Different modes of membrane permeabilization by two RTX toxins: HlyA from Escherichia coli and CyaA from Bordetella pertussis. 2009

Radovan Fiser, and Ivo Konopásek
Department of Genetics, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Vinicná 5, CZ-128 44, Prague 2, Czech Republic. fiserr@natur.cuni.cz

This study clarifies the membrane disruption mechanisms of two bacterial RTX toxins: alphahemolysin (HlyA) from Escherichia coli and a highly homologous adenylate cyclase toxin (CyaA) from Bordetella pertussis. For this purpose, we employed a fluorescence requenching method using liposomes (extruded through filters of different pore size - 1000 nm, 400 nm or 100 nm) with encapsulated fluorescent dye/quencher pair ANTS/DPX. We showed that both toxins induced a graded leakage of liposome content with different selectivities alpha for DPX and ANTS. In contrast to HlyA, CyaA exhibited a higher selectivity for cationic quencher DPX, which increased with vesicle diameter. Large unilamellar vesicles (LUV(1000)) were found to be more suitable for distinguishing between high alpha values whereas smaller ones (LUV(100)) were more appropriate for discriminating an all-or-none leakage (alpha=0) from the graded leakage with low values of alpha. While disrupting LUV(1000), CyaA caused a highly cation-selective leakage (alpha~15) whereas its mutated form with decreased channel K(+)/Cl(-) selectivity due to two substitutions in a predicted transmembrane segment (CyaA-E509K+E516K) exhibited much lower selectivity (alpha approximately 6). We concluded that the fluorescence requenching method in combination with different size of liposomes is a valuable tool for characterization of pore-forming toxins and their variants.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007700 Kinetics The rate dynamics in chemical or physical systems.
D008081 Liposomes Artificial, single or multilaminar vesicles (made from lecithins or other lipids) that are used for the delivery of a variety of biological molecules or molecular complexes to cells, for example, drug delivery and gene transfer. They are also used to study membranes and membrane proteins. Niosomes,Transferosomes,Ultradeformable Liposomes,Liposomes, Ultra-deformable,Liposome,Liposome, Ultra-deformable,Liposome, Ultradeformable,Liposomes, Ultra deformable,Liposomes, Ultradeformable,Niosome,Transferosome,Ultra-deformable Liposome,Ultra-deformable Liposomes,Ultradeformable Liposome
D001886 Bordetella pertussis A species of gram-negative, aerobic bacteria that is the causative agent of WHOOPING COUGH. Its cells are minute coccobacilli that are surrounded by a slime sheath. Bacterium tussis-convulsivae,Haemophilus pertussis,Hemophilus pertussis
D002462 Cell Membrane The lipid- and protein-containing, selectively permeable membrane that surrounds the cytoplasm in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Plasma Membrane,Cytoplasmic Membrane,Cell Membranes,Cytoplasmic Membranes,Membrane, Cell,Membrane, Cytoplasmic,Membrane, Plasma,Membranes, Cell,Membranes, Cytoplasmic,Membranes, Plasma,Plasma Membranes
D002463 Cell Membrane Permeability A quality of cell membranes which permits the passage of solvents and solutes into and out of cells. Permeability, Cell Membrane
D004587 Electrophoresis, Agar Gel Electrophoresis in which agar or agarose gel is used as the diffusion medium. Electrophoresis, Agarose Gel,Agar Gel Electrophoresis,Agarose Gel Electrophoresis,Gel Electrophoresis, Agar,Gel Electrophoresis, Agarose
D004926 Escherichia coli A species of gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacteria (GRAM-NEGATIVE FACULTATIVELY ANAEROBIC RODS) commonly found in the lower part of the intestine of warm-blooded animals. It is usually nonpathogenic, but some strains are known to produce DIARRHEA and pyogenic infections. Pathogenic strains (virotypes) are classified by their specific pathogenic mechanisms such as toxins (ENTEROTOXIGENIC ESCHERICHIA COLI), etc. Alkalescens-Dispar Group,Bacillus coli,Bacterium coli,Bacterium coli commune,Diffusely Adherent Escherichia coli,E coli,EAggEC,Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli,Enterococcus coli,Diffusely Adherent E. coli,Enteroaggregative E. coli,Enteroinvasive E. coli,Enteroinvasive Escherichia coli
D006460 Hemolysin Proteins Proteins from BACTERIA and FUNGI that are soluble enough to be secreted to target ERYTHROCYTES and insert into the membrane to form beta-barrel pores. Biosynthesis may be regulated by HEMOLYSIN FACTORS. Hemolysin,Hemolysins,Hemalysins,Proteins, Hemolysin
D013050 Spectrometry, Fluorescence Measurement of the intensity and quality of fluorescence. Fluorescence Spectrophotometry,Fluorescence Spectroscopy,Spectrofluorometry,Fluorescence Spectrometry,Spectrophotometry, Fluorescence,Spectroscopy, Fluorescence
D029968 Escherichia coli Proteins Proteins obtained from ESCHERICHIA COLI. E coli Proteins

Related Publications

Radovan Fiser, and Ivo Konopásek
January 2018, Protein and peptide letters,
Radovan Fiser, and Ivo Konopásek
February 2011, Protein expression and purification,
Radovan Fiser, and Ivo Konopásek
November 2013, The Journal of biological chemistry,
Radovan Fiser, and Ivo Konopásek
October 2015, Biochemical and biophysical research communications,
Radovan Fiser, and Ivo Konopásek
January 2015, Archives of microbiology,
Copied contents to your clipboard!