Sandra L. Tollaksen

Transcriptional and Proteomic Analysis of a Ferric Uptake Regulator (Fur) Mutant of Shewanella oneidensis: Possible Involvement of Fur in Energy Metabolism, Transcriptional Regulation, and Oxidative Stress

ABSTRACT The iron-directed, coordinate regulation of genes depends on the fur (ferric uptake regulator) gene product, which acts as an iron-responsive, transcriptional repressor protein. To investigate the biological function of a fur homolog in the dissimilatory metal-reducing bacterium Shewanella oneidensis MR-1, a fur knockout strain (FUR1) was generated by suicide plasmid integration into this gene and characterized using phenotype assays, DNA microarrays containing 691 arrayed genes, and two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Physiological studies indicated that FUR1 was similar to the wild-type strain when they were compared for anaerobic growth and reduction of various electron acceptors. Transcription profiling, however, revealed that genes with predicted functions in electron transport, energy metabolism, transcriptional regulation, and oxidative stress protection were either repressed (ccoNQ, etrA, cytochrome b and c maturation-encoding genes, qor, yiaY, sodB, rpoH, phoB, and chvI) or induced (yggW, pdhC, prpC, aceE, fdhD, and ppc) in the fur mutant. Disruption of fur also resulted in derepression of genes (hxuC, alcC, fhuA, hemR, irgA, and ompW) putatively involved in iron uptake. This agreed with the finding that the fur mutant produced threefold-higher levels of siderophore than the wild-type strain under conditions of sufficient iron. Analysis of a subset of the FUR1 proteome (i.e., primarily soluble cytoplasmic and periplasmic proteins) indicated that 11 major protein species reproducibly showed significant (P < 0.05) differences in abundance relative to the wild type. Protein identification using mass spectrometry indicated that the expression of two of these proteins (SodB and AlcC) correlated with the microarray data. These results suggest a possible regulatory role of S. oneidensis MR-1 Fur in energy metabolism that extends the traditional model of Fur as a negative regulator of iron acquisition systems.

Identification of 2D-gel proteins: A comparison of MALDI/TOF peptide mass mapping to μ LC-ESI tandem mass spectrometry

A comparative analysis of protein identification for a total of 162 protein spots separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis from two fully sequenced archaea, Methanococcus jannaschii and Pyrococcus furiosus, using MALDI-TOF peptide mass mapping (PMM) and μLC-MS/MS is presented. 100% of the gel spots analyzed were successfully matched to the predicted proteins in the two corresponding open reading frame databases by μLC-MS/MS while 97% of them were identified by MALDI-TOF PMM. The high success rate from the PMM resulted from sample desalting/concentrating with ZipTipC18 and optimization of several PMM search parameters including a 25 ppm average mass tolerance and the application of two different protein molecular weight search windows. By using this strategy, low-molecular weight (<23 kDa) proteins could be identified unambiguously with less than 5 peptide matches. Nine percent of spots were identified as containing multiple proteins. By using μLC-MS/MS, 50% of the spots analyzed were identified as containing multiple proteins. μLC-MS/MS demonstrated better protein sequence coverage than MALDI-TOF PMM over the entire mass range of proteins identified. MALDI-TOF and PMM produced unique peptide molecular weight matches that were not identified by μLC-MS/MS. By incorporating amino acid sequence modifications into database searches, combined sequence coverage obtained from these two complimentary ionization methods exceeded 50% for ∼70% of the 162 spots analyzed. This improved sequence coverage in combination with enzymatic digestions of different specificity is proposed as a method for analysis of post-translational modification from 2D-gel separated proteins.

Low-Temperature Growth of Shewanella oneidensis MR-1

ABSTRACT Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 is a mesophilic bacterium with a maximum growth temperature of ≈35°C but the ability to grow over a wide range of temperatures, including temperatures near zero. At room temperature (≈22°C) MR-1 grows with a doubling time of about 40 min, but when moved from 22°C to 3°C, MR-1 cells display a very long lag phase of more than 100 h followed by very slow growth, with a doubling time of ≈67 h. In comparison to cells grown at 22°C, the cold-grown cells formed long, motile filaments, showed many spheroplast-like structures, produced an array of proteins not seen at higher temperature, and synthesized a different pattern of cellular lipids. Frequent pilus-like structures were observed during the transition from 3 to 22°C.

Analytical techniques for cell fractions. XXVII. Use of heart proteins as reference standards in two-dimensional electrophoresis.

The preparation and use of rat heart whole homogenate as a standard for the sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) electrophoresis dimension of two-dimensional electrophoresis is described. By including the rat heart homogenate in the agarose overlay used to hold an isofocusing gel (first dimension) in contact with a slab gel (second dimension), 80 horizontal lines can be superimposed on a two-dimensional electrophoresis pattern. Such an internal standard is useful as a reference marker for the intercomparison of many gels and also, when calibrated, can be used to determine the approximate molecular weight of proteins.

Analytical techniques for cell fractions: XXV. Concentration and two-dimensional electrophoretic analysis of human urinary proteins

Due to the experimental and diagnostic possibilities found in the analysis of human urinary proteins, the authors have distinguished eight classes of protein in urine and initial studies for the development of clinical analysis. The authors discuss two methods for the concentrating of urinary proteins for analysis by high resolution two-dimensional electrophoresis.

