Identification and biosynthesis of cyclic enterobacterial common antigen in Escherichia coli

Phosphoglyceride-linked enterobacterial common antigen (ECA(PG)) is a cell surface glycolipid that is synthesized by all gram-negative enteric bacteria. The carbohydrate portion of ECA(PG) consists of linear heteropolysaccharide chains comprised of the trisaccharide repeat unit Fuc4NAc-ManNAcA-GlcNAc, where Fuc4NAc is 4-acetamido-4,6-dideoxy-D-galactose, ManNAcA is N-acetyl-D-mannosaminuronic acid, and GlcNAc is N-acetyl-D-glucosamine. The potential reducing terminal GlcNAc residue of each polysaccharide chain is linked via phosphodiester linkage to a phosphoglyceride aglycone. We demonstrate here the occurrence of a water-soluble cyclic form of enterobacterial common antigen, ECA(CYC), purified from Escherichia coli strains B and K-12 with solution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), and additional biochemical methods. The ECA(CYC) molecules lacked an aglycone and contained four trisaccharide repeat units that were nonstoichiometrically substituted with up to four O-acetyl groups. ECA(CYC) was not detected in mutant strains that possessed null mutations in the wecA, wecF, and wecG genes of the wec gene cluster. These observations corroborate the structural data obtained by NMR and ESI-MS analyses and show for the first time that the trisaccharide repeat units of ECA(CYC) and ECA(PG) are assembled by a common biosynthetic pathway.     

Mutations in enterobacterial common antigen biosynthesis restore outer membrane barrier function in Escherichia coli tol-pal mutants

The outer membrane (OM) is an essential component of the Gram-negative bacterial envelope that protects the cells against external threats. To maintain a functional OM, cells require distinct mechanisms to ensure balance of proteins and lipids in the membrane. Mutations in OM biogenesis and/or homeostasis pathways often result in permeability defects, but how molecular changes in the OM affect barrier function is unclear. Here, we seek potential mechanism(s) that can alleviate permeability defects in Escherichia coli cells lacking the Tol-Pal complex, which accumulate excess PLs in the OM. We identify mutations in enterobacterial common antigen (ECA) biosynthesis that re-establish OM barrier function against large hydrophilic molecules, yet did not restore lipid homeostasis. Furthermore, we demonstrate that build-up of biosynthetic intermediates, but not loss of ECA itself, contributes to the rescue. This suppression of OM phenotypes is unrelated to known effects that accumulation of ECA intermediates have on the cell wall. Finally, we reveal that an unusual diacylglycerol pyrophosphoryl-linked lipid species also accumulates in ECA mutants, and might play a role in the rescue phenotype. Our work provides insights into how OM barrier function can be restored independent of lipid homeostasis, and highlights previously unappreciated effects of ECA-related species in OM biology.     

Presence of rfe genes in Escherichia coli: their participation in biosynthesis of O antigen and enterobacterial common antigen.

In Salmonella, ilv-linked rfe genes participate in the biosynthesis of the enterobacterial common antigen (CA) as well as of certain types of O antigen (serogroups C1 and L). rff genes, probably in the same cluster with rfe, are required for CA synthesis (P.H. M?kel? et al., in preparation). Several Escherichia coli strains were studied to determine whether they also have rfe-rff genes that are involved in the synthesis of O antigen and CA, or of CA only. In a first approach, E, coli K-12 F-prime factors carrying the genes ilv and argH or argE and presumably rfe-rff genes were introduced into CA-negative Salmonella mutants that are blocked in CA synthesis because of mutated rfe or rff genes. All resulting ilv+ hybrids were CA positive. In recipients with group C1-derived rfb genes, the synthesis of O6,7-specific antigen was also restored. This result shows that E. coli K-12 has rfe and rff genes providing the functions required in the synthesis of CA and Salmonella 6,7-specific polysaccharide. By introduction of defective rfe regions from suitable Salmonella donors into E. coli O8, 09, and O100 strains, the synthesis of CA as well as of the O-specific polysaccharides was blocked. This indicates that in the E. coli strains tested the rfe genes are involved in the synthesis of both O antigen and CA. This suggestion was confirmed by the finding of E. coli rough mutants that had simultaneously become CA negative. In transduction experiments it could be shown that the appearance of the rough and CA- phenotype was due to a defect in the ilv-linked rfe region.     

