1
|
Moores AN, Uphoff S. Robust Quantification of Live-Cell Single-Molecule Tracking Data for Fluorophores with Different Photophysical Properties. J Phys Chem B 2024. [PMID: 38859654 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c01454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
High-speed single-molecule tracking in live cells is becoming an increasingly popular method for quantifying the spatiotemporal behavior of proteins in vivo. The method provides a wealth of quantitative information, but users need to be aware of biases that can skew estimates of molecular mobilities. The range of suitable fluorophores for live-cell single-molecule imaging has grown substantially over the past few years, but it remains unclear to what extent differences in photophysical properties introduce biases. Here, we tested two fluorophores with entirely different photophysical properties, one that photoswitches frequently between bright and dark states (TMR) and one that shows exceptional photostability without photoswitching (JFX650). We used a fusion of the Escherichia coli DNA repair enzyme MutS to the HaloTag and optimized sample preparation and imaging conditions for both types of fluorophore. We then assessed the reliability of two common data analysis algorithms, mean-square displacement (MSD) analysis and Hidden Markov Modeling (HMM), to estimate the diffusion coefficients and fractions of MutS molecules in different states of motion. We introduce a simple approach that removes discrepancies in the data analyses and show that both algorithms yield consistent results, regardless of the fluorophore used. Nevertheless, each dye has its own strengths and weaknesses, with TMR being more suitable for sampling the diffusive behavior of many molecules, while JFX650 enables prolonged observation of only a few molecules per cell. These characterizations and recommendations should help to standardize measurements for increased reproducibility and comparability across studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amy N Moores
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QU, U.K
| | - Stephan Uphoff
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QU, U.K
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Hwang DW, Maekiniemi A, Singer RH, Sato H. Real-time single-molecule imaging of transcriptional regulatory networks in living cells. Nat Rev Genet 2024; 25:272-285. [PMID: 38195868 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-023-00684-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Gene regulatory networks drive the specific transcriptional programmes responsible for the diversification of cell types during the development of multicellular organisms. Although our knowledge of the genes involved in these dynamic networks has expanded rapidly, our understanding of how transcription is spatiotemporally regulated at the molecular level over a wide range of timescales in the small volume of the nucleus remains limited. Over the past few decades, advances in the field of single-molecule fluorescence imaging have enabled real-time behaviours of individual transcriptional components to be measured in living cells and organisms. These efforts are now shedding light on the dynamic mechanisms of transcription, revealing not only the temporal rules but also the spatial coordination of underlying molecular interactions during various biological events.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dong-Woo Hwang
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Anna Maekiniemi
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Robert H Singer
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hanae Sato
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
- Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-Nano LSI), Kanazawa University, Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Singh MK, Kenney LJ. Visualizing the invisible: novel approaches to visualizing bacterial proteins and host-pathogen interactions. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2024; 12:1334503. [PMID: 38415188 PMCID: PMC10898356 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1334503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Host-pathogen interactions play a critical role in infectious diseases, and understanding the underlying mechanisms is vital for developing effective therapeutic strategies. The visualization and characterization of bacterial proteins within host cells is key to unraveling the dynamics of these interactions. Various protein labeling strategies have emerged as powerful tools for studying host-pathogen interactions, enabling the tracking, localization, and functional analysis of bacterial proteins in real-time. However, the labeling and localization of Salmonella secreted type III secretion system (T3SS) effectors in host cells poses technical challenges. Conventional methods disrupt effector stoichiometry and often result in non-specific staining. Bulky fluorescent protein fusions interfere with effector secretion, while other tagging systems such as 4Cys-FLaSH/Split-GFP suffer from low labeling specificity and a poor signal-to-noise ratio. Recent advances in state-of-the-art techniques have augmented the existing toolkit for monitoring the translocation and dynamics of bacterial effectors. This comprehensive review delves into the bacterial protein labeling strategies and their application in imaging host-pathogen interactions. Lastly, we explore the obstacles faced and potential pathways forward in the realm of protein labeling strategies for visualizing interactions between hosts and pathogens.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Moirangthem Kiran Singh
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States
| | - Linda J. Kenney
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States
- Sealy Center for Structural Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Luo X, Bao JD, Fan WY. Multiple diffusive behaviors of the random walk in inhomogeneous environments. Phys Rev E 2024; 109:014130. [PMID: 38366502 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.109.014130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Anomalous diffusive behaviors are observed in highly inhomogeneous but relatively stable environments such as intracellular media and are increasingly attracting attention. In this paper we develop a coupled continuous-time random walk model in which the waiting time is power-law coupled with the local environmental diffusion coefficient. We provide two forms of the waiting time density, namely, a heavy-tailed density and an exponential density. For different waiting time densities, anomalous diffusions with the diffusion exponent between 0 and 2 and Brownian yet non-Gaussian diffusion can be realized within the present model. The diffusive behaviors are analyzed and discussed by deriving the mean-squared displacement and probability density function. In addition we derive the effective jump length density corresponding to the decoupled form to help distinguish the diffusion types. Our model unifies two kinds of anomalous diffusive behavior with different characteristics in the same inhomogeneous environment into a theoretical framework. The model interprets the random motion of particles in a complex inhomogeneous environment and reproduces the experimental results of different biological and physical systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Luo
- Department of Physics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing-Dong Bao
- Department of Physics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, People's Republic of China
| | - Wen-Yue Fan
- Department of Physics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, People's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Li H, Bhattarai B, Barber M, Goel R. Stringent Response of Cyanobacteria and Other Bacterioplankton during Different Stages of a Harmful Cyanobacterial Bloom. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:16016-16032. [PMID: 37819800 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c03114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
We conducted a field study to investigate the role of stringent response in cyanobacteria and coexisting bacterioplankton during nutrient-deprived periods at various stages of bloom in a freshwater lake (Utah Lake) for the first time. Using metagenomics and metatranscriptomics analyses, we examined the cyanobacterial ecology and expression of important functional genes related to stringent response, N and P metabolism, and regulation. Our findings mark a significant advancement in understanding the mechanisms by which toxic cyanobacteria survive and proliferate during nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) limitations. We successfully identified and analyzed the metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) of the dominant bloom-forming cyanobacteria, namely, Dolichospermum circinale, Aphanizomenon flos-aquae UKL13-PB, Planktothrix agardhii, and Microcystis aeruginosa. By mapping RNA-seq data to the coding sequences of the MAGs, we observed that these four prevalent cyanobacteria species activated multiple functions to adapt to the depletion of inorganic nutrients. During and after the blooms, the four dominant cyanobacteria species expressed high levels of transcripts related to toxin production, such as microcystins (mcy), anatoxins (ana), and cylindrospermopsins (cyr). Additionally, genes associated with polyphosphate (poly-P) storage and the stringent response alarmone (p)ppGpp synthesis/hydrolysis, including ppk, relA, and spoT, were highly activated in both cyanobacteria and bacterioplankton. Under N deficiency, the main N pathways shifted from denitrification and dissimilatory nitrate reduction in bacterioplankton toward N2-fixing and assimilatory nitrate reduction in certain cyanobacteria with a corresponding shift in the community composition. P deprivation triggered a stringent response mediated by spoT-dependent (p)ppGpp accumulation and activation of the Pho regulon in both cyanobacteria and bacterioplankton, facilitating inorganic and organic P uptake. The dominant cyanobacterial MAGs exhibited the presence of multiple alkaline phosphatase (APase) transcripts (e.g., phoA in Dolichospermum, phoX in Planktothrix, and Microcystis), suggesting their ability to synthesize and release APase enzymes to convert ambient organic P into bioavailable forms. Conversely, transcripts associated with bacterioplankton-dominated pathways like denitrification were low and did not align with the occurrence of intense cyanoHABs. The strong correlations observed among N, P, stringent response metabolisms and the succession of blooms caused by dominant cyanobacterial species provide evidence that the stringent response, induced by nutrient limitation, may activate unique N and P functions in toxin-producing cyanobacteria, thereby sustaining cyanoHABs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hanyan Li
- Institute for Environmental Genomics, The University of Oklahoma, 101 David L Boren Blvd, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United States
| | - Bishav Bhattarai
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The University of Utah, 110 S Central Campus, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
| | - Michael Barber
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The University of Utah, 110 S Central Campus, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
| | - Ramesh Goel
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The University of Utah, 110 S Central Campus, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Mantovanelli L, Linnik DS, Punter M, Kojakhmetov HJ, Śmigiel WM, Poolman B. Simulation-based Reconstructed Diffusion unveils the effect of aging on protein diffusion in Escherichia coli. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1011093. [PMID: 37695774 PMCID: PMC10513214 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011093] [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: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023] Open
Abstract
We have developed Simulation-based Reconstructed Diffusion (SbRD) to determine diffusion coefficients corrected for confinement effects and for the bias introduced by two-dimensional models describing a three-dimensional motion. We validate the method on simulated diffusion data in three-dimensional cell-shaped compartments. We use SbRD, combined with a new cell detection method, to determine the diffusion coefficients of a set of native proteins in Escherichia coli. We observe slower diffusion at the cell poles than in the nucleoid region of exponentially growing cells, which is independent of the presence of polysomes. Furthermore, we show that the newly formed pole of dividing cells exhibits a faster diffusion than the old one. We hypothesize that the observed slowdown at the cell poles is caused by the accumulation of aggregated or damaged proteins, and that the effect is asymmetric due to cell aging.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luca Mantovanelli
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Dmitrii S. Linnik
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Michiel Punter
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | | | - Wojciech M. Śmigiel
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Bert Poolman
