Mycobacteriophage Ms6 LysA: a peptidoglycan amidase and a useful analytical tool.

Since the peptidoglycan isolated from Mycobacterium spp. is refractory to commercially available murolytic enzymes, possibly due to the presence of various modifications found on this peptidoglycan, the utility of a mycobacteriophage-derived murolytic enzyme was assessed for an analysis of peptidoglycan from mycobacteria. We cloned, expressed, and purified the lysA gene product, a protein with homology to known peptidoglycan-degrading amidases, from bacteriophage Ms6. The recombinant protein was shown to cleave the bond between l-Ala and d-muramic acid of muramyl pentapeptide and to release up to 70% of the diaminopimelic acid present in the isolated mycobacterial cell wall. In contrast to lysozyme, which, in culture, inhibits the growth of both Mycobacterium smegmatis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis, LysA had no effect on the growth of either species. However, the enzyme is useful for solubilizing the peptide chains of isolated mycobacterial peptidoglycan for analysis. The data indicate that the stem peptides from M. smegmatis are heavily amidated, containing few free carboxylic acids, regardless of the cross-linking status.

The endolysin-binding domain encompasses the N-terminal region of the mycobacteriophage Ms6 Gp1 chaperone.

The intermolecular interactions of the mycobacteriophage Ms6 secretion chaperone with endolysin were characterized. The 384-amino-acid lysin (lysin(384))-binding domain was found to encompass the N-terminal region of Gp1, which is also essential for a lysis phenotype in Escherichia coli. In addition, a GXXXG-like motif involved in Gp1 homo-oligomerization was identified within the C-terminal region.

Functional analysis of the holin-like proteins of mycobacteriophage Ms6.

The mycobacteriophage Ms6 is a temperate double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) bacteriophage which, in addition to the predicted endolysin (LysA)-holin (Gp4) lysis system, encodes three additional proteins within its lysis module: Gp1, LysB, and Gp5. Ms6 Gp4 was previously described as a class II holin-like protein. By analysis of the amino acid sequence of Gp4, an N-terminal signal-arrest-release (SAR) domain was identified, followed by a typical transmembrane domain (TMD), features which have previously been observed for pinholins. A second putative holin gene (gp5) encoding a protein with a predicted single TMD at the N-terminal region was identified at the end of the Ms6 lytic operon. Neither the putative class II holin nor the single TMD polypeptide could trigger lysis in pairwise combinations with the endolysin LysA in Escherichia coli. One-step growth curves and single-burst-size experiments of different Ms6 derivatives with deletions in different regions of the lysis operon demonstrated that the gene products of gp4 and gp5, although nonessential for phage viability, appear to play a role in controlling the timing of lysis: an Ms6 mutant with a deletion of gp4 (Ms6(Δgp4)) caused slightly accelerated lysis, whereas an Ms6(Δgp5) deletion mutant delayed lysis, which is consistent with holin function. Additionally, cross-linking experiments showed that Ms6 Gp4 and Gp5 oligomerize and that both proteins interact. Our results suggest that in Ms6 infection, the correct and programmed timing of lysis is achieved by the combined action of Gp4 and Gp5.

The mycobacteriophage Ms6 encodes a chaperone-like protein involved in the endolysin delivery to the peptidoglycan.

Like most double-stranded (ds) DNA phages, mycobacteriophage Ms6 uses the holin-endolysin system to achieve lysis of its host. In addition to endolysin (lysA) and holin (hol) genes, Ms6 encodes three accessory lysis proteins. In this study we investigated the lysis function of Gp1, which is encoded by the gp1 gene that lies immediately upstream of lysA. Escherichia coli lysis was observed after coexpression of LysA and Gp1 in the absence of Ms6 holin. Gp1 does not belong to the holin class of proteins, and we provide evidence that it shares several characteristics with molecular chaperones. We show that Gp1 interacts with LysA, and that this interaction is necessary for LysA delivery to its target. In addition, PhoA fusions showed that, in Mycobacterium smegmatis, LysA is exported to the extracytoplasmic environment in the presence of Gp1. We also show that Gp1 is necessary for efficient M. smegmatis lysis, as Ms6 gp1 deletion results in host lysis defects. We propose that delivery of Ms6 endolysin to the murein layer is assisted by Gp1, a chaperone-like protein, in a holin-independent manner.

