Functional involvement of membrane-embedded and conserved acidic residues in the ShaA subunit of the multigene-encoded Na+/H+ antiporter in Bacillus subtilis.

ShaA, a member of a multigene-encoded Na+/H+ antiporter in B. subtilis, is a large integral membrane protein consisting of 20 transmembrane helices (TM). Conservation of ShaA-like protein subunits in several cation-coupled enzymes, including the NuoL (ND5) subunit of the H+-translocating complex I, suggests the involvement of ShaA in cation transport. Bacillus subtilis ShaA contains six acidic residues that are conserved in ShaA homologues and are located in putative transmembrane helices. We examined the functional involvement of the six transmembrane acidic residues of ShaA by site-directed mutagenesis. Mutation in glutamate (Glu)-113 in TM-4, Glu-657 in TM-18, aspartate (Asp)-734 and Glu-747 in TM-20 abolished the antiport activity, suggesting that these residues play important roles in the ion transport of Sha. The acidic group was necessary and sufficient in Glu-657 and Asp-743, while it was not true of Glu-113 and Glu-747. Mutation in Asp-103 in TM-3, which is conserved in ShaA-types but not in ShaAB-types, partially affected on the antiport activity. Mutation in Asp-50 in TM-2 resulted in a unexpected phenotype: mutants retained the wild type level of ability to confer NaCl resistance to the Na+/H+ antiporter-deficient E. coli KNabc, but showed a very low antiport activity. The acidic group of Asp-50 and Asp-103 was not essential for the function. Our results suggested that these acidic residues are functionally involved in the ion transport of Sha, and some of them probably in cation binding and/or translocation.

Characterization of a multigene-encoded sodium/hydrogen antiporter (sha) from Pseudomonas aeruginosa: its involvement in pathogenesis.

Sha (also known as Mrp/Mnh/Pha) is a Na+/H+ antiporter encoded by a cluster of six or seven genes that probably form a multisubunit transport complex. The Sha system is important for the homeostasis of H+, Na+, and other monovalent cations and plays a critical role in various functions, including alkaliphily, sporulation, and symbiosis. Here, we characterized the sha homologue genes from the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which exist as a cluster of six genes (PA1054 to PA1059). The gene cluster PA1054 to PA1059, but not the cluster with a deletion of PA1054, complemented a growth defect in the presence of 0.2 M NaCl and a defect in Na+/H+ antiport activity of the Escherichia coli TO114 mutant lacking the three major Na+/H+ antiporters, indicating that genes PA1054 to PA1059 are responsible for Na+/H+ antiport activity. We disrupted PA1054 (a shaA homologue gene) and determined its effect on Na+ tolerance during growth, Na+ efflux, and pathogenicity in mice. Disruption of PA1054 resulted in severe Na+ sensitivity during growth and decreased Na+ efflux activity. In mice, the deletion mutant of PA1054 also exhibited an attenuated virulence in systemic, pulmonary, and urinary tract infections and also a decrease in colonization of the infected organs. From these results, we conclude that the genes PA1054 to PA1059 encode a Na+/H+ antiporter that is largely responsible for Na+ extrusion in P. aeruginosa and has a role in the infection of the pathogen. We propose to designate PA1054 to PA1059 as the sha (sodium hydrogen antiporter) genes, shaABCDEFG.

The program of gene transcription for a single differentiating cell type during sporulation in Bacillus subtilis.

Asymmetric division during sporulation by Bacillus subtilis generates a mother cell that undergoes a 5-h program of differentiation. The program is governed by a hierarchical cascade consisting of the transcription factors: sigma(E), sigma(K), GerE, GerR, and SpoIIID. The program consists of the activation and repression of 383 genes. The sigma(E) factor turns on 262 genes, including those for GerR and SpoIIID. These DNA-binding proteins downregulate almost half of the genes in the sigma(E) regulon. In addition, SpoIIID turns on ten genes, including genes involved in the appearance of sigma(K). Next, sigma(K) activates 75 additional genes, including that for GerE. This DNA-binding protein, in turn, represses half of the genes that had been activated by sigma(K) while switching on a final set of 36 genes. Evidence is presented that repression and activation contribute to proper morphogenesis. The program of gene expression is driven forward by its hierarchical organization and by the repressive effects of the DNA-binding proteins. The logic of the program is that of a linked series of feed-forward loops, which generate successive pulses of gene transcription. Similar regulatory circuits could be a common feature of other systems of cellular differentiation.

Analysis of the Bacillus subtilis spoIIIJ gene and its Paralogue gene, yqjG.

The Bacillus subtilis spoIIIJ gene, which has been proven to be vegetatively expressed, has also been implicated as a sporulation gene. Recent genome sequencing information in many organisms reveals that spoIIIJ and its paralogous gene, yqjG, are conserved from prokaryotes to humans. A homologue of SpoIIIJ/YqjG, the Escherichia coli YidC is involved in the insertion of membrane proteins into the lipid bilayer. On the basis of this similarity, it was proposed that the two homologues act as translocase for the membrane proteins. We studied the requirements for spoIIIJ and yqjG during vegetative growth and sporulation. In rich media, the growth of spoIIIJ and yqjG single mutants were the same as that of the wild type, whereas spoIIIJ yqjG double inactivation was lethal, indicating that together these B. subtilis translocase homologues play an important role in maintaining the viability of the cell. This result also suggests that SpoIIIJ and YqjG probably control significantly overlapping functions during vegetative growth. spoIIIJ mutations have already been established to block sporulation at stage III. In contrast, disruption of yqjG did not interfere with sporulation. We further show that high level expression of spoIIIJ during vegetative phase is dispensable for spore formation, but the sporulation-specific expression of spoIIIJ is necessary for efficient sporulation even at the basal level. Using green fluorescent protein reporter to monitor SpoIIIJ and YqjG localization, we found that the proteins localize at the cell membrane in vegetative cells and at the polar and engulfment septa in sporulating cells. This localization of SpoIIIJ at the sporulation-specific septa may be important for the role of spoIIIJ during sporulation.

Sequence and analysis of a 31 kb segment of the Bacillus subtilis chromosome in the area of the rrnH and rrnG operons.

A 31141 bp continuous nucleotide sequence in the region from trnl to pNEXT52 in the Bacillus subtilis 168 genome was determined. In the region, there were 22 ORFs, two complete rRNA operons, and five tRNA genes. It was deduced that the function of one of the ORFs was similar to that of a sigma factor belonging to the ECF (extra-cytoplasmic functions) subfamily. The gene cluster feuA, B, C reported previously for other strains of B. subtilis was also found in strain 168 and located in this region.