1
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Gupta LK, Molla J, Prabhu AA. Story of Pore-Forming Proteins from Deadly Disease-Causing Agents to Modern Applications with Evolutionary Significance. Mol Biotechnol 2024; 66:1327-1356. [PMID: 37294530 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-023-00776-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Animal venoms are a complex mixture of highly specialized toxic molecules. Among them, pore-forming proteins (PFPs) or toxins (PFTs) are one of the major disease-causing toxic elements. The ability of the PFPs in defense and toxicity through pore formation on the host cell surface makes them unique among the toxin proteins. These features made them attractive for academic and research purposes for years in the areas of microbiology as well as structural biology. All the PFPs share a common mechanism of action for the attack of host cells and pore formation in which the selected pore-forming motifs of the host cell membrane-bound protein molecules drive to the lipid bilayer of the cell membrane and eventually produces water-filled pores. But surprisingly their sequence similarity is very poor. Their existence can be seen both in a soluble state and also in transmembrane complexes in the cell membrane. PFPs are prevalent toxic factors that are predominately produced by all kingdoms of life such as virulence bacteria, nematodes, fungi, protozoan parasites, frogs, plants, and also from higher organisms. Nowadays, multiple approaches to applications of PFPs have been conducted by researchers both in basic as well as applied biological research. Although PFPs are very devastating for human health nowadays researchers have been successful in making these toxic proteins into therapeutics through the preparation of immunotoxins. We have discussed the structural, and functional mechanism of action, evolutionary significance through dendrogram, domain organization, and practical applications for various approaches. This review aims to emphasize the PFTs to summarize toxic proteins together for basic knowledge as well as to highlight the current challenges, and literature gap along with the perspective of promising biotechnological applications for their future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laxmi Kumari Gupta
- Bioprocess Development Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology Warangal, Warangal, Telangana, 506004, India
| | - Johiruddin Molla
- Ghatal Rabindra Satabarsiki Mahavidyalaya Ghatal, Paschim Medinipur, Ghatal, West Bengal, 721212, India
| | - Ashish A Prabhu
- Bioprocess Development Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology Warangal, Warangal, Telangana, 506004, India.
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2
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Popoff MR. Overview of Bacterial Protein Toxins from Pathogenic Bacteria: Mode of Action and Insights into Evolution. Toxins (Basel) 2024; 16:182. [PMID: 38668607 PMCID: PMC11054074 DOI: 10.3390/toxins16040182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacterial protein toxins are secreted by certain bacteria and are responsible for mild to severe diseases in humans and animals. They are among the most potent molecules known, which are active at very low concentrations. Bacterial protein toxins exhibit a wide diversity based on size, structure, and mode of action. Upon recognition of a cell surface receptor (protein, glycoprotein, and glycolipid), they are active either at the cell surface (signal transduction, membrane damage by pore formation, or hydrolysis of membrane compound(s)) or intracellularly. Various bacterial protein toxins have the ability to enter cells, most often using an endocytosis mechanism, and to deliver the effector domain into the cytosol, where it interacts with an intracellular target(s). According to the nature of the intracellular target(s) and type of modification, various cellular effects are induced (cell death, homeostasis modification, cytoskeleton alteration, blockade of exocytosis, etc.). The various modes of action of bacterial protein toxins are illustrated with representative examples. Insights in toxin evolution are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michel R Popoff
- Unité des Toxines Bactériennes, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 2001 INSERM U1306, F-75015 Paris, France
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3
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Mylona E, Hefele L, Tran Vu Thieu N, Trinh Van T, Nguyen Ngoc Minh C, Tran Tuan A, Karkey A, Dongol S, Basnyat B, Voong Vinh P, Ho Ngoc Dan T, Russell P, Charles RC, Parry CM, Baker S. The Identification of Enteric Fever-Specific Antigens for Population-Based Serosurveillance. J Infect Dis 2024; 229:833-844. [PMID: 37403670 PMCID: PMC10938218 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiad242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Enteric fever, caused by Salmonella enterica serovars Typhi and Paratyphi A, is a major public health problem in low- and middle-income countries. Moderate sensitivity and scalability of current methods likely underestimate enteric fever burden. Determining the serological responses to organism-specific antigens may improve incidence measures. METHODS Plasma samples were collected from blood culture-confirmed enteric fever patients, blood culture-negative febrile patients over the course of 3 months, and afebrile community controls. A panel of 17 Salmonella Typhi and Paratyphi A antigens was purified and used to determine antigen-specific antibody responses by indirect ELISAs. RESULTS The antigen-specific longitudinal antibody responses were comparable between enteric fever patients, patients with blood culture-negative febrile controls, and afebrile community controls for most antigens. However, we found that IgG responses against STY1479 (YncE), STY1886 (CdtB), STY1498 (HlyE), and the serovar-specific O2 and O9 antigens were greatly elevated over a 3-month follow up period in S. Typhi/S. Paratyphi A patients compared to controls, suggesting seroconversion. CONCLUSIONS We identified a set of antigens as good candidates to demonstrate enteric fever exposure. These targets can be used in combination to develop more sensitive and scalable approaches to enteric fever surveillance and generate invaluable epidemiological data for informing vaccine policies. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION ISRCTN63006567.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elli Mylona
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Lisa Hefele
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Esch-sur-Alzette, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
| | - Nga Tran Vu Thieu
- The Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Wellcome Trust Major Overseas Programme, Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Tan Trinh Van
- The Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Wellcome Trust Major Overseas Programme, Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Chau Nguyen Ngoc Minh
- The Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Wellcome Trust Major Overseas Programme, Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Anh Tran Tuan
- The Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Wellcome Trust Major Overseas Programme, Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Abhilasha Karkey
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Sabina Dongol
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Buddha Basnyat
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Phat Voong Vinh
- The Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Wellcome Trust Major Overseas Programme, Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Thanh Ho Ngoc Dan
- The Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Wellcome Trust Major Overseas Programme, Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Paula Russell
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | - Christopher M Parry
- Centre for Tropical Medicine, Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen Baker
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- IAVI Human Immunology Laboratory, Imperial College London, London, UK
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4
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Dorey A, Howorka S. Nanopore DNA sequencing technologies and their applications towards single-molecule proteomics. Nat Chem 2024; 16:314-334. [PMID: 38448507 DOI: 10.1038/s41557-023-01322-x] [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: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Sequencing of nucleic acids with nanopores has emerged as a powerful tool offering rapid readout, high accuracy, low cost and portability. This label-free method for sequencing at the single-molecule level is an achievement on its own. However, nanopores also show promise for the technologically even more challenging sequencing of polypeptides, something that could considerably benefit biological discovery, clinical diagnostics and homeland security, as current techniques lack portability and speed. Here we survey the biochemical innovations underpinning commercial and academic nanopore DNA/RNA sequencing techniques, and explore how these advances can fuel developments in future protein sequencing with nanopores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Dorey
- Department of Chemistry & Institute of Structural Molecular Biology, University College London, London, UK.
| | - Stefan Howorka
- Department of Chemistry & Institute of Structural Molecular Biology, University College London, London, UK.
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5
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Kulshrestha A, Punnathanam SN, Roy R, Ayappa KG. Cholesterol catalyzes unfolding in membrane-inserted motifs of the pore forming protein cytolysin A. Biophys J 2023; 122:4068-4081. [PMID: 37740492 PMCID: PMC10598289 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2023] [Revised: 08/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasma membrane-induced protein folding and conformational transitions play a central role in cellular homeostasis. Several transmembrane proteins are folded in the complex lipid milieu to acquire a specific structure and function. Bacterial pore forming toxins (PFTs) are proteins expressed by a large class of pathogenic bacteria that exploit the plasma membrane environment to efficiently undergo secondary structure changes, oligomerize, and form transmembrane pores. Unregulated pore formation causes ion imbalance, leading to cell death and infection. Determining the free energy landscape of these membrane-driven-driven transitions remains a challenging problem. Although cholesterol recognition is required for lytic activity of several proteins in the PFT family of toxins, the regulatory role of cholesterol for the α-PFT, cytolysin A expressed by Escherichia coli remains unexplained. In a recent free energy computation, we showed that the β tongue, a critical membrane-inserted motif of the ClyA toxin, has an on-pathway partially unfolded intermediate that refolds into the helix-turn-helix motif of the pore state. To understand the molecular role played by cholesterol, we carry out string-method-based computations in membranes devoid of cholesterol, which reveals an increase of ∼30 times in the free energy barrier for the loss of β sheet secondary structure when compared with membranes containing cholesterol. Specifically, the tyrosine-cholesterol interaction was found to be critical to creating the unfolded intermediate. Cholesterol also increases the packing and hydrophobicity of the bilayer, resulting in enhanced interactions of the bound protein before complete membrane insertion. Our study illustrates that cholesterol is critical to catalyzing and stabilizing the membrane-inserted unfolded state of the β tongue motif of ClyA, opening up fresh insights into cholesterol-assisted unfolding of membrane proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avijeet Kulshrestha
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Sudeep N Punnathanam
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Rahul Roy
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India; Center for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - K Ganapathy Ayappa
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
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6
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Singer ZS, Pabón J, Huang H, Rice CM, Danino T. Engineered bacteria launch and control an oncolytic virus. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.28.559873. [PMID: 37808855 PMCID: PMC10557668 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.28.559873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
The ability of bacteria and viruses to selectively replicate in tumors has led to synthetic engineering of new microbial therapies. Here we design a cooperative strategy whereby S. typhimurium bacteria transcribe and deliver the Senecavirus A RNA genome inside host cells, launching a potent oncolytic viral infection. Then, we engineer the virus to require a bacterially delivered protease in order to achieve virion maturation, demonstrating bacterial control over the virus. This work extends bacterially delivered therapeutics to viral genomes, and the governing of a viral population through engineered microbial interactions. One-Sentence Summary Bacteria are engineered to act as a synthetic "capsid" delivering Senecavirus A genome and controlling its spread.