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Kang DY, Kim A, Kim JN. CcpA and CodY Regulate CRISPR-Cas System of Streptococcus mutans. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0182623. [PMID: 37367300 PMCID: PMC10434267 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01826-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated (Cas) genes are widely recognized as bacterial adaptive immune systems against invading viruses and bacteriophages. The oral pathogen Streptococcus mutans encodes two CRISPR-Cas loci (CRISPR1-Cas and CRISPR2-Cas), and their expression under environmental conditions is still under investigation. In this study, we investigated the transcriptional regulation of cas operons by CcpA and CodY, two global regulators that contribute to carbohydrate and (p)ppGpp metabolism. The possible promoter regions for cas operons and the binding sites for CcpA and CodY in the promoter regions of both CRISPR-Cas loci were predicted using computational algorithms. We found that CcpA could directly bind to the upstream region of both cas operons, and detected an allosteric interaction of CodY within the same region. The binding sequences of the two regulators were identified through footprinting analysis. Our results showed that the promoter activity of CRISPR1-Cas was enhanced under fructose-rich conditions, while deletion of the ccpA gene led to reduced activity of the CRISPR2-Cas promoter under the same conditions. Additionally, deletion of the CRISPR systems resulted in a significant decrease in fructose uptake ability compared to the parental strain. Interestingly, the accumulation of guanosine tetraphosphate (ppGpp) was reduced in the presence of mupirocin, which induces a stringent response, in the CRISPR1-Cas-deleted (ΔCR1cas) and both CRISPR-Cas-deleted (ΔCRDcas) mutant strains. Furthermore, the promoter activity of both CRISPRs was enhanced in response to oxidative or membrane stress, while the CRISPR1 promoter activity was reduced under low-pH conditions. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that the transcription of the CRISPR-Cas system is directly regulated by the binding of CcpA and CodY. These regulatory actions play a crucial role in modulating glycolytic processes and exerting effective CRISPR-mediated immunity in response to nutrient availability and environmental cues. IMPORTANCE An effective immune system has evolved not only in eukaryotic organisms but also in microorganisms, enabling them to rapidly detect and neutralize foreign invaders in the environment. Specifically, the CRISPR-Cas system in bacterial cells is established through a complex and sophisticated regulatory mechanism involving specific factors. In this study, we demonstrate that the expression of two CRISPR systems in S. mutans can be controlled by two global regulators, CcpA and CodY, which play critical roles in carbohydrate metabolism and amino acid biosynthesis. Importantly, our results show that the expression of the CRISPR-Cas system in S. mutans influences (p)ppGpp production during the stringent response, which is a gene expression regulatory response that aids in environmental stress adaptation. This transcriptional regulation by these regulators enables a CRISPR-mediated immune response in a host environment with limited availability of carbon sources or amino acids, while ensuring efficient carbon flux and energy expenditure to support multiple metabolic processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Da-Young Kang
- Department of Integrated Biological Science, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Andy Kim
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, USA
| | - Jeong Nam Kim
- Department of Integrated Biological Science, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
- Department of Microbiology, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
González-García JS. A model for ribosome translocation based on the alternated displacement of its subunits. EUROPEAN BIOPHYSICS JOURNAL : EBJ 2023:10.1007/s00249-023-01662-z. [PMID: 37291414 DOI: 10.1007/s00249-023-01662-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
A meaningful dilemma in ribosome translocation arising from experimental facts is that, although the ribosome-mRNA interaction force always has a significant magnitude, the ribosome still moves to the next codon on the mRNA. How does the ribosome move to the next codon in the sequence while holding the mRNA tightly? The hypothesis proposed here is that ribosome subunits alternate the grip of the ribosome on the mRNA, freeing the other subunit of such interaction for a while, thus allowing its motion to the following codon. Based on this assumption, a single-loop cycle of ribosome configurations involving the relative position of its subunits is elaborated. When its dynamic is modeled as a Markov network, it gives expressions for the average ribosome translocation speed and stall force as functions of the equilibrium constants among the proposed ribosome configurations. The calculations have a reasonable agreement with experimental results, and the succession of molecular events considered here is consistent with current biomolecular concepts of the ribosome translocation process. Thus, the alternative displacements hypothesis developed in the present work suggests a feasible explanation of ribosome translocation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- José S González-García
- Seminario de Bifurcaciones y Singularidades, Departamento de Matemáticas, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, Av. San Rafael Atlixco 186 Col. Vicentina, 09340, Iztapalapa, Ciudad de México, México.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Li Y, Majumdar S, Treen R, Sharma MR, Corro J, Gamper HB, Manjari SR, Prusa J, Banavali NK, Stallings CL, Hou YM, Agrawal RK, Ojha AK. Starvation sensing by mycobacterial RelA/SpoT homologue through constitutive surveillance of translation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2302006120. [PMID: 37216503 PMCID: PMC10235957 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2302006120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The stringent response, which leads to persistence of nutrient-starved mycobacteria, is induced by activation of the RelA/SpoT homolog (Rsh) upon entry of a deacylated-tRNA in a translating ribosome. However, the mechanism by which Rsh identifies such ribosomes in vivo remains unclear. Here, we show that conditions inducing ribosome hibernation result in loss of intracellular Rsh in a Clp protease-dependent manner. This loss is also observed in nonstarved cells using mutations in Rsh that block its interaction with the ribosome, indicating that Rsh association with the ribosome is important for Rsh stability. The cryo-EM structure of the Rsh-bound 70S ribosome in a translation initiation complex reveals unknown interactions between the ACT domain of Rsh and components of the ribosomal L7/L12 stalk base, suggesting that the aminoacylation status of A-site tRNA is surveilled during the first cycle of elongation. Altogether, we propose a surveillance model of Rsh activation that originates from its constitutive interaction with the ribosomes entering the translation cycle.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yunlong Li
- Division of Genetics, New York State Department of Health, Wadsworth Center, Albany, NY12208
| | - Soneya Majumdar
- Division of Translational Medicine, New York State Department of Health, Wadsworth Center, Albany, NY12237
| | - Ryan Treen
- Division of Genetics, New York State Department of Health, Wadsworth Center, Albany, NY12208
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Public Health, University at Albany, Albany, NY12208
| | - Manjuli R. Sharma
- Division of Translational Medicine, New York State Department of Health, Wadsworth Center, Albany, NY12237
| | - Jamie Corro
- Division of Genetics, New York State Department of Health, Wadsworth Center, Albany, NY12208
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Public Health, University at Albany, Albany, NY12208
| | - Howard B. Gamper
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA19107
| | - Swati R. Manjari
- Division of Translational Medicine, New York State Department of Health, Wadsworth Center, Albany, NY12237
| | - Jerome Prusa
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO63110
| | - Nilesh K. Banavali
- Division of Translational Medicine, New York State Department of Health, Wadsworth Center, Albany, NY12237
| | - Christina L. Stallings
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO63110
| | - Ya-Ming Hou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA19107
| | - Rajendra K. Agrawal
- Division of Translational Medicine, New York State Department of Health, Wadsworth Center, Albany, NY12237
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Public Health, University at Albany, Albany, NY12208
| | - Anil K. Ojha
- Division of Genetics, New York State Department of Health, Wadsworth Center, Albany, NY12208
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Public Health, University at Albany, Albany, NY12208
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Lyu Y, An L, Zeng H, Zheng F, Guo J, Zhang P, Yang H, Li H. First-passage time analysis of diffusion-controlled reactions in single-molecule detection. Talanta 2023; 260:124569. [PMID: 37116360 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2023.124569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
Single-molecule detection (SMD) aims to achieve the ultimate limit-of-detection (LOD) in biosensing. This method detects a countable number of targeted analyte molecules in solution, where the dynamics of molecule diffusion, capturing, identification and delivery greatly impact the SMD's efficiency and accuracy. In this study, we adopt the first-passage time method to investigate the diffusion-controlled reaction process in SMD. We analyze the influence of detection conditions on incubation time and the expected coefficient of variation (CV) under three SMD molecule capturing strategies, including solid-phase capturing (one-dimensional solid-liquid interface fixation), liquid-phase magnetic bead (MB) capturing, and liquid-phase direct fluorescence pair labeling. We find that inside a finite-sized reaction chamber, a finite average reaction time exists in all three capturing strategies, while the liquid-phase strategies are in general more efficient than the solid-phase approaches. CV can be estimated by averaging first-passage time solely in all three strategies, and the CV reduction is achievable given an extended reaction time. To further enable zeptomolar detection, extra treatments, such as adopting liquid-phase fluorescence pairs with high diffusion rates to label the molecule, or designing specific sensing devices with large effective sensing areas would be required. This framework provides solid theoretical support to guide the design of SMD sensing strategies and sensor structures to achieve desired measurement time and CV.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yingkai Lyu
- National Innovation Center for Advanced Medical Devices, Shenzhen, China; Bionic Sensing and Intelligence Center, Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lixiang An
- National Innovation Center for Advanced Medical Devices, Shenzhen, China
| | - Huaiyang Zeng
- National Innovation Center for Advanced Medical Devices, Shenzhen, China; Bionic Sensing and Intelligence Center, Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Feng Zheng
- National Innovation Center for Advanced Medical Devices, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jiajia Guo
- Bionic Sensing and Intelligence Center, Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Pengcheng Zhang
- Bionic Sensing and Intelligence Center, Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hui Yang
- Bionic Sensing and Intelligence Center, Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hao Li
- National Innovation Center for Advanced Medical Devices, Shenzhen, China.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Real-time single-molecule 3D tracking in E. coli based on cross-entropy minimization. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1336. [PMID: 36906676 PMCID: PMC10008558 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36879-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Reaching sub-millisecond 3D tracking of individual molecules in living cells would enable direct measurements of diffusion-limited macromolecular interactions under physiological conditions. Here, we present a 3D tracking principle that approaches the relevant regime. The method is based on the true excitation point spread function and cross-entropy minimization for position localization of moving fluorescent reporters. Tests on beads moving on a stage reaches 67 nm lateral and 109 nm axial precision with a time resolution of 0.84 ms at a photon count rate of 60 kHz; the measurements agree with the theoretical and simulated predictions. Our implementation also features a method for microsecond 3D PSF positioning and an estimator for diffusion analysis of tracking data. Finally, we successfully apply these methods to track the Trigger Factor protein in living bacterial cells. Overall, our results show that while it is possible to reach sub-millisecond live-cell single-molecule tracking, it is still hard to resolve state transitions based on diffusivity at this time scale.
Collapse
|
12
|
Tran BM, Linnik DS, Punter CM, Śmigiel WM, Mantovanelli L, Iyer A, O’Byrne C, Abee T, Johansson J, Poolman B. Super-resolving microscopy reveals the localizations and movement dynamics of stressosome proteins in Listeria monocytogenes. Commun Biol 2023; 6:51. [PMID: 36641529 PMCID: PMC9840623 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04423-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The human pathogen Listeria monocytogenes can cope with severe environmental challenges, for which the high molecular weight stressosome complex acts as the sensing hub in a complicated signal transduction pathway. Here, we show the dynamics and functional roles of the stressosome protein RsbR1 and its paralogue, the blue-light receptor RsbL, using photo-activated localization microscopy combined with single-particle tracking and single-molecule displacement mapping and supported by physiological studies. In live cells, RsbR1 is present in multiple states: in protomers with RsbS, large clusters of stressosome complexes, and in connection with the plasma membrane via Prli42. RsbL diffuses freely in the cytoplasm but forms clusters upon exposure to light. The clustering of RsbL is independent of the presence of Prli42. Our work provides a comprehensive view of the spatial organization and intracellular dynamics of the stressosome proteins in L. monocytogenes, which paves the way towards uncovering the stress-sensing mechanism of this signal transduction pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Buu Minh Tran
- grid.4830.f0000 0004 0407 1981Department of Biochemistry, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Dmitrii Sergeevich Linnik
- grid.4830.f0000 0004 0407 1981Department of Biochemistry, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Christiaan Michiel Punter
- grid.4830.f0000 0004 0407 1981Department of Biochemistry, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Wojciech Mikołaj Śmigiel
- grid.4830.f0000 0004 0407 1981Department of Biochemistry, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Luca Mantovanelli
- grid.4830.f0000 0004 0407 1981Department of Biochemistry, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Aditya Iyer
- grid.4830.f0000 0004 0407 1981Department of Biochemistry, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Conor O’Byrne
- Microbiology, School of Biological & Chemical Sciences, Ryan Institute, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Tjakko Abee
- grid.4818.50000 0001 0791 5666Laboratory of Food Microbiology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Jörgen Johansson
- grid.12650.300000 0001 1034 3451Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Bert Poolman
- grid.4830.f0000 0004 0407 1981Department of Biochemistry, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Punia B, Chaudhury S. Theoretical insights into the full description of DNA target search by subdiffusing proteins. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:29074-29083. [PMID: 36440504 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp04934a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
DNA binding proteins (DBPs) diffuse in the cytoplasm to recognise and bind with their respective target sites on the DNA to initiate several biologically important processes. The first passage time distributions (FPTDs) of DBPs are useful in quantifying the timescales of the most-probable search paths in addition to the mean value of the distribution which, strikingly, are decades of order apart in time. However, extremely crowded in vivo conditions or the viscoelasticity of the cellular medium among other factors causes biomolecules to exhibit anomalous diffusion which is usually overlooked in most theoretical studies. We have obtained approximate analytical expressions of a general FPTD and the two characteristic timescales that are valid for any single subdiffusing protein searching for its target in vivo. Our results can be applied to single-particle tracking experiments of target search.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bhawakshi Punia
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Dr Homi Bhabha Road, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
| | - Srabanti Chaudhury
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Dr Homi Bhabha Road, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Antoszewski M, Mierek-Adamska A, Dąbrowska GB. The Importance of Microorganisms for Sustainable Agriculture-A Review. Metabolites 2022; 12:1100. [PMID: 36422239 PMCID: PMC9694901 DOI: 10.3390/metabo12111100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
In the face of climate change, progressive degradation of the environment, including agricultural land negatively affecting plant growth and development, endangers plant productivity. Seeking efficient and sustainable agricultural techniques to replace agricultural chemicals is one of the most important challenges nowadays. The use of plant growth-promoting microorganisms is among the most promising approaches; however, molecular mechanisms underneath plant-microbe interactions are still poorly understood. In this review, we summarized the knowledge on plant-microbe interactions, highlighting the role of microbial and plant proteins and metabolites in the formation of symbiotic relationships. This review covers rhizosphere and phyllosphere microbiomes, the role of root exudates in plant-microorganism interactions, the functioning of the plant's immune system during the plant-microorganism interactions. We also emphasized the possible role of the stringent response and the evolutionarily conserved mechanism during the established interaction between plants and microorganisms. As a case study, we discussed fungi belonging to the genus Trichoderma. Our review aims to summarize the existing knowledge about plant-microorganism interactions and to highlight molecular pathways that need further investigation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Agnieszka Mierek-Adamska
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Biological and Veterinary Sciences, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Lwowska 1, 87-100 Toruń, Poland
| | | |
Collapse
|
15
|
Heckert A, Dahal L, Tjian R, Darzacq X. Recovering mixtures of fast-diffusing states from short single-particle trajectories. eLife 2022; 11:e70169. [PMID: 36066004 PMCID: PMC9451534 DOI: 10.7554/elife.70169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Single-particle tracking (SPT) directly measures the dynamics of proteins in living cells and is a powerful tool to dissect molecular mechanisms of cellular regulation. Interpretation of SPT with fast-diffusing proteins in mammalian cells, however, is complicated by technical limitations imposed by fast image acquisition. These limitations include short trajectory length due to photobleaching and shallow depth of field, high localization error due to the low photon budget imposed by short integration times, and cell-to-cell variability. To address these issues, we investigated methods inspired by Bayesian nonparametrics to infer distributions of state parameters from SPT data with short trajectories, variable localization precision, and absence of prior knowledge about the number of underlying states. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of these approaches relative to other frameworks for SPT analysis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alec Heckert
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Li Ka Shing Center for Biomedical and Health Sciences, University of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyUnited States
| | - Liza Dahal
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Li Ka Shing Center for Biomedical and Health Sciences, University of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyUnited States
- CIRM Center of Excellence, University of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyUnited States
| | - Robert Tjian
- CIRM Center of Excellence, University of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyUnited States
- Howard Hughes Medical InstituteBerkeleyUnited States
| | - Xavier Darzacq
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Li Ka Shing Center for Biomedical and Health Sciences, University of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyUnited States
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Śmigiel WM, Mantovanelli L, Linnik DS, Punter M, Silberberg J, Xiang L, Xu K, Poolman B. Protein diffusion in Escherichia coli cytoplasm scales with the mass of the complexes and is location dependent. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabo5387. [PMID: 35960807 PMCID: PMC9374337 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abo5387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
We analyze the structure of the cytoplasm by performing single-molecule displacement mapping on a diverse set of native cytoplasmic proteins in exponentially growing Escherichia coli. We evaluate the method for application in small compartments and find that confining effects of the cell membrane affect the diffusion maps. Our analysis reveals that protein diffusion at the poles is consistently slower than in the center of the cell, i.e., to an extent greater than the confining effect of the cell membrane. We also show that the diffusion coefficient scales with the mass of the used probes, taking into account the oligomeric state of the proteins, while parameters such as native protein abundance or the number of protein-protein interactions do not correlate with the mobility of the proteins. We argue that our data paint the prokaryotic cytoplasm as a compartment with subdomains in which the diffusion of macromolecules changes with the perceived viscosity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wojciech M. Śmigiel
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Luca Mantovanelli
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Dmitrii S. Linnik
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Michiel Punter
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Jakob Silberberg
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Limin Xiang
- Department of Chemistry, UC Berkeley, Stanley Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Ke Xu
- Department of Chemistry, UC Berkeley, Stanley Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Bert Poolman
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Transcriptomic profiling of Escherichia coli K-12 in response to a compendium of stressors. Sci Rep 2022; 12:8788. [PMID: 35610252 PMCID: PMC9130244 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-12463-3] [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: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental perturbations impact multiple cellular traits, including gene expression. Bacteria respond to these stressful situations through complex gene interaction networks, thereby inducing stress tolerance and survival of cells. In this paper, we study the response mechanisms of E. coli when exposed to different environmental stressors via differential expression and co-expression analysis. Gene co-expression networks were generated and analyzed via Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA). Based on the gene co-expression networks, genes with similar expression profiles were clustered into modules. The modules were analysed for identification of hub genes, enrichment of biological processes and transcription factors. In addition, we also studied the link between transcription factors and their differentially regulated targets to understand the regulatory mechanisms involved. These networks validate known gene interactions and provide new insights into genes mediating transcriptional regulation in specific stress environments, thus allowing for in silico hypothesis generation.
Collapse
|
18
|
Lamanna MM, Maurelli AT. What Is Motion? Recent Advances in the Study of Molecular Movement Patterns of the Peptidoglycan Synthesis Machines. J Bacteriol 2022; 204:e0059821. [PMID: 34928180 PMCID: PMC9017339 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00598-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
How proteins move through space and time is a fundamental question in biology. While great strides have been made toward a mechanistic understanding of protein movement, many questions remain. We discuss the biological implications of motion in the context of the peptidoglycan (PG) synthesis machines. We reviewed systems in several bacteria, including Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Streptococcus pneumoniae, and present a comprehensive view of our current knowledge regarding movement dynamics. Discrepancies are also addressed because "one size does not fit all". For bacteria to divide, new PG is synthesized and incorporated into the growing cell wall by complex multiprotein nanomachines consisting of PG synthases (transglycosylases [TG] and/or transpeptidases [TP]) as well as a variety of regulators and cytoskeletal factors. Advances in imaging capabilities and labeling methods have revealed that these machines are not static but rather circumferentially transit the cell via directed motion perpendicular to the long axis of model rod-shaped bacteria such as E. coli and B. subtilis. The enzymatic activity of the TG:TPs drives motion in some species while motion is mediated by FtsZ treadmilling in others. In addition, both directed and diffusive motion of the PG synthases have been observed using single-particle tracking technology. Here, we examined the biological role of diffusion regarding transit. Lastly, findings regarding the monofunctional transglycosylases (RodA and FtsW) as well as the Class A PG synthases are discussed. This minireview serves to showcase recent advances, broach mechanistic unknowns, and stimulate future areas of study.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Mae Lamanna
- Department of Environmental & Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Floridagrid.15276.37, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Anthony T. Maurelli
- Department of Environmental & Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Floridagrid.15276.37, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Metelev M, Lundin E, Volkov IL, Gynnå AH, Elf J, Johansson M. Direct measurements of mRNA translation kinetics in living cells. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1852. [PMID: 35388013 PMCID: PMC8986856 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29515-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Ribosome mediated mRNA translation is central to life. The cycle of translation, however, has been characterized mostly using reconstituted systems, with only few techniques applicable for studies in the living cell. Here we describe a live-cell ribosome-labeling method, which allows us to characterize the whole processes of finding and translating an mRNA, using single-molecule tracking techniques. We find that more than 90% of both bacterial ribosomal subunits are engaged in translation at any particular time, and that the 30S and 50S ribosomal subunits spend the same average time bound to an mRNA, revealing that 30S re-initiation on poly-cistronic mRNAs is not prevalent in E. coli. Instead, our results are best explained by substantial 70S re-initiation of translation of poly-cistronic mRNAs, which is further corroborated by experiments with translation initiation inhibitors. Finally, we find that a variety of previously described orthogonal ribosomes, with altered anti-Shine-Dalgarno sequences, show significant binding to endogenous mRNAs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mikhail Metelev
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Erik Lundin
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ivan L Volkov
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Arvid H Gynnå
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Johan Elf
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Magnus Johansson
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Singh P. Extreme value statistics and arcsine laws for heterogeneous diffusion processes. Phys Rev E 2022; 105:024113. [PMID: 35291128 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.105.024113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Heterogeneous diffusion with a spatially changing diffusion coefficient arises in many experimental systems such as protein dynamics in the cell cytoplasm, mobility of cajal bodies, and confined hard-sphere fluids. Here, we showcase a simple model of heterogeneous diffusion where the diffusion coefficient D(x) varies in a power-law way, i.e., D(x)∼|x|^{-α} with the exponent α>-1. This model is known to exhibit anomalous scaling of the mean-squared displacement (MSD) of the form ∼t^{2/2+α} and weak ergodicity breaking in the sense that ensemble averaged and time averaged MSDs do not converge. In this paper, we look at the extreme value statistics of this model and derive, for all α, the exact probability distributions of the maximum spatial displacement M(t) and arg-maximum t_{m}(t) (i.e., the time at which this maximum is reached) till duration t. In the second part of our paper, we analyze the statistical properties of the residence time t_{r}(t) and the last-passage time t_{ℓ}(t) and compute their distributions exactly for all values of α. Our study unravels that the heterogeneous version (α≠0) displays many rich and contrasting features compared to that of the standard Brownian motion (BM). For example, while for BM (α=0), the distributions of t_{m}(t),t_{r}(t), and t_{ℓ}(t) are all identical (á la "arcsine laws" due to Lévy), they turn out to be significantly different for nonzero α. Another interesting property of t_{r}(t) is the existence of a critical α (which we denote by α_{c}=-0.3182) such that the distribution exhibits a local maximum at t_{r}=t/2 for α<α_{c} whereas it has minima at t_{r}=t/2 for α≥α_{c}. The underlying reasoning for this difference hints at the very contrasting natures of the process for α≥α_{c} and α<α_{c} which we thoroughly examine in our paper. All our analytical results are backed by extensive numerical simulations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Prashant Singh
- International Centre for Theoretical Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bengaluru 560089, India
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Veetilvalappil VV, Aranjani JM, Mahammad FS, Joseph A. Awakening sleeper cells: a narrative review on bacterial magic spot synthetases as potential drug targets to overcome persistence. Curr Genet 2022; 68:49-60. [PMID: 34787710 PMCID: PMC8801413 DOI: 10.1007/s00294-021-01221-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2021] [Revised: 10/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 10/29/2022]
Abstract
Magic spot synthetases are emerging targets to overcome persistence caused by stringent response. The 'stringent response' is a bacterial stress survival mechanism, which results in the accumulation of alarmones (also called Magic spots) leading to the formation of dormant persister cells. These 'sleeper cells' evade antibiotic treatment and could result in relapse of infection. This review broadly investigates the phenomenon of stringent response and persistence, and specifically discusses the distribution, classification, and nomenclature of proteins such as Rel/SpoT homologs (RSH), responsible for alarmone synthesis. The authors further explain the relevance of RSH as potential drug targets to break the dormancy of persister cells commonly seen in biofilms. One of the significant factors that initiate alarmone synthesis is nutrient deficiency. In a starved condition, ribosome-associated RSH detects deacylated tRNA and initiates alarmone synthesis. Accumulation of alarmones has a considerable effect on bacterial physiology, virulence, biofilm formation, and persister cell formation. Preventing alarmone synthesis by inhibiting RSH responsible for alarmone synthesis will prevent or reduce persister cells' formation. Magic spot synthetases are thus potential targets that could be explored to overcome persistence seen in biofilms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vimal Venu Veetilvalappil
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Udupi, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Jesil Mathew Aranjani
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Udupi, Karnataka, 576104, India.
| | - Fayaz Shaik Mahammad
- Department of Biotechnology, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Udupi, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Alex Joseph
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Udupi, Karnataka, 576104, India
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Cassaro CJ, Uphoff S. Super-Resolution Microscopy and Tracking of DNA-Binding Proteins in Bacterial Cells. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2476:191-208. [PMID: 35635706 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2221-6_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The ability to detect individual fluorescent molecules inside living cells has enabled a range of powerful microscopy techniques that resolve biological processes on the molecular scale. These methods have also transformed the study of bacterial cell biology, which was previously obstructed by the limited spatial resolution of conventional microscopy. In the case of DNA-binding proteins, super-resolution microscopy can visualize the detailed spatial organization of DNA replication, transcription, and repair processes by reconstructing a map of single-molecule localizations. Furthermore, DNA-binding activities can be observed directly by tracking protein movement in real time. This allows identifying subpopulations of DNA-bound and diffusing proteins, and can be used to measure DNA-binding times in vivo. This chapter provides a detailed protocol for super-resolution microscopy and tracking of DNA-binding proteins in Escherichia coli cells. The protocol covers the genetic engineering and fluorescent labeling of strains and describes data acquisition and analysis procedures, such as super-resolution image reconstruction, mapping single-molecule tracks, computing diffusion coefficients to identify molecular subpopulations with different mobility, and analysis of DNA-binding kinetics. While the focus is on the study of bacterial chromosome biology, these approaches are generally applicable to other molecular processes and cell types.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chloé J Cassaro
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Stephan Uphoff
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Bellotto N, Agudo-Canalejo J, Colin R, Golestanian R, Malengo G, Sourjik V. Dependence of diffusion in Escherichia coli cytoplasm on protein size, environmental conditions, and cell growth. eLife 2022; 11:82654. [PMID: 36468683 PMCID: PMC9810338 DOI: 10.7554/elife.82654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Inside prokaryotic cells, passive translational diffusion typically limits the rates with which cytoplasmic proteins can reach their locations. Diffusion is thus fundamental to most cellular processes, but the understanding of protein mobility in the highly crowded and non-homogeneous environment of a bacterial cell is still limited. Here, we investigated the mobility of a large set of proteins in the cytoplasm of Escherichia coli, by employing fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) combined with simulations and theoretical modeling. We conclude that cytoplasmic protein mobility could be well described by Brownian diffusion in the confined geometry of the bacterial cell and at the high viscosity imposed by macromolecular crowding. We observed similar size dependence of protein diffusion for the majority of tested proteins, whether native or foreign to E. coli. For the faster-diffusing proteins, this size dependence is well consistent with the Stokes-Einstein relation once taking into account the specific dumbbell shape of protein fusions. Pronounced subdiffusion and hindered mobility are only observed for proteins with extensive interactions within the cytoplasm. Finally, while protein diffusion becomes markedly faster in actively growing cells, at high temperature, or upon treatment with rifampicin, and slower at high osmolarity, all of these perturbations affect proteins of different sizes in the same proportions, which could thus be described as changes of a well-defined cytoplasmic viscosity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Bellotto
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology and Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO)MarburgGermany
| | | | - Remy Colin
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology and Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO)MarburgGermany
| | - Ramin Golestanian
- Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-OrganizationGöttingenGermany,Rudolf Peierls Centre for Theoretical Physics, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Gabriele Malengo
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology and Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO)MarburgGermany
| | - Victor Sourjik
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology and Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO)MarburgGermany
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Chun DJ, Oh Y, Sung BJ. Translation-rotation decoupling of tracers reflects medium-range crystalline order in two-dimensional colloid glasses. Phys Rev E 2021; 104:054615. [PMID: 34942845 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.104.054615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The dynamic heterogeneity and the translation-rotation decoupling are the dynamic signatures of glasses and supercooled liquids. Whether and how the dynamic heterogeneity would relate to the local structure of glasses has been a puzzle for decades. In this work we perform molecular dynamics simulations for tracers in both two-dimensional polydisperse colloids (2DPC) and two-dimensional binary colloids (2DBC). In 2DPC glasses, hexatic local structures develop at low enough temperatures and grow quickly along with the dynamic correlation length of the 2DPC, which is well known as the medium-range crystalline order (MRCO). In 2DBC glasses, on the other hand, any explicit local structure has not been reported to grow significantly with the dynamic correlation length at low temperatures. We introduce two different types of tracers into colloidal systems: A diamond tracer that resembles the MRCO of 2DPC glasses and a square tracer that is dissimilar to any local structure of glasses. The translation-rotation decoupling of the diamond tracer in 2DPC glasses is much more significant than that of the square tracer in the same 2DPC glasses. On the other hand, such a tracer shape-dependence of the decoupling is not observed in 2DBC glasses where the local hexatic structure does not develop significantly. We introduce a shape-dependency parameter of the decoupling and find that the shape-dependency parameter grows along with the dynamic correlation length in 2DPC glasses but not in 2DBC glasses. This illustrates that the dynamic heterogeneity and the translation-rotation decoupling of tracers could reveal the local structure that develops in glasses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dong Jae Chun
- Department of Chemistry, Sogang University, Seoul 04107, Republic of Korea
| | - Younghoon Oh
- Department of Chemistry, Sogang University, Seoul 04107, Republic of Korea
| | - Bong June Sung
- Department of Chemistry, Sogang University, Seoul 04107, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Leroux M, Soubry N, Reyes-Lamothe R. Dynamics of Proteins and Macromolecular Machines in Escherichia coli. EcoSal Plus 2021; 9:eESP00112020. [PMID: 34060908 PMCID: PMC11163846 DOI: 10.1128/ecosalplus.esp-0011-2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Proteins are major contributors to the composition and the functions in the cell. They often assemble into larger structures, macromolecular machines, to carry out intricate essential functions. Although huge progress in understanding how macromolecular machines function has been made by reconstituting them in vitro, the role of the intracellular environment is still emerging. The development of fluorescence microscopy techniques in the last 2 decades has allowed us to obtain an increased understanding of proteins and macromolecular machines in cells. Here, we describe how proteins move by diffusion, how they search for their targets, and how they are affected by the intracellular environment. We also describe how proteins assemble into macromolecular machines and provide examples of how frequent subunit turnover is used for them to function and to respond to changes in the intracellular conditions. This review emphasizes the constant movement of molecules in cells, the stochastic nature of reactions, and the dynamic nature of macromolecular machines.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Leroux
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Nicolas Soubry
