Use of gene fusion to study secretion of maltose-binding protein into Escherichia coli periplasm

Insertion of a MalE beta-galactosidase fusion protein into the envelope of Escherichia coli disrupts biogenesis of outer membrane proteins and processing of inner membrane proteins

The synthesis of a membrane-bound MalE beta-galactosidase hybrid protein, when induced by growth of Escherichia coli on maltose, leads to inhibition of cell division and eventually a reduced rate of mass increase. In addition, the relative rate of synthesis of outer membrane proteins, but not that of inner membrane proteins, was reduced by about 50%. Kinetic experiments demonstrated that this reduction coincided with the period of maximum synthesis of the hybrid protein (and another maltose-inducible protein, LamB). The accumulation of this abnormal protein in the envelope therefore appeared specifically to inhibit the synthesis, the assembly of outer membrane proteins, or both, indicating that the hybrid protein blocks some export site or causes the sequestration of some limiting factor(s) involved in the export process. Since the MalE protein is normally located in the periplasm, the results also suggest that the synthesis of periplasmic and outer membrane proteins may involve some steps in common. The reduced rate of synthesis of outer membrane proteins was also accompanied by the accumulation in the envelope of at least one outer membrane protein and at least two inner membrane proteins as higher-molecular-weight forms, indicating that processing (removal of the N-terminal signal sequence) was also disrupted by the presence of the hybrid protein. These results may indicate that the assembly of these membrane proteins is blocked at a relatively late step rather than at the level of primary recognition of some site by the signal sequence. In addition, the results suggest that some step common to the biogenesis of quite different kinds of envelope protein is blocked by the presence of the hybrid protein.

Regulation of adenylate cyclase synthesis in Escherichia coli: studies with cya-lac operon and protein fusion strains

We have isolated cya-lac operon and protein fusions in Escherichia coli K-12, and we used these to study the regulation of cya, the structural gene for adenylate cyclase. Data obtained from these fusion strains suggest that neither cyclic AMP (cAMP) nor the cAMP receptor protein plays a major role in transcriptional or translational regulation of cya expression. Modulation of intracellular cAMP concentrations elicited only weak repression of cya-lac fusion activity under conditions of high intracellular cAMP, relative to fusion activity under conditions of low intracellular cAMP. The functional cAMP receptor protein was required for this effect. Incorporation of delta crp into cya-lac fusion strains did not affect fusion expression in glucose-grown cells as compared with similarly cultured isogenic crp+ strains. Furthermore, 20 independently obtained mutants derived from a cya-lacZ protein fusion strain exhibiting a weak Lac+ phenotype were isolated, and it was determined that the mutants had beta-galactosidase activities ranging from 2- to 77-fold greater than those of the parental strain. None of the mutations responsible for this increase in fusion activity map in the crp locus. We used these mutants to aid in the identification of a 160,000-dalton cya-lacZ hybrid protein. Finally, chromosome mobilization experiments, using cya-lac fusion strains, allowed us to infer a clockwise direction of transcription for the cya gene relative to the standard E. coli genetic map.

A prokaryotic membrane anchor sequence: carboxyl terminus of bacteriophage f1 gene III protein retains it in the membrane

Gene III protein of bacteriophage f1 is inserted into the host cell membrane where it is assembled into phage particles. A truncated form of gene III protein, encoded by a recombinant plasmid and lacking the carboxyl terminus, does not remain in the membrane but instead appears to slip through it. Fusion of a hydrophobic "membrane anchor" from another membrane protein, the gene VIII protein, to the truncated gene III protein (by manipulation of the recombinant plasmid) restores membrane anchoring. A model for the relationship of gene III protein with the Escherichia coli membrane is discussed.

Use of gene fusions to study expression of cysB, the regulatory gene of the cysteine regulon

Strains of escherichia coli were constructed in which the lacZ gene is fused to cysB, the positive regulator gene of the cysteine regulon. The fusion strains were used to study the regulation of the cysB gene by assaying the fused lacZ gene product. The introduction of a cysB allele, either on a plasmid or on an episome to the fusion strains, resulted in the decrease of beta-galactosidase activity. This implies that the cysB gene expression is autoregulated by its own product. The direction of cysB gene transcription was determined to be clockwise.

