodies with purified proteins or bacteria was determined using Western blotting and ELISA assay. First, we found homologs of P. gingivalis HmuY in P. intermedia (PinO and PinA proteins) and T. forsythia (Tfo protein) and identified corrected nucleotide and amino acid sequences of Tfo. All proteins were overexpressed in E. coli and purified using ion-exchange chromatography, hydrophobic chromatography and gel filtration. We demonstrated that antibodies raised against P. gingivalis HmuY are highly specific to purified HmuY protein and HmuY attached to P. gingivalis cells. No reactivity between P. intermedia and T. forsythia or between purified HmuY homologs from these bacteria and anti-HmuY antibodies was detected. The results obtained in this study demonstrate that P. gingivalis HmuY protein may serve as an antigen for specific determination of serum antibodies raised against this bacterium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michał Śmiga
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw, 14A F. Joliot-Curie St., 50-383 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Marcin Bielecki
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw, 14A F. Joliot-Curie St., 50-383 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Mariusz Olczak
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw, 14A F. Joliot-Curie St., 50-383 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - John W. Smalley
- School of Dentistry, University of Liverpool, Research Wing, Daulby Street, Liverpool L69 3GN, United Kingdom
| | - Teresa Olczak
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw, 14A F. Joliot-Curie St., 50-383 Wroclaw, Poland
- * E-mail:
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16
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Ciuraszkiewicz J, Śmiga M, Mackiewicz P, Gmiterek A, Bielecki M, Olczak M, Olczak T. Fur homolog regulatesPorphyromonas gingivalisvirulence under low-iron/heme conditions through a complex regulatory network. Mol Oral Microbiol 2014; 29:333-53. [DOI: 10.1111/omi.12077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/30/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- J. Ciuraszkiewicz
- Laboratory of Biochemistry; Faculty of Biotechnology; University of Wroclaw; Wroclaw Poland
| | - M. Śmiga
- Laboratory of Biochemistry; Faculty of Biotechnology; University of Wroclaw; Wroclaw Poland
| | - P. Mackiewicz
- Department of Genomics; Faculty of Biotechnology; University of Wroclaw; Wroclaw Poland
| | - A. Gmiterek
- Laboratory of Biochemistry; Faculty of Biotechnology; University of Wroclaw; Wroclaw Poland
| | - M. Bielecki
- Laboratory of Biochemistry; Faculty of Biotechnology; University of Wroclaw; Wroclaw Poland
| | - M. Olczak
- Laboratory of Biochemistry; Faculty of Biotechnology; University of Wroclaw; Wroclaw Poland
| | - T. Olczak
- Laboratory of Biochemistry; Faculty of Biotechnology; University of Wroclaw; Wroclaw Poland
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Differential roles of tryptophan residues in conformational stability of Porphyromonas gingivalis HmuY hemophore. BMC BIOCHEMISTRY 2014; 15:2. [PMID: 24512694 PMCID: PMC3922309 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2091-15-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2013] [Accepted: 02/03/2014] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Background We have previously shown that the P. gingivalis HmuY hemophore-like protein binds heme and scavenges heme from host hemoproteins to further deliver it to the cognate heme receptor HmuR. The aim of this study was to characterize structural features of HmuY variants in the presence and absence of heme with respect to roles of tryptophan residues in conformational stability. Results HmuY possesses tryptophan residues at positions 51 and 73, which are conserved in HmuY homologs present in a variety of bacteria, and a tryptophan residue at position 161, which has been found only in HmuY identified in P. gingivalis strains. We expressed and purified the wildtype HmuY and its protein variants with single tryptophan residues replaced by alanine or tyrosine residues. All HmuY variants were subjected to thermal denaturation and fluorescence spectroscopy analyses. Replacement of the most buried W161 only moderately affects protein stability. The most profound effect of the lack of a large hydrophobic side chain in respect to thermal stability is observed for W73. Also replacement of the W51 exposed on the surface results in the greatest loss of protein stability and even the large aromatic side chain of a tyrosine residue has little potential to substitute this tryptophan residue. Heme binding leads to different exposure of the tryptophan residue at position 51 to the surface of the protein. Differences in structural stability of HmuY variants suggest the change of the tertiary structure of the protein upon heme binding. Conclusions Here we demonstrate differential roles of tryptophan residues in the protein conformational stability. We also propose different conformations of apo- and holoHmuY caused by tertiary changes which allow heme binding to the protein.
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