McDonald, H. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2023

LRRC8A anion channels modulate vasodilation via association with Myosin Phosphatase Rho Interacting Protein (MPRIP)

BackgroundIn vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), LRRC8A volume regulated anion channels (VRACs) are activated by inflammatory and pro-contractile stimuli including tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF), angiotensin II and stretch. LRRC8A physically associates with NADPH oxidase 1 (Nox1) and supports its production of extracellular superoxide (O2-*). Methods and ResultsMice lacking LRRC8A exclusively in VSMCs (Sm22-Cre, KO) were used to assess the role of VRACs in TNF signaling and vasomotor function. KO mesenteric vessels contracted normally to KCl and phenylephrine, but relaxation to acetylcholine (ACh) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) was enhanced compared to wild type (WT). 48 hours of ex vivo exposure to TNF (10ng/ml) markedly impaired dilation to ACh and SNP in WT but not KO vessels. VRAC blockade (carbenoxolone, CBX, 100 M, 20 min) enhanced dilation of control rings and restored impaired dilation following TNF exposure. Myogenic tone was absent in KO rings. LRRC8A immunoprecipitation followed by mass spectroscopy identified 35 proteins that interacted with LRRC8A. Pathway analysis revealed actin cytoskeletal regulation as the most closely associated function of these proteins. Among these proteins, the Myosin Phosphatase Rho-Interacting protein (MPRIP) links RhoA, MYPT1 and actin. LRRC8A-MPRIP co-localization was confirmed by confocal imaging of tagged proteins, Proximity Ligation Assays, and IP/western blots which revealed LRRC8A binding at the second Pleckstrin Homology domain of MPRIP. siLRRC8A or CBX treatment decreased RhoA activity in cultured VSMCs, and MYPT1 phosphorylation at T853 was reduced in KO mesenteries suggesting that reduced ROCK activity contributes to enhanced relaxation. MPRIP was a target of redox modification, becoming oxidized (sulfenylated) after TNF exposure. ConclusionsInteraction of Nox1/LRRC8A with MPRIP/RhoA/MYPT1/actin may allow redox regulation of the cytoskeleton and link Nox1 activation to both inflammation and vascular contractility.

physiology↗

bioRxiv2020

Refactoring the formicamycin biosynthetic gene cluster to make high-level producing strains and new molecules

The formicamycins are promising antibiotics with potent activity against Gram-positive pathogens including VRE and MRSA and display a high barrier to selection of resistant isolates. They were first identified in Streptomyces formicae KY5, which produces the formicamycins at low levels on solid agar but not in liquid culture, thus hindering further investigation of these promising antibacterial compounds. We hypothesised that by understanding the organisation and regulation of the for biosynthetic gene cluster, we could rationally refactor the cluster to increase production levels. Here we report that the for biosynthetic gene cluster consists of 24 genes expressed on nine transcripts. Seven of these transcripts, including those containing all the major biosynthetic genes, are repressed by the MarR-regulator ForJ which also controls the expression of the ForGF two-component system that initiates biosynthesis. A third cluster-situated regulator, ForZ, autoregulates and controls production of the putative MFS transporter ForAA. Consistent with these findings, deletion of forJ increased formicamycin biosynthesis 5-fold, while over-expression of forGF in the {Delta}forJ background increased production 10-fold compared to the wild-type. De-repression by deleting forJ also switched on biosynthesis in liquid-culture and induced the production of two novel formicamycin congeners. By combining mutations in regulatory and biosynthetic genes, six new biosynthetic precursors with antibacterial activity were also isolated. This work demonstrates the power of synthetic biology for the rational redesign of antibiotic biosynthetic gene clusters both to engineer strains suitable for fermentation in large scale bioreactors and to generate new molecules. ImportanceAntimicrobial resistance is a growing threat as existing antibiotics become increasingly ineffective against drug resistant pathogens. Here we determine the transcriptional organisation and regulation of the gene cluster encoding biosynthesis of the formicamycins, promising new antibiotics with activity against drug resistant bacteria. By exploiting this knowledge, we construct stable mutant strains which over-produce these molecules in both liquid and solid culture whilst also making some new compound variants. This will facilitate large scale purification of these molecules for further study including in vivo experiments and the elucidation of their mechanism of action. Our work demonstrates that understanding the regulation of natural product biosynthetic pathways can enable rational improvement of the producing strains.

microbiology↗