Protein localization in E. coli: is there a common step in the secretion of periplasmic and outer-membrane proteins?

An E. coli strain carrying a fusion of the MalE and lacZ genes is induced for the synthesis of a hybrid protein, consisting of the N-terminal part of the maltose-binding protein and the enzymatically active C-terminal part of beta-galactosidase, by addition of maltose to cells. The secretion of the protein is initiated by the signal peptide attached to the N terminus of the maltose-binding protein sequence, but is not completed, presumably because the beta-galactosidase moiety of the hybrid protein interferes with the passage of the polypeptide through the cytoplasmic membrane. Thus the protein becomes stuck to the cytoplasmic membrane. Under such conditions, periplasmic proteins, including maltose-binding protein (encoded by the malE gene) and alkaline phosphatase, and the major outer-membrane proteins, including OmpF, OmpA and probably lipoprotein, are synthesized as precursor forms with unprocessed signal sequences. This effect is observed within 15 min after high levels of induction are achieved. The simplest explanation for these results and those of pulse-chase experiments is that specific sites in the cytoplasmic membrane become progressively occupied by the hybrid protein, resulting in an inhibition of normal localization and processing of periplasmic and outer-membrane proteins. These results suggest that most of the periplasmic and outer-membrane proteins share a common step in localization before the polypeptide becomes accessible to the processing enzyme. If this interpretation is correct, we can estimate that an E. coli cell has roughly 2 x 10(4) such sites in the cytoplasmic membrane. A system is described for detecting the precursor of any exported protein.

Mutations that affect lamB gene expression at a posttranscriptional level

We previously obtained strains of Escherichia coli in which the beginning of gene lacZ, which codes for beta-galactosidase, is replaced by the beginning of gene lamB, which codes for a maltose-inducible outer membrane protein. In some of these strains the induction (with maltose) of lamB-lacZ hybrid protein synthesis was lethal because of membrane damage resulting from an incomplete export of this protein to the outer membrane. We describe here a class of maltose-resistant mutants obtained from one such strain. Mutants in this class fail to produce the lamB-lacZ hybrid protein but retain the ability to express lacY, which is located distal to the hybrid gene. Some of the mutants carry deletions within the hybrid gene. The others carry point mutations which most probably affect the initiation of translation at the beginning of the hybrid gene. One of these is located in the sequence that codes for the presumed ribosome interaction site on the mRNA. Three others, of which two are located in the coding region (sixth codon), are believed to result in an alteration of mRNA secondary structure such that the accessibility of the ribosome interaction site is reduced.

Ultrastructural localization of the maltose-binding protein within the cell envelope of Escherichia coli

Logarithmically growing cells of Escherichia coli were fixed with glutaraldehyde and incubated with antimaltose-binding protein Fab coupled to horseradish peroxide (molecular weight of the complex 80,000). The position of this complex within the cell envelope was determined by reacting with diaminobenzidine-H2O2, staining with osmium tetroxide and processing for thin section electron microscopy. The following observations were made: (i) induction of the maltose-binding protein resulted in swelling and staining of the outer membrane; (ii) the swelling and staining was more prominent in short cells, less prominent or absent in long cells; (iii) rare examples exhibited granular staining in the space between the plasma membrane and the peptidoglycan layer. These stainings were observable mainly in pole caps; (iv) a mutant lacking the receptor for phage lambda showed altered staining pattern. Treatment of glutaraldehyde-fixed cells with EDTA-lysozyme prevented the specific labelling of the maltose-binding protein.

