Regulatory mechanisms of lipopolysaccharide synthesis in Escherichia coli

Abstract Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is an essential glycolipid and forms a protective permeability barrier for most Gram-negative bacteria. In E. coli, LPS levels are under feedback control, achieved by FtsH-mediated degradation of LpxC, which catalyzes the first committed step in LPS synthesis. FtsH...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Sheng Shu, Wei Mi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2022-08-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-32277-1
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849311486421237760
author Sheng Shu
Wei Mi
author_facet Sheng Shu
Wei Mi
author_sort Sheng Shu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is an essential glycolipid and forms a protective permeability barrier for most Gram-negative bacteria. In E. coli, LPS levels are under feedback control, achieved by FtsH-mediated degradation of LpxC, which catalyzes the first committed step in LPS synthesis. FtsH is a membrane-bound AAA+ protease, and its protease activity toward LpxC is regulated by essential membrane proteins LapB and YejM. However, the regulatory mechanisms are elusive. We establish an in vitro assay to analyze the kinetics of LpxC degradation and demonstrate that LapB is an adaptor protein that utilizes its transmembrane helix to interact with FtsH and its cytoplasmic domains to recruit LpxC. Our YejM/LapB complex structure reveals that YejM is an anti-adaptor protein, competing with FtsH for LapB to inhibit LpxC degradation. Structural analysis unravels that LapB and LPS have overlapping binding sites in YejM. Thus, LPS levels control formation of the YejM/LapB complex to determine LpxC protein levels.
format Article
id doaj-art-d283d1891ba64155b2b2bf9e4df23f94
institution Kabale University
issn 2041-1723
language English
publishDate 2022-08-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Nature Communications
spelling doaj-art-d283d1891ba64155b2b2bf9e4df23f942025-08-20T03:53:22ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232022-08-0113111110.1038/s41467-022-32277-1Regulatory mechanisms of lipopolysaccharide synthesis in Escherichia coliSheng Shu0Wei Mi1Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of MedicineDepartment of Pharmacology, Yale University School of MedicineAbstract Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is an essential glycolipid and forms a protective permeability barrier for most Gram-negative bacteria. In E. coli, LPS levels are under feedback control, achieved by FtsH-mediated degradation of LpxC, which catalyzes the first committed step in LPS synthesis. FtsH is a membrane-bound AAA+ protease, and its protease activity toward LpxC is regulated by essential membrane proteins LapB and YejM. However, the regulatory mechanisms are elusive. We establish an in vitro assay to analyze the kinetics of LpxC degradation and demonstrate that LapB is an adaptor protein that utilizes its transmembrane helix to interact with FtsH and its cytoplasmic domains to recruit LpxC. Our YejM/LapB complex structure reveals that YejM is an anti-adaptor protein, competing with FtsH for LapB to inhibit LpxC degradation. Structural analysis unravels that LapB and LPS have overlapping binding sites in YejM. Thus, LPS levels control formation of the YejM/LapB complex to determine LpxC protein levels.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-32277-1
spellingShingle Sheng Shu
Wei Mi
Regulatory mechanisms of lipopolysaccharide synthesis in Escherichia coli
Nature Communications
title Regulatory mechanisms of lipopolysaccharide synthesis in Escherichia coli
title_full Regulatory mechanisms of lipopolysaccharide synthesis in Escherichia coli
title_fullStr Regulatory mechanisms of lipopolysaccharide synthesis in Escherichia coli
title_full_unstemmed Regulatory mechanisms of lipopolysaccharide synthesis in Escherichia coli
title_short Regulatory mechanisms of lipopolysaccharide synthesis in Escherichia coli
title_sort regulatory mechanisms of lipopolysaccharide synthesis in escherichia coli
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-32277-1
work_keys_str_mv AT shengshu regulatorymechanismsoflipopolysaccharidesynthesisinescherichiacoli
AT weimi regulatorymechanismsoflipopolysaccharidesynthesisinescherichiacoli