RESUMO
The design of inhibitors against metallo-ß-lactamases (MBLs), the largest family of carbapenemases, has been a strategic goal in designing novel antimicrobial therapies. In this regard, the development of bicyclic boronates, such as taniborbactam (TAN) and xeruborbactam, is a major achievement that may help in overcoming the threat of MBL-producing and carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative pathogens. Of concern, a recent report has shown that New Delhi MBL-9 (NDM-9) escapes the inhibitory action of TAN by a single amino acid substitution with respect to New Delhi MBL-1 (NDM-1), the most widely disseminated MBL. Here, we report a docking and computational analysis that identifies that "escape variants" against TAN can arise by disruption of the electrostatic interaction of negative charges in the active site loops of MBLs with the N-(2-aminoethyl)cyclohexylamine side chain of TAN. These changes result in non-productive binding modes of TAN that preclude reaction with the MBLs, a phenomenon that is not restricted to NDM-9. This analysis demonstrates that single amino acid substitutions in non-essential residues in MBL loops can unexpectedly elicit resistance to TAN.
Assuntos
Antibacterianos , Ácidos Borínicos , Ácidos Carboxílicos , Antibacterianos/farmacologia , Inibidores de beta-Lactamases/farmacologia , beta-Lactamases/metabolismo , Ácidos Borínicos/farmacologia , Resistência beta-Lactâmica , Testes de Sensibilidade MicrobianaRESUMO
Protein stability is an essential property for biological function. In contrast to the vast knowledge on protein stability in vitro, little is known about the factors governing in-cell stability. Here we show that the metallo-ß-lactamase (MBL) New Delhi MBL-1 (NDM-1) is a kinetically unstable protein on metal restriction that has evolved by acquiring different biochemical traits that optimize its in-cell stability. The nonmetalated (apo) NDM-1 is degraded by the periplasmic protease Prc that recognizes its partially unstructured C-terminal domain. Zn(II) binding renders the protein refractory to degradation by quenching the flexibility of this region. Membrane anchoring makes apo-NDM-1 less accessible to Prc and protects it from DegP, a cellular protease degrading misfolded, nonmetalated NDM-1 precursors. NDM variants accumulate substitutions at the C terminus that quench its flexibility, enhancing their kinetic stability and bypassing proteolysis. These observations link MBL-mediated resistance with the essential periplasmic metabolism, highlighting the importance of the cellular protein homeostasis.
Assuntos
Peptídeo Hidrolases , beta-Lactamases , beta-Lactamases/genética , beta-Lactamases/metabolismo , Estabilidade Proteica , Proteólise , Peptídeo Hidrolases/metabolismo , Antibacterianos , Testes de Sensibilidade MicrobianaRESUMO
Traditional studies on the evolution of antibiotic resistance development use approaches that can range from laboratory-based experimental studies, to epidemiological surveillance, to sequencing of clinical isolates. However, evolutionary trajectories also depend on the environment in which selection takes place, compelling the need to more deeply investigate the impact of environmental complexities and their dynamics over time. Herein, we explored the within-patient adaptive long-term evolution of a Pseudomonas aeruginosa hypermutator lineage in the airways of a cystic fibrosis (CF) patient by performing a chronological tracking of mutations that occurred in different subpopulations; our results demonstrated parallel evolution events in the chromosomally encoded class C ß-lactamase (blaPDC). These multiple mutations within blaPDC shaped diverse coexisting alleles, whose frequency dynamics responded to the changing antibiotic selective pressures for more than 26 years of chronic infection. Importantly, the combination of the cumulative mutations in blaPDC provided structural and functional protein changes that resulted in a continuous enhancement of its catalytic efficiency and high level of cephalosporin resistance. This evolution was linked to the persistent treatment with ceftazidime, which we demonstrated selected for variants with robust catalytic activity against this expanded-spectrum cephalosporin. A "gain of function" of collateral resistance toward ceftolozane, a more recently introduced cephalosporin that was not prescribed to this patient, was also observed, and the biochemical basis of this cross-resistance phenomenon was elucidated. This work unveils the evolutionary trajectories paved by bacteria toward a multidrug-resistant phenotype, driven by decades of antibiotic treatment in the natural CF environmental setting. IMPORTANCE Antibiotics are becoming increasingly ineffective to treat bacterial infections. It has been consequently predicted that infectious diseases will become the biggest challenge to human health in the near future. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is considered a paradigm in antimicrobial resistance as it exploits intrinsic and acquired resistance mechanisms to resist virtually all antibiotics known. AmpC ß-lactamase is the main mechanism driving resistance in this notorious pathogen to ß-lactams, one of the most widely used classes of antibiotics for cystic fibrosis infections. Here, we focus on the ß-lactamase gene as a model resistance determinant and unveil the trajectory P. aeruginosa undertakes on the path toward a multidrug-resistant phenotype during the course of two and a half decades of chronic infection in the airways of a cystic fibrosis patient. Integrating genetic and biochemical studies in the natural environment where evolution occurs, we provide a unique perspective on this challenging landscape, addressing fundamental molecular mechanisms of resistance.
