Simple purification and characterization of soluble and homogenous ABC-F translation factors from Enterococcus faecium.

The family of ATP-binding cassette F proteins (ABC-F) is mainly made up of cytosolic proteins involved in regulating protein synthesis, and they are often part of a mechanism that confers resistance to ribosome-targeting antibiotics. The existing literature has emphasized the difficulty of purifying these recombinant proteins because of their very low solubility and stability. Here, we describe a rapid and efficient three-step purification procedure that allows for the production of untagged ABC-F proteins from Enterococcus faecium in the heterologous host Escherichia coli. After four purified ABC-F proteins were produced using this protocol, their biological activities were validated by in vitro experiment. In conclusion, our study provides an invaluable tool for obtaining large amounts of untagged and soluble ABC-F proteins that can then be used for in vitro experiments.

Purification and Characterization of Authentic 30S Ribosomal Precursors Induced by Heat Shock.

Ribosome biogenesis is a complex and multistep process that depends on various assembly factors. To understand this process and identify the ribosome assembly intermediates, most studies have set out to delete or deplete these assembly factors. Instead, we took advantage of the impact of heat stress (45 °C) on the late stages of the biogenesis of the 30S ribosomal subunit to explore authentic precursors. Under these conditions, reduced levels of the DnaK chaperone proteins devoted to ribosome assembly lead to the transient accumulation of 21S ribosomal particles, which are 30S precursors. We constructed strains with different affinity tags on one early and one late 30S ribosomal protein and purified the 21S particles that form under heat shock. A combination of relative quantification using mass spectrometry-based proteomics and cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) was then used to determine their protein contents and structures.

Structural insights into the binding of bS1 to the ribosome.

The multidomain ribosomal protein bS1 is the biggest and the most flexible and dynamic protein in the 30S small subunit. Despite being essential for mRNA recruitment and its primary role in the accommodation of the start codon within the decoding centre, there has not yet been a high-resolution description of its structure. Here, we present a 3D atomic model of OB1 and OB2, bS1's first two N-terminal domains, bound to an elongation-competent 70S ribosome. Our structure reveals that, as previously reported, bS1 is anchored both by a π-stacking to the 30S subunit and via a salt bridge with the Zn2+ pocket of bS1. These contacts are further stabilized by other interactions with additional residues on OB1. Our model also shows a new conformation of OB2, interacting with the Shine-Dalgarno portion of the mRNA. This study confirms that OB1 plays an anchoring role, but also highlights a novel function for OB2, which is directly involved in the modulation and support of mRNA binding and accommodation on the ribosome.

Insights into the ribosomal trans-translation rescue system: lessons from recent structural studies.

The arrest of protein synthesis caused when ribosomes stall on an mRNA lacking a stop codon is a deadly risk for all cells. In bacteria, this situation is remedied by the trans-translation quality control system. Trans-translation occurs because of the synergistic action of two main partners, transfer-messenger RNA (tmRNA) and small protein B (SmpB). These act in complex to monitor protein synthesis, intervening when necessary to rescue stalled ribosomes. During this process, incomplete nascent peptides are tagged for destruction, problematic mRNAs are degraded and the previously stalled ribosomes are recycled. In this 'Structural Snapshot' article, we describe the mechanism at the molecular level, a view updated after the most recent structural studies using cryo-electron microscopy.

Substrate recognition and cryo-EM structure of the ribosome-bound TAC toxin of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Toxins of toxin-antitoxin systems use diverse mechanisms to control bacterial growth. Here, we focus on the deleterious toxin of the atypical tripartite toxin-antitoxin-chaperone (TAC) system of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, whose inhibition requires the concerted action of the antitoxin and its dedicated SecB-like chaperone. We show that the TAC toxin is a bona fide ribonuclease and identify exact cleavage sites in mRNA targets on a transcriptome-wide scale in vivo. mRNA cleavage by the toxin occurs after the second nucleotide of the ribosomal A-site codon during translation, with a strong preference for CCA codons in vivo. Finally, we report the cryo-EM structure of the ribosome-bound TAC toxin in the presence of native M. tuberculosis cspA mRNA, revealing the specific mechanism by which the TAC toxin interacts with the ribosome and the tRNA in the P-site to cleave its mRNA target.

Capsicumicine, a New Bioinspired Peptide from Red Peppers Prevents Staphylococcal Biofilm In Vitro and In Vivo via a Matrix Anti-Assembly Mechanism of Action.

