1
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Yang Y, Chen R, Rahman MU, Wei C, Fan B. The sprT Gene of Bacillus velezensis FZB42 Is Involved in Biofilm Formation and Bacilysin Production. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16815. [PMID: 38069139 PMCID: PMC10706128 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242316815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacillus velezensis FZB42, a representative strain of plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), can form robust biofilm and produce multiple antibiotics against a wild range of phytopathogens. In this study, we observed different biofilm morphology of the mutant Y4, derived from a TnYLB-1 transposon insertion library of B. velezensis FZB42. We identified that the transposon was inserted into the sprT gene in Y4. Our bioinformatics analysis revealed that the SprT protein is an unstable hydrophilic protein located in the cytoplasm. It is highly conserved in Bacillus species and predicted to function as a metalloprotease by binding zinc ions. We also demonstrated that ΔsprT significantly reduced the swarming ability of FZB42 by ~5-fold and sporulation capacity by ~25-fold. In addition, the antagonistic experiments showed that, compared to the wild type, the ΔsprT strain exhibited significantly reduced inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC-9144 and Phytophthora sojae, indicating that the inactivation of sprT led to decreased production of the antibiotic bacilysin. The HPLC-MS analysis confirmed that bacilysin was indeed decreased in the ΔsprT strain, and qPCR analysis revealed that ΔsprT down-regulated the expression of the genes for bacilysin biosynthesis. Our results suggest that the sprT gene plays a regulatory role in multiple characteristics of B. velezensis FZB42, including biofilm formation, swarming, sporulation, and antibiotic production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yihan Yang
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China;
- College of Life Science, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; (R.C.); (M.U.R.); (C.W.)
| | - Ruofu Chen
- College of Life Science, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; (R.C.); (M.U.R.); (C.W.)
| | - Mati Ur Rahman
- College of Life Science, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; (R.C.); (M.U.R.); (C.W.)
| | - Chunyue Wei
- College of Life Science, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; (R.C.); (M.U.R.); (C.W.)
| | - Ben Fan
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China;
- College of Life Science, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; (R.C.); (M.U.R.); (C.W.)
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2
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Potok P, Kola A, Valensin D, Capdevila M, Potocki S. Copper Forms a PPII Helix-Like Structure with the Catalytic Domains of Bacterial Zinc Metalloproteases. Inorg Chem 2023; 62:18425-18439. [PMID: 37909295 PMCID: PMC10647932 DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.3c02391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
The rapid spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria continuously raises concerns about the future ineffectiveness of current antimicrobial treatments against infectious diseases. To address this problem, new therapeutic strategies and antimicrobial drugs with unique modes of action are urgently needed. Inhibition of metalloproteases, bacterial virulence factors, is a promising target for the development of antibacterial treatments. In this study, the interaction among Zn(II), Cu(II), and the metal-binding domains of two metalloproteases, AprA (Pseudomonas aureginosa) and CpaA (Acinetobacter baumanii), was investigated. The objective was to determine the coordination sphere of Zn(II) with a peptide model of two zinc-dependent metalloproteases. Additionally, the study explored the formation of Cu(II) complexes with the domains, as Cu(II) has been shown to inhibit metalloproteases. The third aim was to understand the role of nonbinding amino acids in stabilizing the metal complexes formed by these proteases. This work identified specific coordination patterns (HExxHxxxxxH) for both Zn(II) and Cu(II) complexes, with AprA and CpaA exhibiting a higher affinity for Cu(II) compared to Zn(II). The study also found that the CpaA domain has greater stability for both Zn(II) and Cu(II) complexes compared to AprA. The nonbinding amino acids of CpaA surrounding the metal ion contribute to the increased thermodynamic stability of the metal-peptide complex through various intramolecular interactions. These interactions can also influence the secondary structures of the peptides. The presence of certain amino acids, such as tyrosine, arginine, and glutamic acid, and their interactions contribute to the stability and, only in the case of Cu(II) complexes, the formation of a rare protein structure called a left-handed polyproline II helix (PPII), which is known to play a role in the stability and function of various proteins. These findings provide valuable insights into the coordination chemistry of bacterial metalloproteases and expand our understanding of potential mechanisms for inhibiting these enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina Potok
- Faculty
of Chemistry, University of Wroclaw, 50-383 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Arian Kola
- Department
of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Daniela Valensin
- Department
of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Merce Capdevila
- Departament
de Química, Universitat Autònoma
de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Sławomir Potocki
- Faculty
of Chemistry, University of Wroclaw, 50-383 Wroclaw, Poland
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3
