Cj1121c, a novel UDP-4-keto-6-deoxy-GlcNAc C-4 aminotransferase essential for protein glycosylation and virulence in Campylobacter jejuni

Campylobacter jejuni produces glycoproteins that are essential for virulence. These glycoproteins carry diacetamidobacillosamine (DAB), a sugar that is not found in humans. Hence, the enzymes responsible for DAB synthesis represent potential therapeutic targets. We describe the biochemical characterization of Cj1121c, a putative aminotransferase encoded by the general protein glycosylation locus, to assess its role in DAB biosynthesis. By using overexpressed and affinity-purified enzyme, we demonstrate that Cj1121c has pyridoxal phosphate- and glutamate-dependent UDP-4-keto-6-deoxy-GlcNAc C-4 transaminase activity and produces UDP-4-amino-4,6-dideoxy-GlcNAc. This is consistent with a role in DAB biosynthesis and distinguishes Cj1121c from Cj1294, a homologous UDP-2-acetamido-2,6-dideoxy-beta-l-arabino-4-hexulose C-4 aminotransferase that we characterized previously. We show that Cj1121c can also use this 4-keto-arabino sugar indirectly as a substrate, that Cj1121c and Cj1294 are active simultaneously in C. jejuni, and that the activity of Cj1121c is preponderant under standard growth conditions. Kinetic data indicate that Cj1121c has a slightly higher catalytic efficiency than Cj1294 with regard to the 4-keto-arabino substrate. By site-directed mutagenesis, we show that residues Glu-158 and Leu-131 are not essential for catalysis or for substrate specificity contrary to expectations. We further demonstrate that a cj1121c knock-out mutant is impaired for flagella-mediated motility, for invasion of intestinal epithelial cells, and for persistence in the chicken intestine, clearly demonstrating that Cj1121c is essential for host colonization and virulence. Finally, we show that cj1121c is necessary for protein glycosylation by lectin Western blotting. Collectively, these results validate Cj1121c as a promising drug target and provide the means to assay for inhibitors.     

Structural and functional characterization of PseC, an aminotransferase involved in the biosynthesis of pseudaminic acid, an essential flagellar modification in Helicobacter pylori

Helicobacter pylori flagellin is heavily glycosylated with the novel sialic acid-like nonulosonate, pseudaminic acid (Pse). The glycosylation process is essential for assembly of functional flagellar filaments and consequent bacterial motility. Because motility is a key virulence factor for this and other important pathogens, the Pse biosynthetic pathway offers potential for novel therapeutic targets. From recent NMR analyses, we determined that the conversion of UDP-alpha-D-Glc-NAc to the central intermediate in the pathway, UDP-4-amino-4,6-dideoxy-beta-L-AltNAc, proceeds by formation of UDP-2-acetamido-2,6-dideoxy-beta-L-arabino-4-hexulose by the dehydratase/epimerase PseB (HP0840) followed with amino transfer by the aminotransferase, PseC (HP0366). The central role of PseC in the H. pylori Pse biosynthetic pathway prompted us to determine crystal structures of the native protein, its complexes with pyridoxal phosphate alone and in combination with the UDP-4-amino-4,6-dideoxy-beta-L-AltNAc product, the latter being converted to the external aldimine form in the active site of the enzyme. In the binding site, the AltNAc sugar ring adopts a 4C1 chair conformation, which is different from the predominant 1C4 form found in solution. The enzyme forms a homodimer where each monomer contributes to the active site, and these structures have permitted the identification of key residues involved in stabilization, and possibly catalysis, of the beta-L-arabino intermediate during the amino transfer reaction. The essential role of Lys183 in the catalytic event was confirmed by site-directed mutagenesis. This work presents for the first time a nucleotide-sugar aminotransferase co-crystallized with its natural ligand, and, in conjunction with the recent functional characterization of this enzyme, these results will assist in elucidating the aminotransferase reaction mechanism within the Pse biosynthetic pathway.     

Biochemical characterization of the Campylobacter jejuni Cj1294, a novel UDP-4-keto-6-deoxy-GlcNAc aminotransferase that generates UDP-4-amino-4,6-dideoxy-GalNAc

Campylobacter jejuni produces multiple glycoproteins whose glycans contain 4-amino 6-deoxy sugars or their derivatives, such as diacetamidobacillosamine or pseudaminic acid. Because the proteoglycans contribute to bacterial virulence and their constitutive sugars are not commonly found in humans, inhibitors developed against the enzymes that are responsible for their biosynthesis could be novel therapeutic targets to fight this important food-borne pathogen. The biosynthesis of diacetamidobacillosamine is anticipated to involve a sugar nucleotide C6 dehydratase, a C4 aminotransferase and an acetyltransferase. We have identified a set of genes (cj1293, cj1294, and cj1298) potentially encoding one of each enzymatic activity, and demonstrated earlier that Cj1293 was a UDP-GlcNAc-specific C6 dehydratase. Others have shown that Cj1293 was involved in protein glycosylation. Here, we report on our investigation of the potential activity of Cj1294 as a sugar nucleotide C4 aminotransferase. Our biochemical characterization of overexpressed and purified protein shows that Cj1294 is a pyridoxal phosphate-dependent aminotransferase specific for UDP-4-keto-6-deoxy-GlcNAc that uses preferentially glutamic acid as an amino donor. A detailed physicokinetic study of Cj1294 was performed to determine the K(m) of 1.28 +/- 0.2 mm and k(cat) of 11.5 +/- 1.3 min(-1). Also, two residues essential for protein stability and activity, Arg(228) and Lys(181), respectively, were identified by site-directed mutagenesis. Finally, we demonstrated by NMR analysis of purified reaction product that Cj1294 produces UDP-4-amino-4,6-dideoxy-GalNAc. These results indicate that Cj1294 is involved in the biosynthesis of diacetamidofucosamine, a C4 epimer of diacetamidobacillosamine not yet described in C. jejuni proteoglycans, suggesting that the composition of C. jejuni proteoglycans is more variable than anticipated.     