Staphylococci are pathogenic biofilm-forming bacteria and a source of multidrug resistance and/or tolerance causing a broad spectrum of infections. These bacteria are enclosed in a matrix that allows them to colonize medical devices, such as catheters and tissues, and that protects against antibiotics and immune systems. Advances in antibiofilm strategies for targeting this matrix are therefore extremely relevant. Here, we describe the development of the Capsicum pepper bioinspired peptide "capsicumicine." By using microbiological, microscopic, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) approaches, we demonstrate that capsicumicine strongly prevents methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm via an extracellular "matrix anti-assembly" mechanism of action. The results were confirmed in vivo in a translational preclinical model that mimics medical device-related infection. Since capsicumicine is not cytotoxic, it is a promising candidate for complementary treatment of infectious diseases. IMPORTANCE Pathogenic biofilms are a global health care concern, as they can cause extensive antibiotic resistance, morbidity, mortality, and thereby substantial economic loss. So far, no effective treatments targeting the bacteria in biofilms have been developed. Plants are constantly attacked by a wide range of pathogens and have protective factors, such as peptides, to defend themselves. These peptides are common components in Capsicum baccatum (red pepper). Here, we provide insights into an antibiofilm strategy based on the development of capsicumicine, a natural peptide that strongly controls biofilm formation by Staphylococcus epidermidis, the most prevalent pathogen in device-related infections.

Safe and easy in vitro evaluation of tmRNA-SmpB-mediated trans-translation from ESKAPE pathogenic bacteria.

In bacteria, trans-translation is the major quality control system for rescuing stalled ribosomes. It is mediated by tmRNA, a hybrid RNA with properties of both a tRNA and a mRNA, and the small protein SmpB. Because trans-translation is absent in eukaryotes but necessary for bacterial fitness or survival, it is a promising target for the development of novel antibiotics. To facilitate screening of chemical libraries, various reliable in vitro and in vivo systems have been created for assessing trans-translational activity. However, the aim of the current work was to permit the safe and easy in vitro evaluation of trans-translation from pathogenic bacteria, which are obviously the ones we should be targeting. Based on green fluorescent protein (GFP) reassembly during active trans-translation, we have created a cell-free assay adapted to the rapid evaluation of trans-translation in ESKAPE bacteria, with 24 different possible combinations. It can be used for easy high-throughput screening of chemical compounds as well as for exploring the mechanism of trans-translation in these pathogens.

Structures of tmRNA and SmpB as they transit through the ribosome.

In bacteria, trans-translation is the main rescue system, freeing ribosomes stalled on defective messenger RNAs. This mechanism is driven by small protein B (SmpB) and transfer-messenger RNA (tmRNA), a hybrid RNA known to have both a tRNA-like and an mRNA-like domain. Here we present four cryo-EM structures of the ribosome during trans-translation at resolutions from 3.0 to 3.4 Å. These include the high-resolution structure of the whole pre-accommodated state, as well as structures of the accommodated state, the translocated state, and a translocation intermediate. Together, they shed light on the movements of the tmRNA-SmpB complex in the ribosome, from its delivery by the elongation factor EF-Tu to its passage through the ribosomal A and P sites after the opening of the B1 bridges. Additionally, we describe the interactions between the tmRNA-SmpB complex and the ribosome. These explain why the process does not interfere with canonical translation.

Reflux of Endoplasmic Reticulum proteins to the cytosol inactivates tumor suppressors.

In the past decades, many studies reported the presence of endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-resident proteins in the cytosol. However, the mechanisms by which these proteins relocate and whether they exert cytosolic functions remain unknown. We find that a subset of ER luminal proteins accumulates in the cytosol of glioblastoma cells isolated from mouse and human tumors. In cultured cells, ER protein reflux to the cytosol occurs upon ER proteostasis perturbation. Using the ER luminal protein anterior gradient 2 (AGR2) as a proof of concept, we tested whether the refluxed proteins gain new functions in the cytosol. We find that refluxed, cytosolic AGR2 binds and inhibits the tumor suppressor p53. These data suggest that ER reflux constitutes an ER surveillance mechanism to relieve the ER from its contents upon stress, providing a selective advantage to tumor cells through gain-of-cytosolic functions-a phenomenon we name ER to Cytosol Signaling (ERCYS).

Trans-Translation Is an Appealing Target for the Development of New Antimicrobial Compounds.

Because of the ever-increasing multidrug resistance in microorganisms, it is crucial that we find and develop new antibiotics, especially molecules with different targets and mechanisms of action than those of the antibiotics in use today. Translation is a fundamental process that uses a large portion of the cell's energy, and the ribosome is already the target of more than half of the antibiotics in clinical use. However, this process is highly regulated, and its quality control machinery is actively studied as a possible target for new inhibitors. In bacteria, ribosomal stalling is a frequent event that jeopardizes bacterial wellness, and the most severe form occurs when ribosomes stall at the 3'-end of mRNA molecules devoid of a stop codon. Trans-translation is the principal and most sophisticated quality control mechanism for solving this problem, which would otherwise result in inefficient or even toxic protein synthesis. It is based on the complex made by tmRNA and SmpB, and because trans-translation is absent in eukaryotes, but necessary for bacterial fitness or survival, it is an exciting and realistic target for new antibiotics. Here, we describe the current and future prospects for developing what we hope will be a novel generation of trans-translation inhibitors.

Pseudonajide peptide derived from snake venom alters cell envelope integrity interfering on biofilm formation in Staphylococcus epidermidis.

BACKGROUND: The increase in bacterial resistance phenotype cases is a global health problem. New strategies must be explored by the scientific community in order to create new treatment alternatives. Animal venoms are a good source for antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which are excellent candidates for new antimicrobial drug development. Cathelicidin-related antimicrobial peptides (CRAMPs) from snake venoms have been studied as a model for the design of new antimicrobial pharmaceuticals against bacterial infections. RESULTS: In this study we present an 11 amino acid-long peptide, named pseudonajide, which is derived from a Pseudonaja textilis venom peptide and has antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity against Staphylococcus epidermidis. Pseudonajide was selected based on the sequence alignments of various snake venom peptides that displayed activity against bacteria. Antibiofilm activity assays with pseudonajide concentrations ranging from 3.12 to 100 µM showed that the lowest concentration to inhibit biofilm formation was 25 µM. Microscopy analysis demonstrated that pseudonajide interacts with the bacterial cell envelope, disrupting the cell walls and membranes, leading to morphological defects in prokaryotes. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that pseudonajide's positives charges interact with negatively charged cell wall components of S. epidermidis, leading to cell damage and inhibiting biofilm formation.

Reassembling green fluorescent protein for in vitro evaluation of trans-translation.

In order to discover new antibiotics with improved activity and selectivity, we created a reliable in vitro reporter system to detect trans-translation activity, the main mechanism for recycling ribosomes stalled on problematic messenger RNA (mRNA) in bacteria. This system is based on an engineered tmRNA variant that reassembles the green fluorescent protein (GFP) when trans-translation is active. Our system is adapted for high-throughput screening of chemical compounds by fluorescence.

Red pepper peptide coatings control Staphylococcus epidermidis adhesion and biofilm formation.

Medical devices (indwelling) have greatly improved healthcare. Nevertheless, infections related to the use of these apparatuses continue to be a major clinical concern. Biofilms form on surfaces after bacterial adhesion, and they function as bacterial reservoirs and as resistance and tolerance factors against antibiotics and the host immune response. Technological strategies to control biofilms and bacterial adhesion, such as the use of surface coatings, are being explored more frequently, and natural peptides may promote their development. In this study, we purified and identified antibiofilm peptides from Capsicum baccatum (red pepper) using chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, MALDI-MS, MS/MS and bioinformatics. These peptides strongly controlled biofilm formation by Staphylococcus epidermidis, the most prevalent pathogen in device-related infections, without any antibiotic activity. Furthermore, natural peptide-coated surfaces dislayed effective antiadhesive proprieties and showed no cytotoxic effects against different representative human cell lines. Finally, we determined the lead peptide predicted by Mascot and identified CSP37, which may be useful as a prime structure for the design of new antibiofilm agents. Together, these results shed light on natural Capsicum peptides as a possible antiadhesive coat to prevent medical device colonization.

Synthesis and evaluation of 1,3,4-oxadiazole derivatives for development as broad-spectrum antibiotics.

The reality and intensity of antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacteria calls for the rapid development of new antimicrobial drugs. In bacteria, trans-translation is the primary quality control mechanism for rescuing ribosomes arrested during translation. Because trans-translation is absent in eukaryotes but necessary to avoid ribosomal stalling and therefore essential for bacterial survival, it is a promising target either for novel antibiotics or for improving the activities of the protein synthesis inhibitors already in use. Oxadiazole derivatives display strong bactericidal activity against a large number of bacteria, but their effects on trans-translation were recently questioned. In this work, a series of new 1,3,4-oxadiazole derivatives and analogs were synthesized and assessed for their efficiency as antimicrobial agents against a wide range of gram-positive and gram-negative pathogenic strains. Despite the strong antimicrobial activity observed in these molecules, it turns out that they do not target trans-translation in vivo, but they definitely act on other cellular pathways.

When transfer-messenger RNA scars reveal its ancient origins.