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Lal J, Kaul G, Akhir A, Saxena D, Dubkara H, Shekhar S, Chopra S, Reddy DN. β-Turn editing in Gramicidin S: Activity impact on replacing proline α-carbon with stereodynamic nitrogen. Bioorg Chem 2023; 138:106641. [PMID: 37300963 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.106641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Gramicidin S, natural antimicrobial peptide is used commercially in medicinal lozenges for sore throat and Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial infections. However, its clinical potential is limited to topical applications because of its high red blood cells (RBC) cytotoxicity. Given the importance of developing potential antibiotics and inspired by the cyclic structure and druggable features of Gramicidin S, we edited proline α-carbon with stereodynamic nitrogen to examine the direct impact on biological activity and cytotoxicity with respect to prolyl counterpart. Natural Gramicidin S (12), proline-edited peptides 13-16 and wild-type d-Phe-d-Pro β-turn mimetics (17 and 18) were synthesized using solid phase peptide synthesis and investigated their activity against clinically relevant bacterial pathogens. Interestingly, mono-proline edited analogous peptide 13 showed moderate improvement in antimicrobial activity against E. coli ATCC 25922 and K.pneumoniae BAA 1705 as compared to Gramicidin S. Furthermore, proline edited peptide 13 exhibited equipotent antimicrobial effect against MDR S. aureus and Enterococcus spp. Analysis of cytotoxicity against VERO cells and RBC, reveals that proline edited peptides showed two-fivefold lesser cytotoxicity than the counterpart Gramicidin S. Our study suggests that introducing single azPro/Pro mutation in Gramicidin S marginally improved the activity and lessens the cytotoxicity as compared with the parent peptide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jhajan Lal
- Division of Medicinal and Process Chemistry, CSIR-CDRI, Lucknow 226031, India; Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, UP 201002, India
| | - Grace Kaul
- Division of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow 226031, India; Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, UP 201002, India
| | - Abdul Akhir
- Division of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow 226031, India
| | - Deepanshi Saxena
- Division of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow 226031, India
| | - Harshita Dubkara
- Division of Medicinal and Process Chemistry, CSIR-CDRI, Lucknow 226031, India; Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, UP 201002, India
| | - Shashank Shekhar
- Division of Medicinal and Process Chemistry, CSIR-CDRI, Lucknow 226031, India; Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, UP 201002, India
| | - Sidharth Chopra
- Division of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow 226031, India; Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, UP 201002, India.
| | - Damodara N Reddy
- Division of Medicinal and Process Chemistry, CSIR-CDRI, Lucknow 226031, India; Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, UP 201002, India.
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4
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Claushuis B, Cordfunke RA, de Ru AH, Otte A, van Leeuwen HC, Klychnikov OI, van Veelen PA, Corver J, Drijfhout JW, Hensbergen PJ. In-Depth Specificity Profiling of Endopeptidases Using Dedicated Mix-and-Split Synthetic Peptide Libraries and Mass Spectrometry. Anal Chem 2023; 95:11621-11631. [PMID: 37495545 PMCID: PMC10413326 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c01215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Proteases comprise the class of enzymes that catalyzes the hydrolysis of peptide bonds, thereby playing a pivotal role in many aspects of life. The amino acids surrounding the scissile bond determine the susceptibility toward protease-mediated hydrolysis. A detailed understanding of the cleavage specificity of a protease can lead to the identification of its endogenous substrates, while it is also essential for the design of inhibitors. Although many methods for protease activity and specificity profiling exist, none of these combine the advantages of combinatorial synthetic libraries, i.e., high diversity, equimolar concentration, custom design regarding peptide length, and randomization, with the sensitivity and detection power of mass spectrometry. Here, we developed such a method and applied it to study a group of bacterial metalloproteases that have the unique specificity to cleave between two prolines, i.e., Pro-Pro endopeptidases (PPEPs). We not only confirmed the prime-side specificity of PPEP-1 and PPEP-2, but also revealed some new unexpected peptide substrates. Moreover, we have characterized a new PPEP (PPEP-3) that has a prime-side specificity that is very different from that of the other two PPEPs. Importantly, the approach that we present in this study is generic and can be extended to investigate the specificity of other proteases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bart Claushuis
- Center
for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden
University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZA, The Netherlands
| | - Robert A. Cordfunke
- Department
of Immunology, Leiden University Medical
Center, Leiden, 2333 ZA, The Netherlands
| | - Arnoud H. de Ru
- Center
for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden
University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZA, The Netherlands
| | - Annemarie Otte
- Center
for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden
University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZA, The Netherlands
| | - Hans C. van Leeuwen
- Department
of CBRN Protection, Netherlands Organization
for Applied Scientific Research TNO, Rijswijk, 2280 AA, The Netherlands
| | - Oleg I. Klychnikov
- Department
of Biochemistry, Moscow State University, Moscow 119991, Russian Federation
| | - Peter A. van Veelen
- Center
for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden
University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZA, The Netherlands
| | - Jeroen Corver
- Department
of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University
Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZA, The Netherlands
| | - Jan W. Drijfhout
- Department
of Immunology, Leiden University Medical
Center, Leiden, 2333 ZA, The Netherlands
| | - Paul J. Hensbergen
- Center
for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden
University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZA, The Netherlands
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5
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Lal J, Prajapati G, Meena R, Kant R, Sankar Ampapathi R, Reddy DN. Influence of Proline Chirality on Neighbouring Azaproline Residue Stereodynamic Nitrogen Preorganization. Chem Asian J 2023; 18:e202201023. [PMID: 36349404 DOI: 10.1002/asia.202201023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
