Entry exclusion activity on conjugative plasmid pVT745

Conjugative plasmid transfer into a recipient cell containing the same or a closely related plasmid is inhibited by a mechanism called entry or surface exclusion. The function of entry exclusion is to reduce unproductive conjugation. The current study assessed the exclusion activity on conjugal plasmid pVT745 by conducting mating experiments with genetically distinguishable derivatives of this plasmid. Our results demonstrate that a single gene, magB05, that is located in a gene cluster associated with mating pore formation, is responsible for the entry exclusion phenotype of pVT745.     

Comparison of Proteins Involved in Pilus Synthesis and Mating Pair Stabilization from the Related Plasmids F and R100-1: Insights into the Mechanism of Conjugation

F and R100-1 are closely related, derepressed, conjugative plasmids from the IncFI and IncFII incompatibility groups, respectively. Heteroduplex mapping and genetic analyses have revealed that the transfer regions are extremely similar between the two plasmids. Plasmid specificity can occur at the level of relaxosome formation, regulation, and surface exclusion between the two transfer systems. There are also differences in pilus serology, pilus-specific phage sensitivity, and requirements for OmpA and lipopolysaccharide components in the recipient cell. These phenotypic differences were exploited in this study to yield new information about the mechanism of pilus synthesis, mating pair stabilization, and surface and/or entry exclusion, which are collectively involved in mating pair formation (Mpf). The sequence of the remainder of the transfer region of R100-1 (trbA to traS) has been completed, and the complete sequence is compared to that of F. The differences between the two transfer regions include insertions and deletions, gene duplications, and mosaicism within genes, although the genes essential for Mpf are conserved in both plasmids. F+ cells carrying defined mutations in each of the Mpf genes were complemented with the homologous genes from R100-1. Our results indicate that the specificity in recipient cell recognition and entry exclusion are mediated by TraN and TraG, respectively, and not by the pilus.     

Effect of entry exclusion on mating aggregates and transconjugants.

Mating aggregates during conjugation directed by an F-like R factor in Escherichia coli were measured as the number of Lac+-Lac- sectored colonies present in a mating mixture. There is a high degree of correlation between the concentration of transconjugants produced in a mating mixture and the concentration of mating aggregates observed at several different concentrations of donor and recipient cells. The mating aggregates are sex pilus specific as demonstrated by the ability of donor-specific ribonucleic acid phage MS-2 to decrease both mating aggregates and transconjugants in a mating mixture. During entry exclusion by either a derepressed or a repressed F-like R factor, isogenic to the superinfecting R factor except for a resistance determinant, the number of transconjugants was markedly reduced, but the number of mating aggregates was not decreased. Entry exclusion by F-Gal toward the donor HfrH resembled that of the F-like R factor in that there was a reduction in the number of recombinants but no significant decrease in mating aggregates. These results suggest that entry exclusion inhibits conjugation at a stage after the formation of mating aggregates.     

Molecular Studies on Entry Exclusion in Escherichia coli Minicells

Minicells produced by abnormal cell division in a strain of Escherichia coli (K-12) have been employed here to investigate the phenomenon of "entry exclusion." When purified minicells from strains containing F' or R factors, or both, are mated with radioactive thymidine-labeled Hfr or R(+) donors, the recipient minicells can be conveniently separated from normal-sized donors following mating, and the products of conjugation can be analyzed in the absence of donors and of further growth of the recipients. Transmissible plasmids or episomes are transferred less efficiently to purified minicells derived from strains carrying similar or related elements than to strains without them. Measurement of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) degradation and determination of weight-average molecular weights following transfer indicate that degradation of transferred DNA or transfer of smaller pieces cannot account for the comparative reduction in transfer to entry-excluding recipients. Therefore, we conclude that entry exclusion operates to prevent the physical entry of DNA into recipients expressing the exclusion phenotype. The R-produced repressor (product of the drd(+) gene), which represses fertility (i.e., ability to act as donor), reduces exclusion mediated by R or F factor, or both, in matings between strains carrying homologous elements. Furthermore, the data suggest that the presence of the F pilus or F-like R pilus on recipient cells ensures maximum expression of the exclusion phenotype but is not essential for its expression. In contrast to previous suggestions, we found no evidence for a reduction of entry exclusion attributable to the DNA temperature-sensitive chromosomal mutation dnaB(TS).     

Is There Selective Mating in Tetrahymena During Genomic Exclusion?1

SYNOPSIS. Genomic exclusion is characterized by 2 rounds of mating. If exconjugants from different pairs remated at random after the first mating, we would expect a 1:2:1 ratio for genes present in heterozygous condition in the normal parent. An excess of homozygotes is observed which is similar for 2 different genes, suggesting that 10% of the rematings occur between exconjugants from the same Round 1 pair. Some but not all of these homozygotes can be attributed to a lack of separation of mates after the first round of mating. The rest may result because of differential mortality, induced autogamy or preferential remating.     

PrgB promotes aggregation,biofilm formation,and conjugation through DNA binding and compaction

Gram‐positive bacteria deploy type IV secretion systems (T4SSs) to facilitate horizontal gene transfer. The T4SSs of Gram‐positive bacteria rely on surface adhesins as opposed to conjugative pili to facilitate mating. Enterococcus faecalis PrgB is a surface adhesin that promotes mating pair formation and robust biofilm development in an extracellular DNA (eDNA) dependent manner. Here, we report the structure of the adhesin domain of PrgB. The adhesin domain binds and compacts DNA in vitro. In vivo PrgB deleted of its adhesin domain does not support cellular aggregation, biofilm development and conjugative DNA transfer. PrgB also binds lipoteichoic acid (LTA), which competes with DNA binding. We propose that PrgB binding and compaction of eDNA facilitates cell aggregation and plays an important role in establishment of early biofilms in mono‐ or polyspecies settings. Within these biofilms, PrgB mediates formation and stabilization of direct cell‐cell contacts through alternative binding of cell‐bound LTA, which in turn promotes establishment of productive mating junctions and efficient intra‐ or inter‐species T4SS‐mediated gene transfer.     

Cloning, expression, and refolding of a secretory protein ESAT-6 of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

A DNA encoding the 6-kDa early secretory antigenic target (ESAT-6) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis was inserted into a bacterial expression vector of pQE30 resulting in a 6x His-esat-6 fusion gene construction. This plasmid was transformed into Escherichia coli strain M15 and effectively expressed. The expressed fusion protein was found almost entirely in the insoluble form (inclusion bodies) in cell lysate. The inclusion bodies were solubilized with 8M urea or 6M guanidine-hydrochloride at pH 7.4, and the recombinant protein was purified by Ni-NTA column. The purified fusion protein was refolded by dialysis with a gradient of decreasing concentration of urea or guanidine hydrochloride or by the size exclusion protein refolding system. The yield of refolded protein obtained from urea dialysis was 20 times higher than that from guanidine-hydrochloride. Sixty-six percent of recombinant ESAT-6 was successfully refolded as monomer protein by urea gradient dialysis, while 69% of recombinant ESAT-6 was successfully refolded as monomer protein by using Sephadex G-200 size exclusion column. These results indicate that urea is more suitable than guanidine-hydrochloride in extracting and refolding the protein. Between the urea gradient dialysis and the size exclusion protein refolding system, the yield of the monomer protein was almost the same, but the size exclusion protein refolding system needs less time and reagents.     

Conjugation in the Ciliate Euplotes octocarinatus: Comparison of Ciliary and Cell Body-Associated Glycoconjugates of Non-mating-Competent, Mating-Competent, and Conjugating Cells

Pair formation in the hypotrichous ciliate Euplotes octocarinatus is a poorly understood phenomenon. In order to obtain information about the molecules involved in this process, we compared ciliary and cell body-associated glycoconjugates of non-mating-competent, mating-competent, and conjugating cells. Detection of glycoconjugates was carried out on Western blots by immunostaining of oxidized, digoxigenin-labeled carbohydrate moieties. Using this method, in both of two complementary mating types a 130-kDa glycoprotein was identified, which appeared on cilia during acquisition of mating competence and was reduced during cell pairing. This suggests an active role of this glycoprotein in ciliary adhesion during pair formation, Additionally, in both of the two mating types a cell body-associated 135-kDa glycoprotein was detected, which is present in non-mating-competent cells as well as in mating-competent cells, but is strongly reduced in conjugating cells. In contrast to the ciliary 130-kDa glycoprotein, the cell body-associated 135-kDa glycoprotein is not surface-exposed [8]. We therefore propose that the cell body-associated glycoprotein is either involved in the preparation for cell fusion or meiosis or that it serves as a cytoplasmic pool for the ciliary 130-kDa glycoprotein.     

Why is entry exclusion an essential feature of conjugative plasmids?

Entry exclusion is a property of plasmids by which the cells that contain them become bad recipients in additional conjugation rounds. This work reviews entry exclusion essential features and analyzes the mechanisms of action of the best studied systems. We searched for homologs of the proteins responsible for experimentally known exclusion systems. Results were used to classify exclusion systems in families of related elements. We arrive to the conclusion that all conjugative plasmids contain at least one entry exclusion gene. Although entry exclusion genes seem to be part of the plasmid conjugative machinery, they are systematically absent in phylogenetically related type IV protein exporting machines involved in virulence for plants and animals. We infer from this fact that entry exclusion is an essential feature of conjugative plasmid biology. Mathematical models suggest that plasmids expressing entry exclusion selectively eliminate plasmids lacking it, reinforcing its essential character and suggesting that entry exclusion plays a direct role in plasmid survival. Other experimental results confirm that entry exclusion is essential for the stability of a conjugative plasmid. We suggest that entry exclusion limits the damage of lethal zygosis (bacterial death produced by excessive rounds of conjugation). Additionally, it avoids competition in a host among identical plasmid backbones. Conversely, the lack of entry exclusion in conjugative transposons can be understood as a means of generating rapid evolutionary change.     

Identification of a new genetic determinant for cell aggregation associated with lactose plasmid transfer in Lactococcus lactis.

Derivatives of the lactose miniplasmid pMG820 were constructed in which a staphylococcal erm gene was inserted and in which this was accompanied by subsequent deletion of the lactose genes. The resulting plasmids were thus marked with both erythromycin resistance and lactose utilization genes in pF1132 or solely erythromycin resistance in pF1133. These plasmids retained the normal conjugation properties characteristic of lactose plasmid pLP712, including the generation by intermolecular rearrangement of high-frequency-transfer Clu+ derivatives which exhibited cell aggregation. The use of such Clu+ plasmids in a variety of mating experiments between different lactococcal strains and the observation of cell aggregation when particular mating mixtures were made led to the discovery of a new component of this conjugation system named Agg. A chromosomal gene agg was postulated to be present in some but not all strains of lactococci. High-frequency conjugation and cell aggregation thus depend on the presence of both Agg and Clu, although in a mating pair these components can be in the same or in separate strains. The Agg and Clu components may be analogous to the binding substance and aggregation substance that are involved in the hemolysin plasmid transfer system of Enterococcus faecalis, although control of their expression is different.     

Components of the RP4 conjugative transfer apparatus form an envelope structure bridging inner and outer membranes of donor cells: implications for related macromolecule transport systems

During bacterial conjugation, the single-stranded DNA molecule is transferred through the cell envelopes of the donor and the recipient cell. A membrane-spanning transfer apparatus encoded by conjugative plasmids has been proposed to facilitate protein and DNA transport. For the IncPalpha plasmid RP4, a thorough sequence analysis of the gene products of the transfer regions Tra1 and Tra2 revealed typical features of mainly inner membrane proteins. We localized essential RP4 transfer functions to Escherichia coli cell fractions by immunological detection with specific polyclonal antisera. Each of the gene products of the RP4 mating pair formation (Mpf) system, specified by the Tra2 core region and by traF of the Tra1 region, was found in the outer membrane fraction with one exception, the TrbB protein, which behaved like a soluble protein. The membrane preparation from Mpf-containing cells had an additional membrane fraction whose density was intermediate between those of the cytoplasmic and outer membranes, suggesting the presence of attachment zones between the two E. coli membranes. The Tra1 region is known to encode the components of the RP4 relaxosome. Several gene products of this transfer region, including the relaxase TraI, were detected in the soluble fraction, but also in the inner membrane fraction. This indicates that the nucleoprotein complex is associated with and/or assembled facing the cytoplasmic site of the E. coli cell envelope. The Tra1 protein TraG was predominantly localized to the cytoplasmic membrane, supporting its potential role as an interface between the RP4 Mpf system and the relaxosome.     

A ColE1-encoded gene directs entry exclusion of the plasmid.

To detect entry exclusion of the ColE1 plasmid, we established an assay system that was not influenced by incompatibility of extant plasmids in the recipient cells or by the viability of the cells due to the killing action of colicin E1 protein. The assay revealed that exc1 and exc2, assigned as genes directing entry exclusion, had no exclusion activity. Instead, mbeD, which had been characterized as a gene for plasmid mobilization, directed the exclusion activity. MbeD was overexpressed and identified as a 35S-labeled protein, which was recovered in both the soluble and membrane fractions, particularly in the inner membrane fraction. An amphipathic helical structure was predicted in the N-terminal region of MbeD as well as in the corresponding homologous proteins of ColA and ColK. These proteins may bind to the inner membrane via the N-terminal amphipathic helix and function in entry exclusion.     

Conjugative junctions in RP4-mediated mating of Escherichia coli

The physical association of bacteria during conjugation mediated by the IncPalpha plasmid RP4 was investigated. Escherichia coli mating aggregates prepared on semisolid medium were ultrarapidly frozen using copper block freezing, followed by freeze substitution, thin sectioning, and transmission electron microscopy. In matings where the donor bacteria contained conjugative plasmids, distinctive junctions were observed between the outer membranes of the aggregates of mating cells. An electron-dense layer linked the stiffly parallel outer membranes in the junction zone, but there were no cytoplasmic bridges nor apparent breaks in the cell walls or membranes. In control experiments where the donors lacked conjugative plasmids, junctions were not observed. Previous studies have shown that plasmid RP4 carries operons for both plasmid DNA processing (Tra1) and mating pair formation (Tra2). In matings where donor strains carried Tra2 only or Tra2 plus the pilin-processing protease TraF, junctions were found but they were shorter and more interrupted than the wild type. If the donor strain had the pilin gene knocked out (trbC), junctions were still found. Thus, it appears that the electron-dense layer between the outer membranes of the conjugating cells is not composed of pilin.     

Genetic Analysis of the Role of the Transfer Gene, traN, of the F and R100-1 Plasmids in Mating Pair Stabilization during Conjugation

Mating pair stabilization occurs during conjugative DNA transfer whereby the donor and recipient cells form a tight junction which requires pili as well as TraN and TraG in the donor cell. The role of the outer membrane protein, TraN, during conjugative transfer was examined by introduction of a chloramphenicol resistance cassette into the traN gene on an F plasmid derivative, pOX38, to produce pOX38N1::CAT. pOX38N1::CAT was greatly reduced in its ability to transfer DNA, indicating that TraN plays a greater role in conjugation than previously thought. F and R100-1 traN were capable of complementing pOX38N1::CAT transfer equally well when wild-type recipients were used. F traN, but not R100-1 traN, supported a much lower level of transfer when there was an ompA mutation or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) deficiency in the recipient cell, suggesting receptor specificity. The R100-1 traN gene was sequenced, and the gene product was found to exhibit 82.3% overall similarity with F TraN. The differences were mainly located within a central region of the proteins (amino acids 162 to 333 of F and 162 to 348 of R100-1). Deletion analysis of F traN suggested that this central portion might be responsible for the receptor specificity displayed by TraN. TraN was not responsible for TraT-dependent surface exclusion. Thus, TraN, and not the F pilus, appears to interact with OmpA and LPS moieties during conjugation, resulting in mating pair stabilization, the first step in efficient mobilization of DNA.     