Liposome-Encapsulated Actinomycin D: Potential in Cancer Chemotherapy

Summary Actinomycin D, when encapsulated within liposomes, is less toxic to mice than the nonencapsulated form. A single dose (0.75 mg/kg) or multiple doses (1 × 0.50, 4 × 0.25 mg/kg) significantly increased the mean survival time of mice inoculated with Ehrlich ascites tumor cells. Liposomes containing actinomycin D were found in tumor cells and cell degeneration and death were subsequently observed.

Proteomic analysis of Psychrobacter cryohalolentis K5 during growth at subzero temperatures.

It is crucial to examine the physiological processes of psychrophiles at temperatures below 4°C, particularly to facilitate extrapolation of laboratory results to in situ activity. Using two dimensional electrophoresis, we examined patterns of protein abundance during growth at 16, 4, and −4°C of the eurypsychrophile Psychrobacter cryohalolentis K5 and report the first identification of cold inducible proteins (CIPs) present during growth at subzero temperatures. Growth temperature substantially reprogrammed the proteome; the relative abundance of 303 of the 618 protein spots detected (∼31% of the proteins at each growth temperature) varied significantly with temperature. Five CIPs were detected specifically at −4°C; their identities (AtpF, EF-Ts, TolC, Pcryo_1988, and FecA) suggested specific stress on energy production, protein synthesis, and transport during growth at subzero temperatures. The need for continual relief of low-temperature stress on these cellular processes was confirmed via identification of 22 additional CIPs whose abundance increased during growth at −4°C (relative to higher temperatures). Our data suggested that iron may be limiting during growth at subzero temperatures and that a cold-adapted allele was employed at −4°C for transport of iron. In summary, these data suggest that low-temperature stresses continue to intensify as growth temperatures decrease to −4°C.

Spectrophotometric Assay of Catalase with Perborate as Substrate

Summary A spectrophotometric assay for catalase has been developed in which sodium perborate, rather than hydrogen peroxide, is used as the substrate. The method is convenient, rapid, and readily adapted to the measurement of catalase in subcellular fractions.

DNA Microarray and Proteomic Analyses of the RpoS Regulon in Geobacter sulfurreducens

The regulon of the sigma factor RpoS was defined in Geobacter sulfurreducens by using a combination of DNA microarray expression profiles and proteomics. An rpoS mutant was examined under steady-state conditions with acetate as an electron donor and fumarate as an electron acceptor and with additional transcriptional profiling using Fe(III) as an electron acceptor. Expression analysis revealed that RpoS acts as both a positive and negative regulator. Many of the RpoS-dependent genes determined play roles in energy metabolism, including the tricarboxylic acid cycle, signal transduction, transport, protein synthesis and degradation, and amino acid metabolism and transport. As expected, RpoS activated genes involved in oxidative stress resistance and adaptation to nutrient limitation. Transcription of the cytochrome c oxidase operon, necessary for G. sulfurreducens growth using oxygen as an electron acceptor, and expression of at least 13 c-type cytochromes, including one previously shown to participate in Fe(III) reduction (MacA), were RpoS dependent. Analysis of a subset of the rpoS mutant proteome indicated that 15 major protein species showed reproducible differences in abundance relative to those of the wild-type strain. Protein identification using mass spectrometry indicated that the expression of seven of these proteins correlated with the microarray data. Collectively, these results indicate that RpoS exerts global effects on G. sulfurreducens physiology and that RpoS is vital to G. sulfurreducens survival under conditions typically encountered in its native subsurface environments.

Mouse liver selenium-binding protein decreased in abundance by peroxisome proliferators.

Several studies with two‐dimensional gel electrophoresis (2‐DE) have shown that the abundance of numerous mouse liver proteins is altered in response to treatment with chemicals known to cause peroxisome proliferation. The peptide masses from tryptic digests of two liver proteins showing dramatic decreases in abundance in response to numerous peroxisome proliferators were used to search sequence databases. The selenium‐binding protein 2 (SBP2 formerly 56 kDa acetaminophen‐binding protein, AP 56) and selenium‐binding protein 1 (SBP1 formerly 56 kDa selenium‐binding protein, SP 56) in mouse liver, proteins with a high degree of sequence similarity, were the highest ranked identities obtained. Identity with SBP2 was subsequently confirmed by immunodetection with specific antiserum. Treatment of mice with 0.025% ciprofibrate resulted in the more basic of this pair of proteins being decreased to 30% of control abundance while the acidic protein was decreased to 7% of the control amount. Dexamethasone treatment, in contrast, caused increases of 80% and 20% in the abundance of the acidic and basic forms, respectively. Administration of dexamethasone to mice in combination with ciprofibrate produced expression of the acidic SBP2 at 23% of the control level and the basic SBP2 at 36%, a slightly moderated reduction compared with the decrease that occurred with ciprofibrate alone. These data suggest that peroxisome proliferators such as ciprofibrate cause a decrease in the abundance of the SBP2, which leads to increased cell proliferation, even in the presence of an inhibitor such as dexamethasone. Such a decrease in SBP, thought to serve as cell growth regulation factors, could be central to the nongenotoxic carcinogenicity of the peroxisome proliferators observed in rodents.