We report herein the first systematic crystal structural investigation of azaproline incorporated in homo- and heterochiral diprolyl peptides. The X-ray crystallography data of peptides 1-5 illustrates that stereodynamic nitrogen in azaproline adopted the stereochemistry of neighbouring proline residue without depending on its position in the peptide sequence. Natural bond orbital analysis of crystal structures indicates OazPro -C'Pro of peptides 4 and 5 participating in n→π* interaction with stabilization energy about 1.21-1.33 kcal/mol. Density functional theory calculations suggested that the endo-proline ring puckering favoured over exo-conformation by 6.72-7.64 kcal/mol. NBO and DFT data reveals that the n→π* interactions and proline ring puckering stabilize azaproline chirality with the neighbouring proline stereochemistry. The CD, solvent titration, variable-temperature and 2D NMR experimental results further supported the crystal structures conformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jhajan Lal
- Division of Medicinal and Process Chemistry, CSIR-CDRI, Lucknow, 226031, India) .,Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, UP-201002, India
| | - Gurudayal Prajapati
- Division of Sophisticated Analytical Instrument Facility and Research, CSIR-CDRI, Lucknow, 226031, India.,Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, UP-201002, India
| | - Rachana Meena
- Division of Medicinal and Process Chemistry, CSIR-CDRI, Lucknow, 226031, India) .,Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, UP-201002, India
| | - Ruchir Kant
- Biochemistry and Structural Biology Division, CSIR-CDRI, Lucknow, 226031, India
| | - Ravi Sankar Ampapathi
- Division of Sophisticated Analytical Instrument Facility and Research, CSIR-CDRI, Lucknow, 226031, India.,Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, UP-201002, India
| | - Damodara N Reddy
- Division of Medicinal and Process Chemistry, CSIR-CDRI, Lucknow, 226031, India) .,Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, UP-201002, India
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6
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Trisciuzzi D, Siragusa L, Baroni M, Cruciani G, Nicolotti O. An Integrated Machine Learning Model To Spot Peptide Binding Pockets in 3D Protein Screening. J Chem Inf Model 2022; 62:6812-6824. [PMID: 36320100 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.2c00583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The prediction of peptide-protein binding sites is of utmost importance to tackle the onset of severe neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. In this work, we detail a novel machine learning model based on Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) demonstrating to be highly predictive in detecting the putative protein binding regions of small peptides. Starting from 439 high-quality pockets derived from peptide-protein crystallographic complexes, three sets of well-established peptide-binding regions were first selected through a Partitioning Around Medoids (PAM) clustering algorithm based on morphological and energetic 3D GRID-MIF molecular descriptors. Next, the best combination between all the putative interacting peptide pockets and related GRID-MIF scores was automatically explored by using the LDA-based protocol implemented in BioGPS. This approach proved successful to recognize the actual interacting peptide regions (that is, AUC = 0.86 and partial ROC enrichment at 5% of 0.48) from all the other pockets of the protein. Validated on two external collections sets, including 445 and 347 crystallographic peptide-protein complexes, our LDA-based model could be effective to further run peptide-protein virtual screening campaigns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Trisciuzzi
- Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", 70125Bari, Italy.,Molecular Discovery Ltd., Kinetic Business Centre, Theobald Street, Elstree, Borehamwood, HertfordshireWD6 4PJ, United Kingdom
| | - Lydia Siragusa
- Molecular Horizon s.r.l., Via Montelino, 30, 06084Bettona (PG), Italy.,Molecular Discovery Ltd., Kinetic Business Centre, Theobald Street, Elstree, Borehamwood, HertfordshireWD6 4PJ, United Kingdom
| | - Massimo Baroni
- Molecular Discovery Ltd., Kinetic Business Centre, Theobald Street, Elstree, Borehamwood, HertfordshireWD6 4PJ, United Kingdom
| | - Gabriele Cruciani
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, Università degli Studi di Perugia, via Elce di Sotto, 8, 06123Perugia (PG), Italy
| | - Orazio Nicolotti
- Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", 70125Bari, Italy
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7
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Baharin A, Ting TY, Goh HH. Post-Proline Cleaving Enzymes (PPCEs): Classification, Structure, Molecular Properties, and Applications. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:1330. [PMID: 35631755 PMCID: PMC9147577 DOI: 10.3390/plants11101330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Proteases or peptidases are hydrolases that catalyze the breakdown of polypeptide chains into smaller peptide subunits. Proteases exist in all life forms, including archaea, bacteria, protozoa, insects, animals, and plants due to their vital functions in cellular processing and regulation. There are several classes of proteases in the MEROPS database based on their catalytic mechanisms. This review focuses on post-proline cleaving enzymes (PPCEs) from different peptidase families, as well as prolyl endoprotease/oligopeptidase (PEP/POP) from the serine peptidase family. To date, most PPCEs studied are of microbial and animal origins. Recently, there have been reports of plant PPCEs. The most common PEP/POP are members of the S9 family that comprise two conserved domains. The substrate-limiting β-propeller domain prevents unwanted digestion, while the α/β hydrolase catalyzes the reaction at the carboxyl-terminal of proline residues. PPCEs display preferences towards the Pro-X bonds for hydrolysis. This level of selectivity is substantial and has benefited the brewing industry, therapeutics for celiac disease by targeting proline-rich substrates, drug targets for human diseases, and proteomics analysis. Protein engineering via mutagenesis has been performed to improve heat resistance, pepsin-resistant capability, specificity, and protein turnover of PPCEs for pharmacological applications. This review aims to synthesize recent structure-function studies of PPCEs from different families of peptidases to provide insights into the molecular mechanism of prolyl cleaving activity. Despite the non-exhaustive list of PPCEs, this is the first comprehensive review to cover the biochemical properties, biological functions, and biotechnological applications of PPCEs from the diverse taxa.
