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| Author(s): |
Flávio Rodolfo Rosseto
Total Authors: 1
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| Document type: | Doctoral Thesis |
| Press: | São Carlos. |
| Institution: | Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Física de São Carlos (IFSC/BT) |
| Defense date: | 2016-12-12 |
| Examining board members: |
Marcos Vicente de Albuquerque Salles Navarro;
Artur Torres Cordeiro;
Antônio José da Costa Filho;
Frederico José Gueiros Filho;
Glaucius Oliva
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| Advisor: | Marcos Vicente de Albuquerque Salles Navarro |
| Abstract | |
The formation of bacterial biofilms is a well-established phenomenon regulated by the signaling molecule c-di-GMP, characterized by the establishment of a static bacterial community embedded in a exopolymeric matrix. The domains responsible for the synthesis (GGDEF) or degradation (EAL and HD-GYP) of c-di-GMP are present in multiple proteins in nearly all bacterial genomes sequenced to date. Among the multiple and structurally diverse proteins involved in c-di-GMP signaling and biosynthesis, a large class are transmembrane proteins bearing both EAL and GGDEF domains. Functionally, these domains are presented in all combinations: both degenerate or conserved and combinations GGDEF-degenerated/EAL-conserved or vice versa. While the predicted conserved domains exhibit catalytic activity, the degenerate usually converted into structural domains or c-di-GMP receptors. While structural studies have revealed details of proteins with both domains degenerated (LapD) or conserved (MorA), little is known about one of the most representative combinations: GGDEF-degenerated/EAL-conserved. In this work, we conducted a structural and functional study of Salmonella enterica STM3615 protein, which has a periplasmic domain of unknown function, followed by cytoplasmic domains HAMP, GGDEF-degenerated and EAL-conserved. Through different soluble cytoplasmic constructs of STM3615, we confirmed that this protein has phosphodiesterase activity, even with the isolated EAL domain. In agreement with its catalytic activity, solution studies, such as SAXS and size exclusion chromatography, showed that STM3615 isolated EAL is dimeric, a prerequisite for phosphodiesterase activity. Using a construct with the isolated EAL-GGDEF domains, we determine its crystal structure to a resolution of 2.5 Å. Compared to the architectural closed c-di-GMP receptor LapD from Pseudomonas fluorescens and the bifunctional enzyme MorA from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, STM3615 structure is more similar to the latter. In particular, the α-helix connecting the domains GGDEF and EAL has similar extension, longer than the helix found in LapD. Given that this helix in LapD is essential for its inter-domain conformational plasticity, the structure presented in this study suggests the dual domain catalytically active proteins are structurally rigid. Combining these results with a computational analysis with 150 representative sequences containing the tandem GGDEF-EAL domains, we propose distinct catalytic mechanisms for bifunctional and monofunctional EAL enzymes. While the latter form stable dimers through the EAL domain, a conformation prompted to interact and degrade c-di-GMP, the bifunctional enzymes present oligomeric transitions mediated by interaction of c-di-GMP with EAL domain, imposing excluding cyclase (GGDEF) or phosphodiesterase (EAL) activities. Finally, based on these mechanisms and STM3615 architecture, we also speculated about functional mechanisms in vivo consistent with the emerging theme of protein interactions and localized signal involved in signaling pathways mediated by c-di-GMP. (AU) | |
| FAPESP's process: | 12/01711-5 - Structural and functional studies of c-di-GMP transmembrane receptors involved in virulence and bacterial biofilm formation |
| Grantee: | Flávio Rodolfo Rosseto |
| Support Opportunities: | Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate |