Regulation of Toll‐like receptor 2 interaction with Ecgp96 controls Escherichia coli K1 invasion of brain endothelial cells

The interaction of outer membrane protein A (OmpA) with its receptor, Ecgp96 (a homologue of Hsp90β), is critical for the pathogenesis of Escherichia coli K1 meningitis. Since Hsp90 chaperones Toll‐like receptors (TLRs), we examined the role of TLRs in E. coli K1 infection. Herein, we show that newborn TLR2^?/? mice are resistant to E. coli K1 meningitis, while TLR4^?/? mice succumb to infection sooner. In vitro, OmpA+ E. coli infection selectively upregulates Ecgp96 and TLR2 in human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMEC), whereas OmpA? E. coli upregulates TLR4 in these cells. Furthermore, infection with OmpA+ E. coli causes Ecgp96 and TLR2 translocate to the plasma membrane of HBMEC as a complex. Immunoprecipitation studies of the plasma membrane fractions from infected HBMEC reveal that the C termini of Ecgp96 and TLR2 are critical for OmpA+ E. coli invasion. Knockdown of TLR2 using siRNA results in inefficient membrane translocation of Ecgp96 and significantly reduces invasion. In addition, the interaction of Ecgp96 andTLR2 induces a bipartite signal, one from Ecgp96 through PKC‐α while the other from TLR2 through MyD88, ERK1/2 and NF‐κB. This bipartite signal ultimately culminates in the efficient production of NO, which in turn promotes E. coli K1 invasion of HBMEC.     

Experimental Validation of the Predicted Binding Site of Escherichia coli K1 Outer Membrane Protein A to Human Brain Microvascular Endothelial Cells: IDENTIFICATION OF CRITICAL MUTATIONS THAT PREVENT E. COLI MENINGITIS*

Escherichia coli K1, the most common cause of meningitis in neonates, has been shown to interact with GlcNAc1–4GlcNAc epitopes of Ecgp96 on human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs) via OmpA (outer membrane protein A). However, the precise domains of extracellular loops of OmpA interacting with the chitobiose epitopes have not been elucidated. We report the loop-barrel model of these OmpA interactions with the carbohydrate moieties of Ecgp96 predicted from molecular modeling. To test this model experimentally, we generated E. coli K1 strains expressing OmpA with mutations of residues predicted to be critical for interaction with the HBMEC and tested E. coli invasion efficiency. For these same mutations, we predicted the interaction free energies (including explicit calculation of the entropy) from molecular dynamics (MD), finding excellent correlation (R² = 90%) with experimental invasion efficiency. Particularly important is that mutating specific residues in loops 1, 2, and 4 to alanines resulted in significant inhibition of E. coli K1 invasion in HBMECs, which is consistent with the complete lack of binding found in the MD simulations for these two cases. These studies suggest that inhibition of the interactions of these residues of Loop 1, 2, and 4 with Ecgp96 could provide a therapeutic strategy to prevent neonatal meningitis due to E. coli K1.     

IQGAP1 mediates the disruption of adherens junctions to promote Escherichia coli K1 invasion of brain endothelial cells

The transcellular entry of Escherichia coli K1 through human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMEC) is responsible for tight junction disruption, leading to brain oedema in neonatal meningitis. Previous studies demonstrated that outer membrane protein A (OmpA) of E. coli K1 interacts with its receptor, Ecgp96, to induce PKC‐α phosphorylation, adherens junction (AJ) disassembly (by dislodging β‐catenin from VE‐cadherin), and remodelling of actin in HBMEC. We report here that IQGAP1 mediates β‐catenin dissociation from AJs to promote actin polymerization required for E. coli K1 invasion of HBMEC. Overexpression of C‐terminal truncated IQGAP1 (IQΔC) that cannot bind β‐catenin prevents both AJ disruption and E. coli K1 entry. Of note, phospho‐PKC‐α interacts with the C‐terminal portion of Ecgp96 as well as with VE‐cadherin after IQGAP1‐mediated AJ disassembly. HBMEC overexpressing either C‐terminal truncated Ecgp96 (Ecgp96Δ200) or IQΔC upon infection with E. coli showed no interaction ofphospho‐PKC‐α with Ecgp96. These data indicate that the binding of OmpA to Ecgp96 induces PKC‐α phosphorylation and association of phospho‐PKC‐α with Ecgp96, and then signals IQGAP1 to detach β‐catenin from AJs. Subsequently, IQGAP1/β‐catenin bound actin translocates to the site of E. coli K1 attachment to promote invasion.     