Assembly of cyclic enterobacterial common antigen in Escherichia coli K-12

We describe here the purification and quantification of a water-soluble cyclic form of enterobacterial common antigen (ECA(CYC)) from Escherichia coli K-12 as well as information regarding its subcellular location and the genetic loci involved in its assembly. Structural characterization of purified ECA(CYC) molecules obtained from E. coli K-12 revealed that they uniformly contained four trisaccharide repeat units, and they were substituted with from zero to four O-acetyl groups. Cells from overnight cultures contained approximately 2 microg ECA(CYC) per milligram (dry weight), and cell fractionation studies revealed that these molecules were localized exclusively in the periplasm. The synthesis and assembly of ECA(CYC) were found to require the wzxE and wzyE genes of the wec gene cluster. These genes encode proteins involved in the transmembrane translocation of undecaprenylpyrophosphate-linked ECA trisaccharide repeat units and the polymerization of trisaccharide repeat units, respectively. Surprisingly, synthesis of ECA(CYC) was dependent on the wzzE gene, which is required for the modulation of the polysaccharide chain lengths of phosphoglyceride-linked ECA (ECA(PG)). The presence of ECA(CYC) in extracts of several other gram-negative enteric organisms was also demonstrated; however, it was not detected in cell extracts of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. These data suggest that in addition to ECA(PG), ECA(CYC) may be synthesized in many, if not all, members of the Enterobacteriaceae.     

Role of a lipopolysaccharide gene for immunogenicity of the enterobacterial common antigen.

It is known that only certain strains of the family of Enterobacteriaceae, notably rough (R) mutants with the type R1 or R4 core, evoked antibodies in high titers against the common enterobacterial antigen (CA) after immunization of rabbits with heated cell suspensions. The present investigation deals with genetic and immunochemical aspects of certain R1 and R4 mutants isolated from Escherichia coli 08 and various Shigella serotypes which, unexpectedly, do not induce CA antibody formation. Immunochemical and genetical (transduction and conjugation) experiments revealed that the rough phenotype of these special mutants was evoked by a mutation of pyrE-linked rfa gene, called rfaL, which is involved in translocation of O-specific polysaccharides onto the lipopolysaccharide core. The transduction of the defective rfaL, allele into appropriate rough recipients results in transductants which have simultaneously lost the ability to evoke CA antibodies. This finding suggests that a close connection exists between the function of the rfaL gene and the expression of CA immunogenicity in R1 and R4 mutants. One of the strains synthesized neither O-hapten nor CA, suggesting a mutation in a region equivalent to the rfe genes of Salmonella.     

Immunocytochemical localization of enterobacterial common antigen in Escherichia coli and Yersinia enterocolitica cells.

Enterobacterial common antigen (ECA) was localized on Lowicryl K4M sections and on ultrathin cryosections by using either a mouse monoclonal antibody or an absorbed rabbit polyclonal immune serum with the corresponding gold-labeled secondary antibodies. Comparable results were obtained with both monoclonal antibody and polyclonal immune serum. Controls with two ECA-negative mutants revealed the ECA specificity of both labeling systems. On Lowicryl K4M sections, good labeling of the outer membrane and of membrane-associated areas in the cytoplasm was obtained. Unexpectedly, however, the ribosome-containing areas of the cytoplasm also showed significant labeling. On ultrathin cryosections, labeling of the cytoplasmic areas was much weaker, although the density of label in the outer membrane was comparable to that obtained with the Lowicryl K4M sections. With the techniques used, it cannot be completely excluded that the appearance of ECA in the cytoplasm is due to displacement of ECA-reactive sites during the preparation procedure.     

