The interaction of Escherichia coli with normal human serum: the kinetics of serum-mediated lipopolysaccharide release and its dissociation from bacterial killing

We have examined the killing of E. coli and kinetics of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) release after the exposure of the bacteria to normal human serum (NHS) and sera deficient in complement components, or with inactivated complement components. LPS of the galactose epimerase-deficient strain E. coli J5 were specifically radiolabeled by growing the bacteria in a medium containing [3H]galactose. Exposure of the washed bacteria to NHS resulted in a significant reduction (greater than 99%) in viability within 15 min and the concomitant release of radiolabeled LPS. However, maximal release of LPS was consistently 30% of the total radiolabel incorporated into the LPS molecules. The amount of tritium-labeled LPS released was shown to be directly proportional to the concentration of bacteria exposed to NHS, suggesting that release of LPS was not limited by the availability of some critical serum component(s). The consumption of complement in NHS by incubation with E. coli was demonstrated by decreased alternative and classical pathway-specific hemolytic activity. The use of Factor D-depleted and VEM-treated human sera demonstrated that, with these bacteria, both the alternative and classical pathways of complement contribute to bacterial killing and release of LPS. It is noteworthy that, in VEM-treated and Factor D-depleted sera, the rate of killing and the kinetics of LPS release were somewhat slower as compared to control serum. Bacterial killing in C7-depleted and C9-deficient human sera was minimal. Neither killing nor LPS release occurred in heat-inactivated (56 degrees C, 30 min) human serum. The amount of [3H]LPS released by C9-deficient serum was qualitatively similar to the amount released by the action of NHS. Tritium-labeled LPS was not released in C7-depleted serum. These data indicate that bacterial killing can be dissociated from LPS release, and suggest that, whereas LPS release may be necessary for the bactericidal effects of serum complement, it is probably not sufficient to effect killing. Furthermore, a significant fraction of LPS can be removed from the outer membrane of the bacteria without an apparent affect on viability.     

Overexpression of the alanine carrier protein gene from thermophilic bacterium PS3 in Escherichia coli

The alanine transporter (alanine carrier protein, ACP) gene of thermophilic bacterium PS3 was previously cloned and expressed in a functionally active form in Escherichia coli cells. To achieve controlled overproduction of the ACP protein, we designed a plasmid encoding a fusion protein comprising ACP joined to the carboxyl terminus of the maltose binding protein (MBP-ACP). Upon transduction of the plasmid into E. coli RM1 cells defective in alanine/glycine transport, the transport activity was expressed even before induction with 1-thio-beta-D-galacto-pyranoside (IPTG), and increased slightly on induction with IPTG at low concentrations. However, overexpression of the MBP-ACP gene, induced by higher concentrations of IPTG, resulted in death of the host cells. Hence we screened other host cells and found that the MBP-ACP fusion protein was produced in a large quantity in E. coli TB1 cells 3 h after IPTG induction. The MBP-ACP fusion protein was accumulated in cytoplasmic membranes in an amount reaching more than 20% of the total membrane protein. The affinity-purified MBP-ACP exhibited very low transport activity when reconstituted into proteoliposomes.     

Multimeric C9 within C5b-9 is required for inner membrane damage to Escherichia coli J5 during complement killing

