Phages infecting the polysialic acid (polySia)-encapsulated human pathogen Escherichia coli K1 are equipped with capsule-degrading tailspikes known as endosialidases, which are the only identified enzymes that specifically degrade polySia. As polySia also promotes cellular plasticity and tumor metastasis in vertebrates, endosialidases are widely applied in polySia-related neurosciences and cancer research. Here we report the crystal structures of endosialidase NF and its complex with oligomeric sialic acid. The structure NF, which reveals three distinct domains, indicates that the unique polySia specificity evolved from a combination of structural elements characteristic of exosialidases and bacteriophage tailspike proteins. The endosialidase assembles into a catalytic trimer stabilized by a triple beta-helix. Its active site differs markedly from that of exosialidases, indicating an endosialidase-specific substrate-binding mode and catalytic mechanism. Residues essential for endosialidase activity were identified by structure-based mutational analysis.

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Bacteriophage phi92 is a large, lytic myovirus isolated in 1983 from pathogenic Escherichia coli strains that carry a polysialic acid capsule. Here we report the genome organization of phi92, the cryoelectron microscopy reconstruction of its virion, and the reinvestigation of its host specificity. The genome consists of a linear, double-stranded 148,612-bp DNA sequence containing 248 potential open reading frames and 11 putative tRNA genes. Orthologs were found for 130 of the predicted proteins. Most of the virion proteins showed significant sequence similarities to proteins of myoviruses rv5 and PVP-SE1, indicating that phi92 is a new member of the novel genus of rv5-like phages. Reinvestigation of phi92 host specificity showed that the host range is not limited to polysialic acid-encapsulated Escherichia coli but includes most laboratory strains of Escherichia coli and many Salmonella strains. Structure analysis of the phi92 virion demonstrated the presence of four different types of tail fibers and/or tailspikes, which enable the phage to use attachment sites on encapsulated and nonencapsulated bacteria. With this report, we provide the first detailed description of a multivalent, multispecies phage armed with a host cell adsorption apparatus resembling a nanosized Swiss army knife. The genome, structure, and, in particular, the organization of the baseplate of phi92 demonstrate how a bacteriophage can evolve into a multi-pathogen-killing agent.

Proteins fold into their functional three-dimensional structure based on the information encoded in the residue sequence 1 . In all domains of life, various strategies evolved to assist folding processes in order to prevent immediate misfolding and aggregation of the nascent polypeptide chain. In the crowded cellular environment, protein folding is often aided by molecular chaperones. Molecular chaperones differ in size, function and energy dependence; however, all have in common to bind to the unfolded state of the protein in order to facilitate or mediate assembly of the correct three-dimensional structure 2,3 . In contrast to molecular chaperones, the intramolecular chaperones (IMCs) constitute a different class of chaperones. As part of the polypeptide chain, the IMC is typically cleaved off the target protein after the folding process is completed. Two classes of IMCs can be distinguished: class I IMCs assist the protein to fold into the correct tertiary structure, whereas class II IMCs are involved in quaternary structure assembly 4 . In contrast to many molecular chaperones, no evidence for an ATP-driven cleavage reaction could be found in IMCs. An example of a class II intramolecular chaperone has been identified in viral tailspike and fiber proteins. These proteins are functionally unrelated but share a highly conserved chaperone domain at their C terminus (C-terminal intramolecular chaperone domain, CIMCD), which is cleaved at a conserved position in an autoproteolytic reaction 5 . It was shown that the covalent linkage between the CIMCD and N-terminal pre-protein is necessary for correct folding, indicating that an in trans function of the chaperone is impossible 5 . Furthermore, it could be shown that some of the chaperone domains are exchangeable between the different preproteins 5,6 . While the three-dimensional structures of the CIMCDs are as yet unknown, the crystal structure of N-terminally truncated mature endoNF shows that the homotrimeric enzyme comprises a triple β-helix involved in substrate recognition 7 . This triple β-helix and the related triple-β-spiral motif have been identified in various proteins, which often play a role as virulence factors 8 . In triple β-helices, three polypeptide chains wind around a common threefold symmetry axis, conferring an extraordinary stability to the protein. The rigid elongated shape allows triple β-helix-comprising proteins to protrude from a pathogen's surface in order to interact with flexible host cell receptors, like lipopolysaccharides 9 . However, proper assembly of triple-β-helical folds poses to be difficult in the absence of a trimerization domain 10 . Hence, most triple β-helices depend on a C-terminal extension for trimerization and correct assembly 11 .Here we present the crystal structures of two representatives of a large group of systematically, functionally and structurally similar intramolecular chaperones: the Escherichia coli phage K1F endosilidase CIMCD and the Bacillus subtilis phage GA-1 neck appendage protein CIMCD. Furthermore...

Bacteriophages infecting the neuroinvasive pathogenEscherichia coli K1 require an endosialidase to penetrate the polysialic acid capsule of the host. Sequence information is available for the endosialidases endoNE, endoNF, and endoN63D of the K1-specific phages K1E, K1F, and 63D, respectively. The cloned sequences share a highly conserved catalytic domain but differ in the length of the N-and C-terminal parts. Although the expression of active recombinant enzyme succeeded in the case of endoNE, it failed for endoNF. Protein alignments of all three endosialidase sequences gave rise to the assumption that inactivity of the cloned endoNF is caused by a C-terminal truncation. By reinvestigation of the respective gene locus in the K1F genome, we identified an extended open reading frame of 3195 bp, encoding a 119-kDa protein.Full-length endoNF contains the C-terminal domain conserved in all endosialidases, which may act as an intramolecular chaperone. Comparative studies carried out with endoNE and endoNF demonstrate that endosialidases are proteolytically processed, releasing the C-terminal domain. Using a mutational approach in combination with protein analytical techniques we demonstrate that (i) the C-terminal domain is a common feature of endosialidases and other tail fiber proteins; (ii) the integrity of the Cterminal domain and its presence in the nascent protein are crucial for the formation of active enzymes; (iii) proteolytic processing is not essential for enzymatic activity; and (iv) functional folding is a prerequisite for trimerization of endoNF.

SummaryBacterial capsules are not only important virulence factors, but also provide attachment sites for bacteriophages that possess capsule degrading enzymes as tailspike proteins. To gain insight into the evolution of these specialized viruses, we studied a panel of tailed phages specific for Escherichia coli K1, a neuroinvasive pathogen with a polysialic acid capsule. Genome sequencing of two lytic K1-phages and comparative analyses including a K1-prophage revealed that K1-phages did not evolve from a common ancestor. By contrast, each phage is related to a different progenitor type, namely T7-, SP6-, and P22-like phages, and gained new host specificity by horizontal uptake of an endosialidase gene. The new tailspikes emerged by combining endosialidase domains with the capsid binding module of the respective ancestor. For SP6-like phages, we identified a degenerated tailspike protein which now acts as versatile adaptor protein interconnecting tail and newly acquired tailspikes and demonstrate that this adapter utilizes an N-terminal undecapeptide interface to bind otherwise unrelated tailspikes. Combining biochemical and sequence analyses with available structural data, we provide new molecular insight into basic mechanisms that allow changes in host specificity while a conserved head and tail architecture is maintained. Thereby, the present study contributes not only to an improved understanding of phage evolution and hostrange extension but may also facilitate the on purpose design of therapeutic phages based on wellcharacterized template phages.

Folding and assembly of endosialidases, the trimeric tail spike proteins of Escherichia coli K1-specific bacteriophages, crucially depend on their C-terminal domain (CTD). Homologous CTDs were identified in phage proteins belonging to three different protein families: neck appendage proteins of several Bacillus phages, L-shaped tail fibers of coliphage T5, and K5 lyases, the tail spike proteins of phages infecting E. coli K5. By analyzing a representative of each family, we show that in all cases, the CTD is cleaved off after a strictly conserved serine residue and alanine substitution prevented cleavage. Further structural and functional analyses revealed that (i) CTDs are autonomous domains with a high ␣-helical content; (ii) proteolytically released CTDs assemble into hexamers, which are most likely dimers of trimers; (iii) highly conserved amino acids within the CTD are indispensable for CTD-mediated folding and complex formation; (iv) CTDs can be exchanged between proteins of different families; and (v) proteolytic cleavage is essential to stabilize the native protein complex. Data obtained for full-length and proteolytically processed endosialidase variants suggest that release of the CTD increases the unfolding barrier, trapping the mature trimer in a kinetically stable conformation. In summary, we characterize the CTD as a novel C-terminal chaperone domain, which assists folding and assembly of unrelated phage proteins.

SummaryThe extracellular polysaccharide capsule is an essential virulence factor of Neisseria meningitidis, a leading cause of severe bacterial meningitis and sepsis. Serogroup B strains, the primary disease causing isolates in Europe and America, are encapsulated in a-2,8 polysialic acid (polySia). The capsular polymer is synthesized from activated sialic acid by action of a membrane-associated polysialyltransferase (NmB-polyST). Here we present a comprehensive characterization of NmB-polyST. Different from earlier studies, we show that membrane association is not essential for enzyme functionality. Recombinant NmB-polyST was expressed, purified and shown to synthesize long polySia chains in a non-processive manner in vitro. Subsequent structure-function analyses of NmB-polyST based on refined sequence alignments allowed the identification of two functional motifs in bacterial sialyltransferases. Both (D/E-D/E-G and HP motif) are highly conserved among different sialyltransferase families with otherwise little or no sequence identity. Their functional importance for enzyme catalysis and CMP-Neu5Ac binding was demonstrated by mutational analysis of NmBpolyST and is emphasized by structural data available for the Pasteurella multocida sialyltransferase PmST1. Together our data are the first description of conserved functional elements in the highly diverse families of bacterial (poly)sialyltransferases and thus provide an advanced basis for understanding structure-function relations and for phylogenetic sorting of these important enzymes.