Biology subjects

Watkins, D. W.

Publications and source records attributed to Watkins, D. W..

6 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2022

A bacterial secretosome for regulated envelope biogenesis and quality control

As the first line of defence against antibiotics, the Gram-negative bacterial envelope and its biogenesis are of considerable interest to the microbiological and biomedical communities. All bacterial proteins are synthesised in the cytosol, so inner- and outer-membrane proteins, and periplasmic residents have to be transported to their final destinations via specialised protein machinery. The Sec translocon, a ubiquitous integral inner-membrane (IM) complex, is key to this process as the major gateway for protein transit from the cytosol to the cell envelope; this can be achieved during their translation, or afterwards. Proteins need to be directed to the inner-membrane (usually co-translational), otherwise SecA utilises ATP and the proton-motive-force (PMF) to drive proteins across the membrane post-translationally. These proteins are then picked up by chaperones for folding in the periplasm or delivered to the {beta}-barrel assembly machinery (BAM) for incorporation into the outer-membrane. The core heterotrimeric SecYEG-complex forms the hub for an extensive network of interactions that regulate protein delivery and quality control. Here, we conduct a biochemical exploration of this secretosome - a very large, versatile and inter-changeable assembly with the Sec-translocon at its core; featuring interactions that facilitate secretion (SecDF), inner- and outer-membrane protein insertion (respectively, YidC and BAM), protein folding and quality control (e.g. PpiD, YfgM and FtsH). We propose the dynamic interplay amongst these and other factors act to ensure efficient whole envelope biogenesis, regulated to accommodate the requirements of cell elongation and division. This organisation would be essential for cell wall biogenesis and remodelling and thus its perturbation would be a good strategy for the development of anti-microbials.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2020

Controlling protein nanocage assembly with hydrostatic pressure

Controlling the assembly and disassembly of nanoscale protein cages for the capture and internalisation of protein or non-proteinaceous components is fundamentally important to a diverse range of bionanotechnological applications. Here, we study the reversible, pressure-induced dissociation of a natural protein nanocage, E. coli bacterioferritin (Bfr), using synchrotron radiation small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and circular dichroism (CD). We demonstrate that hydrostatic pressures of 450 MPa are sufficient to completely dissociate the Bfr icositetramer into protein dimers, and the reversibility and kinetics of the reassembly process can be controlled by selecting appropriate buffer conditions. We also demonstrate that the heme B prosthetic group present at the subunit dimer interface influences the stability and pressure lability of the cage, despite its location being discrete from the inter-dimer interface that is key to cage assembly. This indicates a major cage-stabilising role for heme within this family of ferritins.

biophysics↗

bioRxiv2020

Refined measurement of SecA-driven protein transport reveals indirect coupling to ATP turnover

The universally conserved Sec system is the primary method cells utilise to transport proteins across membranes. Until recently, measuring the activity - a prerequisite for understanding how biological systems works - has been limited to discontinuous protein transport assays with poor time resolution, or used as reporters large, non-natural tags that interfere with the process. The development of an assay based on a split super-bright luciferase (NanoLuc) changed this. Here, we exploit this technology to unpick the steps that constitute post-translational transport in bacteria. Under the conditions deployed, transport of the model pre-protein substrate proSpy occurs at 200 amino acids per minute with the data best fit by a series of large, [~]30 amino acid, steps each coupled to many (100s) ATP hydrolysis events. Prior to that, there is no evidence for a distinct, rate-limiting initiation event. Kinetic modelling suggests that SecA-driven transport activity is facilitated by the substrate (polypeptide) concentration gradient - in keeping with classical membrane transporters. Furthermore, the features we describe are consistent with a non-deterministic motor mechanism, such as a Brownian ratchet.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2019

A ‘proton ratchet’ for coupling the membrane potential to protein transport

Transport of proteins across and into membranes is a fundamental biological process with the vast majority being conducted by the ubiquitous Sec machinery. In bacteria, this is usually achieved when the SecY-complex engages the cytosolic ATPase SecA (secretion) or translating ribosomes (insertion). Great strides have been made towards understanding the mechanism of protein translocation. Yet, important questions remain - notably, the nature of the individual steps that constitute transport, and how the proton-motive force (PMF) across the plasma membrane contributes. Here, we apply a recently developed high-resolution protein transport assay to explore these questions. We find that pre-protein transport is limited primarily by the diffusion of arginine residues across the membrane, particularly in the context of bulky hydrophobic sequences. This specific effect of arginine, caused by its positive charge, is mitigated for lysine which can be deprotonated and transported across the membrane in its neutral form. These observations have interesting implications for the mechanism of protein secretion, suggesting a simple mechanism by which PMF can aid transport, and enabling a proton ratchet, wherein re-protonation of exiting lysine residues prevents channel re-entry, biasing transport in the outward direction.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2019

Trans-membrane association of the Sec and BAM complexes for bacterial outer-membrane biogenesis

SUMMARYThe outer-membrane of Gram-negative bacteria is critical for surface adhesion, pathogenicity, antibiotic resistance and survival. The major constituent – hydrophobic β-barrel Outer-Membrane Proteins (OMPs) – are secreted across the inner-membrane through the Sec-translocon for delivery to periplasmic chaperones e.g. SurA, which prevent aggregation. OMPs are then offloaded to the β-Barrel Assembly Machinery (BAM) in the outer-membrane for insertion and folding. We show the Holo-TransLocon (HTL: an assembly of the protein-channel core-complex SecYEG, the ancillary sub-complex SecDF, and the membrane ‘insertase’ YidC) contacts SurA and BAM through periplasmic domains of SecDF and YidC, ensuring efficient OMP maturation. Our results show the trans-membrane proton-motive-force (PMF) acts at distinct stages of protein secretion: for SecA-driven translocation across the inner-membrane through SecYEG; and to communicate conformational changes via SecDF to the BAM machinery. The latter presumably ensures efficient passage of OMPs. These interactions provide insights of inter-membrane organisation, the importance of which is becoming increasingly apparent.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.View Full Text

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2018

A High-Resolution Luminescent Assay For Rapid And Continuous Monitoring Of Protein Translocation Across Biological Membranes

Protein translocation is a fundamental process in biology. Major gaps in our understanding of this process arises due the poor sensitivity, low time-resolution and irreproducibility of translocation assays. To address this, we applied NanoLuc split-luciferase to produce a new strategy for measuring protein transport. The system reduces the timescale of data collection from days to minutes, and allows continuous acquisition with a time-resolution in the order of seconds - yielding kinetics parameters suitable for mechanistic elucidation and mathematical fitting. To demonstrate its versatility, we implemented and validated the assay in vitro and in vivo for the bacterial Sec system, and the mitochondrial protein import apparatus. Overall, this technology represents a major step forward, providing a powerful new tool for fundamental mechanistic enquiry of protein translocation and for inhibitor (drug) screening, with an intensity and rigour unattainable through classical methods.

biochemistry↗