Functional characterization of the flagellar glycosylation locus in Campylobacter jejuni 81-176 using a focused metabolomics approach

Bacterial genome sequencing has provided a wealth of genetic data. However, the definitive functional characterization of hypothetical open reading frames and novel biosynthetic genes remains challenging. This is particularly true for genes involved in protein glycosylation because the isolation of their glycan moieties is often problematic. We have developed a focused metabolomics approach to define the function of flagellin glycosylation genes in Campylobacter jejuni 81-176. A capillary electrophoresis-electrospray mass spectrometry and precursor ion scanning method was used to examine cell lysates of C. jejuni 81-176 for sugar nucleotides. Novel nucleotide-activated intermediates of the pseudaminic acid (Pse5NAc7NAc) pathway and its acetamidino derivative (PseAm) were found to accumulate within select isogenic mutants, and use of a hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method permitted large scale purifications of the intermediates. NMR with cryo probe (cold probe) technology was utilized to complete the structural characterization of microgram quantities of CMP-5-acetamido-7-acetamidino-3,5,7,9-tetradeoxy-L-glycero-alpha-L-manno-nonulosonic acid (CMP-Pse5NAc7Am), which is the first report of Pse modified at C7 with an acetamidino group in Campylobacter, and UDP-2,4-diacetamido-2,4,6-trideoxy-alpha-D-glucopyranose, which is a bacillosamine derivative found in the N-linked proteinglycan. Using this focused metabolomics approach, pseB, pseC, pseF, pseI, and for the first time pseA, pseG, and pseH were found to be directly involved in either the biosynthesis of CMP-Pse5NAc7NAc or CMP-Pse5NAc7Am. In contrast, it was shown that pseD, pseE, Cj1314c, Cj1315c, Cjb1301, Cj1334, Cj1341c, and Cj1342c have no role in the CMP-Pse5NAc7NAc or CMP-Pse5NAc7Am pathways. These results demonstrate the usefulness of this approach for targeting compounds within the bacterial metabolome to assign function to genes, identify metabolic intermediates, and elucidate novel biosynthetic pathways.     

Pseudaminic acid, the major modification on Campylobacter flagellin, is synthesized via the Cj1293 gene

Flagellins from Campylobacter jejuni 81-176 and Campylobacter coli VC167 are heavily glycosylated. The major modifications on both flagellins are pseudaminic acid (Pse5Ac7Ac), a nine carbon sugar that is similar to sialic acid, and an acetamidino-substituted analogue of pseudaminic acid (PseAm). Previous data have indicated that PseAm is synthesized via Pse5Ac7Ac in C. jejuni 81-176, but that the two sugars are synthesized using independent pathways in C. coli VC167. The Cj1293 gene of C. jejuni encodes a putative UDP-GlcNAc C6-dehydratase/C4-reductase that is similar to a protein required for glycosylation of Caulobacter crescentus flagellin. The Cj1293 gene is expressed either under the control of a sigma 54 promoter that overlaps the coding region of Cj1292 or as a polycistronic message under the control of a sigma 70 promoter upstream of Cj1292. A mutant in gene Cj1293 in C. jejuni 81-176 was non-motile and non-flagellated and accumulated unglycosylated flagellin intracellularly. This mutant was complemented in trans with the homologous C. jejuni gene, as well as the Helicobacter pylori homologue, HP0840, which has been shown to encode a protein with UDP-GlcNAc C6-dehydratase/C4-reductase activity. Mutation of Cj1293 in C. coli VC167 resulted in a fully motile strain that synthesized a flagella filament composed of flagellin in which Pse5Ac7Ac was replaced by PseAm. The filament from the C. coli Cj1293 mutant displayed increased solubility in SDS compared with the wild-type filament. A double mutant in C. coli VC167, defective in both Cj1293 and ptmD, encoding part of the independent PseAm pathway, was also non-motile and non-flagellated and accumulated unglycosylated flagellin intracellularly. Collectively, the data indicate that Cj1293 is essential for Pse5Ac7Ac biosynthesis from UDP-GlcNAc, and that glycosylation is required for flagella biogenesis in campylobacters.     

