Interaction of proteins associated with the magnetosome assembly in magnetotactic bacteria as revealed by two-hybrid two-photon excitation fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy Förster resonance energy transfer

J Phys Chem B. 2013 Nov 27;117(47):14642-8. doi: 10.1021/jp4086987. Epub 2013 Nov 11.

Abstract

Bacteria have recently revealed an unexpectedly complex level of intracellular organization. Magnetotactic bacteria represent a unique class of such organization through the presence of their magnetosome organelles, which are organized along the magnetosome filament. Although the role of individual magnetosomes-associated proteins has started to be unraveled, their interaction has not been addressed with current state-of-the-art optical microscopy techniques, effectively leaving models of the magnetotactic bacteria protein assembly arguable. Here we report on the use of FLIM-FRET to assess the interaction of MamK (actin-like protein) and MamJ, two magnetosome membrane associated proteins essential to the assembly of magnetosomes in a chain. We used a host organism (E. coli) to express eGFP_MamJ and MamK_mCherry, the latest expectedly forming a filament. We found that in the presence of MamK the fluorescence of eGFP_MamJ is distributed along the MamK filament. FRET analysis using the fluorescence lifetime of the donor, eGFP, revealed a spatial proximity of MamK_mCherry and eGFP_MamJ typical of a stable physical interaction between two proteins. Our study effectively led to the reconstruction of part of the magnetotactic apparatus in vivo.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Escherichia coli / cytology
  • Escherichia coli / genetics
  • Escherichia coli / metabolism
  • Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer*
  • Gene Expression
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / genetics
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / metabolism
  • Luminescent Proteins / genetics
  • Luminescent Proteins / metabolism
  • Magnetosomes / metabolism*
  • Magnetospirillum / cytology
  • Magnetospirillum / genetics
  • Magnetospirillum / metabolism*
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence*
  • Protein Interaction Mapping*
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • Red Fluorescent Protein

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Luminescent Proteins
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins