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The ferric form of truncated hemoglobin II from Thermobifida fusca (Tf-trHb) and its triple mutant WG8F-YB10F-YCD1F at neutral and alkaline pH, and in the presence of CN− have been characterized by resonance Raman spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, and molecular dynamics simulations. Tf-trHb contains three polar residues in the distal site, namely TrpG8, TyrCD1 and TyrB10. Whereas TrpG8 can act as a potential hydrogen-bond donor, the tyrosines can act as donors or acceptors. Ligand binding in heme-containing proteins is determined by a number of factors, including the nature and conformation of the distal residues and their capability to stabilize the heme-bound ligand via hydrogen-bonding and electrostatic interactions. Since both the RR Fe-OH− and Fe-CN− frequencies are very sensitive to the distal environment, detailed information on structural variations has been obtained. The hydroxyl ligand binds only the WT protein giving rise to two different conformers. In form 1 the anion is stabilized by H-bonds with TrpG8, TyrCD1 and a water molecule, in turn H-bonded to TyrB10. In form 2, H-bonding with TyrCD1 is mediated by a water molecule. Unlike the OH− ligand, CN− binds both WT and the triple mutant giving rise to two forms with similar spectroscopic characteristics. The overall results clearly indicate that H-bonding interactions both with distal residues and water molecules are important structural determinants in the active site of Tf-trHb. Fil: Nicoletti, Francesco P.. Universita Degli Studi Di Firenze; Italia Fil: Droghetti, Enrica. Universita Degli Studi Di Firenze; Italia Fil: Howes, Barry D.. Universita Degli Studi Di Firenze; Italia Fil: Bustamante, Juan Pablo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química, Física de Los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires; Argentina Fil: Bonamore, Alessandra. Universita Di Roma; Italia Fil: Sciamanna, Natascia. Universita Di Roma; Italia Fil: Estrin, Dario Ariel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química, Física de Los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires; Argentina Fil: Feis, Alessandro. Universita Degli Studi Di Firenze; Italia Fil: Boffi, Alberto. Universita Di Roma; Italia. Centro Nazionale di Ricerca. Institute Pasteur; Italia Fil: Smulevich, Giulietta. Universita Degli Studi Di Firenze; Italia

Although the rate of acylation of a penicillin-resistant form of Streptococcus pneumoniae penicillin-binding protein 2x (PBP2x) by ceftaroline is 80-fold lower than that of its penicillin-sensitive counterpart, it remains sufficiently high ( k 2 /K = 12,600 M −1 s −1 ) to explain the sensitivity of the penicillin-resistant strain to this new cephalosporin. Surprisingly, the Actinomadura R39 DD-peptidase is not very sensitive to ceftaroline.

International audience; Carbon monoxide recombination dynamics upon photodissociation with visible light has been characterized by means of ultrafast visible-pump/MidIR probe spectroscopy for the truncated hemoglobins from Thermobifida fusca and Bacillus subtilis. Photodissociation has been induced by exciting the sample at two different wavelengths: 400 nm, corresponding to the heme absorption in the B-band, and 550 nm, in the Q-bands. The bleached iron-CO coordination band located at 1850-1950 cm(-1) and the free CO absorption band in the region 2050-2200 cm(-1) have been observed by probe pulses tuned in the appropriate infrared region. The kinetic traces measured at 1850-1950 cm(-1) reveal multiexponential subnanosecond dynamics that have been interpreted as arising from fast geminate recombination of the photolyzed CO. A compared analysis of the crystal structure of the two proteins reveals a similar structure of their distal heme pocket, which contains conserved polar and aromatic amino acid residues closely interacting with the iron ligand. Although fast geminate recombination is observed in both proteins, several kinetic differences can be evidenced, which can be interpreted in terms of a different structural flexibility of the corresponding heme distal pockets. The analysis of the free CO band-shape and of its dynamic evolution brings out novel features about the nature of the docking site inside the protein cavity.

CO recombination kinetics has been investigated in the type II truncated hemoglobin from Thermobifida fusca (Tf-trHb) over more than 10 time decades (from 1 ps to 100 ms) by combining femtosecond transient absorption, nanosecond laser flash photolysis and optoacoustic spectroscopy. Photolysis is followed by a rapid geminate recombination with a time constant of 2 ns representing almost 60% of the overall reaction. An additional, small amplitude geminate recombination was identified at 100 ns. Finally, CO pressure dependent measurements brought out the presence of two transient species in the second order rebinding phase, with time constants ranging from 3 to 100 ms. The available experimental evidence suggests that the two transients are due to the presence of two conformations which do not interconvert within the time frame of the experiment. Computational studies revealed that the plasticity of protein structure is able to define a branched pathway connecting the ligand binding site and the solvent. This allowed to build a kinetic model capable of describing the complete time course of the CO rebinding kinetics to Tf-trHb. Fil: Marcelli, Agnese. European Laboratory for Non-Linear Spectroscopy; Italia Fil: Abbruzzetti, Stefania. Università di Parma; Italia Fil: Bustamante, Juan Pablo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía; Argentina Fil: Feis, Alessandro. University of Florence; Italia Fil: Bonamore, Alessandra. Università degli studi di Roma "La Sapienza"; Italia Fil: Boffi, Alberto. Università degli studi di Roma "La Sapienza"; Italia Fil: Gellini, Cristina. University of Florence; Italia Fil: Salvi, Pier R.. University of Florence; Italia Fil: Estrin, Dario Ariel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía; Argentina Fil: Bruno, Stefano. Università di Parma; Italia Fil: Viappiani, Cristiano. Università di Parma; Italia Fil: Foggi, Paolo. European Laboratory for Non-Linear Spectroscopy; Italia. University of Perugia; Italia

The structural and functional properties of the active site of the bacterial hemoglobin from Thermobifida fusca are largely determined by three polar amino acids: TrpG8, TyrCD1, and TyrB10. We have exploited the availability of a combinatorial set of mutants, in each of which these three amino acids have been singly, doubly, or triply replaced by a Phe residue, to perform a detailed study on H-bonding interactions between the protein and heme-bound fluoride. By appropriate choice of the excitation conditions, ν(Fe-F) stretching bands have been detected in the resonance Raman spectra. In the wild-type protein and one of the mutants, two ν(Fe-F) bands have been observed and assigned to the presence of two protein conformers where fluoride is singly or doubly H-bonded. Furthermore, by plotting the CT1 charge-transfer transition energy vs the ν(Fe-F) wavenumbers, an empirical correlation has been found. The data are well fitted by a straight line with a positive slope. The position along the correlation line can be considered as a novel, general spectroscopic indicator of the extent of H-bonding in the active site of heme proteins. In agreement with the spectroscopic results, we have observed that the rate of ligand dissociation in stopped-flow kinetic measurements progressively increases upon substitution of the H-bonding amino acids. Molecular dynamics simulations have been performed on the fluoride complexes of native and mutated forms, indicating the prevalent interactions at the active site. All the techniques yield evidence that TrpG8 and TyrCD1 can form strong H bonds with fluoride, whereas TyrB10 plays only a minor role in the stabilization of the ligand.

Received 19 October 2006; returned 11 November 2006; revised 21 November 2006; accepted 21 November 2006 Objectives and methods: Tropheryma whipplei is a poorly studied bacterium responsible for Whipple’s disease. In this study, its susceptibility to doxycycline was investigated at a transcriptional level using a whole-genome DNA microarray. Results: Exposure of T. whipplei to the MIC of doxycycline (0.5 mg/L) induced antibiotic-specific primary expression profiles, while indirect effects were detected at 103 MIC. In contrast to what was observed for several microorganisms exposed to antibiotics, the heat-shock proteins were not affected. Consistent with the mode of action of this translation inhibitor, genes encoding for ribosomal proteins and translation factors were differentially transcribed. This analysis also evidenced the regulation of genes that should account for cell growth arrest. Long-term survival of non-replicating bacteria is likely to be ensured by an increased level of ppGpp, the nucleotide effector of the stringent response. The gene expression profile observed with 103 MIC was mainly characterized by the upregulation of ABC transporters that possibly form efflux and detoxification systems, through which T. whipplei may limit the effects of this bacteriostatic compound. Obtained microarray data showed good agreement with real-time quantitative PCR (R 2 5 0.969). Conclusions: This work represents the first comprehensive genomic approach providing insights into the expression signature triggered by the exposure of T. whipplei to antibiotics.

International audience; AIMS: To characterize a new feather-degrading bacterium. METHODS AND RESULTS: The strain kr10 producing a high keratinolytic activity when cultured on native feather broth was identified as Microbacterium sp., based on phenotypical characteristics and 16S rDNA sequence. The bacterium presented optimum growth and feather-degrading activity at pH 7.0 and 30 degrees C. Complete feather degradation was achieved during cultivation. The keratinase was partially purified by gel filtration chromatography. It was optimally active at pH 7.0 and 55 degrees C. The enzyme was inhibited by 1,10-phenanthroline, EDTA, p-chloromercuribenzoic acid, 2-mercaptoethanol and metal ions like Hg(2+), Cu(2+) and Zn(2+). SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: A new Microbacterium sp. strain was characterized presenting high feather-degrading activity, which appears to be associated to a metalloprotease-type keratinase. This micro-organism has enormous potential for use in biotechnological processes involving keratin hydrolysis.