PspA can form large scaffolds in Escherichia coli

Standar, Kerstin; Mehner, Denise; Osadnik, Hendrik; Berthelmann, Felix; Hause, Gerd; Lünsdorf, Heinrich; Brüser, Thomas

doi:10.1016/j.febslet.2008.09.002

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Volume 582, Issue 25 , Pages 3585-3589, 29 October 2008

PspA can form large scaffolds in Escherichia coli

Edited by Jacomine Krijnse-Locker

Kerstin Standar
- Institute of Biology/Microbiology, University of Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Strasse 3, D-06120 Halle, Germany
- Present address: Institute of Medical Microbiology, Virology, and Hygiene, University of Rostock, Schillingallee 70, D-18057 Rostock, Germany.
Denise Mehner
- Institute of Biology/Microbiology, University of Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Strasse 3, D-06120 Halle, Germany
Hendrik Osadnik
- Institute of Biology/Microbiology, University of Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Strasse 3, D-06120 Halle, Germany
Felix Berthelmann
- Institute of Biology/Microbiology, University of Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Strasse 3, D-06120 Halle, Germany
Gerd Hause
- Biocenter, University of Halle-Wittenberg, Weinbergweg 22, D-06120 Halle, Germany
Heinrich Lünsdorf
- Helmholtz Center for Infection Research, Department of Vaccinology, Inhoffenstrasse 7, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
Thomas Brüser
- Institute of Biology/Microbiology, University of Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Strasse 3, D-06120 Halle, Germany
- Corresponding author. Fax: +49 345 5527010.

Received 23 July 2008; received in revised form 27 August 2008; accepted 1 September 2008. published online 10 September 2008.

Abstract

The phage shock protein A (PspA) of Escherichia coli stabilizes the cytoplasmic membrane under stress conditions. Here we demonstrate that PspA can form hollow spherical or prolate spheroidal particles of about 30–40nm diameter with a scaffold-like arrangement of protein subunits at the surface. The ‘PspA-scaffold’ is the basic structure that is common to all particles. The PspA-scaffold may be of fundamental importance, as it could allow PspA to stabilize the integrity of membranes through numerous contact points over a large surface area.