The mechanism of microcin C resistance provided by the MccF peptidase

J Biol Chem. 2010 Dec 3;285(49):37944-52. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M110.179135. Epub 2010 Sep 27.

Abstract

The heptapeptide-nucleotide microcin C (McC) is a potent inhibitor of enteric bacteria growth. Inside a sensitive cell, McC is processed by aminopeptidases, which release a nonhydrolyzable aspartyl-adenylate, a strong inhibitor of aspartyl-tRNA synthetase. The mccABCDE operon is sufficient for McC production and resistance of the producing cell to McC. An additional gene, mccF, which is adjacent to but not part of the mccABCDE operon, also provides resistance to exogenous McC. MccF is similar to Escherichia coli LdcA, an L,D-carboxypeptidase whose substrate is monomeric murotetrapeptide L-Ala-D-Glu-meso-A(2)pm-D-Ala or its UDP-activated murein precursor. The mechanism by which MccF provides McC resistance remained unknown. Here, we show that MccF detoxifies both intact and processed McC by cleaving an amide bond between the C-terminal aspartate and the nucleotide moiety. MccF also cleaves the same bond in nonhydrolyzable aminoacyl sulfamoyl adenosines containing aspartyl, glutamyl, and, to a lesser extent, seryl aminoacyl moieties but is ineffective against other aminoacyl adenylates.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aspartate-tRNA Ligase / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Bacteriocins / metabolism
  • Bacteriocins / pharmacology*
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial / drug effects
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial / physiology*
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / metabolism
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Escherichia coli / enzymology*
  • Escherichia coli / genetics
  • Escherichia coli Proteins / genetics
  • Escherichia coli Proteins / metabolism*
  • Operon / physiology
  • Peptide Hydrolases / genetics
  • Peptide Hydrolases / metabolism*
  • Peptidoglycan / genetics
  • Peptidoglycan / metabolism

Substances

  • Bacteriocins
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Escherichia coli Proteins
  • Peptidoglycan
  • microcin
  • Peptide Hydrolases
  • Aspartate-tRNA Ligase