Different modes of membrane permeabilization by two RTX toxins: HlyA from Escherichia coli and CyaA from Bordetella pertussis

This study clarifies the membrane disruption mechanisms of two bacterial RTX toxins: alphahemolysin (HlyA) from Escherichia coli and a highly homologous adenylate cyclase toxin (CyaA) from Bordetella pertussis. For this purpose, we employed a fluorescence requenching method using liposomes (extruded through filters of different pore size - 1000 nm, 400 nm or 100 nm) with encapsulated fluorescent dye/quencher pair ANTS/DPX. We showed that both toxins induced a graded leakage of liposome content with different selectivities alpha for DPX and ANTS. In contrast to HlyA, CyaA exhibited a higher selectivity for cationic quencher DPX, which increased with vesicle diameter. Large unilamellar vesicles (LUV(1000)) were found to be more suitable for distinguishing between high alpha values whereas smaller ones (LUV(100)) were more appropriate for discriminating an all-or-none leakage (alpha=0) from the graded leakage with low values of alpha. While disrupting LUV(1000), CyaA caused a highly cation-selective leakage (alpha~15) whereas its mutated form with decreased channel K(+)/Cl(-) selectivity due to two substitutions in a predicted transmembrane segment (CyaA-E509K+E516K) exhibited much lower selectivity (alpha approximately 6). We concluded that the fluorescence requenching method in combination with different size of liposomes is a valuable tool for characterization of pore-forming toxins and their variants.

Metabolic control of the membrane fluidity in Bacillus subtilis during cold adaptation

Membrane fluidity adaptation to the low growth temperature in Bacillus subtilis involves two distinct mechanisms: (1) long-term adaptation accomplished by increasing the ratio of anteiso- to iso-branched fatty acids and (2) rapid desaturation of fatty acid chains in existing phospholipids by induction of fatty acid desaturase after cold shock. In this work we studied the effect of medium composition on cold adaptation of membrane fluidity. Bacillus subtilis was cultivated at optimum (40 degrees C) and low (20 degrees C) temperatures in complex medium with glucose or in mineral medium with either glucose or glycerol. Cold adaptation was characterized by fatty acid analysis and by measuring the midpoint of phospholipid phase transition T(m) (differential scanning calorimetry) and membrane fluidity (DPH fluorescence polarization). Cells cultured and measured at 40 degrees C displayed the same membrane fluidity in all three media despite a markedly different fatty acid composition. The T(m) was surprisingly the highest in the case of a culture grown in complex medium. On the contrary, cultivation at 20 degrees C in the complex medium gave rise to the highest membrane fluidity with concomitant decrease of T(m) by 10.5 degrees C. In mineral media at 20 degrees C the corresponding changes of T(m) were almost negligible. After a temperature shift from 40 to 20 degrees C, the cultures from all three media displayed the same adaptive induction of fatty acid desaturase despite their different membrane fluidity values immediately after cold shock.

Third activity of Bordetella adenylate cyclase (AC) toxin-hemolysin. Membrane translocation of AC domain polypeptide promotes calcium influx into CD11b+ monocytes independently of the catalytic and hemolytic activities

The Bordetella adenylate cyclase toxin-hemolysin (CyaA) targets phagocytes expressing the alpha(M)beta2 integrin (CD11b/CD18), permeabilizes their membranes by forming small cation-selective pores, and delivers into cells a calmodulin-activated adenylate cyclase (AC) enzyme that dissipates cytosolic ATP into cAMP. We describe here a third activity of CyaA that yields elevation of cytosolic calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) in target cells. The CyaA-mediated [Ca2+]i increase in CD11b+ J774A.1 monocytes was inhibited by extracellular La3+ ions but not by nifedipine, SK&F 96365, flunarizine, 2-aminoethyl diphenylborinate, or thapsigargin, suggesting that influx of Ca2+ into cells was not because of receptor signaling or opening of conventional calcium channels by cAMP. Compared with intact CyaA, a CyaA-AC- toxoid unable to generate cAMP promoted a faster, albeit transient, elevation of [Ca2+]i. This was not because of cell permeabilization by the CyaA hemolysin pores, because a mutant exhibiting a strongly enhanced pore-forming activity (CyaA-E509K/E516K), but unable to deliver the AC domain into cells, was also unable to elicit a [Ca2+]i increase. Further mutations interfering with AC translocation into cells, such as proline substitutions of glutamate residues 509 or 570 or deletion of the AC domain as such, reduced or ablated the [Ca2+]i-elevating capacity of CyaA. Moreover, structural alterations within the AC domain, because of insertion of various oligopeptides, differently modulated the kinetics and extent of Ca2+ influx elicited by the respective AC- toxoids. Hence, the translocating AC polypeptide itself appears to participate in formation of a novel type of membrane path for calcium ions, contributing to action of CyaA in an unexpected manner.

