Bacterial effector binds host cell adenylyl cyclase to potentiate Gαs-dependent cAMP production

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2012 Jun 12;109(24):9581-6. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1117651109. Epub 2012 May 25.

Abstract

Subversion of host organism cAMP signaling is an efficient and widespread mechanism of microbial pathogenesis. Bartonella effector protein A (BepA) of vasculotumorigenic Bartonella henselae protects the infected human endothelial cells against apoptotic stimuli by elevation of cellular cAMP levels by an as yet unknown mechanism. Here, adenylyl cyclase (AC) and the α-subunit of the AC-stimulating G protein (Gαs) were identified as potential cellular target proteins for BepA by gel-free proteomics. Results of the proteomics screen were evaluated for physical and functional interaction by: (i) a heterologous in vivo coexpression system, where human AC activity was reconstituted under the regulation of Gαs and BepA in Escherichia coli; (ii) in vitro AC assays with membrane-anchored full-length human AC and recombinant BepA and Gαs; (iii) surface plasmon resonance experiments; and (iv) an in vivo fluorescence bimolecular complementation-analysis. The data demonstrate that BepA directly binds host cell AC to potentiate the Gαs-dependent cAMP production. As opposed to the known microbial mechanisms, such as ADP ribosylation of G protein α-subunits by cholera and pertussis toxins, the fundamentally different BepA-mediated elevation of host cell cAMP concentration appears subtle and is dependent on the stimulus of a G protein-coupled receptor-released Gαs. We propose that this mechanism contributes to the persistence of Bartonella henselae in the chronically infected vascular endothelium.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenylyl Cyclases / metabolism*
  • Bartonella / metabolism*
  • Catalytic Domain
  • Cyclic AMP / biosynthesis*
  • GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gs / metabolism*

Substances

  • Cyclic AMP
  • GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gs
  • Adenylyl Cyclases