In bacteria, trans-translation is the primary quality control mechanism for rescuing ribosomes arrested during translation. This key process is universally conserved and plays a crucial role in the viability and virulence of all bacteria. It is performed by transfer-messenger RNA (tmRNA) and its protein partner small protein B (SmpB). Here, we show that tmRNA is a key molecule that could have given birth to modern protein synthesis. The traces of an ancient RNA world persist in the structure of modern tmRNA, suggesting its old origins. Therefore, since it has both tRNA and mRNA functions, tmRNA could be the missing link that allowed modern genetic code to be read by the ribosome.

Numerous cultivated and uncultivated viruses encode ribosomal proteins.

Viruses modulate ecosystems by directly altering host metabolisms through auxiliary metabolic genes. However, viral genomes are not known to encode the core components of translation machinery, such as ribosomal proteins (RPs). Here, using reference genomes and global-scale viral metagenomic datasets, we identify 14 different RPs across viral genomes arising from cultivated viral isolates and metagenome-assembled viruses. Viruses tend to encode dynamic RPs, easily exchangeable between ribosomes, suggesting these proteins can replace cellular versions in host ribosomes. Functional assays confirm that the two most common virus-encoded RPs, bS21 and bL12, are incorporated into 70S ribosomes when expressed in Escherichia coli. Ecological distribution of virus-encoded RPs suggests some level of ecosystem adaptations as aquatic viruses and viruses of animal-associated bacteria are enriched for different subsets of RPs. Finally, RP genes are under purifying selection and thus likely retained an important function after being horizontally transferred into virus genomes.

Promising Antibiofilm Activity of Peptidomimetics.

Pathogenic biofilms are a global health care concern, as they can cause extensive antibiotic resistance, morbidity, mortality, and thereby substantial economic loss. Scientific efforts have been made over the past few decades, but so far there is no effective treatment targeting the bacteria in biofilms. Antimicrobial peptidomimetics have been proposed as promising potential anti-biofilm agents. Indeed, these structurally enhanced molecules can mimic the action of peptides but are not susceptible to proteolysis or immunogenicity, the characteristic limitations of natural peptides. Here, we provide insights into antibiofilm peptidomimetic strategies and molecular targets, and discuss the design of two major peptidomimetics classes: AApeptides (N-acylated-N-aminoethyl-substituted peptides) and peptoids (N-substituted glycine units). In particular, we present details of their structural diversity and discuss the possible improvements that can be implemented in order to develop antibiofilm drug alternatives.

The Structural and Functional Organization of Ribosomal Compartment in the Cell: A Mystery or a Reality?

Great progress has been made toward solving the atomic structure of the ribosome, which is the main biosynthetic machine in cells, but we still do not have a full picture of exactly how cellular ribosomes function. Based on the analysis of crystallographic and electron microscopy data, we propose a basic model of the structural organization of ribosomes into a compartment. This compartment is regularly formed by arrays of ribosomal tetramers made up of two dimers that are actually facing in opposite directions. The compartment functions as the main 'factory' for the production of cellular proteins. The model is consistent with the existing biochemical and genetic data. We also consider the functional connections of such a compartment with cellular transcription and ribosomal biogenesis.

Emerging fields in chaperone proteins: A French workshop.

The "Bioénergétique et Ingénierie des Protéines (BIP)" laboratory, CNRS (France), organized its first French workshop on molecular chaperone proteins and protein folding in November 2017. The goal of this workshop was to gather scientists working in France on chaperone proteins and protein folding. This initiative was a great success with excellent talks and fruitful discussions. The highlights were on the description of unexpected functions and post-translational regulation of known molecular chaperones (such as Hsp90, Hsp33, SecB, GroEL) and on state-of-the-art methods to tackle questions related to this theme, including Cryo-electron microscopy, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR), simulation and modeling. We expect to organize a second workshop in two years that will include more scientists working in France in the chaperone field.

The structure of an elongation factor G-ribosome complex captured in the absence of inhibitors.

During translation's elongation cycle, elongation factor G (EF-G) promotes messenger and transfer RNA translocation through the ribosome. Until now, the structures reported for EF-G-ribosome complexes have been obtained by trapping EF-G in the ribosome. These results were based on use of non-hydrolyzable guanosine 5'-triphosphate (GTP) analogs, specific inhibitors or a mutated EF-G form. Here, we present the first cryo-electron microscopy structure of EF-G bound to ribosome in the absence of an inhibitor. The structure reveals a natural conformation of EF-G·GDP in the ribosome, with a previously unseen conformation of its third domain. These data show how EF-G must affect translocation, and suggest the molecular mechanism by which fusidic acid antibiotic prevents the release of EF-G after GTP hydrolysis.