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | |
Collapse
|
26
|
Singh MK, Kenney LJ. Super-resolution imaging of bacterial pathogens and visualization of their secreted effectors. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2021; 45:5911101. [PMID: 32970796 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuaa050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in super-resolution imaging techniques, together with new fluorescent probes have enhanced our understanding of bacterial pathogenesis and their interplay within the host. In this review, we provide an overview of what these techniques have taught us about the bacterial lifestyle, the nucleoid organization, its complex protein secretion systems, as well as the secreted virulence factors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Moirangthem Kiran Singh
- Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Linda J Kenney
- Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Chau NYE, Ahmad S, Whitney JC, Coombes BK. Emerging and divergent roles of pyrophosphorylated nucleotides in bacterial physiology and pathogenesis. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009532. [PMID: 33984072 PMCID: PMC8118318 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria inhabit diverse environmental niches and consequently must modulate their metabolism to adapt to stress. The nucleotide second messengers guanosine tetraphosphate (ppGpp) and guanosine pentaphosphate (pppGpp) (collectively referred to as (p)ppGpp) are essential for survival during nutrient starvation. (p)ppGpp is synthesized by the RelA-SpoT homologue (RSH) protein family and coordinates the control of cellular metabolism through its combined effect on over 50 proteins. While the role of (p)ppGpp has largely been associated with nutrient limitation, recent studies have shown that (p)ppGpp and related nucleotides have a previously underappreciated effect on different aspects of bacterial physiology, such as maintaining cellular homeostasis and regulating bacterial interactions with a host, other bacteria, or phages. (p)ppGpp produced by pathogenic bacteria facilitates the evasion of host defenses such as reactive nitrogen intermediates, acidic pH, and the complement system. Additionally, (p)ppGpp and pyrophosphorylated derivatives of canonical adenosine nucleotides called (p)ppApp are emerging as effectors of bacterial toxin proteins. Here, we review the RSH protein family with a focus on its unconventional roles during host infection and bacterial competition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- N. Y Elizabeth Chau
- Department of Biochemistry & Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Shehryar Ahmad
- Department of Biochemistry & Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - John C. Whitney
- Department of Biochemistry & Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- David Braley Centre for Antibiotic Discovery, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Brian K. Coombes
- Department of Biochemistry & Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- David Braley Centre for Antibiotic Discovery, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Qi Y, Wang H, Chen X, Wei G, Tao S, Fan M. Altered Metabolic Strategies: Elaborate Mechanisms Adopted by Oenococcus oeni in Response to Acid Stress. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2021; 69:2906-2918. [PMID: 33587641 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.0c07599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Oenococcus oeni plays a key role in inducing malolactic fermentation in wine. Acid stress is often encountered under wine conditions. However, the lack of systematic studies of acid resistance mechanisms limits the downstream fermentation applications. In this study, the acid responses of O. oeni were investigated by combining transcriptome, metabolome, and genome-scale metabolic modeling approaches. Metabolite profiling highlighted the decreased abundance of nucleotides under acid stress. The gene-metabolite bipartite network showed negative correlations between nucleotides and genes involved in ribosome assembly, translation, and post-translational processes, suggesting that stringent response could be activated under acid stress. Genome-scale metabolic modeling revealed marked flux rerouting, including reallocation of pyruvate, attenuation of glycolysis, utilization of carbon sources other than glucose, and enhancement of nucleotide salvage and the arginine deiminase pathway. This study provided novel insights into the acid responses of O. oeni, which will be useful for designing strategies to address acid stress in wine malolactic fermentation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yiman Qi
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Hao Wang
- College of Life Sciences and State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
- Bioinformatics Center, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Xiangdan Chen
- College of Life Sciences and State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
- Bioinformatics Center, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Gehong Wei
- College of Life Sciences and State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Shiheng Tao
- College of Life Sciences and State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
- Bioinformatics Center, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Mingtao Fan
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Lagage V, Uphoff S. Pulses and delays, anticipation and memory: seeing bacterial stress responses from a single-cell perspective. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2021; 44:565-571. [PMID: 32556120 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuaa022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress responses are crucial for bacteria to survive harmful conditions that they encounter in the environment. Although gene regulatory mechanisms underlying stress responses in bacteria have been thoroughly characterised for decades, recent advances in imaging technologies helped to uncover previously hidden dynamics and heterogeneity that become visible at the single-cell level. Despite the diversity of stress response mechanisms, certain dynamic regulatory features are frequently seen in single cells, such as pulses, delays, stress anticipation and memory effects. Often, these dynamics are highly variable across cells. While any individual cell may not achieve an optimal stress response, phenotypic diversity can provide a benefit at the population level. In this review, we highlight microscopy studies that offer novel insights into how bacteria sense stress, regulate protective mechanisms, cope with response delays and prepare for future environmental challenges. These studies showcase developments in the single-cell imaging toolbox including gene expression reporters, FRET, super-resolution microscopy and single-molecule tracking, as well as microfluidic techniques to manipulate cells and create defined stress conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Valentine Lagage
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Stephan Uphoff
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
González García JS, Delgado J. Stochastic microswimming model of ribosome motion on the polysome. THE EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL. E, SOFT MATTER 2021; 44:9. [PMID: 33683520 DOI: 10.1140/epje/s10189-021-00011-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In this work we assume that the ribosome propels itself during the translocation step of the translation process of protein synthesis by running a cycle of stochastically generated conformational changes involving its two subunits. This cycle includes only two experimentally found ribosome shape changes. The main result is an analytic expression for ribosome's average swimming speed on a polysome, where the ribosome is in the presence of other ribosomes. Relevant geometric parameters of ribosome deformations are calculated first by solving a deterministic problem where the ribosome runs a cycle of prescribed conformational changes. The method of reflections and pairwise additivity are used to obtain the stresses and forces needed to apply the multiparticle reciprocal theorem. Ribosome's average velocity when it runs the corresponding stochastic cycle of deformations is calculated assuming independence among the conformational cycles of different ribosomes on the polysome. The results obtained show that swimming in tandem on the polysome allows the ribosome to reach any typical subcellular speed with deformations whose amplitude is of a smaller size than when it swims alone in the fluid. Also, the flow organized by its swimming stroke becomes more determinant for its motion than random diffusion, compared to the solitary ribosome.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- José Santiago González García
- Seminario de Bifurcaciones y Singularidades, Departamento de Matemáticas, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, Av. San Rafael Atlixco 186 Col. Vicentina, Iztapalapa, Ciudad de México, 09340, Mexico.
| | - Joaquín Delgado
- Departamento de Matemáticas, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, Av. San Rafael Atlixco 186 Col. Vicentina, Iztapalapa, Ciudad de México, 09340, Mexico
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Itto Y, Beck C. Superstatistical modelling of protein diffusion dynamics in bacteria. J R Soc Interface 2021; 18:20200927. [PMID: 33653112 PMCID: PMC8086855 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2020.0927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
A recent experiment (Sadoon AA, Wang Y. 2018 Phys. Rev. E98, 042411. (doi:10.1103/PhysRevE.98.042411)) has revealed that nucleoid-associated proteins (i.e. DNA-binding proteins) exhibit highly heterogeneous diffusion processes in bacteria where not only the diffusion constant but also the anomalous diffusion exponent fluctuates for the various proteins. The distribution of displacements of such proteins is observed to take a q-Gaussian form, which decays as a power law. Here, a statistical model is developed for the diffusive motion of the proteins within the bacterium, based on a superstatistics with two variables. This model hierarchically takes into account the joint fluctuations of both the anomalous diffusion exponents and the diffusion constants. A fractional Brownian motion is discussed as a possible local model. Good agreement with the experimental data is obtained.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuichi Itto
- ICP, Universität Stuttgart, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
- Science Division, Center for General Education, Aichi Institute of Technology, Aichi 470-0392, Japan
| | - Christian Beck
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Stracy M, Schweizer J, Sherratt DJ, Kapanidis AN, Uphoff S, Lesterlin C. Transient non-specific DNA binding dominates the target search of bacterial DNA-binding proteins. Mol Cell 2021; 81:1499-1514.e6. [PMID: 33621478 PMCID: PMC8022225 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2021.01.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Despite their diverse biochemical characteristics and functions, all DNA-binding proteins share the ability to accurately locate their target sites among the vast excess of non-target DNA. Toward identifying universal mechanisms of the target search, we used single-molecule tracking of 11 diverse DNA-binding proteins in living Escherichia coli. The mobility of these proteins during the target search was dictated by DNA interactions rather than by their molecular weights. By generating cells devoid of all chromosomal DNA, we discovered that the nucleoid is not a physical barrier for protein diffusion but significantly slows the motion of DNA-binding proteins through frequent short-lived DNA interactions. The representative DNA-binding proteins (irrespective of their size, concentration, or function) spend the majority (58%–99%) of their search time bound to DNA and occupy as much as ∼30% of the chromosomal DNA at any time. Chromosome crowding likely has important implications for the function of all DNA-binding proteins. Protein motion was compared between unperturbed cells and DNA-free cells Protein mobility was dictated by DNA interactions rather than molecular weight The nucleoid is not a physical barrier for protein diffusion The proteins studied spend most (58%–99%) of their search time bound to DNA
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mathew Stracy
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK.
| | - Jakob Schweizer
- Max Planck Institute for Dynamics of Complex Technical Systems, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - David J Sherratt
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Achillefs N Kapanidis
- Biological Physics Research Group, Clarendon Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PU, UK
| | - Stephan Uphoff
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK.
| | - Christian Lesterlin
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry (MMSB), Université Lyon 1, CNRS, INSERM, UMR5086, 69007 Lyon, France.
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
relA and spoT Gene Expression is Modulated in Salmonella Grown Under Static Magnetic Field. Curr Microbiol 2021; 78:887-893. [PMID: 33515321 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-021-02346-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/10/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Virtually all bacterial species synthesize high levels of (p)ppGpp (guanosine penta- or tetraphosphate), a pleiotropic regulator of the stringent response and other stresses in bacteria. relA and spoT genes are, respectively, involved in synthesis and synthesis/biodegradation of (p)ppGpp. We aimed in this work to evaluate the impact of static magnetic field (SMF) 200 mT exposure on the expression of relA and spoT genes in Salmonella enterica Hadar. Bacteria were exposed to a SMF during 9 h, and RNA extraction was followed by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The relative quantification of mRNA expression levels using the 16S rRNA reference gene did not change during the SMF exposure. However, results showed a significant increase in gene expression for relA after 3 h of exposure (P < 0.05) and after 6 h for spoT (P < 0.05). The differential gene expression of relA and spoT could be considered as a potential stress response to a SMF exposure in Salmonella related to the production/degradation of (p)ppGpp.
