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The subcellular location in rat kidney of the peripheral benzodiazepine acceptor.

In rat kidney high-affinity binding sites for [3H]Ro-5-4864 and [3H]PK-11195 with the properties of the peripheral-type acceptor were found enriched in mitochondrial (M) and light-mitochondrial-lysosomal (L) fractions on differential centrifugation. When the combined M and L fractions were subjected to sucrose density gradient centrifugation, these binding sites were found enriched at a density of 1.155 g/ml coincident with a population of light mitochondria, whereas a population of heavier mitochondria (rho = 1.175 g/ml) had few or no binding sites. Transmission electron microscopy showed that whereas the heavier mitochondria appeared highly pure and intact, the lighter mitochondria appeared less intact and to be contaminated with vesicular structures. After fractionation of the light mitochondria and vesicles by centrifugation, both fractions showed the same ratio of [3H]Ro-4864 binding sites to monoamine oxidase activity consistent with the vesicles being of mitochondrial outer-membrane origin. Digitonin pre-treatment had no effect on the density of acceptor-rich fractions on sucrose density gradient centrifugation. However, pretreatment with succinate/iodophenylnitrophenylphenyltetrazolium (INT) perturbed equally the density of acceptor-rich fractions and mitochondrial marker enzymes. When mitochondrial fractions were subjected to sonication prior to density gradient centrifugation the binding sites were now found highly enriched in a much lighter fraction coincident with the monoamine oxidase activity and thus consistent with being outer-membrane vesicles. When a mitochondrial fraction was subjected to hypotonic treatment before assay no evidence for activation/unmasking of binding sites was found. The hypotonic treatment did not release any inhibitor of the binding sites. These results are consistent with the peripheral benzodiazepine acceptor having an outer-membrane location on a sub-population of rat kidney mitochondria. Those mitochondria showing high levels of the acceptor are either light mitochondria or appear more susceptible to osmotic damage than those mitochondria in which the acceptor is absent or at low levels.

Animals↗

Export and secretion of the lipoprotein pullulanase by Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Pullulanase, a secreted lipoprotein of Klebsiella pneumoniae, is initially localized to the outer face of the outer membrane, as shown by protease and substrate accessibility and by immunofluorescence tests. Freeze-thaw disruption of these cells released both membrane-associated and apparently soluble forms of pullulanase. Membrane-associated pullulanase co-fractionated with authentic outer membrane vesicles upon isopycnic sucrose-gradient centrifugation, whereas the quasi-soluble form had the same equilibrium density as inner membrane vesicles and extracellular pullulanase aggregates. The latter also contained outer membrane maltoporin, but were largely devoid of other membrane components including LPS and lipids. K. pneumoniae carrying multiple copies of the pullulanase structural gene (pulA) produced increased amounts of cell-associated and secreted pullulanase, but a large proportion of the enzyme was neither exposed on the cell surface nor released into the medium, even after prolonged incubation. This suggests that factors necessary for pullulanase secretion were saturated by the over-produced pullulanase. When pulA was expressed under lacZ promotor control, the pullulanase which was produced was not exposed on the cell surface at any time, suggesting that pullulanase secretion genes are not expressed constitutively, and raising the possibility that they, like pulA, may be part of the maltose regulon.

Cell Membrane↗

Production, characterization and control of a Neisseria meningitidis hexavalent class 1 outer membrane protein containing vesicle vaccine.

An experimental serogroup B meningococcal vaccine was prepared from two genetically engineered strains; each expressing three different class 1 outer membrane proteins (OMPs) (PorA). The two strains expressed the subtypes P1.7,16;P1.5,2;P1.19,15 and P1.5c,10;P1.12,13;P1.7h,4, respectively. Outer membrane vesicles (OMV) were prepared from these strains by deoxycholate extraction, mixed with aluminiumphosphate as adjuvant and formulated to final vaccines. The class 1 OMPs represent ca 90% of the protein in the vaccine. The vaccine was found safe for human use and induced a bactericidal immune response in mice against five of the six wild type strains, which served as donors for the various por A genes.

Animals↗

The search for Brachyspira outer membrane proteins that interact with the host.

