The Lipid A from Rhodopseudomonas palustris Strain BisA53 LPS Possesses a Unique Structure and Low Immunostimulant Properties

Increasing outer membrane complexity: the case of the lipopolysaccharide lipid A from marine Cellulophaga pacifica

Gram-negative bacteria living in marine waters have evolved peculiar adaptation strategies to deal with the numerous stress conditions that characterize aquatic environments. Among the multiple mechanisms for efficient adaptation, these bacteria typically exhibit chemical modifications in the structure of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which is a fundamental component of their outer membrane. In particular, the glycolipid anchor to the membrane of marine bacteria LPSs, i.e. the lipid A, frequently shows unusual chemical structures, which are reflected in equally singular immunological properties with potential applications as immune adjuvants or anti-sepsis drugs. In this work, we determined the chemical structure of the lipid A from Cellulophaga pacifica KMM 3664T isolated from the Sea of Japan. This bacterium showed to produce a heterogeneous mixture of lipid A molecules that mainly display five acyl chains and carry a single phosphate and a D-mannose disaccharide on the glucosamine backbone. Furthermore, we proved that C. pacifica KMM 3664T LPS acts as a weaker activator of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) compared to the prototypical enterobacterial Salmonella typhimurium LPS. Our results are relevant to the future development of novel vaccine adjuvants and immunomodulators inspired by marine LPS chemistry.

Engineering Escherichia coli MG1655 to Efficiently Produce 3-Deacyl-4'-monophosphoryl Lipid A

Monophosphoryl lipid A, derived from Salmonella minnesota R595, has been used in various adjuvant formulations. Escherichia coli can produce lipid A, but its structure is different. In this study, E. coli MG1655 has been engineered to efficiently produce the monophosphoryl lipid A. First, 126 genes relevant to the biosynthesis of the fimbriae, flagella, and ECA were deleted in MG1655, resulting in WQM027. Second, the genes pldA, mlaA, and mlaC related to the phospholipid transport system, the gene ptsG related to the carbohydrate phosphotransferase system, and the gene eptA encoding phosphoethanolamine transferase for lipid A modification were further deleted from WQM027, resulting in MW020. Third, lpxE from Francisella novicida and pagP and pagL from Salmonella were overexpressed in pFT24, resulting in pTEPL. pTEPL was transformed into MW020, resulting in MW020/pTEPL. Finally, fabI encoding an enoyl-ACP reductase was deleted from the genome of MW020/pTEPL, resulting in MW021/pTEPL. MW021/pTEPL could produce 85.31 mg/L of lipid A species after 26 h of fed-batch fermentation. Mainly two monophosphoryl lipid A species were produced in MW021/pTEPL, one is 3-deacyl-2-acyloxyacyl-4'-monophosphoryl lipid A and the other is 3-deacyl-4'-monophosphoryl lipid A. E. coli MW021/pTEPL constructed in this study could be an ideal host for the industrial production of monophosphoryl lipid A.

Expanding Knowledge of Methylotrophic Capacity: Structure and Properties of the Rough-Type Lipopolysaccharide from Methylobacterium extorquens and Its Role on Membrane Resistance to Methanol

The ability of Methylobacterium extorquens to grow on methanol as the sole carbon and energy source has been the object of intense research activity. Unquestionably, the bacterial cell envelope serves as a defensive barrier against such an environmental stressor, with a decisive role played by the membrane lipidome, which is crucial for stress resistance. However, the chemistry and the function of the main constituent of the M. extorquens outer membrane, the lipopolysaccharide (LPS), is still undefined. Here, we show that M. extorquens produces a rough-type LPS with an uncommon, non-phosphorylated, and extensively O-methylated core oligosaccharide, densely substituted with negatively charged residues in the inner region, including novel monosaccharide derivatives such as O-methylated Kdo/Ko units. Lipid A is composed of a non-phosphorylated trisaccharide backbone with a distinctive, low acylation pattern; indeed, the sugar skeleton was decorated with three acyl moieties and a secondary very long chain fatty acid, in turn substituted by a 3-O-acetyl-butyrate residue. Spectroscopic, conformational, and biophysical analyses on M. extorquens LPS highlighted how structural and tridimensional features impact the molecular organization of the outer membrane. Furthermore, these chemical features also impacted and improved membrane resistance in the presence of methanol, thus regulating membrane ordering and dynamics.