Short-lived fluorescence component of DPH reports on lipid--water interface of biological membranes

Fluorescence measurements of 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) in large unilamellar phospholipid vesicles were performed to characterize the influence of the membrane physical properties on the short-lived lifetime component of the fluorescence decay. We have found that the short-lived component of DPH significantly shortens when the membrane undergoes a temperature-induced phase transition as it is known for the long-lived component of DPH. We induced membrane phase transitions also by alcohols, which are reported to be distributed different way in the membrane--ethanol close to the membrane-water interface and benzyl alcohol in the membrane core. A different effect of the respective alcohol on the short and long decay component was observed. Both the time-resolved fluorescence spectra of DPH taken during lipid vesicle staining and the lifetime dependences caused by changes of temperature and/or induced by the alcohols show that the short-lived fluorescence originates from the population of dye molecules distributed at the membrane-water interface.

Different structural requirements for adenylate cyclase toxin interactions with erythrocyte and liposome membranes

The bifunctional Bordetella adenylate cyclase toxin-hemolysin (ACT) penetrates target cell membranes, forms cation-selective channels and subverts cellular signaling by catalyzing uncontrolled conversion of ATP to cAMP. While primarily targeting phagocytes expressing the alphaMbeta2 integrin (CD11b/CD18), the toxin can also penetrate mammalian erythrocytes lacking the receptor and membrane endocytosis. We sought here to analyze the membrane interactions of ACT in a liposome model. Insertion of ACT into liposome membranes required calcium and caused leakage of entrapped fluorescent probes due to liposome disruption, as indicated by similar release kinetics for the approximately 398 Da FITC probe and its approximately 4400 Da dextran conjugate. However, the non-acylated proACT, which does not penetrate cellular membranes, exhibited higher capacity to bind and lyze liposomes than the mature toxin, showing that the fatty-acyl modification was not required for penetration of ACT into the lipid bilayer. Individual deletions within the channel-forming, acylation and repeat domains of ACT abolished its capacity to disrupt both liposomes and erythrocytes. In contrast to erythrocyte binding, however, the liposome binding was only lost upon a simultaneous deletion of both the channel-forming and acylation domains, suggesting that the acylation domain was also involved in liposome penetration of ACT. Moreover, substitutions of glutamates 509 and 516 by lysines, which strongly enhanced the channel-forming and hemolytic activity of ACT, did not affect its capacity to disrupt liposomes. This shows that the mechanism of ACT action in cellular membranes is not fully reproduced in liposome membranes.

Chaperone activity of tobacco HSP18, a small heat-shock protein, is inhibited by ATP

NtHSP18P (HSP18), a cytosolic class I small heat-shock protein from tobacco pollen grains, was expressed in Escherichia coli. The viability of these cells was improved by 50% at 50 degrees C, demonstrating its functionality in vivo. Purified recombinant protein formed 240 kDa HSP18 oligomers, irrespective of temperature. These oligomers interacted with the model substrate citrate synthase (CS) to form large complexes in a temperature-dependent manner. Furthermore, HSP18 prevented thermally induced aggregation of CS at 45 degrees C. The fluorescence probe bis-ANS revealed the exposure of HSP18 hydrophobic surfaces at this temperature. Reactivation of chemically denatured CS was also significantly enhanced by HSP18. Surprisingly, HSP18 function was inhibited (in contrast to the related chaperone alphabeta-crystallin and plant sHSPs studied so far) by the presence of ATP in a concentration-dependent manner. The conformational changes of HSP18 imposed by ATP binding were indicated by the difference in the quenching of intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence, and implied more compact structure with ATP. Fluorescence measurements with bis-ANS showed that the conformational shift of HSP18 is suppressed in the presence of ATP. Decreased chaperone activity of HSP18 in the presence of ATP is caused by the lower affinity of conformationally blocked HSP18 for the substrate, as demonstrated by a higher susceptibility of model substrate, malate dehydrogenase, to proteolytic cleavage. Our results suggest that the chaperone activity of some plant sHSPs could be regulated by the availability of ATP in the cytoplasm, which would provide a mechanism to monitor the cell environment, control biological activity of sHSPs, and coordinate it with other ATP-dependent chaperones such as HSP70.

Cold shock in Bacillus subtilis: different effects of benzyl alcohol and ethanol on the membrane organisation and cell adaptation

A temperature shift-down of Bacillus subtilis from 40 to 20 degrees C induces an 80 min growth lag. Benzyl alcohol reduced this period to 51 min, whereas ethanol prolonged it up to 102 min. The effect of the two alcohols on the membrane state was investigated by measuring the steady-state fluorescence anisotropy and analysing the lifetime distribution of diphenylhexatriene (DPH) and its polar derivative, TMA-DPH. As followed from the fluorescence anisotropy, the two alcohols exerted similar (fluidizing) effects on the cytoplasmic membranes of B. subtilis. However, benzyl alcohol significantly shortened the main DPH lifetime component and widened its distribution, while ethanol had no effect. The benzyl alcohol activity was interpreted in terms of an increased membrane hydration due to disordering of the membrane structure. Such an effect imitates the cold shock induced synthesis of unsaturated fatty acids in B. subtilis. The fatty acid analysis revealed that ethanol hindered this adaptive synthesis of fatty acids. At the same time, its effect on the membrane state (membrane order) was very low and could not substitute the physiological response as was the case with benzyl alcohol. It can thus be concluded that the adaptation of the membrane physical state contributes significantly to the cold shock response of B. subtilis.

