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W Boos

Publications and source records attributed to W Boos.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

The malX malY operon of Escherichia coli encodes a novel enzyme II of the phosphotransferase system recognizing glucose and maltose and an enzyme abolishing the endogenous induction of the maltose system.

Mutants lacking MalK, a subunit of the binding protein-dependent maltose-maltodextrin transport system, constitutively express the maltose genes. A second site mutation in malI abolishes the constitutive expression. The malI gene (at 36 min on the linkage map) codes for a typical repressor protein that is homologous to the Escherichia coli LacI, GalR, or CytR repressor (J. Reidl, K. Römisch, M. Ehrmann, and W. Boos, J. Bacteriol. 171:4888-4899, 1989). We now report that MalI regulates an adjacent and divergently oriented operon containing malX and malY. MalX encodes a protein with a molecular weight of 56,654, and the deduced amino acid sequence of MalX exhibits 34.9% identity to the enzyme II of the phosphototransferase system for glucose (ptsG) and 32.1% identity to the enzyme II for N-acetylglucosamine (nagE). When constitutively expressed, malX can complement a ptsG ptsM double mutant for growth on glucose. Also, a delta malE malT(Con) strain that is unable to grow on maltose due to its maltose transport defect becomes Mal+ after introduction of malI::Tn10 and the plasmid carrying malX. MalX-mediated transport of glucose and maltose is likely to occur by facilitated diffusion. We conclude that malX encodes a phosphotransferase system enzyme II that can recognize glucose and maltose as substrates even though these sugars may not represent the natural substrates of the system. The second gene in the operon, malY, encodes a protein of 43,500 daltons. Its deduced amino acid sequence exhibits weak homology to aminotransferase sequences. The presence of plasmid-encoded MalX alone was sufficient for complementing growth on glucose in a ptsM ptsG glk mutant, and the plasmid-encoded MalY alone was sufficient to abolish the constitutivity of the mal genes in a malK mutant. The overexpression of malY in a strain that is wild type with respect to the maltose genes strongly interferes with growth on maltose. This is not the case in a malT(Con) strain that expresses the mal genes constitutively. We conclude that malY encodes an enzyme that degrades the inducer of the maltose system or prevents its synthesis.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Trehalose synthesis genes are controlled by the putative sigma factor encoded by rpoS and are involved in stationary-phase thermotolerance in Escherichia coli.

The rpoS (katF) gene of Escherichia coli encodes a putative sigma factor (sigma S) required for the expression of a variety of stationary phase-induced genes, for the development of stationary-phase stress resistance, and for long-term starvation survival (R. Lange and R. Hengge-Aronis, Mol. Microbiol. 5:49-59, 1991). Here we show that the genes otsA, otsB, treA, and osmB, previously known to be osmotically regulated, are also induced during transition into stationary phase in a sigma S-dependent manner. otsA and otsB, which encode trehalose-6-phosphate synthase and trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase, respectively, are involved in sigma S-dependent stationary-phase thermotolerance. Neither sigma S nor trehalose, however, is required for the development of adaptive thermotolerance in growing cells, which might be controlled by sigma E.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed1991

The activities of the Escherichia coli MalK protein in maltose transport, regulation, and inducer exclusion can be separated by mutations.

The maltose regulon consists of several genes encoding proteins involved in the uptake and utilization of maltose and maltodextrins. Five proteins make up a periplasmic binding-protein-dependent active transport system. One of these proteins, MalK, contains an ATP-binding site and is thought to couple the hydrolysis of ATP to the accumulation of substrate. Beside its function in transport, MalK has two additional roles: (i) it negatively regulates mal regulon expression and (ii) it serves as the target for regulation of transport activity by enzyme IIIGlc of the phosphotransferase system. To determine whether the three functions of MalK are separable, we have isolated and characterized three classes of malK mutations. The first type (class I) exhibited constitutive mal gene expression but still allowed normal transport of maltose; the second type (class II) lacked the ability to transport maltose but retained the ability to repress the mal genes. Class I mutations were localized in the last third of the gene, at amino acids 267 (Trp to Gly) and 346 (Gly to Ser). Mutations of class II were found at the positions 137 (Gly to Ala), 140 (delta Gln Arg), and 158 (Asp to Asn). These mutations are near or within the region of MalK that exhibits extensive homology to the B site of an ATP-binding fold. In addition, site-directed mutagenesis was used to add or remove one amino acid in the A site of the ATP-binding fold. Plasmids carrying these mutations also behaved as class II mutants. The third class of malK mutations resulted in resistance to the enzyme IIIGlc-mediated inhibitory effects of alpha-methylglucoside. These mutations did not interfere with the regulatory function of MalK. One of these mutations (exchanging a serine at position 282 for leucine) is located in a short stretch of amino acids that exhibits homology to a sequence in the Escherichia coli Lac permease in which alpha-methylglucoside-resistant mutations have been found.

ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters↗
PubMed1990

Glycerol facilitator of Escherichia coli: cloning of glpF and identification of the glpF product.

The glycerol facilitator is known as the only example of a transport protein that catalyzes facilitated diffusion across the Escherichia coli inner membrane. Here we show that the gene encoding the facilitator, glpF, is the first gene in an operon with glpK, encoding glycerol kinase, at 88 min of the E. coli chromosome. The operon is transcribed counterclockwise. We cloned the glpF gene, demonstrated that it complemented a chromosomal glycerol transport-minus mutation, and identified the gene product. The GlpF protein appeared in the membrane fraction of plasmid-bearing strains and had an apparent Mr of 25,000.

Bacterial Proteins↗
PubMed1990

Trehalose transport and metabolism in Escherichia coli.

Trehalose metabolism in Escherichia coli is complicated by the fact that cells grown at high osmolarity synthesize internal trehalose as an osmoprotectant, independent of the carbon source, although trehalose can serve as a carbon source at both high and low osmolarity. The elucidation of the pathway of trehalose metabolism was facilitated by the isolation of mutants defective in the genes encoding transport proteins and degradative enzymes. The analysis of the phenotypes of these mutants and of the reactions catalyzed by the enzymes in vitro allowed the formulation of the degradative pathway at low osmolarity. Thus, trehalose utilization begins with phosphotransferase (IITre/IIIGlc)-mediated uptake delivering trehalose-6-phosphate to the cytoplasm. It continues with hydrolysis to trehalose and proceeds by splitting trehalose, releasing one glucose residue with the simultaneous transfer of the other to a polysaccharide acceptor. The enzyme catalyzing this reaction was named amylotrehalase. Amylotrehalase and EIITre were induced by trehalose in the medium but not at high osmolarity. treC and treB encoding these two enzymes mapped at 96.5 min on the E. coli linkage map but were not located in the same operon. Use of a mutation in trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase allowed demonstration of the phosphoenolpyruvate- and IITre-dependent in vitro phosphorylation of trehalose. The phenotype of this mutant indicated that trehalose-6-phosphate is the effective in vivo inducer of the system.

Biological Transport↗
PubMed1989

Comparison of sequences from the malB regions of Salmonella typhimurium and Enterobacter aerogenes with Escherichia coli K12: a potential new regulatory site in the interoperonic region.

The malE and malK genes from Salmonella typhimurium, and the malEFG operon and a portion of malK from Enterobacter aerogenes were cloned and sequenced. Plasmid-borne malE genes from both species and the malF and malG genes from E. aerogenes were expressed normally in Escherichia coli, and their products function in maltose transport. This shows that the malB products from the three species are interchangeable, at least in the combinations tested. The general genetic organization of the malB region is conserved. Potential binding sites and distances between them are highly conserved in the regulatory intervals. An unexpected conserved region was detected, which we call the U box, and which could be another target for a regulatory protein. This hypothesis is supported by the presence of the U box in the regulatory region of the pulA-malX operon in Klebsiella pneumoniae. The intergenic region between malE and malF from S. typhimurium and E. aerogenes, contains inverted repeats similar to the palindromic units (PU or REP) found at the same location in E. coli. The predicted amino acid sequence of the encoded proteins showed 90% or more identity in every pairwise comparison of species.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1989

Analysis and DNA sequence of the osmoregulated treA gene encoding the periplasmic trehalase of Escherichia coli K12.

The treA gene of Escherichia coli K12 codes for a periplasmic trehalase that is induced by growth at high osmolarity. The position of treA within a cloned chromosomal DNA fragment was identified by subcloning of restriction fragments and analysis of the gene product in minicells. The nucleotide sequence of the treA coding region as well as its upstream control region was determined. The treA gene consists of 1695 bp encoding 565 amino acids. The amino-terminus of the mature trehalase was found to begin with the amino acid Glu at position 31 of the open reading frame. The first 30 amino acids resemble a typical signal sequence, consistent with trehalase being a secreted periplasmic enzyme. Two previously isolated phoA fusions to the osmA gene were transferred by homologous recombination on to a treA-containing plasmid and found to be within treA. Analysis of the hybrid genes and their gene products aided the localization of treA and the determination of its direction of transcription within the cloned chromosomal segment. The treA-phoA fusions encoded hybrid proteins which could be found in the periplasm. We found that at high osmolarity the normal pathway for the uptake and utilization of trehalose is blocked. Therefore, the function of the periplasmic trehalase is to provide the cell with the ability to utilize trehalose at high osmolarity by splitting it into glucose molecules that can subsequently be taken up by the phosphotransferase-mediated uptake system.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1989

Convenient preparative synthesis of [14C]trehalose from [14C]glucose by intact Escherichia coli cells.

