Importance of Conserved Residues of the Serine Protease Autotransporter β-Domain in Passenger Domain Processing and β-Barrel Assembly

Serine protease autotransporters of the family Enterobacteriaceae (SPATE) comprise a family of virulence proteins secreted by enteric Gram-negative bacteria via the autotransporter secretion pathway. A SPATE polypeptide contains a C-terminal translocator domain that inserts into the bacterial outer membrane as a beta-barrel structure and mediates secretion of the passenger domain to the extracellular environment. In the present study, we examined the role of conserved residues located in the SPATE beta-barrel-forming region in passenger domain secretion. Thirty-nine fully conserved residues in Tsh were mutated by single-residue substitution, and defects in their secretion phenotypes were assessed by cell fractionation and immunochemistry. A total of 22 single mutants exhibited abnormal phenotypes in different cellular compartments. Most mutants affecting secretion are charged residues with side chains pointing into the beta-barrel interior. Seven mutants showed notable abnormalities in processing (constructs with the E1231A, E1249A, and R1374A mutations) and beta-barrel assembly or insertion into the outer membrane (constructs with the G1158Y, F1360A, Y1375A, and F1377A mutations). The phenotypes of the beta-barrel assembly/insertion mutants and the presence of a processed Tsh passenger domain in the periplasm support the possibility that the translocator domain must undergo extensive folding prior to insertion into the outer membrane. Results from double-mutation experiments further demonstrate that F1360 and F1377 affect beta-barrel insertion/assembly at different times. In light of these new data, a more refined model for the mechanism of SPATE secretion is presented.