Biosynthesis of endotoxins. Purification and catalytic properties of 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonic acid transferase from Escherichia coli.

The enzyme 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonic acid (Kdo) transferase is encoded by the kdtA gene of Escherichia coli and plays a key role in lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis. It transfers Kdo from CMP-Kdo to lipid A or its tetraacyldisaccharide-1,4'-bisphosphate precursor, lipid IVA. Using a strain that overproduces the transferase approximately 500-fold, we have purified the enzyme to near homogeneity. The subunit molecular mass is approximately 43 kDa. Activity is stimulated by Triton X-100, is maximal at pH 7, but does not require Mg2+. The apparent Km values for lipid IVA and CMP-Kdo are 52 and 88 microM, respectively. Vmax is 15-18 mumol/min/mg when both substrates are added near saturation at pH 8. The purified enzyme transfers 2 Kdo residues to lipid A precursors or analogs bearing four to six fatty acyl chains and a 4'-monosphosphate moiety. Activity is inhibited by polymixin B and Re endotoxin. At low Kdo concentrations small amounts of the intermediate, (Kdo)1-IVA, accumulate. When this substance is isolated and incubated with purified enzyme in the presence of CMP-Kdo, it is converted to (Kdo)2-IVA. Formation of (Kdo)1-IVA is also observed when purified enzyme is incubated with (Kdo)2-IVA and 5 mM CMP, demonstrating that Kdo transfer is reversible. In summary, Kdo transferase consists of a single bifunctional polypeptide that incorporates the 2 innermost Kdo residues common to all lipopolysaccharide molecules in E. coli.     

Molecular cloning, sequence analysis, and functional characterization of the lipopolysaccharide biosynthetic gene kdtA encoding 3-deoxy-α-d-manno-octulosonic acid transf erase of Chlamydia pneumoniae strain TW-183

The gene kdtA of Chlamydia pneumoniae strain TW-183, encoding the enzyme 3-deoxy-α- d - manno -octulosonic acid (Kdo)transferase of lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis, was cloned and sequenced. A single open reading frame of 1314 bp was identified, the deduced amino acid sequence of which revealed 69% similarity and 43% identity with KdtA of Chlamydia trachomatis and Chlamydia psittaci . The gene was expressed in the Gram-positive host Corynebacterium glutamicum and the primary gene product was characterized as a multi-functional glycosyltransferase. Cell-free extracts generated in vitro the genus-specific epitope of Chlamydia composed of the trisaccharide (αKdo(2–8)αKdo(2–4)αKdo. The results show that a single polypeptide affords three different glycosidic bonds, which is in contradiction to the dogma of glycobiology: 'one enzyme — one glycosidic bond'.     

Endotoxin of Neisseria meningitidis composed only of intact lipid A: inactivation of the meningococcal 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonic acid transferase

Lipopolysaccharide, lipooligosaccharide (LOS), or endotoxin is important in bacterial survival and the pathogenesis of gram-negative bacteria. A necessary step in endotoxin biosynthesis is 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonic acid (Kdo) glycosylation of lipid A, catalyzed by the Kdo transferase KdtA (WaaA). In enteric gram-negative bacteria, this step is essential for survival. A nonpolar kdtA::aphA-3 mutation was created in Neisseria meningitidis via allelic exchange, and the mutant was viable. Detailed structural analysis demonstrated that the endotoxin of the kdtA::aphA-3 mutant was composed of fully acylated lipid A with variable phosphorylation but without Kdo glycosylation. In contrast to what happens in other gram-negative bacteria, tetra-acylated lipid IV(A) did not accumulate. The LOS structure of the kdtA::aphA-3 mutant was restored to the wild-type structure by complementation with kdtA from N. meningitidis or Escherichia coli. The expression of a fully acylated, unglycosylated lipid A indicates that lipid A biosynthesis in N. meningitidis can proceed without the addition of Kdo and that KdtA is not essential for survival of the meningococcus.     

Comparative analyses of secondary gene products of 3-deoxy-D-manno-oct-2-ulosonic acid transferases from Chlamydiaceae in Escherichia coli K-12.

The waaA gene encoding the essential, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-specific 3-deoxy-Dmanno-oct-2-ulosonic acid (Kdo) transferase was inactivated in the chromosome of a heptosyltransferase I and II deficient Escherichia coli K-12 strain by insertion of gene expression cassettes encoding the waaA genes of Chlamydia trachomatis, Chlamydophila pneumoniae or Chlamydophila psittaci. The three chlamydial Kdo transferases were able to complement the knockout mutation without changing the growth or multiplication behaviour. The LPS of the mutants were serologically and structurally characterized in comparison to the LPS of the parent strain using compositional analyses, high performance anion exchange chromatography, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry and specific monoclonal antibodies. The data show that chlamydial Kdo transferases can replace in E. coli K-12 the host's Kdo transferase and retain the product specificities described in their natural background. In addition, we unequivocally proved that WaaA from C. psittaci transfers predominantly four Kdo residues to lipid A, forming a branched tetrasaccharide with the structure alpha-Kdo-(2-->8)-[alpha-Kdo-(2-->4)]-alpha-Kdo-(2-->4)-alpha-Kdo.     

KpsF is the arabinose-5-phosphate isomerase required for 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonic acid biosynthesis and for both lipooligosaccharide assembly and capsular polysaccharide expression in Neisseria meningitidis

We have identified and defined the function of kpsF of Neisseria meningitidis and the homologues of kpsF in encapsulated K1 and K5 Escherichia coli. KpsF was shown to be the arabinose-5-phosphate isomerase, an enzyme not previously identified in prokaryotes, that mediates the interconversion of ribulose 5-phosphate and arabinose 5-phosphate. KpsF is required for 3-deoxy-d-manno-octulosonic acid (Kdo) biosynthesis in N. meningitidis. Mutation of kpsF or the gene encoding the CMP-Kdo synthetase (kpsU/kdsB) in N. meningitidis resulted in expression of a lipooligosaccharide (LOS) structure that contained only lipid A and reduced capsule expression in the five invasive disease-associated meningococcal serogroups (A, B, C, Y, and W-135). The step linking meningococcal capsule and LOS biosynthesis was shown to be Kdo production as the expression of capsule was wild type in a Kdo transferase (kdtA) mutant. Thus, in addition to lipooligosaccharide assembly, Kdo is required for meningococcal capsular polysaccharide expression. Furthermore, N. meningitidis, unlike enteric Gram-negative bacteria, can survive and synthesize only unglycosylated lipid A.     

A mannosyl transferase required for lipopolysaccharide inner core assembly in Rhizobium leguminosarum. Purification,substrate specificity,and expression in Salmonella waaC mutants

The lipopolysaccharide (LPS) core domain of Gram-negative bacteria plays an important role in outer membrane stability and host interactions. Little is known about the biochemical properties of the glycosyltransferases that assemble the LPS core. We now report the purification and characterization of the Rhizobium leguminosarum mannosyl transferase LpcC, which adds a mannose unit to the inner 3-deoxy-d-manno-octulosonic acid (Kdo) moiety of the LPS precursor, Kdo(2)-lipid IV(A). LpcC containing an N-terminal His(6) tag was assayed using GDP-mannose as the donor and Kdo(2)-[4'-(32)P]lipid IV(A) as the acceptor and was purified to near homogeneity. Sequencing of the N terminus confirmed that the purified enzyme is the lpcC gene product. Mild acid hydrolysis of the glycolipid generated in vitro by pure LpcC showed that the mannosylation occurs on the inner Kdo residue of Kdo(2)-[4'-(32)P]lipid IV(A). A lipid acceptor substrate containing two Kdo moieties is required by LpcC, since no activity is seen with lipid IV(A) or Kdo-lipid IV(A). The purified enzyme can use GDP-mannose or, to a lesser extent, ADP-mannose (both of which have the alpha-anomeric configuration) for the glycosylation of Kdo(2)-[4'-(32)P]lipid IV(A). Little or no activity is seen with ADP-glucose, UDP-glucose, UDP-GlcNAc, or UDP-galactose. A Salmonella typhimurium waaC mutant, which lacks the enzyme for incorporating the inner l-glycero-d-manno-heptose moiety of LPS, regains LPS with O-antigen when complemented with lpcC. An Escherichia coli heptose-less waaC-waaF deletion mutant expressing the R. leguminosarum lpcC gene likewise generates a hybrid LPS species consisting of Kdo(2)-lipid A plus a single mannose residue. Our results demonstrate that heterologous lpcC expression can be used to modify the structure of the Salmonella and E. coli LPS cores in living cells.     

