title: Probing FhuA'-'PhoA fusion proteins for the study of FhuA export into the cell envelope of Escherichia coli K12.
abstract: The FhuA protein (formerly TonA) is located in the outer membrane of Escherichia coli K12. Fusions between fhuA and phoA genes were constructed. They determined proteins containing a truncated but still active alkaline phosphatase of constant size and a variable FhuA portion which ranged from 11%-90% of the mature FhuA protein. The fusion sites were nearly randomly distributed along the FhuA protein. The FhuA segments directed the secretion of the truncated alkaline phosphatase across the cytoplasmic membrane. The fusion proteins were proteolytically degraded up to the size of alkaline phosphatase and no longer reacted with anti-FhuA antibodies. The fusion proteins were more stable in lon and pep mutants lacking cytoplasmic protease and peptidases, respectively. The larger fusion proteins above a molecular weight of 64,000 dalton were predominantly found in the outer membrane fraction. They were degraded by trypsin when cells were converted to spheroplasts so that trypsin gained access to the periplasm. In contrast, FhuA protein in the outer membrane was largely resistant to trypsin. It is concluded that the larger FhuA'-'PhoA fusion proteins were associated with, but not properly integrated into, the outer membrane.
authors.affiliation: Mikrobiologie II, Universität Tübingen, Federal Republic of Germany.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Günter
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Braun
mesh_terms: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D008970:Molecular Weight; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D014357:Trypsin
chemical_list: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D014357:Trypsin