A β-barrel outer membrane protein facilitates cellular uptake of polychlorophenols in Cupriavidus necator

The tcpRXABCYD operon of Cupriavidus necator JMP134 is involved in the degradation of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TCP). All of the gene products except TcpY have assigned functions in TCP metabolism. Sequence comparison identified TcpY as a member of COG4313, a group of hypothetical proteins. TcpY has a signal peptide, indicating it is a membrane or secreted protein. Secondary structure and topology analysis indicated TcpY as a beta-barrel outer membrane protein, similar to the Escherichia coli outer membrane protein FadL that transports hydrophobic long-chain fatty acids. Constitutive expression of tcpY in two C. necator strains rendered the cells more sensitive to TCP and other polychlorophenols. Further, C. necator JMP134 expressing cloned tcpY transported more TCP into the cell than a control with the cloning vector. Thus, TcpY is an outer membrane protein that facilitates the passing of polychlorophenols across the outer membrane of C. necator. Similarly, other COG4313 proteins are possibly outer membrane transporters of hydrophobic aromatic compounds.