Outer membrane protein A of Escherichia coli K1 selectively enhances the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in brain microvascular endothelial cells

Escherichia coli K1 meningitis is a serious central nervous system disease with unchanged mortality and morbidity rates for last few decades. Intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) is a cell adhesion molecule involved in leukocyte trafficking toward inflammatory stimuli at the vascular endothelium; however, the effect of E. coli invasion of endothelial cells on the expression of ICAM-1 is not known. We demonstrate here that E. coli K1 invasion of human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMEC) selectively up-regulates the expression of ICAM-1, which occurs only in HBMEC invaded by the bacteria. The interaction of outer membrane protein A (OmpA) of E. coli with its receptor, Ecgp, on HBMEC was critical for the up-regulation of ICAM-1 and was depend on PKC-alpha and PI3-kinase signaling. Of note, the E. coli-induced up-regulation of ICAM-1 was not due to the cytokines secreted by HBMEC upon bacterial infection. Activation of NF-kappaB was required for E. coli mediated expression of ICAM-1, which was significantly inhibited by over-expressing the dominant negative forms of PKC-alpha and p85 subunit of PI3-kinase. The increased expression of ICAM-1 also enhanced the binding of THP-1 cells to HBMEC. Taken together, these data suggest that localized increase in ICAM-1 expression in HBMEC invaded by E. coli requires a novel interaction between OmpA and its receptor, Ecgp.     

Escherichia coli outer membrane protein A adheres to human brain microvascular endothelial cells

Escherichia coli K1 is the most common gram-negative bacterium causing neonatal meningitis. The outer membrane protein A (OmpA) assembles a beta-barrel structure having four surface-exposed loops in E. coli outer membrane. OmpA of meningitis-causing E. coli K1 is shown to contribute to invasion of the human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMEC), the main cellular component of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). However, the direct evidence of OmpA protein interacting with HBMEC is not clear. In this study, we showed that OmpA protein, solubilized from the outer membrane of E. coli, adhered to HBMEC surface. To verify OmpA interaction with the HBMEC, we purified N-terminal membrane-anchoring beta-barrel domain of OmpA and all surface-exposed loops deleted OmpA proteins, and showed that the surface-exposed loops of OmpA were responsible for adherence to HBMEC. These findings indicate that the OmpA is the adhesion molecule with HBMEC and the surface-exposed loops of OmpA are the determinant of this interaction.     

Involvement of Src tyrosine kinase in Escherichia coli invasion of human brain microvascular endothelial cells

Invasion of brain microvascular endothelial cells is a prerequisite for successful crossing of the blood-brain barrier by Escherichia coli (E. coli), but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here we showed activation of Src tyrosine kinase in E. coli K1 invasion of human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMEC). E. coli invasion of HBMEC and the E. coli-induced rearrangement of actin filaments were blocked by Src inhibitors. Overexpression of dominant-negative Src in HBMEC significantly attenuated E. coli invasion and the concomitant actin filaments rearrangement. Furthermore, E. coli K1-triggered phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) activation in HBMEC was effectively blocked by Src inhibitors and dominant-negative Src. These results demonstrated the involvement of Src and its interaction with PI3K in E. coli K1 invasion of HBMEC.

Structured summary

MINT-7296127, MINT-7296136: Src (uniprotkb:P12931) physically interacts (MI:0915) with p85 (uniprotkb:P27986) by anti bait coimmunoprecipitation (MI:0006)MINT-7296149: F-actin (uniprotkb:P60709) and Src-DN (uniprotkb:P12931) colocalize (MI:0403) by fluorescence microscopy (MI:0416)     

Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent invasion of microvascular endothelial cells of human brain by Escherichia coli K1

Escherichia coli K1 invasion of microvascular endothelial cells of human brain (HBMEC) is required for E. coli penetration into the central nervous system, but the microbial-host interactions that are involved in this invasion of HBMEC remain incompletely understood. We have previously shown that FimH, one of the E. coli determinants contributing to the binding to and invasion of HBMEC, induces Ca²⁺ changes in HBMEC. In the present study, we have investigated in detail the role of cellular calcium signaling in the E. coli K1 invasion of HBMEC, the main constituents of the blood-brain barrier. Addition of the meningitis-causing E. coli K1 strain RS218 (O18:K1) to HBMEC results in transient increases of intracellular free Ca²⁺. Inhibition of phospholipase C with U-73122 and the chelating of intracellular Ca²⁺ by BAPTA/AM reduces bacterial invasion of HBMEC by approximately 50%. Blocking of transmembrane Ca²⁺ fluxes by extracellular lanthanum ions also inhibits the E. coli invasion of HBMEC by approximately 50%. In addition, E. coli K1 invasion is significantly inhibited when HBMEC are pretreated by the calmodulin antagonists, trifluoperazine or calmidazolium, or by ML-7, a specific inhibitor of Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent myosin light-chain kinase. These findings indicate that host intracellular Ca²⁺ signaling contributes in part to E. coli K1 invasion of HBMEC. This work was supported by the American Heart Association (grant SDG 0435177N to Y.K.) and by NIH grants (to K.S.K.).     

The Interaction of N-Glycans in Fcγ Receptor I α-Chain with Escherichia coli K1 Outer Membrane Protein A for Entry into Macrophages: EXPERIMENTAL AND COMPUTATIONAL ANALYSIS*

Neonatal meningitis, caused by Escherichia coli K1, is a serious central nervous system disease. We have established that macrophages serve as permissive niches for E. coli K1 to multiply in the host and for attaining a threshold level of bacterial load, which is a prerequisite for the onset of the disease. Here, we demonstrate experimentally that three N-glycans in FcγRIa interact with OmpA of E. coli K1 for binding to and entering the macrophages. Adoptive transfer of FcγRIa^−/− bone marrow-derived macrophages transfected with FcγRIa into FcγRIa^−/− newborn mice renders them susceptible to E. coli K1-induced meningitis. In contrast, mice that received bone marrow-derived macrophages transfected with FcγRIa in which N-glycosylation sites 1, 4, and 5 are mutated to alanines exhibit resistance to E. coli K1 infection. Our molecular dynamics and simulation studies predict that N-glycan 5 exhibits strong binding at the barrel site of OmpA formed by loops 3 and 4, whereas N-glycans 1 and 4 interact with loops 1, 3, and 4 of OmpA at tip regions. Molecular modeling data also suggest no role for the IgG binding site in the invasion process. In agreement, experimental mutations in IgG binding site had no effect on the E. coli K1 entry into macrophages in vitro or on the onset of meningitis in newborn mice. Together, this integration of experimental and computational studies reveals how the N-glycans in FcγRIa interact with the OmpA of E. coli K1 for inducing the disease pathogenesis.     

Nitric oxide/cGMP signalling induces Escherichia coli K1 receptor expression and modulates the permeability in human brain endothelial cell monolayers during invasion

Escherichia coli K1 invasion of human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMEC) mediated by outer membrane protein A (OmpA) results in the leakage of HBMEC monolayers. Despite the influence of nitric oxide (NO) in endothelial cell tight junction integrity, its role in E. coli -induced HBMEC monolayer permeability is poorly defined. Here, we demonstrate that E. coli invasion of HBMEC stimulates NO production by increasing the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression. Exposure to NO-producing agents enhanced the invasion of OmpA⁺ E. coli and thereby increased the permeability of HBMEC. OmpA⁺ E. coli- induced NO production lead to increased generation of cGMP and triggered the expression of OmpA receptor, Ec-gp96 in HBMEC. Pre-treatment of HBMEC with iNOS inhibitors or by introducing siRNA to iNOS, but not to eNOS or cGMP inhibitors abrogated the E. coli- induced expression of Ec-gp96. Overexpression of the C-terminal truncated Ec-gp96 in HBMEC prevented NO production and its downstream effector, cGMP generation and consequently, the invasion of OmpA⁺ E. coli. NO/cGMP production also activates PKC-α, which is previously shown to be involved in HBMEC monolayer leakage. These results indicate that NO/cGMP signalling pathway plays a novel role in OmpA⁺ E. coli invasion of HBMEC by enhancing the surface expression of Ec-gp96.     