In vitro biosynthesis of UDP-N,N'-diacetylbacillosamine by enzymes of the Campylobacter jejuni general protein glycosylation system

In Campylobacter jejuni 2,4-diacetamido-2,4,6-trideoxy-alpha-d-glucopyranose, termed N,N'-diacetylbacillosamine (Bac2,4diNAc), is the first carbohydrate in the glycoprotein N-linked heptasaccharide. With uridine diphosphate-N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc) as a starting point, two enzymes of the general protein glycosylation (Pgl) pathway in C. jejuni (PglF and PglE) have recently been shown to modify this sugar nucleotide to form UDP-2-acetamido-4-amino-2,4,6-trideoxy-alpha-d-glycopyranose (UDP-4-amino-sugar) [Schoenhofen, I. C., et al. (2006) J. Biol. Chem. 281, 723-732]. PglD has been proposed to catalyze the final step in N,N'-diacetylbacillosamine synthesis by N-acetylation of the UDP-4-amino-sugar at the C4 position. We have cloned, overexpressed, and purified PglD from the pgl locus of C. jejuni NCTC 11168 and identified it as the acetyltransferase that modifies the UDP-4-amino-sugar to form UDP-N,N'-diacetylbacillosamine, utilizing acetyl-coenzyme A as the acetyl group donor. The UDP-N,N'-diacetylbacillosamine product was purified from the reaction by reverse phase C18 HPLC and the structure determined by NMR analysis. Additionally, the full-length PglF was overexpressed and purified in the presence of detergent as a GST fusion protein, allowing for derivation of kinetic parameters. We found that the UDP-4-amino-sugar was readily synthesized from UDP-GlcNAc in a coupled reaction using PglF and PglE. We also demonstrate the in vitro biosynthesis of the complete heptasaccharide lipid-linked donor by coupling the action of eight enzymes (PglF, PglE, PglD, PglC, PglA, PglJ, PglH, and PglI) in the Pgl pathway in a single reaction vessel.     

Crystal structure and catalytic mechanism of PglD from Campylobacter jejuni

The carbohydrate 2, 4-diacetamido-2, 4, 6-trideoxy-alpha-D-glucopyranose (BacAc(2)) is found in a variety of eubacterial pathogens. In Campylobacter jejuni, PglD acetylates the C4 amino group on UDP-2-acetamido-4-amino-2, 4, 6-trideoxy-alpha-D-glucopyranose (UDP-4-amino-sugar) to form UDP-BacAc(2). Sequence analysis predicts PglD to be a member of the left-handed beta helix family of enzymes. However, poor sequence homology between PglD and left-handed beta helix enzymes with existing structural data precludes unambiguous identification of the active site. The co-crystal structures of PglD in the presence of citrate, acetyl coenzyme A, or the UDP-4-amino-sugar were solved. The biological assembly is a trimer with one active site formed between two protomers. Residues lining the active site were identified, and results from functional assays on alanine mutants suggest His-125 is critical for catalysis, whereas His-15 and His-134 are involved in substrate binding. These results are discussed in the context of implications for proteins homologous to PglD in other pathogens.     

Direct biochemical evidence for the utilization of UDP-bacillosamine by PglC, an essential glycosyl-1-phosphate transferase in the Campylobacter jejuni N-linked glycosylation pathway

Campylobacter jejuni has a general N-linked glycosylation pathway, encoded by the pgl gene cluster. In C. jejuni, a heptasaccharide is transferred from an undecaprenyl pyrophosphate donor [GalNAc-alpha1,4-GalNAc-alpha1,4-(Glcbeta1,3)-GalNAc-alpha1,4-GalNAc-alpha1,4-GalNAc-alpha1,3-Bac-alpha1-PP-undecaprenyl, where Bac is bacillosamine (2,4-diacetamido-2,4,6-trideoxyglucose)] to the asparagine side chain of target proteins at the Asn-X-Ser/Thr motif. In this study, we have cloned, overexpressed in Escherichia coli, and purified PglC, the glycosyl-1-phosphate transferase responsible for the first step in the biosynthesis of the undecaprenyl-linked heptasaccharide donor. In addition, we report the first synthetic route to uridine 5'-diphosphobacillosamine. Using the uridine 5'-diphosphobacillosamine and undecaprenyl phosphate, we demonstrate the ability of PglC to produce undecaprenyl pyrophosphate bacillosamine using radiolabeled HPLC and mass spectral analysis. In addition, we revealed that PglC does not accept uridine 5'-diphospho-N-acetylglucosamine or uridine 5'-diphospho-N-acetylgalactosamine as substrates but will accept uridine 5'-diphospho-6-hydroxybacillosamine, an analogue of bacillosamine that retains the C-6 hydroxyl functionality from the biosynthetic precursor. The in vitro characterization of PglC as a bacillosamine 1-phosphoryl transferase provides direct evidence for the early steps in the C. jejuni N-linked glycosylation pathway, and the coupling of PglC with the latter glycosyltransferases (PglA, PglJ, PglH, and PglI) allows for the "one-pot" chemoenzymatic synthesis of the undecaprenyl pyrophosphate heptasaccharide donor.     

Characterization of CJ1293, a new UDP-GlcNAc C6 dehydratase from Campylobacter jejuni

Campylobacter jejuni encodes numerous sugar-nucleotide-modifying enzymes potentially involved in the biosynthesis of surface carbohydrates. One of them, CJ1293, is involved in flagellin glycosylation but its biochemical activity remains unknown. Using over-expressed and purified protein, we demonstrate that CJ1293 has UDP-GlcNAc-specific C(6) dehydratase activity. Catalysis occurs without addition of cofactor, suggesting internal recycling of NAD(P)(+). The K(m) for UDP-GlcNAc of 50 microM indicates that CJ1293 has higher affinity for its substrate than previously characterized homologues. Based on enzymatic data, we propose that CJ1293 catalyzes the first step in the biosynthesis of bacillosamine, a sugar found in C. jejuni's protein glycosylation motifs.     

Biochemical characterization of the O-linked glycosylation pathway in Neisseria gonorrhoeae responsible for biosynthesis of protein glycans containing N,N'-diacetylbacillosamine

The O-linked protein glycosylation pathway in Neisseria gonorrhoeae is responsible for the synthesis of a complex oligosaccharide on undecaprenyl diphosphate and subsequent en bloc transfer of the glycan to serine residues of select periplasmic proteins. Protein glycosylation (pgl) genes have been annotated on the basis of bioinformatics and top-down mass spectrometry analysis of protein modifications in pgl-null strains [Aas, F. E., et al. (2007) Mol. Microbiol. 65, 607-624; Vik, A., et al. (2009) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 106, 4447-4452], but relatively little biochemical analysis has been performed to date. In this report, we present the expression, purification, and functional characterization of seven Pgl enzymes. Specifically, the enzymes studied are responsible for synthesis of an uncommon uridine diphosphate (UDP)-sugar (PglD, PglC, and PglB-acetyltransferase domain), glycan assembly (PglB-phospho-glycosyltransferase domain, PglA, PglE, and PglH), and final oligosaccharide transfer (PglO). UDP-2,4-diacetamido-2,4,6-trideoxy-α-d-hexose (DATDH), which is the first sugar in glycan biosynthesis, was produced enzymatically, and the stereochemistry was assigned as uridine diphosphate N'-diacetylbacillosamine (UDP-diNAcBac) by nuclear magnetic resonance characterization. In addition, the substrate specificities of the phospho-glycosyltransferase, glycosyltransferases, and oligosaccharyltransferase (OTase) were analyzed in vitro, and in most cases, these enzymes exhibited strong preferences for the native substrates relative to closely related glycans. In particular, PglO, the O-linked OTase, and PglB(Cj), the N-linked OTase from Campylobacter jejuni, preferred the native N. gonorrhoeae and C. jejuni substrates, respectively. This study represents the first comprehensive biochemical characterization of this important O-linked glycosylation pathway and provides the basis for further investigations of these enzymes as antibacterial targets.     

Structural and Functional Analysis of Campylobacter jejuni PseG: A UDP-SUGAR HYDROLASE FROM THE PSEUDAMINIC ACID BIOSYNTHETIC PATHWAY*

Flagella of the bacteria Helicobacter pylori and Campylobacter jejuni are important virulence determinants, whose proper assembly and function are dependent upon glycosylation at multiple positions by sialic acid-like sugars, such as 5,7-diacetamido-3,5,7,9-tetradeoxy-l-glycero-l-manno-nonulosonic acid (pseudaminic acid (Pse)). The fourth enzymatic step in the pseudaminic acid pathway, the hydrolysis of UDP-2,4-diacetamido-2,4,6-trideoxy-β-l-altropyranose to generate 2,4-diacetamido-2,4,6-trideoxy-l-altropyranose, is performed by the nucleotide sugar hydrolase PseG. To better understand the molecular basis of the PseG catalytic reaction, we have determined the crystal structures of C. jejuni PseG in apo-form and as a complex with its UDP product at 1.8 and 1.85 Å resolution, respectively. In addition, molecular modeling was utilized to provide insight into the structure of the PseG-substrate complex. This modeling identifies a His¹⁷-coordinated water molecule as the putative nucleophile and suggests the UDP-sugar substrate adopts a twist-boat conformation upon binding to PseG, enhancing the exposure of the anomeric bond cleaved and favoring inversion at C-1. Furthermore, based on these structures a series of amino acid substitution derivatives were constructed, altering residues within the active site, and each was kinetically characterized to examine its contribution to PseG catalysis. In conjunction with structural comparisons, the almost complete inactivation of the PseG H17F and H17L derivatives suggests that His¹⁷ functions as an active site base, thereby activating the nucleophilic water molecule for attack of the anomeric C–O bond of the UDP-sugar. As the PseG structure reveals similarity to those of glycosyltransferase family-28 members, in particular that of Escherichia coli MurG, these findings may also be of relevance for the mechanistic understanding of this important enzyme family.The gastrointestinal pathogens Campylobacter jejuni and Helicobacter pylori have been shown to modify their flagellins with the sialic acid-like sugar 5,7-diacetamido-3,5,7,9-tetradeoxy-l-glycero-l-manno-nonulosonic acid or pseudaminic acid (Pse),³ via O-linkage at up to 19 sites per flagellin monomer (1, 2). Not only is this sialic acid-like modification necessary for flagellar assembly and motility (1, 2), it has also been shown to be important for C. jejuni virulence (3). In addition to its role in autoagglutination of bacterial cells, Pse and related derivatives may also influence pathogenesis through bacterial adhesion, invasion, and immune evasion (4, 5), since sialic acids in humans have been shown to mediate a myriad of cell-cell and cell-molecule interactions (6). As flagellin glycosylation in these organisms is required for host colonization and ultimately virulence (3, 7, 8), these novel sugar biosynthetic pathways provide an excellent platform for therapeutic development.The reliance of H. pylori pathogenicity on Pse biosynthesis, in combination with the prevalence of H. pylori resistance to existing antibiotic treatments (9), prompted and led to the complete elucidation of the CMP-pseudaminic acid (CMP-Pse) biosynthetic pathway in both C. jejuni and H. pylori (10–15). The CMP-Pse biosynthetic pathway (Fig. 1) is similar to that of CMP-sialic acid, involving condensation of an N-acetylhexosamine intermediate with the three-carbon pyruvate molecule forming a nine-carbon sialic acid-like nonulosonate, although in contrast the CMP-Pse pathway consists of several more steps between the initial building block UDP-GlcNAc and the condensation reaction. PseG, a UDP-sugar hydrolase, produces the final 6-deoxy-N-acetylhexosamine intermediate in the CMP-Pse pathway by removing the nucleotide moiety from UDP-2,4-diacetamido-2,4,6-trideoxy-β-l-altropyranose or UDP-6-deoxy-AltdiNAc (Fig. 1). This sort of single enzymatic function is rare in nature, with the only other similar example being a GDP-mannose/GDP-glucose hydrolase (16), which belongs to the metal-dependent Nudix family of enzymes. In an elegant study, Liu and Tanner (11) demonstrated that PseG catalyzes nucleotide removal by a metal-independent C–O bond cleavage mechanism resulting in inversion of stereochemistry at C-1 of the product 2,4-diacetamido-2,4,6-trideoxy-l-altropyranose or 6-deoxy-AltdiNAc, similar to the catalytic properties of some GT-B glycosyltransferases.Open in a separate windowFIGURE 1.Role of PseG within the CMP-pseudaminic acid biosynthetic pathway of C. jejuni and H. pylori. The biosynthetic step involving PseG is highlighted in blue. The enzymes and biosynthetic intermediates of the CMP-pseudaminic acid pathway are, in the following order, PseB (Cj1293/HP0840), NADP-dependent dehydratase/epimerase; PseC (Cj1294/HP0366), pyridoxal phosphate-dependent aminotransferase; PseH (Cj1313/HP0327), N-acetyltransferase; PseG (Cj1312/HP0326B), NDP-sugar hydrolase; PseI (Cj1317/HP0178), pseudaminic acid synthase; PseF (Cj1311/HP0326A), CMP-pseudaminic acid synthetase; and I, UDP-GlcNAc; II, UDP-2-acetamido-2,6-dideoxy-β-l-arabino-hexos-4-ulose; III, UDP-4-amino-4,6-dideoxy-β-l-AltNAc; IV, UDP-2,4-diacetamido-2,4,6-trideoxy-β-l-altropyranose; V, 2,4-diacetamido-2,4,6-trideoxy-l-altropyranose; VI, pseudaminic acid; and VII, CMP-pseudaminic acid. Here, PEP refers to phosphoenolpyruvate. Pyranose rings are shown as their predominant chair conformation in solution as determined from nuclear Overhauser effects and J_H,H coupling constants (13).Together, glycosyltransferases and glycoside hydrolases compose the majority of enzymes in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes that manipulate glycosidic bonds. Glycosyltransferases of the Leloir classification use sugar-nucleotide derivatives as glycosyl donors resulting in transfer to acceptors such as a monosaccharide, oligosaccharide, or polysaccharide. It is therefore plausible that a “glycosyltransferase fold” in PseG has evolved to efficiently utilize water as an acceptor, instead of another carbohydrate, consequently behaving as a hydrolase (11). Based on structure, most glycosyltransferases fall into two groups, GT-A and GT-B, that exhibit different folds, respectively (17). For both families, depending on the particular enzyme, the outcome may result in either inversion or retention of stereochemistry for the donor anomeric carbon (see Fig. 2). In addition, GT-B family enzymes are metal-independent, lacking an important DXD motif present in most GT-A members. Based on the novelty of PseG and its role in H. pylori pathogenicity, we sought a greater structural and mechanistic understanding of this important enzyme.Open in a separate windowFIGURE 2.Functional comparison of enzymes belonging to the GT-B superfamily. A, UDP-sugar hydrolase PseG catalyzes the removal of UDP from UDP-2,4-diacetamido-2,4,6-trideoxy-β-l-Alt or UDP-6-deoxy-AltdiNAc. B, UDP-GlcNAc hydrolyzing 2-epimerase NeuC catalyzes the removal of UDP and the formation of ManNAc from UDP-GlcNAc. C, GlcNAc transferase MurG catalyzes the formation of undecaprenyl-phosphoryl-muramyl-pentapeptide-GlcNAc via formation of a glycosidic linkage between UDP-GlcNAc and undecaprenyl-phosphoryl-muramyl-pentapeptide. R represents the phosphoryl-undecaprenyl moiety, with the pentapeptide having the specific sequence l-Ala-d-γGlu-l-Lys-d-Ala-d-Ala. Both A and C activities result in an initial inversion of stereochemistry at C-1 for the donor substrate. In contrast, the activity for B results in an initial retention of C-1 stereochemistry. Enzymatically altered anomeric bonds are indicated in red.Here we report the crystal structure of PseG alone at 1.8 Å resolution and in complex with UDP, a product of the reaction, at 1.85 Å resolution. Although very few homologs have been identified based on sequence similarity alone, PseG bears the closest structural similarity to MurG, a GT-B family member (18). In addition, computational docking and molecular dynamics simulations were performed to gain insight into the binding mode of the PseG substrate UDP-6-deoxy-AltdiNAc. Based on the crystallographic and modeled structures, several potential active site residues were selected for mutagenesis and kinetic analyses to further characterize the PseG active site. The relevance of these findings to the structurally related MurG family of enzymes is discussed.     