Possible nystatin-protein interaction in yeast plasma membrane vesicles in the presence of ergosterol. A Förster energy transfer study

The Förster energy transfer from tryptophan residues of membrane proteins to nystatin was measured in reconstituted yeast plasma membrane vesicles free of, or doped with, ergosterol. We wanted to elucidate whether the functional change of membrane transport proteins from H+ symporters to facilitators, observed in ergosterol-containing plasma membrane vesicles on addition of nystatin [Opekarová and Tanner (1994) FEBS Lett. 350, 46-50], is reflected in altered protein-nystatin relations within the membrane. Both frequency-domain and time-domain time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy showed that in the presence of ergosterol nystatin is located much closer to membrane proteins than in its absence.

The transmembrane gradient of the dielectric constant influences the DPH lifetime distribution

The fluorescence lifetime distribution of 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) and 1-[4-(trimethylamino)phenyl]-6-phenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (TMA-DPH) in egg-phosphatidylcholine liposomes was measured in normal and heavy water. The lower dielectric constant (by approximately 12%) of heavy water compared with normal water was employed to provide direct evidence that the drop of the dielectric constant along the membrane normal shifts the centers of the distribution of both DPH and TMA-DPH to higher values and sharpens the widths of the distribution. The profile of the dielectric constant along the membrane normal was not found to be a linear gradient (in contrast to [1]) but a more complex function. Presence of cholesterol in liposomes further shifted the center of the distributions to higher value and sharpened them. In addition, it resulted in a more gradient-like profile of the dielectric constant (i.e. linearization) along the normal of the membrane. The effect of the change of dielectric constant on the membrane proteins is discussed.

Time-resolved polarized fluorescence studies of the temperature adaptation in Bacillus subtilis using DPH and TMA-DPH fluorescent probes

The validity of the concept of homeoviscous adaptation was tested for bacteria Bacillus subtilis. The Bacillus subtilis grown at 20 degrees C (referred to as Bs20) exhibit a considerable increase of branched anteiso-C15, the major fatty acid component of membrane lipids, relative to membranes grown at 40 degrees C (Bs40). The time-resolved fluorescence depolarization of 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) and 1-[4-(trimethylamino)phenyl]-6-phenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (TMA-DPH) showed that these changes in the lipid composition are accompanied by changes in a mean lipid order. In particular, the DPH order parameters <P2> and <P4> measured in Bs20 membranes at 18 degrees C and in Bs40 membranes at 45 degrees C, respectively, tend to be equal. This effect was less pronounced for TMA-DPH. Our observations suggest that a physical parallel to the changes of lipid composition is the maintenance of an optimal lipid order in the hydrophobic core of the cytoplasmic membranes. It can be interpreted as a tendency of Bacillus subtilis to keep the lateral pressure in its membranes at an optimal value, independent of the temperature of cultivation.

Rotational relaxation rate of 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene in cytoplasmic membranes of Bacillus subtilis. A new model of heterogeneous rotations

The temperature dependence of fluorescence anisotropy, lifetime and differential tangent of 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) and its polar trimethylammonium derivative (TMA-DPH) were investigated in cytoplasmic membranes of Bacillus subtilis. The fluorescence parameters were compared in the two types of membranes prepared from bacteria cultivated at 20 and 40 degrees C. Steady-state anisotropy measurements showed that within a broad range of temperatures, membranes cultivated at 20 degrees C exhibit significantly lower values than those prepared from cells cultivated at 40 degrees C. The temperature dependence of lifetime and differential tangent measurements (differential polarized phase fluorimetry) were fully consistent with steady-state anisotropy data of both DPH and TMA-DPH. The low anisotropy values in the case of TMA-DPH could be explained by a shorter lifetime and higher temperature-induced decrease as compared with DPH. Surprisingly, the temperature dependence of rotational rate R calculated according to the model of hindered rotations (Lakowicz 1983) gave misleading results. When increasing the temperature from 5 to 25 degrees C, a marked drop of rotational relaxation rate was observed. The minimum R values were measured between 25 and 30 degrees C and further increase of temperature (up to 60 degrees C) was reflected as increase of the R values. Therefore, a new model of "heterogeneous rotations" was developed. This model assumes that even at low temperatures (approaching 0 degrees C) where the differential tangent reaches zero, a fraction of fast rotating molecules exists. The ratio between fast and slowly rotating molecules may be expressed by this model, the newly calculated rotational rates are fully consistent with anisotropy, lifetime and differential tangent measurements and represent the monotonically increasing function of temperature.