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7
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Kulshrestha A, Maurya S, Gupta T, Roy R, Punnathanam SN, Ayappa KG. Conformational Flexibility Is a Key Determinant for the Lytic Activity of the Pore-Forming Protein, Cytolysin A. J Phys Chem B 2023; 127:69-84. [PMID: 36542809 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c05785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Several bacterial infections are mediated by pore-forming toxins (PFTs), a subclass of proteins that oligomerize on mammalian cell membranes forming lytic nanopores. Cytolysin A (ClyA), an α-PFT, undergoes a dramatic conformational change restructuring its two membrane-binding motifs (the β-tongue and the N-terminus helix), during pore formation. A complete molecular picture for this key transition and the driving force behind the secondary structure change upon membrane binding remain elusive. Using all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the ClyA monomer and string method based free energy computations with path collective variables, we illustrate that an unfolded β-tongue motif is an on-pathway intermediate during the transition to the helix-turn-helix motif of the protomer. An aggregate of 28 μs of all-atom thermal unfolding MD simulations of wild-type ClyA and its single point mutants reveal that the membrane-binding motifs of the ClyA protein display high structural flexibility in water. However, point mutations in these motifs lead to a distinct reduction in the flexibility, especially in the β-tongue, thereby stabilizing the pretransition secondary structure. Resistance to unfolding was further corroborated by MD simulations of the β-tongue mutant motif in the membrane. Combined with the thermal unfolding simulations, we posit that the β-tongue as well as N-terminal mutants that lower the tendency to unfold and disorder the β-tongue are detrimental to pore formation by ClyA and its lytic activity. Erythrocyte turbidity and vesicle leakage assays indeed reveal a loss of activity for the β-tongue mutant, and delayed kinetics for the N-terminus mutants. On the other hand, a point mutation in the extracellular domain that did not abrogate lytic activity displayed similar unfolding characteristics as the wild type. Thus, attenuation of conformational flexibility in membrane-binding motifs correlates with reduced lytic and leakage activity. Combined with secondary structure changes observed in the membrane bound states, our study shows that the tendency to unfold in the β-tongue region is a critical step in the conformational transition and bistability of the ClyA protein and mutants that disrupt this tendency reduced pore formation. Overall, our finding suggests that inherent flexibility in the protein could play a wider and hitherto unrecognized role in membrane-mediated conformational transitions of PFTs and other membrane protein transformations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avijeet Kulshrestha
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012, India
| | - Satyaghosh Maurya
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012, India
| | - Twinkle Gupta
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012, India
| | - Rahul Roy
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012, India.,Center for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012, India
| | - Sudeep N Punnathanam
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012, India
| | - K Ganapathy Ayappa
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012, India
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8
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Mondal AK, Lata K, Singh M, Chatterjee S, Chauhan A, Puravankara S, Chattopadhyay K. Cryo-EM elucidates mechanism of action of bacterial pore-forming toxins. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. BIOMEMBRANES 2022; 1864:184013. [PMID: 35908609 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2022.184013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Pore-forming toxins (PFTs) rupture plasma membranes and kill target cells. PFTs are secreted as soluble monomers that undergo drastic structural rearrangements upon interacting with the target membrane and generate transmembrane oligomeric pores. A detailed understanding of the molecular mechanisms of the pore-formation process remains unclear due to limited structural insights regarding the transmembrane oligomeric pore states of the PFTs. However, recent advances in the field of cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) have led to the high-resolution structure determination of the oligomeric pore forms of diverse PFTs. Here, we discuss the pore-forming mechanisms of various PFTs, specifically the mechanistic details contributed by the cryo-EM-based structural studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anish Kumar Mondal
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, Sector 81, SAS Nagar, Manauli, Mohali 140306, Punjab, India
| | - Kusum Lata
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, Sector 81, SAS Nagar, Manauli, Mohali 140306, Punjab, India
| | - Mahendra Singh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, Sector 81, SAS Nagar, Manauli, Mohali 140306, Punjab, India
| | - Shamaita Chatterjee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, Sector 81, SAS Nagar, Manauli, Mohali 140306, Punjab, India
| | - Aakanksha Chauhan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, Sector 81, SAS Nagar, Manauli, Mohali 140306, Punjab, India
| | - Sindhoora Puravankara
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, Sector 81, SAS Nagar, Manauli, Mohali 140306, Punjab, India
| | - Kausik Chattopadhyay
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, Sector 81, SAS Nagar, Manauli, Mohali 140306, Punjab, India.
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9
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Jia X, Knyazeva A, Zhang Y, Castro-Gonzalez S, Nakamura S, Carlson LA, Yoshimori T, Corkery DP, Wu YW. V. cholerae MakA is a cholesterol-binding pore-forming toxin that induces non-canonical autophagy. J Cell Biol 2022; 221:213518. [PMID: 36194176 PMCID: PMC9536202 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202206040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Pore-forming toxins (PFTs) are important virulence factors produced by many pathogenic bacteria. Here, we show that the Vibrio cholerae toxin MakA is a novel cholesterol-binding PFT that induces non-canonical autophagy in a pH-dependent manner. MakA specifically binds to cholesterol on the membrane at pH < 7. Cholesterol-binding leads to oligomerization of MakA on the membrane and pore formation at pH 5.5. Unlike other cholesterol-dependent cytolysins (CDCs) which bind cholesterol through a conserved cholesterol-binding motif (Thr-Leu pair), MakA contains an Ile-Ile pair that is essential for MakA-cholesterol interaction. Following internalization, endosomal acidification triggers MakA pore-assembly followed by ESCRT-mediated membrane repair and V-ATPase-dependent unconventional LC3 lipidation on the damaged endolysosomal membranes. These findings characterize a new cholesterol-binding toxin that forms pores in a pH-dependent manner and reveals the molecular mechanism of host autophagy manipulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaotong Jia
- Department of Chemistry, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden,Umeå Centre for Microbial Research, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Anastasia Knyazeva
- Department of Chemistry, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden,Umeå Centre for Microbial Research, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Yu Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden,Umeå Centre for Microbial Research, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Sergio Castro-Gonzalez
- Department of Chemistry, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden,Umeå Centre for Microbial Research, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Shuhei Nakamura
- Department of Genetics, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Lars-Anders Carlson
- Umeå Centre for Microbial Research, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden,Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden,Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden,Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Tamotsu Yoshimori
- Department of Genetics, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Dale P. Corkery
- Department of Chemistry, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden,Umeå Centre for Microbial Research, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden,Dale P. Corkery:
| | - Yao-Wen Wu
- Department of Chemistry, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden,Umeå Centre for Microbial Research, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden,Correspondence to Yao-Wen Wu:
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10
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Sun Z, Zhou N, Zhang W, Xu Y, Yao YF. Dual role of CsrA in regulating the hemolytic activity of Escherichia coli O157:H7. Virulence 2022; 13:859-874. [PMID: 35609307 PMCID: PMC9132389 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2022.2073023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-transcriptional global carbon storage regulator A (CsrA) is a sequence-specific RNA-binding protein involved in the regulation of multiple bacterial processes. Hemolysin is an important virulence factor in the enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 (EHEC). Here, we show that CsrA plays a dual role in the regulation of hemolysis in EHEC. CsrA significantly represses plasmid-borne enterohemolysin (EhxA)-mediated hemolysis and activates chromosome-borne hemolysin E (HlyE)-mediated hemolysis through different mechanisms. RNA structure prediction revealed a well-matched stem-loop structure with two potential CsrA binding sites located on the 5' untranslated region (UTR) of ehxB, which encodes a translocator required for EhxA secretion. CsrA inhibits EhxA secretion by directly binding to the RNA leader sequence of ehxB to repress its expression in two different ways: CsrA either binds to the Shine–Dalgarno sequence of ehxB to block ribosome access or to ehxB transcript to promote its mRNA decay. The predicted CsrA-binding site 1 of ehxB is essential for its regulation. There is a single potential CsrA-binding site at the 5'-end of the hlyE transcript, and its mutation completely abolishes CsrA-dependent activation. CsrA can also stabilize hlyE mRNA by directly binding to its 5' UTR. Overall, our results indicate that CsrA acts as a hemolysis modulator to regulate pathogenicity under certain conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhibin Sun
- Laboratory of Bacterial Pathogenesis, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institutes of Medical Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ning Zhou
- Laboratory of Bacterial Pathogenesis, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institutes of Medical Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenting Zhang
- Laboratory of Bacterial Pathogenesis, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institutes of Medical Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Xu
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yu-Feng Yao
- Laboratory of Bacterial Pathogenesis, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institutes of Medical Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Shanghai Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Emergency Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Respiratory Infectious Diseases, Shanghai, China
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11
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Zhang M, Liu J, Yin Z, Zhang L. Phylogenetic and protein prediction analysis reveals the taxonomically diverse distribution of virulence factors in Bacillus cereus strains. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0262974. [PMID: 35588435 PMCID: PMC9119529 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0262974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacillus cereus is a food contaminant with widely varying enterotoxic potential due to its virulence proteins. In this article, phylogenetic analysis of the amino acid sequences from the whole-genomes of 41 strains, evolutionary distance calculation of the amino acid sequences of the virulence genes, and functional and structural predictions of the virulence proteins were performed to reveal the taxonomically diverse distribution of virulence factors. The genome evolution of the strains showed a clustering trend based on the protein-coding virulence genes. The strains of B. cereus have evolved into non-toxic risk and toxic risk clusters with medium-high- and medium-low-risk subclusters. The evolutionary transfer distances of incomplete virulence genes relative to housekeeping genes were greater than those of complete virulence genes, and the distance values of HblACD were higher than those of nheABC and CytK among the complete virulence genes. Cytoplasmic localization was impossible for all the virulence proteins, and NheB, NheC, Hbl-B, and Hbl-L1 were predicted to be extracellular. Nhe and Hbl proteins except CytK had similar spatial structures. The predicted structures of Nhe and Hbl mainly showed ‘head’ and ‘tail’ domains. The ‘head’ of NheA and Hbl-B, including two α-helices separated by β-tongue strands, might play a special role in the formation of Nhe trimers and Hbl trimers, respectively. The ‘cap’ of CytK, which includes two ‘latches’ with many β-sheets, formed a β-barrel structure with pores, and a ‘rim’ balanced the structure. The evolution of B. cereus strains showed a clustering tendency based on the protein-coding virulence genes, and the complete virulence-gene operon combination had higher relative genetic stability. The beta-tongue or latch associated with β-sheet folding might play an important role in the binding of virulence structures and pore-forming toxins in B. cereus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Zhang
- School of Yunkang Medicine and Health, Nanfang College, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jun Liu
- School of Yunkang Medicine and Health, Nanfang College, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhenzhen Yin
- School of Yunkang Medicine and Health, Nanfang College, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- * E-mail: (ZY); (LZ)
| | - Li Zhang
- School of Life Science, Liaoning University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
- * E-mail: (ZY); (LZ)
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12
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Nadeem A, Berg A, Pace H, Alam A, Toh E, Ådén J, Zlatkov N, Myint SL, Persson K, Gröbner G, Sjöstedt A, Bally M, Barandun J, Uhlin BE, Wai SN. Protein-lipid interaction at low pH induces oligomerization of the MakA cytotoxin from Vibrio cholerae. eLife 2022; 11:73439. [PMID: 35131030 PMCID: PMC8824476 DOI: 10.7554/elife.73439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The α-pore-forming toxins (α-PFTs) from pathogenic bacteria damage host cell membranes by pore formation. We demonstrate a remarkable, hitherto unknown mechanism by an α-PFT protein from Vibrio cholerae. As part of the MakA/B/E tripartite toxin, MakA is involved in membrane pore formation similar to other α-PFTs. In contrast, MakA in isolation induces tube-like structures in acidic endosomal compartments of epithelial cells in vitro. The present study unravels the dynamics of tubular growth, which occurs in a pH-, lipid-, and concentration-dependent manner. Within acidified organelle lumens or when incubated with cells in acidic media, MakA forms oligomers and remodels membranes into high-curvature tubes leading to loss of membrane integrity. A 3.7 Å cryo-electron microscopy structure of MakA filaments reveals a unique protein-lipid superstructure. MakA forms a pinecone-like spiral with a central cavity and a thin annular lipid bilayer embedded between the MakA transmembrane helices in its active α-PFT conformation. Our study provides insights into a novel tubulation mechanism of an α-PFT protein and a new mode of action by a secreted bacterial toxin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aftab Nadeem
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.,Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.,The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Alexandra Berg
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.,Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.,The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.,Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab), Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Hudson Pace
- Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Microbiology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.,Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Athar Alam
- Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.,The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Microbiology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Eric Toh
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.,Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.,The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Jörgen Ådén
- Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.,Department of Chemistry, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Nikola Zlatkov
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.,Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.,The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Si Lhyam Myint
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.,Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.,The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Karina Persson
- Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.,Department of Chemistry, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Gerhard Gröbner
- Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.,Department of Chemistry, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Anders Sjöstedt
- Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.,The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Microbiology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Marta Bally
- Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Microbiology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.,Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Jonas Barandun
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.,Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.,The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Bernt Eric Uhlin
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.,Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.,The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Sun Nyunt Wai
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.,Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.,The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
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13
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Cytolysin A (ClyA): A Bacterial Virulence Factor with Potential Applications in Nanopore Technology, Vaccine Development, and Tumor Therapy. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14020078. [PMID: 35202106 PMCID: PMC8880466 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14020078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytolysin A (ClyA) is a pore-forming toxin that is produced by some bacteria from the Enterobacteriaceae family. This review provides an overview of the current state of knowledge regarding ClyA, including the prevalence of the encoding gene and its transcriptional regulation, the secretion pathway used by the protein, and the mechanism of protein assembly, and highlights potential applications of ClyA in biotechnology. ClyA expression is regulated at the transcriptional level, primarily in response to environmental stressors, and ClyA can exist stably both as a soluble monomer and as an oligomeric membrane complex. At high concentrations, ClyA induces cytolysis, whereas at low concentrations ClyA can affect intracellular signaling. ClyA is secreted in outer membrane vesicles (OMVs), which has important implications for biotechnology applications. For example, the native pore-forming ability of ClyA suggests that it could be used as a component of nanopore-based technologies, such as sequencing platforms. ClyA has also been exploited in vaccine development owing to its ability to present antigens on the OMV surface and provoke a robust immune response. In addition, ClyA alone or OMVs carrying ClyA fusion proteins have been investigated for their potential use as anti-tumor agents.
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14
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Zosel F, Holla A, Schuler B. Labeling of Proteins for Single-Molecule Fluorescence Spectroscopy. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2376:207-233. [PMID: 34845612 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1716-8_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy has become an important technique for studying the conformational dynamics and folding of proteins. A key step for performing such experiments is the availability of high-quality samples. This chapter describes a simple and widely applicable strategy for preparing proteins that are site-specifically labeled with a donor and an acceptor dye for single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) experiments. The method is based on introducing two cysteine residues that are labeled with maleimide-functionalized fluorophores, combined with high-resolution chromatography. We discuss how to optimize site-specific labeling even in the absence of orthogonal coupling chemistry and present purification strategies that are suitable for samples ranging from intrinsically disordered proteins to large folded proteins. We also discuss common problems in protein labeling, how to avoid them, and how to stringently control sample quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Zosel
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Novo Nordisk A/S, Måløv, Denmark
| | - Andrea Holla
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Benjamin Schuler
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
- Department of Physics, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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15
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Cinege G, Magyar LB, Kovács AL, Lerner Z, Juhász G, Lukacsovich D, Winterer J, Lukacsovich T, Hegedűs Z, Kurucz É, Hultmark D, Földy C, Andó I. Broad Ultrastructural and Transcriptomic Changes Underlie the Multinucleated Giant Hemocyte Mediated Innate Immune Response against Parasitoids. J Innate Immun 2021; 14:335-354. [PMID: 34864742 PMCID: PMC9275024 DOI: 10.1159/000520110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Multinucleated giant hemocytes (MGHs) represent a novel type of blood cell in insects that participate in a highly efficient immune response against parasitoid wasps involving isolation and killing of the parasite. Previously, we showed that circulating MGHs have high motility and the interaction with the parasitoid rapidly triggers encapsulation. However, structural and molecular mechanisms behind these processes remained elusive. Here, we used detailed ultrastructural analysis and live cell imaging of MGHs to study encapsulation in Drosophila ananassae after parasitoid wasp infection. We found dynamic structural changes, mainly driven by the formation of diverse vesicular systems and newly developed complex intracytoplasmic membrane structures, and abundant generation of giant cell exosomes in MGHs. In addition, we used RNA sequencing to study the transcriptomic profile of MGHs and activated plasmatocytes 72 h after infection, as well as the uninduced blood cells. This revealed that differentiation of MGHs was accompanied by broad changes in gene expression. Consistent with the observed structural changes, transcripts related to vesicular function, cytoskeletal organization, and adhesion were enriched in MGHs. In addition, several orphan genes encoding for hemolysin-like proteins, pore-forming toxins of prokaryotic origin, were expressed at high level, which may be important for parasitoid elimination. Our results reveal coordinated molecular and structural changes in the course of MGH differentiation and parasitoid encapsulation, providing a mechanistic model for a powerful innate immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gyöngyi Cinege
- Institute of Genetics, Innate Immunity Group, Immunology Unit, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Lilla B Magyar
- Institute of Genetics, Innate Immunity Group, Immunology Unit, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary.,Doctoral School of Biology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Attila L Kovács
- Department of Anatomy, Cell and Developmental Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zita Lerner
- Institute of Genetics, Innate Immunity Group, Immunology Unit, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary.,Doctoral School of Biology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Gábor Juhász
- Department of Anatomy, Cell and Developmental Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - David Lukacsovich
- Laboratory of Neural Connectivity, Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jochen Winterer
- Laboratory of Neural Connectivity, Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Tamás Lukacsovich
- Laboratory of Neural Connectivity, Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Zoltán Hegedűs
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary.,Department of Biochemistry and Medical Chemistry, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Éva Kurucz
- Institute of Genetics, Innate Immunity Group, Immunology Unit, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Dan Hultmark
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umea University, Umea, Sweden
| | - Csaba Földy
- Laboratory of Neural Connectivity, Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - István Andó
- Institute of Genetics, Innate Immunity Group, Immunology Unit, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, Hungary
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16
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Du X, Wang Y, Zhang S, Fan P, Yan S, Zhang P, Chen HY, Huang S. Microscopic Screening of Cyclodextrin Channel Blockers by DiffusiOptoPhysiology. Anal Chem 2021; 93:14161-14168. [PMID: 34641671 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c02775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Blockers of pore-forming toxins (PFTs) limit bacterial virulence by blocking relevant channel proteins. However, screening of desired blockers from a large pool of candidate molecules is not a trivial task. Acknowledging its advantages of low cost, high throughput, and multiplicity, DiffusiOptoPhysiology (DOP), an emerging nanopore technique that visually monitors the states of individual channel proteins without using any electrodes, has shown its potential use in the screening of channel blockers. By taking different α-hemolysin (α-HL) mutants as model PFTs and different cyclodextrins as model blockers, we report direct screening of pore blockers solely by using fluorescence microscopy. Different combinations of pores and blockers were simultaneously evaluated on the same DOP chip and a single-molecule resolution is directly achieved. The entire chip is composed of low-cost and biocompatible materials, which is fully disposable after each use. Though only demonstrated with cyclodextrin derivatives and α-HL mutants, this proof of concept has also suggested its generality to investigate other pore-forming proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Du
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China.,Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yuqin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China.,Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Shanyu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China.,Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Pingping Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China.,Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Shuanghong Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China.,Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Panke Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Hong-Yuan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Shuo Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China.,Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
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17
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Sannigrahi A, Chattopadhyay K. Pore formation by pore forming membrane proteins towards infections. ADVANCES IN PROTEIN CHEMISTRY AND STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 2021; 128:79-111. [PMID: 35034727 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apcsb.2021.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Over the last 25 years, the biology of membrane proteins, including the PFPs-membranes interactions is seeking attention for the development of successful drug molecules against a number of infectious diseases. Pore forming toxins (PFTs), the largest family of PFPs are considered as a group of virulence factors produced in a large number of pathogenic systems which include streptococcus, pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, group A and B streptococci, Corynebacterium diphtheria and many more. PFTs are generally utilized by the disease causing pathogens to disrupt the host first line of defense i.e. host cell membranes through pore formation strategy. Although, pore formation is the principal mode of action of the PFTs but they can have additional adverse effects on the hosts including immune evasion. Recently, structural investigation of different PFTs have imparted the molecular mechanistic insights into how PFTs get transformed from its inactive state to active toxic state. On the basis of their structural entity, PFTs have been classified in different types and their mode of actions alters in terms of pore formation and corresponding cellular toxicity. Although pathogen genome analysis can identify the probable PFTs depending upon their structural diversity, there are so many PFTs which utilize the local environmental conditions to generate their pore forming ability using a novel strategy which is known as "conformational switch" of a protein. This conformational switch is considered as characteristics of the phase shifting proteins which were often utilized by many pathogenic systems to protect them from the invaders through allosteric communication between distant regions of the protein. In this chapter, we discuss the structure function relationships of PFTs and how activity of PFTs varies with the change in the environmental conditions has been explored. Finally, we demonstrate these structural insights to develop therapeutic potential to treat the infections caused by multidrug resistant pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Achinta Sannigrahi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
| | - Krishnananda Chattopadhyay
- Structural Biology and Bioinformatics Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
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18
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Dingfelder F, Macocco I, Benke S, Nettels D, Faccioli P, Schuler B. Slow Escape from a Helical Misfolded State of the Pore-Forming Toxin Cytolysin A. JACS AU 2021; 1:1217-1230. [PMID: 34467360 PMCID: PMC8397351 DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.1c00175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The pore-forming toxin cytolysin A (ClyA) is expressed as a large α-helical monomer that, upon interaction with membranes, undergoes a major conformational rearrangement into the protomer conformation, which then assembles into a cytolytic pore. Here, we investigate the folding kinetics of the ClyA monomer with single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer spectroscopy in combination with microfluidic mixing, stopped-flow circular dichroism experiments, and molecular simulations. The complex folding process occurs over a broad range of time scales, from hundreds of nanoseconds to minutes. The very slow formation of the native state occurs from a rapidly formed and highly collapsed intermediate with large helical content and nonnative topology. Molecular dynamics simulations suggest pronounced non-native interactions as the origin of the slow escape from this deep trap in the free-energy surface, and a variational enhanced path-sampling approach enables a glimpse of the folding process that is supported by the experimental data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Dingfelder
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Iuri Macocco
- Department
of Physics, Trento University, Via Sommarive 14, 38123 Povo (Trento), Italy
- SISSA, Via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - Stephan Benke
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Nettels
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Pietro Faccioli
- Department
of Physics, Trento University, Via Sommarive 14, 38123 Povo (Trento), Italy
- INFN-TIFPA, Via Sommarive 14, 38123 Povo (Trento), Italy
| | - Benjamin Schuler
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Department
of Physics, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
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19
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Mondal AK, Chattopadhyay K. Structures and functions of the membrane-damaging pore-forming proteins. ADVANCES IN PROTEIN CHEMISTRY AND STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 2021; 128:241-288. [PMID: 35034720 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apcsb.2021.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Pore-forming proteins (PFPs) of the diverse life forms have emerged as the potent cell-killing entities owing to their specialized membrane-damaging properties. PFPs have the unique ability to perforate the plasma membranes of their target cells, and they exert this functionality by creating oligomeric pores in the membrane lipid bilayer. Pathogenic bacteria employ PFPs as toxins to execute their virulence mechanisms, whereas in the higher vertebrates PFPs are deployed as the part of the immune system and to generate inflammatory responses. PFPs are the unique dimorphic proteins that are generally synthesized as water-soluble molecules, and transform into membrane-inserted oligomeric pore assemblies upon interacting with the target membranes. In spite of sharing very little sequence similarity, PFPs from diverse organisms display incredible structural similarity. Yet, at the same time, structure-function mechanisms of the PFPs document remarkable versatility. Such notions establish PFPs as the fascinating model system to explore variety of unsolved issues pertaining to the structure-function paradigm of the proteins that interact and act in the membrane environment. In this article, we discuss our current understanding regarding the structural basis of the pore-forming functions of the diverse class of PFPs. We attempt to highlight the similarities and differences in their structures, membrane pore-formation mechanisms, and their implications for the various biological processes, ranging from the bacterial virulence mechanisms to the inflammatory immune response generation in the higher animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anish Kumar Mondal
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, Mohali, Punjab, India
| | - Kausik Chattopadhyay
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, Mohali, Punjab, India.
