Biomedical subjects

A S Nouwens

Publications and source records attributed to A S Nouwens.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2001

Comparative proteomics of bacterial pathogens.

The monitoring of gene expression via the technologies encompassed under the term 'proteomics' allows proteins of significance to be related to phenotypes associated with strain variability, environmental influences and the effects of genetic manipulation. The characterizations of these molecules are routinely performed utilising two-dimensional (2-D) gel electrophoresis in association with mass spectrometry for the identification of proteins. Pathogenic bacteria are suitable for proteomic comparisons in the aim of elucidating proteins with vaccine and diagnostic applications, as well as determining novel targets for drug design and the effects of these drugs on cellular physiology. Strains exhibiting diverse phenotypes including antibiotic or chemical resistances, altered mode of pathogenicity, or differential capability of growth in similar environments, can be compared via protein differential display to correlate relative protein abundances associated with these conditions. Technically, proteins are 'mapped' on 2-D arrays under 'standard' conditions and visually compared to arrays of proteins from a variety of test conditions. High-throughput technologies allow molecules of significance to be elucidated rapidly from within complex mixtures using a combination of cellular pre fractionation to determine cellular location and pathway predictions to aid in overcoming the limitations of 2-D gel technology for the analysis of whole proteomes.

Bacteria↗

PubMed2000

Subproteomics based upon protein cellular location and relative solubilities in conjunction with composite two-dimensional electrophoresis gels.

Progress in the field of proteomics is dependent upon an ability to visualise close to an entire protein complement via a given array technology. These efforts have previously centred upon two-dimensional gel electrophoresis in association with immobilised pH gradients in the first dimension. However, limitations in this technology, including the inability to separate hydrophobic, basic, and low copy number proteins have hindered the analysis of complete proteomes. The challenge is now to overcome these limitations through access to new technology and improvements in existing methodologies. Proteomics can no longer be equated with a single two-dimensional electrophoresis gel. Greater information can be obtained using targeted biological approaches based upon sample prefractionation into specific cellular compartments to determine protein location, while novel immobilised pH gradients spanning single pH units can be used to display poorly abundant proteins due to their increased resolving power and loading capacity. In this study, we show the effectiveness of a combined use of two differential subproteomes (as defined by relative solubilities, cellular location and narrow-range immobilised pH gradients) to increase the resolution of proteins contained on two-dimensional gels. We also present new results confirming that this method is capable of displaying up to a further 45% of a given microbial proteome. Subproteomics, utilising up to 40 two-dimensional gels per sample will become a powerful tool for near-to-total proteome analysis in the postgenome era. Furthermore, this new approach can direct biological focus towards molecules of specific interest within complex cells and thus simplify efforts in discovery-based proteome research.

Cells↗

PubMed2000

Complementing genomics with proteomics: the membrane subproteome of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1.

With the completion of many genome projects, a shift is now occurring from the acquisition of gene sequence to understanding the role and context of gene products within the genome. The opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one organism for which a genome sequence is now available, including the annotation of open reading frames (ORFs). However, approximately one third of the ORFs are as yet undefined in function. Proteomics can complement genomics, by characterising gene products and their response to a variety of biological and environmental influences. In this study we have established the first two-dimensional gel electrophoresis reference map of proteins from the membrane fraction of P. aeruginosa strain PA01. A total of 189 proteins have been identified and correlated with 104 genes from the P. aeruginosa genome. Annotated membrane proteins could be grouped into three distinct categories: (i) those with functions previously characterised in P. aeruginosa (38%); (ii) those with significant sequence similarity to proteins with assigned function or hypothetical proteins in other organisms (46%); and (iii) those with unknown function (16%). Transmembrane prediction algorithms showed that each identified protein sequence contained at least one membrane-spanning region. Furthermore, the current methodology used to isolate the membrane fraction was shown to be highly specific since no contaminating cytosolic proteins were characterised. Preliminary analysis showed that at least 15 gel spots may be glycosylated in vivo, including three proteins that have not previously been functionally characterised. The reference map of membrane proteins from this organism is now the basis for determining surface molecules associated with antibiotic resistance and efflux, cell-cell signalling and pathogen-host interactions in a variety of P. aeruginosa strains.

Bacterial Proteins↗

PubMed2000

Proteomic analysis of the Escherichia coli outer membrane.

Outer membrane proteins (OMPs) of Gram-negative bacteria are key molecules that interface the cell with the environment. Traditional biochemical and genetic approaches have yielded a wealth of knowledge relating to the function of OMPs. Nonetheless, with the completion of the Escherichia coli genome sequencing project there is the opportunity to further expand our understanding of the organization, expression and function of the OMPs in this Gram-negative bacterium. In this report we describe a proteomic approach which provides a platform for parallel analysis of OMPs. We propose a rapid method for isolation of bacterial OMPs using carbonate incubation, purification and protein array by two-dimensional electrophoresis, followed by protein identification using mass spectrometry. Applying this method to examine E. coli K-12 cells grown in minimal media we identified 21 out of 26 (80%) of the predicted integral OMPs that are annotated in SWISS-PROT release 37 and predicted to separate within the range of pH 4-7 and molecular mass 10-80 kDa. Five outer membrane lipoproteins were also identified and only minor contamination by nonmembrane proteins was observed. Importantly, this research readily demonstrates that integral OMPs, commonly missing from 2D gel maps, are amenable to separation by two-dimensional electrophoresis. Two of the identified OMPs (YbiL, YeaF) were previously known only from their ORFs, and their identification confirms the cognate genes are transcribed and translated. Furthermore, we show that like the E. coli iron receptors FhuE and FhuA, the expression of YbiL is markedly increased by iron limitation, suggesting a putative role for this protein in iron transport. In an additional demonstration we show the value of parallel protein analysis to document changes in E. coli OMP expression as influenced by culture temperature.

Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins↗

PubMed1999

The microbial proteome database--an automated laboratory catalogue for monitoring protein expression in bacteria.

Laboratories devoted to high-throughput characterisation of purified proteins arrayed via two-dimensional (2-D) gel electrophoresis face an arduous task in maintaining a centralised and constantly evolving record of information relating to the characterisation of proteins and their responses following biological challenges. The Microbial Proteome Database (MPD) has been conceived as an in-house resource for complementing the plethora of genomic databases available for such organisms. The database utilises commercially available software to provide an electronic 'lab book' of information obtained daily from 2-D electrophoresis gels, image analysis packages, protein characterisation methodologies, and biological experimentation. The MPD begins from a single 2-D gel image (a 2-D 'reference map') with clickable spots that link to a 'protein catalogue' (ProtCat) with spot information including protein identity, changes in expression determined under experimental conditions, cellular location, mass, and pI. The entry for each protein then contains further links to gel images corresponding to the presence of the particular protein within different subproteomes (as defined by the pH of narrow- and wide-range immobilised pH gradients or from differential extraction methods used to determine the location of the protein within a functional cell). The database currently contains information from strains of three microbial species (Escherichia coil, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus) and 32 master gel images. The rapid accessibility of information obtained from microbial proteomes is an essential step towards the integrated analysis of these organisms at the gene, transcript, protein and functional levels and will aid in reducing turnaround times between sample preparation and the discovery of molecules of biological significance.

Automation↗

PubMed1999

Sphingomonas paucimobilis BPSI-3 mutant AN2 produces a red catabolite during biphenyl degradation.

The biphenyl degradation pathway of Sphingomonas paucimobilis BPSI-3 was investigated using a degradation-deficient mutant generated by 1-methyl-3-nitro-1-nitrosoguanidine (NTG) mutagenesis. The mutant, designated AN2, was confirmed as originating from BPSI-3 through the use of ERIC (Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus) PCR and by detection of the diagnostic pigment, nostoxanthin, in cellular methanol extracts. Mutant AN2 produced a yellow followed by red extracellular substance when grown in the presence of biphenyl. In the presence of 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl, yellow followed by red then yellow compounds were formed over time. This colour change was consistent with the characteristics of a quinone, 1-phenyl-2,3-benzoquinone, which could arise from the oxidation of 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl. A quinone was synthesised from 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl and compared to the red compound produced by mutant AN2. Gas chromatography-mass spectrophotometry (GC-MS) confirmed that a similar quinone (4,5-dimethoxy-3-phenyl-1,2-benzoquinone) compared to the structure of the proposed biogenic compound, had been formed. This compound was also found after GC-MS analysis of mutant AN2 culture extracts. Spectrophotometric analysis of the quinone synthesised and the red product produced revealed almost identical spectral profiles. A likely inference from this evidence is that the mutant AN2 is blocked, or its activity altered, in the first gene cluster, bphA to C, of the biphenyl degradation pathway.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1998

Modified glycosylation of cellobiohydrolase I from a high cellulase-producing mutant strain of Trichoderma reesei.

Cellobiohydrolase I is an industrially important exocellulase secreted in high yields by the filamentous fungus Trichoderma reesei. The nature and effect of glycosylation of CBHI and other cellulolytic enzymes is largely unknown, although many other structural and mechanistic aspects of cellulolytic enzymes are well characterised. Using a combination of liquid chromatography, electrospray mass spectrometry, solid-phase Edman degradation, and monosaccharide analysis we have identified every site of glycosylation of CBHI from a high cellulase-producing mutant strain of T. reesei, ALKO2877, and characterised each site in terms of its modifying carbohydrate and site-specific heterogeneity. The catalytic core domain comprises three N-linked glycans which each consist of a single N-acetylglucosamine residue. Within the glycopeptide linker domain, all eight threonines are variably glycosylated with between at least one, and up to three, mannose residues per site. All serines in this domain are at least partially glycosylated with a single mannose residue. This linker region has also been shown to be sulfated by a combination of ion chromatography and collision-induced dissociation electrospray mass spectrometry. The sulfate is probably mannose-linked. The biological significance of N-linked single N-acetylglucosamine in the catalytic core, and mannose sulfation in the linker region, is not known.

Acetylglucosamine↗