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BpeAB-OprB, a multidrug efflux pump in Burkholderia pseudomallei.

Burkholderia pseudomallei, the causative agent of melioidosis, is intrinsically resistant to a wide range of antimicrobial agents, including beta-lactams, aminoglycosides, macrolides, and polymyxins. An operon, bpeR-bpeA-bpeB-oprB, which encodes a putative repressor, a membrane fusion protein, an inner membrane protein, and an outer membrane protein, respectively, of a multidrug efflux pump of the resistance-nodulation-division family was identified in B. pseudomallei. The divergently transcribed bpeR gene encodes a putative repressor protein of the TetR family which probably regulates the expression of the bpeAB-oprB gene cluster. Comparison of the MICs and minimal bactericidal concentrations of antimicrobials for bpeAB deletion mutant KHW Delta bpeAB and its isogenic wild-type parent, KHW, showed that the B. pseudomallei BpeAB-OprB pump is responsible for the efflux of the aminoglycosides gentamicin and streptomycin, the macrolide erythromycin, and the dye acriflavine. Antibiotic efflux by the BpeAB-OprB pump was dependent on a proton gradient and differs from that by the AmrAB-OprA pump in that it did not efflux the aminoglycoside spectinomycin or the macrolide clarithromycin. The broad-spectrum efflux pump inhibitor MC-207,110 did not potentiate the effectiveness of the antimicrobials erythromycin and streptomycin in B. pseudomallei.

Aminoglycosides↗

Anti-LcrV antibody inhibits delivery of Yops by Yersinia pestis KIM5 by directly promoting phagocytosis.

LcrV of Yersinia pestis is a major protective antigen proposed for inclusion in subunit plague vaccines. One way that anti-LcrV antibody is thought to protect is by inhibiting the delivery of toxins called Yops to host cells. The present study characterizes the relation between this inhibition and the phagocytosis of the bacteria. J774A.1 cells were infected with Y. pestis KIM5 in the presence of a protective polyclonal anti-LcrV antibody or a nonprotective polyclonal anti-YopM antibody, and delivery of YopH and YopE into the cytoplasm was assayed by immunoblotting. The ability to inhibit the delivery of these Yops depended upon having antibody bound to the cell surface; blocking conditions that prevented the binding of antibody to Fc receptors prevented the inhibition of Yop delivery. Anti-LcrV antibody also promoted phagocytosis of the yersiniae, whereas F(ab')(2) fragments did not. Further, anti-LcrV antibody could not inhibit the delivery of Yops into cells that were unable to phagocytose due to the presence of cytochalasin D. However, Yops were produced only by extracellular yersiniae. We hypothesize that anti-LcrV antibody does not directly inhibit Yop delivery but instead causes phagocytosis, with consequent inhibition of Yop protein production in the intracellular yersiniae. The prophagocytic effect of anti-LcrV antibody extended to mouse polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) in vitro, and PMNs were shown to be critical for protection: when PMNs in mice were ablated, the mice lost all ability to be protected by anti-LcrV antibody.

Animals↗

Multiplicity of the amino acid permeases in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. IV. Evidence for a general amino acid permease.

Kinetic and genetic evidences are presented to show that, in addition to specific amino acid permeases, Saccharomyces cerevisiae has a general amino acid permease which catalyzes the transport of basic and neutral amino acids, but most probably not that of proline. The general amino acid permease appears to be constitutive, and its activity is inhibited when ammonium ions are added to the culture medium. A mutant which has lost the general amino acid permease activity was isolated. Its mutation, named gap (general amino acid permease), is not allelic to the aap (amino acid permease) mutation of Surdin et al., which has a quite different phenotype and cannot be considered as having selectively lost the general amino acid permease activity.

Amino Acids↗

Effect of uncouplers on "downhill" beta-galactoside transport in energy-depleted cells of Escherichia coli.

Galactoside permease-containing cells of Escherichia coli can be depleted of energy reserves so that the "downhill" cellular hydrolysis of o-nitrophenyl-beta-d-galactopyranoside (ONPG) no longer takes place. Treatment of such energy-depleted cells with proton-conducting agents such as carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone results in stimulation of ONPG transport. The same agents lower transport of non-energy-depleted cells towards the same levels that result from stimulation of the energy depleted cells. Of course, these agents prevent "uphill" accumulation against a concentration gradient under all conditions. Since uncouplers allow normal and energy-depleted cells to assume the same facilitated transport capability, these results lend support to the chemiosmotic hypothesis of Mitchell that comigration of charge is necessary for the transport of neutral galactosides. Our results imply that a potential favorable to transport is maintained by metabolism in non-energy-depleted cells, whereas an unfavorable potential is developed in the initial instant of time when energy-depleted cells are given ONPG.

