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The ColM Family, Polymorphic Toxins Breaching the Bacterial Cell Wall

Maarten G K Ghequire1, Susan K Buchanan2, René De Mot3

  • 1Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, KU Leuven, Heverlee, Belgium maarten.ghequire@kuleuven.be.

Mbio
|February 15, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Bacteriocins, like Colicin M, are bacterial toxins targeting cell walls. Colicin M has evolved diverse immunity strategies, unlike other bacteriocins, suggesting unique evolutionary paths for bacterial antagonism.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Bacterial Genetics

Background:

  • Bacteria produce bacteriocins, a class of secreted antibacterial proteins, to compete for ecological niches.
  • Colicin M is a representative peptidoglycan-interfering bacteriocin in Gram-negative bacteria, targeting lipid II.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the evolutionary strategies and immunity mechanisms of Colicin M and its variants.
  • To understand the diversification of bacteriocin toxins through recombination and the recruitment of immunity partners.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of Colicin M structure and function.
  • Investigating toxin-receptor interactions and hybrid bacteriocin formation.
  • Characterizing the diverse immunity proteins associated with Colicin M.

Main Results:

  • Colicin M possesses a catalytic domain (ColM) that targets lipid II, essential for peptidoglycan synthesis.
  • Recombination has led to hybrid bacteriocins and altered receptor binding.
  • Colicin M has recruited a variety of immunity proteins with different membrane topologies.

Conclusions:

  • Colicin M exhibits diverse immunity mechanisms, distinct from bacteriocins with nuclease activity.
  • The evolution of Colicin M highlights the adaptability of bacterial defense systems through molecular recombination and diverse immunity strategies.
Keywords:
bacteriocincolicin Mdiversifying recombination/selectionlipid IIperiplasmtoxin-immunity module

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