Cited by 246Bacterial Genetics and BiotechnologyMicrobial Natural Products and BiosynthesisBiochemical and Structural Characterization

The chaplins: a family of hydrophobic cell-surface proteins involved in aerial mycelium formation in Streptomyces coelicolor

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Elliot, Marie A., Karoonuthaisiri, Nitsara, Huang, Jianqiang, Bibb, Maureen J., Cohen, Stanley N., Kao, Camilla M., Buttner, Mark J.·2003·Genes & Development

Abstract

The filamentous bacterium Streptomyces coelicolor differentiates by forming specialized, spore-bearing aerial hyphae that grow into the air. Using microarrays, we identified genes that are down-regulated in a mutant unable to erect aerial hyphae. Through this route, we identified a previously unknown layer of aerial mycelium surface proteins (the “chaplins”). The chaplins share a hydrophobic domain of ∼40 residues (the “chaplin domain”), and all have a secretion signal. The five short chaplins (ChpD,E,F,G,H) have one chaplin domain, whereas the three long chaplins (ChpA,B,C) have two chaplin domains and a C-terminal “sorting signal” that targets them for covalent attachment to the cell wall by sortase enzyme. Expression of the two chaplin genes examined ( chpE, chpH ) depended on aerial hyphae formation but not sporulation, and egfp fusions showed their expression localized to aerial structures. Mass spectrometry of cell wall extracts confirmed that the short chaplins localized to the cell surface. Deletion of chaplin genes caused severe delays in aerial hyphae formation, a phenotype rescued by exogenous application of chaplin proteins. These observations implicate the chaplins in aerial mycelium formation, and suggest that coating of the envelope by the chaplins is required for aerial hyphae to grow out of the aqueous environment of the substrate mycelium into the air.

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Crossref · 10.1101/gad.264403

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  • Two groups identified a set of six genes encoding proteins likely involved in aerial hyphae formation, named chaplins.

    “Recently, two groups have identified a set of six genes encoding proteins that are likely involved in aerial hyphae formation and which were named chaplins [66,67].”

    From Protein sorting to the cell wall envelope of Gram-positive bacteria (2004) · cites this paper as [67]

    The Identification section names the chaplin genes chpA–H, and the A model of chaplin assembly and function section explicitly says the family has eight members, not six. The paper does support their involvement in aerial mycelium formation and refers to an accompanying manuscript by another group. (LLM, conf=0.89)

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  • All chaplins are synthesized as precursors with an N-terminal leader sequence and a short hydrophobic domain (chaplin domain) of about 40 residues.

    “All chaplins are synthesized as precursors with an N-terminal leader sequence and a short hydrophobic domain (chaplin domain) of about 40 residues.”

    From Protein sorting to the cell wall envelope of Gram-positive bacteria (2004) · cites this paper as [67]

    The Identification section (page unavailable) describes a very hydrophobic chaplin domain shared by the family and refers to cleavage of a leader peptide in the long chaplins. The SapB section (page unavailable) also refers to signal peptides in the eight chaplins. The body passages do not establish the claimed domain length of about 40 residues. (LLM, conf=0.83)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Deletion of six chaplin genes (chpA-H) hindered the formation of aerial hyphae; the defect could be complemented by the addition of exogenous chaplin proteins.

    “Deletion of six chaplin genes (chpA -H) hindered the formation of aerial hyphae; the defect could be complemented by the addition of exogenous chaplin proteins.”

    From Protein sorting to the cell wall envelope of Gram-positive bacteria (2004) · cites this paper as [67]

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  • Chaplins D-H are very short polypeptides, whereas chaplins A-C are longer and carry a C-terminal sorting signal (LAXTG motif).

    “Chaplins D -H are very short polypeptides, whereas chaplins A -C are longer and carry a C-terminal sorting signal (LAXTG motif).”

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  1. [27]27. Gust, B., Challis, G.L., Fowler, K., Kieser, T., and Chater, K.F. 2003. Gene replacement by PCR targeting in Streptomyces and its use to identify a protein domain involved in the bio- synthesis of the sesquiterpene odour geosmin. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 100: 1541-1546.

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Authors
Elliot, M. A., Karoonuthaisiri, N., Huang, J., Bibb, M. J., Cohen, S. N., Kao, C. M., & Buttner, M. J.
Affiliations
  • John Innes Centre (GB)
  • Stanford University (US)
  • Stanford Medicine (US)
Venue
Genes & Development
Published
2003-06-27
Volume
17
Issue
14
Pages
1727-1740
ISSN
  • 0890-9369 (ISSN-L)
  • 1549-5477
OpenAlex
W2126316619
Cited by
246
References
62
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 21 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 18 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 14 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 23
Type
posted content
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Genes & Development (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale
  • Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Microbial Natural Products and Biosynthesis
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Biochemical and Structural Characterization
Keywords
Charlie Chaplin, Streptomyces coelicolor, aerial hyphae formation, aerial mycelium, cell surface proteins, hydrophobic domains, sortase, gene expression regulation
MeSH terms
Amino Acid Sequence, Cell Wall, Molecular Sequence Data, Proteins, Streptomyces, Sequence Alignment, Gene Expression Profiling, Hyphae, Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions

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