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8
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van Leeuwen HC, Roelofs D, Corver J, Hensbergen P. Phylogenetic analysis of the bacterial Pro-Pro-endopeptidase domain reveals a diverse family including secreted and membrane anchored proteins. CURRENT RESEARCH IN MICROBIAL SCIENCES 2021; 2:100024. [PMID: 34841315 PMCID: PMC8610288 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmicr.2021.100024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial Pro-Pro-endopeptidase (PPEP) is the latest member of the metalloendopeptidase class (E.C. 3.4.24.89). PPEP homologs are found in two firmicutes orders, clostridiales and bacillales spread over 9 genera and more than 130 species. Some PPEP homologs have acquired additional anchor domains that bind noncovalently to various elements of the bacterial peptidoglycan cell wall. Prototype family members, PPEP-1 and PPEP-2, target bacterial surface adhesion proteins, but homologs could target other extracellular proteins.
Pro-Pro-endopeptidases (PPEP, EC 3.4.24.89) are secreted, zinc metalloproteases that have the unusual capacity to cleave a peptide bond between two prolines, a bond that is generally less sensitive to proteolytic cleavage. Two well studied members of the family are PPEP-1 and PPEP-2, produced by Clostridioides difficile, a human pathogen, and Paenibacillus alvei, a bee secondary invader, respectively. Both proteases seem to be involved in mediating bacterial adhesion by cleaving cell surface anchor proteins on the bacterium itself. By using basic alignment and phylogenetic profiling analysis, this work shows that the complete family of proteins that contain a PPEP domain includes proteins from more than 130 species spread over 9 genera. These analyses also suggest that the PPEP domain spread through horizontal gene transfer events between species within the Firmicutes’ classes Bacilli and Clostridia. Bacterial species containing PPEP homologs are found in diverse habitats, varying from human pathogens and gut microbiota to free-living bacteria, which were isolated from various environments, including extreme conditions such as hot springs, desert soil and salt lakes. The phylogenetic tree reveals the relationships between family members and suggests that smaller subgroups could share cleavage specificity, substrates and functional similarity. Except for PPEP-1 and PPEP-2, no cleavage specificity, specific physiological target, or function has been assigned for any of the other PPEP-family members. Some PPEP proteins have acquired additional domains that recognize and bind noncovalently to various elements of the bacterial peptidoglycan cell-wall, anchoring these PPEPs. Secreted or anchored to the cell-wall surface PPEP proteins seem to perform various functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans C van Leeuwen
- Department of CBRN Protection, Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research TNO, Lange Kleiweg 137, 2288 GJ Rijswijk, the Netherlands
| | - Dick Roelofs
- KeyGene, Agro Business Park 90, 6708 PW Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Jeroen Corver
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Paul Hensbergen
- Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, the Netherlands
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9
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Tan A, Xu F, Yokoyama C, Yano S, Konno H. Design, synthesis, and evaluation of the self-assembled antimicrobial peptides based on the ovalbumin-derived peptide TK913. J Pept Sci 2021; 28:e3375. [PMID: 34725889 DOI: 10.1002/psc.3375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The preparation, self-assembly, and antimicrobial activity of peptides based on TK913 is described. TK9Z4 incorporating a Pro-Pro motif exhibited self-assembly but no cytotoxicity. However, peptide TKZ3 (obtained by changing the amino acid sequence of TK9Z4) showed morphological changes at different concentrations, potent antimicrobial activity, low cytotoxicity, and trypsin resistance. Accordingly, TKZ3 is proposed as new AMP derived from ovalbumin-derived peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ao Tan
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Yamagata University, Yonezawa, Japan
| | - Fusheng Xu
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Yamagata University, Yonezawa, Japan
| | - Chikako Yokoyama
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Yamagata University, Yonezawa, Japan
| | - Shigekazu Yano
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Yamagata University, Yonezawa, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Konno
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Yamagata University, Yonezawa, Japan
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10
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Metal Ion Interactions with mAbs: Part 2. Zinc-Mediated Aggregation of IgG1 Monoclonal Antibodies. Pharm Res 2021; 38:1387-1395. [PMID: 34382142 DOI: 10.1007/s11095-021-03089-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To evaluate the physical and chemical degradation of monoclonal antibodies in the presence of Zn2+. METHODS A full length IgG1 monoclonal antibody (mAb1) was formulated with various amounts of Zn2+. The resulting mixture was incubated for several weeks at room temperature and analyzed using a variety of biochemical techniques to look for various physical (e.g. aggregation) and chemical (e.g. fragmentation) degradation pathways. RESULTS mAb1 of the IgG1 subclass undergoes aggregation in the presence of Zn2+ in a concentration dependent manner. Up to hexamers were characterized using SEC-MALS. No fragmentation was noticed in the presence of Zn2+ as opposed to that found in our previous report when IgG1 mAbs were incubated in the presence of Cu2+ ions. Site directed mutagenesis indicated the involvement of Fc histidine (His 310) in Zn2+ mediated aggregation. CONCLUSIONS A novel metal ion mediated isodesmic aggregation mechanism was found in IgG1 class of monoclonal antibodies. Histidine residues in the Fc region were determined to be the binding site and implicated in Zn2+ mediated aggregation.