Little is known about the outer membrane structure of Brachyspira hyodysenteriae and Brachyspira pilosicoli or the role of outer membrane proteins (OMPs) in host colonization and the development of disease. The isolation of outer membrane vesicles from B. hyodysenteriae has confirmed that cholesterol is a significant outer membrane constituent and that it may impart unique characteristics to the lipid bilayer structure, including a reduced density. Unique proteins that have been identified in the B. hyodysenteriae outer membrane include the variable surface proteins (Vsp) and lipoproteins such as SmpA and BmpB. While the function of these proteins remains to be determined, there is indirect evidence to suggest that they may be involved in immune evasion. These data may explain the ability of the organism to initiate chronic infection. OMPs may be responsible for the unique attachment of B. pilosicoli to colonic epithelial cells; however, the only B. pilosicoli OMPs that have been identified to date are involved in metabolism. In order to identify further B. pilosicoli OMPs we have isolated membrane vesicle fractions from porcine strain 95-1000 by osmotic lysis and isopycnic centrifugation. The fractions were free of contamination by cytoplasm and flagella and contained outer membrane. Inner membrane contamination was minimal but could not be completely excluded. An abundant 45-kDa, heat-modifiable protein was shown to have significant homology with B. hyodysenteriae Vsp, and monoclonal antibodies were produced that reacted with five B. pilosicoli-specific membrane protein epitopes. The first of these proteins to be characterized is a unique surface-exposed lipoprotein.

Animals↗

The in vitro insertion of monoamine oxidase B into mitochondrial outer membranes.

Bovine monoamine oxidase (MAO) B has been synthesized in vitro using a reticulocyte lysate translation system directed by bovine liver poly(A)+ RNA. The newly synthesized enzyme apparently lacks a cleavable N-terminal extension, but MAO B is readily incorporated into mitochondria or isolated mitochondrial outer membranes prepared from rat liver. ATP is not required for the binding of the newly synthesized enzyme to the outer membranes, but is necessary for the insertion of MAO B into these membrane vesicles. The ATP is not required to generate a mitochondrial membrane potential as assembly occurs under conditions that preclude either the formation or the maintenance of the potential. MAO B will bind to but not become incorporated into outer membrane vesicles which have been treated with trypsin, suggesting that the insertion of MAO B also depends on protein factors present on the outer membranes.

Animals↗

Outer membrane-like vesicles secreted by Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans are enriched in leukotoxin.

Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans is associated with early onset periodontal diseases and secretes membranous vesicles that appear to contain several virulence-associated proteins. However, the composition of these vesicles and the process leading to their secretion are not well defined. Electron micrographs of thin sectioned bacterial cells and purified vesicle preparations showed that vesicles are spherical lipid bilayers, 50-100 nm in diameter, that appear to form by budding from the outer membrane of the bacterium. Thin layer chromatography identified the predominant lipid components of vesicles as lipopolysaccharide, phosphatidylethanolamine and cardiolipin, similar to the main lipid constituents of the outer membrane. However, vesicles also contained minor lipids that were not detected in outer membrane samples. The major protein constituents of vesicles co-migrated with proteins in outer membrane extracts of A. actinomycetemcomitans, but the outer membrane preparations possessed polypeptides that were not detected in vesicles. Three vesicle proteins were identified; the heat-modifiable OmpA homologue of A. actinomycetemcomitans, a 28 kDa lipoprotein related to the major outer membrane lipoprotein of Mannheimia haemolytica and leukotoxin. Incubation of leukotoxin-sensitive human HL60 cells with vesicles from A. actinomycetemcomitans strains JP2 and 652 resulted in cell lysis, indicating that vesicle-associated leukotoxin is biologically active. Vesicles from the highly leukotoxic strain JP2 were five- to 10-fold more toxic than vesicles from the minimally leukotoxic 652 strain. Furthermore, the specific leukotoxic activity of JP2 vesicles was approximately four- to five-fold higher than isolated outer membrane preparations from JP2, suggesting that vesicles are enriched in leukotoxin. Together, these results suggest that the formation of A. actinomycetemcomitans vesicles occurs by a process that results in the enrichment of leukotoxin.

Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans↗

Iron uptake by rabbit intestinal brush border membrane vesicles involves movement through the outer surface, membrane interior, inner surface and aqueous interior.

Iron uptake in rabbit brush border membrane vesicles was measured in the presence of nitrilotriacetate. The complexes formed ranged from stable mononuclear species to hydrolyzed polynuclear complexes and are considered as a good model for nutritional iron compounds with respect to their chemical reactivity. Uptake includes both binding to and penetration through the membrane. A strategy was developed to localize iron in the following four compartments: outer membrane surface, membrane interior, inner membrane surface and aqueous phase within the vesicles. Both surfaces as well as the membrane interior revealed a high metal binding capacity. After an incubation for 10 min with 182 mumol/L iron and 364 mumol/L nitrilotriacetate, 35% of total vesicle iron was found to be bound to the outer membrane surface, 34% to the inner membrane surface, and 23% was not accessible to EDTA. Thus, by adsorption of polynuclear iron complexes to the outer surface, the residence time of iron may be prolonged. The remaining 8% of total iron was in the aqueous phase within the vesicles. Nitrilotriacetate enters the rabbit vesicles in a concentration-dependent manner. As a consequence, iron concentration in the aqueous phase within the vesicles will be driven to the medium equilibrium concentration.

Animals↗

Characterization of serologically dominant outer membrane proteins of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

The proteins of the outer membrane of Neisseria gonorrhoeae play an important role in the serotyping system defined by K. H. Johnston et al. (J. Exp. Med. 143:741-758, 1976). This study attempted to delineate the molecular arrangement of the major proteins of the outer membrane of the gonococcus by using three approaches. First, natural protein-protein relationships were demonstrated by symmetrical, two-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Second, proteins exposed on the surface of outer membrane vesicles were cross-linked by using the bifunctional reagents dimethyl-3,3'-dithiobispropionimidate and dithiobis[succinimidyl propionate]. Third, specific antigen-antibody interactions on the surface of membrane vesicles were analyzed by radioautographic techniques. The major proteins of the outer membrane of the gonococcus were defined, and a nomenclature was devised to take into account the effects of heat and reducing agents on the resolution of these proteins by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Results of cross-linking experiments strongly suggest that two of the major proteins of the gonococcal outer membrane (proteins 1 and 3) form a hydrophobically associated trimeric unit in situ which can be stabilized by selective cross-linking reagents. Results substantiated that these proteins are responsible for imparting serotypic specificity.

Antigen-Antibody Reactions↗

Preclinical evaluation of group B Neisseria meningitidis and Escherichia coli K92 capsular polysaccharide-protein conjugate vaccines in juvenile rhesus monkeys.

We reported the first use of group B meningococcal conjugate vaccines in a nonhuman primate model (S. J. N. Devi, C. E. Frasch, W. Zollinger, and P. J. Snoy, p. 427-429, in J. S. Evans, S. E. Yost, M. C. J. Maiden, and I. M. Feavers, ed., Proceedings of the Ninth International Pathogenic Neisseria Conference, 1994). Three different group B Neisseria meningitidis capsular polysaccharide (B PS)-protein conjugate vaccines and an Escherichia coli K92 capsular polysaccharide-tetanus toxoid (K92-TT) conjugate vaccine are here evaluated for safety and relative immunogenicities in juvenile rhesus monkeys with or without adjuvants. Monkeys were immunized intramuscularly with either B PS-cross-reactive material 197 conjugate, B PS-outer membrane vesicle (B-OMV) conjugate, or N-propionylated B PS-outer membrane protein 3 (N-pr. B-OMP3) conjugate vaccine with or without adjuvants at weeks 0, 6, and 14. A control group of monkeys received one injection of the purified B PS alone, and another group received three injections of B PS noncovalently complexed with OMV. Antibody responses as measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay varied among individual monkeys. All vaccines except B PS and the K92-TT conjugate elicited a twofold or greater increase in total B PS antibodies after one immunization. All vaccines, including the K92-TT conjugate, elicited a rise in geometric mean B PS antibody levels of ninefold or more over the preimmune levels following the third immunization. Antibodies elicited by N-pr. B-OMP3 and B-OMV conjugates were directed to the N-propionylated or to the spacer-containing B PS antigens as well as to the native B PS complexed with methylated human serum albumin. None of the vaccines caused discernible safety-related symptoms.