ExpA: a conditional mutation affecting the expression of a group of exported proteins in Escherichia coli K-12

A mutant of Escherichia coli K-12 was isolated as conditionally deficient in the expression of two exported proteins simultaneously (i.e. two acid phosphatases). The mutant was found to be thermosensitive on minimal medium at 37 degrees C and above, but grew normally on rich media at these temperatures. The mutation, named expA and located at 22 min on the recalibrated linkage map, depressed the levels of six periplasmic enzymatic activities in bacteria grown at 37 degrees C. At least ten proteins were greatly reduced in the periplasm under these conditions. The mutation also affected some outer membrane proteins, among which were the ompF protein and a protein which may be protein III, but had little effect on cytoplasmic membrane proteins. The gel patterns of the soluble cytoplasmic proteins were not modified except for one major protein of MW 47,000. The activities of beta-galactosidase and of aspartate transcarbamylase were unmodified. After growth at 30 degrees C no difference was observed between expA and expA+ isogenic strains. The results are discussed with respect to the mechanism of protein export.

Use of gene fusions to determine the orientation of gene phoA on the Escherichia coli chromosome

We present genetic evidence which demonstrates that the phoA gene is transcribed in the clockwise direction on the Escherichia coli chromosome, in contrast to an earlier proposal. Our conclusion is based on analysis of various genetic fusions between the lac operon and the phoA gene.

purF-lac fusion and direction of purF transcription in Escherichia coli

The purF locus codes for the first enzyme, glutamine phosphoribosylpyrophosphate amidotransferase, of the purine biosynthetic pathway. A strain of Escherichia coli K-12 was isolated in which the lac structural genes were fused to the control region of the purF locus. This purF-lac fusion was shown to respond to purine-specific regulatory signals. A plaque-forming lambda transducing phage bearing this purF-lac fusion was isolated. This phage was used to genetically determine the direction of transcription for the pufF locus by two independent means. Results from both methods agreed that the direction of transcription of the purF locus was clockwise on the standard Escherichia coli K-12 genetic map.

A mechanism of protein localization: the signal hypothesis and bacteria

We are studying the molecular mechanism of cellular protein localization. The availability of genetic techniques, such as gene fusion in Escherichia coli, has made this problem particularly amenable to study in this prokaryote. We have constructed a variety of strains in which the gene coding for an outer membrane protein is fused to the gene coding for a normally cytoplasmic enzyme, beta-galactosidase. The hybrid proteins produced by such strains retain beta-galactosidase activity; this activity serves as a simple biochemical tag for studying the localization of the outer membrane protein. In addition, we have exploited phenotypes exhibited by certain fusion strains to isolate mutants that are altered in the process of protein export. Genetic and biochemical analyses of such mutants have provided evidence that the molecular mechanism of cellular protein localization is strinkingly similar in both bacteria and animal cells.

Identification of 23 complementation groups required for post-translational events in the yeast secretory pathway

Cells of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant that is temperature-sensitive for secretion and cell surface growth become dense during incubation at the non-permissive temperature (37 degrees C). This property allows the selection of additional secretory mutants by sedimentation of mutagenized cells on a Ludox density gradient. Colonies derived from dense cells are screened for conditional growth and secretion of invertase and acid phosphatase. The sec mutant strains that accumulate an abnormally large intracellular pool of invertase at 37 degrees C (188 mutant clones) fall into 23 complementation groups, and the distribution of mutant alleles suggests that more complementation groups could be found. Bud emergence and incorporation of a plasma membrane sulfate permease activity stop quickly after a shift to 37 degrees C. Many of the mutants are thermoreversible; upon return to the permissive temperature (25 degrees C) the accumulated invertase is secreted. Electron microscopy of sec mutant cells reveals, with one exception, the temperature-dependent accumulation of membrane-enclosed secretory organelles. We suggest that these structures represent intermediates in a pathway in which secretion and plasma membrane assembly are colinear.

