Effect of charged residue substitutions on the membrane-interactive properties of signal sequences of the Escherichia coli LamB protein.

Although the central role of the signal sequence in protein export is well established, the molecular details underlying signal sequence in vivo function remain unclear. As part of our continuing effort to relate signal sequence phenotypes to specific biophysical properties, we have carried out an extensive characterization of the secondary structure and lipid interactions for a family of peptides corresponding to the wild-type E. coli LamB signal sequence, and mutants that harbor charged residue point mutations in the hydrophobic core region. We used membrane-resident fluorescence quenching according to the parallax method to determine the relative depth of insertion of tryptophan-labeled analogs of these peptides into the acyl chain region of bilayer vesicles composed of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine and 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoglycerol. Also, restriction of acyl chain motion upon peptide binding was evaluated using steady-state fluorescence anisotropy of 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene. Each of these peptides showed evidence of insertion into the acyl chain region, although most likely not in a transmembrane orientation. The mutant peptides were shown to have a reduced insertion potential relative to the wild-type peptide. Furthermore, tryptophan spectral properties indicated that insertion of the wild-type and mutant peptides enhances bilayer hydration. This effect was particularly pronounced with peptides harboring negatively charged aspartate point substitutions. The results are discussed in relation to the potential roles of signal sequences in mediating protein translocation.     

Structural determinants for signal sequence function in the mammalian endoplasmic reticulum

Signal sequences function in protein targeting to and translocation across the endoplasmic reticulum membrane. To investigate the structural requirements for signal sequence function, chimeras of the Escherichia coli LamB signal peptide and prolactin were prepared. The LamB signal peptide was chosen by virtue of the extensive biophysical and biological characterization of its activity. In vitro, nascent prolactin chains bearing the LamB signal peptide (LamB) were targeted in a signal recognition particle (SRP)-dependent manner to rough microsomes but remained protease- and salt-sensitive and translocated at low efficiency. Full translocation activity was obtained in a gain of function mutant (LamB*) in which three hydrophobic residues in the LamB hydrophobic core were converted to leucine residues. Cross-linking studies demonstrated that the LamB* signal sequence displayed markedly enhanced interactions with SRP and integral membrane proteins. In contrast, chemically denatured LamB and LamB*-precursors bound with identical efficiencies and in a salt-resistant manner to rough microsomes, suggesting that during de novo synthesis the signal sequence of LamB-bearing precursors assumes a conformation refractory to translocation. These data indicate that a leucine-rich signal sequence is necessary for optimal interaction with SRP and suggest that SRP, by maintaining the signal sequence in a conformation suitable for membrane binding, performs a chaperone function.     

Electrophysiological studies in Xenopus oocytes for the opening of Escherichia coli SecA-dependent protein-conducting channels

Protein translocation in Escherichia coli requires protein-conducting channels in cytoplasmic membranes to allow precursor peptides to pass through with adenosine triphosphate (ATP) hydrolysis. Here, we report a novel, sensitive method that detects the opening of the SecA-dependent protein-conducting channels at the nanogram level. E. coli inverted membrane vesicles were injected into Xenopus oocytes, and ionic currents were recorded using the two-electrode voltage clamp. Currents were observed only in the presence of E. coli SecA in conjunction with E. coli membranes. Observed currents showed outward rectification in the presence of KCl as permeable ions and were significantly enhanced by coinjection with the precursor protein proOmpA or active LamB signal peptide. Channel activity was blockable with sodium azide or adenylyl 5'-(beta,gamma-methylene)-diphosphonate, a nonhydrolyzable ATP analogue, both of which are known to inhibit SecA protein activity. Endogenous oocyte precursor proteins also stimulated ion current activity and can be inhibited by puromycin. In the presence of puromycin, exogenous proOmpA or LamB signal peptides continued to enhance ionic currents. Thus, the requirement of signal peptides and ATP hydrolysis for the SecA-dependent currents resembles biochemical protein translocation assay with E. coli membrane vesicles, indicating that the Xenopus oocyte system provides a sensitive assay to study the role of Sec and precursor proteins in the formation of protein-conducting channels using electrophysiological methods.     

Tryptophan fluorescence study on the interaction of the signal peptide of the Escherichia coli outer membrane protein PhoE with model membranes

The interaction of the signal peptide of the Escherichia coli outer membrane protein PhoE with different phospholipid vesicles was investigated by fluorescence techniques, using a synthetic mutant signal peptide in which valine at position -8 in the hydrophobic sequence was replaced by tryptophan. First it was established that this mutation in the signal sequence of prePhoE does not affect in vivo and in vitro translocation efficiency and that the biophysical properties of the synthetic mutant signal peptide are similar to those of the wild-type signal peptide. Next, fluorescence experiments were performed which showed an increase in quantum yield and a blue shift of the emission wavelength maximum upon interaction of the signal peptide with lipid vesicles, indicating that the tryptophan moiety enters a more hydrophobic environment. These changes in intrinsic fluorescence were found to be more pronounced in the presence of phosphatidylglycerol (PG) or cardiolipin (CL) than with phosphatidylcholine (PC). In addition, quenching experiments demonstrated a shielding of the tryptophan fluorescence from quenching by the aqueous quenchers iodide and acrylamide upon interaction of the signal peptide with lipid vesicles, a shielding in the case of acrylamide that was more pronounced in the presence of negatively charged lipids. Finally it was found that acyl chain brominated lipids incorporated into phospholipid bilayers were able to quench the tryptophan fluorescence of the signal peptide, with the quenching efficiency in CL vesicles being much higher than in PC vesicles. The results clearly demonstrate that the PhoE signal peptide interacts strongly with different lipid vesicles.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Effect of charged residue substitutions on the thermodynamics of signal peptide-lipid interactions for the Escherichia coli LamB signal sequence.

We have used tryptophan fluorescence spectroscopy to characterize the binding affinities of an Escherichia coli LamB signal peptide family for lipid vesicles. These peptides harbor charged residue substitutions in the hydrophobic core region. Titrations of peptides with vesicles composed of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine and 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-3-phosphoglycerol (65:35 mol%), in conjunction with evaluation of peptide dissociation rates from these vesicles, were used to determine binding parameters quantitatively. We find that under low ionic strength conditions, point mutations introducing negatively charged aspartate residues substantially reduce peptide affinity relative to the wild-type peptide. However, the difference between wild-type and mutant peptide affinities was much lower under approximately physiological ionic strength. In addition, the lipid affinities of model surface-binding and transmembrane peptides were determined. These comparative studies with signal and model peptides permitted semi-quantitative deconvolution of signal peptide binding into electrostatic and hydrophobic components. We find that both interactions contribute significantly to binding, although the theoretically available hydrophobic free energy is largely offset by unfavorable polar-group effects. The implications of these results for understanding the potential roles of the signal sequence in protein translocation are discussed.     

Induction of non-bilayer lipid structures by functional signal peptides.

Using 31P NMR and freeze-fracture electron microscopy we investigated the effect of several synthetic signal peptides on lipid structure in model membranes mimicking the lipid composition of the Escherichia coli inner membrane. It is demonstrated that the signal peptide of the E. coli outer membrane protein PhoE, as well as that of the M13 phage coat protein, strongly promote the formation of non-bilayer lipid structures. This effect appears to be correlated to in vivo translocation efficiency, since a less functional analogue of the PhoE signal peptide was found to be less active in destabilizing the bilayer. It is proposed that signal sequences can induce local changes in lipid structure that are involved in protein translocation across the membrane.     

Fluorescence analysis of tryptophan-containing variants of the LamB signal sequence upon insertion into a lipid bilayer