Analysis of carbohydrates and glycoconjugates by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry: An update for 2017-2018

This review is the tenth update of the original article published in 1999 on the application of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI) mass spectrometry to the analysis of carbohydrates and glycoconjugates and brings coverage of the literature to the end of 2018. Also included are papers that describe methods appropriate to glycan and glycoprotein analysis by MALDI, such as sample preparation techniques, even though the ionization method is not MALDI. Topics covered in the first part of the review include general aspects such as theory of the MALDI process, new methods, matrices, derivatization, MALDI imaging, fragmentation and the use of arrays. The second part of the review is devoted to applications to various structural types such as oligo- and poly-saccharides, glycoproteins, glycolipids, glycosides, and biopharmaceuticals. Most of the applications are presented in tabular form. The third part of the review covers medical and industrial applications of the technique, studies of enzyme reactions, and applications to chemical synthesis. The reported work shows increasing use of combined new techniques such as ion mobility and highlights the impact that MALDI imaging is having across a range of diciplines. MALDI is still an ideal technique for carbohydrate analysis and advancements in the technique and the range of applications continue steady progress.

Structural determination of the lipid A from the deep-sea bacterium Zunongwangia profunda SM-A87: a small-scale approach

Zunongwangia profunda SM-A87 is a deep-sea sedimentary bacterium from the phylum Bacteroidetes, representing a new genus of Flavobacteriaceae. It was previously investigated for its capability of yielding high quantities of capsular polysaccharides (CPS) with interesting rheological properties, including high viscosity and tolerance to high salinities and temperatures. However, as a Gram-negative, Z. profunda SM-A87 also expresses lipopolysaccharides (LPS) as the main components of the external leaflet of its outer membrane. Here, we describe the isolation and characterization of the glycolipid part of this LPS, i.e. the lipid A, which was achieved by-passing the extraction procedure of the full LPS and by working on the ethanol precipitation product, which contained both the CPS fraction and bacterial cells. To this aim a dual approach was adopted and all analyses confirmed the isolation of Z. profunda SM-A87 lipid A that turned out to be a blend of species with high levels of heterogeneity both in the acylation and phosphorylation pattern, as well as in the hydrophilic backbone composition. Mono-phosphorylated tetra- and penta-acylated lipid A species were identified and characterized by a high content of branched, odd-numbered, and unsaturated fatty acid chains as well as, for some species, by the presence of a hybrid disaccharide backbone.

Lipopolysaccharide lipid A: A promising molecule for new immunity-based therapies and antibiotics

Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) are the main components of the external leaflet of the Gram-negative outer membrane and consist of three different moieties: lipid A, core oligosaccharide, and O-polysaccharide. The lipid A is a glucosamine disaccharide with different levels of acylation and phosphorylation, beside carrying, in certain cases, additional substituents on the sugar backbone. It is also the main immunostimulatory part of the LPS, as its recognition by the host immune system represents a fundamental event for detection of perilous microorganisms. Moreover, an uncontrolled immune response caused by a large amount of circulating LPS can lead to dramatic outcomes for human health, such as septic shock. The immunostimulant properties of an LPS incredibly vary depending on lipid A chemical structure, and for this reason, natural and synthetic variants of the lipid A are under study to develop new drugs that mimic or antagonise its natural effects. Here, we review past and recent findings on the lipid A as an antibiotic target and immune-therapeutic molecule, with a special attention on the crucial role of the chemical structure and its exploitation for conceiving novel strategies for treatment of several immune-related pathologies.

The Unusual Lipid A Structure and Immunoinhibitory Activity of LPS from Marine Bacteria Echinicola pacifica KMM 6172T and Echinicola vietnamensis KMM 6221T

Gram-negative bacteria experiencing marine habitats are constantly exposed to stressful conditions dictating their survival and proliferation. In response to these selective pressures, marine microorganisms adapt their membrane system to ensure protection and dynamicity in order to face the highly mutable sea environments. As an integral part of the Gram-negative outer membrane, structural modifications are commonly observed in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) molecule; these mainly involve its glycolipid portion, i.e., the lipid A, mostly with regard to fatty acid content, to counterbalance the alterations caused by chemical and physical agents. As a consequence, unusual structural chemical features are frequently encountered in the lipid A of marine bacteria. By a combination of data attained from chemical, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry (MS), and MS/MS analyses, here, we describe the structural characterization of the lipid A isolated from two marine bacteria of the Echinicola genus, i.e., E. pacifica KMM 6172^T and E. vietnamensis KMM 6221^T. This study showed for both strains a complex blend of mono-phosphorylated tri- and tetra-acylated lipid A species carrying an additional sugar moiety, a d-galacturonic acid, on the glucosamine backbone. The unusual chemical structures are reflected in a molecule that only scantly activates the immune response upon its binding to the LPS innate immunity receptor, the TLR4-MD-2 complex. Strikingly, both LPS potently inhibited the toxic effects of proinflammatory Salmonella LPS on human TLR4/MD-2.

