RESEARCH

Prof.Youjun Feng's group published on Cell Reports

来源 : F020017     发布时间 :2021-05-21    浏览次数 :154


Abstract

An evolving family of mobile colistin resistance (MCR) enzymes is threatening public health. However, the molecular mechanism by which the MCR enzyme as a rare member of lipid A-phosphoethanolamine (PEA) transferases gains the ability to confer phenotypic colistin resistance remains enigmatic. Here, we report an unusual example that genetic duplication and amplification produce a functional variant (Ah762) of MCR-3 in certain Aeromonas species. The lipid A-binding cavity of Ah762 is functionally defined. Intriguingly, we locate a hinge linker of Ah762 (termed Linker 59) that determines the MCR. Genetic and biochemical characterization reveals that Linker 59 behaves as a facilitator to render inactive MCR variants to regain the ability of colistin resistance. Along with molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) suggests that this facilitator guarantees the formation of substrate phosphatidylethanolamine (PE)-accessible pocket within MCR-3-like enzymes. Therefore, our finding defines an MCR-3 inside facilitator for colistin resistance.