Gram-positive bacteria produce membrane vesicles: proteomics-based characterization of Staphylococcus aureus-derived membrane vesicles.
Although archaea, Gram-negative bacteria, and mammalian cells constitutively secrete membrane vesicles (MVs) as a mechanism for cell-free intercellular communication, this cellular process has been overlooked in Gram-positive bacteria. Here, we found for the first time that Gram-positive bacteria naturally produce MVs into the extracellular milieu. Further characterizations showed that the density and size of Staphylococcus aureus-derived MVs are both similar to those of Gram-negative bacteria. With a proteomics approach, we identified with high confidence a total of 90 protein components of S. aureus-derived MVs. In the group of identified proteins, the highly enriched extracellular proteins suggested that a specific sorting mechanism for vesicular proteins exists. We also identified proteins that facilitate the transfer of proteins to other bacteria, as well to eliminate competing organisms, antibiotic resistance, pathological functions in systemic infections, and MV biogenesis. Taken together, these observations suggest that the secretion of MVs is an evolutionally conserved, universal process that occurs from simple organisms to complex multicellular organisms. This information will help us not only to elucidate the biogenesis and functions of MVs, but also to develop therapeutic tools for vaccines, diagnosis, and antibiotics effective against pathogenic strains of Gram-positive bacteria.
Lee
Eun-Young
EY
Department of Life Science, Division of Molecular and Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Republic of Korea.
Choi
Do-Young
DY
Kim
Dae-Kyum
DK
Kim
Jung-Wook
JW
Park
Jung Ok
JO
Kim
Sungjee
S
Kim
Sang-Hyun
SH
Desiderio
Dominic M
DM
Kim
Yoon-Keun
YK
Kim
Kwang-Pyo
KP
Gho
Yong Song
YS
D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D022162:Cytoplasmic Vesicles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D040901:Proteomics; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure
D001426:Bacterial Proteins