Biological Transport, Active↗

Physiology of lysine permeases in Saccharomycopsis lipolytica.

Two active lysine transport systems were detected in Saccharomycopsis lipolytica. No excretion of lysine out of the cells could be obtained, even by chasing with L-lysine or by poisoning with sodium azide. The kinetic properties of one of the permeases, the high-affinity lysine permease, were studied in detail. Its Km was 1.91 +/- 0.23 X 10(-5) M. It proved highly specific, the only potent competitive inhibitors being (i) arginine and its analogs L-canavanine and L-ornithine, and (ii) the lysine analogs L-5 aminoethylcysteine and L-4,5-transdehydrolysine. It is suggested that the high-affinity lysine permease is common to L-lysine, L-ornithine, and L-arginine. The other amino acids tested behaved as noncompetitive inhibitors. The variation of uptake during a growth cycle was studied on ammonia-rich, ammonia-poor, and ammonia-free media. In each case, the uptake exhibited a peak in the early exponential growth phase. No new permease activity was detected during the lag phase or the stationary phase. Ammonia ions competitively inhibited the uptake and also decreased the Vmax value.

Amino Acids↗

Induction and inhibition of the allantoin permease in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Allantoin uptake in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is mediated by an energy-dependent, low-Km, active transport system. However, there is at present little information concerning its regulation. In view of this, we investigated the control of alloantoin transport and found that it was regulated quite differently from the other pathway components. Preincubation of appropriate mutant cultures with purified allantoate (commercial preparations contain 17% allantoin), urea, or oxalurate did not significantly increase allantoin uptake. Preincubation with allantoin, however, resulted in a 10- to 15-fold increase in the rate of allantoin accumulation. Two allantoin analogs were also found to elicit dramatic increases in allantoin uptake. Hydantoin and hydantoin acetic acid were able to induce allantoin transport to 63 and 95% of the levels observed with allantoin. Neither of these compounds was able to serve as a sole nitrogen source for S. cerevisiae, and they may be non-metabolizable inducers of the allantoin permease. The rna1 gene product appeared to be required for allantoin permease induction, suggesting that control was exerted at the level of gene expression. In addition, we have shown that allantoin uptake is not unidirectional; efflux merely occurs at a very low rate. Allantoin uptake is also transinhibited by addition of certain amino acids to the culture medium, and several models concerning the operation of such inhibition were discussed.

Allantoin↗

Physiological adaptation to the loss of amino acid transport ability.

A strain of Neurospora crassa devoid of constitutive amino acid transport ability can utilize arginine as the sole nitrogen source. Nitrogen starvation, presence of arginine, and mutational inactivation of the general permease are key factors in signaling production of an extracellular enzyme which removes the alpha-amino group from the amino acid.

Amino Acids↗

Basic amino acid transport in plasma membrane vesicles of Penicillium chrysogenum.

The characteristics of the basic amino acid permease (system VI) of the filamentous fungus Penicillium chrysogenum were studied in plasma membranes fused with liposomes containing the beef heart mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase. In the presence of reduced cytochrome c, the hybrid membranes accumulated the basic amino acids arginine and lysine. Inhibition studies with analogs revealed a narrow substrate specificity. Within the external pH range of 5.5 to 7.5, the transmembrane electrical potential (delta psi) functions as the main driving force for uphill transport of arginine, although a low level of uptake was observed when only a transmembrane pH gradient was present. It is concluded that the basic amino acid permease is a H+ symporter. Quantitative analysis of the steady-state levels of arginine uptake in relation to the proton motive force suggests a H+-arginine symport stoichiometry of one to one. Efflux studies demonstrated that the basic amino acid permease functions in a reversible manner.

Amino Acid Transport Systems↗

Uracil-induced down-regulation of the yeast uracil permease.

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae the FUR4-encoded uracil permease catalyzes the first step of the pyrimidine salvage pathway. The availability of uracil has a negative regulatory effect upon its own transport. Uracil causes a decrease in the level of uracil permease, partly by decreasing the FUR4 mRNA level in a promoter-independent fashion, probably by increasing its instability. Uracil entry also triggers more rapid degradation of the existing permease by promoting high efficiency of ubiquitination of the permease that signals its internalization. A direct binding of intracellular uracil to the permease is possibly involved in this feedback regulation, as the behavior of the permease is similar in mutant cells unable to convert intracellular uracil into UMP. We used cells impaired in the ubiquitination step to show that the addition of uracil produces rapid inhibition of uracil transport. This may be the first response prior to the removal of the permease from the plasma membrane. Similar down-regulation of uracil uptake, involving several processes, was observed under adverse conditions mainly corresponding to a decrease in the cellular content of ribosomes. These results suggest that uracil of exogenous or catabolic origin down-regulates the cognate permease to prevent buildup of excess intracellular uracil-derived nucleotides.

Base Sequence↗

Metabolic signals trigger glucose-induced inactivation of maltose permease in Saccharomyces.

Organisms such as Saccharomyces capable of utilizing several different sugars selectively ferment glucose when less desirable carbon sources are also available. This is achieved by several mechanisms. Glucose down-regulates the transcription of genes involved in utilization of these alternate carbon sources. Additionally, it causes posttranslational modifications of enzymes and transporters, leading to their inactivation and/or degradation. Two glucose sensing and signaling pathways stimulate glucose-induced inactivation of maltose permease. Pathway 1 uses Rgt2p as a sensor of extracellular glucose and causes degradation of maltose permease protein. Pathway 2 is dependent on glucose transport and stimulates degradation of permease protein and very rapid inactivation of maltose transport activity, more rapid than can be explained by loss of protein alone. In this report, we characterize signal generation through pathway 2 using the rapid inactivation of maltose transport activity as an assay of signaling activity. We find that pathway 2 is dependent on HXK2 and to a lesser extent HXK1. The correlation between pathway 2 signaling and glucose repression suggests that these pathways share common upstream components. We demonstrate that glucose transport via galactose permease is able to stimulate pathway 2. Moreover, rapid transport and fermentation of a number of fermentable sugars (including galactose and maltose, not just glucose) are sufficient to generate a pathway 2 signal. These results indicate that pathway 2 responds to a high rate of sugar fermentation and monitors an intracellular metabolic signal. Production of this signal is not specific to glucose, glucose catabolism, glucose transport by the Hxt transporters, or glucose phosphorylation by hexokinase 1 or 2. Similarities between this yeast glucose sensing pathway and glucose sensing mechanisms in mammalian cells are discussed.

Fermentation↗

Location of sulfate-binding protein in Salmonella typhimurium.

A method is described for location of proteins in bacteria. It depends upon two techniques. One technique is the inactivation of the protein by a reagent which is incapable of penetrating the bacterial membrane (permeability barrier). Proteins inside this membrane cannot be inactivated unless the cells are disrupted; proteins on or outside the membrane can be inactivated. The second technique depends upon inactivation of the protein by specific antibody. Antibody should not penetrate the external bacterial wall, and therefore should only inactivate proteins that are on the wall surface. Thus, proteins can be localized inside the membrane, in the wall-membrane area, or outside the wall. One reagent developed for use with the first technique is diazo-7-amino-1,3-naphthalene-disulfonate. It inactivated beta-galactoside transport, but not beta-galactosidase of intact Escherichia coli. Similarly, it inactivated sulfate binding and transport but not uridine phosphorylase activity of Salmonella typhimurium. This indicates that the sulfate-binding protein is on or outside the cell membrane, and that uridine phosphorylase is inside the cell. The organic mercurial compounds used also showed that the sensitive parts of the sulfate and alpha-methylglucoside transport systems are less reactive than the sensitive part of the beta-galactoside system. Antibody to the sulfate-binding protein inactivated the purified protein but did not inactivate this protein when intact bacteria were employed. Thus, it appears that the sulfate-binding protein does not protrude outside the cell wall. The conclusion that the binding protein is located in the wall-membrane region is supported by its release upon spheroplast formation or osmotic shock, and also by its ability to combine with sulfate in bacteria which cannot transport sulfate into the cell.

Azo Compounds↗

Specificity and control of choline-O-sulfate transport in filamentous fungi.

