Selectivity for D-lactate incorporation into the peptidoglycan precursors of Lactobacillus plantarum: role of Aad, a VanX-like D-alanyl-D-alanine dipeptidase.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Deghorain M
PROVIDER: S-EPMC1913409 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Jun
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:The VanX protein is a D-alanyl-D-alanine (D-Ala-D-Ala) dipeptidase essential for resistance to the glycopeptide antibiotic vancomycin. While this enzymatic activity has been typically associated with vancomycin- and teicoplainin-resistant enterococci, we now report the identification of a D-Ala-D-Ala dipeptidase in the gram-negative species Salmonella enterica. The Salmonella enzyme is only 36% identical to VanX but exhibits a similar substrate specificity: it hydrolyzes D-Ala-D-Ala, DL-Ala-DL-Phe, and D-Ala-Gly but not the tripeptides D-Ala-D-Ala-D-Ala and DL-Ala-DL-Lys-Gly or the dipeptides L-Ala-L-Ala, N-acetyl-D-Ala-D-Ala, and L-Leu-Pro. The Salmonella dipeptidase gene, designated pcgL, appears to have been acquired by horizontal gene transfer because pcgL-hybridizing sequences were not detected in related bacterial species and the G+C content of the pcgL-containing region (41%) is much lower than the overall G+C content of the Salmonella chromosome (52%). In contrast to wild-type Salmonella, a pcgL mutant was unable to use D-Ala-D-Ala as a sole carbon source. The pcgL gene conferred D-Ala-D-Ala dipeptidase activity upon Escherichia coli K-12 but did not allow growth on D-Ala-D-Ala. The PcgL protein localizes to the periplasmic space of Salmonella, suggesting that this dipeptidase participates in peptidoglycan metabolism.
| S-EPMC93629 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BACKGROUND: Lactobacillus plantarum is commonly used in industrial fermentation processes. Selected strains are also marketed as probiotics for their health beneficial effects. Although the functional role of peptidoglycan-degrading enzymes is increasingly documented to be important for a range of bacterial processes and host-microbe interactions, little is known about their functional roles in lactobacilli. This knowledge holds important potential for developing more robust strains resistant to autolysis under stress conditions as well as peptidoglycan engineering for a better understanding of the contribution of released muramyl-peptides as probiotic immunomodulators. RESULTS: Here, we explored the functional role of the predicted peptidoglycan hydrolase (PGH) complement encoded in the genome of L. plantarum by systematic gene deletion. From twelve predicted PGH-encoding genes, nine could be individually inactivated and their corresponding mutant strains were characterized regarding their cell morphology, growth, and autolysis under various conditions. From this analysis, we identified two PGHs, the predicted N-acetylglucosaminidase Acm2 and NplC/P60 D,L-endopeptidase LytA, as key determinants in the morphology of L. plantarum. Acm2 was demonstrated to be required for the ultimate step of cell separation of daughter cells, whereas LytA appeared to be required for cell shape maintenance and cell-wall integrity. We also showed by autolysis experiments that both PGHs are involved in the global autolytic process with a dominant role for Acm2 in all tested conditions, identifying Acm2 as the major autolysin of L. plantarum WCFS1. In addition, Acm2 and the putative N-acetylmuramidase Lys2 were shown to play redundant roles in both cell separation and autolysis under stress conditions. Finally, the analysis of the peptidoglycan composition of Acm2- and LytA-deficient derivatives revealed their potential hydrolytic activities by the disappearance of specific cleavage products. CONCLUSION: In this study, we showed that two PGHs of L. plantarum have a predominant physiological role in a range of growth conditions. We demonstrate that the N-acetylglucosaminidase Acm2 is the major autolysin whereas the D,L-endopeptidase LytA is a key morphogenic determinant. In addition, both PGHs have a direct impact on PG structure by generating a higher diversity of cleavage products that could be of importance for interaction with the innate immune system.