Identification of the carbohydrate moieties and glycosylation motifs in Campylobacter jejuni flagellin.

Flagellins from three strains of Campylobacter jejuni and one strain of Campylobacter coli were shown to be extensively modified by glycosyl residues, imparting an approximate 6000-Da shift from the molecular mass of the protein predicted from the DNA sequence. Tryptic peptides from C. jejuni 81-176 flagellin were subjected to capillary liquid chromatography-electrospray mass spectrometry with a high/low orifice stepping to identify peptide segments of aberrant masses together with their corresponding glycosyl appendages. These modified peptides were further characterized by tandem mass spectrometry and preparative high performance liquid chromatography followed by nano-NMR spectroscopy to identify the nature and precise site of glycosylation. These analyses have shown that there are 19 modified Ser/Thr residues in C. jejuni 81-176 flagellin. The predominant modification found on C. jejuni flagellin was O-linked 5,7-diacetamido-3,5,7,9-tetradeoxy-l-glycero-l-manno-nonulosonic acid (pseudaminic acid, Pse5Ac7Ac) with additional heterogeneity conferred by substitution of the acetamido groups with acetamidino and hydroxyproprionyl groups. In C. jejuni 81-176, the gene Cj1316c, encoding a protein of unknown function, was shown to be involved in the biosynthesis and/or the addition of the acetamidino group on Pse5Ac7Ac. Glycosylation is not random, since 19 of the total 107 Ser/Thr residues are modified, and all but one of these are restricted to the central, surface-exposed domain of flagellin when folded in the filament. The mechanism of attachment appears unrelated to a consensus peptide sequence but is rather based on surface accessibility of Ser/Thr residues in the folded protein.     

Structure and active site residues of PglD, an N-acetyltransferase from the bacillosamine synthetic pathway required for N-glycan synthesis in Campylobacter jejuni

Campylobacter jejuni is highly unusual among bacteria in forming N-linked glycoproteins. The heptasaccharide produced by its pgl system is attached to protein Asn through its terminal 2,4-diacetamido-2,4,6-trideoxy-d-Glc (QuiNAc4NAc or N,N'-diacetylbacillosamine) moiety. The crucial, last part of this sugar's synthesis is the acetylation of UDP-2-acetamido-4-amino-2,4,6-trideoxy-d-Glc by the enzyme PglD, with acetyl-CoA as a cosubstrate. We have determined the crystal structures of PglD in CoA-bound and unbound forms, refined to 1.8 and 1.75 A resolution, respectively. PglD is a trimer of subunits each comprised of two domains, an N-terminal alpha/beta-domain and a C-terminal left-handed beta-helix. Few structural differences accompany CoA binding, except in the C-terminal region following the beta-helix (residues 189-195), which adopts an extended structure in the unbound form and folds to extend the beta-helix upon binding CoA. Computational molecular docking suggests a different mode of nucleotide-sugar binding with respect to the acetyl-CoA donor, with the molecules arranged in an "L-shape", compared with the "in-line" orientation in related enzymes. Modeling indicates that the oxyanion intermediate would be stabilized by the NH group of Gly143', with His125' the most likely residue to function as a general base, removing H+ from the amino group prior to nucleophilic attack at the carbonyl carbon of acetyl-CoA. Site-specific mutations of active site residues confirmed the importance of His125', Glu124', and Asn118. We conclude that Asn118 exerts its function by stabilizing the intricate hydrogen bonding network within the active site and that Glu124' may function to increase the pKa of the putative general base, His125'.     

Structural,genetic and functional characterization of the flagellin glycosylation process in Helicobacter pylori

Mass spectrometry analyses of the complex polar flagella from Helicobacter pylori demonstrated that both FlaA and FlaB proteins are post-translationally modified with pseudaminic acid (Pse5Ac7Ac, 5,7-diacetamido-3,5,7,9-tetradeoxy-l-glycero-l-manno -n o n-ulosonic acid). Unlike Campylobacter, flagellar glycosylation in Helicobacter displays little heterogeneity in isoform or glycoform distribution, although all glycosylation sites are located in the central core region of the protein monomer in a manner similar to that found in Campylobacter. Bioinformatic analysis revealed five genes (HP0840, HP0178, HP0326A, HP0326B, HP0114) homologous to other prokaryote genes previously reported to be involved in motility, flagellar glycosylation or polysaccharide biosynthesis. Insertional mutagenesis of four of these homologues in Helicobacter (HP0178, HP0326A, HP0326B, HP0114) resulted in a non-motile phenotype, no structural flagella filament and only minor amounts of flagellin protein detectable by Western immunoblot. However, mRNA levels for the flagellin structural genes remained unaffected by each mutation. In view of the combined bioinformatic and structural evidence indicating a role for these gene products in glycan biosynthesis, subsequent investigations focused on the functional characterization of the respective gene products. A novel approach was devised to identify biosynthetic sugar nucleotide precursors from intracellular metabolic pools of parent and isogenic mutants using capillary electrophoresis-electrospray mass spectrometry (CE-ESMS) and precursor ion scanning. HP0326A, HP0326B and the HP0178 gene products are directly involved in the biosynthesis of the nucleotide-activated form of Pse, CMP-Pse. Mass spectral analyses of the cytosolic extract from the HP0326A and HP0326B isogenic mutants revealed the accumulation of a mono- and a diacetamido trideoxyhexose UDP sugar nucleotide precursor.     

In Vitro Biosynthesis and Chemical Identification of UDP-N-acetyl-d-quinovosamine (UDP-d-QuiNAc)

N-acetyl-d-quinovosamine (2-acetamido-2,6-dideoxy-d-glucose, QuiNAc) occurs in the polysaccharide structures of many Gram-negative bacteria. In the biosynthesis of QuiNAc-containing polysaccharides, UDP-QuiNAc is the hypothetical donor of the QuiNAc residue. Biosynthesis of UDP-QuiNAc has been proposed to occur by 4,6-dehydration of UDP-N-acetyl-d-glucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc) to UDP-2-acetamido-2,6-dideoxy-d-xylo-4-hexulose followed by reduction of this 4-keto intermediate to UDP-QuiNAc. Several specific dehydratases are known to catalyze the first proposed step. A specific reductase for the last step has not been demonstrated in vitro, but previous mutant analysis suggested that Rhizobium etli gene wreQ might encode this reductase. Therefore, this gene was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli, and the resulting His₆-tagged WreQ protein was purified. It was tested for 4-reductase activity by adding it and NAD(P)H to reaction mixtures in which 4,6-dehydratase WbpM had acted on the precursor substrate UDP-GlcNAc. Thin layer chromatography of the nucleotide sugars in the mixture at various stages of the reaction showed that WbpM converted UDP-GlcNAc completely to what was shown to be its 4-keto-6-deoxy derivative by NMR and that addition of WreQ and NADH led to formation of a third compound. Combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of acid hydrolysates of the final reaction mixture showed that a quinovosamine moiety had been synthesized after WreQ addition. The two-step reaction progress also was monitored in real time by NMR. The final UDP-sugar product after WreQ addition was purified and determined to be UDP-d-QuiNAc by one-dimensional and two-dimensional NMR experiments. These results confirmed that WreQ has UDP-2-acetamido-2,6-dideoxy-d-xylo-4-hexulose 4-reductase activity, completing a pathway for UDP-d-QuiNAc synthesis in vitro.     

Mechanistic studies on PseB of pseudaminic acid biosynthesis: a UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 5-inverting 4,6-dehydratase

UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 5-inverting 4,6-dehydratase (PseB) is a unique sugar nucleotide dehydratase that inverts the C-5″ stereocentre during conversion of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine to UDP-2-acetamido-2,6-dideoxy-β-l-arabino-hexos-4-ulose. PseB catalyzes the first step in the biosynthesis of pseudaminic acid, which is found as a post-translational modification on the flagellin of Campylobacter jejuni and Helicobacter pylori. PseB is proposed to use its tightly bound NADP⁺ to oxidize UDP-GlcNAc at C-4″, enabling dehydration. The α,β unsaturated ketone intermediate is then reduced by delivery of the hydride to C-6″ and a proton to C-5″. Consistent with this, PseB from C. jejuni has been found to incorporate deuterium into the C-5″ position of product during catalysis in D₂O. Likewise, PseB catalyzes solvent isotope exchange into the H-5″ position of product, and eliminates HF from the alternate substrate, UDP-6-deoxy-6-fluoro-GlcNAc. Mutants of the putative catalytic residues aspartate 126, lysine 127 and tyrosine 135 have severely compromised dehydratase, solvent isotope exchange, and HF elimination activities.     

