H. Cock | Utrecht University (original) (raw)

Papers by H. Cock

Research paper thumbnail of Production of Extracellular Polysaccharides by CAP Mutants of Cryptococcus neoformans

Eukaryotic Cell, 2009

The human pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans causes meningoencephalitis. The polysaccharide capsule... more The human pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans causes meningoencephalitis. The polysaccharide capsule is one of the main virulence factors and consists of two distinct polysaccharides, glucuronoxylomannan (GXM) and galactoxylomannan (GalXM). How capsular polysaccharides are synthesized, transported, and assembled is largely unknown. Previously, it was shown that mutations in the CAP10, CAP59, CAP60, and CAP64 genes result in an acapsular phenotype. Here, it is shown that these acapsular mutants do secrete GalXM and GXM-like polymers. GXM and GalXM antibodies specifically reacted with whole cells and the growth medium of the wild type and CAP mutants, indicating that the capsule polysaccharides adhere to the cell wall and are shed into the environment. These polysaccharides were purified from the medium, either with or without anion-exchange chromatography. Monosaccharide analysis of polysaccharide fractions by gas-liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry showed that wild-type cells secrete both GalXM and GXM. The CAP mutants, on the other hand, were shown to secrete GalXM and GXM-like polymers. Notably, the GalXM polymers were shown to contain glucuronic acid. One-dimensional 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance confirmed that the CAP mutants secrete GalXM and also showed the presence of O-acetylated polymers. This is the first time it is shown that CAP mutants secrete GXM-like polymers in addition to GalXM. The small amount of this GXM-like polymer, 1 to 5% of the total amount of secreted polysaccharides, may explain the acapsular phenotype.

Research paper thumbnail of Lipopolysaccharide transport to the bacterial outer membrane in spheroplasts

The mechanism of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) transport in Gram-negative bacteria from the inner memb... more The mechanism of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) transport in Gram-negative bacteria from the inner membrane to the outer membrane is largely unknown. Here, we investigated the possibility that LPS transport proceeds via a soluble intermediate associated with a periplasmic chaperone analogous to the Lol-dependent transport mechanism of lipoproteins. Whereas newly synthesized lipoproteins could be released from spheroplasts of Escherichia coli upon addition of a periplasmic extract containing LolA, de novo synthesized LPS was not released. We demonstrate that LPS synthesized de novo in spheroplasts co-fractionated with the outer membranes and that this co-fractionation was dependent on the presence in the spheroplasts of a functional MsbA protein, the protein responsible for the flip-flop of LPS across the inner membrane. The outer membrane localization of the LPS was confirmed by its modification by the outer membrane enzyme CrcA (PagP). We conclude that a substantial amount of LPS was translocated to the outer membrane in spheroplasts, suggesting that transport proceeds via contact sites between the two membranes. In contrast to LPS, de novo synthesized phospholipids were not transported to the outer membrane in spheroplasts. Apparently, LPS and phospholipids have different requirements for their transport to the outer membrane.

Research paper thumbnail of MsbA Is Not Required for Phospholipid Transport in Neisseria meningitidis

Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2005

The outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria contains phospholipids and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) ... more The outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria contains phospholipids and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the inner and outer leaflet, respectively. Little is known about the transport of the phospholipids from their site of synthesis to the outer membrane. The inner membrane protein MsbA of Escherichia coli, which is involved in the transport of LPS across the inner membrane, has been reported to be involved in phospholipid transport as well. Here, we have reported the construction and the characterization of a Neisseria meningitidis msbA mutant. The mutant was viable, and it showed a retarded growth phenotype and contained very low amounts of LPS. However, it produced an outer membrane, demonstrating that phospholipid transport was not affected by the mutation. Notably, higher amounts of phospholipids were produced in the msbA mutant than in its isogenic parental strain, provided that capsular biosynthesis was also disrupted. Although these results confirmed that MsbA functions in LPS transport, they also demonstrated that it is not required for phospholipid transport, at least not in N. meningitidis.

Research paper thumbnail of Glycine-144 is required for efficient folding of outer membrane protein PhoE of Escherichia coli K12

Research paper thumbnail of The C-terminal domain of the Pseudomonas secretin XcpQ forms oligomeric rings with pore activity

Journal of Molecular Biology, 1999

The Pseudomonas secretin XcpQ forms an oligomeric complex, which is involved in the translocation... more The Pseudomonas secretin XcpQ forms an oligomeric complex, which is involved in the translocation of proteins across the outer membrane via the type II secretion pathway. Pseudomonas aeruginosa produces only small amounts of this complex, 50 to 100 copies per bacterium, and overexpression is lethal to these cells. However, overexpression of Pseudomonas alcaligenes XcpQ could be achieved in the P. alcaligenes mutant strain 537. Protease protection experiments with P. alcaligenes XcpQ showed that the C-terminal domain of XcpQ, which is conserved in all the different members of the secretin family, is largely resistant to proteinase K. This protease-resistant fragment is embedded in the membrane and remains a stable complex, indicating that this domain is involved in complex formation. Both the intact and the protease-protected XcpQ complex showed a tendency to form two-dimensional crystal-like structures. Electron microscopic analysis of these structures showed that the overall oligomeric rings of the intact and of the protease-resistant complex are highly similar. The central cavity of the intact XcpQ complex contains structured mass. Both the intact and the protease-protected XcpQ complex showed pore-forming activity in planar lipid bilayers, consistent with their role as a translocation channel. However, the single-channel conductances observed were not uniform. Together, these results demonstrate that the C-terminal secretin homology domain of XcpQ is the structural domain that forms the channel through which macromolecules are being transported.