| S-EPMC3533731 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Lactobacillus plantarum is a lactic acid bacterium that produces a racemic mixture of l- and d-lactate from sugar fermentation. The interconversion of lactate isomers is performed by a lactate racemase (Lar) that is transcriptionally controlled by the l-/d-lactate ratio and maximally induced in the presence of l-lactate. We previously reported that the Lar activity depends on the expression of two divergently oriented operons: (i) the larABCDE operon encodes the nickel-dependent lactate racemase (LarA), its maturases (LarBCE), and a lactic acid channel (LarD), and (ii) the larR(MN)QO operon encodes a transcriptional regulator (LarR) and a four-component ABC-type nickel transporter [Lar(MN), in which the M and N components are fused, LarQ, and LarO]. LarR is a novel regulator of the Crp-Fnr family (PrfA group). Here, the role of LarR was further characterized in vivo and in vitro. We show that LarR is a positive regulator that is absolutely required for the expression of Lar activity. Using gel retardation experiments, we demonstrate that LarR binds to a 16-bp palindromic sequence (Lar box motif) that is present in the larR-larA intergenic region. Mutations in the Lar box strongly affect LarR binding and completely abolish transcription from the larA promoter (PlarA). Two half-Lar boxes located between the Lar box and the -35 box of PlarA promote LarR multimerization on DNA, and point mutations within one or both half-Lar boxes inhibit PlarA induction by l-lactate. Gel retardation and footprinting experiments indicate that l-lactate has a positive effect on the binding and multimerization of LarR, while d-lactate antagonizes the positive effect of l-lactate. A possible mechanism of LarR regulation by lactate enantiomers is proposed.
| S-EPMC4288682 | biostudies-literature
Project description:L. plantarum is known to possess an L-lactate inducible lactate racemase activity (Goffin et al. 2005. J. Bacteriol. 187:6750). In the present study, microarrays were used in order to identify all genes that are up-regulated by L-lactate, but not by a racemic mixture of D- and L-lactate.
2013-07-01 | GSE43518 | GEO
Project description:L. plantarum is known to possess an L-lactate inducible lactate racemase activity (Goffin et al. 2005. J. Bacteriol. 187:6750). In the present study, microarrays were used in order to identify all genes that are up-regulated by L-lactate, but not by a racemic mixture of D- and L-lactate. A mutant of L. plantarum NCIMB8826 deficient for NAD-dependent L-lactate activity (TF101; Ferain et al. 1994. 176:596), and thus producing no L-lactate, was grown in MRS medium at 28°C until mid-exponential phase (OD600nm 0.75). The culture was then divided into 3 sub-cultures. Optically pure sodium L-lactate (200 mM) was added to the first sub-culture (TF101 + L-lac 200 mM). An equimolar mixture of sodium D- and L-lactate (100 mM each) was added to the second sub-culture (TF101 + L/D-lac 200 mM). The third sub-culture was not treated (TF101; reference sample). The three sub-cultures were further incubated at 28°C for 1h30 (a time known to be sufficient for induction of lactate racemase activity by L-lactate). Cells were harvested by centrifugation. Microarray data were used ot identify genes that are specifically induced by L-lactate (comparison of TF101 with TF101 + L-lac 200 mM), but not by DL-lactate (comparison of TF101 with T101 + L/D-lac 200 mM). There are no biological replicates.
2013-07-01 | E-GEOD-43518 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:The Lactobacillus plantarum alr gene encoding alanine racemase was cloned by complementation of an Escherichia coli Alr- DadX- double mutant strain. Knockout of the alr gene abolished all measurable alanine racemase activity, and the mutant was shown to be strictly dependent on D-alanine for growth.
| S-EPMC179184 | biostudies-other
Project description:The peptidoglycan (PG) of Lactobacillus plantarum contains amidated meso-diaminopimelic acid (mDAP). The functional role of this PG modification has never been characterized in any bacterial species, except for its impact on PG recognition by receptors of the innate immune system. In silico analysis of loci carrying PG biosynthesis genes in the L. plantarum genome revealed the colocalization of the murE gene, which encodes the ligase catalyzing the addition of mDAP to UDP-N-muramoyl-d-glutamate PG precursors, with asnB1, which encodes a putative asparagine synthase with an N-terminal amidotransferase domain. By gene disruption and complementation experiments, we showed that asnB1 is the amidotransferase involved in mDAP amidation. PG structural analysis revealed that mDAP amidation plays a key role in the control of the l,d-carboxypeptidase DacB activity. In addition, a mutant strain with a defect in mDAP amidation is strongly affected in growth and cell morphology, with filamentation and cell chaining, while a DacB-negative strain displays a phenotype very similar to that of a wild-type strain. These results suggest that mDAP amidation may play a critical role in the control of the septation process.
| S-EPMC3209238 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The D-alanine-activating enzyme (Dae; EC 6.3.2.4) encoded by the dae gene from Lactobacillus casei ATCC 7469 is a cytosolic protein essential for the formation of the D-alanyl esters of membrane-bound lipoteichoic acid. The gene has been cloned, sequenced, and expressed in Escherichia coli, an organism which does not possess Dae activity. The open reading frame is 1,518 nucleotides and codes for a protein of 55.867 kDa, a value in agreement with the 56 kDa obtained by electrophoresis. A putative promoter and ribosome-binding site immediately precede the dae gene. A second open reading frame contiguous with the dae gene has also been partially sequenced. The organization of these genetic elements suggests that more than one enzyme necessary for the biosynthesis of D-alanyl-lipoteichoic acid may be present in this operon. Analysis of the amino acid sequence deduced from the dae gene identified three regions with significant homology to proteins in the following groups of ATP-utilizing enzymes: (i) the acid-thiol ligases, (ii) the activating enzymes for the biosynthesis of enterobactin, and (iii) the synthetases for tyrocidine, gramicidin S, and penicillin. From these comparisons, a common motif (GXXGXPK) has been identified that is conserved in the 19 protein domains analyzed. This motif may represent the phosphate-binding loop of an ATP-binding site for this class of enzymes. A DNA fragment (1,568 nucleotides) containing the dae gene and its putative ribosome-binding site has been subcloned and expressed in E. coli. Approximately 0.5% of the total cell protein is active Dae, whereas 21% is in the form of inclusion bodies. The isolation of this minimal fragment without a native promoter sequence provides the basis for designing a genetic system for modulating the D-alanine ester content of lipoteichoic acid.
| S-EPMC206267 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Until now, peptidoglycan O-acetyl transferases (Oat) were only described for their peptidoglycan O-acetylating activity and for their implication in the control of peptidoglycan hydrolases. In this study, we show that a Lactobacillus plantarum mutant lacking OatA is unable to uncouple cell elongation and septation. Wild-type cells showed an elongation arrest during septation while oatA mutant cells continued to elongate at a constant rate without any observable pause during the cell division process. Remarkably, this defect does not result from a default in peptidoglycan O-acetylation, since it can be rescued by wild-type OatA as well as by a catalytic mutant or a truncated variant containing only the transmembrane domain of the protein. Consistent with a potential involvement in division, OatA preferentially localizes at mid-cell before membrane invagination and remains at this position until the end of septation. Overexpression of oatA or its inactive variants induces septation-specific aberrations, including asymmetrical and dual septum formation. Overproduction of the division inhibitors, MinC or MinD, leads to cell filamentation in the wild type while curved and branched cells are observed in the oatA mutant, suggesting that the Min system acts differently on the division process in the absence of OatA. Altogether, the results suggest that OatA plays a key role in the spatio-temporal control of septation, irrespective of its catalytic activity.
| S-EPMC3482227 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundBiogenic amines are molecules with allergenic properties. They are found in fermented products and are synthesized by lactic acid bacteria through the decarboxylation of amino acids present in the food matrix. The concentration of biogenic amines in fermented foodstuffs is influenced by many environmental factors, and in particular, biogenic amine accumulation depends on the quantity of available precursors. Enological practices which lead to an enrichment in nitrogen compounds therefore favor biogenic amine production in wine. Free amino acids are the only known precursors for the synthesis of biogenic amines, and no direct link has previously been demonstrated between the use of peptides by lactic acid bacteria and biogenic amine synthesis.ResultsHere we demonstrate for the first time that a Lactobacillus plantarum strain isolated from a red wine can produce the biogenic amine tyramine from peptides containing tyrosine. In our conditions, most of the tyramine was produced during the late exponential growth phase, coinciding with the expression of the tyrDC and tyrP genes. The DNA sequences of tyrDC and tyrP in this strain share 98% identity with those in Lactobacillus brevis consistent with horizontal gene transfer from L. brevis to L. plantarum.ConclusionPeptides amino acids are precursors of biogenic amines for Lactobacillus plantarum strain IR BL0076.
| S-EPMC3492074 | biostudies-literature