Identification of a new genetic determinant for cell aggregation associated with lactose plasmid transfer in Lactococcus lactis

Derivatives of the lactose miniplasmid pMG820 were constructed in which a staphylococcal erm gene was inserted and in which this was accompanied by subsequent deletion of the lactose genes. The resulting plasmids were thus marked with both erythromycin resistance and lactose utilization genes in pF1132 or solely erythromycin resistance in pF1133. These plasmids retained the normal conjugation properties characteristic of lactose plasmid pLP712, including the generation by intermolecular rearrangement of high-frequency-transfer Clu+ derivatives which exhibited cell aggregation. The use of such Clu+ plasmids in a variety of mating experiments between different lactococcal strains and the observation of cell aggregation when particular mating mixtures were made led to the discovery of a new component of this conjugation system named Agg. A chromosomal gene agg was postulated to be present in some but not all strains of lactococci. High-frequency conjugation and cell aggregation thus depend on the presence of both Agg and Clu, although in a mating pair these components can be in the same or in separate strains. The Agg and Clu components may be analogous to the binding substance and aggregation substance that are involved in the hemolysin plasmid transfer system of Enterococcus faecalis, although control of their expression is different.     

Bacterial conjugation mediated by plasmid RP4: RSF1010 mobilization, donor-specific phage propagation, and pilus production require the same Tra2 core components of a proposed DNA transport complex.

DNA transfer by bacterial conjugation requires a mating pair formation (Mpf) system that specifies functions for establishing the physical contact between the donor and the recipient cell and for DNA transport across membranes. Plasmid RP4 (IncP alpha) contains two transfer regions designated Tra1 and Tra2, both of which contribute to Mpf. Twelve components are essential for Mpf, TraF of Tra1 and 11 Tra2 proteins, TrbB, -C, -D, -E, -F, -G, -H, -I, -J, -K, and -L. The phenotype of defined mutants in each of the Tra2 genes was determined. Each of the genes, except trbK, was found to be essential for RP4-specific plasmid transfer and for mobilization of the IncQ plasmid RSF1010. The latter process did not absolutely require trbF, but a severe reduction of the mobilization frequency occurred in its absence. Transfer proficiency of the mutants was restored by complementation with defined Tra2 segments containing single trb genes. Donor-specific phage propagation showed that traF and each of the genes encoded by Tra2 are involved. Phage PRD1, however, still adsorbed to the trbK mutant strain but not to any of the other mutant strains, suggesting the existence of a plasmid-encoded receptor complex. Strains containing the Tra2 plasmid in concert with traF were found to overexpress trb products as well as extracellular filaments visualized by electron microscopy. Each trb gene and traF are needed for the formation of the pilus-like structures. The trbK gene, which is required for PRD1 propagation and for pilus production but not for DNA transfer on solid media, encodes the RP4 entry-exclusion function. The components of the RP4 Mpf system are discussed in the context of related macromolecule export systems.     

TraT lipoprotein, a plasmid-specified mediator of interactions between gram-negative bacteria and their environment.

The TraT protein is a cell-surface-exposed, outer membrane lipoprotein specified by large, usually conjugative, F-like plasmids. Two biological activities have been associated with the protein: (i) prevention of self-mating of cells carrying identical or closely related conjugative plasmids, by blocking the formation of stable mating aggregates; and (ii) resistance to the bactericidal activities of serum, possibly by inhibiting the correct assembly or efficient functioning of the terminal membrane attack complex of complement. The protein therefore interacts not only with components of the outer membrane but also with specific external agents. In conjugative plasmids the traT gene lies within the region necessary for the conjugal transfer of DNA (tra), although its expression is not necessarily dependent on the expression of other tra genes. Recently, however, the gene has been discovered in isolation from other tra genes in nonconjugative virulence-associated plasmids, providing further evidence that the TraT protein may have a role in pathogenesis. The nucleotide sequences of several traT genes have been determined, and comparison of the corresponding amino acid sequences suggests that a central region of five amino acid residues flanked by hydrophobic domains determines the specificity of the protein in surface exclusion. Additionally, studies of mutants with different amino acid alterations within the hydrophobic domains have shown that insertion of charged residues disrupts normal outer membrane integrity. This review considers our current knowledge of the distribution, structure, and biological role(s) of the protein. Recent applications of the protein in studies of the unusual permeability properties of the outer membrane and for the transport of foreign antigenic determinants to the bacterial cell surface are also discussed.