Synthesis of 2,4-diacetamido-2,4,6-trideoxy-D-Galactose

Treatment of benzyl 2-acetamido-3-O-benzyl-2,6-dideoxy-4-O-(methylsulfonyl)-α-D-glucopyranoside (1) with sodium azide in hexamethylphosphoric triamide gave the 4-azido-α-D-galacto derivative (2), which was converted into benzyl 2,4-di-acetamido-3-O-benzyl-2,3,6-trideoxy-α-D-galactopyranoside (3) by hydrogenation and subsequent acetylation. Hydrogenolysis of 3 at atmospheric pressure afforded benzyl 2,4-diacetamido-2,4,6-tridcoxy-α-D-galactopyranoside (4), which was acetylated to give the 3-O-acetyl derivative (5). The n.m.r. spectrum of 5 was in agreement with the assigned structure and different from that of benzyl 2,4-di-acetamido-3-O-acetyl-α-D-glucopyranoside (9), which was prepared from the known benzyl 2,4-diacetamido-3-O-benzyl-2,4,6-trideoxy-α-D-glucopyranoside. Catalytic hydrogenolysis of 4 gave 2,4-diacetamido-2,4,6-trideoxy-D-galactose (6).     

Changes in flagellin glycosylation affect Campylobacter autoagglutination and virulence

Analysis of the complete flagellin glycosylation locus of Campylobacter jejuni strain 81-176 revealed a less complex genomic organization than the corresponding region in the genome strain, C. jejuni NCTC 11168. Twenty-four of the 45 genes found between Cj1293 and Cj1337 in NCTC 11168 are missing in 81-176. Mutation of six new genes, in addition to three previously reported, resulted in a non-motile phenotype, consistent with a role in synthesis of pseudaminic acid (PseAc) or transfer of PseAc to flagellin. Mutation of Cj1316c or pseA had been shown to result in loss of the acetamidino form of pseudaminic acid (PseAm). Mutation of a second gene also resulted in loss of PseAm, as well as a minor modification that appears to be PseAm extended with N-acetyl-glutamic acid. Previously described mutants in C. jejuni 81-176 and Campylobacter coli VC167 that produced flagella lacking PseAm or PseAc failed to autoagglutinate. This suggests that interactions between modifications on adjacent flagella filaments are required for autoagglutination. Mutants (81-176) defective in autoagglutination showed a modest reduction in adherence and invasion of INT407 cells. However, there was a qualitative difference in binding patterns to INT407 cells using GFP-labelled 81-176 and mutants lacking PseAm. A mutant lacking PseAm was attenuated in the ferret diarrhoeal disease model.     

Somatic antigens of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The structure of O-specific polysaccharide chains of the lipopolysaccharides from P. aeruginosa O1 (Lányi), O3 (Habs), O13 and O14 (Wokatsch), and the serologically related strain NCTC 8505

Lipopolysaccharides from Pseudomonas aeruginosa O1 (Lányi classification), O3 (Habs classification), O13 and O14 (Wokatsch classification), and strain NCTC 8505, which is also related to serogroup O3 (Habs), have structurally similar O-specific polysaccharide chains built up of tetrasaccharide repeating units involving L-rhamnose (Rha), 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-glucose (GlcNAc), 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-L-galacturonic acid (GalNAcA), and a di-N-acyl derivative of bacillosamine (BacN): 2,4-diacetamido-2,4,6-trideoxy-D-glucose or 2-acetamido-2,4,6-trideoxy-4-[(S)-3-hydroxybutyramido]-D-glucose. The latter derivative was obtained free by solvolysis with hydrogen fluoride of carboxyl-reduced Habs O3 polysaccharide, and was identified by 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and by mass spectrometry of the corresponding methylated alditol. Habs O3, Lányi O1, and Wokatsch O14 polysaccharides contained O-acetyl groups. Solvolysis with hydrogen fluoride of the native Habs O3 polysaccharide resulted in selective cleavage of the glycosidic linkages of 6-deoxy sugars to give the trisaccharide fragment involving all three N-acylated amino sugars. Similar solvolysis of NCTC 8505 polysaccharide afforded a mixture of disaccharide and trisaccharide with N,N'-diacetylbacillosamine at the reducing end. Smith degradation of Habs O3 polysaccharide resulted in selective oxidation of rhamnose to give a glycoside of a trisaccharide with glyceraldehyde as the aglycone. Smith degradation of NCTC 8505 polysaccharide was complicated by the formation of the glycoside of a trisaccharide with an aglycone of unknown structure. A trisaccharide with rhamnose at the reducing end was also isolated after Smith degradation of the latter polysaccharide. Analysis of the composition and structure of all oligosaccharides obtained, and detailed examination of the 13C-nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of these oligosaccharides, and of both intact and modified polysaccharides, revealed the following structures of the repeating units. The structure for the NCTC 8505 polysaccharide differs from that proposed previously [Tahara, Y. and Wilkinson, S.G. (1983) Eur. J. Biochem. 134, 299-304] in the configurations assigned to the glycosidic linkages of rhamnose and bacillosamine. The results obtained show the P. aeruginosa strains studied to represent three different O-serotypes in a single O-serogroup (Formula: see text).