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K A Brozek

Publications and source records attributed to K A Brozek.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

A special acyl carrier protein for transferring long hydroxylated fatty acids to lipid A in Rhizobium.

Lipid A, the hydrophobic anchor of lipopolysaccharides in the outer membranes of Gram-negative bacteria, varies in structure among different Rhizobiaceae. The Rhizobium meliloti lipid A backbone, like that of Escherichia coli, is a beta1'-6-linked glucosamine disaccharide that is phosphorylated at positions 1 and 4'. Rhizobium leguminosarum lipid A lacks both phosphates, but contains aminogluconate in place of the proximal glucosamine 1-phosphate, and galacturonic acid instead of the 4'-phosphate. A peculiar feature of the lipid As of all Rhizobiaceae is acylation with 27-hydroxyoctacosanoic acid, a long hydroxylated fatty acid not found in E. coli. We now describe an in vitro system, consisting of a membrane enzyme and a cytosolic acyl donor from R. leguminosarum, that transfers 27-hydroxyoctacosanoic acid to (Kdo)2-lipid IVA, a key lipid A precursor common to both E. coli and R. leguminosarum. The 27-hydroxyoctacosanoic acid moiety was detected in the lipid product by mass spectrometry. The membrane enzyme required the presence of Kdo residues in the acceptor substrate for activity. The cytosolic acyl donor was purified from wild-type R. leguminosarum using the acylation of (Kdo)2-[4'-32P]-lipid IVA as the assay. Amino-terminal sequencing of the purified acyl donor revealed an exact 19-amino acid match with a partially sequenced gene (orf*) of R. leguminosarum. Orf* contains the consensus sequence, DSLD, for attachment of 4'-phosphopantetheine. When the entire orf* gene was sequenced, it was found to encode a protein of 92 amino acids. Orf* is a new kind of acyl carrier protein because it is only approximately 25% identical both to the constitutive acyl carrier protein (AcpP) and to the inducible acyl carrier protein (NodF) of R. leguminosarum. Mass spectrometry of purified active Orf* confirmed the presence of 4'-phosphopantetheine and 27-hydroxyoctacosanoic acid in the major species. Smaller mass peaks indicative of Orf* acylation with hydroxylated 20, 22, 24, and 26 carbon fatty acids were also observed. Given the specialized function of Orf* in lipid A acylation, we suggest the new designation AcpXL.

Acyl Carrier Protein↗
PubMed1996

Lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis in Rhizobium leguminosarum. Novel enzymes that process precursors containing 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonic acid.

The lipopolysaccharide of Rhizobium leguminosarum differs from that of other Gram-negative organisms. R. leguminosarum lipid A lacks phosphate groups, but it contains a galacturonic acid residue at the 4'-position and an aminogluconate moiety in place of the usual glucosamine 1-phosphate unit. R. leguminosarum lipid A is esterified with a peculiar long chain fatty acid, 27-hydroxyoctacosanoate, not found in enteric Gram-negative bacteria, and the inner core of R. leguminosarum contains mannose and galactose in place of heptose. Despite these differences, the biosynthesis of R. leguminosarum lipid A is initiated by the same seven enzyme pathway as in Escherichia coli (Raetz, C. R. H. (1993) J. Bacteriol. 175, 5745-5753) to form the phosphorylated precursor, (Kdo)2-lipid IVA, which is then processed differently. We now describe several novel Rhizobium-specific enzymes that recognize and modify (Kdo)2-lipid IVA. The 1- and 4'-phosphatases were detected using (Kdo)2-[1-32P]-lipid IVA and (Kdo)2-[4'-32P]-lipid IVA, respectively, as shown by release of 32Pi. In the presence of GDP-mannose and/or UDP-galactose, membranes of R. leguminosarum first transferred mannose and then galactose to (Kdo)2-[4'-32P]-lipid IVA. In addition, at least two hydrophobic metabolites were generated from (Kdo)2-[4'-32P]-lipid IVA in a manner that was dependent upon both membranes and a cytosolic factor from R. leguminosarum. These compounds are attributed to novel acylations of (Kdo)2-[4'-32P]-lipid IVA. E. coli membranes and cytosol did not catalyze any of the unique reactions detected in R. leguminosarum extracts. Our findings establish the conservation and versatility of (Kdo)2-lipid IVA as a lipid A precursor in bacteria.

Acyltransferases↗
PubMed1996

Lipopolysaccharide core glycosylation in Rhizobium leguminosarum. An unusual mannosyl transferase resembling the heptosyl transferase I of Escherichia coli.

The lipopolysaccharide structure of the nitrogen-fixing bacterium Rhizobium leguminosarum differs from that of Escherichia coli in several ways, one of which is the sugar composition of the core. The E. coli inner core consists of 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonic acid (Kdo) and L-glycero-D-manno-heptose (heptose), while the inner core of R. leguminosarum contains 2-keto-3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonic acid (Kdo), mannose, galactose, and galacturonic acid. The two Kdo residues and their linkages appear to be identical in both species. The linkages of heptose in E. coli and of mannose in R. leguminosarum to Kdo are both alpha1-5. We now characterize a membrane-associated glycosyl transferase in R. leguminosarum extracts that incorporates mannose into nascent lipopolysaccharide, using Kdo2-lipid IVA as the acceptor and GDP-mannose (or synthetic ADP-mannose) as the donor. The mannosyl transferase is associated with the inner membrane. The apparent Km values for GDP-mannose and Kdo2-lipid IVA are 4.3 microM and 7.1 microM, respectively, in the presence of excess co-substrate. Extracts of E. coli do not catalyze GDP-mannose-dependent glycosylation of Kdo2-lipid IVA, but they are active when ADP-mannose is substituted for GDP-mannose. Given the structural similarity of ADP-mannose to ADP-heptose, we examined the possibility that heptosyl transferase I of E. coli (the product of the rfaC gene) catalyzes mannose transfer from ADP-mannose to Kdo2-lipid IVA. Extracts of E. coli mutants defective in the rfaC gene are unable carry out ADP-mannose-dependent glycosylation of Kdo2-lipid IVA. Plasmids bearing rfaC+ not only restore the missing activity but also direct its overexpression. Our assay using ADP-mannose as a substitute for ADP-heptose (which is not readily available) should facilitate the purification and characterization of heptosyl transferase I of E. coli. The GDP-mannose-dependent enzyme of R. leguminosarum may represent a functional equivalent of E. coli RfaC.

Escherichia coli↗
PubMed1995

Lipid A biosynthesis in Rhizobium leguminosarum: role of a 2-keto-3-deoxyoctulosonate-activated 4' phosphatase.

Lipid A from several strains of the N2-fixing bacterium Rhizobium leguminosarum displays significant structural differences from Escherichia coli lipid A, one of which is the complete absence of phosphate groups. However, the first seven enzymes of E. coli lipid A biosynthesis, leading from UDP-GlcNAc to the phosphorylated intermediate, 2-keto-3-deoxyoctulosonate (Kdo2)-lipid IVA, are present in R. leguminosarum. We now describe a membrane-bound phosphatase in R. leguminosarum extracts that removes the 4' phosphate of Kdo2-lipid IVA. The 4' phosphatase is selective for substrates containing the Kdo domain. It is present in extracts of R. leguminosarum biovars phaseoli, viciae, and trifolii but is not detectable in E. coli and Rhizobium meliloti. A nodulation-defective strain (24AR) of R. leguminosarum biovar trifolii, known to contain a 4' phosphatase residue on its lipid A, also lacks measurable 4' phosphatase activity. The Kdo-dependent 4' phosphatase appears to be a key reaction in a pathway for generating phosphate-deficient lipid A.

Carbohydrate Sequence↗
PubMed1992

The rfaC gene of Salmonella typhimurium. Cloning, sequencing, and enzymatic function in heptose transfer to lipopolysaccharide.

We have cloned a gene from a Salmonella typhimurium with the ability to complement the rfaC mutation (heptose-deficient lipopolysaccharide, sensitivity to rough-specific bacteriophages, and susceptibility to hydrophobic antibiotics). A 1018-base pair EcoRV-Tth111I fragment, subcloned into the pBluescriptKS+ vector to yield pKZ103, retains complementing activity. Nucleotide sequencing revealed an open reading frame corresponding to a protein of 317 amino acids (M(r) approximately 35,100). The plasmid pKZ103, which has a properly aligned T7 promoter, can overexpress a protein of M(r) = 31,000 when T7 RNA polymerase is supplied. An in vitro system was established for analysis of heptose addition to the precursor [4'-32P](KDO)2-IVA (Brozek, K. A., Hosaka, K., Robertson, A. D., and Raetz, C. R. H. (1989) J. Biol. Chem, 264, 6956-6966). Soluble fractions from wild-type or heptose-deficient rfa mutants were tested for their ability to convert [4'-32P](KDO)2-IVA to more polar substances. In wild-type extracts, these conversions required addition of ATP or ADP-heptose. In extracts of rfaC-, rfaD-, or rfaE-deficient strains, no polar products were observed with ATP. ADP-heptose restored synthesis in rfaD and rfaE but not rfaC extracts, indicating that rfaD and rfaE are involved in ADP-heptose formation. When the cloned rfaC gene was introduced into an rfaC-deficient mutant, extracts from such cells regained the ability to metabolize [4'-32P](KDO)2-IVA, showing that rfaC encodes the enzyme that attaches the proximal heptose to lipopolysaccharide.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1990

Biosynthesis of lipid A in Escherichia coli. Acyl carrier protein-dependent incorporation of laurate and myristate.