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20
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Comparative Pathogenomics of Escherichia coli: Polyvalent Vaccine Target Identification through Virulome Analysis. Infect Immun 2021; 89:e0011521. [PMID: 33941580 PMCID: PMC8281228 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00115-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Comparative genomics of bacterial pathogens has been useful for revealing potential virulence factors. Escherichia coli is a significant cause of human morbidity and mortality worldwide but can also exist as a commensal in the human gastrointestinal tract. With many sequenced genomes, it has served as a model organism for comparative genomic studies to understand the link between genetic content and potential for virulence. To date, however, no comprehensive analysis of its complete “virulome” has been performed for the purpose of identifying universal or pathotype-specific targets for vaccine development. Here, we describe the construction of a pathotype database of 107 well-characterized completely sequenced pathogenic and nonpathogenic E. coli strains, which we annotated for major virulence factors (VFs). The data are cross referenced for patterns against pathotype, phylogroup, and sequence type, and the results were verified against all 1,348 complete E. coli chromosomes in the NCBI RefSeq database. Our results demonstrate that phylogroup drives many of the “pathotype-associated” VFs, and ExPEC-associated VFs are found predominantly within the B2/D/F/G phylogenetic clade, suggesting that these phylogroups are better adapted to infect human hosts. Finally, we used this information to propose polyvalent vaccine targets with specificity toward extraintestinal strains, targeting key invasive strategies, including immune evasion (group 2 capsule), iron acquisition (FyuA, IutA, and Sit), adherence (SinH, Afa, Pap, Sfa, and Iha), and toxins (Usp, Sat, Vat, Cdt, Cnf1, and HlyA). While many of these targets have been proposed before, this work is the first to examine their pathotype and phylogroup distribution and how they may be targeted together to prevent disease.
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21
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Benke S, Holla A, Wunderlich B, Soranno A, Nettels D, Schuler B. Combining Rapid Microfluidic Mixing and Three-Color Single-Molecule FRET for Probing the Kinetics of Protein Conformational Changes. J Phys Chem B 2021; 125:6617-6628. [PMID: 34125545 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c02370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) is well suited for studying the kinetics of protein conformational changes, owing to its high sensitivity and ability to resolve individual subpopulations in heterogeneous systems. However, the most common approach employing two fluorophores can only monitor one distance at a time, and the use of three fluorophores for simultaneously monitoring multiple distances has largely been limited to equilibrium fluctuations. Here we show that three-color single-molecule FRET can be combined with rapid microfluidic mixing to investigate conformational changes in a protein from milliseconds to minutes. In combination with manual mixing, we extended the kinetics to 1 h, corresponding to a total range of 5 orders of magnitude in time. We studied the monomer-to-protomer conversion of the pore-forming toxin cytolysin A (ClyA), one of the largest protein conformational transitions known. Site-specific labeling of ClyA with three fluorophores enabled us to follow the kinetics of three intramolecular distances at the same time and revealed a previously undetected intermediate. The combination of three-color single-molecule FRET with rapid microfluidic mixing thus provides an approach for probing the mechanisms of complex biomolecular processes with high time resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan Benke
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Holla
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Bengt Wunderlich
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Soranno
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Center for Science and Engineering of Living Systems (CSELS), Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, United States
| | - Daniel Nettels
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Benjamin Schuler
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.,Department of Physics, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse. 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
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22
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Worthy HL, Williamson LJ, Auhim HS, Leppla SH, Sastalla I, Jones DD, Rizkallah PJ, Berry C. The Crystal Structure of Bacillus cereus HblL 1. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:253. [PMID: 33807365 PMCID: PMC8065917 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13040253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The Hbl toxin is a three-component haemolytic complex produced by Bacillus cereus sensu lato strains and implicated as a cause of diarrhoea in B. cereus food poisoning. While the structure of the HblB component of this toxin is known, the structures of the other components are unresolved. Here, we describe the expression of the recombinant HblL1 component and the elucidation of its structure to 1.36 Å. Like HblB, it is a member of the alpha-helical pore-forming toxin family. In comparison to other members of this group, it has an extended hydrophobic beta tongue region that may be involved in pore formation. Molecular docking was used to predict possible interactions between HblL1 and HblB, and suggests a head to tail dimer might form, burying the HblL1 beta tongue region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harley L. Worthy
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK; (H.L.W.); (L.J.W.); (H.S.A.); (D.D.J.)
- The Henry Wellcome Building for Biocatalysis, Exeter University, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Lainey J. Williamson
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK; (H.L.W.); (L.J.W.); (H.S.A.); (D.D.J.)
| | - Husam Sabah Auhim
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK; (H.L.W.); (L.J.W.); (H.S.A.); (D.D.J.)
- Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Stephen H. Leppla
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (S.H.L.); (I.S.)
| | - Inka Sastalla
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (S.H.L.); (I.S.)
- Scientific Review Program, Division of Extramural Activities, NIAID, NIH, Rockville, MD 20892, USA
| | - D. Dafydd Jones
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK; (H.L.W.); (L.J.W.); (H.S.A.); (D.D.J.)
| | | | - Colin Berry
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK; (H.L.W.); (L.J.W.); (H.S.A.); (D.D.J.)
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23
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Churchill-Angus AM, Schofield THB, Marlow TR, Sedelnikova SE, Wilson JS, Rafferty JB, Baker PJ. Characterisation of a tripartite α-pore forming toxin from Serratia marcescens. Sci Rep 2021; 11:6447. [PMID: 33742033 PMCID: PMC7979752 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-85726-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Tripartite members of the ClyA family of α-PFTs have recently been identified in a number of pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria, including the human pathogen Serratia marcescens. Structures of a Gram-negative A component and a tripartite α-PFT complete pore are unknown and a mechanism for pore formation is still uncertain. Here we characterise the tripartite SmhABC toxin from S. marcescens and propose a mechanism of pore assembly. We present the structure of soluble SmhA, as well as the soluble and pore forms of SmhB. We show that the β-tongue soluble structure is well conserved in the family and propose two conserved latches between the head and tail domains that are broken on the soluble to pore conformational change. Using the structures of individual components, sequence analysis and docking predictions we illustrate how the A, B and C protomers would assemble on the membrane to produce a complete tripartite α-PFT pore.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia M Churchill-Angus
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, South Yorkshire, UK
| | - Thomas H B Schofield
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, South Yorkshire, UK
- Current address: Astbury Centre for Structural and Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Thomas R Marlow
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, South Yorkshire, UK
| | - Svetlana E Sedelnikova
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, South Yorkshire, UK
| | - Jason S Wilson
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, South Yorkshire, UK
| | - John B Rafferty
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, South Yorkshire, UK
| | - Patrick J Baker
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, South Yorkshire, UK.
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24
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Johnstone BA, Christie MP, Morton CJ, Parker MW. X-ray crystallography shines a light on pore-forming toxins. Methods Enzymol 2021; 649:1-46. [PMID: 33712183 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2021.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
A common form of cellular attack by pathogenic bacteria is to secrete pore-forming toxins (PFTs). Capable of forming transmembrane pores in various biological membranes, PFTs have also been identified in a diverse range of other organisms such as sea anemones, earthworms and even mushrooms and trees. The mechanism of pore formation by PFTs is associated with substantial conformational changes in going from the water-soluble to transmembrane states of the protein. The determination of the crystal structures for numerous PFTs has shed much light on our understanding of these proteins. Other than elucidating the atomic structural details of PFTs and the conformational changes that must occur for pore formation, crystal structures have revealed structural homology that has led to the discovery of new PFTs and new PFT families. Here we review some key crystallographic results together with complimentary approaches for studying PFTs. We discuss how these studies have impacted our understanding of PFT function and guided research into biotechnical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bronte A Johnstone
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Michelle P Christie
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Craig J Morton
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Michael W Parker
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia; St. Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, VIC, Australia.
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25
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Li Y, Li Y, Mengist HM, Shi C, Zhang C, Wang B, Li T, Huang Y, Xu Y, Jin T. Structural Basis of the Pore-Forming Toxin/Membrane Interaction. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13020128. [PMID: 33572271 PMCID: PMC7914777 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13020128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Revised: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
With the rapid growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, it is urgent to develop alternative therapeutic strategies. Pore-forming toxins (PFTs) belong to the largest family of virulence factors of many pathogenic bacteria and constitute the most characterized classes of pore-forming proteins (PFPs). Recent studies revealed the structural basis of several PFTs, both as soluble monomers, and transmembrane oligomers. Upon interacting with host cells, the soluble monomer of bacterial PFTs assembles into transmembrane oligomeric complexes that insert into membranes and affect target cell-membrane permeability, leading to diverse cellular responses and outcomes. Herein we have reviewed the structural basis of pore formation and interaction of PFTs with the host cell membrane, which could add valuable contributions in comprehensive understanding of PFTs and searching for novel therapeutic strategies targeting PFTs and interaction with host receptors in the fight of bacterial antibiotic-resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajuan Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China; (Y.L.); (C.S.); (B.W.); (T.L.); (Y.H.)
| | - Yuelong Li
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Laboratory of Structural Immunology, CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China; (Y.L.); (H.M.M.); (C.Z.)
| | - Hylemariam Mihiretie Mengist
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Laboratory of Structural Immunology, CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China; (Y.L.); (H.M.M.); (C.Z.)
| | - Cuixiao Shi
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China; (Y.L.); (C.S.); (B.W.); (T.L.); (Y.H.)
| | - Caiying Zhang
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Laboratory of Structural Immunology, CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China; (Y.L.); (H.M.M.); (C.Z.)
| | - Bo Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China; (Y.L.); (C.S.); (B.W.); (T.L.); (Y.H.)
| | - Tingting Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China; (Y.L.); (C.S.); (B.W.); (T.L.); (Y.H.)
| | - Ying Huang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China; (Y.L.); (C.S.); (B.W.); (T.L.); (Y.H.)
| | - Yuanhong Xu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China; (Y.L.); (C.S.); (B.W.); (T.L.); (Y.H.)
- Correspondence: (Y.X.); (T.J.); Tel.: +86-13505694447 (Y.X.); +86-17605607323 (T.J.)
| | - Tengchuan Jin
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Laboratory of Structural Immunology, CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China; (Y.L.); (H.M.M.); (C.Z.)
- Correspondence: (Y.X.); (T.J.); Tel.: +86-13505694447 (Y.X.); +86-17605607323 (T.J.)