Assuntos
Fibrose Cística , Infecções por Pseudomonas , Humanos , Cefalosporinase/genética , Fibrose Cística/microbiologia , Ceftazidima/farmacologia , Infecções por Pseudomonas/microbiologia , Pseudomonas/metabolismo , Testes de Sensibilidade Microbiana , beta-Lactamases/metabolismo , Cefalosporinas/farmacologia , Cefalosporinas/uso terapêutico , Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Antibacterianos/farmacologia , Antibacterianos/uso terapêuticoRESUMO
Protein evolution depends on the adaptation of these molecules to different functional challenges. This occurs by tuning their biochemical, biophysical, and structural traits through the accumulation of mutations. While the role of protein dynamics in biochemistry is well recognized, there are limited examples providing experimental evidence of the optimization of protein dynamics during evolution. Here we report an NMR study of four variants of the CTX-M ß-lactamases, in which the interplay of two mutations outside the active site enhances the activity against a cephalosporin substrate, ceftazidime. The crystal structures of these enzymes do not account for this activity enhancement. By using NMR, here we show that the combination of these two mutations increases the backbone dynamics in a slow timescale and the exposure to the solvent of an otherwise buried ß-sheet. The two mutations located in this ß-sheet trigger conformational changes in loops located at the opposite side of the active site. We postulate that the most active variant explores alternative conformations that enable binding of the more challenging substrate ceftazidime. The impact of the mutations in the dynamics is context-dependent, in line with the epistatic effect observed in the catalytic activity of the different variants. These results reveal the existence of a dynamic network in CTX-M ß-lactamases that has been exploited in evolution to provide a net gain-of-function, highlighting the role of alternative conformations in protein evolution.
Assuntos
Ceftazidima , Escherichia coli , Antibacterianos/farmacologia , Ceftazidima/química , Ceftazidima/farmacologia , Cefalosporinas/farmacologia , Escherichia coli/genética , Solventes/farmacologia , beta-Lactamases/metabolismoRESUMO
Copper is a ubiquitous metal in biology that, among other functions, is implicated in enzymatic redox catalysis and in protein electron transfer (ET). When it comes to ET, copper sites are found in two main forms, mononuclear type 1 (T1) and binuclear CuA sites, which share a common cupredoxin fold. Other relevant copper sites are the so-called type 2 (T2), which are more resilient to undergo direct electrochemistry and are usually involved in catalysis. Here we report the electrochemical and spectroscopic characterization of a novel T2-like copper site engineered following the loop swapping strategy. The ligand loop sequence of the newly discovered T1 copper site from Nitrosopumilus maritimus was introduced into the CuA scaffold from Thermus thermophilus yielding a chimeric protein that shows spectroscopic features different from both parental proteins, and resemble those of red T2 copper sites, albeit with a shorter Cu-S(Cys) bond length. The novel T2 site undergoes efficient direct electrochemistry, which allows performing temperature-dependent cyclic voltammetry studies. The obtained results reveal that this chimera constitutes the first example of a copper protein with entropically controlled reduction potential, thereby contrasting the enthalpic supremacy observed for all other copper sites reported so far. The underlying bases for this entropic control are critically discussed.