A gene coding for 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonic-acid transferase in Escherichia coli. Identification, mapping, cloning, and sequencing

An autoradiographic assay applicable to colonies immobilized on filter paper was developed for obtaining temperature-sensitive mutants of Escherichia coli defective in the transfer of 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonic acid (KDO) from CMP-KDO to a tetraacyldisaccharide 1,4'-bisphosphate precursor of lipid A, designated lipid IVA. Cell-free extracts from two mutants found in a population of 30,000 mutagen-treated cells showed normal KDO transferase activity when assayed at 30 degrees C, but almost no activity at 42 degrees C. The mutation was mapped by mating one of the mutants with different Hfr strains and analyzing genetic linkage of KDO transferase activity to selectable markers. The lesion was located to a position between 80 and 84 min on the E. coli chromosome. A plasmid from the Clarke and Carbon collection (Clarke, L., and Carbon, J. (1976) Cell 9, 91-99), pLC17-24, known to contain genes from the rfa region (81 min), was shown to overexpress KDO transferase activity 4-5 times and to correct the mutation when the plasmid was conjugated into the mutant strains. The KDO transferase gene, designated kdtA, was subcloned from pLC17-24 into a multicopy vector. The resulting plasmid, pCL3, overproduced transferase activity approximately 100-fold. The kdtA gene was shown to code for a 43-kDa polypeptide, as judged by radiolabeling of minicells. Its DNA sequence was determined. The results demonstrate that overexpression of this single gene product greatly stimulates the incorporation of two stereochemically distinct KDO residues during lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis in extracts of E. coli.     

An inner membrane enzyme in Salmonella and Escherichia coli that transfers 4-amino-4-deoxy-L-arabinose to lipid A: induction on polymyxin-resistant mutants and role of a novel lipid-linked donor

Attachment of the cationic sugar 4-amino-4-deoxy-l-arabinose (l-Ara4N) to lipid A is required for the maintenance of polymyxin resistance in Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium. The enzymes that synthesize l-Ara4N and transfer it to lipid A have not been identified. We now report an inner membrane enzyme, expressed in polymyxin-resistant mutants, that adds one or two l-Ara4N moieties to lipid A or its immediate precursors. No soluble factors are required. A gene located near minute 51 on the S. typhimurium and E. coli chromosomes (previously termed orf5, pmrK, or yfbI) encodes the l-Ara4N transferase. The enzyme, renamed ArnT, consists of 548 amino acid residues in S. typhimurium with 12 possible membrane-spanning regions. ArnT displays distant similarity to yeast protein mannosyltransferases. ArnT adds two l-Ara4N units to lipid A precursors containing a Kdo disaccharide. However, as shown by mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy, it transfers only a single l-Ara4N residue to the 1-phosphate moiety of lipid IV(A), a precursor lacking Kdo. Proteins with full-length sequence similarity to ArnT are present in genomes of other bacteria thought to synthesize l-Ara4N-modified lipid A, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Yersinia pestis. As shown in the following article (Trent, M. S., Ribeiro, A. A., Doerrler, W. T., Lin, S., Cotter, R. J., and Raetz, C. R. H. (2001) J. Biol. Chem. 276, 43132-43144), ArnT utilizes the novel lipid undecaprenyl phosphate-alpha-l-Ara4N as its sugar donor, suggesting that l-Ara4N transfer to lipid A occurs on the periplasmic side of the inner membrane.     