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26
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The Food Poisoning Toxins of Bacillus cereus. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13020098. [PMID: 33525722 PMCID: PMC7911051 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13020098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Revised: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacillus cereus is a ubiquitous soil bacterium responsible for two types of food-associated gastrointestinal diseases. While the emetic type, a food intoxication, manifests in nausea and vomiting, food infections with enteropathogenic strains cause diarrhea and abdominal pain. Causative toxins are the cyclic dodecadepsipeptide cereulide, and the proteinaceous enterotoxins hemolysin BL (Hbl), nonhemolytic enterotoxin (Nhe) and cytotoxin K (CytK), respectively. This review covers the current knowledge on distribution and genetic organization of the toxin genes, as well as mechanisms of enterotoxin gene regulation and toxin secretion. In this context, the exceptionally high variability of toxin production between single strains is highlighted. In addition, the mode of action of the pore-forming enterotoxins and their effect on target cells is described in detail. The main focus of this review are the two tripartite enterotoxin complexes Hbl and Nhe, but the latest findings on cereulide and CytK are also presented, as well as methods for toxin detection, and the contribution of further putative virulence factors to the diarrheal disease.
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Sathyanarayana P, Visweswariah SS, Ayappa KG. Mechanistic Insights into Pore Formation by an α-Pore Forming Toxin: Protein and Lipid Bilayer Interactions of Cytolysin A. Acc Chem Res 2021; 54:120-131. [PMID: 33291882 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.0c00551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Pore forming toxins (PFTs) are the largest class of bacterial toxins playing a central role in bacterial pathogenesis. They are proteins specifically designed to form nanochannels in the membranes of target cells, ultimately resulting in cell death and establishing infection. PFTs are broadly classified as α- and β-PFTs, depending on secondary structures that form the transmembrane channel. A unique feature about this class of proteins is the drastic conformational changes and complex oligomerization pathways that occur upon exposure to the plasma membrane. A molecular understanding of pore formation has implications in designing novel intervention strategies to combat rising antimicrobial resistance, targeted-cancer therapy, as well as designing nanopores for specialized technologies. Central to unraveling the pore formation pathway is the availability of high resolution crystal structures. In this regard, β-toxins are better understood, when compared with α-toxins whose pore forming mechanisms are complicated by an incomplete knowledge of the driving forces for amphiphatic membrane-inserted helices to organize into functional pores. With the publication of the first crystal structure for an α-toxin, cytolysin A (ClyA), in 2009 we embarked on an extensive multiscale study to unravel its pore forming mechanism. This Account represents the collective mechanistic knowledge gained in our laboratories using a variety of experimental and theoretical techniques which include large scale molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, kinetic modeling studies, single-molecule fluorescence imaging, and super-resolution spectroscopy. We reported MD simulations of the ClyA protomer, oligomeric intermediates, and full pore complex in a lipid bilayer and mapped the conformational transitions that accompany membrane binding. Using single-molecule fluorescence imaging, the conformational transition was experimentally verified by analysis of various diffusion states of membrane bound ClyA. Importantly, we have uncovered a hitherto unknown putative cholesterol binding motif in the membrane-inserted helix of ClyA. Distinct binding pockets for cholesterol formed by adjacent membrane-inserted helices are revealed in MD simulations. Cholesterol appears to play a dual role by stabilizing both the membrane-inserted protomer as well as oligomeric intermediates. Molecular dynamics simulations and kinetic modeling studies suggest that the membrane-inserted arcs oligomerize reversibly to form the predominant transmembrane oligomeric intermediates during pore formation. We posit that this mechanistic understanding of the complex action of α-PFTs has implications in unraveling pore assembly across the wider family of bacterial toxins. With emerging antimicrobial resistance, alternate therapies may rely on disrupting pore functionality or oligomerization of these pathogenic determinants utilized by bacteria, and our study includes assessing the potential for dendrimers as pore blockers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pradeep Sathyanarayana
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India 560012
| | - Sandhya S. Visweswariah
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India 560012
- Department of Molecular Reproduction, Development and Genetics, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India 560012
| | - K. Ganapathy Ayappa
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India 560012
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India 560012
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28
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Pore-forming proteins: From defense factors to endogenous executors of cell death. Chem Phys Lipids 2020; 234:105026. [PMID: 33309552 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemphyslip.2020.105026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Pore-forming proteins (PFPs) and small antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent a large family of molecules with the common ability to punch holes in cell membranes to alter their permeability. They play a fundamental role as infectious bacteria's defensive tools against host's immune system and as executors of endogenous machineries of regulated cell death in eukaryotic cells. Despite being highly divergent in primary sequence and 3D structure, specific folds of pore-forming domains have been conserved. In fact, pore formation is considered an ancient mechanism that takes place through a general multistep process involving: membrane partitioning and insertion, oligomerization and pore formation. However, different PFPs and AMPs assemble and form pores following different mechanisms that could end up either in the formation of protein-lined or protein-lipid pores. In this review, we analyze the current findings in the mechanism of action of different PFPs and AMPs that support a wide role of membrane pore formation in nature. We also provide the newest insights into the development of state-of-art techniques that have facilitated the characterization of membrane pores. To understand the physiological role of these peptides/proteins or develop clinical applications, it is essential to uncover the molecular mechanism of how they perforate membranes.
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29
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Churchill-Angus AM, Sedelnikova SE, Schofield THB, Baker PJ. The A component (SmhA) of a tripartite pore-forming toxin from Serratia marcescens: expression, purification and crystallographic analysis. Acta Crystallogr F Struct Biol Commun 2020; 76:577-582. [PMID: 33263568 PMCID: PMC7716259 DOI: 10.1107/s2053230x20013862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Tripartite α-pore-forming toxins are constructed of three proteins (A, B and C) and are found in many bacterial pathogens. While structures of the B and C components from Gram-negative bacteria have been described, the structure of the A component of a Gram-negative α-pore-forming toxin has so far proved elusive. SmhA, the A component from the opportunistic human pathogen Serratia marcescens, has been cloned, overexpressed and purified. Crystals were grown of selenomethionine-derivatized protein and anomalous data were collected. Phases were calculated and an initial electron-density map was produced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia M. Churchill-Angus
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, United Kingdom
| | - Svetlana E. Sedelnikova
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas H. B. Schofield
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, United Kingdom
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Patrick J. Baker
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, United Kingdom
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30
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Characteristics of the Protein Complexes and Pores Formed by Bacillus cereus Hemolysin BL. Toxins (Basel) 2020; 12:toxins12110672. [PMID: 33114414 PMCID: PMC7694065 DOI: 10.3390/toxins12110672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacillus cereus Hemolysin BL is a tripartite toxin responsible for a diarrheal type of food poisoning. Open questions remain regarding its mode of action, including the extent to which complex formation prior to cell binding contributes to pore-forming activity, how these complexes are composed, and the properties of the pores formed in the target cell membrane. Distinct complexes of up to 600 kDa were found on native gels, whose structure and size were primarily defined by Hbl B. Hbl L1 and L2 were also identified in these complexes using Western blotting and an LC-MS approach. LC-MS also revealed that many other proteins secreted by B. cereus exist in complexes. Further, a decrease of toxic activity at temperatures ≥60 °C was shown, which was unexpectedly restored at higher temperatures. This could be attributed to a release of Hbl B monomers from tight complexation, resulting in enhanced cell binding. In contrast, Hbl L1 was rather susceptible to heat, while heat treatment of Hbl L2 seemed not to be crucial. Furthermore, Hbl-induced pores had a rather small single-channel conductance of around 200 pS and a probable channel diameter of at least 1 nm on planar lipid bilayers. These were highly instable and had a limited lifetime, and were also slightly cation-selective. Altogether, this study provides astonishing new insights into the complex mechanism of Hbl pore formation, as well as the properties of the pores.
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31
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Reinartz I, Weiel M, Schug A. FRET Dyes Significantly Affect SAXS Intensities of Proteins. Isr J Chem 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ijch.202000007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ines Reinartz
- Institute for Automation and Applied InformaticsKarlsruhe Institute of Technology Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen Germany
- HIDSS4Health – Helmholtz Information and Data Science School for Health Karlsruhe/Heidelberg Germany
| | - Marie Weiel
- Department of PhysicsKarlsruhe Institute of Technology Wolfgang-Gaede-Str. 1 76131 Karlsruhe Germany
- Steinbuch Centre for ComputingKarlsruhe Institute of Technology Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen Germany
| | - Alexander Schug
- Institute for Advanced Simulation Jülich Supercomputing Center Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße 52428 Jülich Germany
- Faculty of BiologyUniversity of Duisburg-Essen Germany
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32
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The bright and dark sides of protein conformational switches and the unifying forces of infections. Commun Biol 2020; 3:382. [PMID: 32669705 PMCID: PMC7363679 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-1115-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
It is now established that a protein can switch between multiple conformations to enable altered functions. Several pathogens including SARS COV2 utilize context-dependent conformational switches of particular proteins to invade host membrane to establish infections. In this perspective, we first discuss the understanding of the conformational switch of a protein towards the productive infections as a dark side of nature. Next, the unexplored binary combination of the sequences of SARS COV2 spike protein and the similarity with diverse pathogen derived proteins have been discussed to obtain novel molecular insights into the process of infection. Sannigrahi et al. discuss conformational switching that allows proteins to alter their conformation, aiding in pathogenesis by enabling cellular entry of viruses and bacterial toxins. Focussing on fusion domain of the Spike glycoprotein of SARS COV2 virus, they identify similar “switching sequences” present in diverse pathogen derived proteins.
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33
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Liu J, Zuo Z, Sastalla I, Liu C, Jang JY, Sekine Y, Li Y, Pirooznia M, Leppla SH, Finkel T, Liu S. Sequential CRISPR-Based Screens Identify LITAF and CDIP1 as the Bacillus cereus Hemolysin BL Toxin Host Receptors. Cell Host Microbe 2020; 28:402-410.e5. [PMID: 32544461 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2020.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Revised: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Bacteria and their toxins are associated with significant human morbidity and mortality. While a few bacterial toxins are well characterized, the mechanism of action for most toxins has not been elucidated, thereby limiting therapeutic advances. One such example is the highly potent pore-forming toxin, hemolysin BL (HBL), produced by the gram-positive pathogen Bacillus cereus. However, how HBL exerts its effects and whether it requires any host factors is unknown. Here, we describe an unbiased genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 knockout screen that identified LPS-induced TNF-α factor (LITAF) as the HBL receptor. Using LITAF-deficient cells, a second, subsequent whole-genome CRISPR-Cas9 screen identified the LITAF-like protein CDIP1 as a second, alternative receptor. We generated LITAF-deficient mice, which exhibit marked resistance to lethal HBL challenges. This work outlines and validates an approach to use iterative genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 screens to identify the complement of host factors exploited by bacterial toxins to exert their myriad biological effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Liu
- Aging Institute of University of Pittsburgh and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA; Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA
| | - Zehua Zuo
- Aging Institute of University of Pittsburgh and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA
| | - Inka Sastalla
- Microbial Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Chengyu Liu
- Transgenic Core Facility, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Ji Yong Jang
- Aging Institute of University of Pittsburgh and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA
| | - Yusuke Sekine
- Aging Institute of University of Pittsburgh and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA
| | - Yuesheng Li
- DNA Sequencing and Genomics Core Facility, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Mehdi Pirooznia
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Core Facility, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Stephen H Leppla
- Microbial Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Toren Finkel
- Aging Institute of University of Pittsburgh and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA; Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA
| | - Shihui Liu
- Aging Institute of University of Pittsburgh and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA.
