Skip to main content
PMC home page
Infection and Immunity logoLink to Infection and Immunity
. 1992 Feb;60(2):510–517. doi: 10.1128/iai.60.2.510-517.1992

Isolation and characterization of toxin A excretion-deficient mutants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1.

A N Hamood 1, D E Ohman 1, S E West 1, B H Iglewski 1
PMCID: PMC257657  PMID: 1730483

Abstract

We have isolated and characterized four toxin A excretion-deficient mutants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1. Similar to previously described mutants (B. Wretlind and O. R. Pavlovskis, J. Bacteriol. 158:801-808, 1984), the mutants appear to have a pleiotropic defect in the excretion of several extracellular products, including toxin A, elastase, alkaline phosphatase, and phospholipase C. However, the mutants are not defective in the excretion of either alkaline protease or exoenzyme S. We also examined the localization and processing of toxin A in these mutants by using pulse-labeling experiments. Mature toxin A was found to be localized to the membranes only. Our results suggest that toxin A is localized to the outer membrane but is not exposed to the extracellular surfaces of the outer membranes. The results also suggest that toxin A obtained from the excretion-deficient mutants has intact disulfide bonds.

Full text

PDF
513

Images in this article

512Image
on p.512
513Image
on p.513
513Image
on p.513
514Image
on p.514
514Image
on p.514
515Image
on p.515

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Angus B. L., Carey A. M., Caron D. A., Kropinski A. M., Hancock R. E. Outer membrane permeability in Pseudomonas aeruginosa: comparison of a wild-type with an antibiotic-supersusceptible mutant. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1982 Feb;21(2):299–309. doi: 10.1128/aac.21.2.299. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bally M., Wretlind B., Lazdunski A. Protein secretion in Pseudomonas aeruginosa: molecular cloning and characterization of the xcp-1 gene. J Bacteriol. 1989 Aug;171(8):4342–4348. doi: 10.1128/jb.171.8.4342-4348.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Berka R. M., Gray G. L., Vasil M. L. Studies of phospholipase C (heat-labile hemolysin) in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Infect Immun. 1981 Dec;34(3):1071–1074. doi: 10.1128/iai.34.3.1071-1074.1981. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Bever R. A., Iglewski B. H. Molecular characterization and nucleotide sequence of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa elastase structural gene. J Bacteriol. 1988 Sep;170(9):4309–4314. doi: 10.1128/jb.170.9.4309-4314.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Brickman E., Beckwith J. Analysis of the regulation of Escherichia coli alkaline phosphatase synthesis using deletions and phi80 transducing phages. J Mol Biol. 1975 Aug 5;96(2):307–316. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(75)90350-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Cheng K. J., Ingram J. M., Costerton J. W. Interactions of alkaline phosphatase and the cell wall of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. J Bacteriol. 1971 Jul;107(1):325–336. doi: 10.1128/jb.107.1.325-336.1971. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Douglas C. M., Guidi-Rontani C., Collier R. J. Exotoxin A of Pseudomonas aeruginosa: active, cloned toxin is secreted into the periplasmic space of Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1987 Nov;169(11):4962–4966. doi: 10.1128/jb.169.11.4962-4966.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Fecycz I. T., Campbell J. N. Mechanisms of activation and secretion of a cell-associated precursor of an exocellular protease of Pseudomonas aeruginosa 34362A. Eur J Biochem. 1985 Jan 2;146(1):35–42. doi: 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1985.tb08616.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Filloux A., Bally M., Ball G., Akrim M., Tommassen J., Lazdunski A. Protein secretion in gram-negative bacteria: transport across the outer membrane involves common mechanisms in different bacteria. EMBO J. 1990 Dec;9(13):4323–4329. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1990.tb07881.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Gray G. L., Smith D. H., Baldridge J. S., Harkins R. N., Vasil M. L., Chen E. Y., Heyneker H. L. Cloning, nucleotide sequence, and expression in Escherichia coli of the exotoxin A structural gene of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1984 May;81(9):2645–2649. doi: 10.1073/pnas.81.9.2645. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Guzzo J., Murgier M., Filloux A., Lazdunski A. Cloning of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa alkaline protease gene and secretion of the protease into the medium by Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1990 Feb;172(2):942–948. doi: 10.1128/jb.172.2.942-948.1990. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Hamood A. N., Olson J. C., Vincent T. S., Iglewski B. H. Regions of toxin A involved in toxin A excretion in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. J Bacteriol. 1989 Apr;171(4):1817–1824. doi: 10.1128/jb.171.4.1817-1824.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Hamood A. N., Wick M. J., Iglewski B. H. Secretion of toxin A from Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1, PAK, and PA103 by Escherichia coli. Infect Immun. 1990 May;58(5):1133–1140. doi: 10.1128/iai.58.5.1133-1140.1990. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Hancock R. E., Nikaido H. Outer membranes of gram-negative bacteria. XIX. Isolation from Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 and use in reconstitution and definition of the permeability barrier. J Bacteriol. 1978 Oct;136(1):381–390. doi: 10.1128/jb.136.1.381-390.1978. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Hirst T. R., Sanchez J., Kaper J. B., Hardy S. J., Holmgren J. Mechanism of toxin secretion by Vibrio cholerae investigated in strains harboring plasmids that encode heat-labile enterotoxins of Escherichia coli. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1984 Dec;81(24):7752–7756. doi: 10.1073/pnas.81.24.7752. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Holloway B. W., Krishnapillai V., Morgan A. F. Chromosomal genetics of Pseudomonas. Microbiol Rev. 1979 Mar;43(1):73–102. doi: 10.1128/mr.43.1.73-102.1979. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Howard S. P., Buckley J. T. Intracellular accumulation of extracellular proteins by pleiotropic export mutants of Aeromonas hydrophila. J Bacteriol. 1983 Apr;154(1):413–418. doi: 10.1128/jb.154.1.413-418.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Howard S. P., Buckley J. T. Protein export by a gram-negative bacterium: production of aerolysin by Aeromonas hydrophila. J Bacteriol. 1985 Mar;161(3):1118–1124. doi: 10.1128/jb.161.3.1118-1124.1985. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Iglewski B. H., Kabat D. NAD-dependent inhibition of protein synthesis by Pseudomonas aeruginosa toxin,. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1975 Jun;72(6):2284–2288. doi: 10.1073/pnas.72.6.2284. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Kessler E., Safrin M. Synthesis, processing, and transport of Pseudomonas aeruginosa elastase. J Bacteriol. 1988 Nov;170(11):5241–5247. doi: 10.1128/jb.170.11.5241-5247.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Lindgren V., Wretlind B. Characterization of a Pseudomonas aeruginosa transposon insertion mutant with defective release of exoenzymes. J Gen Microbiol. 