Assuntos
Cobre , Thermus thermophilus , Cobre/química , Transporte de Elétrons , Ligantes , Oxirredução , Thermus thermophilus/química , Thermus thermophilus/metabolismoRESUMO
Understanding the evolution of metallo-ß-lactamases (MBLs) is fundamental to deciphering the mechanistic basis of resistance to carbapenems in pathogenic and opportunistic bacteria. Presently, these MBL-producing pathogens are linked to high rates of morbidity and mortality worldwide. However, the study of the biochemical and biophysical features of MBLs in vitro provides an incomplete picture of their evolutionary potential, since this limited and artificial environment disregards the physiological context where evolution and selection take place. Herein, we describe recent efforts aimed to address the evolutionary traits acquired by different clinical variants of MBLs in conditions mimicking their native environment (the bacterial periplasm) and considering whether they are soluble or membrane-bound proteins. This includes addressing the metal content of MBLs within the cell under zinc starvation conditions and the context provided by different bacterial hosts that result in particular resistance phenotypes. Our analysis highlights recent progress bridging the gap between in vitro and in-cell studies.
Assuntos
Bactérias , Periplasma , beta-Lactamases , Antibacterianos/química , Bactérias/enzimologia , Bactérias/metabolismo , Carbapenêmicos , Periplasma/enzimologia , Periplasma/metabolismo , beta-Lactamases/químicaRESUMO
Metallo-ß-lactamases (MBLs) are zinc-dependent hydrolases that inactivate virtually all ß-lactam antibiotics. The expression of MBLs by Gram-negative bacteria severely limits the therapeutic options to treat infections. MBLs bind the essential metal ions in the bacterial periplasm, and their activity is challenged upon the zinc starvation conditions elicited by the native immune response. Metal depletion compromises both the enzyme activity and stability in the periplasm, impacting on the resistance profile in vivo. Thus, novel inhibitory approaches involve the use of chelating agents or metal-based drugs that displace the native metal ion. However, newer MBL variants incorporate mutations that improve their metal binding abilities or stabilize the metal-depleted form, revealing that metal starvation is a driving force acting on MBL evolution. Future challenges require addressing the gap between in cell and in vitro studies, dissecting the mechanism for MBL metalation and determining the metal content in situ.
Assuntos
Zinco , beta-Lactamases , Antibacterianos/química , Antibacterianos/farmacologia , Bactérias/metabolismo , Bactérias Gram-Negativas/metabolismo , Zinco/metabolismo , beta-Lactamases/química , beta-Lactamases/genética , beta-Lactamases/metabolismoRESUMO
Due to their superior tolerability and efficacy, ß-lactams are the most potent and prescribed class of antibiotics in the clinic. The emergence of resistance to those antibiotics, mainly due to the production of bacterial enzymes called ß-lactamases, has been partially solved by the introduction of ß-lactamase inhibitors, which restore the activity of otherwise obsolete molecules. This solution is limited because currently available ß-lactamase inhibitors only work against serine ß-lactamases, whereas metallo-ß-lactamases continue to spread, evolve, and confer resistance to all ß-lactams, including carbapenems. Furthermore, the increased use of antibiotics to treat secondary bacterial pneumonia in severely sick patients with COVID-19 might exacerbate the problem of antimicrobial resistance. In this Personal View, we summarise the main advances accomplished in this area of research, emphasise the main challenges that need to be solved, and the importance of research on inhibitors for metallo-B-lactamases amidst the current pandemic.
