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Translocation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa through epithelial tissues can cause sepsis. Here, we examined whether P. aeruginosa penetrates epithelial cell layers using type IV pili (TFP). Deletion of TFP (pilA) did not affect association with Caco-2 cells, although it decreased penetration through, and disruption of, Caco-2 cell monolayers. We found that TFP are necessary for injection of the type III effector ExoS, which impairs defense against P. aeruginosa penetration, into host cells. Deletion of pilA attenuated oral infection in silkworms. We conclude that P. aeruginosa injects ExoS into cells through the function of TFP, enabling penetration of epithelial barriers., (Copyright © 2015 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Mono ADP-ribosyltransferases (ARTs) are a family of enzymes related to bacterial toxins that possess adenosine diphosphate ribosyltransferase activity. We have assessed that A549 constitutively expressed ART1 on the cell surface and shown that lipotheicoic acid (LTA) and flagellin, but not lipopolysaccharide (LPS), peptidoglycan (PG) and poly (I:C), up-regulate ART1 in a time and dose dependent manner. These agonists did not alter the expression of ART3 and ART5 genes. Indeed, LTA and flagellin stimulation increased the level of ART1 protein and transcript while ART4 gene was activated after stimulation of cells with LPS, LTA, PAM and PG via TLR2 and TLR4 receptors. These results show that human ARTs possess a differential capacity to respond to bacteria cell wall components and might play a crucial role in innate immune response in airways.

The GTPase RhoA is essential for the development of pre-T cells in the thymus. To investigate the mechanisms used by RhoA to control thymocyte development we have used Affymetrix gene profiling to identify RhoA regulated genes in T cell progenitors. The data show that RhoA plays a specific and essential role in pre-T cells because it is required for the expression of transcription factors of the Egr-1 and AP-1 families that have critical functions in thymocyte development. Loss of RhoA function in T cell progenitors causes a developmental block that pheno-copies the consequence of losing pre-TCR expression in Recombinase gene 2 (Rag2) null mice. Transcriptional profiling reveals both common and unique gene targets for RhoA and the pre-TCR indicating that RhoA participates in the pre-TCR induced transcriptional program but also mediates pre-TCR independent gene transcription.

Clostridial binary toxins, such as Clostridium perfringens Iota and Clostridium botulinum C2, are composed of a binding protein (Ib and C2-II, respectively) that recognizes distinct membrane receptors and mediates internalization of a catalytic protein (Ia and C2-I, respectively) with ADP-ribosyltransferase activity that depolymerizes the actin cytoskeleton. After internalization, it was found that C2 and Iota toxins were not routed to the Golgi apparatus and exhibited differential sensitivity to inhibitors of endosome acidification. While the C2-I component of C2 toxin was translocated into the cytosol from early endosomes, translocation of the Ia component of Iota toxin occurred between early and late endosomes, was dependent on more acidic conditions, and uniquely required a membrane potential gradient.

In Rhodospirillum rubrum, nitrogenase activity is subject to posttranslational regulation through the adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-ribosylation of dinitrogenase reductase by dinitrogenase reductase ADP-ribosyltransferase (DRAT) and dinitrogenase reductase-activating glycohydrolase (DRAG). To study the posttranslational regulation of DRAG, its gene was mutagenized and colonies screened for altered DRAG regulation. Three different mutants were found and the DRAG variants displayed different biochemical properties including an altered affinity for divalent metal ions. Taken together, the results suggest that the site involved in regulation is physically near the metal binding site of DRAG.

Previously, we have reported that phospholipase A2 (PLA2) is one of the major downstream targets by which Rac GTPase mediates the activation of c-fos serum response element (SRE) in response to agonists such as EGF [FEBS Lett. 407 (1997) 7-12]. Thus, the potential activity of arachidonic acid (AA), a principal product of Rac-activated PLA2, on c-fos SRE stimulation has been suggested. Here, we provide evidence about the biological activity of AA on c-fos SRE activation. Further, we observed that co-transfection with expression plasmid of either RhoN19, a dominant negative RhoA mutant, or botulinum C3 transferase which inhibits Rho via ADP ribosylation, selectively repressed AA- or Rac-induced SRE activation, suggesting that Rho activity is critical for the signaling cascade of 'Rac-PLA2-AA' to c-fos SRE. Thus, Rac signaling to the nucleus appears to be, at least partly, mediated by a Rho-linked pathway and this Rac-Rho signaling connection is mediated by AA. In accordance with the role of Rho as a potential mediator of AA signaling to the nucleus, AA induces a rapid translocation of RhoA.

