Availability of the fibre subunit CsgA and the nucleator protein CsgB during assembly of fibronectin-binding curli is limited by the intracellular concentration of the novel lipoprotein CsgG

Curli , an adhesive surface fibre produced by Escherichia coli and salmonellae, was proposed on the basis of genetic evidence to follow a distinct assembly pathway involving an extracellular intermediate of the fibre subunit CsgA, the polymerization of which can be induced at the cell surface by a 'nucleator' protein (CsgB). Here we show biochemically that CsgA is actively secreted to the extracellular milieu and that CsgB is surface located. We demonstrate that the putative curli assembly factor CsgG is an outer membrane-located lipoprotein. CsgG is highly resistant to protease digestion both in vivo and in vitro . During curli assembly, CsgG is required to maintain the stability of CsgA and CsgB. In line with this, it is possible to modulate the steady-state levels of CsgA and CsgB by varying intracellular levels of CsgG. This suggests that, in the absence of CsgG, CsgA and CsgB are proteolytically degraded. Moreover, curli production and steady-state levels of CsgA and CsgB can be increased above wild-type levels by overexpression of CsgG, meaning that the quantity of assembled curli fibres can be controlled by this lipoprotein.     

A Changing Gastric Environment Leads to Adaptation of Lipopolysaccharide Variants in Helicobacter pylori Populations during Colonization

The human gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori colonizes the stomachs of half of the human population, and causes development of peptic ulcer disease and gastric adenocarcinoma. H. pylori-associated chronic atrophic gastritis (ChAG) with loss of the acid-producing parietal cells, is correlated with an increased risk for development of gastric adenocarinoma. The majority of H. pylori isolates produce lipopolysaccharides (LPS) decorated with human-related Lewis epitopes, which have been shown to phase-vary in response to different environmental conditions. We have characterized the adaptations of H. pylori LPS and Lewis antigen expression to varying gastric conditions; in H. pylori isolates from mice with low or high gastric pH, respectively; in 482 clinical isolates from healthy individuals and from individuals with ChAG obtained at two time points with a four-year interval between endoscopies; and finally in isolates grown at different pH in vitro. Here we show that the gastric environment can contribute to a switch in Lewis phenotype in the two experimental mouse models. The clinical isolates from different human individuals showed that intra-individual isolates varied in Lewis antigen expression although the LPS diversity was relatively stable within each individual over time. Moreover, the isolates demonstrated considerable diversity in the levels of glycosylation and in the sizes of fucosylated O-antigen chains both within and between individuals. Thus our data suggest that different LPS variants exist in the colonizing H. pylori population, which can adapt to changes in the gastric environment and provide a means to regulate the inflammatory response of the host during disease progression.     

PDA: Pooled DNA analyzer

Background  

Association mapping using abundant single nucleotide polymorphisms is a powerful tool for identifying disease susceptibility genes for complex traits and exploring possible genetic diversity. Genotyping large numbers of SNPs individually is performed routinely but is cost prohibitive for large-scale genetic studies. DNA pooling is a reliable and cost-saving alternative genotyping method. However, no software has been developed for complete pooled-DNA analyses, including data standardization, allele frequency estimation, and single/multipoint DNA pooling association tests. This motivated the development of the software, 'PDA' (Pooled DNA Analyzer), to analyze pooled DNA data.     

The Escherichia coli BarA-UvrY two-component system is needed for efficient switching between glycolytic and gluconeogenic carbon sources

The Escherichia coli BarA and UvrY proteins were recently demonstrated to constitute a novel two-component system, although its function has remained largely elusive. Here we show that mutations in the sensor kinase gene, barA, or the response regulator gene, uvrY, in uropathogenic E. coli drastically affect survival in long-term competition cultures. Using media with gluconeogenic carbon sources, the mutants have a clear growth advantage when competing with the wild type, but using media with carbon sources feeding into the glycolysis leads to a clear growth advantage for the wild type. Results from competitions with mutants in the carbon storage regulation system, CsrA/B, known to be a master switch between glycolysis and gluconeogenesis, led us to propose that the BarA-UvrY two-component system controls the Csr system. Taking these results together, we propose the BarA-UvrY two-component system is crucial for efficient adaptation between different metabolic pathways, an essential function for adaptation to a new environment.     

EVOLUTION IN A PUTATTVELY ANCIENT ASEXUAL APHID LINEAGE: RECOMBINATION AND RAPID KARYOTYPE CHANGE

Ancient asexual lineages are of great potential significance for understanding the evolutionary biology of sex, but their existence is controversial. In part, this is because claims of ancient asexuality have rested on negative evidence—a mere absence of evidence for sexuality in a taxon. M. Meselson has suggested a method, discussed by Judson and Normark (1996) and by Birky (1996), that has the potential to uncover positive evidence of ancient asexuality. Phylogenetic relationships between alleles and interallelic divergences are predicted to be very different in diploid lineages that lack recombination from those in diploid lineages that undergo recombination. I have applied Meselson's method to the putatively ancient asexual aphid tribe Tramini (Homoptera: Aphidoidea: Lachnidae), using the intron-bearing nuclear protein-coding gene elongation factor 1α (EF-1α). I found heterozygosities much lower than intraspecific divergences, indicating that some recombination has occurred, but not discriminating between recombination within an asexual lineage (automixis or mitotic recombination) and outcrossing sex. Species of Tramini (especially in the genus Trama) typically have highly structurally heterozygous karyotypes that appear to be incompatible with regular successful meiosis, and have very high levels of karyotype variability within species. I found very high levels of karyotype variability within lineages with identical EF-1α and mitochondrial (cytochrome oxidase 1 and 2) genotypes, indicating a high rate of karyotype evolution compared to the rate of nucleotide substitution.     

Acceptor specificity of the human leukocyte alpha3 fucosyltransferase: role of FucT-VII in the generation of selectin ligands

The alpha3 fucosyltransferase, FucT-VII, is one of the key glycosyltransferases involved in the biosynthesis of the sialyl Lewis X (sLex) antigen on human leukocytes. The sialyl Lewis X antigen (NeuAcalpha(2-3)Galbeta(1-4)[Fucalpha(1-3)]GlcNAc-R) is an essential component of the recruitment of leukocytes to sites of inflammation, mediating the primary interaction between circulating leukocytes and activated endothelium. In order to characterize the enzymatic properties of the leukocyte alpha3 fucosyltransferase FucT-VII, the enzyme has been expressed in Trichoplusia ni insect cells. The enzyme is capable of synthesizing both sLexand sialyl-dimeric-Lexstructures in vitro , from 3'-sialyl-lacNAc and VIM-2 structures, respectively, with only low levels of fucose transfer observed to neutral or 3'-sulfated acceptors. Studies using fucosylated NeuAcalpha(2-3)-(Galbeta(1- 4)GlcNAc)3-Me acceptors demonstrate that FucT-VII is able to synthesize both di-fucosylated and tri-fucosylated structures from mono- fucosylated precursors, but preferentially fucosylates the distal GlcNAc within a polylactosamine chain. Furthermore, the rate of fucosylation of the internal GlcNAc residues is reduced once fucose has been added to the distal GlcNAc. These results indicate that FucT-VII is capable of generating complex selectin ligands, in vitro , however the order of fucose addition to the lactosamine chain affects the rate of selectin ligand synthesis.