Choline-O-sulfate uptake by Penicillium notatum showed the following characteristics. (i) Transport was mediated by a permease which is highly specific for choline-O-sulfate. No significant inhibition of transport was caused by choline, choline-O-phosphate, acetylcholine, ethanolamine-O-phosphate, ethanolamine-O-sulfate, methanesulfonyl choline, 2-aminoethane thiosulfate, or the monomethyl or dimethyl analogues of choline-O-sulfate. Similarly, no significant inhibition was caused by any common sulfur amino acid or inorganic sulfur compound. Mutants lacking the inorganic sulfate permease possessed the choline-O-sulfate permease at wild-type levels. (ii) Choline-O-sulfate transport obeyed saturation kinetics (K(m) = 10(-4) to 3 x 10(-4)m; V(max) = 1 to 6 mumoles per g per min). The kinetics of transport between 10(-9) and 10(-1)m external choline-O-sulfate showed that only one saturable mechanism is present. (iii) Transport was sensitive to 2,4-dinitrophenol, azide, N-ethylmaleimide, p-chloromercuribenzoate, and cyanide. Ouabain, phloridzin, and eserine had no effect. (iv) Transport was pH-dependent with an optimum at pH 6. Variations in the ionic strength of the incubation medium had no effect. (v) Transport was temperature-dependent with a Q(10) of greater than 2 between 3 and 40 C. Transport decreased rapidly above 40 C. (vi) Ethylenediaminetetraacetate (sodium salts, pH 6) had no effect, nor was there any stimulation by metal or nonmetal ions. Cu(++), Ag(+), and Hg(++) were inhibitory. (vii) The initial rate at which the ester is transported was independent of intracellular hydrolysis. After long periods of incubation (> 10 min), a significant proportion of the transported choline-O-sulfate was hydrolyzed intracellulary. In the presence of 5 x 10(-3)m external choline-O-sulfate, the mycelia accumulated choline-O-sulfate to an apparent intracellular concentration of 0.075 m by 3 hr. Transport was unidirectional. No efflux or exchange of (35)S-choline-O-sulfate was observed when preloaded mycelia were suspended in buffer alone or in buffer containing a large excess of unlabeled choline-O-sulfate. (viii) The specific transport activity of the mycelium depended on the sulfur source used for growth. (ix) Sulfur starvation of sulfur-sufficient mycelium resulted in an increase in the specific transport activity of the mycelium. This increase was prevented by cycloheximide, occurred only when a metabolizable carbon source was present, and resulted from an increase in the V(max) of the permease, rather than from a decrease in K(m). The increase could be partially reversed by refeeding the mycelia with unlabeled choline-O-sulfate, sulfide, sulfite, l-homocysteine, l-cysteine, or compounds easily converted to cysteine. The results strongly suggested that the choline-O-sulfate permease is regulated primarily by repression-derepression, but that intracellular choline-O-sulfate and cysteine can act as feedback inhibitors.

Antimetabolites↗

Ammonia regulation of amino acid permeases in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The activities of the proline-specific permease (PUT4) and the general amino acid permease (GAP1) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae vary 70- to 140-fold in response to the nitrogen source of the growth medium. The PUT4 and GAP1 permease activities are regulated by control of synthesis and control of activity. These permeases are irreversibly inactivated by addition of ammonia or glutamine, lowering the activity to that found during steady-state growth on these nitrogen sources. Mutants altered in the regulation of the PUT4 permease (Per-) have been isolated. The mutations in these strains are pleiotropic and affect many other permeases, but have no direct effect on various cytoplasmic enzymes involved in nitrogen assimilation. In strains having one class of mutations (per1), ammonia inactivation of the PUT4 and GAP1 permeases did not occur, whereas glutamate and glutamine inactivation did. Thus, there appear to be two independent inactivation systems, one responding to ammonia and one responding to glutamate (or a metabolite of glutamate). The mutations were found to be nuclear and recessive. The inactivation systems are constitutive and do not require transport of the effector molecules per se, apparently operating on the inside of the cytoplasmic membrane. The ammonia inactivation was found not to require a functional glutamate dehydrogenase (NADP). These mutants were used to show that ammonia exerts control of arginase synthesis largely by inducer exclusion. This may be the primary mode of nitrogen regulation for most nitrogen-regulated enzymes of S. cerevisiae.

Amino Acid Transport Systems↗

Mechanism and regulation of human intestinal niacin uptake.