Biosynthesis of enterobacterial common antigen in Escherichia coli. In vitro synthesis of lipid-linked intermediates

An in vitro system was developed to study the biosynthesis of enterobacterial common antigen (ECA). Membranes of Escherichia coli were found to possess an enzyme activity that catalyzes the transfer of UDP-N-acetyl-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate from UDP-N-acetyl-glucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc) to an endogenous lipid acceptor according to the reaction UDP-GlcNAc + P-lipid----GlcNAc-PP-lipid + UMP. The lipid-linked product was tentatively identified as GlcNAc-pyrophosphorylundecaprenol (lipid I) based on a comparison of its chemical and chromatographic properties with those of authentic GlcNAc-pyrophosphorylundecaprenol. The enzyme was dependent on the presence of Mg2+ for activity, and the reaction catalyzed by the enzyme was totally inhibited by the antibiotic tunicamycin in both the forward and reverse directions. Incubation of membranes with both UDP-N-acetylmannosaminuronic acid (UDP-ManNAcA) and UDP-GlcNAc resulted in the conversion of lipid I to a more polar compound, lipid II. The synthesis of lipid II was dependent on prior synthesis of lipid I. Characterization of the saccharide moiety of lipid II resulted in the identification of this compound as ManNAcA-GlcNAc-pyrophosphorylundecaprenol.     

Effect of reduced membrane lipid fluidity on the biosynthesis of lipopolysaccharide of Escherichia coli

A low molecular weight precursor of lipopolysaccharide was accumulated under conditions in which the membrane lipids of a fatty acid auxotroph of Escherichia coli were reduced to a non-fluid state. The lipopolysaccharide precursor was detected, by sodium dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and autoradiography, in membranes isolated from cells which were pulse-labeled with N-acetyl-[1-14C]glucosamine. The precursor could be chased into mature lipopolysaccharide by returning the membrane lipids to a normal fluid state. Conversion of the precursor to lipopolysaccharide was inhibited by the presence of potassium cyanide or sodium arsenate. The processing of several outer membrane protein precursors, including the promatrix proteins, was also inhibited under these conditions. Preliminary characterization of the lipopolysaccharide precursor was undertaken.     

Purification and characterization of WaaP from Escherichia coli, a lipopolysaccharide kinase essential for outer membrane stability

In Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the waaP (rfaP) gene product is required for the addition of phosphate to O-4 of the first heptose residue of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) inner core region. This phosphate substitution is particularly important to the biology of these bacteria; it has previously been shown that WaaP is necessary for resistance to hydrophobic and polycationic antimicrobials in E. coli and that it is required for virulence in invasive strains of S. enterica. WaaP function is also known to be essential for the viability of P. aeruginosa. The predicted WaaP protein shows low levels of similarity (10-15% identity) to eukaryotic protein kinases, but its kinase activity has never been tested. Here we report the purification of WaaP and the reconstitution of its enzymatic activity in vitro. The purified enzyme catalyzes the incorporation of 33P from [gamma-33P]ATP into acceptor LPS purified from a defined E. coli waaP mutant. Enzymatic activity is dependent upon the presence of Mg2+ and is maximal from pH 8.0 to 9.0. The apparent Km (determined at saturating concentrations of the second substrate) is 0.13 mm for ATP and 76 microm for LPS. These data are the first proof that WaaP is indeed an LPS kinase. Further, site-directed mutagenesis of a predicted catalytic residue suggests that WaaP shares a common mechanism of action with eukaryotic protein kinases.     

Expression,purification, and characterization of a new Glucosyltransferase involved in the third step of O-antigen repeating-unit biosynthesis of Escherichia coli O152

Glycoconjugate Journal - The O antigen is indispensable for the full function and virulence of pathogenic bacteria. During O-repeating unit (RU) biosynthesis, committed glycosyltransferases (GTs)...     

Chemical and immunochemical studies of the O-antigen from enteropathogenic Escherichia coli O158 lipopolysaccharide

The O-specific polysaccharide isolated from Escherichia coli O158 smooth lipopolysaccharide contains L-rhamnose, D-glucose and 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-galactose in the molar ratios 1:2:2. Studies on composition, methylation analysis and specific degradations together with a 1H and 13C NMR spectral study established that the O-antigen is built up from a pentasaccharide repeating unit having the following structure: [formula: see text] The most effective inhibitory part of the oligosaccharide from E. coli O158 lipopolysaccharide has been serologically characterized by an ELISA-inhibition study using different sugars. The results showed that methyl alpha- and beta-D-GalpNAc are the most effective inhibitors among the monosaccharides tested, while the main antibody specificity lies on the main-chain trisaccharide repeating unit.     

Mutation in a gene required for lipopolysaccharide and enterobacterial common antigen biosynthesis affects virulence in the plant pathogen Erwinia carotovora subsp. atroseptica.

Spontaneous bacteriophage-resistant mutants of the phytopathogen Erwinia carotovora subsp. atroseptica (Eca) SCRI1043 were isolated and, out of 40, two were found to exhibit reduced virulence in planta. One of these mutants, A5/22, showed multiple cell surface defects including alterations in synthesis of outer membrane proteins, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), enterobacterial common antigen (ECA), and flagella. Mutant A5/22 also showed reduced synthesis of the exoenzymes pectate lyase (Pel) and cellulase (Cel), major virulence factors for this pathogen. Genetic analysis revealed the pronounced pleiotropic mutant phenotype to be due to a defect in a single gene (rffG) that, in Escherichia coli, is involved in the production of ECA. We also show that while other enteric bacteria possess duplicate homologues of this gene dedicated separately to synthesis of LPS and ECA, Eca has a single gene.     

Functional and structural membrane topology of rat liver microsomal glutathione transferase

The membrane topology of rat liver microsomal glutathione transferase was investigated by comparing the tryptic cleavage products from intact and permeabilized microsomes. It was shown that lysine-4 of microsomal glutathione transferase is accessible at the luminal surface of the endoplasmic reticulum, whereas lysine-41 faces the cytosol. These positions are separated by a hydrophobic stretch of 25 amino acids (positions 11–35) which comprises the likely membrane-spanning region. Reaction of cysteine-49 of the microsomal glutathione transferase with the charged sulfhydryl reagent DTNB (2,2′-dithiobis(5-nitrobenzoic acid))) in intact microsomes further supports the cytosolic localization of this portion of the polypeptide chain. The role of two other potential membrane-spanning/associated segments in the C-terminal half of the polypeptide chain was examined by investigating the association of the protein to the membrane after trypsin cleavage at lysine-41. Activity measurements and Western blot analysis after washing with high concentrations of salt, as well as after phase separation in Triton X-114, indicate that this portion of the protein also binds to the membrane. It is also shown that cleavage of the purified protein at Lys-41 and subsequent separation of the fragments obtained yields a functional C-terminal polypeptide with the expected length for the product encompassing positions 42–154. The location of the active site of microsomal glutathione transferase was investigated using radiolabelled glutathione together with a second substrate. Since isolated rat liver microsomes do not take up glutathione or release the glutathione conjugate into the lumen, it can be concluded that the active site of rat liver microsomal glutathione transferase faces the cytosolic side of the endoplasmic reticulum.     

Exclusion of high-molecular-weight maltosaccharides by lipopolysaccharide O-antigen of Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium.

The barrier properties of lipopolysaccharide were studied by testing the influence of O-antigen on the binding of ligand to maltoporin in the outer membranes of Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium. Maltoporin (LamB protein) of Escherichia coli K-12 was capable of interacting with macromolecular starch polysaccharides, as was previously shown by the binding of intact bacteria to fluorescein-labeled amylopectin or to starch-Sepharose columns. In contrast, strains with complete O-antigenic lipopolysaccharide showed reduced binding to these substrates. A similar result was obtained with Salmonella typhimurium LT2, which did not bind to starch unless rfa mutations removed noncore polysaccharide. The exclusion limit of the lipopolysaccharide permeability barrier to alpha-glucans was tested by measuring the maltoporin-dependent transport of maltose and its inhibition by maltodextrins of various sizes. Only amylopectin (molecular weight, greater than 25,000) was excluded in transport experiments, whereas maltodextrins with molecular weights of up to 2,000 were not excluded by the presence of an O-polysaccharide layer.     

Crystal structure of TDP-fucosamine acetyltransferase (WecD) from Escherichia coli, an enzyme required for enterobacterial common antigen synthesis

Enterobacterial common antigen (ECA) is a polysaccharide found on the outer membrane of virtually all gram-negative enteric bacteria and consists of three sugars, N-acetyl-d-glucosamine, N-acetyl-d-mannosaminuronic acid, and 4-acetamido-4,6-dideoxy-d-galactose, organized into trisaccharide repeating units having the sequence -->3)-alpha-d-Fuc4NAc-(1-->4)-beta-d-ManNAcA-(1-->4)-alpha-d-GlcNAc-(1-->. While the precise function of ECA is unknown, it has been linked to the resistance of Shiga-toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157:H7 to organic acids and the resistance of Salmonella enterica to bile salts. The final step in the synthesis of 4-acetamido-4,6-dideoxy-d-galactose, the acetyl-coenzyme A (CoA)-dependent acetylation of the 4-amino group, is carried out by TDP-fucosamine acetyltransferase (WecD). We have determined the crystal structure of WecD in apo form at a 1.95-Angstrom resolution and bound to acetyl-CoA at a 1.66-Angstrom resolution. WecD is a dimeric enzyme, with each monomer adopting the GNAT N-acetyltransferase fold, common to a number of enzymes involved in acetylation of histones, aminoglycoside antibiotics, serotonin, and sugars. The crystal structure of WecD, however, represents the first structure of a GNAT family member that acts on nucleotide sugars. Based on this cocrystal structure, we have used flexible docking to generate a WecD-bound model of the acetyl-CoA-TDP-fucosamine tetrahedral intermediate, representing the structure during acetyl transfer. Our structural data show that WecD does not possess a residue that directly functions as a catalytic base, although Tyr208 is well positioned to function as a general acid by protonating the thiolate anion of coenzyme A.     

Genetic analysis of the membrane insertion and topology of MalF, a cytoplasmic membrane protein of Escherichia coli

MalF is an essential cytoplasmic membrane protein of the maltose transport system of Escherichia coli. We have developed a general approach for analysis of the mechanism of integration of membrane proteins and their membrane topology by characterizing a series of fusions of beta-galactosidase to MalF. The properties of the fusion proteins indicate the following. (1) The first two presumed transmembrane segments of MalF are sufficient to anchor beta-galactosidase firmly to the inner membrane. (2) Hybrid proteins with beta-galactosidase fused to a presumed cytoplasmic domain of MalF have high beta-galactosidase specific activity; fusions to periplasmic domains have low activity. We propose therefore, that periplasmic and cytoplasmic domains of integral membrane proteins can be distinguished by the enzymatic properties of such hybrid proteins. In general, it appears that cleaved or non-cleaved signal sequences when attached to beta-galactosidase cause it to become embedded in the membrane, and this results in the inability of the hybrid proteins to assemble into active enzyme. Additional properties of these fusion proteins contribute to our understanding of the regulation of MalF synthesis. The MalF protein, synthesized as part of the malEFG operon of E. coli, is approximately 30-fold less abundant in the cell than MalE protein (the maltose-binding protein). Differential amounts of the fusion proteins indicate that a regulatory signal occurs within the malF gene that is responsible for the step-down in expression from the malE gene to the malF gene.     

Functional characterization of WaaL, a ligase associated with linking O-antigen polysaccharide to the core of Pseudomonas aeruginosa lipopolysaccharide

The O antigen of Pseudomonas aeruginosa B-band lipopolysaccharide is synthesized by assembling O-antigen-repeat units at the cytoplasmic face of the inner membrane by nonprocessive glycosyltransferases, followed by polymerization on the periplasmic face. The completed chains are covalently attached to lipid A core by the O-antigen ligase, WaaL. In P. aeruginosa the process of ligating these O-antigen molecules to lipid A core is not clearly defined, and an O-antigen ligase has not been identified until this study. Using the sequence of waaL from Salmonella enterica as a template in a BLAST search, a putative waaL gene was identified in the P. aeruginosa genome. The candidate gene was amplified and cloned, and a chromosomal knockout of PAO1 waaL was generated. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from this mutant is devoid of B-band O-polysaccharides and semirough (SR-LPS, or core-plus-one O-antigen). The mutant PAO1waaL is also deficient in the production of A-band polysaccharide, a homopolymer of D-rhamnose. Complementation of the mutant with pPAJL4 containing waaL restored the production of both A-band and B-band O antigens as well as SR-LPS, indicating that the knockout was nonpolar and waaL is required for the attachment of O-antigen repeat units to the core. Mutation of waaL in PAO1 and PA14, respectively, could be complemented with waaL from either strain to restore wild-type LPS production. The waaL mutation also drastically affected the swimming and twitching motilities of the bacteria. These results demonstrate that waaL in P. aeruginosa encodes a functional O-antigen ligase that is important for cell wall integrity and motility of the bacteria.     

Inhibitors of lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis impair the virulence potential of Escherichia coli

Inhibition of 3-deoxy-manno-octulosonate cytidylytransferase (CMP-KDO transferase; EC 2.7.7.38) by 8-amino-2,6-anhydro-3,8-dideoxy-D-glycero-D-talo-octonic acid (NH2dKDO) halts the growth of Gram-negative bacteria by depriving the cells of the 3-deoxy-D-manno-2-octulosonate required for the biosynthesis of the core region of the lipopolysaccharide components of the outer membrane. Low levels of this inhibitor increase the vulnerability of Escherichia coli to hydrophobic antibiotics, detergents, the complement-mediated antibacterial activity of serum, phagocytosis, and enhance the rate at which bacteria are cleared from the mouse bloodstream.     

Localization of enterobacterial common antigen immunoreactivity in the ribosomal cytoplasm of Escherichia coli cells cryosubstituted and embedded at low temperature.

The application of two on-section immunogold labeling techniques, the Lowicryl K4M (progressive lowering of temperature) procedure and the cryosection technique of Tokuyasu, in a previous work to study the topology of enterobacterial common antigen (ECA) biosynthesis revealed the presence of label on the outer membrane and in areas associated with the inner side of the cytoplasmic membrane. However, labeling was also observed in the ribosomal cytoplasm. The question of whether the cytoplasmic label was a result of ECA displacement during the more slowly acting aldehyde fixation or whether cytoplasmic ECA precursors are true constituents of the ribosomal cytoplasm could not be resolved from these results. In the study described here, cells of the same Escherichia coli F470 strain were reinvestigated by comparison of the progressive lowering of temperature and improved cryosubstitution-low-temperature embedment techniques. The latter procedure, applied directly to nonpretreated and noncentrifuged cells, led to superior ultrastructural preservation of the cytoplasmic organization, with little opportunity for cytoplasmic antigen displacement after the primary cryofixation step; the label distribution obtained supports the conclusion that N-acetylmannosaminuronic acid (ManNAcA)-containing ECA precursors are real constituents of the ribosomal cytoplasm. Results from tunicamycin inhibition studies of ECA biogenesis in the E. coli mutant 2465 suggested that even the ECA precursor UDP-ManNAcA alone or a chemically unidentified product(s) generated from accumulated ManNAcA residues may react with the monoclonal antibody used, leading to weak but clearly positive cytoplasmic labeling. The relatively intense labeling obtained with cells grown in the absence of the drug can be explained by the reactivity of further ManNAcA-containing ECA precursors with the monoclonal antibody used.