Mycobacterium tuberculosis membrane protein biochemistry and structural biology studies are often hampered by challenges in protein expression and selection for well-expressing protein candidates, suitable for further investigation. Here we present a folding reporter GFP (frGFP) assay, adapted for M. tuberculosis membrane protein screening in Escherichia coli Rosetta 2 (DE3) and Mycobacterium smegmatis mc²4517. This method allows protein expression condition screening for multiple protein targets simultaneously by monitoring frGFP fluorescence in growing cells. We discuss the impact of common protein expression conditions on 42 essential M. tuberculosis H37Rv helical transmembrane proteins and establish the grounds for their further analysis. We have found that the basal expression of the lac operon in the T7-promoter expression system generally leads to high recombinant protein yield in M. smegmatis, and we suggest that a screening condition without the inducer is included in routine protein expression tests. In addition to the general observations, we describe conditions allowing high-level expression of more than 25 essential M. tuberculosis membrane proteins, containing 2 to 13 transmembrane helices. We hope that these findings will stimulate M. tuberculosis membrane protein research and aid the efforts in drug development against tuberculosis.

Correct protein metallation in the complex mixture of the cell is a prerequisite for metalloprotein function. While some metals, such as Cu, are commonly chaperoned, specificity towards metals earlier in the Irving-Williams series is achieved through other means, the determinants of which are poorly understood. The dimetal carboxylate family of proteins provides an intriguing example, as different proteins, while sharing a common fold and the same 4-carboxylate 2-histidine coordination sphere, are known to require either a Fe/Fe, Mn/Fe or Mn/Mn cofactor for function. We previously showed that the R2lox proteins from this family spontaneously assemble the heterodinuclear Mn/Fe cofactor. Here we show that the class Ib ribonucleotide reductase R2 protein from Bacillus anthracis spontaneously assembles a Mn/Mn cofactor in vitro, under both aerobic and anoxic conditions, when the metal-free protein is subjected to incubation with Mn-II and Fe-II in equal concentrations. This observation provides an example of a protein scaffold intrinsically predisposed to defy the Irving-Williams series and supports the assumption that the Mn/Mn cofactor is the biologically relevant cofactor in vivo. Substitution of a second coordination sphere residue changes the spontaneous metallation of the protein to predominantly form a heterodinuclear Mn/Fe cofactor under aerobic conditions and a Mn/Mn metal center under anoxic conditions. Together, the results describe the intrinsic metal specificity of class Ib RNR and provide insight into control mechanisms for protein metallation.

Class Ib ribonucleotide reductases (RNR) utilize a di-nuclear manganese or iron cofactor for reduction of superoxide or molecular oxygen, respectively. This generates a stable tyrosyl radical (Y center dot) in the R2 subunit (NrdF), which is further used for ribonucleotide reduction in the R1 subunit of RNR. Here, we report high-resolution crystal structures of Bacillus anthracis NrdF in the metal-free form (1.51 angstrom) and in complex with manganese (Mn-II/Mn-II, 1.30 angstrom). We also report three structures of the protein in complex with iron, either prepared anaerobically (Fe-II/Fe-II form, 1.32 angstrom), or prepared aerobically in the photo-reduced Fe-II/Fe-II form (1.63 angstrom) and with the partially oxidized metallo-cofactor (1.46 angstrom). The structures reveal significant conformational dynamics, likely to be associated with the generation, stabilization, and transfer of the radical to the R1 subunit. Based on observed redox-dependent structural changes, we propose that the passage for the superoxide, linking the FMN cofactor of NrdI and the metal site in NrdF, is closed upon metal oxidation, blocking access to the metal and radical sites. In addition, we describe the structural mechanics likely to be involved in this process.

Tuberculosis causes over one million yearly deaths, and drug resistance is rapidly developing. Mycobacterium tuberculosis phosphatidylinositol phosphate synthase (PgsA1) is an integral membrane enzyme involved in biosynthesis of inositol-derived phospholipids required for formation of the mycobacterial cell wall, and a potential drug target. Here we present three crystal structures of M. tuberculosis PgsA1: in absence of substrates (2.9 angstrom), in complex with Mn2+ and citrate (1.9 angstrom), and with the CDP-DAG substrate (1.8 angstrom). The structures reveal atomic details of substrate binding as well as coordination and dynamics of the catalytic metal site. In addition, molecular docking supported by mutagenesis indicate a binding mode for the second substrate, D-myo-inositol-3-phosphate. Together, the data describe the structural basis for M. tuberculosis phosphatidylinositol phosphate synthesis and suggest a refined general catalytic mechanism-including a substrate-induced carboxylate shift-for Class I CDP-alcohol phosphotransferases, enzymes essential for phospholipid biosynthesis in all domains of life.

Superoxide is a reactive oxygen species produced during aerobic metabolism in mitochondria and prokaryotes. It causes damage to lipids, proteins and DNA and is implicated in cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disorders and aging. As protection, cells express soluble superoxide dismutases, disproportionating superoxide to oxygen and hydrogen peroxide. Here, we describe a membrane-bound enzyme that directly oxidizes superoxide and funnels the sequestered electrons to ubiquinone in a diffusion-limited reaction. Experiments in proteoliposomes and inverted membranes show that the protein is capable of efficiently quenching superoxide generated at the membrane in vitro. The 2.0 Å crystal structure shows an integral membrane di-heme cytochrome b poised for electron transfer from the P-side and proton uptake from the N-side. This suggests that the reaction is electrogenic and contributes to the membrane potential while also conserving energy by reducing the quinone pool. Based on this enzymatic activity, we propose that the enzyme family be denoted superoxide oxidase (SOO).

Biotin-dependent acetyl-CoA carboxylases catalyze the committed step in type II fatty acid biosynthesis, the main route for production of membrane phospholipids in bacteria, and are considered a key target for antibacterial drug discovery. Here we describe the first structure of AccA3, an essential component of the acetyl-CoA carboxylase system in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTb). The structure, sequence comparisons, and modeling of ligand-bound states reveal that the ATP cosubstrate-binding site shows distinct differences compared to other bacterial and eukaryotic biotin carboxylases, including all human homologs. This suggests the possibility to design MTb AccA3 subtype-specific inhibitors.

Different spectroscopic approaches are often used to probe specific aspects of amyloid fibril formation but are usually performed separately and under different conditions. This makes it problematic to relate different aspects of the aggregation process when these are monitored by different methods. We report on a multispectral approach for simultaneous acquisition of infrared, fluorescence and light scattering spectra of proteins undergoing aggregation. We have applied our approach to study beta-lactoglobulin, a milk protein known to form amyloid fibrils under well-established conditions. Our real-time multispectral measurements show that unfolding of this protein is followed by formation of early aggregates consisting of intermolecular beta-sheets with a typical infrared absorption at similar to 1619 cm(-1) in (H2O)-H-2. These aggregates, which lead to an increase in the light scattering signal, do not bind the amyloid-specific fluorophore ThT and therefore consist of oligomers or protofibrils. Fibril growth is then observed as a sigmoidal increase in ThT fluorescence. After similar to 25 h, a plateau is observed in the intensities of ThT emission and of the band at 1619 cm(-1), indicating that no new fibrils are forming. However, a second phase in the light scattering signal taking place after similar to 25 h suggests that the fibrils are assembling into larger structures, known as mature fibrils. This is associated with an upshift of the main beta-sheet band in the infrared spectrum. TEM analyses confirmed the existence of thick fibrils comprising 3-5 filaments.