Animals↗

Phospholipid composition of highly purified mitochondrial outer membranes of rat liver and Neurospora crassa. Is cardiolipin present in the mitochondrial outer membrane?

Isolated mitochondrial outer membrane vesicles (OMV) are a suitable system for studying various functions of the mitochondrial outer membrane. For studies on mitochondrial lipid import as well as for studies on the role of lipids in processes occurring in the outer membrane, knowledge of the phospholipid composition of the outer membrane is indispensable. Recently, a mild subfractionation procedure was described for the isolation of highly purified OMV from mitochondria of Neurospora crassa (Mayer, A., Lill, R. and Neupert, W. (1993) J. Cell Biol. 121, 1233-1243). This procedure, which consists of swelling and mechanical disruption of mitochondria followed by two steps of sucrose density gradient centrifugation, was adapted for the isolation of OMV from rat liver mitochondria. Using the appropriate enzyme markers it is shown that the resulting OMV are obtained in a yield of 25%, and that their purity is superior to that of previous OMV preparations. Analysis of the phospholipid composition of the OMV showed that phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylinositol are the major phospholipid constituents, and that cardiolipin is only present in trace amounts. The phospholipid composition is very similar to that of the highly purified OMV from mitochondria of Neurospora crassa, although the latter still contain a small amount of cardiolipin.

Animals↗

Bacteroides gingivalis vesicles mediate attachment of streptococci to serum-coated hydroxyapatite.

Outer membrane vesicles purified from Bacteroides gingivalis culture supernatant bound to serum coated hydroxyapatite (SeHA). The immobilized vesicles served as receptors for a number of species of oral streptococci. The binding of Streptococcus sanguis 12 to SeHA was increased 10 times by the vesicles. Vesicle-associated binding increased proportionally with an increase in the number of bound vesicles. Arginine and lactose both partially reduced binding of S. sanguis. Heating the vesicles destroyed their binding ability whereas heating S. sanguis reduced but did not eliminate vesicle-mediated binding.

Bacterial Adhesion↗

Isolation and characterization of the outer membrane of Borrelia hermsii.

The outer membrane of Borrelia hermsii has been shown by freeze-fracture analysis to contain a low density of membrane-spanning outer membrane proteins which have not yet been isolated or identified. In this study, we report the purification of outer membrane vesicles (OMV) from B. hermsii HS-1 and the subsequent identification of their constituent outer membrane proteins. The B. hermsii outer membranes were released by vigorous vortexing of whole organisms in low-pH, hypotonic citrate buffer and isolated by isopycnic sucrose gradient centrifugation. The isolated OMV exhibited porin activities ranging from 0.2 to 7.2 nS, consistent with their outer membrane origin. Purified OMV were shown to be relatively free of inner membrane contamination by the absence of measurable beta-NADH oxidase activity and the absence of protoplasmic cylinder-associated proteins observed by Coomassie blue staining. Approximately 60 protein spots (some of which are putative isoelectric isomers) with 25 distinct molecular weights were identified as constituents of the OMV enrichment. The majority of these proteins were also shown to be antigenic with sera from B. hermsii-infected mice. Seven of these antigenic proteins were labeled with [3H]palmitate, including the surface-exposed glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase, the variable major proteins 7 and 33, and proteins of 15, 17, 38, 42, and 67 kDa, indicating that they are lipoprotein constituents of the outer membrane. In addition, immunoblot analysis of the OMV probed with antiserum to the Borrelia garinii surface-exposed p66/Oms66 porin protein demonstrated the presence of a p66 (Oms66) outer membrane homolog. Treatment of intact B. hermsii with proteinase K resulted in the partial proteolysis of the Oms66/p66 homolog, indicating that it is surface exposed. This identification and characterization of the OMV proteins should aid in further studies of pathogenesis and immunity of tick-borne relapsing fever.

