Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Gene structure and extracellular secretion of Neisseria gonorrhoeae IgA protease

Nature volume 325, pages 458–462 (1987)Cite this article

Abstract

Several human bacterial pathogens, including the Gram-negative diplococcus Neisseria gonorrhoeae, produce extracellular proteases that are specific for human immunoglobulin IgA1, (refs 1, 2). Immunoglobulin A (IgA) proteases have been studied extensively and the genes of some species cloned in Escherichia coli3–7, but their role in pathogenesis remains unclear8. Recently we derived a DNA fragment of 5 kilobases (kb) from N. gonorrhoeae MS 11 directing extracellular active enzyme in E. coli4. Although the mature enzyme of strain MS 11 was shown to have a relative molecular mass of 106,000 (Mr 106K) in gels4, the DNA sequence of this cloned fragment reveals a single gene coding for a 169K precursor of IgA protease. The precursor contains three functional domains, the amino-terminal leader which is assumed to initiate the inner membrane transport of the precursor, the protease, and a carboxyl-terminal 'helper' domain apparently required for extracellular secretion (excretion). Based on the structural features of the precursor, we propose a model in which the helper serves as a pore for excretion of the protease domain through the outer membrane. IgA protease acquires an active conformation as its extracellular transport proceeds and is released as a proform from the membrane-bound helper by autoproteolysis. The soluble proform further matures into the 106 K IgA protease and a small stable α-protein.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on SpringerLink
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Plaut, A. G., Gilbert, J. V., Artenstein, M. S. & Capra, J. D. Science 1290, 1103–1105 (1975).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Kilian, M., Mestecky, J. & Schrohenloher, R. E. Infect Immun. 26, 143–149 (1979).

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  3. Koomey, J. M., Gill, R. E. & Falkow, S. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 79, 7881–7885 (1982).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Halter, R., Pohlner, J. & Meyer, T. F. EMBO J. 3, 1595–1601 (1984).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Bricker, J., Mulks, M. H., Plaut, A. G., Moxon, E. R. & Wright, A. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 80, 2681–2685 (1983).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Fishman, Y., Bricker, J., Gilbert, J. V., Plaut, A. G. & Wright, A. in Pathogenic Neisseriae Proc. Fourth Int. Microbiol. (eds Schoolnik, G. K. et al.) 164–168 (1985).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Rahr, S., Halter, R., Müller, H., Pohlner, J. & Meyer, T. F. in Pathogenic Neisseriae Proc. Fourth Int. Symp. Soc. Microbiol. (eds Schoolnik, G. K. et al.) 157–163 (1985).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Cooper, M. D., McGee, Z. A., Mulks, M. H., Koomey, J. M. & Hindman, T. L. J. inf. Dis. 150, 737–744 (1984).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Strebel, K., Beck, E., Strohmaier, K. & Schaller, H. Virology 57, 983–991 (1986).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Watson, M. E. E. Nucleic Acids Res. 12, 5145–5164 (1984).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Pollock, M. R. & Richmond, M. H. Nature 194, 446–449 (1962).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Mulks, M. H., Plaut, A. G., Feldman, H. A. & Frangione, B. J. exp. Med. 152, 1442–1447 (1980).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Lory, S., Tai, P. C. & Dabis, B. D. J. Bact. 156, 695–702 (1983).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Bayer, M. E. in Bacterial outer membranes: biogenesis and function (ed. Inouye, M.) 167–202 (Wiley, New York, 1979).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Wagner, W., Vogel, M. & Goebel, W. J. Bact. 154, 200–210 (1983).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Mackman, N., Nicaud, J.-M., Gray, L. & Holland, I. B. Molec. gen. Genet. 201, 529–536 (1985).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Hawley, D. K. & McClure, W. R. Nucleic Acids Res. 11, 2237–2255 (1983).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Schaller, H., Grey, C. & Herrmann, K. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 72, 737–456 (1975).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Gentz, R. Bujard, H. J. Bact. 164, 70–77 (1985).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Rosenberg, M. & Court, D. A. Rev. Genet. 13, 319–353 (1979).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Shine, J. & Dalgarno, L. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 71, 1342–1346 (1974).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Maxam, A. M. & Gilbert, W. Meth. Enzym. 65, 499–560 (1980).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Sanger, F., Nicklen, S. & Coulson, A. R. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 74, 5463–5467 (1977).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Ghou, P. Y. & Fasman, G. D. A. Rev. Biochem. 47, 251–276 (1978).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Hopp, Th. P. & Woods, K. R. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 78, 3824–3828 (1981).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Neu, H. D. & Heppel, L. A. J. biol. Chem. 240, 3685–3692 (1965).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Craven, G. R., Steers, E. Jr, & Anfinsen, C. B. J. biol. Chem. 240, 2468–2473 (1965).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Howard, S. P. & Buckley, J. T. J. Bact. 161, 1118–1124 (1985).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Stern, A., Brown, M., Nickel, P. & Meyer, T. F. Cell 47, 61–71 (1986).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Hunkapiller, M. W., Lujan, E., Ostran der, F. & Hood, L. E. Meth. Emym. 91, 227–236 (1983).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Randall, L. L. & Hardy, S. J. S. Microbiol. Rev. 48, 290–298 (1984).

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Max-Planck-Institut für Biologie, Spemannstrasse 34, D-74, Tübingen, FRG

    Johannes Pohlner, Roman Halter & Thomas F. Meyer

  2. Universität zu Köln, Institut für Genetik, D-5 Köln, FRG

    Konrad Beyreuther

Authors
  1. Johannes Pohlner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Roman Halter
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Konrad Beyreuther
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Thomas F. Meyer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Pohlner, J., Halter, R., Beyreuther, K. et al. Gene structure and extracellular secretion of Neisseria gonorrhoeae IgA protease. Nature 325, 458–462 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1038/325458a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/325458a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing