title: MS2 Lysis of Escherichia coli Depends on Host Chaperone DnaJ.
abstract: The L protein of the single-stranded RNA phage MS2 causes lysis ofEscherichia coliwithout inducing bacteriolytic activity or inhibiting net peptidoglycan (PG) synthesis. To find host genes required for L-mediated lysis, spontaneous Ill (insensitivity toLlysis) mutants were selected as survivors of L expression and shown to have a missense change of the highly conserved proline (P330Q) in the C-terminal domain of DnaJ. In thednaJP330Qmutant host, L-mediated lysis is completely blocked at 30°C without affecting the intracellular levels of L. At higher temperatures (37°C and 42°C), both lysis and L accumulation are delayed. The lysis block at 30°C in thednaJP330Qmutant was recessive and could be suppressed byLovercomesdnaJ(Lodj) alleles selected for restoration of lysis. All threeLodjalleles lack the highly basic N-terminal half of the lysis protein and cause lysis ∼20 min earlier than full-length L. DnaJ was found to form a complex with full-length L. This complex was abrogated by the P330Q mutation and was absent with the Lodjtruncations. These results suggest that, in the absence of interaction with DnaJ, the N-terminal domain of L interferes with its ability to bind to its unknown target. The lysis retardation and DnaJ chaperone dependency conferred by the nonessential, highly basic N-terminal domain of L resembles the SlyD chaperone dependency conferred by the highly basic C-terminal domain of the E lysis protein of ϕX174, suggesting a common theme where single-gene lysis can be modulated by host factors influenced by physiological conditions.IMPORTANCESmall single-stranded nucleic acid lytic phages (MicroviridaeandLeviviridae) lyse their host by expressing a single "protein antibiotic." The protein antibiotics from two out of three prototypic small lytic viruses have been shown to inhibit two different steps in the conserved PG biosynthesis pathway. However, the molecular basis of lysis caused by L, the lysis protein of the third prototypic virus, MS2, is unknown. The significance of our research lies in the identification of DnaJ as a chaperone in the MS2 L lysis pathway and the identification of the minimal lytic domain of MS2 L. Additionally, our research highlights the importance of the highly conserved P330 residue in the C-terminal domain of DnaJ for specific protein interactions.
authors.affiliation: Center for Phage Technology, Texas A&M AgriLife, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA.|Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Karthik R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Chamakura
authors.affiliation: Center for Phage Technology, Texas A&M AgriLife, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA.|Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Tran
authors.affiliation: Center for Phage Technology, Texas A&M AgriLife, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA ryland@tamu.edu.|Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Ry
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Young
mesh_terms: D001433:Bacteriolysis; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000821:virology*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D050956:HSP40 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D017909:Levivirus / Q000254:growth & development*; D013696:Temperature; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C494635:DnaJ protein, E coli; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D050956:HSP40 Heat-Shock Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins
keywords: Escherichia coli; bacteriophage genetics; bacteriophage lysis; protein chaperone