21 research outputs found
The bacterial hydrophobin BslA is a switchable ellipsoidal Janus nanocolloid
BslA
is an amphiphilic protein that forms a highly hydrophobic
coat around <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> biofilms, shielding
the bacterial community from external aqueous solution. It has a unique
structure featuring a distinct partition between hydrophilic and hydrophobic
surfaces. This surface property is reminiscent of synthesized Janus
colloids. By investigating the behavior of BslA variants at water-cyclohexane
interfaces through a set of multiscale simulations informed by experimental
data, we show that BslA indeed represents a biological example of
an ellipsoidal Janus nanoparticle, whose surface interactions are,
moreover, readily switchable. BslA contains a local conformational
toggle, which controls its global affinity for, and orientation at,
water–oil interfaces. This adaptability, together with single-point
mutations, enables the fine-tuning of its solvent and interfacial
interactions, and suggests that BslA could be a basis for biotechnological
applications
Lateral interactions govern self-assembly of the bacterial biofilm matrix protein BslA
The soil bacterium Bacillus subtilis is a model organism to investigate the formation of biofilms, the predominant form of microbial life. The secreted protein BslA self-assembles at the surface of the biofilm to give the B. subtilis biofilm its characteristic hydrophobicity. To understand the mechanism of BslA self-assembly at interfaces, here we built a molecular model based on the previous BslA crystal structure and the crystal structure of the BslA paralogue YweA that we determined. Our analysis revealed two conserved protein-protein interaction interfaces supporting BslA self-assembly into an infinite 2-dimensional lattice that fits previously determined transmission microscopy images. Molecular dynamics simulations and in vitro protein assays further support our model of BslA elastic film formation, while mutagenesis experiments highlight the importance of the identified interactions for biofilm structure. Based on this knowledge, YweA was engineered to form more stable elastic films and rescue biofilm structure in bslA deficient strains. These findings shed light on protein film assembly and will inform the development of BslA technologies which range from surface coatings to emulsions in fast-moving consumer goods.</p
Lateral interactions govern self-assembly of the bacterial biofilm matrix protein BslA
The soil bacterium Bacillus subtilis is a model organism to investigate the formation of biofilms, the predominant form of microbial life. The secreted protein BslA self-assembles at the surface of the biofilm to give the B. subtilis biofilm its characteristic hydrophobicity. To understand the mechanism of BslA self-assembly at interfaces, here we built a molecular model based on the previous BslA crystal structure and the crystal structure of the BslA paralogue YweA that we determined. Our analysis revealed two conserved protein-protein interaction interfaces supporting BslA self-assembly into an infinite 2-dimensional lattice that fits previously determined transmission microscopy images. Molecular dynamics simulations and in vitro protein assays further support our model of BslA elastic film formation, while mutagenesis experiments highlight the importance of the identified interactions for biofilm structure. Based on this knowledge, YweA was engineered to form more stable elastic films and rescue biofilm structure in bslA deficient strains. These findings shed light on protein film assembly and will inform the development of BslA technologies which range from surface coatings to emulsions in fast-moving consumer goods.</p
Bifunctionality of a biofilm matrix protein controlled by redox state
Significance
The biofilm matrix is a critical target in the hunt for novel strategies to destabilize or stabilize biofilms. Knowledge of the processes controlling matrix assembly is therefore an essential prerequisite to exploitation. Here, we highlight that the complexity of the biofilm matrix is even higher than anticipated, with one matrix component making two independent functional contributions to the community. The influence the protein exerts is dependent on the local environmental properties, providing another dimension to consider during analysis. These findings add to the evidence that bacteria can evolve multifunctional uses for the extracellular matrix components.</jats:p
Molecular dynamics simulations reveal that AEDANS is an inert fluorescent probe for the study of membrane proteins
Computer simulations were carried out of a number of AEDANS-labeled single cysteine mutants of a small reference membrane protein, M13 major coat protein, covering 60% of its primary sequence. M13 major coat protein is a single membrane-spanning, α-helical membrane protein with a relatively large water-exposed region in the N-terminus. In 10-ns molecular dynamics simulations, we analyze the behavior of the AEDANS label and the native tryptophan, which were used as acceptor and donor in previous FRET experiments. The results indicate that AEDANS is a relatively inert environmental probe that can move unhindered through the lipid membrane when attached to a membrane protein
The diverse structures and functions of surfactant proteins
Surface tension at liquid–air interfaces is a major barrier that needs to be surmounted by a wide range of organisms; surfactant and interfacially active proteins have evolved for this purpose. Although these proteins are essential for a variety of biological processes, our understanding of how they elicit their function has been limited. However, with the recent determination of high-resolution 3D structures of several examples, we have gained insight into the distinct shapes and mechanisms that have evolved to confer interfacial activity. It is now a matter of harnessing this information, and these systems, for biotechnological purposes
The Conformation of Interfacially Adsorbed Ranaspumin-2 Is an Arrested State on the Unfolding Pathway
Ranaspumin-2 (Rsn-2) is a surfactant protein found in the foam nests of the
t\'{u}ngara frog. Previous experimental work has led to a proposed model of
adsorption which involves an unusual clam shell-like `unhinging' of the protein
at an interface. Interestingly, there is no concomitant denaturation of the
secondary structural elements of Rsn-2 with the large scale transformation of
its tertiary structure. In this work we use both experiment and simulation to
better understand the driving forces underpinning this unusual process. We
develop a modified G\={o}-model approach where we have included explicit
representation of the side-chains in order to realistically model the
interaction between the secondary structure elements of the protein and the
interface. Doing so allows for the study of the underlying energy landscape
which governs the mechanism of Rsn-2 interfacial adsorption. Experimentally, we
study targeted mutants of Rsn-2, using the Langmuir trough, pendant drop
tensiometry and circular dichroism, to demonstrate that the clam-shell model is
correct. We find that Rsn-2 adsorption is in fact a two-step process: the
hydrophobic N-terminal tail recruits the protein to the interface after which
Rsn-2 undergoes an unfolding transition which maintains its secondary
structure. Intriguingly, our simulations show that the conformation Rsn-2
adopts at an interface is an arrested state along the denaturation pathway.
More generally, our computational model should prove a useful, and
computationally efficient, tool in studying the dynamics and energetics of
protein-interface interactions.Comment: 8 figure