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11
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Pichlo C, Juetten L, Wojtalla F, Schacherl M, Diaz D, Baumann U. Molecular determinants of the mechanism and substrate specificity of Clostridium difficile proline-proline endopeptidase-1. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:11525-11535. [PMID: 31182482 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.009029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2019] [Revised: 05/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Pro-Pro endopeptidase-1 (PPEP-1) is a secreted metalloprotease from the bacterial pathogen Clostridium difficile that cleaves two endogenous adhesion proteins. PPEP-1 is therefore important for bacterial motility and hence for efficient gut colonization during infection. PPEP-1 exhibits a unique specificity for Pro-Pro peptide bonds within the consensus sequence VNP↓PVP. In this study, we combined information from crystal and NMR structures with mutagenesis and enzyme kinetics to investigate the mechanism and substrate specificity of PPEP-1. Our analyses revealed that the substrate-binding cleft of PPEP-1 is shaped complementarily to the major conformation of the substrate in solution. We found that it possesses features that accept a tertiary amide and help discriminate P1' residues by their amide hydrogen bond-donating potential. We also noted that residues Lys-101, Trp-103, and Glu-184 are crucial for proteolytic activity. Upon substrate binding, these residues position a flexible loop over the substrate-binding cleft and modulate the second coordination sphere of the catalytic zinc ion. On the basis of these findings, we propose an induced-fit model in which prestructured substrates are recognized followed by substrate positioning within the active-site cleft and a concomitant increase in the Lewis acidity of the catalytic Zn2+ ion. In conclusion, our findings provide detailed structural and mechanistic insights into the substrate recognition and specificity of PPEP-1 from the common gut pathogen C. difficile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Pichlo
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Cologne, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Linda Juetten
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Cologne, 50939 Cologne, Germany
| | - Fabian Wojtalla
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Cologne, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Magdalena Schacherl
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Cologne, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Dolores Diaz
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Cologne, 50939 Cologne, Germany
| | - Ulrich Baumann
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Cologne, 50674 Cologne, Germany
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12
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Mann KS, Chisholm J, Sanfaçon H. Strawberry Mottle Virus (Family Secoviridae, Order Picornavirales) Encodes a Novel Glutamic Protease To Process the RNA2 Polyprotein at Two Cleavage Sites. J Virol 2019; 93:e01679-18. [PMID: 30541838 PMCID: PMC6384087 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01679-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Strawberry mottle virus (SMoV) belongs to the family Secoviridae (order Picornavirales) and has a bipartite genome with each RNA encoding one polyprotein. All characterized secovirids encode a single protease related to the picornavirus 3C protease. The SMoV 3C-like protease was previously shown to cut the RNA2 polyprotein (P2) at a single site between the predicted movement protein and coat protein (CP) domains. However, the SMoV P2 polyprotein includes an extended C-terminal region with a coding capacity of up to 70 kDa downstream of the presumed CP domain, an unusual characteristic for this family. In this study, we identified a novel cleavage event at a P↓AFP sequence immediately downstream of the CP domain. Following deletion of the PAFP sequence, the polyprotein was processed at or near a related PKFP sequence 40 kDa further downstream, defining two protein domains in the C-terminal region of the P2 polyprotein. Both processing events were dependent on a novel protease domain located between the two cleavage sites. Mutagenesis of amino acids that are conserved among isolates of SMoV and of the related Black raspberry necrosis virus did not identify essential cysteine, serine, or histidine residues, suggesting that the RNA2-encoded SMoV protease is not related to serine or cysteine proteases of other picorna-like viruses. Rather, two highly conserved glutamic acid residues spaced by 82 residues were found to be strictly required for protease activity. We conclude that the processing of SMoV polyproteins requires two viral proteases, the RNA1-encoded 3C-like protease and a novel glutamic protease encoded by RNA2.IMPORTANCE Many viruses encode proteases to release mature proteins and intermediate polyproteins from viral polyproteins. Polyprotein processing allows regulation of the accumulation and activity of viral proteins. Many viral proteases also cleave host factors to facilitate virus infection. Thus, viral proteases are key virulence factors. To date, viruses with a positive-strand RNA genome are only known to encode cysteine or serine proteases, most of which are related to the cellular papain, trypsin, or chymotrypsin proteases. Here, we characterize the first glutamic protease encoded by a plant virus or by a positive-strand RNA virus. The novel glutamic protease is unique to a few members of the family Secoviridae, suggesting that it is a recent acquisition in the evolution of this family. The protease does not resemble known cellular proteases. Rather, it is predicted to share structural similarities with a family of fungal and bacterial glutamic proteases that adopt a lectin fold.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krin S Mann
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Summerland Research and Development Centre, Summerland, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Joan Chisholm
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Summerland Research and Development Centre, Summerland, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Hélène Sanfaçon
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Summerland Research and Development Centre, Summerland, British Columbia, Canada
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13
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Klychnikov OI, Shamorkina TM, Weeks SD, van Leeuwen HC, Corver J, Drijfhout JW, van Veelen PA, Sluchanko NN, Strelkov SV, Hensbergen PJ. Discovery of a new Pro-Pro endopeptidase, PPEP-2, provides mechanistic insights into the differences in substrate specificity within the PPEP family. J Biol Chem 2018; 293:11154-11165. [PMID: 29794027 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.003244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2018] [Revised: 05/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Pro-Pro endopeptidases (PPEPs) belong to a recently discovered family of proteases capable of hydrolyzing a Pro-Pro bond. The first member from the bacterial pathogen Clostridium difficile (PPEP-1) cleaves two C. difficile cell-surface proteins involved in adhesion, one of which is encoded by the gene adjacent to the ppep-1 gene. However, related PPEPs may exist in other bacteria and may shed light on substrate specificity in this enzyme family. Here, we report on the homolog of PPEP-1 in Paenibacillus alvei, which we denoted PPEP-2. We found that PPEP-2 is a secreted metalloprotease, which likewise cleaved a cell-surface protein encoded by an adjacent gene. However, the cleavage motif of PPEP-2, PLP↓PVP, is distinct from that of PPEP-1 (VNP↓PVP). As a result, an optimal substrate peptide for PPEP-2 was not cleaved by PPEP-1 and vice versa. To gain insight into the specificity mechanism of PPEP-2, we determined its crystal structure at 1.75 Å resolution and further confirmed the structure in solution using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). We show that a four-amino-acid loop, which is distinct in PPEP-1 and -2 (GGST in PPEP-1 and SERV in PPEP-2), plays a crucial role in substrate specificity. A PPEP-2 variant, in which the four loop residues had been swapped for those from PPEP-1, displayed a shift in substrate specificity toward PPEP-1 substrates. Our results provide detailed insights into the PPEP-2 structure and the structural determinants of substrate specificity in this new family of PPEP proteases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oleg I Klychnikov
- From the Laboratory for Biocrystallography, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Stephen D Weeks
- From the Laboratory for Biocrystallography, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | | | | | - Jan W Drijfhout
- Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300 Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Nikolai N Sluchanko
- the A. N. Bach Institute of Biochemistry, Federal Research Center of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 119071 Moscow, Russia, and.,the Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Sergei V Strelkov
- From the Laboratory for Biocrystallography, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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14
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Pichlo C, Toelzer C, Chojnacki K, Öcal S, Uthoff M, Ruegenberg S, Hermanns T, Schacherl M, Denzel MS, Hofmann K, Niefind K, Baumann U. Improved protein-crystal identification by using 2,2,2-trichloroethanol as a fluorescence enhancer. Acta Crystallogr F Struct Biol Commun 2018; 74:307-314. [PMID: 29717999 PMCID: PMC5931144 DOI: 10.1107/s2053230x18005253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The identification of initial lead conditions for successful protein crystallization is crucial for structural studies using X-ray crystallography. In order to reduce the number of false-negative conditions, an emerging number of fluorescence-based methods have been developed which allow more efficient identification of protein crystals and help to distinguish them from salt crystals. Detection of the native tryptophan fluorescence of protein crystals is one of the most widely used methods. However, this method can fail owing to the properties of the crystallized protein or the chemical composition of the crystallization trials. Here, a simple, fast and cost-efficient method employing 2,2,2-trichloroethanol (TCE) has been developed. It can be performed with a standard UV-light microscope and can be applied to cases in which detection of native tryptophan fluorescence fails. In four test cases this method had no effect on the diffraction properties of the crystals and no structural changes were observed. Further evidence is provided that TCE can be added to crystallization trials during their preparation, making this method compatible with high-throughput approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Pichlo
- Institute of Biochemistry, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Strasse 47, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Christine Toelzer
- Institute of Biochemistry, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Strasse 47, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Konrad Chojnacki
- Institute of Biochemistry, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Strasse 47, 50674 Cologne, Germany
- Faculty of Chemistry, Warsaw University of Technology, ul. Noakowskiego 3, 00-664 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Sinan Öcal
- Institute of Biochemistry, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Strasse 47, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Matthias Uthoff
- Institute of Biochemistry, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Strasse 47, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Sabine Ruegenberg
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Research Institute, Joseph-Stelzmann-Strasse 9b, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Thomas Hermanns
- Institute for Genetics, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Strasse 47a, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Magdalena Schacherl
- Structural Dynamics of Proteins, Center of Advanced European Studies and Research, Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, 53175 Bonn, Germany
| | - Martin S. Denzel
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Research Institute, Joseph-Stelzmann-Strasse 9b, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Kay Hofmann
- Institute for Genetics, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Strasse 47a, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Karsten Niefind
- Institute of Biochemistry, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Strasse 47, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Ulrich Baumann
- Institute of Biochemistry, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Strasse 47, 50674 Cologne, Germany
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15
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Dolde C, Bischof J, Grüter S, Montada A, Halekotte J, Peifer C, Kalbacher H, Baumann U, Knippschild U, Suter B. A CK1 FRET biosensor reveals that DDX3X is an essential activator of CK1ε. J Cell Sci 2018; 131:jcs.207316. [PMID: 29222110 PMCID: PMC5818060 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.207316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2017] [Accepted: 11/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Casein kinase 1 (CK1) plays central roles in various signal transduction pathways and performs many cellular activities. For many years CK1 was thought to act independently of modulatory subunits and in a constitutive manner. Recently, DEAD box RNA helicases, in particular DEAD box RNA helicase 3 X-linked (DDX3X), were found to stimulate CK1 activity in vitro. In order to observe CK1 activity in living cells and to study its interaction with DDX3X, we developed a CK1-specific FRET biosensor. This tool revealed that DDX3X is indeed required for full CK1 activity in living cells. Two counteracting mechanisms control the activity of these enzymes. Phosphorylation by CK1 impairs the ATPase activity of DDX3X and RNA destabilizes the DDX3X–CK1 complex. We identified possible sites of interaction between DDX3X and CK1. While mutations identified in the DDX3X genes of human medulloblastoma patients can enhance CK1 activity in living cells, the mechanism of CK1 activation by DDX3X points to a possible therapeutic approach in CK1-related diseases such as those caused by tumors driven by aberrant Wnt/β-catenin and Sonic hedgehog (SHH) activation. Indeed, CK1 peptides can reduce CK1 activity. Highlighted Article: A FRET biosensor reveals DDX3X as an essential activator of the CK1 kinase in living cells. Its CK1-activating function is counteracted by its ATPase activity and also by CK1 peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Dolde