1987 Mar;133(3):675–681. doi: 10.1099/00221287-133-3-675. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Liu P. V. Exotoxins of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. I. Factors that influence the production of exotoxin A. J Infect Dis. 1973 Oct;128(4):506–513. doi: 10.1093/infdis/128.4.506. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Lory S., Collier R. J. Expression of enzymic activity by exotoxin A from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Infect Immun. 1980 May;28(2):494–501. doi: 10.1128/iai.28.2.494-501.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Lory S., Strom M. S., Johnson K. Expression and secretion of the cloned Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A by Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1988 Feb;170(2):714–719. doi: 10.1128/jb.170.2.714-719.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Lory S., Tai P. C., Davis B. D. Mechanism of protein excretion by gram-negative bacteria: Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A. J Bacteriol. 1983 Nov;156(2):695–702. doi: 10.1128/jb.156.2.695-702.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. MALAMY M. H., HORECKER B. L. RELEASE OF ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE FROM CELLS OF ESCHERICHIA COLI UPON LYSOZYME SPHEROPLAST FORMATION. Biochemistry. 1964 Dec;3:1889–1893. doi: 10.1021/bi00900a017. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Mekalanos J. J., Swartz D. J., Pearson G. D., Harford N., Groyne F., de Wilde M. Cholera toxin genes: nucleotide sequence, deletion analysis and vaccine development. Nature. 1983 Dec 8;306(5943):551–557. doi: 10.1038/306551a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Michaelis S., Inouye H., Oliver D., Beckwith J. Mutations that alter the signal sequence of alkaline phosphatase in Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1983 Apr;154(1):366–374. doi: 10.1128/jb.154.1.366-374.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Nicas T. I., Iglewski B. H. Isolation and characterization of transposon-induced mutants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa deficient in production of exoenzyme S. Infect Immun. 1984 Aug;45(2):470–474. doi: 10.1128/iai.45.2.470-474.1984. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Nunn D. N., Lory S. Product of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa gene pilD is a prepilin leader peptidase. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1991 Apr 15;88(8):3281–3285. doi: 10.1073/pnas.88.8.3281. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Ohman D. E., Sadoff J. C., Iglewski B. H. Toxin A-deficient mutants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA103: isolation and characterization. Infect Immun. 1980 Jun;28(3):899–908. doi: 10.1128/iai.28.3.899-908.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. Olson J. C., Hamood A. N., Vincent T. S., Beachey E. H., Iglewski B. H. Identification of functional epitopes of Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A using synthetic peptides and subclone products. Mol Immunol. 1990 Oct;27(10):981–993. doi: 10.1016/0161-5890(90)90121-f. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  33. Osborn M. J., Gander J. E., Parisi E., Carson J. Mechanism of assembly of the outer membrane of Salmonella typhimurium. Isolation and characterization of cytoplasmic and outer membrane. J Biol Chem. 1972 Jun 25;247(12):3962–3972. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  34. Randall L. L., Hardy S. J., Thom J. R. Export of protein: a biochemical view. Annu Rev Microbiol. 1987;41:507–541. doi: 10.1146/annurev.mi.41.100187.002451. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  35. Saier M. H., Jr, Werner P. K., Müller M. Insertion of proteins into bacterial membranes: mechanism, characteristics, and comparisons with the eucaryotic process. Microbiol Rev. 1989 Sep;53(3):333–366. doi: 10.1128/mr.53.3.333-366.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  36. Schad P. A., Bever R. A., Nicas T. I., Leduc F., Hanne L. F., Iglewski B. H. Cloning and characterization of elastase genes from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. J Bacteriol. 1987 Jun;169(6):2691–2696. doi: 10.1128/jb.169.6.2691-2696.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  37. Shen B. F., Tai P. C., Pritchard A. E., Vasil M. L. Nucleotide sequences and expression in Escherichia coli of the in-phase overlapping Pseudomonas aeruginosa plcR genes. J Bacteriol. 1987 Oct;169(10):4602–4607. doi: 10.1128/jb.169.10.4602-4607.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  38. Silhavy T. J., Benson S. A., Emr S. D. Mechanisms of protein localization. Microbiol Rev. 1983 Sep;47(3):313–344. doi: 10.1128/mr.47.3.313-344.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  39. Strom M. S., Nunn D., Lory S. Multiple roles of the pilus biogenesis protein pilD: involvement of pilD in excretion of enzymes from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. J Bacteriol. 1991 Feb;173(3):1175–1180. doi: 10.1128/jb.173.3.1175-1180.1991. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  40. Tommassen J., Leunissen J., van Damme-Jongsten M., Overduin P. Failure of E. coli K-12 to transport PhoE-LacZ hybrid proteins out of the cytoplasm. EMBO J. 1985 Apr;4(4):1041–1047. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1985.tb03736.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  41. Vasil M. L., Kabat D., Iglewski B. H. Structure-activity relationships of an exotoxin of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Infect Immun. 1977 Apr;16(1):353–361. doi: 10.1128/iai.16.1.353-361.1977. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  42. Wretlind B., Pavlovskis O. R. Genetic mapping and characterization of Pseudomonas aeruginosa mutants defective in the formation of extracellular proteins. J Bacteriol. 1984 Jun;158(3):801–808. doi: 10.1128/jb.158.3.801-808.1984. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Infection and Immunity are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES