Dataset Information

Structure-function analysis of the Bacillus megaterium GerUD spore germinant receptor protein.

ABSTRACT: Germination of Bacillus spores is triggered by the interaction of germinant molecules with specialized receptor proteins localized to the spore inner membrane. Germinant receptors (GRs) are comprised typically of three interacting protein subunits, each of which is essential for receptor function. At least some GRs appear to have a fourth component, referred to as a D-subunit protein. A number of D-subunit proteins were shown previously to be capable of modulating the activity of associated GRs. Here, we investigate the topology and structure-function relationships of the Bacillus megaterium QM B1551 GerUD protein, which is associated with the GerU GR. The presented data demonstrate that GerUD can be subjected to relatively extensive structural modifications while retaining function. Indeed, the presence of either of the two transmembrane spanning domains is sufficient to modulate an efficient GerU-mediated germinative response. The precise function of D-subunit proteins has yet to be established, although they may act as molecular chaperones within the spore inner-membrane environment.

SUBMITTER: Gupta S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4661057 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Structure-function analysis of the Bacillus megaterium GerUD spore germinant receptor protein.

Gupta Srishti S Zhou Ke Xu KX Bailey David M D DM Christie Graham G

FEMS microbiology letters 20151027 24

Germination of Bacillus spores is triggered by the interaction of germinant molecules with specialized receptor proteins localized to the spore inner membrane. Germinant receptors (GRs) are comprised typically of three interacting protein subunits, each of which is essential for receptor function. At least some GRs appear to have a fourth component, referred to as a D-subunit protein. A number of D-subunit proteins were shown previously to be capable of modulating the activity of associated GRs. ...[more]

PMID: 26511952

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Project description:The exosporium of Bacillus megaterium QM B1551 spores is morphologically distinct from exosporia observed for the spores of many other species. Previous work has demonstrated that unidentified genes carried on one of the large indigenous plasmids are required for the assembly of the Bacillus megaterium exosporium. Here, we provide evidence that pBM600-encoded orthologues of the Bacillus subtilis CotW and CotX proteins, which form the crust layer in spores of that species, are structural components of the Bacillus megaterium QM B1551 spore exosporium. The introduction of plasmid-borne cotW and orthologous cotX genes to the PV361 strain, which lacks all indigenous plasmids and produces spores that are devoid of an exosporium, results in the development of spores with a rudimentary exosporium-type structure. Additionally, purified recombinant CotW protein is shown to assemble at the air-water interface to form thin sheets of material, which is consistent with the idea that this protein may form a basal layer in the Bacillus megaterium QM B1551 exosporium.IMPORTANCE When starved of nutrients, some bacterial species develop metabolically dormant spores that can persist in a viable state in the environment for several years. The outermost layers of spores are of particular interest since (i) these represent the primary site for interaction with the environment and (ii) the protein constituents may have biotechnological applications. The outermost layer, or exosporium, in Bacillus megaterium QM B1551 spores is of interest, as it is morphologically distinct from the exosporia of spores of the pathogenic Bacillus cereus family. In this work, we provide evidence that structurally important protein constituents of the Bacillus megaterium exosporium are different from those in the Bacillus cereus family. We also show that one of these proteins, when purified, can assemble to form sheets of exosporium-like material. This is significant, as it indicates that spore-forming bacteria employ different proteins and mechanisms of assembly to construct their external layers.

Dataset Information

Structure-function analysis of the Bacillus megaterium GerUD spore germinant receptor protein.

Publications

Structure-function analysis of the Bacillus megaterium GerUD spore germinant receptor protein.

Similar Datasets

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