In vitro gene fusions that join an enzymatically active beta-galactosidase segment to amino-terminal fragments of exogenous proteins: Escherichia coli plasmid vectors for the detection and cloning of translational initiation signals

We report the construction and use of a series of plasmid vectors suitable for the detection and cloning of translational control signals and 5' coding sequences of exogenously derived genes. In these plasmids, the first eight codons of the amino-terminal end of the lactose operon beta-galactosidase gene, lacZ, were removed, and unique BamHI, EcoRI, and SmaI (XmaI) endonuclease cleavage sites were incorporated adjacent to the eighth codon of lacZ. Introduction of deoxyribonucleic acid fragments containing appropriate regulatory signals and 5' coding sequences into such lac fusion plasmids led to the production of hybrid proteins consisting of the carboxyl-terminal segment of a beta-galactosidase remnant plus a peptide fragment that contained the amino-terminal amino acids encoded by the exogenous deoxyribonucleic acid sequence. These hybrid peptides retained beta-galactosidase enzymatic activity and yielded a Lac+ phenotype. Such hybrid proteins are useful for purifying peptide sequences encoded by exogenous deoxyribonucleic acid fragments and for studies relating the structure and function of specific peptide segments.

A signal sequence is not sufficient to lead beta-galactosidase out of the cytoplasm

Escherichia coli strains have been constructed in which lacZ, the gene for the cytoplasmic enzyme beta-galactosidase, is fused to lamB, the gene for an outer membrane protein. One such strain produces a beta-galactosidase which remains cytoplasmic even though it possesses the complete signal sequence of the lamB protein precursor at the amino-terminal end.

Mutants which make more malT product, the activator of the maltose regulon in Escherichia coli

Some of the previously described malT-lacZ fusion strains (Débarbouillé and Schwartz, 1979) produce very low amounts of beta-galactosidase activity and hence grow poorly on lactose. Spontaneous mutants growing faster on lactose have been isolated. Some of the mutations map in, or close to, the promoter of the hybrid gene. They lead to an increased production of the hybrid proteins, which then become detectable on polyacrylamide gels. This effect is cis dominant. When the mutations, called malTq, are transduced into a malT+ background the resulting transductants express the three maltose operons in a partially constitutive way. The malTq mutations therefore represent a new type of constitutive mutation. Their existence provides further evidence for the previously proposed model of positive regulation in the maltose regulon. In addition they should facilitate the purification of the malT product, and the identification of the malT promoter on the DNA.

Secretion of beta-lactamase requires the carboxy end of the protein

Synthesis and secretion of beta-lactamase were studied in Salmonella typhimurium infected with P22 phage carrying the structural gene for beta-lactamase (the bla gene) in mutant or wild-type form. The wild-type gene was shown to specify two forms of beta-lactamase which differ in molecular weight by about 2500 daltons. This difference is consistent with removal, predicted on other grounds, of 23 amino-terminal residues (the "signal" sequence). All bla- mutants, including chain-terminating mutants lacking as much as 50% or as little as 10% of the protein, were apparently unaffected in this processing step. Pulse-chase experiments showed that more than 85% of the wild-type (as well as mutant) proteins are synthesized as complete overlength precursors before being processed to their mature forms. Virtually all the mature wild-type protein appears in the periplasmic space whereas a large fraction of the precursor appears in the cytoplasm. In contrast, both the precursor and processed forms of beta-lactamase proteins synthesized by chain-terminating mutants (including one which lacks only 10% of its residues from the carboxy end) are not secreted and apparently remain soluble in the cytoplasm. These results show that the carboxy-terminal amino acid sequence (at least) of beta-lactamase is essential to successful transport across the cytoplasmic membrane, and suggest that the presence (and probably also the act of removal) of the signal sequence does not suffice to ensure secretion.

Regulation of aspartokinase III synthesis in Escherichia coli: isolation of mutants containing lysC-lac fusions

Mutants containing fusions of the lac gene to the lysC gene were isolated. In these, the expression of beta-galactosidase was regulated by lysine (and arginine), as previously described for aspartokinase III.