A Journey from Structure to Function of Bacterial Lipopolysaccharides

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a crucial constituent of the outer membrane of most Gram-negative bacteria, playing a fundamental role in the protection of bacteria from environmental stress factors, in drug resistance, in pathogenesis, and in symbiosis. During the last decades, LPS has been thoroughly dissected, and massive information on this fascinating biomolecule is now available. In this Review, we will give the reader a third millennium update of the current knowledge of LPS with key information on the inherent peculiar carbohydrate chemistry due to often puzzling sugar residues that are uniquely found on it. Then, we will drive the reader through the complex and multifarious immunological outcomes that any given LPS can raise, which is strictly dependent on its chemical structure. Further, we will argue about issues that still remain unresolved and that would represent the immediate future of LPS research. It is critical to address these points to complete our notions on LPS chemistry, functions, and roles, in turn leading to innovative ways to manipulate the processes involving such a still controversial and intriguing biomolecule.

Structure of the O-Antigen and the Lipid A from the Lipopolysaccharide of Fusobacterium nucleatum ATCC 51191

Fusobacterium nucleatum is a common member of the oral microbiota. However, this symbiont has been found to play an active role in disease development. As a Gram-negative bacterium, F. nucleatum has a protective outer membrane layer whose external leaflet is mainly composed of lipopolysaccharides (LPSs). LPSs play a crucial role in the interaction between bacteria and the host immune system. Here, we characterised the structure of the O-antigen and lipid A from F. nucleatum ssp. animalis ATCC 51191 by using a combination of GC-MS, MALDI and NMR techniques. The results revealed a novel repeat of the O-antigen structure of the LPS, [→4)-β-d-GlcpNAcA-(1→4)-β-d-GlcpNAc3NAlaA-(1→3)-α-d-FucpNAc4NR-(1→], (R=acetylated 60 %), and a bis-phosphorylated hexa-acylated lipid A moiety. Taken together these data showed that F. nucleatum ATCC 51191 has a distinct LPS which might differentially influence recognition by immune cells.

The Lipid A from the Lipopolysaccharide of the Phototrophic Bacterium Rhodomicrobium vannielii ATCC 17100 Revisited

The structure of lipid A from lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Rhodomicrobium vannielii ATCC 17100 (Rv) a phototrophic, budding bacterium was re-investigated using high-resolution mass spectrometry, NMR, and chemical degradation protocols. It was found that the (GlcpN)-disaccharide lipid A backbone was substituted by a GalpA residue that was connected to C-1 of proximal GlcpN. Some of this GalpA residue was β-eliminated by alkaline de-acylation, which indicated the possibility of the presence of another so far unidentified substituent at C-4 in non-stoichiometric amounts. One Manp residue substituted C-4′ of distal GlcpN. The lipid A backbone was acylated by 16:0(3-OH) at C-2 of proximal GlcpN, and by 16:0(3-OH), i17:0(3-OH), or 18:0(3-OH) at C-2′ of distal GlcpN. Two acyloxy-acyl moieties that were mainly formed by 14:0(3-O-14:0) and 16:0(3-O-22:1) occupied the distal GlcpN of lipid A. Genes that were possibly involved in the modification of Rv lipid A were compared with bacterial genes of known function. The biological activity was tested at the model of human mononuclear cells (MNC), showing that Rv lipid A alone does not significantly stimulate MNC. At low concentrations of toxic Escherichia coli O111:B4 LPS, pre-incubation with Rv lipid A resulted in a substantial reduction of activity, but, when higher concentrations of E. coli LPS were used, the stimulatory effect was increased.