Animals↗

MOM22 is a receptor for mitochondrial targeting sequences and cooperates with MOM19.

Recognition of targeting signals is a crucial step in protein sorting within the cell. So far, only a few components capable of deciphering targeting signals have been identified, and insights into the chemical nature of the interaction between the signals and their receptors are scarce. Using highly purified mitochondrial outer membrane vesicles, we demonstrate that MOM22 and MOM19, components of the protein import complex of the outer membrane, bind preproteins at the mitochondrial surface in a reversible fashion. Interaction specifically and directly occurs with the N-terminal presequence and is abolished after inactivation of either MOM22 or MOM19. Binding is salt sensitive, suggesting that recognition involves electrostatic forces between the positive charges of the presequence and the acidic cytosolic domain of MOM22. MOM19 and MOM22 can be cross-linked with high efficiency. We propose that the two proteins form a complex which functions as the presequence receptor at the mitochondrial surface and facilitates the movement of preproteins into the translocation pore.

Animals↗

Cloning, sequencing, characterisation and implications for vaccine design of the novel dihydrolipoyl acetyltransferase of Neisseria meningitidis.

A lambdaZap-II expression library of Neisseria meningitidis was screened with a rabbit polyclonal antiserum (R-70) raised against c. 70-kDa proteins purified from outer membrane vesicles by elution from preparative SDS-polyacrylamide gels. Selected clones were isolated, further purified, and their recombinant pBluescript SKII plasmids were excised. The cloned DNA insert was sequenced from positive clones and analysed. Four open reading frames (ORFs) were identified, three of which showed a high degree of homology with the pyruvate dehydrogenase (E1p), dihydrolipoyl acetyltransferase (E2p) and dihydrolipoyl dehydrogenase (E3) components of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDHC) of a number of prokaryotic and eukaryotic species. Sequence analysis indicated that the meningococcal E2p (Men-E2p) contains two N-terminal lipoyl domains, an E1/E3 binding domain and a catalytic domain. The domains are separated by hinge regions rich in alanine, proline and charged residues. Another lipoyl domain with high sequence similarity to the Men-E2p lipoyl domain was found at the N-terminal of the E3 component. A further ORF, coding for a 16.5-kDa protein, was found between the ORFs encoding the E2p and E3 components. The identity and functional characteristics of the expressed and purified heterologous Men-E2p were confirmed as dihydrolipoyl acetyltransferase by immunological and biochemical assays. N-terminal amino-acid analysis confirmed the sequence of the DNA-derived mature protein. Purified Men-E2p reacted with monospecific antisera raised against the whole E2p molecule and against the lipoyl domain of the Azotobacter vinelandii E2p. Conversely, rabbit antiserum raised against Men-E2p reacted with protein extracts of A. vinelandii, Escherichia coli and N. gonorrhoeae and with the lipoyl and catalytic domains of E2p obtained by limited proteolysis. In contrast, the original R-70 antiserum reacted almost exclusively with the lipoyl domain, indicating the strong immunogenicity of this domain. Antibodies to Men-E2p were detected in patients and animals (rabbits and mice) infected with homologous or heterologous meningococci or other neisserial species. These results have important implications for the understanding of PDHC and the design of future outer membrane vesicle-based vaccines.

Acetyltransferases↗

Matrix protein in planar membranes: clusters of channels in a native environment and their functional reassembly.

Planar bilayers formed from Escherichia coli outer membrane vesicles exhibit conductance properties similar to those previously observed in bilayers reconstituted from aggregates of matrix protein, the major outer membrane protein. Discrete conductance steps are observed, reflecting voltage-dependent transmembrane channels. These exist in clusters which are activated by voltage. After activation, channels close with increasing potentials and reopen reversibly at lower voltage. Depending on the sign of the potential, two distinct closed states of the pores are observed. Cooperative interactions, hysteresis effects, relaxation times, and values of channel conductance depend on cluster size. These properties provide the reference data for the reconstitution of membrane function from individual components. Planar bilayers were formed from vesicles containing either solubilized matrix protein in a homogeneous trimeric state or bacterial glycolipid (lipopolysaccharide), or both. Activation of channel conductance required the presence of glycolipid and the formation of channel clusters, leading to conductance properties of the channels closely resembling those observed in native outer membranes. At very low concentrations of trimers, irreversible association to clusters by lateral diffusion was observed. Nearly quantitative recoveries of channels allowed the assignment of three pores per trimer.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Pal lipoprotein of Escherichia coli plays a major role in outer membrane integrity.

The Tol-Pal system of gram-negative bacteria is composed of five proteins. TolA, TolQ, and TolR are inner membrane proteins, TolB is a periplasmic protein, and Pal, the peptidoglycan-associated lipoprotein, is anchored to the outer membrane. In this study, the roles of Pal and major lipoprotein Lpp were compared in Escherichia coli. lpp and tol-pal mutations have previously been found to perturb the outer membrane permeability barrier and to cause the release of periplasmic proteins and the formation of outer membrane vesicles. In this study, we showed that the overproduction of Pal is able to restore the outer membrane integrity of an lpp strain but that overproduced Lpp has no effect in a pal strain. Together with the previously reported observation that overproduced TolA complements an lpp but not a pal strain, these results indicate that the cell envelope integrity is efficiently stabilized by an epistatic Tol-Pal system linking inner and outer membranes. The density of Pal was measured and found to be lower than that of Lpp. However, Pal was present in larger amounts compared to TolA and TolR proteins. The oligomeric state of Pal was determined and a new interaction between Pal and Lpp was demonstrated.

Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins↗

A major outer membrane protein of Moraxella catarrhalis is a target for antibodies that enhance pulmonary clearance of the pathogen in an animal model.

A murine immunoglobulin G monoclonal antibody (MAb) raised against outer membrane vesicles of Moraxella catarrhalis 035E was shown to bind to a surface-exposed epitope of a major outer membrane protein of this organism. This outer membrane protein, which had an apparent molecular weight of approximately 80,000 in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels, was designated CopB. MAb 10F3, reactive with CopB, bound to a majority (70%) of M. catarrhalis strains tested. More importantly, mice passively immunized with MAb 10F3 exhibited an enhanced ability to clear a bolus challenge of M. catarrhalis from their lungs, a result which suggested that CopB might have potential as a vaccine candidate. The M. catarrhalis gene encoding CopB was cloned in Escherichia coli, and nucleotide sequence analysis of the copB gene indicated that the CopB protein was synthesized with a leader peptide, a finding confirmed by N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis of the mature CopB protein purified from M. catarrhalis 035E. Southern blot analysis showed that chromosomal DNA from seven different M. catarrhalis strains hybridized with a probe comprising the majority of the copB structural gene from strain 035E. Additional data emphasizing the extent of conservation of the CopB protein among M. catarrhalis strains were obtained from Western immunoblot analyses with polyclonal antisera raised against CopB proteins from different M. catarrhalis strains used to probe the recombinant form of the CopB protein from strain 035E. The ability of the CopB protein to function as a target for biologically active antibodies and its apparent conservation among M. catarrhalis strains warrant further investigation of this outer membrane protein as a potential vaccine candidate.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Protein secretion by gram-negative bacteria. Characterization of two membrane proteins required for pullulanase secretion by Escherichia coli K-12.

Pullulanase secretion in Escherichia coli depends on the expression of a MalT-regulated operon called pulC. Characterization of the first two genes of this operon showed that they encode, respectively, a 31,000-Da protein (PulC) and a 70,600-Da protein (PulD) which has a putative signal peptide and that these two proteins are required for pullulanase secretion. The analysis of alkaline phosphatase hybrid proteins generated by TnphoA mutagenesis of pulC and pulD showed that both PulC and PulD contain export signals which can direct the alkaline phosphatase segment of the hybrids across the inner membrane. A representative PulC-PhoA hybrid protein fractionated mainly with the inner membrane upon isopycnic sucrose gradient centrifugation of membrane vesicles. This, together with sequencing data, suggests that PulC is an inner membrane protein. Antibodies raised against a purified PulD-PhoA hybrid protein were used to show that PulD was enriched in low density outer membrane vesicles.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