We have shown recently that an average of three or more C9 molecules must bind to C5b-8 on Escherichia coli strain J5 to cause direct complement killing in the absence of serum lysozyme. We initially confirmed and extended this observation by showing that deposition of a large number of C5b-9 complexes bearing 1C9 per C5b-8 was not bactericidal for J5. To identify the target site for bactericidal C5b-9 deposition, we measured release of periplasmic and cytoplasmic markers of different size from J5 as the C9:C5b-8 ratio was changed, because the diameter of the C5b-9 channel is known to increase as the C9:C5b-8 ratio increases. To facilitate measurement of release of the periplasmic marker beta-lactamase (BLA), J5 was transformed for high level constitutive TEM-1 BLA production (J5-Amp). Multimeric C9 within C5b-9 (C9:C5b-8 greater than 3) was required to release BLA (m.w. 28,900) from J5-Amp regardless of whether cells bore 310, 560, or 890 C5b-9/organism. Curves of both BLA release and killing vs C9:C5b-8 ratio were sigmoidal and nearly superimposable. Release of the small cytoplasmic marker 86Rb, a potassium analog, also required a minimum C9:C5b-8 ratio of 3:1; specific 86Rb release did not occur in the absence of killing. Release of the large cytoplasmic marker beta-galactosidase (m.w. 505,000) did not occur even at the highest achievable C9:C5b-8 ratio of 11:1, despite greater than 99.9% killing, indicating that there was no dissolution of the peptidoglycan layer due to incomplete removal of serum lysozyme. Complement-mediated killing of J5 requires sufficient damage to the outer membrane or formation of a sufficiently large C5b-9 channel to release the large periplasmic marker BLA. The requirement of multimeric C9 for 86Rb release suggests that at low C9:C5b-8 ratios, either C5b-9 does not have access to the cytoplasmic space or that the J5 K+ transport systems are able to compensate for putative C5b-9 channels.     

Modification, processing, and subcellular localization in Escherichia coli of the pCloDF13-encoded bacteriocin release protein fused to the mature portion of beta-lactamase.

A fusion between the pCloDF13-derived bacteriocin release protein and beta-lactamase was constructed to investigate the subcellular localization and posttranslational modification of the bacteriocin release protein in Escherichia coli. The signal sequence and 25 of the 28 amino acid residues of the mature bacteriocin release protein were fused to the mature portion of beta-lactamase. The hybrid protein (Mr, 31,588) was expressed in minicells and whole cells and possessed full beta-lactamase activity. Immunoblotting of subcellular fractions revealed that the hybrid protein is present in both the cytoplasmic and outer membranes of E. coli. Radioactive labeling experiments in the presence or absence of globomycin showed that the hybrid protein is modified with a diglyceride and fatty acids and is processed by signal peptidase II, as is the murein lipoprotein. The results indicated that the pCloDF13-encoded bacteriocin release protein is a lipoprotein which is associated with both membranes of E. coli cells.     

The intracellular localization of glycolate oxidoreductase in Escherichia coli

Distribution of glycolate oxidoreductase in cell-free extracts of E. coli grown in mineral medium containing sodium glycolate has been studied. The enzyme was found to be largely associated with the cytoplasmic membranes. Homologous antiserum to the membranes inhibited the enzyme activity completely after the solubilization of the intact membranes with Triton X-100. Results on the effect of pronase on glycolate oxidoreductase activity confirmed that part of the enzyme is exposed to the surface of the membrane.     

Schistosoma mansoni: killing of transformed schistosomula by the alternative pathway of human complement

The interaction of mechanically transformed schistosomula of Schistosoma mansoni with the alternative pathway of human complement was studied in vitro. To detect early changes in transformation, the schistosomula were prepared at a low temperature and used immediately. As shown previously, freshly transformed schistosomula were highly susceptible to killing by normal human serum and by C4-depleted normal human serum. This serum activity was concentration dependent and was markedly reduced on a twofold serum dilution. Upon incubation at 37 C in defined synthetic medium, schistosomula rapidly became refractory to killing by the alternative pathway of complement. After 1 hr of incubation at 37 C, the percentage of schistosomula which were resistant to killing increased from 16 to 85. This conversion was accompanied by a fivefold decrease in deposition of C3b on schistosomula which had been exposed to 37 C for 1 hr and then further incubated with C4-depleted normal human serum. The following events occurred concomitantly during incubation of freshly transformed schistosomula at 37 C with a half-life of 30-60 min: (1) Decrease in activation and consumption of the alternative pathway of complement by schistosomula; (2) appearance of a strong complement consuming activity in the supernatant of incubating schistosomula; and (3) shedding of protein- and carbohydrate-containing substances from the surface of schistosomula into the supernatant. Isolated external membranes of freshly transformed schistosomula consumed the alternative pathway of complement to a greater extent than membranes of schistosomula preincubated in medium at 37 C. The results demonstrate that transformed schistosomula acquire resistance to complement killing via the alternative pathway by shedding complement-activating substances.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The mechanisms of activation of normal human serum complement by<Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis> strains with K1 surface antigen

