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L L Randall

Publications and source records attributed to L L Randall.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Modulation of folding pathways of exported proteins by the leader sequence.

Leader peptides that function to direct export of proteins through membranes have some common features but exhibit a remarkable sequence diversity. Thus there is some question whether leader peptides exert their function through conventional stereospecific protein-protein interaction. Here it is shown that the leader peptides retarded the folding of precursor maltose-binding protein and ribose-binding protein from Escherichia coli. This kinetic effect may be crucial in allowing precursors to enter the export pathway.

ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters↗

Role of the leader peptide of maltose-binding protein in two steps of the export process.

During the process of export of maltose-binding protein to the periplasm of Escherichia coli, the leader peptide is involved in at least two steps. The presence of the leader portion of maltose-binding protein was shown to be necessary to mediate initial binding of the precursor to the membrane. However, the presence of a mutationally altered leader which does not sustain export in vivo was sufficient to allow this interaction. Thus, the defect in export which is manifested in vivo by this mutational substitution occurs at a step that follows membrane association, most likely the translocation step. Translocation occurs at discrete sites that are not uniformly distributed over the cytoplasmic membrane. A large proportion of the membrane involved in translocation has a higher density than that of bulk cytoplasmic membrane.

ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters↗

Suppression of a signal sequence mutation by an amino acid substitution in the mature portion of the maltose-binding protein.

An unusual spontaneous pseudorevertant of an Escherichia coli strain carrying the signal sequence point mutation malE14-1 was characterized. The suppressor mutation, malE2261, resulted in a single substitution of an aspartyl residue for a tyrosyl residue at position 283 in the sequence of the mature maltose-binding protein. The precursor retained the malE14-1 point mutation in the signal sequence. The pseudorevertant carrying both malE14-1 and malE2261 exported twice the amount of maltose-binding protein as that of the mutant carrying the malE14-1 allele alone but only 18% of the amount exported by a strain producing wild-type maltose-binding protein. A strain carrying the suppressor allele malE2261 in combination with a wild-type signal sequence exported normal quantities of maltose-binding protein to the periplasm. Mature MalE2261 had a Kd for maltose of 27 microM, compared with 3.6 microM for mature wild-type maltose-binding protein. The precursor species than contained both changes resulting from malE14-1 and malE2261 was significantly less stable in the cytoplasm than was the precursor containing only the change encoded by malE14-1.

ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters↗

Correlation of competence for export with lack of tertiary structure of the mature species: a study in vivo of maltose-binding protein in E. coli.

Sensitivity to proteolytic degradation was used to monitor folding of polypeptides in vivo. A correlation between competence for export and lack of stable tertiary structure was established by comparing the kinetics of folding of mutated precursor maltose-binding protein that carries a defective leader peptide with the kinetics of folding of wild-type precursor that is competent for export. It is proposed that during export a kinetic competition exists between productive translocation and folding of precursor intracellularly into a stable conformation that is not compatible with transfer.

ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters↗

A signal sequence mutant defective in export of ribose-binding protein and a corresponding pseudorevertant isolated without imposed selection.

Ribose-binding protein is exported to the periplasmic compartment of Escherichia coli by a process that involves proteolytic cleavage of an amino-terminal extension of amino acids from the precursor form of the protein. In a collection of mutants isolated as defective in the Rbs transport system, a strain was identified that contained only precursor ribose-binding protein, none of which was exported to its normal location in the periplasm. The mutated rbsB contained a base substitution that results in a change of leucine to a proline at position-17 in the signal sequence. A pseudorevertant of the mutant contained proteolytically processed, active ribose-binding protein in the periplasm. The pseudorevertant rbsB carried a second mutation: serine at position-15 in the signal sequence was changed to phenylalanine. Isolation of a signal sequence mutant and a corresponding pseudorevertant without specific selection or site-directed mutagenesis emphasizes the possibility of obtaining export mutants without the use of procedures that could bias or limit the range of mutations found. Explanation of the extreme phenotype of the mutant and the effective correction of that phenotype in the pseudorevertant requires extension of current notions of critical features of signal sequences.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Export of alpha-amylase by Bacillus amyloliquefaciens requires proton motive force.

The secretion of protein directly into the extracellular medium by Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, a gram-positive bacterium, was shown to be dependent on proton motive force. When the electrochemical membrane potential gradient of protons was dissipated either by uncouplers or by valinomycin in combination with K+, a precursor form of alpha-amylase accumulated on the cellular membrane. The proton motive force could be dissipated without altering the intracellular level of ATP, indicating that the observed inhibition of export was not the result of decreased ATP concentration.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

The requirement for energy during export of beta-lactamase in Escherichia coli is fulfilled by the total protonmotive force.

The energy requirement for the maturation and export of the plasmid-encoded TEM beta-lactamase in Escherichia coli K12 was shown to be fulfilled by the total protonmotive force. This was demonstrated by assessing the inhibition of proteolytic processing of the precursor form of beta-lactamase caused by perturbation of the energized state of the membrane in cells treated with valinomycin. The magnitude of the membrane potential was manipulated by varying the concentration of KCl in the medium and the pH gradient was manipulated by varying the external pH. Both components were simultaneously affected by addition of the protonophore carbonylcyanide-p- trifluoromethoxy phenylhydrazone (FCCP). Inhibition of processing was demonstrated in a mutant strain having a defective ATP synthase where protonmotive force could be dissipated without altering the intracellular level of ATP, indicating that the observed inhibition was not the result of decreased ATP concentration. Half-maximal accumulation of precursor of beta-lactamase was observed in all cases when the level of protonmotive force was decreased to approximately 150 mV. Under those conditions the membrane potential varied from 65 to 140 mV (internally negative) and the pH gradient from 95 to 25 mV (internally alkaline). Thus, the energy requirement is satisfied by the total protonmotive force, with no specificity for either the membrane potential or the pH gradient.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Cellular location of heat-labile enterotoxin in Escherichia coli.

We demonstrated that both the A and B subunits of heat-labile enterotoxin from Escherichia coli are located in the periplasm. The toxin was shown to form aggregates in Tris-EDTA buffers which are routinely used for isolating membranes. The aggregates pellet upon centrifugation, and this may explain why several previous investigators have concluded that enterotoxin is associated with membranes.

Bacterial Toxins↗

Translocation of domains of nascent periplasmic proteins across the cytoplasmic membrane is independent of elongation.

Accessibility of nascent chains of periplasmic proteins to externally added proteinase K was used as the criterion for translocation of polypeptides across the cytoplasmic membrane of E. coli during the process of export. It is concluded for maltose-binding protein and ribose-binding protein that nascent chains carrying the signal sequence are not accessible to the proteinase while chains that have been matured span the membrane and are degraded. Translocation of polypeptides is a late event relative to extent of elongation, occurring only after maltose-binding protein has reached molecular weight 33,000 (80% of its entire length) and after ribose-binding protein has been fully elongated (molecular weight 29,000). The data presented here are inconsistent with postulated mechanisms of export requiring a strict coupling of translocation to elongation of nascent polypeptide chains. In contrast, the data support the idea that entire domains of polypeptides are transferred after their synthesis. This is the case whether the translocation of a protein is initiated post-translationally or begins before synthesis of the entire protein is completed.

ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters↗

Assembly in vivo of enterotoxin from Escherichia coli: formation of the B subunit oligomer.

An oligomer of the B subunit of heat-labile enterotoxin of Escherichia coli has been observed in minicells and in whole cells. There is a delay after synthesis of the B subunit before it appears in the oligomer. The delay is not due to slow processing of the precursor. A similar delay in oligomerization of the major outer membrane protein OmpF is also described.

Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins↗