To investigate the interaction of the LamB signal sequence with lipid bilayers, we have synthesized three tryptophan-containing analogues of the wild-type signal peptide. The tryptophan residues were used as intrinsic fluorescent probes of the N-terminal (position 5), central (position 18), and C-terminal (position 24) regions of the 25-residue peptide. The tryptophan substitutions did not significantly alter the physical properties of the wild-type signal peptide. In the presence of lipid vesicles which mimic the composition of the Escherichia coli inner membrane, the peptides adopt alpha-helical structure, and the tryptophan fluorescence emission maximum is shifted to shorter wavelength, indicating that the peptides insert into the acyl chain region of the lipid bilayer. Fluorescence quenching by soluble, aqueous-phase (I-), and membrane-resident (nitroxide-labeled lipids) quenchers was used to locate the tryptophans in each peptide within the bilayer. The C-terminus was interfacial while the central region of the signal sequence was deeply buried within the acyl chain region of the bilayer. The tryptophan at position 5 was buried but less deeply than the tryptophan at position 18. This topology is consistent with either a looped or a transmembrane orientation of signal peptide. However, either structure must accommodate the high helical content of the peptides in vesicles. These results indicate that the LamB signal sequence spontaneously inserts into the acyl chain region of lipid membranes in the absence of any of the proteins involved in protein secretion.     

Inhibition of PhoE translocation across Escherichia coli inner-membrane vesicles by synthetic signal peptides suggests an important role of acidic phospholipids in protein translocation

To obtain insight into the mechanism of precursor protein translocation across membranes, the effect of synthetic signal peptides and other relevant (poly)peptides on in vitro PhoE translocation was studied. The PhoE signal peptide, associated with inner membrane vesicles, caused a concentration-dependent inhibition of PhoE translocation, as a result of a specific interaction with the membrane. Using a PhoE signal peptide analog and PhoE signal peptide fragments, it was demonstrated that the hydrophobic part of the peptide caused the inhibitory effect, while the basic amino terminus is most likely important for an optimal interaction with the membrane. A quantitative analysis of our data and the known preferential interaction of synthetic signal peptides with acidic phospholipids in model membranes strongly suggest the involvement of negatively charged phospholipids in the inhibitory interaction of the synthetic PhoE signal peptide with the inner membrane. The important role of acidic phospholipids in protein translocation was further confirmed by the observation that other (poly)peptides, known to have both a high affinity for acidic lipids and hydrophobic interactions with model membranes, also caused strong inhibition of PhoE translocation. The implication of these results with respect to the role of signal peptides in protein translocation is indicated.     

Comparison of helix stability in wild-type and mutant LamB signal sequences

Previous studies of isolated peptides corresponding to the wild-type signal sequence of the LamB protein of Escherichia coli and to several export-impaired mutants demonstrated that a high tendency to adopt an alpha-helical conformation in low dielectric environments was a property of functional sequences. We have now used nuclear magnetic resonance to establish further characteristics of the helical conformation of these signal peptides in a solvent mixture (50% trifluoroethanol, by volume, in water) which mimics the conformational distribution of these peptides in lipid vesicles. The interactions of signal sequences in vivo may depend on the location of the helix in the sequence, on the length of the helical segment, and on the stability of the helix. We find that the hydrophobic core has the most persistent helix conformation and that the stability of this helix correlates with in vivo function of different mutants of the LamB signal sequence. In the family of signal peptides studied here, the length of the helix required for function appears to be less rigidly restricted since a signal peptide from a functional pseudorevertant with 4 residues deleted from the hydrophobic core takes up helix as stably as wild type but incorporates fewer residues in the helix.     

Determinants of membrane-targeting and transmembrane translocation during bacterial protein export.

We have separately analyzed membrane-targeting and membrane translocation of an exported bacterial protein. The precursor of the outer membrane protein LamB of Escherichia coli was synthesized in vitro and translocated into inverted plasma membrane vesicles under co- and post-translational conditions. The translation/translocation products of LamB were subsequently resolved into soluble and membrane-associated material. Dissipation of the H(+)-motive force, depletion of ATP and treatment of membranes with N-ethylmaleimide each inhibited processing and translocation of preLamB without preventing its binding to the membranes. Hence, all three conditions block transmembrane passage rather than membrane-targeting. The latter was abolished by pretreatment of salt-extracted membrane vesicles with trypsin. It was also drastically reduced when preLamB was synthesized in cell extracts derived from either a secA amber or a secB null mutant. Membrane-targeting of preLamB therefore requires soluble SecA and SecB as well as a protease-sensitive membrane receptor. The finding that SecA is involved in targeting whereas ATP is required for the transmembrane passage suggests that SecA, which harbors an ATPase activity [Lill et al. (1989), EMBO J., 8, 961-966], might have a dual function in bacterial protein export.     