Ten E. coli K1 strains isolated from the urine of children with urinary tract infections were sensitive to the bactericidal action of normal human serum (NHS). The role of the particular mechanisms of complement activation was determined in the process of killing these strains, showing variable sensitivity to the bactericidal action of NHS; three mechanisms of activation of human complement were observed. Important role of alternative pathway activation in the bactericidal action of NHS against E. coli K1 strains independent of the classical and lectin pathways was not established.     

Correlating a protein structure with function of a bacterial mechanosensitive channel

MscL, a mechanosensitive channel found in many bacteria, protects cells from hypotonic shock by reducing intracellular pressure through release of cytoplasmic osmolytes. First isolated from Escherichia coli, this protein has served as a model for how a protein senses and responds to membrane tension. Recently the structure of a functionally uncharacterized MscL homologue from Mycobacterium tuberculosis was solved by x-ray diffraction to a resolution of 3.5 A. Here we demonstrate that the protein forms a functional MscL-like mechanosensitive channel in E. coli membranes and azolectin proteoliposomes. Furthermore, we show that M. tuberculosis MscL crystals, when re-solubilized and reconstituted, yield wild-type channel currents in patch clamp, demonstrating that the protein does not irreversibly change conformation upon crystallization. Finally, we apply functional clues acquired from the E. coli MscL to the M. tuberculosis channel and show a mechanistic correlation between these channels. However, the inability of the M. tuberculosis channel to gate at physiological membrane tensions, demonstrated by in vivo E. coli expression and in vitro reconstitution, suggests that the membrane environment or other additional factors influence the gating of this channel.     

Comparative study of mannose-binding C-type lectin isolated from channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) and blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus)

Mannose-binding C-type lectin (MBL) was isolated from channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) NWAC 102 and 103 strains, blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) D+B and Rio Grande strains, hybrid catfish (channel catfish female NWAC 103 x blue catfish male D+B) sera, and purified by affinity chromatography from channel catfish Norris strain serum. Reduction of purified channel catfish MBL with 2-ME yielded a single band of 62 kDa by SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis using guinea pig anti-MBL IgG as primary antibody. Channel catfish NWAC 102 strain, channel catfish NWAC 103 strain and hybrid catfish sera had molecular masses of 63 kDa for MBL. Blue catfish (D+B strain) serum MBL had a molecular mass of 66 kDa. Rio Grande blue catfish serum MBL had a molecular mass of 65 kDa. Amino acid composition analysis (mol%) of the affinity-purified channel catfish MBL found a high content of serine present. Functional binding studies of channel catfish and blue catfish MBLs binding to Edwardsiella ictaluri were done using a dot-immunoblot ELISA method. A dot-immunoblot ELISA binding assay was done to compare nine different strains and species of channel catfish and blue catfish for their levels of serum MBL. Blue catfish had higher levels of MBL than did the various strains of channel catfish tested. MBL could be used as a genetic marker for selection of disease resistance in the different strains of catfish used in aquaculture. This study describes the presence of serum MBL in catfish and evidence for a C-type lectin complement pathway of innate immunity.     

Secretion of periplasmic PhoA protein during its supersynthesis into the medium using outer membrane vesicles. Features of chemical composition of the vesicles and membranes of Escherichia coli secreting cells

E. coli K12802 cells transformed by multicopy plasmid with phoA gene acquire the ability to oversynthesize alkaline phosphatase, secrete it into the cultural medium, and accumulate the precursor of this enzyme. The dynamics of enzyme production and secretion as well as cytomorphological changes revealed the existence of a mechanism of selective enzyme secretion into the medium. It is characterized by a decrease of enzyme specific activity in periplasm and its increase in cultural medium, appearance of numerous local zones of adhesion of cytoplasmic and outer membranes, formation of large extracellular outer membrane vesicles containing PhoA protein on the cell poles, and their release into the medium. We isolated the vesicles and found that they contain PhoA (in dominating quantity), several other periplasmic proteins, and matrix proteins of outer membranes. By their phospholipid and protein composition, they correspond to the fraction of outer membranes which have the largest density and sedimentation rate and, apparently, contain no lipoprotein.     

The sensitivity of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis> strains with K1 surface antigen and rods without this antigen to the bactericidal effect of serum

The susceptibility of Escherichia coli strains with K1 surface antigen (K1+) and rods without this antigen (K1-) to the bactericidal action of normal bovine serum and human normal cord serum was determined. Seventy E. coli strains (35 K1+ and 35 K1-) were isolated from urine obtained from children with urinary tract infections. The strains investigated showed variable sensitivity to the bactericidal action of the sera. E. coli K1+ strains were characterized by lower sensitivity to bactericidal effect of the sera in comparison with K1- rods. The role of the particular mechanisms of complement activation in the process of killing of the E. coli strains was also determined.     

Purification and characterization of recombinant spinach acyl carrier protein I expressed in Escherichia coli

Expression of plant acyl carrier protein (ACP) in Escherichia coli at levels above that of constitutive E. coli ACP does not appear to substantially alter bacterial growth or fatty acid metabolism. The plant ACP expressed in E. coli contains pantetheine and approximately 50% is present in vivo as acyl-ACP. We have purified and characterized the recombinant spinach ACP-I. NH2-terminal amino acid sequencing indicated identity to authentic spinach ACP-I, and there was no evidence for terminal methionine or formylmethionine. Recombinant ACP-I was found to completely cross-react immunologically with polyclonal antibody raised to spinach ACP-I. Recombinant ACP-I was a poor substrate for E. coli fatty acid synthesis. In contrast, Brassica napus fatty acid synthetase gave similar reaction rates with both recombinant and E. coli ACP. Similarly, malonyl-coenzyme A:acyl carrier protein transacylase isolated from E. coli was only poorly able to utilize the recombinant ACP-I while the same enzyme from B. napus reacted equally well with either E. coli ACP or recombinant ACP-I. E. coli acyl-ACP synthetase showed a higher reaction rate for recombinant ACP-I than for E. coli ACP. Expression of spinach ACP-I in E. coli provides, for the first time, plant ACP in large quantities and should aid in both structural analysis of this protein and in investigations of the many ACP-dependent reactions of plant lipid metabolism.     

Altered molecular form of acyl carrier protein associated with beta-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein synthase II (fabF) mutants.

Acyl carrier protein (ACP) is a required cofactor for fatty acid synthesis in Escherichia coli. Mutants lacking beta-ketoacyl-ACP synthase II activity (fabF1 or fabF3) possessed a different molecular species of ACP (F-ACP) that was separated from the normal form of the protein by conformationally sensitive gel electrophoresis. Synthase I mutants contained the normal protein. Complementation of fabF1 mutants with an F' factor harboring the wild-type synthase II allele resulted in the appearance of normal ACP, whereas complementation with an F' possessing the fabF2 allele (a mutation that produces a synthase II enzyme with altered catalytic activity) resulted in the production of both forms of ACP. The structural difference between F-ACP and ACP persisted after the removal of the 4'-phosphopantetheine prosthetic group, and both forms of the protein had identical properties in an in vitro fatty acid synthase assay. Both ACP and F-ACP were purified to homogeneity, and their primary amino acid sequences were determined. The two ACP species were identical but differed from the sequence reported for E. coli E-15 ACP in that an Asn instead of an Asp was at position 24 and an Ile instead of a Val was at position 43. Therefore, F-ACP appears to be a modification of ACP that is detected when beta-ketoacyl-ACP synthase II activity is impaired.     

