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Autotransported serine protease A of Neisseria meningitidis: an immunogenic, surface-exposed outer membrane, and secreted protein.

ABSTRACT: Several autotransporter proteins have previously been identified in Neisseria meningitidis. Using molecular features common to most members of the autotransporter family of proteins, we have identified an additional novel ca. 112-kDa autotransporter protein in the meningococcal genomic sequence data. This protein, designated autotransported serine protease A (AspA), has significant N-terminal homology to the secreted serine proteases (subtilases) from several organisms and contains a serine protease catalytic triad. The amino acid sequence of AspA is well-conserved in serogroup A, B, and C meningococci. In Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the AspA homologue appears to be a pseudogene. The gene encoding AspA was cloned and expressed from meningococcal strain MC58 (B15:P1.16b). Anti-AspA antibodies were detected in patients' convalescent-phase sera, suggesting that AspA is expressed in vivo during infection and is immunogenic and cross-reactive. Rabbit polyclonal monospecific anti-AspA serum was used to probe whole-cell proteins from a panel of wild-type meningococcal strains and two AspA mutant strains. Expression of the ca. 112-kDa precursor polypeptide was detected in 12 of 20 wild-type meningococcal strains examined, suggesting that AspA expression is phase variable. Immunogold electron microscopy and cellular fractionation studies showed that the AspA precursor is transported to the outer membrane and remains surface exposed. Western blot experiments confirmed that smaller, ca. 68- or 70-kDa components of AspA (AspA68 and AspA70, respectively) are then secreted into the meningococcal culture supernatant. Site-directed mutagenesis of S426 abolished secretion of both rAspA68 and rAspA70 in Escherichia coli, confirming that AspA is an autocleaved autotransporter protein. In conclusion, we characterized a novel, surface-exposed and secreted, immunogenic, meningococcal autotransporter protein.

SUBMITTER: Turner DP

PROVIDER: S-EPMC128147 | biostudies-literature | 2002 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Autotransported serine protease A of Neisseria meningitidis: an immunogenic, surface-exposed outer membrane, and secreted protein.

Turner David P J DP Wooldridge Karl G KG Ala'Aldeen Dlawer A A DA

Infection and immunity 20020801 8

Several autotransporter proteins have previously been identified in Neisseria meningitidis. Using molecular features common to most members of the autotransporter family of proteins, we have identified an additional novel ca. 112-kDa autotransporter protein in the meningococcal genomic sequence data. This protein, designated autotransported serine protease A (AspA), has significant N-terminal homology to the secreted serine proteases (subtilases) from several organisms and contains a serine prot ...[more]

PMID: 12117956

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Project description:BackgroundOuter membrane vesicles (OMVs) are nanoparticles released by Gram-negative bacteria and can be used as vaccines. Often, detergents are used to promote release of OMVs and to remove the toxic lipopolysaccharides. Lipopolysaccharides can be detoxified by genetic modification such that vesicles spontaneously produced by bacteria can be directly used as vaccines. The use of spontaneous OMVs has the advantage that no separate extraction step is required in the purification process. However, the productivity of spontaneous OMVs by bacteria at optimal growth conditions is low. One of many methods for increasing OMV formation is to reduce the linkage of the outer membrane to the peptidoglycan layer by knocking out the rmpM gene. A previous study showed that for Neisseria meningitidis this resulted in release of more OMVs. Furthermore, cysteine depletion was found to trigger OMV release and at the same time cause reduced growth and oxidative stress responses. Here we study the effect of growth rate and oxidative stress on OMV release.ResultsFirst, we identified using chemostat and accelerostat cultures of N. meningitidis that increasing the growth rate from 0.03 to 0.18 h-1 has a limited effect on OMV productivity. Thus, we hypothesized that oxidative stress is the trigger for OMV release and that oxidative stress can be introduced directly by increasing the dissolved oxygen tension of bacterial cultures. Slowly increasing oxygen concentrations in a N. meningitidis changestat showed that an increase from 30 to 150% air saturation improved OMV productivity four-fold. Batch cultures controlled at 100% air saturation increased OMV productivity three-fold over batch cultures controlled at 30% air saturation.ConclusionIncreased dissolved oxygen tension induces the release of outer membrane vesicles in N. meningitidis cultures. Since oxygen concentration is a well-controlled process parameter of bacterial cultures, this trigger can be applied as a convenient process parameter to induce OMV release in bacterial cultures. Improved productivity of OMVs not only improves the production costs of OMVs as vaccines, it also facilitates the use of OMVs as adjuvants, enzyme carriers, or cell-specific drug delivery vehicles.

Dataset Information

Autotransported serine protease A of Neisseria meningitidis: an immunogenic, surface-exposed outer membrane, and secreted protein.

Publications

Autotransported serine protease A of Neisseria meningitidis: an immunogenic, surface-exposed outer membrane, and secreted protein.

Similar Datasets

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