RESUMO
Heterologous expression of integral membrane proteins from Helicobacter pylori 26695 in Escherichia coli enabled the identification of 17 candidates for purification and subsequent crystallization. 45% of the purified proteins were contaminated with what was later identified as the multidrug efflux pump (AcrB)of E. coli, and 17% with the succinate dehydrogenase. While additional purification steps ensured removal of succinate dehydrogenase, they failed to remove AcrB completely, leaving picogram amounts present infractions intended for 3D-crystallization. Two of these targets, the Na+ dependent D-glucose/D-galactose transporter (GluP-HP1174) and the carbon starvation protein A (CstA-HP1168), produced small crystals(<40 lm). Crystals from the GluP preparation diffracted to 4.2 A resolution and belonged to the rhombohedral space group H32. Subsequent molecular replacement proved that these crystals were derived from a contaminant, the efflux transporter AcrB. This unexpected crystallization of AcrB from picogram amounts was observed in six new conditions. The systematic occurrence of AcrB in membrane preparations stems from the upregulation of its transcription in response to the stress induced by the expression of a selected target. This, along with its tendency to crystallize in the picogram scale, poses a serious concern in membrane protein expression using heterologous hosts harbouring AcrB.
Assuntos
Artefatos , Proteínas de Escherichia coli/química , Proteínas de Membrana/química , Proteínas Quinases/química , Proteínas Recombinantes/isolamento & purificação , Cristalização , Detergentes/química , Helicobacter pylori/química , Helicobacter pylori/genética , Proteínas de Membrana/genética , Proteínas de Membrana Transportadoras/química , Proteínas de Membrana Transportadoras/genética , Modelos Moleculares , Proteínas Recombinantes/química , Succinato Desidrogenase/química , Sulfatos/químicaRESUMO
Helicobacter pylori is a gram-negative pathogenic microaerophile with a particular tropism for the mucosal surface of the gastric epithelium. Despite its obligatory microaerophilic character, it can metabolize D-glucose and/or D-galactose in both oxidative and fermentative pathways via a Na(+)-dependent secondary active transport, a glucokinase and enzymes of the pentose phosphate pathway. We have assigned the Na(+)-dependent transport of glucose to the protein product of the H. pylori 1174 gene. The gene was heterologously expressed in a glucose transport-deficient Escherichia coli strain, where transport activities of radiolabelled D-glucose, D-galactose and 2-deoxy-D-glucose were restored, consistent with the expected specificity of the hexose uptake system in H. pylori. D-mannose was also identified as a substrate. The HP1174 transport protein was purified and reconstituted into proteoliposomes, where sodium dependence of sugar transport activity was demonstrated. Additionally the tryptophan/tyrosine fluorescence of the purified protein showed quenching by 2-deoxy-D-glucose, D-mannose, D-glucose or D-galactose in the presence of sodium ions. This is the first reported purification and characterization of an active glucose transport protein member of the TC 2.1.7 subgroup of the Major Facilitator Superfamily, constituting the route for entry of sugar nutrients into H. pylori. A model is derived of its three-dimensional structure as a paradigm of the family.
Assuntos
Proteínas de Bactérias/metabolismo , Helicobacter pylori/genética , Proteínas de Transporte de Sódio-Glucose/metabolismo , Proteínas de Bactérias/genética , Transporte Biológico Ativo , Clonagem Molecular , DNA Bacteriano/genética , Escherichia coli/genética , Escherichia coli/metabolismo , Genes Bacterianos , Glucose/metabolismo , Helicobacter pylori/metabolismo , Modelos Moleculares , Mutagênese , Estrutura Secundária de Proteína , Sódio/metabolismo , Proteínas de Transporte de Sódio-Glucose/genéticaRESUMO
The efficiency of Helicobacter pylori as a mucosal pathogen is caused by unique soluble and integral membrane proteins, which allow its survival at acidic pH and successful colonization of the gastric environment. With about one-fourth of the H. pylori's proteome comprising integral membrane proteins, the need for solution of their three-dimensional (3D) structures becomes persistent as it can potentially drive the generation of more effective drugs. This study presents a medium-throughput approach for cloning and expression screening of integral membrane proteins from H. pylori (26695) using Escherichia coli as the expression host. One-hundred sixteen H. pylori targets were cloned into two different vector systems and heterologously expressed in E. coli. Eighty-four percent of these proteins displayed medium to high expression. No clear-cut correlation was found between expression levels and number of putative transmembrane spans, predicted functionality, and molecular mass. Nonetheless, expression of transporters and hypothetical proteins < or =40 kDa with two to four transmembrane spans displayed generally high expression levels. To statistically strengthen the quality of the data from the medium-throughput approach, a comparison with data derived from robotic-based methodologies was conducted. Optimization of expression and solubilization conditions for selected targets was also performed. Seventeen targets have been purified and subjected to crystallization so far. Eighteen percent of these targets (2/17) produced crystals under specific sets of crystallization conditions.
