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YajC, a predicted membrane protein, promotes Enterococcus faecium biofilm formation in vitro and in a rat

Janetta Top1, Xinglin Zhang2, Antoni P A Hendrickx3

  • 1Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, PO box 85500, 3584 CX Utrecht, the Netherlands.

FEMS Microbes
|June 11, 2024
PubMed

Insights

The bacterial protein YajC is crucial for biofilm formation in *Enterococcus faecium*, a common cause of difficult infections. Its absence impairs biofilm development and bacterial attachment, suggesting a role in protein stability and membrane translocation.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Bacterial Pathogenesis
  • Membrane Protein Biology

Background:

  • Biofilm formation is essential for Gram-positive bacterial infections, complicating treatment.
  • YajC is a conserved bacterial membrane protein with an unknown function.
  • The signal recognition particle (SRP) pathways involving YajC, YidC1, and YidC2 are critical for membrane protein insertion and secretion.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of YajC in biofilm formation in *Enterococcus faecium*.
  • To elucidate the function of YajC in bacterial membrane protein translocation pathways.

Main Methods:

  • Genetic deletion of the *yajC* gene in *Enterococcus faecium* E1162.
  • In vitro biofilm formation assays.
  • In vivo rat endocarditis model.
  • Mass spectrometry analysis of bacterial supernatants.
  • Comparative analysis with existing data from *Streptococcus mutans*.

Main Results:

  • Deletion of *yajC* significantly impaired biofilm formation in *E. faecium* in vitro.
  • *yajC* mutants showed reduced virulence in a rat endocarditis model.
  • Mass spectrometry revealed increased levels of loosely attached cytoplasmic and surface proteins in Δ*yajC* cells.
  • Homologous genes for SRP-dependent membrane protein insertion pathways exist in *E. faecium*.

Conclusions:

  • YajC plays a critical role in stabilizing cotranslational membrane protein insertion pathways (SRP-SecYEG-YajC-YidC1 and SRP-YajC-YidC2).
  • YajC may retain proteins for proper docking to YidC insertases, facilitating translocation across and into the membrane.
  • Targeting YajC could be a strategy to combat *Enterococcus faecium* infections by disrupting biofilm formation and virulence.
Keywords:
BiofilmEnterococcus faeciumStreptococcus mutansYajCcotranslational membrane protein insertion pathwayrat endocarditis model

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