Collapse
|
34
|
Takada H, Roghanian M, Caballero-Montes J, Van Nerom K, Jimmy S, Kudrin P, Trebini F, Murayama R, Akanuma G, Garcia-Pino A, Hauryliuk V. Ribosome association primes the stringent factor Rel for tRNA-dependent locking in the A-site and activation of (p)ppGpp synthesis. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:444-457. [PMID: 33330919 PMCID: PMC7797070 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa1187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In the Gram-positive Firmicute bacterium Bacillus subtilis, amino acid starvation induces synthesis of the alarmone (p)ppGpp by the RelA/SpoT Homolog factor Rel. This bifunctional enzyme is capable of both synthesizing and hydrolysing (p)ppGpp. To detect amino acid deficiency, Rel monitors the aminoacylation status of the ribosomal A-site tRNA by directly inspecting the tRNA’s CCA end. Here we dissect the molecular mechanism of B. subtilis Rel. Off the ribosome, Rel predominantly assumes a ‘closed’ conformation with dominant (p)ppGpp hydrolysis activity. This state does not specifically select deacylated tRNA since the interaction is only moderately affected by tRNA aminoacylation. Once bound to the vacant ribosomal A-site, Rel assumes an ‘open’ conformation, which primes its TGS and Helical domains for specific recognition and stabilization of cognate deacylated tRNA on the ribosome. The tRNA locks Rel on the ribosome in a hyperactivated state that processively synthesises (p)ppGpp while the hydrolysis is suppressed. In stark contrast to non-specific tRNA interactions off the ribosome, tRNA-dependent Rel locking on the ribosome and activation of (p)ppGpp synthesis are highly specific and completely abrogated by tRNA aminoacylation. Binding pppGpp to a dedicated allosteric site located in the N-terminal catalytic domain region of the enzyme further enhances its synthetase activity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hiraku Takada
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden.,Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Mohammad Roghanian
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden.,Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Julien Caballero-Montes
- Cellular and Molecular Microbiology, Faculté des Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Building BC, Room 1C4 203, Boulevard du Triomphe, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Katleen Van Nerom
- Cellular and Molecular Microbiology, Faculté des Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Building BC, Room 1C4 203, Boulevard du Triomphe, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Steffi Jimmy
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden.,Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Pavel Kudrin
- University of Tartu, Institute of Technology, 50411 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Fabio Trebini
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Rikinori Murayama
- Akita Prefectural Research Center for Public Health and Environment, 6-6 Senshu-Kubotamachi, Akita, 010-0874, Japan
| | - Genki Akanuma
- Department of Life Science, Graduate School of Science, Gakushuin University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Abel Garcia-Pino
- Cellular and Molecular Microbiology, Faculté des Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Building BC, Room 1C4 203, Boulevard du Triomphe, 1050 Brussels, Belgium.,WELBIO, Avenue Hippocrate 75, 1200 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Vasili Hauryliuk
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden.,Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden.,University of Tartu, Institute of Technology, 50411 Tartu, Estonia
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Xu Y, Liu X, Li Y, Metzler R. Heterogeneous diffusion processes and nonergodicity with Gaussian colored noise in layered diffusivity landscapes. Phys Rev E 2021; 102:062106. [PMID: 33466052 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.102.062106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Heterogeneous diffusion processes (HDPs) with space-dependent diffusion coefficients D(x) are found in a number of real-world systems, such as for diffusion of macromolecules or submicron tracers in biological cells. Here, we examine HDPs in quenched-disorder systems with Gaussian colored noise (GCN) characterized by a diffusion coefficient with a power-law dependence on the particle position and with a spatially random scaling exponent. Typically, D(x) is considered to be centerd at the origin and the entire x axis is characterized by a single scaling exponent α. In this work we consider a spatially random scenario: in periodic intervals ("layers") in space D(x) is centerd to the midpoint of each interval. In each interval the scaling exponent α is randomly chosen from a Gaussian distribution. The effects of the variation of the scaling exponents, the periodicity of the domains ("layer thickness") of the diffusion coefficient in this stratified system, and the correlation time of the GCN are analyzed numerically in detail. We discuss the regimes of superdiffusion, subdiffusion, and normal diffusion realisable in this system. We observe and quantify the domains where nonergodic and non-Gaussian behaviors emerge in this system. Our results provide new insights into the understanding of weak ergodicity breaking for HDPs driven by colored noise, with potential applications in quenched layered systems, typical model systems for diffusion in biological cells and tissues, as well as for diffusion in geophysical systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yong Xu
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China.,MIIT Key Laboratory of Dynamics and Control of Complex Systems, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China
| | - Xuemei Liu
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China
| | - Yongge Li
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China.,Center for Mathematical Sciences, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Ralf Metzler
- Institute for Physics and Astronomy, University of Potsdam, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Abstract
The capacity of microbes to resist and overcome environmental insults, known as resilience, allows them to survive in changing environments but also to resist antibiotic and biocide treatments and immune system responses. Although the role of the stringent response in bacterial resilience to nutritional stresses has been well studied, little is known about its importance in the ability of the bacteria to not just resist but also recover from these disturbances. Bacteria grow in constantly changing environments that can suddenly become completely depleted of essential nutrients. The stringent response, a rewiring of the cellular metabolism mediated by the alarmone (p)ppGpp, plays a crucial role in adjusting bacterial growth to the severity of the nutritional stress. The ability of (p)ppGpp to trigger a slowdown of cell growth or induce bacterial dormancy has been widely investigated. However, little is known about the role of (p)ppGpp in promoting growth recovery after severe growth inhibition. In this study, we performed a time-resolved analysis of (p)ppGpp metabolism in Escherichia coli as it recovered from a sudden slowdown in growth. The results show that E. coli recovers by itself from the growth disruption provoked by the addition of serine hydroxamate, the serine analogue that we used to induce the stringent response. Growth inhibition was accompanied by a severe disturbance of metabolic activity and, more surprisingly, a transient overflow of valine and alanine. Our data also show that ppGpp is crucial for growth recovery since in the absence of ppGpp, E. coli’s growth recovery was slower. In contrast, an increased concentration of pppGpp was found to have no significant effect on growth recovery. Interestingly, the observed decrease in intracellular ppGpp levels in the recovery phase correlated with bacterial growth, and the main effect involved in the return to the basal level was identified by flux calculation as growth dilution. This report thus significantly expands our knowledge of (p)ppGpp metabolism in E. coli physiology. IMPORTANCE The capacity of microbes to resist and overcome environmental insults, known as resilience, allows them to survive in changing environments but also to resist antibiotic and biocide treatments and immune system responses. Although the role of the stringent response in bacterial resilience to nutritional stresses has been well studied, little is known about its importance in the ability of the bacteria to not just resist but also recover from these disturbances. To address this important question, we investigated growth disruption resilience in the model bacterium Escherichia coli and its dependence on the stringent response alarmone (p)ppGpp by quantifying ppGpp and pppGpp levels as growth was disrupted and then recovered. Our findings may thus contribute to understanding how ppGpp improves E. coli’s resilience to nutritional stress and other environmental insults.
Collapse
|
37
|
Cambré A, Aertsen A. Bacterial Vivisection: How Fluorescence-Based Imaging Techniques Shed a Light on the Inner Workings of Bacteria. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2020; 84:e00008-20. [PMID: 33115939 PMCID: PMC7599038 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00008-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The rise in fluorescence-based imaging techniques over the past 3 decades has improved the ability of researchers to scrutinize live cell biology at increased spatial and temporal resolution. In microbiology, these real-time vivisections structurally changed the view on the bacterial cell away from the "watery bag of enzymes" paradigm toward the perspective that these organisms are as complex as their eukaryotic counterparts. Capitalizing on the enormous potential of (time-lapse) fluorescence microscopy and the ever-extending pallet of corresponding probes, initial breakthroughs were made in unraveling the localization of proteins and monitoring real-time gene expression. However, later it became clear that the potential of this technique extends much further, paving the way for a focus-shift from observing single events within bacterial cells or populations to obtaining a more global picture at the intra- and intercellular level. In this review, we outline the current state of the art in fluorescence-based vivisection of bacteria and provide an overview of important case studies to exemplify how to use or combine different strategies to gain detailed information on the cell's physiology. The manuscript therefore consists of two separate (but interconnected) parts that can be read and consulted individually. The first part focuses on the fluorescent probe pallet and provides a perspective on modern methodologies for microscopy using these tools. The second section of the review takes the reader on a tour through the bacterial cell from cytoplasm to outer shell, describing strategies and methods to highlight architectural features and overall dynamics within cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Cambré
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Abram Aertsen
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Leuven, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Vink JNA, Brouns SJJ, Hohlbein J. Extracting Transition Rates in Particle Tracking Using Analytical Diffusion Distribution Analysis. Biophys J 2020; 119:1970-1983. [PMID: 33086040 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2020.09.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Single-particle tracking is an important technique in the life sciences to understand the kinetics of biomolecules. The analysis of apparent diffusion coefficients in vivo, for example, enables researchers to determine whether biomolecules are moving alone, as part of a larger complex, or are bound to large cellular components such as the membrane or chromosomal DNA. A remaining challenge has been to retrieve quantitative kinetic models, especially for molecules that rapidly switch between different diffusional states. Here, we present analytical diffusion distribution analysis (anaDDA), a framework that allows for extracting transition rates from distributions of apparent diffusion coefficients calculated from short trajectories that feature less than 10 localizations per track. Under the assumption that the system is Markovian and diffusion is purely Brownian, we show that theoretically predicted distributions accurately match simulated distributions and that anaDDA outperforms existing methods to retrieve kinetics, especially in the fast regime of 0.1-10 transitions per imaging frame. AnaDDA does account for the effects of confinement and tracking window boundaries. Furthermore, we added the option to perform global fitting of data acquired at different frame times to allow complex models with multiple states to be fitted confidently. Previously, we have started to develop anaDDA to investigate the target search of CRISPR-Cas complexes. In this work, we have optimized the algorithms and reanalyzed experimental data of DNA polymerase I diffusing in live Escherichia coli. We found that long-lived DNA interaction by DNA polymerase are more abundant upon DNA damage, suggesting roles in DNA repair. We further revealed and quantified fast DNA probing interactions that last shorter than 10 ms. AnaDDA pushes the boundaries of the timescale of interactions that can be probed with single-particle tracking and is a mathematically rigorous framework that can be further expanded to extract detailed information about the behavior of biomolecules in living cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jochem N A Vink
- Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, HZ Delft, the Netherlands; Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Stan J J Brouns
- Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, HZ Delft, the Netherlands; Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft, the Netherlands.
| | - Johannes Hohlbein
- Laboratory of Biophysics, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands; Microspectroscopy Reasearch Facility, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Irving SE, Choudhury NR, Corrigan RM. The stringent response and physiological roles of (pp)pGpp in bacteria. Nat Rev Microbiol 2020; 19:256-271. [PMID: 33149273 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-020-00470-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 172] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The stringent response is a stress signalling system mediated by the alarmones guanosine tetraphosphate (ppGpp) and guanosine pentaphosphate (pppGpp) in response to nutrient deprivation. Recent research highlights the complexity and broad range of functions that these alarmones control. This Review provides an update on our current understanding of the enzymes involved in ppGpp, pppGpp and guanosine 5'-monophosphate 3'-diphosphate (pGpp) (collectively (pp)pGpp) turnover, including those shown to produce pGpp and its analogue (pp)pApp. We describe the well-known interactions with RNA polymerase as well as a broader range of cellular target pathways controlled by (pp)pGpp, including DNA replication, transcription, nucleotide synthesis, ribosome biogenesis and function, as well as lipid metabolism. Finally, we review the role of ppGpp and pppGpp in bacterial pathogenesis, providing examples of how these nucleotides are involved in regulating many aspects of virulence and chronic infection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sophie E Irving
- The Florey Institute, Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Naznin R Choudhury
- The Florey Institute, Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Rebecca M Corrigan
- The Florey Institute, Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Das B, Bhadra RK. (p)ppGpp Metabolism and Antimicrobial Resistance in Bacterial Pathogens. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:563944. [PMID: 33162948 PMCID: PMC7581866 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.563944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Single cell microorganisms including pathogens relentlessly face myriads of physicochemical stresses in their living environment. In order to survive and multiply under such unfavorable conditions, microbes have evolved with complex genetic networks, which allow them to sense and respond against these stresses. Stringent response is one such adaptive mechanism where bacteria can survive under nutrient starvation and other related stresses. The effector molecules for the stringent response are guanosine-5'-triphosphate 3'-diphosphate (pppGpp) and guanosine-3', 5'-bis(diphosphate) (ppGpp), together called (p)ppGpp. These effector molecules are now emerging as master regulators for several physiological processes of bacteria including virulence, persistence, and antimicrobial resistance. (p)ppGpp may work independently or along with its cofactor DksA to modulate the activities of its prime target RNA polymerase and other metabolic enzymes, which are involved in different biosynthetic pathways. Enzymes involved in (p)ppGpp metabolisms are ubiquitously present in bacteria and categorized them into three classes, i.e., canonical (p)ppGpp synthetase (RelA), (p)ppGpp hydrolase/synthetase (SpoT/Rel/RSH), and small alarmone synthetases (SAS). While RelA gets activated in response to amino acid starvation, enzymes belonging to SpoT/Rel/RSH and SAS family can synthesize (p)ppGpp in response to glucose starvation and several other stress conditions. In this review, we will discuss about the current status of the following aspects: (i) diversity of (p)ppGpp biosynthetic enzymes among different bacterial species including enteropathogens, (ii) signals that modulate the activity of (p)ppGpp synthetase and hydrolase, (iii) effect of (p)ppGpp in the production of antibiotics, and (iv) role of (p)ppGpp in the emergence of antibiotic resistant pathogens. Emphasis has been given to the cholera pathogen Vibrio cholerae due to its sophisticated and complex (p)ppGpp metabolic pathways, rapid mutational rate, and acquisition of antimicrobial resistance determinants through horizontal gene transfer. Finally, we discuss the prospect of (p)ppGpp metabolic enzymes as potential targets for developing antibiotic adjuvants and tackling persistence of infections.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bhabatosh Das
- Infection and Immunology Division, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad, India
| | - Rupak K Bhadra
- Infectious Diseases and Immunology Division, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (CSIR-IICB), Kolkata, India
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
RNA Sequencing Identifies a Common Physiology in Vancomycin- and Ciprofloxacin-Tolerant Staphylococcus aureus Induced by ileS Mutations. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2020; 64:AAC.00827-20. [PMID: 32690649 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00827-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Little is known about the mechanisms by which ileS mutations induce vancomycin tolerance in Staphylococcus aureus This study showed that transcriptome profiles were similar in vancomycin-tolerant mutants and the IleRS-inhibitor-treated parent. Notably, ileS and relA, which induce a stringent response, were upregulated. The same mechanism was responsible for cross-tolerance to vancomycin and ciprofloxacin. These findings suggest that the accumulation of uncharged isoleucyl-tRNA following ileS mutations in S. aureus was responsible for drug tolerance.
Collapse
|
42
|
The Major Chromosome Condensation Factors Smc, HBsu, and Gyrase in Bacillus subtilis Operate via Strikingly Different Patterns of Motion. mSphere 2020; 5:5/5/e00817-20. [PMID: 32907955 PMCID: PMC7485690 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00817-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
All types of cells need to compact their chromosomes containing their genomic information several-thousand-fold in order to fit into the cell. In eukaryotes, histones achieve a major degree of compaction and bind very tightly to DNA such that they need to be actively removed to allow access of polymerases to the DNA. Bacteria have evolved a basic, highly dynamic system of DNA compaction, accommodating rapid adaptability to changes in environmental conditions. We show that the Bacillus subtilis histone-like protein HBsu exchanges on DNA on a millisecond scale and moves through the entire nucleoid containing the genome as a slow-mobility fraction and a dynamic fraction, both having short dwell times. Thus, HBsu achieves compaction via short and transient DNA binding, thereby allowing rapid access of DNA replication or transcription factors to DNA. Topoisomerase gyrase and B. subtilis Smc show different interactions with DNA in vivo, displaying continuous loading or unloading from DNA, or using two fractions, one moving through the genome and one statically bound on a time scale of minutes, respectively, revealing three different modes of DNA compaction in vivo. Although DNA-compacting proteins have been extensively characterized in vitro, knowledge of their DNA binding dynamics in vivo is greatly lacking. We have employed single-molecule tracking to characterize the motion of the three major chromosome compaction factors in Bacillus subtilis, Smc (structural maintenance of chromosomes) proteins, topoisomerase DNA gyrase, and histone-like protein HBsu. We show that these three proteins display strikingly different patterns of interaction with DNA; while Smc displays two mobility fractions, one static and one moving through the chromosome in a constrained manner, gyrase operates as a single slow-mobility fraction, suggesting that all gyrase molecules are catalytically actively engaged in DNA binding. Conversely, bacterial histone-like protein HBsu moves through the nucleoid as a larger, slow-mobility fraction and a smaller, high-mobility fraction, with both fractions having relatively short dwell times. Turnover within the SMC complex that makes up the static fraction is shown to be important for its function in chromosome compaction. Our report reveals that chromosome compaction in bacteria can occur via fast, transient interactions in vivo, avoiding clashes with RNA and DNA polymerases. IMPORTANCE All types of cells need to compact their chromosomes containing their genomic information several-thousand-fold in order to fit into the cell. In eukaryotes, histones achieve a major degree of compaction and bind very tightly to DNA such that they need to be actively removed to allow access of polymerases to the DNA. Bacteria have evolved a basic, highly dynamic system of DNA compaction, accommodating rapid adaptability to changes in environmental conditions. We show that the Bacillus subtilis histone-like protein HBsu exchanges on DNA on a millisecond scale and moves through the entire nucleoid containing the genome as a slow-mobility fraction and a dynamic fraction, both having short dwell times. Thus, HBsu achieves compaction via short and transient DNA binding, thereby allowing rapid access of DNA replication or transcription factors to DNA. Topoisomerase gyrase and B. subtilis Smc show different interactions with DNA in vivo, displaying continuous loading or unloading from DNA, or using two fractions, one moving through the genome and one statically bound on a time scale of minutes, respectively, revealing three different modes of DNA compaction in vivo.
Collapse
|
43
|
The Stringent Stress Response Controls Proteases and Global Regulators under Optimal Growth Conditions in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. mSystems 2020; 5:5/4/e00495-20. [PMID: 32753509 PMCID: PMC7406228 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00495-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Microorganisms need to adapt rapidly to survive harsh environmental changes. Here, we showed the broad influence of the highly studied bacterial stringent stress response under nonstressful conditions that indicate its general physiological importance and might reflect the readiness of bacteria to respond to and activate acute stress responses. Using RNA-Seq to investigate the transcriptional network of Pseudomonas aeruginosa cells revealed that >30% of all genes changed expression in a stringent response mutant under optimal growth conditions. This included genes regulated by global transcriptional regulators and novel downstream effectors. Our results help to understand the importance of this stress regulator in bacterial lifestyle under relatively unstressed conditions. As such, it draws attention to the consequences of targeting this ubiquitous bacterial signaling molecule. The bacterial stringent stress response, mediated by the signaling molecule guanosine tetraphosphate, ppGpp, has recently gained attention as being important during normal cellular growth and as a potential new therapeutic target, which warrants detailed mechanistic understanding. Here, we used intracellular protein tracking in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1, which indicated that RelA was bound to the ribosome, while SpoT localized at the cell poles. Transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) was used to investigate the transcriptome of a ppGpp-deficient strain under nonstressful, nutrient-rich broth conditions where the mutant grew at the same rate as the parent strain. In the exponential growth phase, the lack of ppGpp led to >1,600 transcriptional changes (fold change cutoff of ±1.5), providing further novel insights into the normal physiological role of ppGpp. The stringent response was linked to gene expression of various proteases and secretion systems, including aprA, PA0277, impA, and clpP2. The previously observed reduction in cytotoxicity toward red blood cells in a stringent response mutant appeared to be due to aprA. Investigation of an aprA mutant in a murine skin infection model showed increased survival rates of mice infected with the aprA mutant, consistent with previous observations that stringent response mutants have reduced virulence. In addition, the overexpression of relA, but not induction of ppGpp with serine hydroxamate, dysregulated global transcriptional regulators as well as >30% of the regulatory networks controlled by AlgR, OxyR, LasR, and AmrZ. Together, these data expand our knowledge about ppGpp and its regulatory network and role in environmental adaptation. It also confirms its important role throughout the normal growth cycle of bacteria. IMPORTANCE Microorganisms need to adapt rapidly to survive harsh environmental changes. Here, we showed the broad influence of the highly studied bacterial stringent stress response under nonstressful conditions that indicate its general physiological importance and might reflect the readiness of bacteria to respond to and activate acute stress responses. Using RNA-Seq to investigate the transcriptional network of Pseudomonas aeruginosa cells revealed that >30% of all genes changed expression in a stringent response mutant under optimal growth conditions. This included genes regulated by global transcriptional regulators and novel downstream effectors. Our results help to understand the importance of this stress regulator in bacterial lifestyle under relatively unstressed conditions. As such, it draws attention to the consequences of targeting this ubiquitous bacterial signaling molecule.