A chronic strain of the cystic fibrosis pathogen Pandoraea pulmonicola expresses a heterogenous hypo-acylated lipid A

Pandoraea sp. is an emerging Gram-negative pathogen in cystic fibrosis causing severe and persistent inflammation and damage of the lungs. The molecular mechanisms underlying the high pathogenicity of Pandoraea species are still largely unknown. As Gram-negatives, Pandoraea sp. express lipopolysaccharides (LPS) whose recognition by the host immune system triggers an inflammatory response aimed at the bacterial eradication from the infected tissues. The degree of the inflammatory response strongly relies on the fine structure of the LPS and, in particular, of its glycolipid moiety, i.e. the lipid A. Here we report the structure of the lipid A isolated from the LPS of a chronic strain of P. pulmonicola (RL 8228), one of the most virulent identified so far among the Pandoraea species. Our data demonstrated that the examined chronic strain produces a smooth-type LPS with a complex mixture of hypoacylated lipid A species displaying, among other uncommon characteristics, the 2-hydroxylation of some of the acyl chains and the substitution by an additional glucosamine on one or both the phosphate groups.

Pairing Bacteroides vulgatus LPS Structure with Its Immunomodulatory Effects on Human Cellular Models

The gut microbiota guide the development of the host immune system by setting a systemic threshold for immune activation. Lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) from gut bacteria are able to trigger systemic and local proinflammatory and immunomodulatory responses, and this capability strongly relies on their fine structures. Up to now, only a few LPS structures from gut commensals have been elucidated; therefore, the molecular motifs that may be important for LPS-mammalian cell interactions at the gut level are still obscure. Here, we report on the full structure of the LPS isolated from one of the prominent species of the genus Bacteroides, Bacteroides vulgatus. The LPS turned out to consist of a particular chemical structure based on hypoacylated and mono-phosphorylated lipid A and with a galactofuranose-containing core oligosaccharide and an O-antigen built up of mannose and rhamnose. The evaluation of the immunological properties of this LPS on human in vitro models revealed a very interesting capability to produce anti-inflammatory cytokines and to induce a synergistic action of MD-2/TLR4- and TLR2-mediated signaling pathways.

Structure of the unusual Sinorhizobium fredii HH103 lipopolysaccharide and its role in symbiosis

Rhizobia are soil bacteria that form important symbiotic associations with legumes, and rhizobial surface polysaccharides, such as K-antigen polysaccharide (KPS) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS), might be important for symbiosis. Previously, we obtained a mutant of Sinorhizobium fredii HH103, rkpA, that does not produce KPS, a homopolysaccharide of a pseudaminic acid derivative, but whose LPS electrophoretic profile was indistinguishable from that of the WT strain. We also previously demonstrated that the HH103 rkpLMNOPQ operon is responsible for 5-acetamido-3,5,7,9-tetradeoxy-7-(3-hydroxybutyramido)-l-glycero-l-manno-nonulosonic acid [Pse5NAc7(3OHBu)] production and is involved in HH103 KPS and LPS biosynthesis and that an HH103 rkpM mutant cannot produce KPS and displays an altered LPS structure. Here, we analyzed the LPS structure of HH103 rkpA, focusing on the carbohydrate portion, and found that it contains a highly heterogeneous lipid A and a peculiar core oligosaccharide composed of an unusually high number of hexuronic acids containing β-configured Pse5NAc7(3OHBu). This pseudaminic acid derivative, in its α-configuration, was the only structural component of the S. fredii HH103 KPS and, to the best of our knowledge, has never been reported from any other rhizobial LPS. We also show that Pse5NAc7(3OHBu) is the complete or partial epitope for a mAb, NB6-228.22, that can recognize the HH103 LPS, but not those of most of the S. fredii strains tested here. We also show that the LPS from HH103 rkpM is identical to that of HH103 rkpA but devoid of any Pse5NAc7(3OHBu) residues. Notably, this rkpM mutant was severely impaired in symbiosis with its host, Macroptilium atropurpureum.

Overexpression of lpxT Gene in Escherichia coli Inhibits Cell Division and Causes Envelope Defects without Changing the Overall Phosphorylation Level of Lipid A

LpxT is an inner membrane protein that transfers a phosphate group from the essential lipid undecaprenyl pyrophosphate (C-55PP) to the lipid A moiety of lipopolysaccharide, generating a lipid A tris-phosphorylated species. The protein is encoded by the non-essential lpxT gene, which is conserved in distantly related Gram-negative bacteria. In this work, we investigated the phenotypic effect of lpxT ectopic expression from a plasmid in Escherichia coli. We found that lpxT induction inhibited cell division and led to the formation of elongated cells, mostly with absent or altered septa. Moreover, the cells became sensitive to detergents and to hypo-osmotic shock, indicating that they had cell envelope defects. These effects were not due to lipid A hyperphosphorylation or C-55PP sequestering, but most likely to defective lipopolysaccharide transport. Indeed, lpxT overexpression in mutants lacking the L,D-transpeptidase LdtD and LdtE, which protect cells with outer membrane defects from osmotic lysis, caused cell envelope defects. Moreover, we found that pyrophosphorylated lipid A was also produced in a lpxT deletion mutant, indicating that LpxT is not the only protein able to perform such lipid A modification in E. coli.

