The Salmonella pathogenicity island 1 secretion system directs cellular cholesterol redistribution during mammalian cell entry and intracellular trafficking

The bacterial pathogen Salmonella triggers its own uptake into non-phagocytic mammalian cells. Entry is induced by the delivery of bacterial effector pro-teins that subvert signalling and promote cytoskeletal rearrangement, although the molecular mechanisms that co-ordinate initial pathogen-host cell recognition remain poorly characterized. Here we show that cholesterol is essential for Salmonella uptake. Depletion and chelation of plasma membrane cholesterol specifically inhibited bacterial internalization but not adherence. Cholesterol accumulated at bacterial entry sites in cultured cells, and was retained by Salmonella -containing vacuoles following pathogen internalization. Cellular cholesterol redistribution required bacterial effector protein delivery mediated by the Salmonella pathogenicity island (SPI) 1 type III secretion system, but was independent of the SPI2-encoded system.     

Carbohydrate esterase family 4 enzymes: substrate specificity

The substrate specificity of selected enzymes classified under Carbohydrate Esterase family 4 (CE4) has been examined. Chitin deacetylase from Mucor rouxii and both a native and a truncated form of acetyl xylan esterase from Streptomyces lividans were found to be active on both xylan and several soluble chitinous substrates. Furthermore, the activities of all enzymes examined were significantly increased in the presence of Co(2+) when chitinous substrates were employed. However, the presence of this metal ion did not result in enhancing the activities of the enzymes when xylan was used as substrate. An acetyl xylan esterase from Bacillus pumilus, classified under Carbohydrate Esterase family 7, was found to be inactive towards all chitinous substrates tested. Finally, all enzymes examined were inactive towards cell wall peptidoglycan.     

SR-BI mediates cholesterol efflux via its interactions with lipid-bound ApoE. Structural mutations in SR-BI diminish cholesterol efflux

Apolipoprotein E (apoE) and the lipoprotein receptor SR-BI play critical roles in lipid and lipoprotein metabolism. We have examined the cholesterol efflux from wild-type (WT) and mutant forms of SR-BI expressed in ldlA-7 cells using reconstituted discoidal particles consisting of apoE, 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-l-phospatidylcholine (POPC), and cholesterol (C) as acceptors. POPC/C-apoE particles generated using apoE2, apoE3, apoE4, or carboxy-terminally truncated forms apoE4-165, apoE4-202, apoE4-229, and apoE4-259 caused similar (20-25%) cholesterol efflux from WT SR-BI. Cholesterol efflux mediated by POPC/C-apoE was not enhanced in the presence of lipid-free apoE. The rate of cholesterol efflux mediated by particles containing the WT or carboxy-terminally truncated forms of apoE was decreased to approximately 30% of the WT control with the Q402R/Q418R mutant SR-BI form that is unable to bind native HDL normally but binds LDL. The rate of cholesterol efflux was further decreased to approximately 7% of the WT control with another SR-BI mutant (M158R) that binds neither HDL nor LDL. The level of binding of POPC/C-apoE particles (150 microg/mL) to SR-BI mutant forms Q402R/Q418R and M158R was 70 and 8% of the WT control, respectively. SR-BI-dependent binding of lipid-free apoE to cells was undetectable, and cholesterol efflux was less than 0.5%. The findings establish that only lipid-bound apoE promotes SR-BI-mediated cholesterol efflux and that the amino-terminal region of residues 1-165 of apoE is sufficient for both receptor binding and cholesterol efflux. The SR-BI-apoE interactions may contribute to overall cholesterol homeostasis in cells and tissues that express SR-BI and apoE.     

Contribution of the hormone-response elements of the proximal ApoA-I promoter, ApoCIII enhancer, and C/EBP binding site of the proximal ApoA-I promoter to the hepatic and intestinal expression of the ApoA-I and ApoCIII genes in transgenic mice

We have generated and studied the pattern of expression of transgenic mouse lines carrying the human apoA-I and apoCIII gene cluster mutated at different sites. In two lines, we have either mutated the hormone-response element (HRE) of element G of the apoCIII enhancer or the C/EBP binding site of the proximal apoA-I promoter. In a third line, we have mutated the two HREs of the apoA-I promoter and the HRE of the apoCIII enhancer. Mutations in the HRE of element G reduced the hepatic and intestinal expressions of the reporter chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene (which substituted the apoCIII gene) to 4 and 13% of the wild-type (WT) control, whereas the hepatic and intestinal expressions of the apoA-I gene were reduced to 92 and 25% of the WT control, respectively. A mutation in the C/EBP site increased the hepatic and intestinal expressions of the apoA-I gene approximately 1.25- and 1.6-fold, respectively, and did not affect the expression of the CAT gene. The mutation in the three HNF-4 binding sites of the apoA-I promoter/apoCIII enhancer nearly abolished the expression of apoA-I and the reporter CAT gene in all tissues. These findings establish the importance of the HREs for the hepatic and intestinal expressions of the apoA-I and apoCIII genes and suggest that C/EBP does not play a central role in the expression of the apoA-I gene.     