- Institute of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 4, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Joachim Bischof
- Department of General and Visceral Surgery, Ulm University Hospital, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Simon Grüter
- Institute of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 4, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Anna Montada
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Cologne, Otto-Fischer-Str. 12-14, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Jakob Halekotte
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Christian Albrechts University, Gutenbergstraße 76, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Christian Peifer
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Christian Albrechts University, Gutenbergstraße 76, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Hubert Kalbacher
- Interfaculty Institute of Biochemistry, University of Tübingen, Ob dem Himmelreich 7, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Ulrich Baumann
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Cologne, Otto-Fischer-Str. 12-14, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Uwe Knippschild
- Department of General and Visceral Surgery, Ulm University Hospital, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Beat Suter
- Institute of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 4, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
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16
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Turk BE. Exceptionally Selective Substrate Targeting by the Metalloprotease Anthrax Lethal Factor. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2018; 1111:189-203. [PMID: 30267305 DOI: 10.1007/5584_2018_273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The zinc-dependent metalloprotease anthrax lethal factor (LF) is the enzymatic component of a toxin thought to have a major role in Bacillus anthracis infections. Like many bacterial toxins, LF is a secreted protein that functions within host cells. LF is a highly selective protease that cleaves a limited number of substrates in a site-specific manner, thereby impacting host signal transduction pathways. The major substrates of LF are mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases (MKKs), which lie in the middle of three-component phosphorylation cascades mediating numerous functions in a variety of cells and tissues. How LF targets its limited substrate repertoire has been an active area of investigation. LF recognizes a specific sequence motif surrounding the scissile bonds of substrate proteins. X-ray crystallography of the protease in complex with peptide substrates has revealed the structural basis of selectivity for the LF cleavage site motif. In addition to having interactions proximal to the cleavage site, LF binds directly to a more distal region in its substrates through a so-called exosite interaction. This exosite has been mapped to a surface within a non-catalytic domain of LF with previously unknown function. A putative LF-binding site has likewise been identified on the catalytic domains of MKKs. Here we review our current state of understanding of LF-substrate interactions and discuss the implications for the design and discovery of inhibitors that may have utility as anthrax therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin E Turk
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
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17
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Corver J, Cordo' V, van Leeuwen HC, Klychnikov OI, Hensbergen PJ. Covalent attachment and Pro-Pro endopeptidase (PPEP-1)-mediated release of Clostridium difficile cell surface proteins involved in adhesion. Mol Microbiol 2017. [PMID: 28636257 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
In the past decade, Clostridium difficile has emerged as an important gut pathogen. This anaerobic, Gram-positive bacterium is the main cause of infectious nosocomial diarrhea. Whereas much is known about the mechanism through which the C. difficile toxins cause diarrhea, relatively little is known about the dynamics of adhesion and motility, which is mediated by cell surface proteins. This review will discuss the recent advances in our understanding of the sortase-mediated covalent attachment of cell surface (adhesion) proteins to the peptidoglycan layer of C. difficile and their release through the action of a highly specific secreted metalloprotease (Pro-Pro endopeptidase 1, PPEP-1). Specific emphasis will be on a model in which PPEP-1 and its substrates control the switch from a sessile to motile phenotype in C. difficile, and how this is regulated by the cyclic dinucleotide c-di-GMP (3'-5' cyclic dimeric guanosine monophosphate).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeroen Corver
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Valentina Cordo'
- Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Hans C van Leeuwen
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Oleg I Klychnikov
- Laboratory for Biocrystallography, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Paul J Hensbergen
- Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
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18
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Pichlo C, Montada AA, Schacherl M, Baumann U. Production, Crystallization and Structure Determination of C. difficile PPEP-1 via Microseeding and Zinc-SAD. J Vis Exp 2016. [PMID: 28060332 DOI: 10.3791/55022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
New therapies are needed to treat Clostridium difficile infections that are a major threat to human health. The C. difficile metalloprotease PPEP-1 is a target for future development of inhibitors to decrease the virulence of the pathogen. To perform biophysical and structural characterization as well as inhibitor screening, large amounts of pure and active protein will be needed. We have developed a protocol for efficient production and purification of PPEP-1 by the use of E. coli as the expression host yielding sufficient amounts and purity of protein for crystallization and structure determination. Additionally, using microseeding, highly intergrown crystals of PPEP-1 can be grown to well-ordered crystals suitable for X-ray diffraction analysis. The methods could also be used to produce other recombinant proteins and to study the structures of other proteins producing intergrown crystals.