The Lipid A Structure from the Marine Sponge Symbiont Endozoicomonas sp. HEX 311

Endozoicomonas sp. HEX311 is a Gram-negative bacterium known to establish a commensal interaction with the marine demosponge Suberites domuncula. The molecular bases of the sponge-microbe interaction events are still poorly defined. Nevertheless, it has been proved that S. domuncula possesses an innate immune system with similarities to the mammalian one and is able to recognize the main component of the Gram-negative bacteria cell wall: the lipopolysaccharide. Whether this recognition occurs in a structure-dependent manner, which is typical for mammalian immune system receptors, is still under investigation. Herein, we report the Endozoicomonas sp. HEX311 lipid A structure obtained by a combination of data attained from chemical, MALDI MS, and MS² approaches. The lipid A is a complex family of species decorated by pyrophosphate and phosphate units and carrying (R)-3-hydroxydodecanoic acid, (R)-3-hydroxytetradecanonic acid, iso-2-hydroxyundecanoic acid, iso-(R)-3-hydroxyundecanoic acid, and iso-nonanoic acid as acyl chains.

Structure and inflammatory activity of the LPS isolated from Acetobacter pasteurianus CIP103108

Acetobacter pasteurianus is an acetic acid-producing Gram-negative bacterium commonly found associated with plants and plant products and widely used in the production of fermented foods, such as kefir and vinegar. Due to the acid conditions of the bacterium living habitat, uncommon structural features composing its cell envelope are expected. In the present work we have investigated the A. pasteurianus CIP103108 lipopolysaccharide (LPS) structure and immunoactivity. The structure of the lipid A and of two different O-polysaccharides was assessed. Furthermore, immunological studies with human cells showed a low immunostimulant activity of the isolated LPS, in addition to a slight capability to lower the NF-kB activation upon stimulation by toxic LPS.

The Structure of the Lipid A from the Halophilic Bacterium Spiribacter salinus M19-40T

The study of the adaptation mechanisms that allow microorganisms to live and proliferate in an extreme habitat is a growing research field. Directly exposed to the external environment, lipopolysaccharides (LPS) from Gram-negative bacteria are of great appeal as they can present particular structural features that may aid the understanding of the adaptation processes. Moreover, through being involved in modulating the mammalian immune system response in a structure-dependent fashion, the elucidation of the LPS structure can also be seen as a fundamental step from a biomedical point of view. In this paper, the lipid A structure of the LPS from Spiribacter salinus M19-40^T, a halophilic gamma-proteobacteria, was characterized through chemical analyses and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry. This revealed a mixture of mono- and bisphosphorylated penta- to tri-acylated species with the uncommon 2 + 3 symmetry and bearing an unusual 3-oxotetradecaonic acid.

Studies on lipid A isolated from Phyllobacterium trifolii PETP02T lipopolysaccharide

The structure of lipid A from lipopolysaccharide of Phyllobacterium trifolii PETP02T, a nitrogen-fixing symbiotic bacterium, was studied. It was found that the lipid A backbone was composed of two 2,3-diamino-2,3-dideoxy-D-glucose (GlcpN3N) residues connected by a β-(1 → 6) glycosidic linkage, substituted by galacturonic acid (GalpA) at position C-1 and partly decorated by a phosphate residue at C-4' of the non-reducing GlcpN3N. Both diaminosugars were symmetrically substituted by 3-hydroxy fatty acids (14:0(3-OH) and 16:0(3-OH)). Ester-linked secondary acyl residues [i.e. 19:0cyc and 28:0(27-OH) or 28:0(27-4:0(3-OMe))] were located in the distal part of lipid A. A high similarity between the lipid A of P. trifolii and Mesorhizobium was observed and discussed from the perspective of the genetic context of both genomes.