67-kDa laminin receptor promotes internalization of cytotoxic necrotizing factor 1-expressing Escherichia coli K1 into human brain microvascular endothelial cells

Escherichia coli K1 is the most common Gram-negative organism causing meningitis, and its invasion of human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMEC) is a prerequisite for penetration into the central nervous system. We have reported previously that cytotoxic necrotizing factor 1 (CNF1) contributes to E. coli K1 invasion of HBMEC and interacts with 37-kDa laminin receptor precursor (37LRP) of HBMEC, which is a precursor of 67-kDa laminin receptor (67LR). In the present study, we examined the role of 67LR in the CNF1-expressing E. coli K1 invasion of HBMEC. Immunofluorescence microscopy and ligand overlay assays showed that 67LR is present on the HBMEC membrane and interacts with CNF1 protein as well as the CDPGYIGSR laminin peptide. 67LR was up-regulated and clustered at the sites of E. coli K1 on HBMEC in a CNF1-dependent manner. Pretreatment of CNF1+ E. coli K1 with recombinant 37-kDa laminin receptor precursor reduced the invasion rate to the level of Deltacnf1 mutant, and the invasion rate of CNF1+ E. coli K1 was enhanced in 67LR-overexpressing HBMEC, indicating 67LR is involved in the CNF1+ E. coli K1 invasion of HBMEC. Coimmunoprecipitation analysis showed that, upon incubation with CNF1+ E. coli K1 but not with Deltacnf1 mutant, focal adhesion kinase and paxillin were recruited and associated with 67LR. When immobilized onto polystyrene beads, CNF1 was sufficient to induce internalization of coupled beads into HBMEC through interaction with 67LR. Taken together, this is the first demonstration that E. coli K1 invasion of HBMEC occurs through the ligand-receptor (CNF1-67LR) interaction, and 67LR promotes CNF1-expressing E. coli K1 internalization of HBMEC.     

Current concepts on Escherichia coli K1 translocation of the blood-brain barrier

The mortality and morbidity associated with neonatal gram-negative meningitis have remained significant despite advances in antimicrobial chemotherapy. Escherichia coli K1 is the most common gram-negative organism causing neonatal meningitis. Our incomplete knowledge of the pathogenesis of this disease is one of the main reasons for this high mortality and morbidity. We have previously established both in vitro and in vivo models of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) using human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMEC) and hematogenous meningitis in neonatal rats, respectively. With these in vitro and in vivo models, we have shown that successful crossing of the BBB by circulating E. coli requires a high-degree of bacteremia, E. coli binding to and invasion of HBMEC, and E. coli traversal of the BBB as live bacteria. Our previous studies using TnphoA, signature-tagged mutagenesis and differential fluorescence induction identified several E. coli K1 determinants such as OmpA, Ibe proteins, AslA, TraJ and CNF1 contributing to invasion of HBMEC in vitro and traversal of the blood-brain barrier in vivo. We have shown that some of these determinants interact with specific receptors on HBMEC, suggesting E. coli translocation of the BBB is the result of specific pathogen-host cell interactions. Recent studies using functional genomics techniques have identified additional E. coli K1 factors that contribute to the high degree of bacteremia and HBMEC binding/invasion/transcytosis. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the mechanisms underlying the successful E. coli translocation of the BBB.     

Interaction of E. coli outer-membrane protein A with sugars on the receptors of the brain microvascular endothelial cells

Esherichia coli, the most common gram-negative bacteria, can penetrate the brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs) during the neonatal period to cause meningitis with significant morbidity and mortality. Experimental studies have shown that outer-membrane protein A (OmpA) of E. coli plays a key role in the initial steps of the invasion process by binding to specific sugar moieties present on the glycoproteins of BMEC. These experiments also show that polymers of chitobiose (GlcNAcbeta1-4GlcNAc) block the invasion, while epitopes substituted with the L-fucosyl group do not. We used HierDock computational technique that consists of a hierarchy of coarse grain docking method with molecular dynamics (MD) to predict the binding sites and energies of interactions of GlcNAcbeta1-4GlcNAc and other sugars with OmpA. The results suggest two important binding sites for the interaction of carbohydrate epitopes of BMEC glycoproteins to OmpA. We identify one site as the binding pocket for chitobiose (GlcNAcbeta1-4GlcNAc) in OmpA, while the second region (including loops 1 and 2) may be important for recognition of specific sugars. We find that the site involving loops 1 and 2 has relative binding energies that correlate well with experimental observations. This theoretical study elucidates the interaction sites of chitobiose with OmpA and the binding site predictions made in this article are testable either by mutation studies or invasion assays. These results can be further extended in suggesting possible peptide antagonists and drug design for therapeutic strategies.     

Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activation and interaction with focal adhesion kinase in Escherichia coli K1 invasion of human brain microvascular endothelial cells

Invasion of brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMEC) is a prerequisite for successful crossing of the blood-brain barrier by Escherichia coli K1. We have previously demonstrated the requirement of cytoskeletal rearrangements and activation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) in E. coli K1 invasion of human BMEC (HBMEC). The current study investigated the role of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) activation and PI3K interaction with FAK in E. coli invasion of HBMEC. PI3K inhibitor LY294002 blocked E. coli K1 invasion of HBMEC in a dose-dependent manner, whereas an inactive analogue LY303511 had no such effect. In HBMEC, E. coli K1 increased phosphorylation of Akt, a downstream effector of PI3K, which was completely blocked by LY294002. In contrast, non-invasive E. coli failed to activate PI3K. Overexpression of PI3K mutants Deltap85 and catalytically inactive p110 in HBMEC significantly inhibited both PI3K/Akt activation and E. coli K1 invasion of HBMEC. Stimulation of HBMEC with E. coli K1 increased PI3K association with FAK. Furthermore, PI3K/Akt activation was blocked in HBMEC-overexpressing FAK dominant-negative mutants (FRNK and Phe397FAK). These results demonstrated the involvement of PI3K signaling in E. coli K1 invasion of HBMEC and identified a novel role for PI3K interaction with FAK in the pathogenesis of E. coli meningitis.     

Pertussis Toxin Exploits Specific Host Cell Signaling Pathways for Promoting Invasion and Translocation of Escherichia coli K1 RS218 in Human Brain-derived Microvascular Endothelial Cells

Pertussis toxin (PTx), an AB5 toxin and major virulence factor of the whooping cough-causing pathogen Bordetella pertussis, has been shown to affect the blood-brain barrier. Dysfunction of the blood-brain barrier may facilitate penetration of bacterial pathogens into the brain, such as Escherichia coli K1 (RS218). In this study, we investigated the influence of PTx on blood-brain barrier permissiveness to E. coli infection using human brain-derived endothelial HBMEC and TY10 cells as in vitro models. Our results indicate that PTx acts at several key points of host cell intracellular signaling pathways, which are also affected by E. coli K1 RS218 infection. Application of PTx increased the expression of the pathogen binding receptor gp96. Further, we found an activation of STAT3 and of the small GTPase Rac1, which have been described as being essential for bacterial invasion involving host cell actin cytoskeleton rearrangements at the bacterial entry site. In addition, we showed that PTx induces a remarkable relocation of VE-cadherin and β-catenin from intercellular junctions. The observed changes in host cell signaling molecules were accompanied by differences in intracellular calcium levels, which might act as a second messenger system for PTx. In summary, PTx not only facilitates invasion of E. coli K1 RS218 by activating essential signaling cascades; it also affects intercellular barriers to increase paracellular translocation.     

Regulation of protein kinase C in Escherichia coli K1 invasion of human brain microvascular endothelial cells.

Escherichia coli is one of the most important pathogens involved in the development of neonatal meningitis in many parts of the world. Traversal of E. coli across the blood-brain barrier is a crucial event in the pathogenesis of E. coli meningitis. Our previous studies have shown that outer membrane protein A (OmpA) expression is necessary in E. coli for a mechanism involving actin filaments in its passage through the endothelial cells. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) have also been activated in host cells during the process of invasion. In an attempt to elucidate the mechanisms leading to actin filament condensation, we have focused our attention on protein kinase C (PKC), an enzyme central to many signaling events, including actin rearrangement. In the current study, specific PKC inhibitors, bisindolmaleimide and a PKC-inhibitory peptide, inhibited E. coli invasion of human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMEC) by more than 75% in a dose-dependent manner, indicating a significant role played by this enzyme in the invasion process. Our results further showed that OmpA+ E. coli induces significant activation of PKC in HBMEC as measured by the PepTag nonradioactive assay. In addition, we identified that the PKC isoform activated in E. coli invasion is a member of the conventional family of PKC, PKC-alpha, which requires calcium for activation. Immunocytochemical studies have indicated that the activated PKC-alpha is associated with actin condensation beneath the bacterial entry site. Overexpression of a dominant negative mutant of PKC-alpha in HBMEC abolished the E. coli invasion without significant changes in FAK phosphorylation or PI3K activity patterns. In contrast, in HBMEC overexpressing the mutant forms of either FAK or PI3K, E. coli-induced PKC activation was significantly blocked. Furthermore, our studies showed that activation of PKC-alpha induces the translocation of myristoylated alanine-rich protein kinase C substrate, an actin cross-linking protein and a substrate for PKC-alpha, from the membrane to cytosol. This is the first report of FAK- and PI3K-dependent PKC-alpha activation in bacterial invasion related to cytoskeletal reorganization.     