Assuntos
Antibacterianos/farmacologia , Bactérias/efeitos dos fármacos , Farmacorresistência Bacteriana , Saúde Global , Inibidores de beta-Lactamases/uso terapêutico , beta-Lactamas/farmacologia , Bactérias/enzimologia , Bactérias/patogenicidade , COVID-19/complicações , COVID-19/microbiologia , Coinfecção/tratamento farmacológico , Coinfecção/microbiologia , HumanosRESUMO
The emergence and worldwide dissemination of carbapenemase-producing Gram-negative bacteria are a major public health threat. Metallo-ß-lactamases (MBLs) represent the largest family of carbapenemases. Regrettably, these resistance determinants are spreading worldwide. Among them, the New Delhi metallo-ß-lactamase (NDM-1) is experiencing the fastest and largest geographical spread. NDM-1 ß-lactamase is anchored to the bacterial outer membrane, while most MBLs are soluble, periplasmic enzymes. This unique cellular localization favors the selective secretion of active NDM-1 into outer membrane vesicles (OMVs). Here, we advance the idea that NDM-containing vesicles serve as vehicles for the local dissemination of NDM-1. We show that OMVs with NDM-1 can protect a carbapenem-susceptible strain of Escherichia coli upon treatment with meropenem in a Galleria mellonella infection model. Survival curves of G. mellonella revealed that vesicle encapsulation enhances the action of NDM-1, prolonging and favoring bacterial protection against meropenem inside the larva hemolymph. We also demonstrate that E. coli cells expressing NDM-1 protect a susceptible Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain within the larvae in the presence of meropenem. By using E. coli variants engineered to secrete variable amounts of NDM-1, we demonstrate that the protective effect correlates with the amount of NDM-1 secreted into vesicles. We conclude that secretion of NDM-1 into OMVs contributes to the survival of otherwise susceptible nearby bacteria at infection sites. These results disclose that OMVs play a role in the establishment of bacterial communities, in addition to traditional horizontal gene transfer mechanisms. IMPORTANCE Resistance to carbapenems, last-resort antibiotics, is spreading worldwide, raising great concern. NDM-1 is one of the most potent and widely disseminated carbapenem-hydrolyzing enzymes spread among many bacteria and is secreted to the extracellular medium within outer membrane vesicles. We show that vesicles carrying NDM-1 can protect carbapenem-susceptible strains of E. coli and P. aeruginosa upon treatment with meropenem in a live infection model. These vesicles act as nanoparticles that encapsulate and transport NDM-1, prolonging and favoring its action against meropenem inside a living organism. Secretion of NDM-1 into vesicles contributes to the survival of otherwise susceptible nearby bacteria at infection sites. We propose that vesicles play a role in the establishment of bacterial communities and the dissemination of antibiotic resistance, in addition to traditional horizontal gene transfer mechanisms.
Assuntos
Escherichia coli/efeitos dos fármacos , Escherichia coli/enzimologia , beta-Lactamases/metabolismo , Animais , Antibacterianos/farmacologia , Membrana Externa Bacteriana , Proteínas de Bactérias , Carbapenêmicos , Farmacorresistência Bacteriana Múltipla , Escherichia coli/genética , Proteínas de Escherichia coli , Transferência Genética Horizontal , Humanos , Meropeném , Testes de Sensibilidade Microbiana , Mariposas , Pseudomonas aeruginosa/efeitos dos fármacos , beta-Lactamases/genéticaRESUMO
Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) act as carriers of bacterial products such as plasmids and resistance determinants, including metallo-ß-lactamases. The lipidated, membrane-anchored metallo-ß-lactamase NDM-1 can be detected in Gram-negative OMVs. The soluble domain of NDM-1 also forms electrostatic interactions with the membrane. Here, we show that these interactions promote its packaging into OMVs produced by Escherichia coli. We report that favorable electrostatic protein-membrane interactions are also at work in the soluble enzyme IMP-1 while being absent in VIM-2. These interactions correlate with an enhanced incorporation of IMP-1 compared to VIM-2 into OMVs. Disruption of these interactions in NDM-1 and IMP-1 impairs their inclusion into vesicles, confirming their role in defining the protein cargo in OMVs. These results also indicate that packaging of metallo-ß-lactamases into vesicles in their active form is a common phenomenon that involves cargo selection based on specific molecular interactions.
Assuntos
Escherichia coli , beta-Lactamases , Escherichia coli/genética , Plasmídeos/genética , beta-Lactamases/genéticaRESUMO
Antimicrobial resistance is one of the major problems in current practical medicine. The spread of genes coding for resistance determinants among bacteria challenges the use of approved antibiotics, narrowing the options for treatment. Resistance to carbapenems, last resort antibiotics, is a major concern. Metallo-ß-lactamases (MBLs) hydrolyze carbapenems, penicillins, and cephalosporins, becoming central to this problem. These enzymes diverge with respect to serine-ß-lactamases by exhibiting a different fold, active site, and catalytic features. Elucidating their catalytic mechanism has been a big challenge in the field that has limited the development of useful inhibitors. This review covers exhaustively the details of the active-site chemistries, the diversity of MBL alleles, the catalytic mechanism against different substrates, and how this information has helped developing inhibitors. We also discuss here different aspects critical to understand the success of MBLs in conferring resistance: the molecular determinants of their dissemination, their cell physiology, from the biogenesis to the processing involved in the transit to the periplasm, and the uptake of the Zn(II) ions upon metal starvation conditions, such as those encountered during an infection. In this regard, the chemical, biochemical and microbiological aspects provide an integrative view of the current knowledge of MBLs.
Assuntos
Resistência a Múltiplos Medicamentos , Evolução Molecular , Inibidores de beta-Lactamases/química , Inibidores de beta-Lactamases/farmacologia , beta-Lactamases/química , beta-Lactamases/metabolismo , Animais , Humanos , Inibidores de beta-Lactamases/síntese química , beta-Lactamases/genéticaRESUMO
The molecular evolution of the adaptive response at the host-pathogen interface has been frequently referred to as an 'arms race' between the host and bacterial pathogens. The innate immune system employs multiple strategies to starve microbes of metals. Pathogens, in turn, develop successful strategies to maintain access to bioavailable metal ions under conditions of extreme restriction of transition metals, or nutritional immunity. However, the processes by which evolution repurposes or re-engineers host and pathogen proteins to perform or refine new functions have been explored only recently. Here we review the molecular evolution of several human metalloproteins charged with restricting bacterial access to transition metals. These include the transition metal-chelating S100 proteins, natural resistance-associated macrophage protein-1 (NRAMP-1), transferrin, lactoferrin, and heme-binding proteins. We examine their coevolution with bacterial transition metal acquisition systems, involving siderophores and membrane-spanning metal importers, and the biological specificity of allosteric transcriptional regulatory proteins tasked with maintaining bacterial metallostasis. We also discuss the evolution of metallo-ß-lactamases; this illustrates how rapid antibiotic-mediated evolution of a zinc metalloenzyme obligatorily occurs in the context of host-imposed nutritional immunity.
Assuntos
Bactérias/genética , Bactérias/metabolismo , Evolução Molecular , Interações Hospedeiro-Patógeno/fisiologia , Metais/metabolismo , Proteínas de Bactérias/genética , Proteínas de Bactérias/metabolismo , Disponibilidade Biológica , Interações Hospedeiro-Patógeno/genética , HumanosRESUMO
ß-Lactam antibiotics are the most widely prescribed antibacterial drugs due to their low toxicity and broad spectrum. Their action is counteracted by different resistance mechanisms developed by bacteria. Among them, the most common strategy is the expression of ß-lactamases, enzymes that hydrolyze the amide bond present in all ß-lactam compounds. There are several inhibitors against serine-ß-lactamases (SBLs). Metallo-ß-lactamases (MBLs) are Zn(II)-dependent enzymes able to hydrolyze most ß-lactam antibiotics, and no clinically useful inhibitors against them have yet been approved. Despite their large structural diversity, MBLs have a common catalytic mechanism with similar reaction species. Here, we describe a number of MBL inhibitors that mimic different species formed during the hydrolysis process: substrate, transition state, intermediate, or product. Recent advances in the development of boron-based and thiol-based inhibitors are discussed in the light of the mechanism of MBLs. We also discuss the use of chelators as a possible strategy, since Zn(II) ions are essential for substrate binding and catalysis.