Endotoxin biosynthesis in Pseudomonas aeruginosa: enzymatic incorporation of laurate before 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonate.

Unlike Escherichia coli, living cells of Pseudomonas aeruginosa can complete the fatty acylation of lipid A when the biosynthesis of 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonate (Kdo) is inhibited (R. C. Goldman, C. C. Doran, S. K. Kadam, and J. O. Capobianco, J. Biol. Chem. 263:5217-5233, 1988). In this study, we demonstrate the presence of a novel enzyme in extracts of P. aeruginosa that can transfer lauroyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) to a tetraacyl disaccharide-1,4'-bis-phosphate precursor of lipid A (termed lipid IVA) that accumulates in Kdo-deficient mutants of E. coli. Comparable E. coli extracts cannot transfer laurate from lauroyl-ACP to lipid IVA, only to (Kdo)2-lipid IVA (K. A. Brozek, and C. R. H. Raetz, J. Biol. Chem. 265:15410-15417, 1990). P. aeruginosa extracts do not utilize myristoyl- or R-3-hydroxymyristoyl-ACP instead of lauroyl-ACP to acylate lipid IVA. Laurate incorporation in P. aeruginosa extracts is dependent upon time, protein concentration, and the presence of Triton X-100 but is inhibited by lauroyl-coenzyme A. P. aeruginosa extracts transfer only one laurate to lipid IVA, whereas E. coli extracts can transfer two laurates to (Kdo)2-lipid IVA. These results demonstrate that incorporation of laurate into lipid A does not require prior attachment of Kdo in all gram-negative bacteria.     

3-Deoxy-D-manno-oct-2-ulosonic acid (Kdo) transferase of Legionella pneumophila transfers two kdo residues to a structurally different lipid A precursor of Escherichia coli

The 3-deoxy-D-manno-oct-2-ulosonic acid (Kdo) transferase gene of Legionella pneumophila was cloned and sequenced. Despite remarkable structural differences in lipid A, the gene complemented a corresponding Escherichia coli mutant and was shown to encode a bifunctional enzyme which transferred 2 Kdo residues to a lipid A acceptor of E. coli.     

Arg276 of GseA, a Chlamydiatrachomatis Kdo transferase, is required for the synthesis of the chlamydial genus-specific epitope in Escherichia coli

GseA is an enzyme from Chlamydia trachomatis that can catalyse the addition of three 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonic acid (Kdo) residues onto lipid A precursors. GseA is similar, and in a few stretches identical, in its amino acid sequence to KdtA, an Escherichia coli Kdo transferase. In this study we altered an amino acid of GseA in a region that is identical between GseA and KdtA to test its importance in the structure or catalytic activity of GseA. We found that when Arg276 was changed to Lys, Ile or Ser, GseA activity was lost, suggesting an enzymatic role for this amino acid residue.     

An inner membrane dioxygenase that generates the 2-hydroxymyristate moiety of Salmonella lipid A

The lipid A residues of certain Gram-negative bacteria, including most strains of Salmonella and Pseudomonas, are esterified with one or two secondary S-2-hydroxyacyl chains. The S-2 hydroxylation process is O 2-dependent in vivo, but the relevant enzymatic pathways have not been fully characterized because in vitro assays have not been developed. We previously reported that expression of the Salmonella lpxO gene confers upon Escherichia coli K-12 the ability to synthesize 2-hydroxymyristate modified lipid A ( J. Biol. Chem. (2000) 275, 32940-32949). We now demonstrate that inactivation of lpxO, which encodes a putative Fe (2+)/O 2/alpha-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase, abolishes S-2-hydroxymyristate formation in S. typhimurium. Membranes of E. coli strains expressing lpxO are able to hydroxylate Kdo 2-[4'- (32)P]-lipid A in vitro in the presence of Fe (2+), O 2, alpha-ketoglutarate, ascorbate, and Triton X-100. The Fe (2+) chelator 2,2'-bipyridyl inhibits the reaction. The product generated in vitro is a monohydroxylated Kdo 2-lipid A derivative. The [4'- (32)P]-lipid A released by mild acid hydrolysis from the in vitro product migrates with authentic S-2-hydroxlyated lipid A isolated from (32)P-labeled S. typhimurium cells. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry of the in vitro product are consistent with the 2-hydroxylation of the 3'-secondary myristoyl chain of Kdo 2-lipid A. LpxO contains two predicted trans-membrane helices (one at each end of the protein), and its active site likely faces the cytoplasm. LpxO is an unusual example of an integral membrane protein that is a member of the Fe (2+)/O 2/alpha-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase family.     