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34
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Fox D, Mathur A, Xue Y, Liu Y, Tan WH, Feng S, Pandey A, Ngo C, Hayward JA, Atmosukarto II, Price JD, Johnson MD, Jessberger N, Robertson AAB, Burgio G, Tscharke DC, Fox EM, Leyton DL, Kaakoush NO, Märtlbauer E, Leppla SH, Man SM. Bacillus cereus non-haemolytic enterotoxin activates the NLRP3 inflammasome. Nat Commun 2020; 11:760. [PMID: 32029733 PMCID: PMC7005308 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-14534-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Inflammasomes are important for host defence against pathogens and homeostasis with commensal microbes. Here, we show non-haemolytic enterotoxin (NHE) from the neglected human foodborne pathogen Bacillus cereus is an activator of the NLRP3 inflammasome and pyroptosis. NHE is a non-redundant toxin to haemolysin BL (HBL) despite having a similar mechanism of action. Via a putative transmembrane region, subunit C of NHE initiates binding to the plasma membrane, leading to the recruitment of subunit B and subunit A, thus forming a tripartite lytic pore that is permissive to efflux of potassium. NHE mediates killing of cells from multiple lineages and hosts, highlighting a versatile functional repertoire in different host species. These data indicate that NHE and HBL operate synergistically to induce inflammation and show that multiple virulence factors from the same pathogen with conserved function and mechanism of action can be exploited for sensing by a single inflammasome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Fox
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Anukriti Mathur
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Yansong Xue
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Yunqi Liu
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Wei Hong Tan
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Shouya Feng
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Abhimanu Pandey
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Chinh Ngo
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Jenni A Hayward
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Ines I Atmosukarto
- Lipotek Pty Ltd. The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Jason D Price
- Lipotek Pty Ltd. The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Matthew D Johnson
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Nadja Jessberger
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Oberschleißheim, Germany
| | - Avril A B Robertson
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Gaetan Burgio
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - David C Tscharke
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Edward M Fox
- Department of Applied Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
| | - Denisse L Leyton
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.,Medical School, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Nadeem O Kaakoush
- School of Medical Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Erwin Märtlbauer
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Oberschleißheim, Germany
| | - Stephen H Leppla
- Microbial Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Si Ming Man
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
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35
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Wu Y, Feng Z, Jiang S, Chen J, Zhan Y, Chen J. Secreting-lux/pT-ClyA engineered bacteria suppresses tumor growth via interleukin-1β in two pathways. AMB Express 2019; 9:189. [PMID: 31754923 PMCID: PMC6872689 DOI: 10.1186/s13568-019-0910-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Engineered Salmonella typhimurium (S.t-ΔpGlux/pT-ClyA) and attenuated Salmonella typhimurium (SL: Salmonella typhimurium with a defect in the synthesis of guanine 5′-diphosphate-3′-diphosphate) exhibit similar tumor targeting capabilities (Kim et al. in Theranostics 5:1328–1342, 2015; Jiang et al. in Mol Ther 18:635–642, 2013), but S.t-ΔpGlux/pT-ClyA exerts superior tumor suppressive effects. The aim of this study was to investigate whether S.t-ΔpGlux/pT-ClyA inhibits colon cancer growth and recurrence by promoting increased IL-1β production. The CT26 tumor mouse model was used, and mice were treated in the following ways: PBS, S.t-ΔpGlux/pT-ClyA(+) + IL-1βAb, SL, S.t-ΔpGlux/pT-ClyA(−), and S.t-ΔpGlux/pT-ClyA(+). Dynamic evaluation of the efficacy of S.t-ΔpGlux/pT-ClyA in the treatment of colon cancer was assessed by MRI. Western blot, immunofluorescence and flow cytometry analysis were used to investigate IL-1β-derived cells and IL-1β expression on tumor cells and immune cells to analyze the regulatory mechanism. IL-1β levels in tumors colonized by S.t-ΔpGlux/pT-ClyA were significantly increased and maintained at high levels compared to control treatments. This increase caused tumors to subside without recurrence. We examined the immune cells mediating S.t-ΔpGlux/pT-ClyA-induced tumor suppression and examined the major cell types producing IL-1β. We found that macrophages and dendritic cells were the primary IL-1β producers. Inhibition of IL-1β in mice treated with S.t-ΔpGlux/pT-ClyA using an IL-1β antibody caused tumor growth to resume. This suggests that IL-1β plays an important role in the treatment of cancer by S.t-ΔpGlux/pT-ClyA. We found that in St-ΔpGlux/pT-ClyA-treated tumors, expression of molecules involved in signaling pathways, such as NLRP3, ASC, Caspase1, TLR4, MyD88, NF-kB and IL-1β, were upregulated, while in ΔppGpp S. typhimurium treated animals, TLR4, MyD88, NF-kB and IL-1β were upregulated with NLRP3, ASC, and Caspase1 being rarely expressed or not expressed at all. Using S.t-ΔpGlux/pT-ClyA may simultaneously activate TLR4 and NLRP3 signaling pathways, which increase IL-1β expression and enhance inhibition of colon cancer growth without tumor recurrence. This study provides a novel platform for treating colon cancer.
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36
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Iacob S, Iacob DG. Infectious Threats, the Intestinal Barrier, and Its Trojan Horse: Dysbiosis. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:1676. [PMID: 31447793 PMCID: PMC6692454 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The ecosystem of the gut microbiota consists of diverse intestinal species with multiple metabolic and immunologic activities and it is closely connected with the intestinal epithelia and mucosal immune response, with which it builds a complex barrier against intestinal pathogenic bacteria. The microbiota ensures the integrity of the gut barrier through multiple mechanisms, either by releasing antibacterial molecules (bacteriocins) and anti-inflammatory short-chain fatty acids or by activating essential cell receptors for the immune response. Experimental studies have confirmed the role of the intestinal microbiota in the epigenetic modulation of the gut barrier through posttranslational histone modifications and regulatory mechanisms induced by epithelial miRNA in the epithelial lumen. Any quantitative or functional changes of the intestinal microbiota, referred to as dysbiosis, alter the immune response, decrease epithelial permeability and destabilize intestinal homeostasis. Consequently, the overgrowth of pathobionts (Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, and Escherichia coli) favors intestinal translocations with Gram negative bacteria or their endotoxins and could trigger sepsis, septic shock, secondary peritonitis, or various intestinal infections. Intestinal infections also induce epithelial lesions and perpetuate the risk of bacterial translocation and dysbiosis through epithelial ischemia and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, the decline of protective anaerobic bacteria (Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus) and inadequate release of immune modulators (such as butyrate) affects the release of antimicrobial peptides, de-represses microbial virulence factors and alters the innate immune response. As a result, intestinal germs modulate liver pathology and represent a common etiology of infections in HIV immunosuppressed patients. Antibiotic and antiretroviral treatments also promote intestinal dysbiosis, followed by the selection of resistant germs which could later become a source of infections. The current article addresses the strong correlations between the intestinal barrier and the microbiota and discusses the role of dysbiosis in destabilizing the intestinal barrier and promoting infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Iacob
- Infectious Diseases Department, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania.,National Institute of Infectious Diseases "Prof. Dr. Matei Balş", Bucharest, Romania
| | - Diana Gabriela Iacob
- Infectious Diseases Department, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania
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37
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Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Da_7 and Cry1B.868 Protein Interactions with Novel Receptors Allow Control of Resistant Fall Armyworms, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith). Appl Environ Microbiol 2019; 85:AEM.00579-19. [PMID: 31175187 PMCID: PMC6677855 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00579-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2019] [Accepted: 05/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Two new modified Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) proteins, Cry1Da_7 and Cry1B.868, with activity against fall armyworms (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith), were evaluated for their potential to bind new insect receptors compared to proteins currently deployed as plant-incorporated protectants (PIPs) in row crops. Results from resistant insect bioassays, disabled insecticidal protein (DIP) bioassays, and cell-based assays using insect cells expressing individual receptors demonstrate that receptor utilizations of the newly modified Cry1Da_7 and Cry1B.868 proteins are distinct from each other and from those of commercially available Bt proteins such as Cry1F, Cry1A.105, Cry2Ab, and Vip3A. Accordingly, these two proteins target different insect proteins in FAW midgut cells and when pyramided together should provide durability in the field against this economically important pest.IMPORTANCE There is increased concern with the development of resistance to insecticidal proteins currently expressed in crop plants, especially against high-resistance-risk pests such as fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, a maize pest that already has developed resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) proteins such as Cry1F. Lepidopteran-specific proteins that bind new insect receptors will be critical in managing current Cry1F-resistant FAW and delaying future resistance development. Results from resistant insect assays, disabled insecticidal protein (DIP) bioassays, and cell-based assays using insect cells expressing individual receptors demonstrate that target receptors of the Cry1Da_7 and Cry1B.868 proteins are different from each other and from those of commercially available Bt proteins such as Cry1F, Cry1A.105, Cry2Ab, and Vip3A. Therefore, pyramiding these two new proteins in maize will provide durable control of this economically important pest in production agriculture.
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38
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Wilson JS, Churchill-Angus AM, Davies SP, Sedelnikova SE, Tzokov SB, Rafferty JB, Bullough PA, Bisson C, Baker PJ. Identification and structural analysis of the tripartite α-pore forming toxin of Aeromonas hydrophila. Nat Commun 2019; 10:2900. [PMID: 31263098 PMCID: PMC6602965 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-10777-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Accepted: 05/29/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The alpha helical CytolysinA family of pore forming toxins (α-PFT) contains single, two, and three component members. Structures of the single component Eschericia coli ClyA and the two component Yersinia enterolytica YaxAB show both undergo conformational changes from soluble to pore forms, and oligomerization to produce the active pore. Here we identify tripartite α-PFTs in pathogenic Gram negative bacteria, including Aeromonas hydrophila (AhlABC). We show that the AhlABC toxin requires all three components for maximal cell lysis. We present structures of pore components which describe a bi-fold hinge mechanism for soluble to pore transition in AhlB and a contrasting tetrameric assembly employed by soluble AhlC to hide their hydrophobic membrane associated residues. We propose a model of pore assembly where the AhlC tetramer dissociates, binds a single membrane leaflet, recruits AhlB promoting soluble to pore transition, prior to AhlA binding to form the active hydrophilic lined pore. Pore forming toxins (PFTs) form the major group of virulence factors in many pathogenic bacteria. Here the authors identify tripartite α-helical PFTs in pathogenic Gram negative bacteria and structurally characterize AhlABC from Aeromonas hydrophila and propose a model for its pore assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason S Wilson
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Alicia M Churchill-Angus
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Simon P Davies
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S10 2TN, UK.,School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences and Astbury Centre for Structural and Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Svetlana E Sedelnikova
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Svetomir B Tzokov
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S10 2TN, UK
| | - John B Rafferty
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Per A Bullough
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Claudine Bisson
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S10 2TN, UK.,ISMB, Department of Biological Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London, Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HX, UK
| | - Patrick J Baker
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S10 2TN, UK.