In previous studies we described enzyme(s) from Escherichia coli that transfer two 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonate (KDO) residues from two CMP-KDO molecules to a tetraacyldisaccharide-1,4'-bis-phosphate precursor of lipid A, termed lipid IVA (Brozek, K. A., Hosaka, K., Robertson, A. D., and Raetz, C. R. H. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 6956-6966). The product, designated (KDO)2-IVA, can be prepared in milligram quantities and/or radiolabeled with 32P at position 4' of the IVA moiety. We now demonstrate the presence of enzymes in E. coli extracts that transfer laurate and/or myristate residues from lauroyl or myristoyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) to (KDO)2-IVA. Thioesters of coenzyme A are not substrates. The cytosolic fraction catalyzes rapid acylation with lauroyl-ACP, but not with myristoyl, R-3-hydroxymyristoyl, palmitoyl, or palmitoleoyl-ACP. The membrane fraction transfers both laurate and myristate to (KDO)2-IVA. Evidence for the enzymatic acylation of (KDO)2-IVA is provided by (a) conversion of [4'-32P](KDO)2-IVA to more rapidly migrating products in the presence of the appropriate acyl-ACP, (b) incorporation of [1-14C]laurate or [1-14C]myristate into these metabolites in the presence of (KDO)2-IVA, (c) fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometry, and (d) 1H NMR spectroscopy. At protein concentrations less than 0.5 mg/ml, the acylation of (KDO)2-IVA by the cytoplasmic fraction is absolutely dependent upon the addition of exogenous acyl-ACP. These acyltransferases cannot utilize lipid IVA as a substrate, demonstrating that they possess novel KDO recognition domains. The unusual substrate specificity of these enzymes provides compelling evidence for their involvement in lipid A biosynthesis. Depending on the conditions it is possible to acylate (KDO)2-IVA with 1 or 2 lauroyl residues, with 1 or 2 myristoyl residues, or with 1 of each.

Acyl Carrier Protein↗
PubMed1989

Biosynthesis of lipopolysaccharide in Escherichia coli. Cytoplasmic enzymes that attach 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonic acid to lipid A.

Previous studies in our laboratory led to the elucidation of the covalent structure of a tetraacyldisaccharide 1,4'-bisphosphate precursor of lipid A (designated lipid IVA), that accumulates at 42 degrees C in temperature-sensitive mutants defective in 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonic acid (KDO) biosynthesis (Raetz, C. R. H., Purcell, S., Meyer, M. V., Qureshi, N., and Takayama, K. (1985) J. Biol. Chem. 260, 16080-16088). Using [4'-32P]lipid IVA as the probe, we now demonstrate the existence of cytoplasmic KDO-transferases in Escherichia coli capable of attaching 2 KDO residues, derived from CMP-KDO, to lipid IVA. A partial purification has been developed to obtain a cytoplasmic subfraction that adds these 2 KDO residues with a 90% yield. The product is shown to have the stoichiometry of (KDO)2-IVA by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy. The partially purified enzyme can utilize alternative lipid-disaccharide cosubstrates bearing five or six fatty acyl chains, but it has an absolute requirement for a monophosphate residue at position 4' of the lipid acceptor. When reincubated with a crude cytoplasmic fraction, a nucleoside triphosphate and Mg2+, (KDO)2-IVA is rapidly metabolized to more polar substances, the identity of which is unknown. The KDO-transferase(s) described in the present study should be very useful for the semisynthetic preparation of complex lipopolysaccharide substructures and analogs.

Cytidine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1987

Biosynthesis of lipid A precursors in Escherichia coli. A membrane-bound enzyme that transfers a palmitoyl residue from a glycerophospholipid to lipid X.

Certain phosphatidylglycerol-deficient mutants of Escherichia coli accumulate two fatty acylated monosaccharides related to lipid A biosynthesis that have been identified as 2,3-diacylglucosamine 1-phosphate (lipid X) and triacylglucosamine 1-phosphate (lipid Y) (Raetz, C. R. H. (1984) Rev. Infect. Dis. 6, 463-472). Lipid Y has the same structure as lipid X, except that it bears an additional palmitoyl moiety, esterified to the 3-OH of the N-linked R-3-hydroxymyristoyl residue. We now describe a membrane-associated system for the enzymatic conversion of lipid X to lipid Y. Removal of glycerophospholipids form such membranes by washing with cold ethanol abolishes the activity. The system can be reactivated by the addition of exogenous phospholipids dispersed as mixed micelles with Triton X-100. When reconstituted in this manner, the formation of lipid Y is strictly dependent upon a glycerophospholipid donor bearing a palmitoyl residue in the sn-1 position. The enzyme system does not utilize palmitoyl coenzyme A or palmitoyl acyl carrier protein. It does not catalyze efficient transfer of fatty acids differing from palmitate by only one carbon atom. In contrast, the enzyme has relatively little specificity for the polar headgroup of the phospholipid donor, and it also appears to utilize a disaccharide precursor of lipid A as an alternative palmitoyl acceptor. Since the in vitro synthesis of lipid Y proceeds with a high yield, we have isolated the product and verified its structure by 1H NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The transesterification reaction that converts lipid X to lipid Y may be a model for the enzymatic synthesis of other acyloxyacyl structures, known to occur in mature lipid A.

Acyltransferases↗