The genus-specific lipopolysaccharide epitope of Chlamydia is assembled in C. psittaci and C. trachomatis by glycosyltransferases of low homology

Chlamydiae possess a genus-specific epitope that is located on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and is composed of a 3-deoxy-d -manno-octulosonic acid (Kdo) trisaccharide of the sequence αKdo-(2→8)–αKdo–(2→4)-αKdo. In Chlamydia trachomatis, this trisaccharide is biosynthetically generated through the action of a multi-functional Kdo-transferase encoded by the gene gseA. gseA of Chlamydia psittaci 6BC was cloned and expressed in a rough mutant (Re chemotype) of Escherichia coli (strain F515) that contains an LPS with only two α2→4-linked Kdo residues. Recombinant strains were able to add the immunodominant Kdo residue in a α2→8-linkage to the parental LPS, as determined by SDS–PAGE and Western blot analysis using a monoclonal antibody against the genus-specific epitope. The DNA sequence of gseA was determined and aligned to that published recently for C. trachomatis serovar L2. Most surprisingly, the two deduced amino acid sequences shared only an overall homology of 67%. Thus, gseA exhibits species specificity at the DNA level, whereas its gene product results in the synthesis of a carbohydrate antigen with genus specificity.     

A phosphoethanolamine transferase specific for the outer 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonic acid residue of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide. Identification of the eptB gene and Ca2+ hypersensitivity of an eptB deletion mutant

Addition of a phosphoethanolamine (pEtN) moiety to the outer 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonic acid (Kdo) residue of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in WBB06, a heptose-deficient Escherichia coli mutant, occurs when cells are grown in 5-50 mM CaCl2 (Kanipes, M. I., Lin, S., Cotter, R. J., and Raetz, C. R. H. (2001) J. Biol. Chem. 276, 1156-1163). A Ca2+-induced, membrane-bound enzyme was responsible for the transfer of the pEtN unit to the Kdo domain. We now report the identification of the gene encoding the pEtN transferase. E. coli yhjW was cloned and overexpressed, because it is homologous to a putative pEtN transferase implicated in the modification of the beta-chain heptose residue of Neisseria meningitidis lipo-oligosaccharide (Mackinnon, F. G., Cox, A. D., Plested, J. S., Tang, C. M., Makepeace, K., Coull, P. A., Wright, J. C., Chalmers, R., Hood, D. W., Richards, J. C., and Moxon, E. R. (2002) Mol. Microbiol. 43, 931-943). In vitro assays with Kdo2-4'-[32P]lipid A as the acceptor showed that YhjW (renamed EptB) utilizes phosphatidylethanolamine in the presence of Ca2+ to transfer the pEtN group. Stoichiometric amounts of diacylglycerol were generated during the EptB-catalyzed transfer of pEtN to Kdo2-lipid A. EptB is an inner membrane protein of 574 amino acid residues with five predicted trans-membrane segments within its N-terminal region. An in-frame replacement of eptB with a kanamycin resistance cassette rendered E. coli WBB06 (but not wild-type W3110) hypersensitive to CaCl2 at 5 mM or higher. Ca2+ hypersensitivity was suppressed by excess Mg2+ in the medium or by restoring the LPS core of WBB06. The latter was achieved by reintroducing the waaC and waaF genes, which encode LPS heptosyl transferases I and II, respectively. Our data demonstrate that pEtN modification of the outer Kdo protected cells containing heptose-deficient LPS from damage by high concentrations of Ca2+. Based on its sequence similarity to EptA(PmrC), we propose that the active site of EptB faces the periplasmic surface of the inner membrane.     

A Chlamydia trachomatis UDP-N-acetylglucosamine acyltransferase selective for myristoyl-acyl carrier protein. Expression in Escherichia coli and formation of hybrid lipid A species

Chlamydia trachomatis lipid A is unusual in that it is acylated with myristoyl chains at the glucosamine 3 and 3' positions. We have cloned and expressed the gene encoding UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 3-O-acyltransferase of C. trachomatis (CtlpxA), the first enzyme of lipid A biosynthesis. C. trachomatis LpxA displays approximately 20-fold selectivity for myristoyl-ACP over R/S-3-hydroxymyristoyl-ACP under standard assay conditions, consistent with the proposed structure of C. trachomatis lipid A. CtLpxA is the first reported UDP-N-acetylglucosamine acyltransferase that prefers a non-hydroxylated acyl-ACP to a hydroxyacyl-ACP. When CtlpxA was expressed in RO138, a temperature-sensitive lpxA mutant of Escherichia coli, five new hybrid lipid A species were made in vivo after 2 h at 42 degrees C, in place of Escherichia coli lipid A. These compounds were purified and analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization/time of flight mass spectrometry. In each case, a myristoyl chain replaced one or both of the ester linked 3-hydroxymyristoyl residues of E. coli lipid A. With prolonged growth at 42 degrees C, all the ester-linked 3-hydroxymyristoyl residues were replaced with myristate chains. Re-engineering the structure of E. coli lipid A should facilitate the microbiological production of novel agonists or antagonists of the innate immunity receptor TLR-4, with possible uses as adjuvants or anti-inflammatory agents.     

Dodecaprenyl phosphate-galacturonic acid as a donor substrate for lipopolysaccharide core glycosylation in Rhizobium leguminosarum

The lipid A and inner core regions of Rhizobium leguminosarum lipopolysaccharide contain four galacturonic acid (GalA) residues. Two are attached to the outer unit of the 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonic acid (Kdo) disaccharide, one to the mannose residue, and one to the 4'-position of lipid A. The enzymes RgtA and RgtB, described in the accompanying article, catalyze GalA transfer to the Kdo residue, whereas RgtC is responsible for modification of the core mannose unit. Heterologous expression of RgtA in Sinorhizhobium meliloti 1021, a strain that normally lacks GalA modifications on its Kdo disaccharide, resulted in detectable GalA transferase activity in isolated membrane preparations, suggesting that the appropriate GalA donor substrate is available in S. meliloti membranes. In contrast, heterologous expression of RgtA in Escherichia coli yielded inactive membranes. However, RgtA activity was detectable in the E. coli system when total lipids from R. leguminosarum 3841 or S. meliloti 1021 were added. We have now purified and characterized dodecaprenyl (C60) phosphate-GalA as a minor novel lipid of R. leguminosarum 3841 and S. meliloti. This substance is stable to mild base hydrolysis and was purified by DEAE-cellulose column chromatography. Its structure was established by a combination of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and gas-liquid chromatography. Purified dodecaprenyl phosphate-GalA supports the efficient transfer of GalA to Kdo2-1-dephospho-lipid IV(A) by membranes of E. coli cells expressing RgtA, RgtB, and RgtC. The identification of a polyisoprene phosphate-GalA donor substrate suggests that the active site of RgtA faces the periplasmic side of the inner membrane. This work represents the first definitive characterization of a lipid-linked GalA derivative with the proposed structure dodecaprenyl phosphate-beta-D-GalA.     