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Peng W, de Souza Santos M, Li Y, Tomchick DR, Orth K. High-resolution cryo-EM structures of the E. coli hemolysin ClyA oligomers. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0213423. [PMID: 31048915 PMCID: PMC6497250 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0213423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Pore-forming proteins (PFPs) represent a functionally important protein family, that are found in organisms from viruses to humans. As a major branch of PFPs, bacteria pore-forming toxins (PFTs) permeabilize membranes and usually cause the death of target cells. E. coli hemolysin ClyA is the first member with the pore complex structure solved among α-PFTs, employing α-helices as transmembrane elements. ClyA is proposed to form pores composed of various numbers of protomers. With high-resolution cryo-EM structures, we observe that ClyA pore complexes can exist as newly confirmed oligomers of a tridecamer and a tetradecamer, at estimated resolutions of 3.2 Å and 4.3 Å, respectively. The 2.8 Å cryo-EM structure of a dodecamer dramatically improves the existing structural model. Structural analysis indicates that protomers from distinct oligomers resemble each other and neighboring protomers adopt a conserved interaction mode. We also show a stabilized intermediate state of ClyA during the transition process from soluble monomers to pore complexes. Unexpectedly, even without the formation of mature pore complexes, ClyA can permeabilize membranes and allow leakage of particles less than ~400 Daltons. In addition, we are the first to show that ClyA forms pore complexes in the presence of cholesterol within artificial liposomes. These findings provide new mechanistic insights into the dynamic process of pore assembly for the prototypical α-PFT ClyA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Peng
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States of America
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States of America
| | - Marcela de Souza Santos
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States of America
| | - Yang Li
- Department of Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States of America
| | - Diana R Tomchick
- Department of Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States of America
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States of America
| | - Kim Orth
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States of America
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States of America
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States of America
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40
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Tak U, Vlach J, Garza-Garcia A, William D, Danilchanka O, de Carvalho LPS, Saad JS, Niederweis M. The tuberculosis necrotizing toxin is an NAD + and NADP + glycohydrolase with distinct enzymatic properties. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:3024-3036. [PMID: 30593509 PMCID: PMC6398120 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.005832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2018] [Revised: 12/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Upon host infection, Mycobacterium tuberculosis secretes the tuberculosis necrotizing toxin (TNT) into the cytosol of infected macrophages, leading to host cell death by necroptosis. TNT hydrolyzes NAD+ in the absence of any exogenous cofactor, thus classifying it as a β-NAD+ glycohydrolase. However, TNT lacks sequence similarity with other NAD+ hydrolyzing enzymes and lacks the essential motifs involved in NAD+ binding and hydrolysis by these enzymes. In this study, we used NMR to examine the enzymatic activity of TNT and found that TNT hydrolyzes NADP+ as fast as NAD+ but does not cleave the corresponding reduced dinucleotides. This activity of TNT was not inhibited by ADP-ribose or nicotinamide, indicating low affinity of TNT for these reaction products. A selection assay for nontoxic TNT variants in Escherichia coli identified four of six residues in the predicted NAD+-binding pocket and four glycine residues that form a cradle directly below the NAD+-binding site, a conserved feature in the TNT protein family. Site-directed mutagenesis of residues near the predicted NAD+-binding site revealed that Phe727, Arg757, and Arg780 are essential for NAD+ hydrolysis by TNT. These results identify the NAD+-binding site of TNT. Our findings also show that TNT is an NAD+ glycohydrolase with properties distinct from those of other bacterial glycohydrolases. Because many of these residues are conserved within the TNT family, our findings provide insights into understanding the function of the >300 TNT homologs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uday Tak
- From the Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35205 and
| | - Jiri Vlach
- From the Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35205 and
| | | | - Doreen William
- From the Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35205 and
| | - Olga Danilchanka
- From the Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35205 and
| | | | - Jamil S Saad
- From the Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35205 and
| | - Michael Niederweis
- From the Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35205 and
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41
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Dingfelder F, Benke S, Nettels D, Schuler B. Mapping an Equilibrium Folding Intermediate of the Cytolytic Pore Toxin ClyA with Single-Molecule FRET. J Phys Chem B 2018; 122:11251-11261. [PMID: 30156409 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.8b07026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The 303-residue cytolytic toxin ClyA forms a stable α-helical monomer. In the presence of detergents or membranes, however, the protein makes a large conformational transition to the protomer state, which is competent for assembly into a dodecameric cytolytic pore. In this study, we map the structure of the ClyA monomer during denaturant-induced unfolding with single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) spectroscopy. To this end, we probe intramolecular distances of six different segments of ClyA by placing donor and acceptor fluorophores at corresponding positions along the chain. We identify an intermediate state that contains the folded core consisting of three of the α-helices that make up the helical bundle present in the structure of both the monomer and the protomer, but with the C- and N-terminal helices unfolded, in accord with the secondary structure content estimated from circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. The existence of this intermediate is likely to be a consequence of the structural bistability underlying the biological function of ClyA: The terminal helices are part of the largest rearrangements during protomer formation, and the local differences in stability we detect may prime the protein for the required conformational transition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Dingfelder
- Department of Biochemistry , University of Zurich , Winterthurerstrasse 190 , 8057 Zurich , Switzerland
| | - Stephan Benke
- Department of Biochemistry , University of Zurich , Winterthurerstrasse 190 , 8057 Zurich , Switzerland
| | - Daniel Nettels
- Department of Biochemistry , University of Zurich , Winterthurerstrasse 190 , 8057 Zurich , Switzerland
| | - Benjamin Schuler
- Department of Biochemistry , University of Zurich , Winterthurerstrasse 190 , 8057 Zurich , Switzerland.,Department of Physics , University of Zurich , Winterthurerstrasse 190 , 8057 Zurich , Switzerland
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42
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Bräuning B, Groll M. Structural and Mechanistic Features of ClyA-Like α-Pore-Forming Toxins. Toxins (Basel) 2018; 10:toxins10090343. [PMID: 30142951 PMCID: PMC6162564 DOI: 10.3390/toxins10090343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Revised: 08/16/2018] [Accepted: 08/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent technological advances have seen increasing numbers of complex structures from diverse pore-forming toxins (PFT). The ClyA family of α-PFTs comprises a broad variety of assemblies including single-, two- and three-component toxin systems. With crystal structures available for soluble subunits of all major groups in this extended protein family, efforts now focus on obtaining molecular insights into physiological pore formation. This review provides an up-to-date discussion on common and divergent structural and functional traits that distinguish the various ClyA family PFTs. Open questions of this research topic are outlined and discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bastian Bräuning
- Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM), Department of Chemistry, Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstrasse 4, 85747 Garching, Germany.
| | - Michael Groll
- Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM), Department of Chemistry, Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstrasse 4, 85747 Garching, Germany.
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43
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Schubert E, Vetter IR, Prumbaum D, Penczek PA, Raunser S. Membrane insertion of α-xenorhabdolysin in near-atomic detail. eLife 2018; 7:38017. [PMID: 30010541 PMCID: PMC6086661 DOI: 10.7554/elife.38017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2018] [Accepted: 07/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
α-Xenorhabdolysins (Xax) are α-pore-forming toxins (α-PFT) that form 1–1.3 MDa large pore complexes to perforate the host cell membrane. PFTs are used by a variety of bacterial pathogens to attack host cells. Due to the lack of structural information, the molecular mechanism of action of Xax toxins is poorly understood. Here, we report the cryo-EM structure of the XaxAB pore complex from Xenorhabdus nematophila and the crystal structures of the soluble monomers of XaxA and XaxB. The structures reveal that XaxA and XaxB are built similarly and appear as heterodimers in the 12–15 subunits containing pore, classifying XaxAB as bi-component α-PFT. Major conformational changes in XaxB, including the swinging out of an amphipathic helix are responsible for membrane insertion. XaxA acts as an activator and stabilizer for XaxB that forms the actual transmembrane pore. Based on our results, we propose a novel structural model for the mechanism of Xax intoxication. Some bacteria make toxins that punch large holes into the membranes of host cells, destroying them like a puncture destroys a football. These “pore-forming toxins” allow many bacterial species to infect a variety of organisms, from insects to humans. Some sophisticated pore-forming toxins, such as the anthrax toxin, do not only form a pore but also use it to flood lethal toxins into the cell to kill it. One bacterium called Xenorhabdus nematophila punctures the membranes of insect cells, using the same type of pore-forming toxins that other bacteria use to infect humans. Previous research has shown that two proteins – components A and B – form these pore-forming toxins. Given this two-protein formation, some scientists predicted these pore-forming toxins might act like those of the anthrax bacterium: one component forms the pore; the other component poisons the cell. But without detailed images of this pore-forming toxin’s structure, understanding exactly how these two components work together is almost impossible. To explore how components A and B operate within X. nematophila, Schubert et al. captured images of the molecular structure of the two proteins. Common methods reliant on X-rays and electron microscopes revealed the layouts of both components. By visualizing the proteins at different stages, Schubert et al. observed key structural changes that enable them to form the pore and puncture a host cell. Component A binds to component B’s back, forming a subunit – twelve to fifteen of which then conjoin as the pore-forming toxin. Schubert et al. conclude that component A stabilizes each subunit on the membrane and activates component B, which then punctures the membrane by swinging out its lower end. Unlike the anthrax pore-forming toxin, both components collaborate to form the pore complex and puncture the membrane. These results provide a foundation of knowledge about what these toxins look like and how they operate. More research building upon this structural analysis may help scientists develop antibiotics that prevent bacteria from destroying human cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelyn Schubert
- Department of Structural Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Ingrid R Vetter
- Department of Mechanistic Cell Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Daniel Prumbaum
- Department of Structural Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Pawel A Penczek
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Houston Medical School, The University of Texas, Houston, United States
| | - Stefan Raunser
- Department of Structural Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, Germany
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44
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Cholesterol promotes Cytolysin A activity by stabilizing the intermediates during pore formation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:E7323-E7330. [PMID: 30012608 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1721228115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Pore-forming toxins (PFTs) form nanoscale pores across target membranes causing cell death. Cytolysin A (ClyA) from Escherichia coli is a prototypical α-helical toxin that contributes to cytolytic phenotype of several pathogenic strains. It is produced as a monomer and, upon membrane exposure, undergoes conformational changes and finally oligomerizes to form a dodecameric pore, thereby causing ion imbalance and finally cell death. However, our current understanding of this assembly process is limited to studies in detergents, which do not capture the physicochemical properties of biological membranes. Here, using single-molecule imaging and molecular dynamics simulations, we study the ClyA assembly pathway on phospholipid bilayers. We report that cholesterol stimulates pore formation, not by enhancing initial ClyA binding to the membrane but by selectively stabilizing a protomer-like conformation. This was mediated by specific interactions by cholesterol-interacting residues in the N-terminal helix. Additionally, cholesterol stabilized the oligomeric structure using bridging interactions in the protomer-protomer interfaces, thereby resulting in enhanced ClyA oligomerization. This dual stabilization of distinct intermediates by cholesterol suggests a possible molecular mechanism by which ClyA achieves selective membrane rupture of eukaryotic cell membranes. Topological similarity to eukaryotic membrane proteins suggests evolution of a bacterial α-toxin to adopt eukaryotic motifs for its activation. Broad mechanistic correspondence between pore-forming toxins hints at a wider prevalence of similar protein membrane insertion mechanisms.
