We report the cloning and determination of the nucleotide sequence of the gene encoding nucleoside diphosphate kinase (Ndk) from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The amino acid sequence of Ndk was highly homologous with other known bacterial and eukaryotic Ndks (39.9 to 58.3% amino acid identity). We have previously reported that P. aeruginosa strains with mutations in the genes algR2 and algR2 algH produce extremely low levels of Ndk and, as a consequence, are defective in their ability to grow in the presence of Tween 20, a detergent that inhibits a kinase which can substitute for Ndk. Hyperexpression of ndk from the clone pGWS95 in trans in the P. aeruginosa algR2 and algR2 algH double mutant restored Ndk production to levels which equalled or exceeded wild-type levels and enabled these strains to grow in the presence of Tween 20. Hyperexpression of ndk from pGWS95 in the P. aeruginosa algR2 mutant also restored alginate production to levels that were approximately 60% of wild type. Nucleoside diphosphate kinase activity was present in both the cytosolic and membrane-associated fractions of P. aeruginosa. The cytosolic Ndk was non-specific in its transfer activity of the terminal phosphate from ATP to other nucleoside diphosphates. However, the membrane form of Ndk was more active in the transfer of the terminal phosphate from ATP to GDP resulting in the predominant formation of GTP. We report in this work that pyruvate kinase and Ndk form a complex which alters the specificity of Ndk substantially to GTP. The significance of GTP in signal transduction events within the cell and in the production of GDP-mannose, an essential alginate precursor, clearly indicates the importance of Ndk in cellular processes as well as in alginate synthesis.

Conversion from the nonmucoid to the mucoid phenotype is a typical feature of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains causing chronic pulmonary infections in cystic fibrosis patients. One of the key genetic controls in this conversion to mucoidy is from the algT(U)-mucA-mucB(algN) locus, located at 67.5 min on the standard P. aeruginosa chromosomal map. The algT gene promotes conversion to mucoidy and encodes an alternative sigma factor ( E ) which belongs to the ECF (for extracytoplasmic function) family. On the other hand, the mucA and mucB (algN) genes suppress conversion to mucoidy. Loss-of-function mutations in mucA have been postulated to be the cause of mucoidy in some P. aeruginosa strains isolated from cystic fibrosis patients. We expressed and purified the protein products from the mucA and mucB open reading frames. The purified MucA protein abolishes the in vitro transcription specified by AlgT and the ability of AlgT to compete with an Escherichia coli sigma factor, FliA, suggesting that inhibiting AlgT-dependent transcription could be the mechanism by which mucA suppresses mucoidy in vivo. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and glycerol density gradient sedimentation experiments suggest that MucA physically interacts with AlgT.

SummaryThe regulatory protein AlgR2 in Pseudomonas aeruginosa positively regulates nucleoside diphosphate kinase (Ndk) and succinyl-CoA synthetase, enzymes critical in nucleoside triphosphate (NTP) formation. AlgR2 positively regulates the production of alginate, GTP, ppGpp and inorganic polyphosphate (poly P). An algR2 mutant with low levels of these metabolites has them restored by introducing and overexpressing either the algR2 or the ndk gene into the algR2 mutant. Thus, Ndk is involved in the formation of these compounds and largely prevents the death of the algR2 mutant, which occurs early in the stationary phase. We demonstrate that the 12 kDa Ndk-pyruvate kinase (Pk) complex, previously shown to generate predominantly GTP instead of all the NTPs, has a low affinity for the deoxynucleoside diphosphates and cannot generate the dNTPs needed for DNA replication and cell division; this complex may thus be involved in regulating the levels of both NTPs and dNTPs that modulate cell division and survival in the stationary phase.

We report the purification and characterization of a protein from the membrane fraction of Pseudomonas aeruginosa showing intrinsic guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) activity. The protein was purified as a 48-kDa polypeptide capable of binding and hydrolyzing GTP. The N-terminal sequence of the purified protein revealed its similarity to the Escherichia coli Ras-like protein (Era), and the protein cross-reacted with anti-Era antibodies. This protein was named Pseudomonas Ras-like protein (Pra). Anti-Pra antibodies also crossreacted with E. coli Era protein. Pra is autophosphorylated in vitro, with phosphotransfer of the terminal phosphate from [␥-

