Alterations of the Outer Membrane Composition in Escherichia coli Lacking the Histone-Like Protein HU

Escherichia coli cells lacking the histone-like protein HU form filaments and have an abnormal number of anucleate cells. Furthermore, their phenotype resembles that of rfa mutants, the well-characterized deep-rought phenotype, as they show an enhanced permeability that renders them hypersensitive t...

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Published inProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS Vol. 94; no. 13; pp. 6712 - 6717
Main Authors Painbeni, Eric, Caroff, Martine, Rouviere-Yaniv, Josette
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 24.06.1997
National Acad Sciences
National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences of the USA
Subjects
Antibiotics
Bacteria
Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins - chemistry
Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins - genetics
Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins - metabolism
Bacterial Proteins - genetics
Biochemistry
Biological Sciences
Cell growth
Detergents
DNA
DNA-Binding Proteins - genetics
Escherichia coli
Escherichia coli - chemistry
Escherichia coli - genetics
Escherichia coli - metabolism
Gels
Gene Deletion
Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial
Hypersensitivity
Lipopolysaccharides - chemistry
Lipopolysaccharides - metabolism
Molecular biology
Osmolar Concentration
Phenotypes
Porins
Proteins
RNA
Water-Electrolyte Balance - genetics
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Summary:Escherichia coli cells lacking the histone-like protein HU form filaments and have an abnormal number of anucleate cells. Furthermore, their phenotype resembles that of rfa mutants, the well-characterized deep-rought phenotype, as they show an enhanced permeability that renders them hypersensitive to chloramphenicol, novobiocin, and detergents. We show that, unlike rfa mutants, hupAB mutants do not have a truncated lipopolysaccharide but do have an abnormal abundance of OmpF porin in their outer membrane. While the complete absence of HU does not abolish the osmoregulation of OmpF protein synthesis, the steady-state level of micF RNA, the negative regulator of OmpF, decreases in bacteria lacking HU, increasing the basal level of this membrane protein. These findings demonstrate a novel link between a bacterial chromosomal protein and the outer membrane composition.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-2
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-1
content type line 23
To whom reprint requests should be addressed.
Jonathan Beckwith, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
ISSN:0027-8424
1091-6490
DOI:10.1073/pnas.94.13.6712