Surface phagocytosis of Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli by human neutrophils: serum requirements for opsonization and chemiluminescence

We examined the serum requirements for surface phagocytosis of Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli and for the subsequent chemiluminescent response of human neutrophils. Substantial surface phagocytosis of S. epidermidis occurred in the absence of opsonins, although the presence of 10% pooled or heat-inactivated serum significantly increased phagocytosis. There was no significant difference between these opsonins, indicating that surface phagocytosis of S. epidermidis did not require complement. Unopsonized E. coli were not as readily phagocytized as S. epidermidis (33% versus 57%). In contrast to S. epidermidis optimal phagocytosis of E. coli required complement as 10% heat inactivated donor serum (HHS) was significantly less effective as an opsonin than 10% pooled healthy donor serum (PHS). The time kinetics for phagocytosis of each organism were similar, with most of the phagocytosis occurring in the first 10 min. The chemiluminescent response of neutrophils produced discrepant results. Maximal chemiluminescence was observed when neutrophils were stimulated with bacteria opsonized in PHS. The response to HHS-opsonized bacteria was less, and chemiluminescence to unopsonized bacteria was only marginally higher than the control, even though there was relatively good phagocytosis. These results define the opsonic requirements for surface phagocytosis of S. epidermidis and E. coli and indicate that although complement may not be required for phagocytosis, it is necessary for generation of a maximal oxidative burst, and thus may be essential for efficient intracellular killing.     

Nonspecific resistance in germ-free and E. coli monocontaminated miniature piglets]

Phagocytic activity of leukocytes, as well as the complement, properdin, and lysozyme levels in the blood serum of miniature piglets, germfree and monocontaminated with E. coli 055 and E. coli 083, were studied. E. coli 055 phagocytosis was decreased in the presence of autologous serum and complement and increased under the effect of specific opsonins (antibodies to E. coli 055). Complement, properdin, and lysozyme levels were decreased in the germfree, in comparison with conventional animals. In the E. coli contaminated piglets properdin and complement production was stimulated most, and lysozyme formation--less. No antibodies to E. coli 055 were revealed in monocontaminated piglets. The highest lysozyme levels were found in the ex-germfree animals, this indicating the participation of factors other than E. coli contamination in lysozyme stimulation. It is concluded that microbial contamination played an important role in the development of cellular and humoral factors of the organism resistance.     

Osmotic shock: a mechanosensitive channel blocker can prevent release of cytoplasmic but not periplasmic proteins

When over-expressed in the cytoplasm of Escherichia coli, carboxylesterase Est55 of Geobacillus stearothermophilus was found to be released from cells upon osmotic shock. Comparing two osmotic shock protocols showed that release of Est55 was abolished in the absence of mechanosensitive channel MscL by one method but not the other. The discrepancy extended to several previously reported cytoplasmic proteins released by osmotic shock, including: EF-Tu, thioredoxin, and DnaK in E. coli. Stepwise analyses of parameters between these two protocols revealed that the use of mechanical pipetting instead of gentle dilution of cells prior to exposure to hypotonic solution abolished the effect of MscL. Furthermore, while this phenomenon of release of certain cytoplasmic proteins was sustained in all three wild type strains of E. coli, presence of gadolinium was able to serve as an MscL channel blocker and prevented release of Est55 and EF-Tu in the process. An optimized protocol of osmotic shock was developed from this study to provide a more reliable assessment of location of proteins in E. coli. This method allowed release of authentic periplasmic MalE and beta-lactamase proteins comparable to that by EDTA-lysozyme treatment.     

Phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase system of Bacillus subtilis: cloning of the region containing the ptsH and ptsI genes and evidence for a crr-like gene.