Escherichia coli K-1 interaction with human brain micro-vascular endothelial cells triggers phospholipase C-gamma1 activation downstream of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase

Escherichia coli, the most common Gram-negative bacterium that causes meningitis in neonates, invades human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMEC) by rearranging host cell actin via the activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and PKC-alpha. Here, further, we show that phospholipase (PLC)-gamma1 is phosphorylated on tyrosine 783 and condenses at the HBMEC membrane beneath the E. coli entry site. Overexpression of a dominant negative (DN) form of PLC-gamma, the PLC-z fragment, in HBMEC inhibits PLC-gamma1 activation and significantly blocks E. coli invasion. PI3K activation is not affected in PLC-z/HBMEC upon infection, whereas PKC-alpha phosphorylation is completely abolished, indicating that PLC-gamma1 is downstream of PI3K. Concomitantly, the phosphorylation of PLC-gamma1 is blocked in HBMEC overexpressing a dominant negative form of the p85 subunit of PI3K but not in HBMEC overexpressing a dominant negative form of PKC-alpha. In addition, the recruitment of PLC-gamma1 to the cell membrane in both PLC-z/HBMEC and DN-p85/HBMEC is inhibited. Activation of PI3K is associated with the conversion of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) to phosphatidylinositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (PIP3), which in turn recruits PLC-gamma1 to the cell membrane via its interaction with pleckstrin homology domain of PLC-gamma1. Utilizing the pleckstrin homology domains of PKC-delta and Btk proteins fused to green fluorescent protein (GFP), which specifically interact with PIP2 and PIP3, respectively, we show herein that E. coli invasion induces the breakdown of PIP2 at the plasma membrane near the site of E. coli interaction. PIP3, on the other hand, recruits the GFPBkt to the cell membrane beneath the sites of E. coli attachment. Our studies further show that E. coli invasion induces the release of Ca2+ from intracellular pools as well as the influx of Ca2+ from the extracellular medium. This elevation in Ca2+ levels is completely blocked both in PLC-z/HBMEC and DN-p85/HBMEC, but not in DN-PKC/HBMEC. Taken together, these results suggest that E. coli infection of HBMEC induces PLC-gamma1 activation in a PI3K-dependent manner to increase Ca2+ levels in HBMEC. This is the first report demonstrating the recruitment of activated PLC-gamma1 to the sites of bacterial entry.     

Correlation Between the Expression of an Escherichia coli Cell Surface Protein and the Ability of the Protein to Bind to Lipopolysaccharide

The ompA gene of Escherichia coli codes for a major protein of the outer membrane. When this gene was moved between various unrelated strains (E. coli K-12 and two clinical isolates of E. coli) by transduction, the gene was expressed very poorly. Recombinants carrying “foreign” genes produced no OmpA protein which could be detected on polyacrylamide gels and became resistant to bacteriophage K3, which uses this protein as receptor. The recombinants were sensitive to host-range mutants of K3, indicating a very low level of OmpA protein was produced. When an E. coli K-12 recombinant carrying an unexpressed foreign ompA allele was subjected to two cycles of selection for an OmpA⁺ phenotype, a mutant strain was obtained which was sensitive to K3 and which expressed nearly normal levels of OmpA protein in the outer membrane. This strain carried mutations in the foreign ompA gene, as indicated both by genetic mapping and the alteration of a peptide in the mutant OmpA protein. The ability of the OmpA protein to bind to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) showed similar strain specificity, and the mutant OmpA protein which was expressed in an unrelated host showed enhanced ability to bind LPS from its new host. Thus, cell surface expression of the ompA gene appears to depend upon the ability of the gene product to bind LPS, suggesting that an interaction between the protein and LPS plays an essential role in biosynthesis of this outer membrane protein.