Selected lipids activate phagosome actin assembly and maturation resulting in killing of pathogenic mycobacteria.

Pathogenic mycobacteria such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium avium facilitate disease by surviving intracellularly within a potentially hostile environment: the macrophage phagosome. They inhibit phagosome maturation processes, including fusion with lysosomes, acidification and, as shown here, membrane actin assembly. An in vitro assay developed for latex bead phagosomes (LBPs) provided insights into membrane signalling events that regulate phagosome actin assembly, a process linked to membrane fusion. Different lipids were found to stimulate or inhibit actin assembly by LBPs and mycobacterial phagosomes in vitro. In addition, selected lipids activated actin assembly and phagosome maturation in infected macrophages, resulting in a significant killing of M. tuberculosis and M. avium. In contrast, the polyunsaturated sigma-3 lipids behaved differently and stimulated pathogen growth. Thus, lipids can be involved in both stimulatory and inhibitory signalling networks in the phagosomal membrane.

The Mycobacteriophage Ms6 LysB N-Terminus Displays Peptidoglycan Binding Affinity.

Double-stranded DNA bacteriophages end their lytic cycle by disrupting the host cell envelope, which allows the release of the virion progeny. Each phage must synthesize lysis proteins that target each cell barrier to phage release. In addition to holins, which permeabilize the cytoplasmic membrane, and endolysins, which disrupt the peptidoglycan (PG), mycobacteriophages synthesize a specific lysis protein, LysB, capable of detaching the outer membrane from the complex cell wall of mycobacteria. The family of LysB proteins is highly diverse, with many members presenting an extended N-terminus. The N-terminal region of mycobacteriophage Ms6 LysB shows structural similarity to the PG-binding domain (PGBD) of the φKZ endolysin. A fusion of this region with enhanced green fluorescent protein (Ms6LysBPGBD-EGFP) was shown to bind to Mycobacterium smegmatis, Mycobacterium vaccae, Mycobacterium bovis BGC and Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Ra cells pretreated with SDS or Ms6 LysB. In pulldown assays, we demonstrate that Ms6 LysB and Ms6LysBPGBD-EGFP bind to purified peptidoglycan of M. smegmatis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus subtilis, demonstrating affinity to PG of the A1γ chemotype. An infection assay with an Ms6 mutant producing a truncated version of LysB lacking the first 90 amino acids resulted in an abrupt lysis. These results clearly demonstrate that the N-terminus of Ms6 LysB binds to the PG.

Molecular characterization of the env gene of two CCR5/CXCR4-independent human immunodeficiency 2 primary isolates.

Human immunodeficiency virus 2 (HIV-2) infection is characterized by a slower disease progression and lower transmission rates. The molecular features that could be assigned as directly involved in this in vivo phenotype remain essentially unknown, and the importance of HIV-2 as a model to understand pathogenicity of HIV infection has been frequently underestimated. The early events of the HIV replication cycle involve the interaction between viral envelope glycoproteins and cellular receptors: the CD4 molecule and a chemokine receptor, usually CCR5 or CXCR4. Despite the importance of these two chemokine receptors in human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) entry into cells, we have previously shown that in some HIV-2 asymptomatic individuals, a viral population exists that is unable to use both CCR5 and CXCR4. The goal of the present study was to investigate whether possible regions in the env gene of these viruses might account for this phenotype. From the molecular characterization of these env genes we could not detect any correlation between V3 loop sequence and viral phenotype. In contrast, it reveals the existence of remarkable differences in the V1/V2 and C5 regions of the surface glycoprotein, including the loss of a putative glycosilation site. Moreover, in the transmembrane glycoprotein some unique sequence signatures could be detected in the central ectodomain and second heptad repeat (HR2). Some of the mutations affect well-conserved residues, and may affect the conformation and/or the dynamics of envelope glycoproteins complex, including the SU-TM association and the modulation of viral entry function.

The Ms6 Mycolyl-Arabinogalactan Esterase LysB is Essential for an Efficient Mycobacteriophage-Induced Lysis.

All dsDNA phages encode two proteins involved in host lysis, an endolysin and a holin that target the peptidoglycan and cytoplasmic membrane, respectively. Bacteriophages that infect Gram-negative bacteria encode additional proteins, the spanins, involved in disruption of the outer membrane. Recently, a gene located in the lytic cassette was identified in the genomes of mycobacteriophages, which encodes a protein (LysB) with mycolyl-arabinogalactan esterase activity. Taking in consideration the complex mycobacterial cell envelope that mycobacteriophages encounter during their life cycle, it is valuable to evaluate the role of these proteins in lysis. In the present work, we constructed an Ms6 mutant defective on lysB and showed that Ms6 LysB has an important role in lysis. In the absence of LysB, lysis still occurs but the newly synthesized phage particles are deficiently released to the environment. Using cryo-electron microscopy and tomography to register the changes in the lysis phenotype, we show that at 150 min post-adsorption, mycobacteria cells are incompletely lysed and phage particles are retained inside the cell, while cells infected with Ms6wt are completely lysed. Our results confirm that Ms6 LysB is necessary for an efficient lysis of Mycobacterium smegmatis, acting, similarly to spanins, in the third step of the lysis process.

Modification of the mycobacteriophage Ms6 attP core allows the integration of multiple vectors into different tRNAala T-loops in slow- and fast-growing mycobacteria.

BACKGROUND: Mycobacteriophage Ms6 integrates into Mycobacterium smegmatis and M. bovis BCG chromosome at the 3' end of tRNAala genes. Homologous recombination occurs between the phage attP core and the attB site located in the T-loop. Integration-proficient vectors derived from Ms6 are useful genetic tools, but their insertion sites in the BCG chromosome remain poorly defined. The primary objective of this study was to identify Ms6 target genes in M. smegmatis and BCG. We then aimed to modify the attP site in Ms6-derived vectors, to switch integration to other tRNAala loci. This provided the basis for the development of recombinant M. bovis BCG strains expressing several reporter genes inserted into different tRNAala genes. RESULTS: The three tRNAala genes are highly conserved in M. smegmatis and BCG. However, in the T-loop of tRNAalaU and tRNAalaV containing the attB site, a single base difference was observed between the two species. We observed that the tRNAalaU gene was the only site into which Ms6-derived integration-proficient vectors integrated in M. smegmatis, whereas in BCG, the tRNAalaV gene was used as the target. No integration occurred in the BCG tRNAalaU T-loop, despite a difference of only one base from the 26-base Ms6 attP core. We mutated the attP core to give a perfect match with the other tRNAala T-loops from M. smegmatis and BCG. Modification of the seven-base T-loop decreased integration efficiency, identifying this site as a possible site of strand exchange. Finally, two Ms6 vectors were constructed to integrate two reporter genes into the tRNAalaU and tRNAalaV T-loops of the same BCG chromosome. CONCLUSION: Small changes in the 7 bp T-loop attP site of Ms6 made it possible to use another attB site, albeit with a lower integration efficiency. These molecular studies on BCG tRNAala genes made it possible to create valuable tools for the site-directed insertion of several genes in the same BCG strain. These tools will be useful for the development of novel multivalent vaccines and genetic studies.

HIV-2 infection and chemokine receptors usage - clues to reduced virulence of HIV-2.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and type 2 (HIV-2) are the causative agents of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Without therapeutic intervention, HIV-1 or HIV-2 infections in humans are characterized by a gradual and irreversible immunologic failure that ultimately leads to the onset of a severe immunodeficiency that constitutes the hallmark of AIDS. In the last two decades AIDS has evolved into a global epidemic affecting millions of persons worldwide. Although sharing several identical properties, HIV-1 and HIV-2 have shown some important differences in vivo. In fact, a significant amount of epidemiologic, clinical and virologic data suggest that HIV-2 is in general less virulent than HIV-1. This reduced virulence is revealed by the longer asymptomatic period and the smaller transmission rate that characteristically are observed in HIV-2 infection. In this context, studies using HIV-2 as a model of a naturally less pathogenic infection could bring important new insights to HIV pathogenesis opening to new strategies to vaccines or therapeutic design. The reasons underlying the reduced pathogenicity of HIV-2 are still essentially unknown and surely are the outcome of a combination of distinct factors. In this review we will discuss the importance and the possible implications in HIV-2 pathogenesis, particularly during the asymptomatic period, of a less fitted interaction between viral envelope glycoproteins and cellular receptors that have been described in the way HIV-2 and HIV-1 use these receptors.

Camelized rabbit-derived VH single-domain intrabodies against Vif strongly neutralize HIV-1 infectivity.

We recently developed a specific single-chain antibody from immunized rabbits to HIV-1 Vif protein that was expressed intracellularly and inhibited reverse transcription and viral replication. The Vif of HIV-1 overcomes the innate antiviral activity of a cytidine deaminase Apobec3G (CEM15) that induces G to A hypermutation in the viral genome, resulting in enhancement of viral replication infectivity. Here, we have developed a minimal scaffold VH fragment with intrabody properties derived from anti-Vif single-chain antibody that was engineered to mimic camelid antibody domains. Non-specific binding of VH by its interface for the light chain variable domain (VL) was prevented through amino acid mutations in framework 2 and 4 (Val37F, G44E, L45R, W47G and W103R). Our results demonstrate that all constructed anti-Vif VH single-domains preserve the antigen-binding activity and specificity in the absence of the parent VL domain. However, only the most highly camelized domains had high levels of intracellular expression. The expression in eukaryotic cells showed that VH single-domains could correctly fold as soluble proteins in the reducing environment. The results demonstrated an excellent correlation between improvements in protein solubility with gradually increasing camelization. Camelized single-domains efficiently bound Vif protein and neutralized its infectivity enhancing function, by reducing late reverse transcripts and proviral integration. The activity of the anti-Vif single-domains was shown to be cell-specific, with inhibitory effects only in cells non-permissive that require Vif for HIV-1 replication. Moreover, cell specificity of anti-Vif intrabodies was correlated with an increase of Apobec3G, which potentiates viral inhibition. The present study strongly suggests that camelization of rabbit VH domains is a potentially useful approach for engineering intrabodies for gene therapy.

Diversity in bacterial lysis systems: bacteriophages show the way.

Bacteriophages have developed multiple host cell lysis strategies to promote release of descendant virions from infected bacteria. This review is focused on the lysis mechanisms employed by tailed double-stranded DNA bacteriophages, where new developments have recently emerged. These phages seem to use a least common denominator to induce lysis, the so-called holin-endolysin dyad. Endolysins are cell wall-degrading enzymes whereas holins form 'holes' in the cytoplasmic membrane at a precise scheduled time. The latter function was long viewed as essential to provide a pathway for endolysin escape to the cell wall. However, recent studies have shown that phages can also exploit the host cell secretion machinery to deliver endolysins to their target and subvert the bacterial autolytic arsenal to effectively accomplish lysis. In these systems the membrane-depolarizing holin function still seems to be essential to activate secreted endolysins. New lysis players have also been uncovered that promote degradation of particular bacterial cell envelopes, such as that of mycobacteria.

A second endolysin gene is fully embedded in-frame with the lysA gene of mycobacteriophage Ms6.

Mycobacteriophages are dsDNA viruses that infect mycobacterial hosts. The mycobacteriophage Ms6 accomplishes lysis by producing two cell wall hydrolytic enzymes, Lysin A (LysA) that possesses a central peptidoglycan recognition protein (PGRP) super-family conserved domain with the amidase catalytic site, that cleaves the amide bond between the N-acetylmuramic acid and L-alanine residues in the oligopeptide crosslinking chains of the peptidoglycan and Lysin B (LysB) a mycolylarabinogalactan esterase that hydrolyzes the mycolic acids from the mycolyl-arabinogalactan-peptidoglycan complex. Examination of the endolysin (lysA) DNA sequence revealed the existence of an embedded gene (lysA(241)) encoded in the same reading frame and preceded by a consensus ribosome-binding site. In the present work we show that, even though lysA is essential for Ms6 viability, phage mutants that express only the longer (Lysin(384)) or the shorter (Lysin(241)) endolysin are viable, but defective in the normal timing, progression and completion of host cell lysis. In addition, both endolysins have peptidoglycan hydrolase activity and demonstrated broad growth inhibition activity against various gram-positive bacteria and mycobacteria.

Novel HIV-1 knockdown targets identified by an enriched kinases/phosphatases shRNA library using a long-term iterative screen in Jurkat T-cells.

HIV-1 is a complex retrovirus that uses host machinery to promote its replication. Understanding cellular proteins involved in the multistep process of HIV-1 infection may result in the discovery of more adapted and effective therapeutic targets. Kinases and phosphatases are a druggable class of proteins critically involved in regulation of signal pathways of eukaryotic cells. Here, we focused on the discovery of kinases and phosphatases that are essential for HIV-1 replication but dispensable for cell viability. We performed an iterative screen in Jurkat T-cells with a short-hairpin-RNA (shRNA) library highly enriched for human kinases and phosphatases. We identified 14 new proteins essential for HIV-1 replication that do not affect cell viability. These proteins are described to be involved in MAPK, JNK and ERK pathways, vesicular traffic and DNA repair. Moreover, we show that the proteins under study are important in an early step of HIV-1 infection before viral integration, whereas some of them affect viral transcription/translation. This study brings new insights for the complex interplay of HIV-1/host cell and opens new possibilities for antiviral strategies.

The lytic cassette of mycobacteriophage Ms6 encodes an enzyme with lipolytic activity.

dsDNA bacteriophages use the dual system endolysin-holin to achieve lysis of their bacterial host. In addition to these two essential genes, some bacteriophages encode additional proteins within their lysis module. In this report, we describe the activity of a protein encoded by gene lysB from the mycobacteriophage Ms6. lysB is localized within the lysis cassette, between the endolysin gene (lysA) and the holin gene (hol). Analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence of LysB revealed the presence of a conserved motif (Gly-Tyr-Ser-Gln-Gly) characteristic of enzymes with lipolytic activity. A blast search within the sequences of protein databases revealed significant similarities to other putative proteins that are encoded by mycobacteriophages only, indicating that LysB and those proteins may be specific to their mycobacterial hosts. A screening for His(6)-LysB activity on esterase and lipase substrates confirmed the lipolytic activity. Examination of the kinetic parameters of recombinant His(6)-LysB for the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl esters indicated that although this protein could use a wide range of chain length substrates (C(4)-C(18)), it presents a higher affinity for p-nitrophenyl esters of longer chain length (C(16) and C(18)). Using p-nitrophenyl butyrate as a substrate, the enzyme showed optimal activity at 23 degrees C and pH 7.5-8.0. Activity was increased in the presence of Ca(2+) and Mn(2+). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first description of a protein with lipolytic activity encoded within a bacteriophage.

Functional analysis of Vif protein shows less restriction of human immunodeficiency virus type 2 by APOBEC3G.