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45
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Sellami S, Jemli S, Abdelmalek N, Cherif M, Abdelkefi-Mesrati L, Tounsi S, Jamoussi K. A novel Vip3Aa16-Cry1Ac chimera toxin: Enhancement of toxicity against Ephestia kuehniella, structural study and molecular docking. Int J Biol Macromol 2018; 117:752-761. [PMID: 29800666 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2018.05.161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2018] [Revised: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 05/22/2018] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
Bacillus thuringiensis Vip3A protein has been widely used for crop protection and for delay resistance to existing insecticidal Cry toxins. During current study, a fusion between vip3Aa16 and the toxic core sequence of cry1Ac was constructed in pHT Blue plasmid. Vip3Aa16-Cry1Ac protein was expressed in the supernatant of B. thuringiensis with a size of about 150 kDa. Bioassays tested on Ephestia kuehniella showed that the use of the chimera toxin as biopesticide improved the toxicity to reach 90% ± 2 with an enhancement of 20% compared to the single Vip3Aa16 protein. The findings indicated that the fusion protein design opens new ways to enhance Vip3A toxicity against lepidopteran species and could avoiding insect tolerance of B. thuringiensis delta-endotoxins. Through computational study, we have predicted for the first time the whole 3D structure of a Vip3A toxin. We showed that Vip3Aa16 structure is composed by three domains like Cry toxins: an N-terminal domain containing hemolysin like fold as well as two others Carbohydrate Binding Module (CBM)-like domains. Molecular docking analysis of the chimera toxin and the single Vip3Aa16 protein against specific insect receptors revealed that residues of CBM like domains are clearly involved in the binding of the toxin to receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sameh Sellami
- Laboratory of Biopesticides, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, University of Sfax, P.O. Box 1177, 3018 Sfax, Tunisia.
| | - Sonia Jemli
- Laboratory of Microbial Biotechnology and Enzymes Engineering, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, University of Sfax, P.O. Box 1177, 3018 Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Nouha Abdelmalek
- Laboratory of Biopesticides, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, University of Sfax, P.O. Box 1177, 3018 Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Marwa Cherif
- Laboratory of Biopesticides, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, University of Sfax, P.O. Box 1177, 3018 Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Lobna Abdelkefi-Mesrati
- Laboratory of Biopesticides, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, University of Sfax, P.O. Box 1177, 3018 Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Slim Tounsi
- Laboratory of Biopesticides, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, University of Sfax, P.O. Box 1177, 3018 Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Kais Jamoussi
- Laboratory of Biopesticides, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, University of Sfax, P.O. Box 1177, 3018 Sfax, Tunisia
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Komárek J, Ivanov Kavková E, Houser J, Horáčková A, Ždánská J, Demo G, Wimmerová M. Structure and properties of AB21, a novelAgaricus bisporusprotein with structural relation to bacterial pore-forming toxins. Proteins 2018; 86:897-911. [DOI: 10.1002/prot.25522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Revised: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 04/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jan Komárek
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5; Brno 62500 Czech Republic
- National Centre for Biomolecular Research; Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2; Brno 61137 Czech Republic
| | - Eva Ivanov Kavková
- Department of Biochemistry; Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2; Brno 61137 Czech Republic
| | - Josef Houser
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5; Brno 62500 Czech Republic
- National Centre for Biomolecular Research; Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2; Brno 61137 Czech Republic
| | - Aneta Horáčková
- Department of Biochemistry; Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2; Brno 61137 Czech Republic
| | - Jitka Ždánská
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5; Brno 62500 Czech Republic
| | - Gabriel Demo
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5; Brno 62500 Czech Republic
- National Centre for Biomolecular Research; Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2; Brno 61137 Czech Republic
| | - Michaela Wimmerová
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5; Brno 62500 Czech Republic
- National Centre for Biomolecular Research; Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2; Brno 61137 Czech Republic
- Department of Biochemistry; Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2; Brno 61137 Czech Republic
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Bräuning B, Bertosin E, Praetorius F, Ihling C, Schatt A, Adler A, Richter K, Sinz A, Dietz H, Groll M. Structure and mechanism of the two-component α-helical pore-forming toxin YaxAB. Nat Commun 2018; 9:1806. [PMID: 29728606 PMCID: PMC5935710 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-04139-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2017] [Accepted: 04/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Pore-forming toxins (PFT) are virulence factors that transform from soluble to membrane-bound states. The Yersinia YaxAB system represents a family of binary α-PFTs with orthologues in human, insect, and plant pathogens, with unknown structures. YaxAB was shown to be cytotoxic and likely involved in pathogenesis, though the molecular basis for its two-component lytic mechanism remains elusive. Here, we present crystal structures of YaxA and YaxB, together with a cryo-electron microscopy map of the YaxAB complex. Our structures reveal a pore predominantly composed of decamers of YaxA-YaxB heterodimers. Both subunits bear membrane-active moieties, but only YaxA is capable of binding to membranes by itself. YaxB can subsequently be recruited to membrane-associated YaxA and induced to present its lytic transmembrane helices. Pore formation can progress by further oligomerization of YaxA-YaxB dimers. Our results allow for a comparison between pore assemblies belonging to the wider ClyA-like family of α-PFTs, highlighting diverse pore architectures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bastian Bräuning
- Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM), Department of Chemistry, Chair of Biochemistry, Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstrasse 4, 85747, Garching, Germany.
| | - Eva Bertosin
- Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM), Department of Physics, Technische Universität München, Am Coulombwall 4a, 85748, Garching, Germany
| | - Florian Praetorius
- Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM), Department of Physics, Technische Universität München, Am Coulombwall 4a, 85748, Garching, Germany
| | - Christian Ihling
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Bioanalytics, Institute of Pharmacy, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Wolfgang-Langenbeck-Str.4, 06120, Halle/Saale, Germany
| | - Alexandra Schatt
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Bioanalytics, Institute of Pharmacy, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Wolfgang-Langenbeck-Str.4, 06120, Halle/Saale, Germany
| | - Agnes Adler
- Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM), Department of Chemistry, Chair of Biochemistry, Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstrasse 4, 85747, Garching, Germany
| | - Klaus Richter
- Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM), Department of Chemistry, Chair of Biotechnology, Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstrasse 4, 85747, Garching, Germany
| | - Andrea Sinz
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Bioanalytics, Institute of Pharmacy, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Wolfgang-Langenbeck-Str.4, 06120, Halle/Saale, Germany
| | - Hendrik Dietz
- Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM), Department of Physics, Technische Universität München, Am Coulombwall 4a, 85748, Garching, Germany
| | - Michael Groll
- Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM), Department of Chemistry, Chair of Biochemistry, Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstrasse 4, 85747, Garching, Germany
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48
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Roderer D, Glockshuber R. Assembly mechanism of the α-pore-forming toxin cytolysin A from Escherichia coli. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2018. [PMID: 28630151 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2016.0211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The cytolytic toxin cytolysin A (ClyA) from Escherichia coli is probably one of the best-characterized examples of bacterial, α-pore-forming toxins (α-PFTs). Like other PFTs, ClyA exists in a soluble, monomeric form that assembles to an annular, homo-oligomeric pore complex upon contact with detergent or target membranes. Comparison of the three-dimensional structures of the 34 kDa monomer and the protomer in the context of the dodecameric pore complex revealed that ClyA undergoes one of the largest conformational transitions described for proteins so far, in which 55% of the residues change their position and 16% of the residues adopt a different secondary structure in the protomer. Studies on the assembly of ClyA revealed a unique mechanism that differs from the assembly mechanism of other PFTs. The rate-liming step of pore formation proved to be the unimolecular conversion of the monomer to an assembly-competent protomer, during which a molten globule-like off-pathway intermediate accumulates. The oligomerization of protomers to pore complexes is fast and follows a kinetic scheme in which mixtures of linear oligomers of different size are formed first, followed by very rapid and specific association of pairs of oligomers that can directly perform ring closure to the dodecameric pore complex.This article is part of the themed issue 'Membrane pores: from structure and assembly, to medicine and technology'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Roderer
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, ETH Zurich, Otto-Stern-Weg 5, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Rudi Glockshuber
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, ETH Zurich, Otto-Stern-Weg 5, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
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49
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Yang C, Liu J, Ma L, Zhang X, Zhang X, Zhou B, Zhu X, Liu Q. NcGRA17 is an important regulator of parasitophorous vacuole morphology and pathogenicity of Neospora caninum. Vet Parasitol 2018; 264:26-34. [PMID: 30503087 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2018.03.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Revised: 03/12/2018] [Accepted: 03/18/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Neospora caninum is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite that infects a wide range of mammalian species, and particularly causes the reproductive loss in cattle. We identified a novel dense granule protein, N. caninum granule protein 17 (NcGRA17) using the CRISPR/cas9 genome editing system and studied its function. We generated the NcGRA17 knockout strain (ΔNcGRA17) and NcGRA17 complementary strain (iΔNcGRA17). Plaque assays and intracellular proliferation tests showed that the ΔNcGRA17 strain formed smaller plaques and had slower intracellular growth. Mouse virulence assay showed loss of virulence for the ΔNcGRA17 strain. We observed that the parasitophorous vacuoles (PVs) of NcGRA17-deficient parasites have aberrant morphology. To investigate the contribution of NcGRA17 α-helices to aberrant morphology of PVs, we transfected four truncated forms of NcGRA17 into NcGRA17 knockout strain and the phenotypes of these mutants were analysed. Lack of the N-terminal region (NT) failed to target the protein to dense granules, while NcGRA17 (Δα1)-HA, NcGRA17 (Δα2-4)-HA and NcGRA17 (Δα5-8)-HA were targeted to dense granules, but failed to rescue the aberrant PV morphology. Our results indicate that NcGRA17 as a dense granule protein determines PV morphology and pathogenicity, and α-helices of NcGRA17 may be responsible for the aberrant morphology of N. caninum PVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Congshan Yang
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, China
| | - Jing Liu
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, China
| | - Lei Ma
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, China
| | - Xichen Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
| | - Xiao Zhang
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, China
| | - Bingxin Zhou
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, China
| | - Xingquan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Qun Liu
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, China.
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50
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Fahie MA, Liang L, Avelino AR, Pham B, Limpikirati P, Vachet RW, Chen M. Disruption of the open conductance in the β-tongue mutants of Cytolysin A. Sci Rep 2018; 8:3796. [PMID: 29491391 PMCID: PMC5830503 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-22009-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2017] [Accepted: 02/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytolysin A (ClyA) is a water-soluble alpha pore-forming toxin that assembles to form an oligomeric pore on host cell membranes. The ClyA monomer possesses an α-helical bundle with a β-sheet subdomain (the β-tongue) previously believed to be critical for pore assembly and/or insertion. Oligomerization of ClyA pores transforms the β-tongue into a helix-turn-helix that embeds into the lipid bilayer. Here, we show that mutations of the β-tongue did not prevent oligomerization or transmembrane insertion. Instead, β-tongue substitution mutants yielded pores with decreased conductance while a deletion mutation resulted in pores that rapidly closed following membrane association. Our results suggest that the β-tongue may play an essential structural role in stabilizing the open conformation of the transmembrane domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monifa A Fahie
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA.,Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
| | - Lucas Liang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
| | - Alzira R Avelino
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
| | - Bach Pham
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
| | | | - Richard W Vachet
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA.,Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
| | - Min Chen
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA. .,Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA.
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