Defective pyocin particles produced by some mutant strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Mutants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, defective in the production of active R-type pyocins, were isolated from pyocinogenic strains and their products were characterized. Polysheath-like structures were found in induced lysates of 29 out of 42 mutants. Two mutants (strain P15-16 and M189) were found to produce special defective particles, which were characterized in detail. The other 11 mutants did not produce significant amounts of any structure visible under an electron microscope. Serum blocking powers were found in lysates from P15-16 and M189 to significant amounts. Defective particle produced by strain P15-16 lacked the sheath component, whereas M189 had morphological defects at the junction between sheath and baseplate, and also in the architecture of baseplate. Both defective particles could adsorb to the surface of bacteria, that were sensitive to pyocin, at the tip of their fibers without killing cells. All M189 particles attached to the bacteria had the extended sheaths. Therefore, attachment to the bacteria by fibers is not sufficient to kill cells, and contraction of sheath must occur after the initial adsorption by fibers for pyocin to express its biological activity. Defective particles of strain P15-16, which was derived from strain P15 (a pyocin R1 producer), could be converted to active forms by an in vitro complementation reaction with extracts from certain mutants originated from strain PAO (a pyocin R2 producer). This result indicated the exchangeability of components between R-type pyocins belonging to the different groups.     

Genetic comparison of bacteriophage PS17 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa R-type pyocin.

PS17 is a bacteriophage of Pseudomonas aeruginosa that is serologically cross-reactive with phage tail-like bacteriocins called R-type pyocins. In addition to having immunological cross-reactivity, certain genes are functionally complementable between PS17 and R-type pyocins. To compare the genetic structures of PS17 and R-type pyocins, a physical map of PS17 genes was constructed by cloning phage DNA fragments on RSF1010-derived vector plasmids. The head and tail gene clusters were tandemly arrayed and together occupied about half of the 41-kilobase-pair PS17 chromosome. With use of these phage clones, the following results were obtained with respect to the genetic relationship between PS17 and R-type pyocins: (i) serological cross-reaction between PS17 and pyocin occurred for the major sheath protein and two components of the fiber, (ii) a certain pyocin mutation was complemented by cloned phage fragments, and (iii) the phage DNA fragment carrying sheath and core tube genes was shown to hybridize to the DNA fragment carrying the pyocin R2 genes.     

Effect of Carbohydrates and Starvation on Nitrogen Sparing Action of Methionine and Threonine in Rats

Formaldehyde dehydrogenase from Pseudomonas putida C-83 was found to contain 7 halfcystine residues per subunit monomer, as checked by the method of performic acid oxidation. Approximately 7 sulfhydryl groups per subunit monomer were titrated with 5,5′-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB) after denaturation with 8 m urea. In the native enzyme, modification of three sulfhydryl groups per subunit with p-chloromercuribenzoate (PCMB) led to the complete loss of enzyme actiyities for both formaldehyde and n-butanol. Hydrogen-peroxide competitively inhibited the enzyme activity for formaldehyde, while it was only slightly inhibitory to the activity for n-butanol. Both formaldehyde and hydrogen-peroxide protected one sulfhydryl group per subunit monomer from modification with PCMB. Moreover, hydrogen-peroxide was hardly reactive to the enzyme which was preincubated with formaldehyde.

From these observations, we conclude that one of three PCMB-reactive sulfhydryl groups is essential for the binding of formaldehyde, and hydrogen-peroxide modifies this sulfhydryl group.     

Modifications of the binding properties of the human VIP receptor of IGR39 cells by sulfhydryl reagents.