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19
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Oliveira Paiva AM, Friggen AH, Hossein-Javaheri S, Smits WK. The Signal Sequence of the Abundant Extracellular Metalloprotease PPEP-1 Can Be Used to Secrete Synthetic Reporter Proteins in Clostridium difficile. ACS Synth Biol 2016; 5:1376-1382. [PMID: 27333161 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.6b00104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Clostridium difficile is an opportunistic pathogen and the main cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Adherence of C. difficile to host cells is modulated by proteins present on the bacterial cell surface or secreted into the environment. Cleavage of collagen-binding proteins is mediated by the zinc metalloprotease PPEP-1, which was identified as one of the most abundant secreted proteins of C. difficile. Here, we exploit the PPEP-1 signal sequence to produce novel secreted enzymes. We have constructed two functional secreted reporters, AmyEopt and sLucopt for gene expression analysis in C. difficile. AmyEopt extracellular activity results in starch degradation and can be exploited to demonstrate promoter activity in liquid or plate-based assays. sLucopt activity could reliably be detected in culture supernatant when produced from an inducible or native promoter. The secreted reporters can be easily assessed under aerobic conditions, without the need of complex sample processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana M. Oliveira Paiva
- Department
of Medical Microbiology,
Section Experimental Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Annemieke H. Friggen
- Department
of Medical Microbiology,
Section Experimental Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Shabnam Hossein-Javaheri
- Department
of Medical Microbiology,
Section Experimental Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Wiep Klaas Smits
- Department
of Medical Microbiology,
Section Experimental Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
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20
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Rubino JT, Martinelli M, Cantini F, Castagnetti A, Leuzzi R, Banci L, Scarselli M. Structural characterization of zinc-bound Zmp1, a zinc-dependent metalloprotease secreted by Clostridium difficile. J Biol Inorg Chem 2016; 21:185-96. [PMID: 26711661 DOI: 10.1007/s00775-015-1319-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2015] [Accepted: 11/28/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Proteases are commonly secreted by microorganisms. In some pathogens, they can play a series of functional roles during infection, including maturation of cell surface or extracellular virulence factors, interference with host cell signaling, massive host tissue destruction, and dissolution of infection-limiting clots through degradation of the host proteins devoted to the coagulation cascade. We previously reported the identification and characterization of Zmp1, a zinc-dependent metalloprotease secreted by Clostridium difficile, demonstrated that Zmp1 is able to degrade fibrinogen in vitro, and identified two residues necessary to the catalytic activity. In the present work, we solved the solution structure of Zmp1 by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and compared it with the recently solved X-ray structures of substrate-bound and substrate-free Zmp1, highlighting similarities and differences. We also combined the structural characterization to biochemical assays and site-directed mutagenesis, to provide new insights into the catalytic site and on the residues responsible for substrate specificity. The Zmp1 structure showed similarity to the catalytic domain of Anthrax Lethal Factor of Bacillus anthracis. Analogies and differences in the catalytic and in the substrate-binding sites of the two proteins are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey T Rubino
- Magnetic Resonance Center, University of Florence, Via L. Sacconi 6, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | | | - Francesca Cantini
- Magnetic Resonance Center, University of Florence, Via L. Sacconi 6, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Andrea Castagnetti
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Rosanna Leuzzi
- GSK Vaccines SrL, Via Fiorentina, 1, 53100, Siena, Italy
| | - Lucia Banci
- Magnetic Resonance Center, University of Florence, Via L. Sacconi 6, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.
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21
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Hensbergen PJ, Klychnikov OI, Bakker D, Dragan I, Kelly ML, Minton NP, Corver J, Kuijper EJ, Drijfhout JW, van Leeuwen HC. Clostridium difficile secreted Pro-Pro endopeptidase PPEP-1 (ZMP1/CD2830) modulates adhesion through cleavage of the collagen binding protein CD2831. FEBS Lett 2015; 589:3952-8. [PMID: 26522134 DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2015.10.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2015] [Revised: 10/12/2015] [Accepted: 10/19/2015] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The Clostridium difficile cd2830 gene product is a secreted metalloprotease, named Pro-Pro endopeptidase (PPEP-1). PPEP-1 cleaves C. difficile cell surface proteins (e.g. CD2831). Here, we confirmed that PPEP-1 has a unique preference for prolines surrounding the scissile bond. Moreover, we show that it exhibits a high preference for an asparagine at the P2 position and hydrophobic residues at the P3 position. Using a PPEP-1 knockout C. difficile strain, we demonstrate that the removal of the collagen binding protein CD2831 is fully attributable to PPEP-1 activity. The PPEP-1 knockout strain demonstrated higher affinity for collagen type I with attenuated virulence in hamsters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul J Hensbergen
- Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box 9600, 2300RC Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Oleg I Klychnikov
- Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box 9600, 2300RC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Dennis Bakker
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Section Experimental Bacteriology, Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box 9600, 2300RC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Irina Dragan
- Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box 9600, 2300RC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Michelle L Kelly
- Clostridia Research Group, BBSRC/EPSRC Synthetic Biology Research Centre (SBRC), School of Life Sciences, The University of Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Nigel P Minton
- Clostridia Research Group, BBSRC/EPSRC Synthetic Biology Research Centre (SBRC), School of Life Sciences, The University of Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Jeroen Corver
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Section Experimental Bacteriology, Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box 9600, 2300RC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Ed J Kuijper
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Section Experimental Bacteriology, Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box 9600, 2300RC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Wouter Drijfhout
- Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion, Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box 9600, 2300RC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Hans C van Leeuwen
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Section Experimental Bacteriology, Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box 9600, 2300RC Leiden, The Netherlands.
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