Cooperative transport between NukFEG and NukH in immunity against the lantibiotic nukacin ISK-1 produced by Staphylococcus warneri ISK-1

J Bacteriol. 2008 Jan;190(1):356-62. doi: 10.1128/JB.01300-07. Epub 2007 Oct 19.

Abstract

Nukacin ISK-1 is a lantibiotic produced by Staphylococcus warneri ISK-1. Previous studies have reported that the self-protection system of the nukacin ISK-1 producer involves the cooperative function of the ABC transporter NukFEG and the lantibiotic-binding immunity protein NukH. In this study, the cooperative mechanism between NukFEG and NukH was characterized by using fluorescein-4-isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled nukacin ISK-1 (FITC-nuk) to clarify the localization of nukacin ISK-1 in the immunity process. Lactococcus lactis recombinants expressing nukFEGH, nukFEG, or nukH showed immunity against FITC-nuk, suggesting that FITC-nuk was recognized by the self-protection system against nukacin ISK-1. Analysis of the interaction between FITC-nuk and energy-deprived cells of the L. lactis recombinants showed that FITC-nuk specifically bound to cells expressing nukH. The interaction between FITC-nuk and nukH-expressing cells was inhibited by the addition of unlabeled nukacin ISK-1 and its derivatives with deletions of the N-terminal tail region, but not by the addition of a synthesized N-terminal tail region. This suggests that the NukH protein recognizes the C-terminal ring region of nukacin ISK-1. The addition of glucose to nukFEGH-expressing cells treated with FITC-nuk resulted in a time-dependent decrease in fluorescence intensity, indicating that FITC-nuk was transported from the cell membrane by the NukFEG protein. These results revealed that after being captured by NukH in an energy-independent manner, nukacin ISK-1 was transported to the extracellular space by NukFEG in an energy-dependent manner.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / drug effects
  • ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / metabolism*
  • Bacterial Proteins / drug effects
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Bacteriocins / metabolism*
  • Biological Transport
  • Kinetics
  • Lactobacillus / drug effects
  • Lactobacillus / metabolism
  • Leuconostoc / drug effects
  • Leuconostoc / metabolism
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Staphylococcus / genetics
  • Staphylococcus / immunology
  • Staphylococcus / physiology*

Substances

  • ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Bacteriocins
  • nukacin ISK-1