The biosynthesis of gram-negative endotoxin. Formation of lipid A disaccharides from monosaccharide precursors in extracts of Escherichia coli

We have discovered an enzyme in the cytosol of Escherichia coli that generates lipid A disaccharides from monosaccharide precursors by the following route: 2,3-diacyl-GlcN-1-P + UDP-2,3-diacyl-GlcN---- 2,3-diacyl-GlcN (beta, 1----6) 2,3-diacyl-GlcN-1-P + UDP. Previous studies from our laboratory have documented the presence in vivo of the precursors 2,3-diacylglucosamine 1-phosphate (2,3-diacyl-GlcN-1-P) (lipid X of E. coli) and UDP-2,3-diacylglucosamine (UDP-2,3-diacyl-GlcN) (Bulawa, C.E., and Raetz, C.R.H.J. Biol. Chem. 259, 4846-4851). Both substrates are novel glucosamine-derived phospholipids, acylated with beta-hydroxymyristoyl moieties, and they accumulate in E. coli mutants defective in the pgsB gene. Synthetic ADP-, GDP-, and CDP-2,3-diacylglucosamines are inefficient substrates compared to the naturally occurring UDP derivative. The free-acid form of the tetraacyldisaccharide 1-phosphate product (C68H129N2O20P) that is generated in vitro has Mr = 1325.74 as judged by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry. Mild acid hydrolysis (0.1 M HCl for 30 min at 100 degrees C) liberates greater than 95% of the phosphate moiety as Pi. Detailed analysis by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy confirms the presence of a phosphate residue at position 1 of the disaccharide, an alpha-anomeric configuration at the reducing end, and a beta, 1----6 linkage between the two glucosamines. Importantly the disaccharide 1-phosphate synthase is missing in extracts of E. coli strains harboring the pgsB1 mutation, consistent with the massive accumulation of 2,3-diacyl-GlcN-1-P and UDP-2,3-diacyl-GlcN in vivo. The enzymatic reaction reported here represents a major biosynthetic route for the formation of lipid A disaccharides in E. coli and other Gram-negative bacteria. An in vitro system for the biosynthesis of lipid A disaccharides has not been described previously.     

ATPase activity of the MsbA lipid flippase of Escherichia coli

Escherichia coli MsbA, the proposed inner membrane lipid flippase, is an essential ATP-binding cassette transporter protein with homology to mammalian multidrug resistance proteins. Depletion or loss of function of MsbA results in the accumulation of lipopolysaccharide and phospholipids in the inner membrane of E. coli. MsbA modified with an N-terminal hexahistidine tag was overexpressed, solubilized with a nonionic detergent, and purified by nickel affinity chromatography to approximately 95% purity. The ATPase activity of the purified protein was stimulated by phospholipids. When reconstituted into liposomes prepared from E. coli phospholipids, MsbA displayed an apparent K(m) of 878 microm and a V(max) of 37 nmol/min/mg for ATP hydrolysis in the presence of 10 mm Mg(2+). Preincubation of MsbA-containing liposomes with 3-deoxy-d-mannooctulosonic acid (Kdo)(2)-lipid A increased the ATPase activity 4-5-fold, with half-maximal stimulation seen at 21 microm Kdo(2)-lipid A. Addition of Kdo(2)-lipid A increased the V(max) to 154 nmol/min/mg and decreased the K(m) to 379 microm. Stimulation was only seen with hexaacylated lipid A species and not with precursors, such as diacylated lipid X or tetraacylated lipid IV(A). MsbA containing the A270T substitution, which renders cells temperature-sensitive for growth and lipid export, displayed ATPase activity similar to that of the wild type protein at 30 degrees C but was significantly reduced at 42 degrees C. These results provide the first in vitro evidence that MsbA is a lipid-activated ATPase and that hexaacylated lipid A is an especially potent activator.     

Bordetella pertussis waaA encodes a monofunctional 2-keto-3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonic acid transferase that can complement an Escherichia coli waaA mutation

Bordetella pertussis lipopolysaccharide (LPS) contains a single 2-keto-3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonic acid (Kdo) residue, whereas LPS from Escherichia coli contains at least two. Here we report that B. pertussis waaA encodes an enzyme capable of transferring only a single Kdo during the biosynthesis of LPS and that this activity is sufficient to complement an E. coli waaA mutation.