The mechanism of uptake of dietary niacin (nicotinic acid) by intestinal epithelial cells is not well understood, and nothing is known about regulation of the uptake process. In this investigation, we used human-derived intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells and purified intestinal brush-border membrane vesicles (BBMVs) isolated from human organ donors to assess niacin uptake. Our findings show niacin uptake by Caco-2 cells to be 1) temperature and energy dependent; 2) Na+ independent, but highly dependent on extracellular acidic pH; 3) saturable as a function of concentration, with an apparent K(m) of 0.53 +/- 0.08 microM; 4) severely inhibited by the membrane-impermeable sulfhydryl group of reagents; and 5) highly specific for niacin but not affected by monocarboxylic acids. A marked trans stimulation in [3H]niacin efflux from preloaded Caco-2 cells by unlabeled niacin in the incubation buffer was also observed. These findings suggest the involvement of a specialized, pH-dependent, carrier-mediated mechanism for human intestinal niacin uptake. This suggestion was confirmed in studies with native human intestinal BBMVs. We also examined possible regulation of niacin uptake by Caco-2 cells via specific intracellular regulatory pathways. The results show that while the PKA-, PKC-, and Ca2+/calmodulin-mediated regulatory pathways play no role in regulating niacin uptake, a role for a protein tyrosine kinase (PTK)-mediated pathway is apparent. The results of these studies show for the first time the existence of a specialized, acidic pH-dependent, carrier-mediated system of niacin uptake by human intestinal epithelial cells that operates at the micromolar (physiological) range of niacin. The results also suggest the possible involvement of a PTK-mediated pathway in the regulation of niacin uptake.

Caco-2 Cells↗

Expression of urea transporters in potassium-depleted mouse kidney.

Urea transport in the kidney is mediated by a family of transporter proteins that include the renal urea transporter (UT-A) and the erythrocyte urea transporter (UT-B). The purpose of this study was to determine the location of the urea transporter isoforms in the mouse kidney and to examine the effects of prolonged potassium depletion on the expression and distribution of these transporters by ultrastructural immunocytochemistry. C57BL6 mice were fed a low-potassium diet for 2 wk, and control animals received normal chow. After 2 wk on a low-potassium diet, urinary volume increased and urinary osmolality decreased (833 +/- 30 vs. 1,919 +/- 174 mosmol/kgH2O), as previously demonstrated. Kidneys were processed for immunocytochemistry with antibodies against UT-A1 (L446), UT-A1 and UT-A2 (L194), UT-A3 (Q2), and UT-B. In normal mice, UT-A1 and UT-A3 were expressed mainly in the cytoplasm of the terminal inner medullary collecting duct (IMCD). UT-A2 immunoreactivity was observed mainly on the basolateral membrane of the type 1 epithelium of the descending thin limb (DTL) of short-looped nephrons. The intensity of UT-A1 and UT-A3 immunoreactivity in the IMCD was markedly reduced in potassium-depleted mice. In contrast, there was a significant increase in UT-A2 immunoreactivity in the DTL. The intensity of UT-B immunoreactivity in the descending vasa recta (DVR) was reduced in potassium-depleted animals compared with controls. In control animals, UT-B immunoreactivity was predominantly observed in the plasma membrane, whereas in potassium-depleted mice, it was mainly observed in cytoplasmic granules in endothelial cells of the DVR. In summary, potassium depletion is associated with reduced expression of UT-A1, UT-A3, and UT-B but increased expression of UT-A2. We conclude that reduced expression of urea transporters may play a role in the impaired urine-concentrating ability associated with potassium deprivation.

Animals↗

A multidrug efflux pump inhibitor reduces fluoroquinolone resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates.

In general, resistance to fluoroquinolones (FQs) in gram-negative bacteria is acquired either by mutations in DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV or by active export of the agents via antibiotic efflux pumps. Reduced porin expression is also proposed to be another mechanism leading to resistance. In this study, interaction between levofloxacin, ofloxacin, and ciprofloxacin with MC-207,110 (multidrug efflux pump inhibitor) was investigated by a checkerboard assay using Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Levofloxacin, ofloxacin, and ciprofloxacin were tested at different concentrations (0.06-64 microg/ml) and MC-207,110 was tested at a concentration range of 4-128 microg/ml. In the presence of MC-207,110 (at 128, 64, 32, 16 microg/ml) resistance to FQs was inhibited significantly and MIC values were decreased, except at 8 and 4 microg/ml of MC-207,110. When MC-207,110 was used, resistance of P. aeruginosa to FQs in vitro was inhibited significantly, suggesting that MC-207,110 may be useful for use in clinical treatment protocols to overcome FQs resistance.

Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins↗