Assuntos
Antibacterianos/farmacologia , Biocatálise/efeitos dos fármacos , Inibidores de beta-Lactamases/farmacologia , beta-Lactamases/metabolismo , beta-Lactamas/farmacologia , Animais , Antibacterianos/química , Humanos , Inibidores de beta-Lactamases/química , beta-Lactamas/químicaRESUMO
A 4-year surveillance of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter spp. isolates in Argentina identified 40 strains carrying blaNDM-1 Genome sequencing revealed that most were Acinetobacter baumannii, whereas seven represented other Acinetobacter spp. The A. baumannii genomes were closely related, suggesting recent spread. blaNDM-1 was located in the chromosome of A. baumannii strains and on a plasmid in non-A. baumannii strains. A resistance gene island carrying blaPER-7 and other resistance determinants was found on a plasmid in some A. baumannii strains.
Assuntos
Acinetobacter baumannii/efeitos dos fármacos , Acinetobacter baumannii/genética , Antibacterianos/farmacologia , Carbapenêmicos/farmacologia , beta-Lactamases/genética , Infecções por Acinetobacter/tratamento farmacológico , Infecções por Acinetobacter/microbiologia , Acinetobacter baumannii/isolamento & purificação , Argentina , Genoma Bacteriano/genética , Humanos , Testes de Sensibilidade Microbiana , Plasmídeos/genéticaRESUMO
The CuA center is a paradigm for the study of long-range biological electron transfer. This metal center is an essential cofactor for terminal oxidases like cytochrome c oxidase, the enzymatic complex responsible for cellular respiration in eukaryotes and in most bacteria. CuA acts as an electron hub by transferring electrons from reduced cytochrome c to the catalytic site of the enzyme where dioxygen reduction takes place. Different electron transfer pathways have been proposed involving a weak axial methionine ligand residue, conserved in all CuA sites. This hypothesis has been challenged by theoretical calculations indicating the lack of electron spin density in this ligand. Here we report an NMR study with selectively labeled methionine in a native CuA. NMR spectroscopy discloses the presence of net electron spin density in the methionine axial ligand in the two alternative ground states of this metal center. Similar spin delocalization observed on two second sphere mutants further supports this evidence. These data provide a novel view of the electronic structure of CuA centers and support previously neglected electron transfer pathways.
RESUMO
The assembly of the CuA site in Cytochrome c Oxidase (COX) is a critical step for aerobic respiration in COX-dependent organisms. Several gene products have been associated with the assembly of this copper site, the most conserved of them belonging to the Sco family of proteins, which have been shown to perform different roles in different organisms. Plants express two orthologs of Sco proteins: Hcc1 and Hcc2. Hcc1 is known to be essential for plant development and for COX maturation, but its precise function has not been addressed until now. Here, we report the biochemical, structural and functional characterization of Arabidopsis thaliana Hcc1 protein (here renamed Sco1). We solved the crystal structure of the Cu+1 -bound soluble domain of this protein, revealing a tri coordinated environment involving a CxxxCxn H motif. We show that AtSco1 is able to work as a copper metallochaperone, inserting two Cu+1 ions into the CuA site in a model of CoxII. We also show that AtSco1 does not act as a thiol-disulfide oxido-reductase. Overall, this information sheds new light on the biochemistry of Sco proteins, highlighting the diversity of functions among them despite their high structural similarities. DATABASE: PDB entry 6N5U (Crystal structure of Arabidopsis thaliana ScoI with copper bound).