Viral infectivity factor (Vif) is one of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) accessory proteins and is conserved in the primate lentivirus group. This protein is essential for viral replication in vivo and for productive infection of nonpermissive cells, such as peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Vif counteracts an antiretroviral cellular factor in nonpermissive cells named CEM15/APOBEC3G. Although HIV type 1 (HIV-1) Vif protein (Vif1) can be functionally replaced by HIV-2 Vif protein (Vif2), its identity is very small. Most of the functional studies have been carried out with Vif1. Characterization of functional domains of Vif2 may elucidate its function, as well as differences between HIV-1 and HIV-2 infectivity. Our aim was to identify the permissivity of different cell lines for HIV-2 vif-minus viruses. By mutagenesis specific conserved motifs of HIV-2 Vif protein were analyzed, as well as in conserved motifs between Vif1 and Vif2 proteins. Vif2 mutants were examined for their stability, expression, and cellular localization in order to characterize essential domains of Vif2 proteins. Viral replication in various target cells (PBMC and H9, A3.01, U38, and Jurkat cells) and infectivity in single cycle assays in the presence of APOBEC3G were also analyzed. Our results of viral replication show that only PBMC have a nonpermissive phenotype in the absence of Vif2. Moreover, the HIV-1 vif-minus nonpermissive cell line H9 does not show a similar phenotype for vif-negative HIV-2. We also report a limited effect of APOBEC3G in a single-cycle infectivity assay, where only conserved domains between HIV-1 and HIV-2 Vif proteins influence viral infectivity. Taken together, these results allow us to speculate that viral inhibition by APOBEC3G is not the sole and most important determinant of antiviral activity against HIV-2.

pncA mutations in pyrazinamide-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates in Portugal.

The nucleotide sequences of the pncA genes within 55 multidrug-resistant pyrazinamide-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates were determined. Fifty-three out of the 55 isolates were pyrazinamidase (PZase) negative. Four strains contained a wild-type pncA gene, and PZase activity was undetectable in two of these strains. Seven of the 18 identified pncA mutations found have not been described in previous studies.

Expression of Mycobacteriophage Ms6 lysis genes is driven by two sigma(70)-like promoters and is dependent on a transcription termination signal present in the leader RNA.

A mycobacteriophage Ms6 strong promoter region (P(lys)) was isolated by using transcriptional fusions with the lacZ reporter gene. Two tandem sigma(70)-like promoter sequences (P1 and P2) were found in this region. DNA sequencing of the promoter downstream region revealed a 214-bp leader sequence followed by five adjacent coding regions of 231 bp (ORF1), 1,152 bp (ORF2), 996 bp (ORF3), 231 bp (ORF4), and 372 (ORF5). ORF1 has the potential to encode a 77-amino-acid protein which revealed similarity to mycobacteriophage TM4 gp90, a predicted protein with unknown function. ORF2 encodes a 384-amino-acid protein which is related to several bacteriophage amidases. This protein induced cell lysis upon addition of chloroform, confirming its mureinolytic activity. ORF3 encodes a 332-amino-acid protein which is related to TM4 gp30, a protein with sequence similarity to amidases. ORF4 encodes a 77-amino-acid holin-like protein with significant similarity to the holin of Lactococcus lactis r1t bacteriophage. ORF5 encodes a 124-amino-acid protein which is related to mycobacteriophage L5 gp30, a protein with unknown function. These data indicate that the promoter region P(lys) drives the transcription of the Ms6 lysis genes. An intrinsic transcription termination signal was identified in the leader sequence. Experiments using lacZ fusions showed that beta-galactosidase synthesis is inhibited when this transcription termination signal is present in the leader sequence. In conclusion, mycobacteriophage Ms6 cell lysis genes are expressed by their own promoter region, independently of virion structure and assembly protein genes. Moreover, an antitermination mechanism might be involved in their transcription regulation.