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Functional insights from structural predictions: analysis of the Escherichia coli genome.

ABSTRACT: Fold assignments for proteins from the Escherichia coli genome are carried out using BASIC, a profile-profile alignment algorithm, recently tested on fold recognition benchmarks and on the Mycoplasma genitalium genome and PSI BLAST, the newest generation of the de facto standard in homology search algorithms. The fold assignments are followed by automated modeling and the resulting three-dimensional models are analyzed for possible function prediction. Close to 30% of the proteins encoded in the E. coli genome can be recognized as homologous to a protein family with known structure. Most of these homologies (23% of the entire genome) can be recognized both by PSI BLAST and BASIC algorithms, but the latter recognizes an additional 260 homologies. Previous estimates suggested that only 10-15% of E. coli proteins can be characterized this way. This dramatic increase in the number of recognized homologies between E. coli proteins and structurally characterized protein families is partly due to the rapid increase of the database of known protein structures, but mostly it is due to the significant improvement in prediction algorithms. Knowing protein structure adds a new dimension to our understanding of its function and the predictions presented here can be used to predict function for uncharacterized proteins. Several examples, analyzed in more detail in this paper, include the DPS protein protecting DNA from oxidative damage (predicted to be homologous to ferritin with iron ion acting as a reducing agent) and the ahpC/tsa family of proteins, which provides resistance to various oxidating agents (predicted to be homologous to glutathione peroxidase).

SUBMITTER: Rychlewski L

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2144289 | biostudies-other | 1999 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Functional insights from structural predictions: analysis of the Escherichia coli genome.

Rychlewski L L Zhang B B Godzik A A

Protein science : a publication of the Protein Society 19990301 3

Fold assignments for proteins from the Escherichia coli genome are carried out using BASIC, a profile-profile alignment algorithm, recently tested on fold recognition benchmarks and on the Mycoplasma genitalium genome and PSI BLAST, the newest generation of the de facto standard in homology search algorithms. The fold assignments are followed by automated modeling and the resulting three-dimensional models are analyzed for possible function prediction. Close to 30% of the proteins encoded in the ...[more]

PMID: 10091664

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Project description:A database of functional sites for proteins with known structures, SITE, is constructed and used in conjunction with a simple pattern matching program SiteMatch to evaluate possible function conservation in a recently constructed database of fold predictions for Escherichia coli proteins (Rychlewski L et al., 1999, Protein Sci 8:614-624). In this and other prediction databases, fold predictions are based on algorithms that can recognize weak sequence similarities and putatively assign new proteins into already characterized protein families. It is not clear whether such sequence similarities arise from distant homologies or general similarity of physicochemical features along the sequence. Leaving aside the important question of nature of relations within fold superfamilies, it is possible to assess possible function conservation by looking at the pattern of conservation of crucial functional residues. SITE consists of a multilevel function description based on structure annotations and structure analyses. In particular, active site residues, ligand binding residues, and patterns of hydrophobic residues on the protein surface are used to describe different functional features. SiteMatch, a simple pattern matching program, is designed to check the conservation of residues involved in protein activity in alignments generated by any alignment method. Here, this procedure is used to study conservation of functional features in alignments between protein sequences from the E. coli genome and their optimal structural templates. The optimal templates were identified and alignments taken from the database of genomic structural predictions was described in a previous publication (Rychlewski L et al., 1999, Protein Sci 8:614-624). An automated assessment of function conservation is used to analyze the relation between fold and function similarity for a large number of fold predictions. For instance, it is shown that identifying low significance predictions with a high level of functional residue conservations can be used to extend the prediction sensitivity for fold prediction methods. Over 100 new fold/function predictions in this class were obtained in the E. coli genome. At the same time, about 30% of our previous fold predictions are not confirmed as function predictions, further highlighting the problem of function divergence in fold superfamilies.

Project description:The EvgS/EvgA two-component system of Escherichia coli is activated in response to low pH and alkali metals and regulates many genes, including those for the glutamate-dependent acid resistance system and a number of efflux pumps. EvgS, the sensor kinase, is one of five unconventional histidine kinases (HKs) in E. coli and has a large periplasmic domain and a cytoplasmic PAS domain in addition to phospho-acceptor, HK and dimerization, internal receiver, and phosphotransfer domains. Mutations that constitutively activate the protein at pH 7 map to the PAS domain. Here, we built a homology model of the periplasmic region of EvgS, based on the structure of the equivalent region of the BvgS homologue, to guide mutagenesis of potential key residues in this region. We show that histidine 226 is required for induction and that it is structurally colocated with a proline residue (P522) at the top of the predicted transmembrane helix that is expected to play a key role in passing information to the cytoplasmic domains. We also show that the constitutive mutations in the PAS domain can be further activated by low external pH. Expression of the cytoplasmic part of the protein alone also gives constitutive activation, which is lost if the constitutive PAS mutations are present. These findings are consistent with a model in which EvgS senses both external and internal pH and is activated by a shift from a tight inactive to a weak active dimer, and we present an analysis of the purified cytoplasmic portion of EvgS that supports this.IMPORTANCE One of the ways bacteria sense their environment is through two-component systems, which have one membrane-bound protein to do the sensing and another inside the cell to turn genes on or off in response to what the membrane-bound protein has detected. The membrane-bound protein must thus be able to detect the stress and signal this detection event to the protein inside the cell. To understand this process, we studied a protein that helps E. coli to survive exposure to low pH, which it must do before taking up residence in the gastrointestinal tract. We describe a predicted structure for the main sensing part of the protein and identify some key residues within it that are involved in the sensing and signaling processes. We propose a mechanism for how the protein may become activated and present some evidence to support our proposal.

Project description:BACKGROUND:As one of human pathogens, the genome of Uropathogenic Escherichia coli strain CFT073 was sequenced and published in 2002, which was significant in pathogenetic bacterial genomics research. However, the current RefSeq annotation of this pathogen is now outdated to some degree, due to missing or misannotation of some essential genes associated with its virulence. We carried out a systematic reannotation by combining automated annotation tools with manual efforts to provide a comprehensive understanding of virulence for the CFT073 genome. RESULTS:The reannotation excluded 608 coding sequences from the RefSeq annotation. Meanwhile, a total of 299 coding sequences were newly added, about one third of them are found in genomic island (GI) regions while more than one fifth of them are located in virulence related regions pathogenicity islands (PAIs). Furthermore, there are totally 341 genes were relocated with their translational initiation sites (TISs), which resulted in a high quality of gene start annotation. In addition, 94 pseudogenes annotated in RefSeq were thoroughly inspected and updated. The number of miscellaneous genes (sRNAs) has been updated from 6 in RefSeq to 46 in the reannotation. Based on the adjustment in the reannotation, subsequent analysis were conducted by both general and case studies on new virulence factors or new virulence-associated genes that are crucial during the urinary tract infections (UTIs) process, including invasion, colonization, nutrition uptaking and population density control. Furthermore, miscellaneous RNAs collected in the reannotation are believed to contribute to the virulence of strain CFT073. The reannotation including the nucleotide data, the original RefSeq annotation, and all reannotated results is freely available via http://mech.ctb.pku.edu.cn/CFT073/. CONCLUSION:As a result, the reannotation presents a more comprehensive picture of mechanisms of uropathogenicity of UPEC strain CFT073. The new genes change the view of its uropathogenicity in many respects, particularly by new genes in GI regions and new virulence-associated factors. The reannotation thus functions as an important source by providing new information about genomic structure and organization, and gene function. Moreover, we expect that the detailed analysis will facilitate the studies for exploration of novel virulence mechanisms and help guide experimental design.

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Functional insights from structural predictions: analysis of the Escherichia coli genome.

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Functional insights from structural predictions: analysis of the Escherichia coli genome.

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