At high osmolarity, Escherichia coli synthesizes trehalose intracellularly, irrespective of the nature of the carbon source. Synthesis proceeds via the transfer of UDP-glucose to glucose 6-phosphate, yielding trehalose 6-phosphate, followed by its dephosphorylation to trehalose (H.M. Giaeyer, B.O. Styrvold, I. Kaasen, and A.R. Strøm, J. Bacteriol. 170:2841-2849, 1988). This reaction was exploited to preparatively synthesize [14C]trehalose from exogenous [14C]glucose by using intact bacteria of a mutant (DF214) that could not metabolize glucose. The total yield of radiochemically pure trehalose from glucose was routinely more than 50%.

Biological Transport↗
PubMed1989

Evolution of chemotactic-signal transducers in enteric bacteria.

The methyl-accepting chemotactic-signal transducers of the enteric bacteria are transmembrane proteins that consist of a periplasmic receptor domain and a cytoplasmic signaling domain. To study their evolution, transducer genes from Enterobacter aerogenes and Klebsiella pneumoniae were compared with transducer genes from Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium. There are at least two functional transducer genes in the nonmotile species K. pneumoniae, one of which complements the defect in serine taxis of an E. coli tsr mutant. The tse (taxis to serine) gene of E. aerogenes also complements an E. coli tsr mutant; the tas (taxis to aspartate) gene of E. aerogenes complements the defect in aspartate taxis, but not the defect in maltose taxis, of an E. coli tar mutant. The sequence was determined for 5 kilobases of E. aerogenes DNA containing a 3' fragment of the cheA gene, cheW, tse, tas, and a 5' fragment of the cheR gene. The tse and tas genes are in one operon, unlike tsr and tar. The cytoplasmic domains of Tse and Tas are very similar to those of E. coli and S. typhimurium transducers. The periplasmic domain of Tse is homologous to that of Tsr, but Tas and Tar are much less similar in this region. However, several short sequences are conserved in the periplasmic domains of Tsr, Tar, Tse, and Tas but not of Tap and Trg, transducers that do not bind amino acids. These conserved regions include residues implicated in amino-acid binding.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1989

MalI, a novel protein involved in regulation of the maltose system of Escherichia coli, is highly homologous to the repressor proteins GalR, CytR, and LacI.

The maltose regulon of Escherichia coli comprises several operons that are under common regulatory control of the MalT activator protein. Five mal genes, organized in two divergent operons, code for a binding-protein-dependent transport system specific for maltose and maltodextrins. MalK, one of the subunits of this transport system, not only is essential for transport but also plays a role in regulation. Mutations abolishing MalK function not only result in inability to transport maltose but also cause constitutive expression of the maltose regulon. For this constitutivity to be exerted, the function of an additional gene product, MalI, is necessary. Using the constitutive expression of a malK-lacZ fusion as a signal, we cloned the malI gene, expressed it in minicells, and determined its DNA sequence. The sequence predicted a protein of 34,729 molecular weight, in agreement with the apparent molecular weight of the protein (35,000) when expressed in minicells and analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and autoradiography. MalI exhibited high homology to the repressor proteins GalR, CytR, and LacI. When the amino acid sequences were appropriately aligned, MalI showed 28% identity to GalR, 21% to CytR, and 24% to LacI. Including conservative amino acid exchanges, these numbers increased to 69, 56, and 58%, respectively. The regions of high homology were clustered in particular at the N-terminal portion of the protein that includes the helix-turn-helix motif thought to be involved in DNA binding. The protein contained a short stretch of 30 amino acids that was surprisingly homologous to a sequence in MalT. The amino-terminal half of the protein exhibited significant homology with MalK. The transcriptional start of malI was determined by reverse transcriptase and by S1 nuclease mapping. We found a possible binding site for cyclic AMP receptor protein in the promoter region of malI as well as two perfect direct repeats of 14 base pairs with twofold symmetry indicating their possible role as operator sites. Upstream to malI we observed a divergent open reading frame that extended to the end of the sequenced DNA.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1988

Malto-oligosaccharide homologues of 3,7-anhydro-2-azi-1,2-dideoxy-D-glycero-D-gulo-octitol+ ++: improved photoaffinity reagents for labelling the malto-oligosaccharide-binding protein of Escherichia coli.

3,7-Anhydro-2-azi-1,2-dideoxy-D-glycero-D-gulo-octitol (2) was synthesized as a beta-D-glucopyranosyl analogue, which could be converted into a series of malto-oligosaccharide derivatives (3-7) by cyclodextrinase-catalyzed glucosyl transfer from alpha-cyclodextrin (cyclomaltohexaose). The pure analogues 3-7 containing 1-5 (1----4)-linked alpha-D-glucose residues inhibited the uptake of maltose via the maltose-binding protein-dependent transport system in Escherichia coli. The concentration of half-maximal inhibition of maltose transport at 60nM decreases with increasing chain-length of the analogue, reaching a minimum at 0.02 mM for 6 (4 glucose residues). 3H-Labelled alpha-cyclodextrin was prepared by partial oxidation and reduction of the aldehyde groups with NaB3H4. Radiolabelled 5a was used to photolabel the binding site of the maltose-binding protein.

ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters↗
PubMed1988

Convenient transfer of lacZ-gene fusions to phage M13 by in vivo recombination and their use for nucleotide sequencing.

We describe a method that facilitates the sequencing of lacZ fusion joints based on in vivo subcloning onto phage M13. The method is useful for lacZ fusions that are isolated with the transposable lambda placMu phage into plasmids carrying the pBR322 bla gene. In vivo cloning of lacZ fusions is accomplished by recombination with two M13 phages carrying 5' or 3' segments of the bla gene, adjacent but differing in orientation to lacZ'. The presented method allows rapid sequencing of many fusion joints without subcloning in vitro.

Bacteriophages↗
PubMed1988

The Tsr chemosensory transducer of Escherichia coli assembles into the cytoplasmic membrane via a SecA-dependent process.

The Tsr protein of Escherichia coli is a chemosensory transducer that mediates taxis toward serine and away from certain repellents. Like other bacterial transducers, Tsr spans the cytoplasmic membrane twice, forming a periplasmic domain of about 150 amino acids and a cytoplasmic domain of about 300 amino acids. The 32 N-terminal amino acids of Tsr resemble the consensus signal sequence of secreted proteins, but they are not removed from the mature protein. To investigate the function of this N-terminal sequence in the assembly process, we isolated translational fusions between tsr and the phoA and lacZ genes, which code for the periplasmic enzyme alkaline phosphatase and the cytoplasmic enzyme beta-galactosidase, respectively. All tsr-phoA fusions isolated code for proteins whose fusion joints are within the periplasmic loop of Tsr, and all of these hybrid proteins have high alkaline phosphatase activity. The most N-terminal fusion joint is at amino acid 19 of Tsr. Tsr-lacZ fusions were found throughout the tsr gene. The beta-galactosidase activity of the LacZ-fusion proteins varies greatly, depending on the location of the fusion joint. Fusions with low activity have fusion joints within the periplasmic loop of Tsr. The expression of these fusions is most likely reduced at the level of translation. In addition, one of these fusions markedly reduces the export and processing of the periplasmic maltose-binding protein and the outer membrane protein OmpA, but not of intact PhoA or of the outer membrane protein LamB. A temperature-sensitive secA mutation, causing defective protein secretion, stops expression of new alkaline phosphatase activity coded by a tsr-phoA fusion upon shifting to the nonpermissive temperature. The same secA mutation, even at the permissive temperature, increases the activity and the level of expression of LacZ fused to the periplasmic loop of Tsr relative to a secA+ strain. We conclude that the assembly of Tsr into the cytoplasmic membrane is mediated by the machinery responsible for the secretion of a subset of periplasmic and outer membrane proteins. Moreover, assembly of the Tsr protein seems to be closely coupled to its synthesis.

ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters↗
PubMed1988

Pore formation by pho-controlled outer-membrane proteins of various Enterobacteriaceae in lipid bilayers.

The structural genes of the PhoE porins of Klebsiella pneumonia, Enterobacter cloacae and Escherichia coli C, cloned in multicopy plasmids, were transfered into a porin-deficient E. coli K-12 strain, which was constitutive for the pho regulon, and the PhoE porins were isolated and purified. PhoE of Salmonella typhimurium could not be cloned but was isolated from a pho-constitutive strain. Reconstitution experiments with artificial lipid bilayer membranes showed that the different PhoE proteins formed pores exhibiting a single-channel conductance of about 200 pS at 0.1 M KCl. All PhoE porins formed anion-selective channels in KCl at neutral pH. The degree of the selectivity was dependent on the PhoE species. The different PhoE porins formed general diffusion pores similar to the general porins but exhibited a considerable advantage for the permeation of phosphate through the outer membrane as compared to the constitutive OmpC and OmpF porins of E. coli K-12.

Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins↗
PubMed1988

Facilitated diffusion of p-nitrophenyl-alpha-D-maltohexaoside through the outer membrane of Escherichia coli. Characterization of LamB as a specific and saturable channel for maltooligosaccharides.

LamB, an outer membrane protein of Escherichia coli, is a component of the maltose-maltooligosaccharide transport system. We used p-nitrophenyl-alpha-D-maltohexaoside, a chromogenic analog of maltohexaose, and a periplasmic amylase that hydrolyzes this compound to study the LamB-mediated diffusion of p-nitrophenyl-alpha-D-maltohexaoside into the periplasm. Using this approach, we were able to characterize LamB in vivo as a saturable channel for maltooligosaccharides. Permeation through LamB follows Michaelis-Menten kinetics, with a Km of 0.13 mM and a Vmax of 3.3 nmol/min/10(9) cells. Previous studies suggested that maltose-binding protein increases the rate of maltooligosaccharide diffusion through LamB. We show here that, at least in strains that are unable to transport maltooligosaccharides into the cytoplasm, maltose-binding protein does not influence the rate of substrate diffusion. The periplasmic amylase had been previously described as being of the alpha-type. We have now purified this protein and analyzed its mode of action using chromogenic maltooligosaccharides of varying length. Analysis of the hydrolytic products revealed that the enzyme recognizes its substrate from the nonreducing end and preferentially liberates maltohexaose, in contrast to the behavior of classical alpha-amylases that are endohydrolases. Using p-nitrophenyl-alpha-D-maltohexaoside as a substrate, we determined a Km of 3 microM and a Vmax of 0.14 mumol/min/mg of protein.

Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins↗
PubMed1988

The mglB sequence of Salmonella typhimurium LT2; promoter analysis by gene fusions and evidence for a divergently oriented gene coding for the mgl repressor.

The mglB gene of Salmonella typhimurium LT2 coding for the galactose-binding protein (GBP) was sequenced. We compared the deduced amino acid sequence with the GBP sequence of Escherichia coli K 12. The mature proteins differ in only 19 of 309 amino acid residues, corresponding to 94% homology. Analysis of the mglB control region by promoter-probe vectors revealed that two promoters, P1 and P2, constitute the mgl control region (Pmgl). P1 and P2 function in a synergistic way. P1 is the main promoter of the operon; its activity is 20 times the activity of P2. Both promoters are activated by the cyclic adenosine monophosphate catabolite activator protein (cAMP/CAP) complex. While P1 is inactive in the absence of the cAMP/CAP complex, there is residual activity of P2 under these conditions. Studies on the inducibility of the mglBAEC operon using multicopy plasmid promoter-probe vectors were hampered by the titration of the mgl repressor resulting in a partially constitutive expression of the mgl operon. The results indicate that only P1 is responding to induction by D-fucose. A weak promoter, PD, within the P1 region but divergent to it was found. PD is neither stimulated by the cAMP/CAP complex nor by D-fucose. We cloned the gene located downstream to PD and found it to strongly repress the expression of the mgl operon. We termed this gene mglD. The presence of D-fucose abolished the repression caused by the plasmid-encoded mglD gene product.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1988

The transmembrane topology of the sn-glycerol-3-phosphate permease of Escherichia coli analysed by phoA and lacZ protein fusions.

The Escherichia coli glpT gene encodes a transport protein that mediates uptake of sn-glycerol-3-phosphate. This permease is a member of a class of bacterial organophosphate permeases which transport substrates by antiport with inorganic phosphate. The glpT gene product, probably an oligomer of a single polypeptide chain, is thought to span the cytoplasmic membrane several times, as predicted by the hydropathic profile. Protein fusions, in which varying lengths of the amino-terminal end of the permease is attached to alkaline phosphatase (phoA) and to beta-galactosidase (lacZ) were constructed. On the assumption that phoA fusions only exhibit high enzymatic activity when fused to extra-cytoplasmic regions of the target protein, whereas lacZ fusions will only be active when the beta-galactosidase portion is attached to cytoplasmic domains of the target protein, the activities of the fusions were used to test a two-dimensional model for the permease. The model proposes that GlpT contains 12 transmembrane segments divided by a larger cytoplasmic region. Despite some limitation caused by hot-spot sites of transpositions, the TnphoA approach was consistent with the model. In contrast, we feel that the enzymatic activity of lacZ fusions is only a limited parameter for studying the topology of a complex membrane protein.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