PrlA and PrlG suppressors reduce the requirement for signal sequence recognition.

Selection for suppressors of defects in the signal sequence of secretory proteins has led most commonly to identification of prlA alleles and less often to identification of prlG alleles. These genes, secY/prlA and secE/prlG, encode integral membrane components of the protein translocation system of Escherichia coli. We demonstrate that an outer membrane protein, LamB, that lacks a signal sequence can be exported with reasonable efficiency in both prlA and prlG suppressor strains. Although the signal sequence is not absolutely required for export of LamB, the level of export in the absence of prl suppressor alleles is exceedingly low. Such strains are phenotypically LamB-, and functional LamB can be detected only by using sensitive infectious-center assays. Suppression of the LamB signal sequence deletion is dependent on normal components of the export pathway, indicating that suppression is not occurring through a bypass mechanism. Our results indicate that the majority of the known prlA suppressors function by an identical mechanism and, further, that the prlG suppressors work in a similar fashion. We propose that both PrlA and PrlG suppressors lack a proofreading activity that normally rejects defective precursors from the export pathway.     

Signal peptides open protein-conducting channels in E. coli.

Plasma membrane vesicles and protoplasts of Escherichia coli were fused to planar lipid bilayers and studied with electrophysiological techniques. Large transmembrane aqueous channels were opened when 0.2 nM LamB signal peptide was added to the cytoplasmic side of the membrane. These aqueous pores are similar in conductance to those previously observed in mammalian endoplasmic reticulum when puromycin is used to release and thus unplug nascent translocating chains. Signal sequences have been previously shown to be necessary and sufficient for targeting proteins to cellular membranes. These results demonstrate that signal peptides are sufficient for opening the protein-conducting channels. We suggest that they are the physiological ligands that open protein-conducting channels at the initiation of protein translocation across prokaryotic plasma membrane and mammalian endoplasmic reticulum.     

Export of active green fluorescent protein to the periplasm by the twin-arginine translocase (Tat) pathway in Escherichia coli

The twin-arginine translocation (Tat) system targets cofactor-containing proteins across the Escherichia coli cytoplasmic membrane via distinct signal peptides bearing a twin-arginine motif. In this study, we have analysed the mechanism and capabilities of the E. coli Tat system using green fluorescent protein (GFP) fused to the twin-arginine signal peptide of TMAO reductase (TorA). Fractionation studies and fluorescence measurements demonstrate that GFP is exported to the periplasm where it is fully active. Export is almost totally blocked in tat deletion mutants, indicating that the observed export in wild-type cells occurs predominantly, if not exclusively, by the Tat pathway. Imaging studies reveal a halo of fluorescence in wild-type cells corresponding to the exported periplasmic form; the GFP is distributed uniformly throughout the cytoplasm in a tat mutant. Because previous work has shown GFP to be incapable of folding in the periplasm, we propose that GFP is exported in a fully folded, active state. These data also show for the first time that heterologous proteins can be exported in an active form by the Tat pathway.     

The phase property of membrane phospholipids is affected by the functionality of signal peptides from the Escherichia coli ribose-binding protein

We examined the effects of synthetic signal peptides from the wild-type, export-defective mutant and its revertant species of ribose-binding protein on the phase properties of lipid bilayers. The lateral segregation of phosphatidylglycerol (PG) in the lipid bilayer was detected through quenching between NBD-PGs upon the reconstitution of signal peptide into the liposome made with the Escherichia coli inner membrane composition. The tendency of lipid segregation was highly dependent on the export competency of signal peptides in vivo, with a decreasing order of wild-type, revertant, and mutant species. The colocalizations of pyrene-PG with BODIPY-PG were also induced by the signal peptides, confirming the phase separation of the acidic phospholipid. The wild-type and revertant signal peptides predominantly formed alpha-helical conformations with the presence of acidic phospholipid as determined by circular dichroism spectroscopy. In addition, they restricted the motion of lipid acyl chains as monitored by fluorescence anisotropy of DPH, suggesting a deep penetration of signal peptide into the lipid bilayer. However, the alpha-helical content of mutant signal peptide was only about half that of the wild-type or revertant peptide with a significantly smaller degree of penetration into the bilayer. An association of the defective signal peptides into the membrane was affected by salt extraction, whereas the functional ones were not. The aforementioned results indicate that the functionality of signal peptide is accomplished through its topologies in the membrane and also by its ability to induce lateral segregation of acidic phospholipid. We propose that the clustering of acidic phospholipid by the functional signal peptide is responsible for the formation of non-bilayer membrane structure, thereby promoting an efficient translocation of secretory proteins.     

Preprotein transfer to the Escherichia coli translocase requires the co-operative binding of SecB and the signal sequence to SecA

In Escherichia coli , precursor proteins are targeted to the membrane-bound translocase by the cytosolic chaperone SecB. SecB binds to the extreme carboxy-terminus of the SecA ATPase translocase subunit, and this interaction is promoted by preproteins. The mutant SecB proteins, L75Q and E77K, which interfere with preprotein translocation in vivo , are unable to stimulate in vitro translocation. Both mutants bind proOmpA but fail to support the SecA-dependent membrane binding of proOmpA because of a marked reduction in their binding affinities for SecA. The stimulatory effect of preproteins on the interaction between SecB and SecA exclusively involves the signal sequence domain of the preprotein, as it can be mimicked by a synthetic signal peptide and is not observed with a mutant preprotein (Δ8proOmpA) bearing a non-functional signal sequence. Δ8proOmpA is not translocated across wild-type membranes, but the translocation defect is suppressed in inner membrane vesicles derived from a prlA4 strain. SecB reduces the translocation of Δ8proOmpA into these vesicles and almost completely prevents translocation when, in addition, the SecB binding site on SecA is removed. These data demonstrate that efficient targeting of preproteins by SecB requires both a functional signal sequence and a SecB binding domain on SecA. It is concluded that the SecB–SecA interaction is needed to dissociate the mature preprotein domain from SecB and that binding of the signal sequence domain to SecA is required to ensure efficient transfer of the preprotein to the translocase.     

Defective Escherichia coli signal peptides function in yeast

To investigate structural characteristics important for eukaryotic signal peptide function in vivo, a hybrid gene with interchangeable signal peptides was cloned into yeast. The hybrid gene encoded nine residues from the amino terminus of the major Escherichia coli lipoprotein, attached to the amino terminus of the entire mature E. coli beta-lactamase sequence. To this sequence were attached sequences encoding the nonmutant E. coli lipoprotein signal peptide, or lipoprotein signal peptide mutants lacking an amino-terminal cationic charge, with shortened hydrophobic core, with altered potential helicity, or with an altered signal-peptide cleavage site. These signal-peptide mutants exhibited altered processing and secretion in E. coli. Using the GAL10 promoter, production of all hybrid proteins was induced to constitute 4-5% of the total yeast protein. Hybrid proteins with mutant signal peptides that show altered processing and secretion in E. coli, were processed and translocated to a similar degree as the non-mutant hybrid protein in yeast (approximately 36% of the total hybrid protein). Both non-mutant and mutant signal peptides appeared to be removed at the same unique site between cysteine 21 and serine 22, one residue from the E. coli signal peptidase II processing site. The mature lipo-beta-lactamase was translocated across the cytoplasmic membrane into the yeast periplasm. Thus the protein secretion apparatus in yeast recognizes the lipoprotein signal sequence in vivo but displays a specificity towards altered signal sequences which differs from that of E. coli.     

In vivo and in vitro studies of transmembrane beta-strand deletion, insertion or substitution mutants of the Escherichia coli K-12 maltoporin

LamB of Escherichia coli K12, also called maltoporin, is an outer membrane protein, which specifically facilitates the diffusion of maltose and maltodextrin through the bacterial outer membrane. Each monomer is composed of an 18-stranded antiparallel beta-barrel. In the present work, on the basis of the known X-ray structure of LamB, the effects of modifications of the beta-barrel domain of maltoporin were studied in vivo and in vitro. We show that: (i) the substitution of the pair of strands beta13-beta14 of the E. coli maltoporin with the corresponding pair of strands from the functionally related maltoporin of Salmonella typhimurium yielded a protein active in vivo and in vitro; and (ii) the removal of one pair of beta-strands (deletion beta13-beta14) from the E. coli maltoporin, or its replacement by a pair of strands from the general porin OmpF of E. coli, leads to recombinant proteins that lost in vivo maltoporin activities but still kept channel formation and carbohydrate binding in vitro. We also inserted into deletion beta13-beta14 the portion of the E. coli LamB protein comprising strands beta13 to beta16. This resulted in a protein expected to have 20 beta-strands and which completely lost all LamB-specific activities in vivo and in vitro.     