Rat ascites hepatoma cells (MM1 cells) penetrate through a cultured mesothelial cell monolayer (MCL) in the presence of fetal calf serum (FCS), but scarcely do so in its absence. Inactivation of rhop21 of MM1 cells by ADP-ribosyltransferase C3 resulted in the suppression of this serum effect on the penetration, suggesting that the serum effect was mediated by rhop21. To ascertain this assumption MM1 cells were transfected with an activated (Val14) human rhoA cDNA (Neo/RhoA 1-7). The transfectants penetrated MCL extensively even in the absence of FCS and became largely independent of serum for the penetration. These results suggest that serum-induced invasion by MM1 cells is mainly mediated by rhop21.

Clostridium botulinum C3 exoenzyme specifically ADP-ribosylates rho-p21 in eukaryotic cells. Trp18 and Glu173 of this enzyme were substituted with other amino acids via site-directed mutagenesis. All substitutions at Glu173 caused a significant reduction in affinity for NAD and diminished ADP-ribosyltransferase activity. On the other hand, the activity of enzymes with the substitution at Trp18 remained intact. Swiss 3T3 cells treated with the enzyme with the Trp18 substitution showed the typical morphologic changes of the C3 exoenzyme phenotype. In contrast, no changes were found in cells incubated with the Glu173-substituted enzyme. These results indicate that the Glu173 residue of the C3 exoenzyme plays a key role in interacting with NAD and in expression of ADP-ribosyltransferase activity, which is essential for the phenotypic change by C3 exoenzyme treatment.

To examine the role of Rho GTP binding proteins in the adhesion of monocytic cells to fibronectin we used the C3 exoenzyme of Clostridium botulinum which ADP-ribosylates and inactivates Rho proteins in situ. Treatment of human monocytic U937 cells with C3 exoenzyme (10 micrograms/ml, 24 h) increased adhesion to fibronectin 2-fold but had no effect on adhesion to collagen or huamn serum albumin. The increase in fibronectin adhesion was prevented by antibodies against the alpha 5 and beta 1 integrin subunits, but surface expression of beta 1 and alpha 5 was not altered. These results suggest that Rho proteins regulate the interaction of the monocyte alpha 5 beta 1 integrin receptor with fibronectin by post receptor mechanisms.

The precise localization of a membrane-bound, arginine-specific mono-ADP-ribosyltransferase (mADP-RT) was assessed in rabbit skeletal muscle by studying membrane fractions isolated by successive sucrose density gradient centrifugations. mADP-RT activity was 10-fold enriched in sarcolemmal and T-tubular membranes. The catalytic activity, determined in preparations with mainly right-side-out vesicles, was found to be on the cytoplasmic face. As revealed by SDS-PAGE and autoradiography endogenous mADP-RT activity labeled several proteins in the range between 15 kDa and 250 kDa. T-tubules contained the highest number of [32P]ADP-ribose-labeled proteins.

Squid photoreceptor membranes contain several small GTP-binding proteins (22-27 kDa) in addition to heterotrimeric G-proteins. In addition, these membranes contain several proteins which can be ADP-ribosylated by exoenzyme C3 from Clostridium botulinum (C3). These proteins are similar but not identical to C3 substrates from bovine rod outer segments. It is shown that substrates of C3 in squid photoreceptor interact with rhodopsin in a light-dependent manner. These data suggest involvement of small GTP-binding proteins in phototransduction processes in invertebrates.

The highly homologous Rho proteins RhoA, RhoB and RhoC are low-molecular-mass GTP-binding proteins. They are selectively ADP-ribosylated by Clostridium botulinum ADP-ribosyltransferase C3 (C3 exoenzyme). The biological function of the Rho proteins is still unclear; there is evidence that they are involved in the regulation of the filamental network of cells. Here we report that C3 exoenzyme-like toxins ADP-ribosylate small GTP-binding proteins in bovine spermatozoa and inhibit sperm motility. These findings indicate that Rho proteins which reportedly regulate the microfilament system are basically involved in sperm motility.

We have determined the partial amino acid sequence of p33, an endogenous substrate protein for arginine-specific ADP-ribosyltransferase in chicken polymorphonuclear leukocytes (heterophils), and found that the sequence was completely identical with the regions of amino acid sequences deduced from mim-1 (named for myb-induced myeloid protein-1, which is expressed in chicken promyelocytes) cDNA [(1989) Cell, 59, 1115-1125], except for one amino acid difference (Tyr297-->Ile). These results together with data on cellular and subcellular distributions of p33 in heterophils suggest that mim-1 may encode the precursor protein of p33.

ADP-ribosylation of recombinant rhoA and rhoB proteins by Clostridium botulinum C3 exoenzyme increased steady-state GTP hydrolysis by 50 to 80%. ADP-ribosylation and increase in GTP hydrolysis occurred at similar concentrations of C3, depended on the presence of NAD and were prevented by anti-C3 antibody or heat inactivation of C3. In contrast, GTP hydrolysis by Ile-41 rhoA or Ha-ras, which are no substrates for the transferase, were not affected by C3. ADP-ribosylation facilitated the [3H]GDP release and subsequently, the binding of [3H]GTP to rhoA. The data indicate that the increase in the steady-state GTPase activity by ADP-ribosylation is caused by increasing the rate of GDP release which is suggested to be the rate limiting step of the GTPase cycle of the small GTP-binding proteins.

In the pig heart sarcolemma, a 65 kDa protein is found to be ADP-ribosylated by Clostridium botulinum ADP-ribosyltransferase (exoenzyme C3). ADP-ribosylation of this protein is regulated by guanyl nucleotides and cytosol factor in a fashion similar to that for other C3 substrates. The new exoenzyme C3 substrate was partially purified. This protein is supposed to be a GTP-binding one.

Microinjection of the constitutively active recombinant Val-14 p21rho A into Xenopus oocytes induced dramatic morphological changes with redistribution of pigments from the animal pole resulting in spotted oocytes. The effects induced by Val-14 p21rho A were regulated by progesterone in a dose-dependent manner whereas prior ADP-ribosylation of the rho protein blocked its activity. About 30 min after microinjection, p21 rho was associated with the plasma membrane. The membrane association of p21rho and its biological activity were inhibited by lovastatin, an inhibitor of the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase. The findings suggest that membrane attachment and biological activity of p21rho depend on isoprenylation of the GTP-binding protein.

Bovine rod outer segment (ROS) membranes contain in addition to the heterotrimeric G protein transducin, several small GTP-binding proteins (23-27 kDa). Furthermore, these membranes contain two substrate proteins (about 22 and 24 kDa) for botulinum C3 ADP-ribosyltransferase known to ADP-ribosylate small G proteins in any mammalian cell type studied so far. Most interestingly, [32P]ADP-ribosylation of ROS membrane small G proteins by C3 is regulated by light and guanine nucleotides in a manner similar to pertussis toxin-catalyzed [32P]ADP-ribosylation of the alpha-subunit of transducin. These findings suggest that not only the heterotrimeric G protein transducin but also the C3 substrate small G proteins present in ROS membranes interact with photoexcited rhodopsin and thus contribute to its signalling action.

GTP-binding proteins with Mr values of 22,000 and 25,000 in bovine brain cytosol were ADP-ribosylated by an exoenzyme (termed C3) purified from Clostridium botulinum type C. The rate of C3-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation of the partially purified substrates was extremely low by itself, but was increased enormously when a protein factor(s) obtained from the cytosol was simultaneously added. The rate of the C3-catalyzed reaction was also stimulated by the addition of certain types of detergents or phospholipids even in the absence of the protein factors. The ADP-ribosylation appeared to be enhanced to an extent more than the additive effect of either the protein factors or the detergents (and phospholipids). Thus, ADP-ribosylation catalyzed by botulinum C3 enzyme was affected not only by cytoplasmic protein factors but also by detergents or phospholipids in manners different from each other.

The 22 kDa protein substrate of botulinum ADP-ribosyltransferase C3 was purified from porcine brain cytosol by acetone precipitation, CM-Sephadex, octyl-Sepharose and TSK phenyl-5PW HPLC chromatography to apparent homogeneity. ADP-ribosylation of the protein was increased by guanine nucleotides (GTP, GDP, GTP gamma S, each 100 microM) but not by GMP, ATP or ATP gamma S. The purified 22 kDa protein bound maximally 0.9 mol [35S]GTP gamma S and hydrolyzed GTP with the rate 0.007 mol per mol protein. Amino acid sequences were obtained from two tryptic peptides, selected from an in situ digestion of Immobilon electrotransferred, gel purified ADP-ribosylated substrate. The two sequences obtained, cover 23 residues from the corresponding sequences in human rho.