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Crystal structure of 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate (EPSP) synthase from the ESKAPE pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii.

ABSTRACT: The enzyme 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate (EPSP) synthase catalyzes the sixth step of the seven-step shikimate pathway. Chorismate, the product of the pathway, is a precursor for the biosynthesis of aromatic amino acids, siderophores and metabolites such as folate, ubiquinone and vitamin K. The shikimate pathway is present in bacteria, fungi, algae, plants and apicomplexan parasites, but is absent in humans. The EPSP synthase enzyme produces 5-enolpyruvylshikimate 3-phosphate and phosphate from phosphoenolpyruvate and shikimate 3-phosphate via a transferase reaction, and is the target of the herbicide glyphosate. The Acinetobacter baumannii gene encoding EPSP synthase, aroA, has previously been demonstrated to be essential during host infection for the growth and survival of this clinically important drug-resistant ESKAPE pathogen. Prephenate dehydrogenase is also encoded by the bifunctional A. baumannii aroA gene, but its activity is dependent upon EPSP synthase since it operates downstream of the shikimate pathway. As part of an effort to evaluate new antimicrobial targets, recombinant A. baumannii EPSP (AbEPSP) synthase, comprising residues Ala301-Gln756 of the aroA gene product, was overexpressed in Escherichia coli, purified and crystallized. The crystal structure, determined to 2.37 Å resolution, is described in the context of a potential antimicrobial target and in comparison to EPSP synthases that are resistant or sensitive to the herbicide glyphosate.

SUBMITTER: Sutton KA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4774876 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:Acinetobacter baumannii is an important emerging pathogen that is capable of causing many types of severe infection, especially in immunocompromised hosts. Since A. baumannii can rapidly acquire antibiotic resistance genes, many infections are on the verge of being untreatable, and novel therapies are desperately needed. To investigate the potential utility of copper-based antibacterial strategies against Acinetobacter infections, we characterized copper resistance in a panel of recent clinical A. baumannii isolates. Exposure to increasing concentrations of copper in liquid culture and on solid surfaces resulted in dose-dependent and strain-dependent effects; levels of copper resistance varied broadly across isolates, possibly resulting from identified genotypic variation among strains. Examination of the growth-phase-dependent effect of copper on A. baumannii revealed that resistance to copper increased dramatically in stationary phase. Moreover, A. baumannii biofilms were more resistant to copper than planktonic cells but were still susceptible to copper toxicity. Exposure of bacteria to subinhibitory concentrations of copper allowed them to better adapt to and grow in high concentrations of copper; this copper tolerance response is likely achieved via increased expression of copper resistance mechanisms. Indeed, genomic analysis revealed numerous putative copper resistance proteins that share amino acid homology to known proteins in Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa Transcriptional analysis revealed significant upregulation of these putative copper resistance genes following brief copper exposure. Future characterization of copper resistance mechanisms may aid in the search for novel antibiotics against Acinetobacter and other highly antibiotic-resistant pathogens.ImportanceAcinetobacter baumannii causes many types of severe nosocomial infections; unfortunately, some isolates have acquired resistance to almost every available antibiotic, and treatment options are incredibly limited. Copper is an essential nutrient but becomes toxic at high concentrations. The inherent antimicrobial properties of copper give it potential for use in novel therapeutics against drug-resistant pathogens. We show that A. baumannii clinical isolates are sensitive to copper in vitro, both in liquid and on solid metal surfaces. Since bacterial resistance to copper is mediated though mechanisms of efflux and detoxification, we identified genes encoding putative copper-related proteins in A. baumannii and showed that expression of some of these genes is regulated by the copper concentration. We propose that the antimicrobial effects of copper may be beneficial in the development of future therapeutics that target multidrug-resistant bacteria.

Dataset Information

Crystal structure of 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate (EPSP) synthase from the ESKAPE pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii.

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