The genes ptsI and ptsH, which encode, respectively, enzyme I and Hpr, cytoplasmic proteins involved in the phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase system, were cloned from Bacillus subtilis. A plasmid containing a 4.1-kilobase DNA fragment was shown to complement Escherichia coli mutations affecting the ptsH and ptsI genes. In minicells this plasmid expressed two proteins with the molecular weights expected for Hpr and enzyme I. Therefore, ptsH and ptsI are adjacent in B. subtilis, as in E. coli. In E. coli a third gene (crr), involved in glucose translocation and also in catabolite repression, is located downstream from the ptsHI operon. The 4.1-kilobase fragment from B. subtilis was shown to contain a gene that enables an E. coli crr mutant to use glucose. This gene, unlike the E. coli crr gene, was located to the left of ptsH.     

Only one of the two annotated Lactococcus lactis fabG genes encodes a functional beta-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein reductase

The small genome of the Gram-positive bacterium Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis IL1403 contains two genes that encode proteins annotated as homologues of Escherichia coli beta-hydroxyacyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) reductase. E. coli fabG encodes beta-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) reductase, the enzyme responsible for the first reductive step of the fatty acid synthetic cycle. Both of the L. lactis genes are adjacent to (and predicted to be cotranscribed with) other genes that encode proteins having homology to known fatty acid synthetic enzymes. Such relationships have often been used to strengthen annotations based on sequence alignments. Annotation in the case of beta-ketoacyl-ACP reductase is particularly problematic because the protein is a member of a vast protein family, the short-chain alcohol dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) family. The recent isolation of an E. coli fabG mutant strain encoding a conditionally active beta-ketoacyl-ACP reductase allowed physiological and biochemical testing of the putative L. lactishomologues. We report that expression of only one of the two L. lactis proteins (that annotated as FabG1) allows growth of the E. coli fabG strain under nonpermissive conditions and restores in vitro fatty acid synthetic ability to extracts of the mutant strain. Therefore, like E. coli, L. lactis has a single beta-ketoacyl-ACP reductase active with substrates of all fatty acid chain lengths. The second protein (annotated as FabG2), although inactive in fatty acid synthesis both in vivo and in vitro, was highly active in reduction of the model substrate, beta-ketobutyryl-CoA. As expected from work on the E. coli enzyme, the FabG1 beta-ketobutyryl-CoA reductase activity was inhibited by ACP (which blocks access to the active site) whereas the activity of FabG2 was unaffected by the presence of ACP. These results seem to be an example of a gene duplication event followed by divergence of one copy of the gene to encode a protein having a new function.     

Serum-resistant mutants of Escherichia coli O111 contain increased lipopolysaccharide, lack an O antigen-containing capsule, and cover more of their lipid A core with O antigen.

Escherichia coli strains of group O111 were characterized with respect to sensitivity to complement killing, amount of lipopolysaccharide and O antigen-containing capsule, and distribution of O antigen. All wild-type E. coli O111 strains were resistant to complement killing in the absence of specific antibody. Presensitization of strains with antibody to whole cells (OK antibody), followed by incubation in 50% pooled normal human serum as a source of complement, subdivided wild-type strains into three types: completely resistant, partially resistant, and sensitive. Completely and partially resistant mutants were isolated by cycles of serum killing, starting with one sensitive strain. Completely resistant mutants had no O antigen-containing capsule, but had 50% more lipopolysaccharide than did the parent, and this lipopolysaccharide had 30% fewer lipid A core molecules devoid of O antigen. Partially resistant mutants still had O antigen-containing capsule, but contained 40% more lipopolysaccharide than did the parent; the extent of coverage of lipid A core with O antigen remained unchanged. No correlations were found between outer membrane protein composition and the degree of serum resistance. Since the terminal membrane attack complex (C5b-9) must stably insert into a hydrophobic membrane site to effect killing, we conclude that both increased lipid A core and increased coverage of lipid A core with O antigen preclude access of C5b-9 to lethal sites on the cell surface.