Nucleoside diphosphate kinase (EC 2.7.4.6) (Ndk) is a ubiquitous enzyme functioning in the intracellular distribution of terminal phosphate bond energy among the various nucleotides used in synthetic and regulatory functions in cells. We have previously reported that in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, this important enzyme is transcriptionally regulated by the gene algR2 and posttranslationally regulated by a phosphoprotein phosphatase for the phosphorylated form of Ndk. We report here that an intracellular protease cleaves the 16-kDa form of Ndk to a 12-kDa form that undergoes autophosphorylation with an efficiency almost identical to that of the 16-kDa form. The 12-kDa form was found to be predominantly associated with the P. aeruginosa cell membrane fraction, whereas the 16-kDa form was predominantly cytoplasmic. In the membrane-associated state, the 12-kDa form of Ndk was found to synthesize GTP in preference to other nucleoside triphosphates. The specificity toward GTP synthesis could be abolished by the addition of Tween 20 or Triton X-100. The activity itself could be abolished by the addition of anti-Ndk antibody to the assay mixture. The formation of the 12-kDa form of Ndk and its association with the cell membrane were found to be related to the growth stage of P. aeruginosa, with less than 1% of the 12-kDa Ndk detectable in the membrane fraction at early log phase in comparison with the levels present at late stationary phase.

The antimycobacterial role of eosinophil peroxidase (EPO), one of the most abundant granule proteins in human eosinophils, was investigated. Our data indicate that purified EPO shows significant inhibitory activity towards Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv. On a molar basis, this activity was similar to that exhibited by neutrophil myeloperoxidase (MPO) and was both dose and time dependent. In contrast to the activity of MPO, which requires H 2 O 2 , EPO also exhibited anti-M. tuberculosis activity in the absence of exogenously added peroxide. Morphological evidence confirmed that the mechanism of action of EPO against mycobacteria differs from that of MPO. While MPO kills M. tuberculosis H37Rv exclusively in the presence of hydrogen peroxide, it does not induce morphological changes in the pathogen. In contrast, EPO-treated bacteria frequently had cell wall lesions and eventually underwent lysis, either in the presence or in the absence of H 2 O 2 .

Alginate is an important virulence factor for Pseudomonas aeruginosa during infection of the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients. The genes encoding enzymes for alginate production by P. aeruginosa are normally silent. They are activated in response to several environmental conditions, including high osmolarity, exposure to ethanol, or long-term growth under conditions of nutrient deprivation. Several genes which participate in the activation of alginate gene promoters have been identified; among these is the algR2 (algQ) gene. AlgR2 is an 18-kDa protein which has been shown to regulate the critical algD gene encoding GDP-mannose dehydrogenase as well as to regulate the levels of a tricarboxylic acid cycle enzyme, i.e., succinyl coenzyme A synthetase, and nucleoside diphosphate kinase (Ndk), an enzyme involved in nucleoside triphosphate synthesis. Succinyl coenzyme A synthetase and Ndk form a complex in P. aeruginosa. While algR2 is required for alginate synthesis at 37؇C, an algR2 insertion mutant was still able to make alginate slowly at 37 or at 30؇C. We used this observation to identify and clone a gene, termed algH. A strain with mutations in both algR2 and algH is unable to produce alginate at either 37 or 30؇C, and it is fully defective in Ndk production.

Infection with mucoid, alginate-producing strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the leading cause of mortality among patients with cystic fibrosis. Alginate production by P. aeruginosa is not constitutive but is triggered by stresses such as starvation. The algR2 (also termed algQ) gene has been previously identified as being necessary for mucoidy; an algR2 mutant strain is unable to produce alginate when grown at 370C. We show here that the levels of phosphorylated succinyl coenzyme A synthetase (Scs) and nucleoside diphosphate kinase (Ndk), which form a complex in P. aeruginosa, are reduced in the algR2 mutant. We were able to correlate the lower level of phosphorylated Scs with a decrease in Scs activity. Western blots (immunoblots) also showed a decreased level of Ndk in the algR2 mutant, but the presence of another kinase activity sensitive to Tween 20 provides the missing Ndk function. The elect of AlgR2 on tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle enzymes appears to be specific for Scs, since none of the other TCA cycle enzymes measured showed a significant decrease in activity. Furthermore, the ability of the algR2 mutant to grow on TCA cycle intermediates, but not glucose, is impaired. These data indicate that AlgR2 is responsible for maintaining proper operation of the TCA cycle and energy metabolism.