A new class of hybrid secretion system is employed in Pseudomonas amyloid biogenesis

Nat Commun. 2017 Aug 15;8(1):263. doi: 10.1038/s41467-017-00361-6.

Abstract

Gram-negative bacteria possess specialised biogenesis machineries that facilitate the export of amyloid subunits for construction of a biofilm matrix. The secretion of bacterial functional amyloid requires a bespoke outer-membrane protein channel through which unfolded amyloid substrates are translocated. Here, we combine X-ray crystallography, native mass spectrometry, single-channel electrical recording, molecular simulations and circular dichroism measurements to provide high-resolution structural insight into the functional amyloid transporter from Pseudomonas, FapF. FapF forms a trimer of gated β-barrel channels in which opening is regulated by a helical plug connected to an extended coil-coiled platform spanning the bacterial periplasm. Although FapF represents a unique type of secretion system, it shares mechanistic features with a diverse range of peptide translocation systems. Our findings highlight alternative strategies for handling and export of amyloid protein sequences.Gram-negative bacteria assemble biofilms from amyloid fibres, which translocate across the outer membrane as unfolded amyloid precursors through a secretion system. Here, the authors characterise the structural details of the amyloid transporter FapF in Pseudomonas.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amyloid / chemistry
  • Amyloid / genetics
  • Amyloid / metabolism*
  • Bacterial Proteins / chemistry
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Bacterial Secretion Systems / chemistry
  • Bacterial Secretion Systems / genetics
  • Bacterial Secretion Systems / metabolism*
  • Biofilms
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Transport
  • Pseudomonas / chemistry
  • Pseudomonas / genetics
  • Pseudomonas / metabolism*

Substances

  • Amyloid
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Bacterial Secretion Systems