Interaction of colicin E7 with the major coat protein (g8p) may confer limited protection on colicinogenic Escherichia coli against M13 bacteriophage infection.
Colicin release provides producer strains with a competitive advantage under certain circumstances. We found that propagation of M13 bacteriophage in cells producing colicin E7 is impaired, without alteration in the efficiency of bacteriophage adsorption, as compared with non-producing cells. In contrast to the protective effect of the colicin against M13 bacteriophage infection, the endogenously expressed colicin does not confer limited protection against transfection with M13 bacteriophage DNA. Furthermore, it was found that the translocation-receptor-binding domain and toxicity domain of the colicin are able to interact with the M13 major coat protein, g8p, during bacteriophage infection. Based on these observations, we propose that interaction between colicin E7 and g8p during infection interferes with g8p depolymerizing into the cytoplasmic membrane during bacteriophage DNA penetration, thus resulting in the limited protection against M13 bacteriophage infection.
Chen
Yuh-Ren
YR
Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Yang
Tsung-Yeh
TY
Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Lei
Guang-Sheng
GS
Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Liao
Chen-Chung
CC
Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Chak
Kin-Fu
KF
Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
D017104:Bacteriophage M13 / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D003087:Colicins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004279:DNA, Viral; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology*; D009876:Operon; D014162:Transfection
D036022:Capsid Proteins; D003087:Colicins; D004279:DNA, Viral; C025668:coat protein, Bacteriophage M13