A PhoP-regulated outer membrane protease of Salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium promotes resistance to alpha-helical antimicrobial peptides

J Bacteriol. 2000 Jul;182(14):4077-86. doi: 10.1128/JB.182.14.4077-4086.2000.

Abstract

The outer membrane protein contents of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium strains with PhoP/PhoQ regulon mutations were compared by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. At least 26 species of outer membrane proteins (OMPs) were identified as being regulated by PhoP/PhoQ activation. One PhoP/PhoQ-activated OMP was identified by semiautomated tandem mass spectrometry coupled with electronic database searching as PgtE, a member of the Escherichia coli OmpT and Yersinia pestis Pla family of outer membrane proteases. Salmonella PgtE expression promoted resistance to alpha-helical cationic antimicrobial peptides (alpha-CAMPs). Strains expressing PgtE cleaved C18G, an 18-residue alpha-CAMP present in culture medium, indicating that protease activity is likely to be the mechanism of OmpT-mediated resistance to alpha-CAMPs. PhoP/PhoQ did not regulate the transcription or export of PgtE, indicating that another PhoP/PhoQ-dependent mechanism is required for PgtE outer membrane localization. PgtE is a posttranscriptionally regulated component of the PhoP/PhoQ regulon that contributes to Salmonella resistance to innate immunity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics*
  • Drug Resistance, Microbial
  • Endopeptidases / genetics*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial*
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Peptide Fragments / chemistry
  • Peptides / pharmacology*
  • Protein Structure, Secondary
  • Salmonella typhimurium / drug effects*
  • Salmonella typhimurium / enzymology
  • Salmonella typhimurium / genetics
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Sequence Analysis, Protein

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Peptides
  • PhoP protein, Bacteria
  • Endopeptidases
  • PgtE protein, Salmonella enterica

Associated data

  • GENBANK/AF239770