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Lehman KM, May KL, Marotta J, Grabowicz M. Genetic analysis reveals a robust and hierarchical recruitment of the LolA chaperone to the LolCDE lipoprotein transporter. mBio 2024; 15:e0303923. [PMID: 38193657 PMCID: PMC10865981 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03039-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The outer membrane (OM) is an essential organelle of Gram-negative bacteria. Lipoproteins are key to building the OM, performing essential functions in several OM assembly machines. Lipoproteins mature in the inner membrane (IM) and are then trafficked to the OM. In Escherichia coli, the LolCDE transporter is needed to extract lipoproteins from the IM to begin trafficking. Lipoproteins are then transferred from LolCDE to the periplasmic chaperone LolA which ferries them to the OM for insertion by LolB. LolA recruitment by LolC is an essential trafficking step. Structural and biochemical studies suggested that two regions (termed Hook and Pad) within a periplasmic loop of LolC worked in tandem to recruit LolA, leading to a bipartite model for recruitment. Here, we genetically examine the LolC periplasmic loop in vivo using E. coli. Our findings challenge the bipartite interaction model. We show that while the Hook is essential for lipoprotein trafficking in vivo, lipoproteins are still efficiently trafficked when the Pad residues are inactivated. We show with AlphaFold2 multimer modeling that Hook:LolA interactions are likely universal among diverse Gram-negative bacteria. Conversely, Pad:LolA interactions vary across phyla. Our in vivo data redefine LolC:LolA recruitment into a hierarchical interaction model. We propose that the Hook is the major player in LolA recruitment, while the Pad plays an ancillary role that is important for efficiency but is ultimately dispensable. Our findings expand the understanding of a fundamental step in essential lipoprotein trafficking and have implications for efforts to develop new antibacterials that target LolCDE.IMPORTANCEResistance to current antibiotics is increasingly common. New antibiotics that target essential processes are needed to expand clinical options. For Gram-negative bacteria, their cell surface-the outer membrane (OM)-is an essential organelle and antibiotic barrier that is an attractive target for new antibacterials. Lipoproteins are key to building the OM. The LolCDE transporter is needed to supply the OM with lipoproteins and has been a focus of recent antibiotic discovery. In vitro evidence recently proposed a two-part interaction of LolC with LolA lipoprotein chaperone (which traffics lipoproteins to the OM) via "Hook" and "Pad" regions. We show that this model does not reflect lipoprotein trafficking in vivo. Only the Hook is essential for lipoprotein trafficking and is remarkably robust to mutational changes. The Pad is non-essential for lipoprotein trafficking but plays an ancillary role, contributing to trafficking efficiency. These insights inform ongoing efforts to drug LolCDE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly M. Lehman
- Microbiology and Molecular Genetics Program, Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Laney Graduate School, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Emory Antibiotic Resistance Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Kerrie L. May
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Emory Antibiotic Resistance Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Julianna Marotta
- Microbiology and Molecular Genetics Program, Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Laney Graduate School, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Emory Antibiotic Resistance Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Marcin Grabowicz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Emory Antibiotic Resistance Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Lehman KM, May KL, Marotta J, Grabowicz M. Genetic analysis reveals a robust and hierarchical recruitment of the LolA chaperone to the LolCDE lipoprotein transporter. bioRxiv 2023:2023.11.08.566237. [PMID: 37986794 PMCID: PMC10659402 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.08.566237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
The outer membrane (OM) is an essential organelle of Gram-negative bacteria. Lipoproteins are key to building the OM, performing essential functions in several OM assembly machines. Lipoproteins mature in the inner membrane (IM) and are then trafficked to the OM. In Escherichia coli, the LolCDE transporter is needed to extract lipoproteins from the IM to begin trafficking. Lipoproteins are then transferred from LolCDE to the periplasmic chaperone LolA which ferries them to the OM for insertion by LolB. LolA recruitment by LolC is an essential trafficking step. Structural and biochemical studies suggested that two regions (termed Hook and Pad) within a periplasmic loop of LolC worked in tandem to recruit LolA, leading to a bipartite model for recruitment. Here, we genetically examine the LolC periplasmic loop in vivo using E. coli. Our findings challenge the bipartite interaction model. We show that while the Hook is essential for lipoprotein trafficking in vivo, lipoproteins are still efficiently trafficked when the Pad residues are inactivated. We show with AlphaFold2 multimer modeling that Hook:LolA interactions are likely universal among diverse Gram-negative bacteria. Conversely, Pad:LolA interactions vary across phyla. Our in vivo data redefine LolC:LolA recruitment into a hierarchical interaction model. We propose that the Hook is the major player in LolA recruitment, while the Pad plays an ancillary role that is important for efficiency but is ultimately dispensable. Our findings expand the understanding of a fundamental step in essential lipoprotein trafficking and have implications for efforts to develop new antibacterials that target LolCDE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly M. Lehman
- Microbiology and Molecular Genetics Program, Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Laney Graduate School, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Emory Antibiotic Resistance Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Kelly M. Lehman and Kerrie L. May contributed equally to this work. Author order was determined alphabetically
| | - Kerrie L. May
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Emory Antibiotic Resistance Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Kelly M. Lehman and Kerrie L. May contributed equally to this work. Author order was determined alphabetically
| | - Julianna Marotta
- Microbiology and Molecular Genetics Program, Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Laney Graduate School, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Emory Antibiotic Resistance Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Marcin Grabowicz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Emory Antibiotic Resistance Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Lehman KM, Grabowicz M. Countering Gram-Negative Antibiotic Resistance: Recent Progress in Disrupting the Outer Membrane with Novel Therapeutics. Antibiotics (Basel) 2019; 8:antibiotics8040163. [PMID: 31554212 PMCID: PMC6963605 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics8040163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Revised: 09/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Gram-negative bacteria shield themselves from antibiotics by producing an outer membrane (OM) that forms a formidable permeability barrier. Multidrug resistance among these organisms is a particularly acute problem that is exacerbated by the OM. The poor penetrance of many available antibiotics prevents their clinical use, and efforts to discover novel classes of antibiotics against Gram-negative bacteria have been unsuccessful for almost 50 years. Recent insights into how the OM is built offer new hope. Several essential multiprotein molecular machines (Bam, Lpt, and Lol) work in concert to assemble the barrier and offer a swathe of new targets for novel therapeutic development. Murepavadin has been at the vanguard of these efforts, but its recently reported phase III clinical trial toxicity has tempered the anticipation of imminent new clinical options. Nonetheless, the many concerted efforts aimed at breaking down the OM barrier provide a source of ongoing optimism for what may soon come through the development pipeline. We will review the current state of drug development against the OM assembly targets, highlighting insightful new discovery approaches and strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly M Lehman
- Microbiology and Molecular Genetics Program, Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Laney Graduate School, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
- Emory Antibiotic Resistance Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
| | - Marcin Grabowicz
- Microbiology and Molecular Genetics Program, Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Laney Graduate School, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
- Emory Antibiotic Resistance Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
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