Eukaryotic signal sequence transports insulin antigen in Escherichia coli

We made a series of plasmids with unique Pst restriction sites within or near the DNA that encodes the penicillinase signal sequence. Inserted DNA can be read in all three frames both within and immediately after the signal sequence. We cloned Pst-terminated DNA copies of the structural information for rat proinsulin and preproinsulin into these plasmids, forming a large number of hybrid penicillinase (bacterial) and insulin (eukaryotic) signal sequences. We then compared the levels of insulin antigen in the Escherichia coli periplasm with those inside the cells. We conclude that either the bacterial or the eukaryotic signal is sufficient to transport rat insulin antigen into the periplasmic space.

Mutations which alter the function of the signal sequence of the maltose binding protein of Escherichia coli

The maltose binding protein of Escherichia coli is secreted into the external periplasmic compartment of the cell by virtue of an amino-terminal signal sequence. Using DNA sequencing, we have determined the precise nature of mutations in the signal sequence which prevent the export of the maltose binding protein, causing it to accumulate in the cytoplasm in its precursor form. In most cases, the change of a single hydrophobic or uncharged amino acid to a charged amino acid within the signal sequence is sufficient to block the secretion process.

Sequence analysis of mutations that prevent export of lambda receptor, an Escherichia coli outer membrane protein

The amino-terminal signal sequence is required for initiation of transmembrane protein transfer of the Escherichia coli lambda receptor protein. Mutations leading to insertion of charged amino acids into or deletion of amino acids from the hydrophobic segment of this sequence prevent export of this outer membrane protein.

The mechanism of protein secretion across membranes

Many secreted proteins are synthesised as a large precursor with an additional hydrophobic N-terminal signal sequence that is cleaved by a membrane-bound enzyme. The proteins are secreted as nascent chains. The work leading to the current models of protein secretion is reviewed and the value of bacterial systems in the study of protein transfer across membranes is stressed.

Genetic studies on mechanisms of protein localization in Escherichia coli K-12

In the last few years, several laboratories have demonstrated that many proteins (both from eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms) that are destined to be localized in noncytoplasmic locations initially are synthesized as a precursor with a 15-30 amino acid extension at the NH2-terminal end of the molecule. This extra peptide has been termed the signal sequence, and it has been proposed that this signal plays a role in the localization of the extracytoplasmic protein. We are studying the process by which proteins are exported to the envelope region of Escherichia coli. Our work deals primarily with the outer membrane proteins, lambda receptor, the product of the lamB gene, and the major outer membrane (porin) proteins 1a and 1b, products of the ompF and ompC genes. Using techniques of gene fusion, we have demonstrated that information specifying the cellular location of the lambda receptor is contained within the lamB gene. Furthermore, we have shown that this information is capable of directing even a normally cytoplasmic protein, beta-galactosidase, to the outer membrane. Some of this information is contained within the signal sequence. Mutations that alter this sequence prevent export of the lambda receptor protein. Again using techniques of gene fusion, we have shown that the signal sequence alone is not sufficient to cause export of beta-galactosidase from the cytoplasm. Other information within the lamB gene is required. Selection procedures have been developed to isolate mutations that exhibit a general alteration in the export process. Genetic analysis of these mutations has provided evidence for the involvement of the ribosome in the process of protein localization. The structural genes for the porin proteins, 1a and 1b, are regulated at the transcriptional level by the ompB locus. This has permitted us to extend our studies on outer membrane protein localization to protein 1. With this genetic system, it should be possible to determine if E coli employs more than a single mechanism for the export of proteins to the outer membrane.

Sites within gene lacZ of Escherichia coli for formation of active hybrid beta-galactosidase molecules

We describe the genetic analysis of 21 Escherichia coli strains in which the amino-terminal sequence of beta-galactosidase has been removed and replaced by an amino-terminal sequence from one or another of the proteins involved in maltose transport. Genetic mapping of the lacZ end of these fused genes indicates that only those fusions in which fewer than 41 amino acids are removed from the amino-terminal sequence of beta-galactosidase result in enzymatically active molecules. Within the region between amino acid 17 and amino acid 41 there are at least four or five sites where enzymatically active hybrid proteins can be formed.