The effects of specific sulfhydryl reagents, N-ethylmaleimide (NEM), p-chloromercuribenzoic acid (PCMB) and 5-5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB), were tested on the vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) receptor binding capacity of the human superficial melanoma-derived IGR39 cells. On intact cell monolayers NEM and PCMB inhibit the specific [125I]VIP binding in a time and dose-dependent manner while DTNB has no effect at any concentration tested. Inhibitory effects of NEM and PCMB on high and low affinity VIP receptor are not identical. With NEM-treated cells, only low affinity sites remained accessible to the ligand. Their affinity constant is not modified. With PCMB-treated cells, the binding capacity of high affinity sites is reduced by 56% while the binding capacity of low affinity sites is not significantly affected. For both types of binding sites, the affinity constants remain in the same range of that of untreated cells. On cells made permeable by lysophosphatidylcholine, DTNB is able to inhibit the specific [125I]VIP binding in a time and dose-dependent manner. The three sulfhydryl reagents stabilize the preformed [125I]VIP receptor complex whose dissociation in the presence of native VIP is significantly reduced. Labeling of free SH groups with tritiated NEM after preincubation of cells with DTNB and VIP made possible the characterization of reacting SH groups which probably belong to the receptor. Taken together, these data allow us to define three classes of sulfhydryl groups. In addition, it is shown that high and low affinity sites have different sensibility to sulfhydryl reagents.     

Time dependence of the effect ofp-chloromercuribenzoate on erythrocyte water permeability: A pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance study

Summary Pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy is employed to determine the time dependence of the change in erythrocyte water permeability following exposure top-chloromercuribenzoate (PCMB) orp-chloromercuribenzene sulfonic acid (PCMBS). pH variation was used to examine the environment of the sulfhydryl groups reactive to these drugs. PCMB reacted with at least two sulfhydryl groups which affect water permeability. This was shown by the double exponential character of the change in erythrocyte diffusional permeability with time after PCMB addition. However, only one inhibition rate process could be distinguished following PCMBS exposure, suggesting that one site bound by PCMB is not accessible to PCMBS. This site is postulated to be located in a hydrophobic region of the membrane, whereas the site reached by both drugs is located in the normal anion permeation channel. The effect of pH on the degree of inhibition due to each component and the inhibition rates is explained in terms of its effect on solubility of the reagents in the membrane and variation of the dissociated-to-undissociated ratio of PCMB.     

Porcine liver aminopeptidase. Further characterization of its sulfhydryl groups

Porcine liver aminopeptidase was inactivated by various sulfhydryl-reactive reagents, whose inactivation rates were in the order: p-chloromercuribenzoate(PCMB) greater than HgCl2 greater than 2,2'-dithiodipyridine greater than 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid)(DTNB). The processes of inactivation by these reagents did not follow pseudo-first-order kinetics, and prolonged incubation did not alter the level of maximum inactivation. The substrates provided no protection against the inactivation by DTNB, and the numbers of sulfhydryl groups titrated with the reagent were not influenced by the presence or absence of puromycin (a competitive inhibitor). The modification of sulfhydryl groups caused a slight increase in the Km value for the enzyme and a significant decrease of the Vmax value. There are two ionizable groups (pKe, 6.2; 7.8 and pKes, 6.0; 7.8) in the catalytic action of the enzyme. From the pKi vs. pH profile of inhibition with PCMB, the pK value of 7.8 does not correspond to the ionization of a sulfhydryl group. The thiol-modified enzyme was activated by cobalt ion, as was the native enzyme (Kawata, S., et al. (1982) J. Biochem. 92, 1093-1101). But in contrast with the native enzyme, the thiol-modified enzyme was activated about 2.5-fold and the maximum activation remained almost constant during prolonged incubation with cobalt ion. These results suggest that the sulfhydryl groups of the enzyme are located apart from the binding site of cobalt ion and do not participate directly in the catalytic process.     

Interaction with lectins and differential wheat germ agglutinin binding of pyocin 103-sensitive and -resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae

Strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae were treated with pyocin 611 131 (pyocin 103) from Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA103, and isogenic resistant variants were isolated. The interaction of pyocin-sensitive and isogenic pyocin-resistant strains with wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) agglutinated all pyocin-sensitive, but not pyocin-resistant, strains. Binding of WGA to three pyocin-sensitive strains and their isogenic pyocin-resistant variants was examined quantitatively by using fluorescein-conjugated lectin. Pyocin-resistant strains maximally bound one-third to one-eighth the quantity of WGA bound by isogenic-sensitive strains. Linear Scatchard plots revealed homogeneous WGA-binding sites on three pyocin-sensitive and one pyocin-resistant strains. Biphasic Scatchard plots, obtained with two pyocin-resistant strains, show that WGA-binding sites in these strains are heterogeneous. The number of WGA-binding sites for pyocin-sensitive organisms ranged from 8 x 10(5) to 1 x 10(6) sites per coccus and from 1 x 10(5) to 3 x 10(5) sites per coccus for pyocin-resistant strains. The apparent association constant for WGA binding to pyocin-sensitive strains ranged from 3 x 10(6) to 6 x 10(6) liters/mol and from 6 x 10(6) to 1 x 10(7) liters/mol for pyocin-resistant strains. Gonococcal lipopolysaccharide was shown to serve as the pyocin 103 receptor by inhibition of pyocin activity. Lipopolysaccharide from a pyocin 103-resistant strain was not able to inhibit pyocin 103 activity. Pyocin 103 resistance was correlated with a structural alteration involving N-acetylglucosamine residues in gonococcal lipopolysaccharide. Based on interactions with wheat germ, soybean, and ricin lectins, a model of lipopolysaccharide structure in N. gonorrhoeae is presented.     

A circular dichroism study of sheath contraction in pyocin R1

Pyocin R1, a bacteriocin of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, is a protein particle shaped like a bacteriophage tail composed of a contractile sheath, core, baseplate and tail fibers. Alkaline treatment with sodium carbonate caused sheath contraction without considerable disassembly of other components. Circular dichroism (CD) spectra of pyocin R1 before and after the treatment, and of isolated sheath, were measured in wavelength regions around 220 and 290 nm at neutral pH. The alkaline treatment caused a red shift of the minimum from 208 nm to 212 nm. A marked difference in the CD spectrum was found in the near-ultraviolet region. THe difference is considered to be mainly due to a CD spectra change of tryptophan residues in the sheath subunits.     

Genetic determinant of pyocin R2 in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO. I. Localization of the pyocin R2 gene cluster between the trpCD and trpE genes

Thirty-seven mutants defective in pyocin R2 production in the P. aeruginosa PAO strain were subjected to fine mapping of pyocin R2 genes by transduction with phage F116L. Sixteen complementation groups (designated prtA through prtP) involved in pyocin R2 production were tentatively identified by complementation tests using phage F116L. Their linkages to trpC and trpE markers and fine mapping by three point crosses demonstrated that most of the mutations (prtA through prtN) were located in between trpC and trpE, and that the prtP mutation was localized outside this major prt cluster but in the proximity of the rifA and strA region.     

Purification and characterization of pyocins R fromPseudomonas aeruginosa

Five types of pyocins were found in Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain 112. Production of these types was induced by UV irradiation. The pyocin activity was found to be resistant to trypsin treatment. Their molar mass was found to be 282, 251, 112, 89.1 and 54.9 kg/mol, respectively. The pyocins obtained were different from any known type (such as R, S, F) in their chemical and physical properties.     

Effect of pyocin R1 on the glucose metabolism of sensitive cells of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The effect of pyocin R1 on the glucose metabolism of sensitive Pseudomonas cells was investigated. Upon treatment with pyocin R1, although the rate of O2 uptake of the sensitive cells for glucose or gluconate was not very much affected at first, the final level of O2 uptake was greatly reduced. When 2-oxogluconate was used as a substrate, O2 uptake was immediately halted by pyocin. By determining the amounts of glucose, gluconate, and 2-oxogluconate before and after the reaction and the amount of O2 consumed, it was concluded that glucose was exclusively metabolized via the following pathway with quantitative accumulation of 2-oxogluconate after pyocin treatment. (Formula: see text). The possible mechanism of this change is discussed.     

A possible involvement of sulfhydryl groups in the conversion of lysine monooxygenase to an oxidase.

Lysine monooxygenase catalyzes the oxygenation of lysine and arginine, and produces delta-amino-n-valeramide and gamma-guanidinobutyramide, respectively, concomitant with decarboxylation. In a preliminary communication, treatment of the native enzyme with p-chloromercuribenzoate was shown to inactivate the oxygenase and to induce an oxidase activity. The modified enzyme catalyzed predominantly the oxidative deamination of lysine and arginine resulting in the formation of the corresponding alpha-keto acid, ammonia, and hydrogen peroxide (YAMAUCHI, T., YAMAMOTO, S., and HAYAISHI, O.(1973) J. Biol. Chem. 2j8, 3750-3752). Paper electrophoresis, cellulose thin layer chromatography, and chemical degradation of the reaction products from lysine and arginine, provided further evidence for their identity with alpha-keto-epsilon-aminocaproate and alpha-keto-delta-guanidinovalerate, respectively. Further studies were carried out to establish the involvement of sulfhydryl groups in this conversion of the enzyme activities. Various sulfhydryl reagents including certain mercurials, alkylating, and oxidizing reagents, showed essentially identical effects on the enzyme. Dithiothreitol treatment reversed the conversion produced by various mercurials; the oxidase activity disappeared and the oxygenase activity was recovered. When p-chloromercuribenzoate was added to the enzyme and the increase in the absorbance at 250 nm was followed, 3.6 of the 6.5 half-cystine residues present per enzyme-bound FAD were readily titrated within 3 to 4 min. The inactivation of the oxygenase and the induction of the oxidase activity were almost maximal with 4 to 5 mol of p-chloromercuribenzoate/mol of enzyme, and these effects occurred within 3 to 4 min. These results together with other properties of the modified enzyme provided evidence for a possible involvement of these reactive sulfhydryl groups during the conversion of the oxygenase to an oxidase.     

Localization of Erythrocyte Membrane Sulfhydryl Groups Essential for Glucose Transport

The reactions of three organic mercurial compounds, chlormerodrin, parachloromercuribenzoate (PCMB), and parachloromercuribenzenesulfonate (PCMBS) with intact red blood cells, hemolyzed red cells, hemoglobin solutions, and hemoglobin-free ghosts have been characterized. Both PCMB and PCMBS react with only 2 to 3 sulfhydryl groups per mole of hemoglobin in solution, whereas chlormerodrin reacts with 6 to 7. In hemoglobin-free ghosts, however, all three reagents react with a similar number of sulfhydryl groups, approximately 4 x 10^-17 moles per cell, or about 25 per cent of the total stromal sulfhydryl groups, which react with inorganic mercuric chloride. In the intact cell the membrane imposes a diffusion barrier; chlormerodrin and PCMB penetrate slowly, whereas PCMBS does not. Kinetic studies of chlormerodrin binding to intact cells reveal that the majority of stromal sulfhydryl groups is located inside the diffusion barrier, with only 1 to 1.5 per cent (or 1 to 1,400,000 sites per cell) located outside of this barrier. Reaction of PCMBS with intact cells is limited to this small fraction on the outer membrane surface. All three reagents are capable of inhibiting glucose transport in the red cell. With chlormerodrin and PCMBS it was demonstrated that the inhibition results from interactions with the sulfhydryl groups located on the outer surface of the membrane.     

Gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase. Interactions of an essential sulfhydryl group

gamma-Glutamylcysteine synthetase (isolated from rat kidney) has one sulfhydryl group that reacts with 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoate). This single exposed sulfhydryl group is not required for enzyme activity. The enzyme is potently inactivated by cystamine, which apparently interacts with a sulfhydryl group at the active site to form a mixed disulfide. 5,5'-Dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoate) does not interact with the sulfhydryl group that reacts with cystamine. After the enzyme was 90% inactivated by reaction with cystamine, 3.4 mol of 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoate) reacted per mol of enzyme, indicating that binding of cystamine exposes sulfhydryl groups which are apparently buried or unreactive in the native enzyme. L-Glutamate (but not D-glutamate or L-alpha-aminobutyrate) protected against inactivation by cystamine. In contrast, ATP enhanced the rate of inactivation by cystamine, and the apparent Km value for this effect is similar to that for ATP in the catalytic reaction. Studies on the structural features of cystamine that facilitate its interaction with the enzyme showed that selenocystamine, monodansylcystamine, and N-[2[2-aminoethyl)-dithio)ethyl]-4-azido-2-nitrobenzeneamine are also good inhibitors. Whereas S-(S-methyl)cysteamine-Sepharose does not interact with the enzyme (Seelig, G. F., and Meister, A. (1982) J. Biol. Chem. 257, 5092-5096), S-(S-methyl)cysteamine is a potent inhibitor; 1 mol of this compound completely inactivated 1 mol of enzyme. In the course of this work, a useful modification of the method for isolating this enzyme from kidney was developed.     

Biological Cost of Pyocin Production during the SOS Response in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

LexA and two structurally related regulators, PrtR and PA0906, coordinate the Pseudomonas aeruginosa SOS response. RecA-mediated autocleavage of LexA induces the expression of a protective set of genes that increase DNA damage repair and tolerance. In contrast, RecA-mediated autocleavage of PrtR induces antimicrobial pyocin production and a program that lyses cells to release the newly synthesized pyocin. Recently, PrtR-regulated genes were shown to sensitize P. aeruginosa to quinolones, antibiotics that elicit a strong SOS response. Here, we investigated the mechanisms by which PrtR-regulated genes determine antimicrobial resistance and genotoxic stress survival. We found that induction of PrtR-regulated genes lowers resistance to clinically important antibiotics and impairs the survival of bacteria exposed to one of several genotoxic agents. Two distinct mechanisms mediated these effects. Cell lysis genes that are induced following PrtR autocleavage reduced resistance to bactericidal levels of ciprofloxacin, and production of extracellular R2 pyocin was lethal to cells that initially survived UV light treatment. Although typically resistant to R2 pyocin, P. aeruginosa becomes transiently sensitive to R2 pyocin following UV light treatment, likely because of the strong downregulation of lipopolysaccharide synthesis genes that are required for resistance to R2 pyocin. Our results demonstrate that pyocin production during the P. aeruginosa SOS response carries both expected and unexpected costs.     

Morphological studies on relaxed and contracted forms of purified pyocin particles

The bacteriocin from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, pyocin, consists of a contractile sheath and inner core reminiscent of T-even coliphage tails. Contraction of the outer sheath was found to be promoted by 0.5 m magnesium chloride, 1% Formalin, low pH, sonic treatment, and freezing or thawing or both. The contraction caused by 0.5 m magnesium chloride, however, was found to be reversible and occurred upon reduction of the salt concentration from 0.5 to 0.02 m. In addition, direct assay showed that pyocin activity was nearly proportional to the percentage of only uncontracted forms. Initial studies suggested that the adsorption of purified pyocin onto cell wall fragments from the sensitive indicator strain of P. aeruginosa occurs with the relaxed particle only and not with the contracted form. However, after adsorption, contraction occurred. Various morphological structures, such as tail fibers and base-platelike appendages, were also observed. Upon contraction, six tail fibers were observed on many particles, four of which appeared to originate from the sheath and two from the inner core. Polysheaths and polycores several hundred nanometers in length were also occasionally observed.     

Virucidal effect of sodium p-chloromercuribenzoate on influenza viruses attributable to inhibition of virus particle-associated RNA-dependent RNA polymerase.

Sodium p-chloromercuribenzoate (PCMB) caused a noticeable reduction of infectivity of prototype strains of type A and Lee strain of type B influenza viruses at concentrations of 100 and 200 mug/ml, respectively, after an incubation at 37 C for 60 min. The virucidal effect on A/AA/2/60 (H2N2) strain was dependent on the concentration of the drug and temperature as well as on the time of incubation. The reagent exerted this effect at a concentration which induced little change in the hemagglutinating and neuraminidase activities of the virus. PCMB inhibited by 50% the virus particle-associated RNA polymerase activity of all prototype strains of type A influenza virus at about 2 mug/ml and that of Lee strain of type B influenza virus at 8.5 mug/ml. Other sulfhydryl reagent such as phenylmercuric nitrate also exhibited virucidal effect on A/AA/2/60 virus which paralleled their inhibition of the virus particle-associated RNA polymerase activity. From these results it was considered likely that the virucidal action of PCMB on influenza viruses was attributable to inhibition of the virus particle-associated RNA polymerase activity.     

Phenotypic mixing of pyocin R2 and bacteriophage PS17 in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO.

Previous results indicate that a group of bacteriocins in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, named R-type pyocins, have a structure resembling bacteriophage tails and share some serological homology with certain bacteriophages. This paper presents genetic evidence which strongly suggests that components of pyocin R2, an R-type pyocin of P. aeruginosa PAO, and tail components of bacteriophage PS17 are interchangeable. Complementation tests with pyocin R2-deficient mutants of PAO and ts mutants of PS17 revealed that various phenotypic interactions occur between the pyocin and bacteriophage in PAO cells lysogenized or infected with PS17. (i) Certain pyocin R2-deficient mutations were phenotypically suppressed in cells carrying PS17 prophage. (ii) A temperature-sensitive mutant of PS17, tsQ31, was phenotypically suppressed in PAO cells treated with mitomycin C. (iii) Phenotypically mixed phages with receptor and serological specificities of pyocin R2 were formed in PS17 lysogens of certain pyocin R2-deficient mutants.     

Purification and properties of an enzyme catalyzing the splitting of carbon-mercury linkages from mercury-resistant Pseudomonas K-62 strain. I. Splitting enzyme 1.

An enzyme (S-1) which catalyzes the splitting of carbon-mercury linkages of organomercury compounds was purified about 24-fold from the cell-free extract of mercury-resistant Pseudomonas K-62 strain by treatment with streptomycin, precipitation with ammonium sulfate, and successive chromatography on Sephadex G-150, DEAE-Sephadex, and DEAE-cellulose. A purified preparation of the enzyme showed a single band on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and was colorless. The molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated to be 19,000, and Km was 5.3 X 10(-5) M for p-chloromercuribenzoic acid (PCMB). The temperature and pH optimum for the reaction were 50degrees and 7.0, respectively. The enzyme was capable of catalyzing the decomposition of methylmercuric chloride (MMC), ethylmercuric chloride (EMC), phenylmercuric acetate (PMA), and PCMB in the presence of a sulfhydryl compound to form a mercuric ion plus methane, ethane, benzene, or benzoic acid, respectively. The mercuric ion thus formed was reduced to metallic mercury by metallic mercury-releasing enzyme (MMR-enzyme).     

In Vitro and In Vivo Characterization of Pyocin

Pyocin, a bacteriocin obtained from lysates of ultraviolet-induced cultures of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was characterized in vitro and in vivo after 1,000-fold purification by chemical, column, and differential centrifugation procedures. Electron micrographs of negatively stained pyocin preparations contained rod-shaped particles which resembled the contractile tail protein of the T-even phages of Escherichia coli. Although two separate and distinct pyocin fractions were eluted from diethylaminoethyl cellulose (pH 7.5) during the purification procedure, the particles appeared identical. In addition, the two fractions exhibited a close correlation between their titers and the particle numbers as observed in the electron microscope. The particles were approximately 20 by 90 mmu with a core diameter of 5 mmu and a sheath length of 50 mmu. Neither intact phage nor ghosts were seen in any of the preparations, although ringlets of two different diameters, which appeared to correspond to the diameters of the sheath and inner core, were observed. Other studies indicated that, although crude preparations were stable to freezing and thawing, purified preparations lost all of their activity under similar treatment. However, the addition of 50% glycerol to purified preparations completely protected activity. Conversely, aged normal human or rabbit sera enhanced the antibacterial activity of pyocin approximately fourfold, although serum albumin and hemoglobin had no effect. In vivo studies indicated that purified pyocin was not lethal for mice when injected intraperitoneally in concentrations of 28,000 to 1,400,000 units (5.6 to 276 mug of protein), nor was 7,200 to 36,000 units dermonecrotic for rabbits.