Research paper thumbnail of Production of Extracellular Polysaccharides by CAP Mutants of Cryptococcus neoformans

Eukaryotic Cell, 2009

The human pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans causes meningoencephalitis. The polysaccharide capsule... more The human pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans causes meningoencephalitis. The polysaccharide capsule is one of the main virulence factors and consists of two distinct polysaccharides, glucuronoxylomannan (GXM) and galactoxylomannan (GalXM). How capsular polysaccharides are synthesized, transported, and assembled is largely unknown. Previously, it was shown that mutations in the CAP10, CAP59, CAP60, and CAP64 genes result in an acapsular phenotype. Here, it is shown that these acapsular mutants do secrete GalXM and GXM-like polymers. GXM and GalXM antibodies specifically reacted with whole cells and the growth medium of the wild type and CAP mutants, indicating that the capsule polysaccharides adhere to the cell wall and are shed into the environment. These polysaccharides were purified from the medium, either with or without anion-exchange chromatography. Monosaccharide analysis of polysaccharide fractions by gas-liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry showed that wild-type cells secrete both GalXM and GXM. The CAP mutants, on the other hand, were shown to secrete GalXM and GXM-like polymers. Notably, the GalXM polymers were shown to contain glucuronic acid. One-dimensional 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance confirmed that the CAP mutants secrete GalXM and also showed the presence of O-acetylated polymers. This is the first time it is shown that CAP mutants secrete GXM-like polymers in addition to GalXM. The small amount of this GXM-like polymer, 1 to 5% of the total amount of secreted polysaccharides, may explain the acapsular phenotype.

Research paper thumbnail of Lipopolysaccharide transport to the bacterial outer membrane in spheroplasts

The mechanism of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) transport in Gram-negative bacteria from the inner memb... more The mechanism of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) transport in Gram-negative bacteria from the inner membrane to the outer membrane is largely unknown. Here, we investigated the possibility that LPS transport proceeds via a soluble intermediate associated with a periplasmic chaperone analogous to the Lol-dependent transport mechanism of lipoproteins. Whereas newly synthesized lipoproteins could be released from spheroplasts of Escherichia coli upon addition of a periplasmic extract containing LolA, de novo synthesized LPS was not released. We demonstrate that LPS synthesized de novo in spheroplasts co-fractionated with the outer membranes and that this co-fractionation was dependent on the presence in the spheroplasts of a functional MsbA protein, the protein responsible for the flip-flop of LPS across the inner membrane. The outer membrane localization of the LPS was confirmed by its modification by the outer membrane enzyme CrcA (PagP). We conclude that a substantial amount of LPS was translocated to the outer membrane in spheroplasts, suggesting that transport proceeds via contact sites between the two membranes. In contrast to LPS, de novo synthesized phospholipids were not transported to the outer membrane in spheroplasts. Apparently, LPS and phospholipids have different requirements for their transport to the outer membrane.

Research paper thumbnail of MsbA Is Not Required for Phospholipid Transport in Neisseria meningitidis

Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2005

The outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria contains phospholipids and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) ... more The outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria contains phospholipids and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the inner and outer leaflet, respectively. Little is known about the transport of the phospholipids from their site of synthesis to the outer membrane. The inner membrane protein MsbA of Escherichia coli, which is involved in the transport of LPS across the inner membrane, has been reported to be involved in phospholipid transport as well. Here, we have reported the construction and the characterization of a Neisseria meningitidis msbA mutant. The mutant was viable, and it showed a retarded growth phenotype and contained very low amounts of LPS. However, it produced an outer membrane, demonstrating that phospholipid transport was not affected by the mutation. Notably, higher amounts of phospholipids were produced in the msbA mutant than in its isogenic parental strain, provided that capsular biosynthesis was also disrupted. Although these results confirmed that MsbA functions in LPS transport, they also demonstrated that it is not required for phospholipid transport, at least not in N. meningitidis.

Research paper thumbnail of Glycine-144 is required for efficient folding of outer membrane protein PhoE of Escherichia coli K12

Research paper thumbnail of The C-terminal domain of the Pseudomonas secretin XcpQ forms oligomeric rings with pore activity

Journal of Molecular Biology, 1999

The Pseudomonas secretin XcpQ forms an oligomeric complex, which is involved in the translocation... more The Pseudomonas secretin XcpQ forms an oligomeric complex, which is involved in the translocation of proteins across the outer membrane via the type II secretion pathway. Pseudomonas aeruginosa produces only small amounts of this complex, 50 to 100 copies per bacterium, and overexpression is lethal to these cells. However, overexpression of Pseudomonas alcaligenes XcpQ could be achieved in the P. alcaligenes mutant strain 537. Protease protection experiments with P. alcaligenes XcpQ showed that the C-terminal domain of XcpQ, which is conserved in all the different members of the secretin family, is largely resistant to proteinase K. This protease-resistant fragment is embedded in the membrane and remains a stable complex, indicating that this domain is involved in complex formation. Both the intact and the protease-protected XcpQ complex showed a tendency to form two-dimensional crystal-like structures. Electron microscopic analysis of these structures showed that the overall oligomeric rings of the intact and of the protease-resistant complex are highly similar. The central cavity of the intact XcpQ complex contains structured mass. Both the intact and the protease-protected XcpQ complex showed pore-forming activity in planar lipid bilayers, consistent with their role as a translocation channel. However, the single-channel conductances observed were not uniform. Together, these results demonstrate that the C-terminal secretin homology domain of XcpQ is the structural domain that forms the channel through which macromolecules are being transported.