Structure of the ligand-blocked periplasmic entrance of the bacterial multidrug efflux protein TolC

The trimeric TolC protein of Escherichia coli comprises an outer membrane beta-barrel and a contiguous alpha-helical barrel projecting across the periplasm. This provides a single 140 A long pore for multidrug efflux and protein export. We have previously reported that trivalent cations such as hexammine cobalt can severely inhibit the conductivity of the TolC pore reconstituted in planar lipid bilayers. Here, isothermal calorimetry shows that Co(NH(3))(6)(3+) binds to TolC with an affinity of 20 nM. The crystal structure of the TolC-Co(NH(3))(6)(3+) complex was determined to 2.75 A resolution, and showed no significant difference in the protein when compared with unliganded TolC. An electron density difference map revealed that a single ligand molecule binds at the centre of the periplasmic entrance, the sole constriction of TolC. The octahedral symmetry of the ligand and the three-fold rotational symmetry of the TolC entrance determine a binding site in which the ligand forms hydrogen bonds with the Asp(374) residue of each monomer. When Asp(374) was substituted by alanine, high affinity ligand binding was abolished and inhibition of TolC pore conductivity in lipid bilayers was alleviated. Comparable effects followed independent substitution of the neighbouring Asp(371), indicating that this aspartate ring also contributes to the high affinity ligand binding site. As the electronegative entrance is widely conserved in the TolC family, it may be a useful target for the development of inhibitors against multidrug resistant pathogenic bacteria.     

Interactions underlying assembly of the Escherichia coli AcrAB-TolC multidrug efflux system

The major Escherichia coli multidrug efflux pump AcrAB-TolC expels a wide range of antibacterial agents. Using in vivo cross-linking, we show for the first time that the antiporter AcrB and the adaptor AcrA, which form a translocase in the inner membrane, interact with the outer membrane TolC exit duct to form a contiguous proteinaceous complex spanning the bacterial cell envelope. Assembly of the pump appeared to be constitutive, occurring in the presence and absence of drug efflux substrate. This contrasts with substrate-induced assembly of the closely related TolC-dependent protein export machinery, possibly reflecting different assembly dynamics and degrees of substrate responsiveness in the two systems. TolC could be cross-linked independently to AcrB, showing that their large periplasmic domains are in close proximity. However, isothermal titration calorimetry detected no interaction between the purified AcrB and TolC proteins, suggesting that the adaptor protein is required for their stable association in vivo. Confirming this view, AcrA could be cross-linked independently to AcrB and TolC in vivo, and calorimetry demonstrated energetically favourable interactions of AcrA with both AcrB and TolC proteins. AcrB was bound by a polypeptide spanning the C-terminal half of AcrA, but binding to TolC required interaction of N- and C-terminal polypeptides spanning the lipoyl-like domains predicted to present the intervening coiled-coil to the periplasmic coils of TolC. These in vivo and in vitro analyses establish the central role of the AcrA adaptor in drug-independent assembly of the tripartite drug efflux pump, specifically in coupling the inner membrane transporter and the outer membrane exit duct.     

Probing the pathways of chylomicron and HDL metabolism using adenovirus-mediated gene transfer

PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW: This review clarifies the functions of key proteins of the chylomicron and the HDL pathways. RECENT FINDINGS: Adenovirus-mediated gene transfer of several apolipoprotein (apo)E forms in mice showed that the amino-terminal 1-185 domain of apoE can direct receptor-mediated lipoprotein clearance in vivo. Clearance is mediated mainly by the LDL receptor. The carboxyl-terminal 261-299 domain of apoE induces hypertriglyceridemia, because of increased VLDL secretion, diminished lipolysis and inefficient VLDL clearance. Truncated apoE forms, including apoE2-202, have a dominant effect in remnant clearance and may have future therapeutic applications for the correction of remnant removal disorders. Permanent expression of apoE and apoA-I following adenoviral gene transfer protected mice from atherosclerosis. Functional assays, protein cross-linking, and adenovirus-mediated gene transfer of apoA-I mutants in apoA-I deficient mice showed that residues 220-231, as well as the central helices of apoA-I, participate in ATP-binding cassette transporter A1-mediated lipid efflux and HDL biogenesis. Following apoA-I gene transfer, an amino-terminal deletion mutant formed spherical alpha-HDL, a double amino- and carboxyl-terminal deletion mutant formed discoidal HDL, and a carboxyl-terminal deletion mutant formed only pre-beta-HDL. The findings support a model of cholesterol efflux that requires direct physical interactions between apoA-I and ATP-binding cassette transporter A1, and can explain Tangier disease and other HDL deficiencies. SUMMARY: New insights are provided into the role of apoE in cholesterol and triglyceride homeostasis, and of apoA-I in the biogenesis of HDL. Clearance of the lipoprotein remnants and increase in HDL synthesis are obvious targets for therapeutic interventions.     

Elite swimmers and the D allele of the ACE I/D polymorphism

A polymorphism of the human angiotensin-1-converting enzyme (ACE) gene has been identified in which the presence (insertion, I allele) of a 287-bp fragment rather than the absence (deletion, D allele) is associated with lower ACE activity. Several recent studies have shown an association of the I allele with endurance performance, it being found with excess frequency in elite distance runners, rowers and mountaineers. Other workers using heterogeneous cohorts of athletes from mixed sporting disciplines have found no such association. An increasing linear trend of I allele frequency with the distance run amongst Olympic runners and an excess of the D allele amongst sprinters led us to examine whether the ratio of I and D alleles in swimmers competing over different distances would also vary. Swimmers (n=120) from the European and Commonwealth championships and an American college team had their ACE genotype determined and their gene and allele frequencies compared with several control groups, the most closely age-matched of which were 1,248 military recruits. Of the 103 Caucasians, there was a significant excess of the D allele compared with this control group only in the truly elite swimmers of the European and Commonwealth championships (P=0.004). This association remained in those competing over shorter distances (P=0.005 for 400 m and below) but not in the longer events. These findings were confirmed in three further large control groups. A population association study testing whether a genetic marker (the ACE I/D polymorphism) occurs more frequently in cases (elite athletes) than in controls therefore requires a homogeneous cohort of subjects from the same sporting discipline.