Assuntos
Proteínas de Arabidopsis/química , Arabidopsis/química , Proteínas de Transporte de Cobre/química , Cobre/química , Complexo IV da Cadeia de Transporte de Elétrons/química , Proteínas Mitocondriais/química , Chaperonas Moleculares/química , Motivos de Aminoácidos , Arabidopsis/genética , Arabidopsis/metabolismo , Proteínas de Arabidopsis/genética , Proteínas de Arabidopsis/metabolismo , Sítios de Ligação , Clonagem Molecular , Cobre/metabolismo , Proteínas de Transporte de Cobre/genética , Proteínas de Transporte de Cobre/metabolismo , Cristalografia por Raios X , Complexo IV da Cadeia de Transporte de Elétrons/genética , Complexo IV da Cadeia de Transporte de Elétrons/metabolismo , Escherichia coli/genética , Escherichia coli/metabolismo , Expressão Gênica , Vetores Genéticos/química , Vetores Genéticos/metabolismo , Isoenzimas/química , Isoenzimas/genética , Isoenzimas/metabolismo , Proteínas Mitocondriais/genética , Proteínas Mitocondriais/metabolismo , Modelos Moleculares , Chaperonas Moleculares/genética , Chaperonas Moleculares/metabolismo , Ligação Proteica , Conformação Proteica em alfa-Hélice , Conformação Proteica em Folha beta , Domínios e Motivos de Interação entre Proteínas , Proteínas Recombinantes/química , Proteínas Recombinantes/genética , Proteínas Recombinantes/metabolismo , Alinhamento de Sequência , Homologia de Sequência de Aminoácidos , Thermus thermophilus/químicaRESUMO
CuA centers perform efficient long-range electron transfer. The electronic structure of native CuA sites can be described by a double-potential well with a dominant σu* ground state in fast equilibrium with a less populated πu ground state. Here, we report a CuA mutant in which a lysine was introduced in the axial position. This results in a highly unstable protein with a pH-dependent population of the two ground states. Deep analysis of the high-pH form of this variant shows the stabilization of the πu ground state due to direct binding of the Lys residue to the copper center that we attribute to deprotonation of this residue.
RESUMO
Physiological conditions in living cells are strictly regulated to allow, optimize, and coordinate biological processes. The bacterial cell envelope is the compartment where the communication with the external environment takes place. This involves membrane proteins, key players in many biological processes that ensure bacterial survival. The biochemical characterization of membrane proteins, either integral, lipidated or peripheral is challenging due to their mixed protein-lipid nature, making it difficult to purify and obtain considerable amounts of samples. In contrast to integral membrane proteins, lipidated proteins are usually purified as truncated soluble versions, neglecting the impact of the membrane environment. Here we report a simple and robust protocol to characterize bacterial lipidated proteins in spheroplasts from Escherichia coli using a ß-lactamase as a model. The Metallo-ß-lactamase NDM-1 is an enzyme anchored to the inner leaflet of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. Kinetic parameters and stability of the lipidated NDM-1 and the soluble unbound version (NDM-1 C26A) were measured in spheroplasts and periplasm, respectively. These studies revealed that membrane anchoring increases the KM of the enzyme, consequently decreasing the catalytic efficiency, while not affecting its kinetic stability. This approach can be used to characterize lipidated proteins avoiding the purification step while mimicking its native environment. This approach also helps in filling the gap between in vitro and in vivo studies.
Assuntos
Proteínas de Escherichia coli/metabolismo , Escherichia coli/enzimologia , beta-Lactamases/metabolismo , Biocatálise , Membrana Celular/metabolismo , Escherichia coli/citologia , Escherichia coli/metabolismo , Proteínas de Escherichia coli/química , beta-Lactamases/químicaRESUMO
The worldwide dissemination of metallo-ß-lactamases (MBLs), mediating resistance to carbapenem antibiotics, is a major public health problem. The extent of dissemination of MBLs such as VIM-2, SPM-1 and NDM among Gram-negative pathogens cannot be explained solely based on the associated mobile genetic elements or the resistance phenotype. Here, we report that MBL host range is determined by the impact of MBL expression on bacterial fitness. The signal peptide sequence of MBLs dictates their adaptability to each host. In uncommon hosts, inefficient processing of MBLs leads to accumulation of toxic intermediates that compromises bacterial growth. This fitness cost explains the exclusion of VIM-2 and SPM-1 from Escherichia coli and Acinetobacter baumannii, and their confinement to Pseudomonas aeruginosa. By contrast, NDMs are expressed without any apparent fitness cost in different bacteria, and are secreted into outer membrane vesicles. We propose that the successful dissemination and adaptation of MBLs to different bacterial hosts depend on protein determinants that enable host adaptability and carbapenem resistance.