Conformation-function relationships in hydrophobic peptides: interior turns and signal sequences

Two studies are diescribed in which synthetic peptides have been designed and examined to address biochemical problems inherent in hydorphobic environments: (1) The cyclic hexapeptide cyclo-(D -Tyr(Bzl)-Gly-Ile-Leu-Gln-Pro) was synthesized as a model of an interior β-turn from the protein lysozyme. Conformational analysis by proton nmr methods, including two-dimensional nulcear Overhauser effect spectroscopy, revealed that the model peptide adopts one conformation in chloroform/dimethyl sulfoxide (98.2) and tetramethylene sulfone solutions. The conformation consists of two linked β-turns, one with the same sequence (Gly-Ile-Leu-Gln) and geometry (Type I) as the protein turn. (2) Major portions of the λ-receptor protein (LamB) signal sequences from E. coli wildtype and mutant strains have been synthesized. The conformational properties and membrane interactions of these synthetic signal peptides correlate with the in vivo export function of the wild type and mutant strains. Functional signal sequences are significantly richer in α-helix in aaqueous trifluoroethanol, lysolecithin, or sodium do-decyl sulfate solution than is a nonfunctional mutant signal sequence.     

Electrophysiological Studies in Xenopus Oocytes for the Opening of Escherichia coli SecA-Dependent Protein-Conducting Channels

Protein translocation in Escherichia coli requires protein-conducting channels in cytoplasmic membranes to allow precursor peptides to pass through with adenosine triphosphate (ATP) hydrolysis. Here, we report a novel, sensitive method that detects the opening of the SecA-dependent protein-conducting channels at the nanogram level. E. coli inverted membrane vesicles were injected into Xenopus oocytes, and ionic currents were recorded using the two-electrode voltage clamp. Currents were observed only in the presence of E. coli SecA in conjunction with E. coli membranes. Observed currents showed outward rectification in the presence of KCl as permeable ions and were significantly enhanced by coinjection with the precursor protein proOmpA or active LamB signal peptide. Channel activity was blockable with sodium azide or adenylyl 5′-(β,γ-methylene)-diphosphonate, a nonhydrolyzable ATP analogue, both of which are known to inhibit SecA protein activity. Endogenous oocyte precursor proteins also stimulated ion current activity and can be inhibited by puromycin. In the presence of puromycin, exogenous proOmpA or LamB signal peptides continued to enhance ionic currents. Thus, the requirement of signal peptides and ATP hydrolysis for the SecA-dependent currents resembles biochemical protein translocation assay with E. coli membrane vesicles, indicating that the Xenopus oocyte system provides a sensitive assay to study the role of Sec and precursor proteins in the formation of protein-conducting channels using electrophysiological methods.     

Information within the mature LamB protein necessary for localization to the outer membrane of E coli K12

It has been proposed that the efficient localization of the outer membrane protein LamB requires a functional signal sequence and at least two additional regions contained within the mature protein. We define these regions more precisely by deletion analysis, and we describe methods for cloning deleterious lacZ fusions onto high-copy-number plasmids and generating in-frame deletions. Analysis of the effects of a series of internal lamB deletions on the export of a LamB-LacZ hybrid protein and of the LamB protein itself indicates that necessary informational signal(s) required for localization lie at the amino-terminal end of the protein. In addition, our analysis indicates that there is a region of information close to or within the fusion joint of the largest lamB-lacZ fusion that increases the efficiency of the export process. A unique deletion that removes a protein segment from amino acid 70 to 200 appears to prevent proteolytic removal of the signal sequence. Nevertheless, the mutant protein is exported to the outer membrane.