Collapse
|
44
|
Jung W, Sengupta K, Wendel BM, Helmann JD, Chen P. Biphasic unbinding of a metalloregulator from DNA for transcription (de)repression in Live Bacteria. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:2199-2208. [PMID: 32009151 PMCID: PMC7049717 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Revised: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Microorganisms use zinc-sensing regulators to alter gene expression in response to changes in the availability of zinc, an essential micronutrient. Under zinc-replete conditions, the Fur-family metalloregulator Zur binds to DNA tightly in its metallated repressor form to Zur box operator sites, repressing the transcription of zinc uptake transporters. Derepression comes from unbinding of the regulator, which, under zinc-starvation conditions, exists in its metal-deficient non-repressor forms having no significant affinity with Zur box. While the mechanism of transcription repression by Zur is well-studied, little is known on how derepression by Zur could be facilitated. Using single-molecule/single-cell measurements, we find that in live Escherichia coli cells, Zur's unbinding rate from DNA is sensitive to Zur protein concentration in a first-of-its-kind biphasic manner, initially impeded and then facilitated with increasing Zur concentration. These results challenge conventional models of protein unbinding being unimolecular processes and independent of protein concentration. The facilitated unbinding component likely occurs via a ternary complex formation mechanism. The impeded unbinding component likely results from Zur oligomerization on chromosome involving inter-protein salt-bridges. Unexpectedly, a non-repressor form of Zur is found to bind chromosome tightly, likely at non-consensus sequence sites. These unusual behaviors could provide functional advantages in Zur's facile switching between repression and derepression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Won Jung
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Kushal Sengupta
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Brian M Wendel
- Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - John D Helmann
- Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Peng Chen
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Xue C, Shi X, Tian Y, Zheng X, Hu G. Diffusion of Nanoparticles with Activated Hopping in Crowded Polymer Solutions. NANO LETTERS 2020; 20:3895-3904. [PMID: 32208707 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.0c01058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
A long-distance hop of diffusive nanoparticles (NPs) in crowded environments was commonly considered unlikely, and its characteristics remain unclear. In this work, we experimentally identify the occurrence of the intermittent hops of large NPs in crowded entangled poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) solutions, which are attributed to thermally induced activated hopping. We show that the diffusion of NPs in crowded solutions is considered as a superposition of the activated hopping and the reptation of the polymer solution. Such activated hopping becomes significant when either the PEO molecular weight is large enough or the NP size is relatively small. We reveal that the time-dependent non-Gaussianity of the NP diffusion is determined by the competition of the short-time relaxation of a polymer entanglement strand, the activated hopping, and the long-time reptation. We propose an exponential scaling law τhop/τe ∼ exp(d/dt) to characterize the hopping time scale, suggesting a linear dependence of the activated hopping energy barrier on the dimensionless NP size. The activated hopping motion can only be observed between the onset time scale of the short-time relaxation of local entanglement strands and the termination time scale of the long-time relaxation. Our findings on activated hopping provide new insights into long-distance transportation of NPs in crowded biological environments, which is essential to the delivery and targeting of nanomedicines.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chundong Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Nonlinear Mechanics, Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- School of Optoelectronic Engineering and Instrumentation Science, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning 116024, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100149, China
| | - Xinghua Shi
- National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China, Beijing 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100149, China
| | - Yu Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Tribology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xu Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Nonlinear Mechanics, Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Guoqing Hu
- Department of Engineering Mechanics & State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310027, China
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Single-molecule displacement mapping unveils nanoscale heterogeneities in intracellular diffusivity. Nat Methods 2020; 17:524-530. [PMID: 32203387 PMCID: PMC7205592 DOI: 10.1038/s41592-020-0793-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2019] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Intracellular diffusion underlies vital cellular processes. However, it remains difficult to elucidate how an unbound protein diffuses inside the cell with good spatial resolution and sensitivity. Here we introduce single-molecule displacement/diffusivity mapping (SMdM), a super-resolution strategy that enables the nanoscale mapping of intracellular diffusivity through local statistics of the instantaneous displacements of freely diffusing single molecules. We thus show that the diffusion of an average-sized protein in the mammalian cytoplasm and nucleus is spatially heterogeneous at the nanoscale, and that variations in local diffusivity correlate with the ultrastructure of the actin cytoskeleton and the organization of the genome, respectively. SMdM of differently charged proteins further unveils that the possession of positive, but not negative, net charges drastically impedes diffusion, and that the rate is determined by the specific subcellular environments. We thus unveil rich heterogeneities and charge effects in intracellular diffusion at the nanoscale.
Collapse
|
47
|
Vink JNA, Martens KJA, Vlot M, McKenzie RE, Almendros C, Estrada Bonilla B, Brocken DJW, Hohlbein J, Brouns SJJ. Direct Visualization of Native CRISPR Target Search in Live Bacteria Reveals Cascade DNA Surveillance Mechanism. Mol Cell 2020; 77:39-50.e10. [PMID: 31735642 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2019.10.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Revised: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas systems encode RNA-guided surveillance complexes to find and cleave invading DNA elements. While it is thought that invaders are neutralized minutes after cell entry, the mechanism and kinetics of target search and its impact on CRISPR protection levels have remained unknown. Here, we visualize individual Cascade complexes in a native type I CRISPR-Cas system. We uncover an exponential relation between Cascade copy number and CRISPR interference levels, pointing to a time-driven arms race between invader replication and target search, in which 20 Cascade complexes provide 50% protection. Driven by PAM-interacting subunit Cas8e, Cascade spends half its search time rapidly probing DNA (∼30 ms) in the nucleoid. We further demonstrate that target DNA transcription and CRISPR arrays affect the integrity of Cascade and affect CRISPR interference. Our work establishes the mechanism of cellular DNA surveillance by Cascade that allows the timely detection of invading DNA in a crowded, DNA-packed environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jochem N A Vink
- Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Koen J A Martens
- Laboratory of Biophysics, Wageningen University & Research, Stippeneng 4, 6708 WE Wageningen, the Netherlands; Laboratory of Bionanotechnology, Wageningen University & Research, Bornse Weilanden 9, 6708 WG Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Marnix Vlot
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University & Research, Stippeneng 4, 6708 WE Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Rebecca E McKenzie
- Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Cristóbal Almendros
- Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Boris Estrada Bonilla
- Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Daan J W Brocken
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Gorlaeus Laboratories, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Johannes Hohlbein
- Laboratory of Biophysics, Wageningen University & Research, Stippeneng 4, 6708 WE Wageningen, the Netherlands; Microspectroscopy Research Facility, Wageningen University & Research, Stippeneng 4, 6708 WE Wageningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Stan J J Brouns
- Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ Delft, the Netherlands.
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Bashardanesh Z, Elf J, Zhang H, van der Spoel D. Rotational and Translational Diffusion of Proteins as a Function of Concentration. ACS OMEGA 2019; 4:20654-20664. [PMID: 31858051 PMCID: PMC6906769 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.9b02835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Atomistic simulations of three different proteins at different concentrations are performed to obtain insight into protein mobility as a function of protein concentration. We report on simulations of proteins from diluted to the physiological water concentration (about 70% of the mass). First, the viscosity was computed and found to increase by a factor of 7-9 going from pure water to the highest protein concentration, in excellent agreement with in vivo nuclear magnetic resonance results. At a physiological concentration of proteins, the translational diffusion is found to be slowed down to about 30% of the in vitro values. The slow-down of diffusion found here using atomistic models is slightly more than that of a hard sphere model that neglects the electrostatic interactions. Interestingly, rotational diffusion of proteins is slowed down somewhat more (by about 80-95% compared to in vitro values) than translational diffusion, in line with experimental findings and consistent with the increased viscosity. The finding that rotation is retarded more than translation is attributed to solvent-separated clustering. No direct interactions between the proteins are found, and the clustering can likely be attributed to dispersion interactions that are stronger between proteins than between protein and water. Based on these simulations, we can also conclude that the internal dynamics of the proteins in our study are affected only marginally under crowding conditions, and the proteins become somewhat more stable at higher concentrations. Simulations were performed using a force field that was tuned for dealing with crowding conditions by strengthening the protein-water interactions. This force field seems to lead to a reproducible partial unfolding of an α-helix in one of the proteins, an effect that was not observed in the unmodified force field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zahedeh Bashardanesh
- Uppsala
Center for Computational Chemistry, Science for Life Laboratory, Department
of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Husargatan 3, Box
596, SE-75124 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Johan Elf
- Uppsala
Center for Computational Chemistry, Science for Life Laboratory, Department
of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Husargatan 3, Box
596, SE-75124 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Haiyang Zhang
- Department
of Biological Science and Engineering, School of Chemistry and Biological
Engineering, University of Science and Technology
Beijing, 100083 Beijing, China
| | - David van der Spoel
- Uppsala
Center for Computational Chemistry, Science for Life Laboratory, Department
of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Husargatan 3, Box
596, SE-75124 Uppsala, Sweden
- E-mail: . Phone: +46 18 4714205
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Oliveira Bortot L, Bashardanesh Z, van der Spoel D. Making Soup: Preparing and Validating Models of the Bacterial Cytoplasm for Molecular Simulation. J Chem Inf Model 2019; 60:322-331. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.9b00971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Leandro Oliveira Bortot
- Laboratory of Biological Physics, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Avenida do Café s/n, 14040-903 Ribeirão Preto-SP, Brazil
| | - Zahedeh Bashardanesh
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Box 596, SE-75124 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - David van der Spoel
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Box 596, SE-75124 Uppsala, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Mechanical stress compromises multicomponent efflux complexes in bacteria. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:25462-25467. [PMID: 31772020 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1909562116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Physical forces have a profound effect on growth, morphology, locomotion, and survival of organisms. At the level of individual cells, the role of mechanical forces is well recognized in eukaryotic physiology, but much less is known about prokaryotic organisms. Recent findings suggest an effect of physical forces on bacterial shape, cell division, motility, virulence, and biofilm initiation, but it remains unclear how mechanical forces applied to a bacterium are translated at the molecular level. In Gram-negative bacteria, multicomponent protein complexes can form rigid links across the cell envelope and are therefore subject to physical forces experienced by the cell. Here we manipulate tensile and shear mechanical stress in the bacterial cell envelope and use single-molecule tracking to show that octahedral shear (but not hydrostatic) stress within the cell envelope promotes disassembly of the tripartite efflux complex CusCBA, a system used by Escherichia coli to resist copper and silver toxicity. By promoting disassembly of this protein complex, mechanical forces within the cell envelope make the bacteria more susceptible to metal toxicity. These findings demonstrate that mechanical forces can inhibit the function of cell envelope protein assemblies in bacteria and suggest the possibility that other multicomponent, transenvelope efflux complexes may be sensitive to mechanical forces including complexes involved in antibiotic resistance, cell division, and translocation of outer membrane components. By modulating the function of proteins within the cell envelope, mechanical stress has the potential to regulate multiple processes required for bacterial survival and growth.
Collapse
|