New insights into interactions between mushroom aegerolysins and membrane lipids

Popošek, Larisa Lara (author), Kraševec, Nada (author), Bajc, Gregor (author), Glavač, Urška (author), Hrovatin, Matija (author), Perko, Žan (author), Slavič, Ana (author), Pavšič, Miha (author), Sepčić, Kristina (author), Skočaj, Matej (author)

Aegerolysins are a family of proteins that recognize and bind to specific membrane lipids or lipid domains; hence they can be used as membrane lipid sensors. Although aegerolysins are distributed throughout the tree of life, the most studied are those produced by the fungal genus Pleurotus. Most of the aegerolysin-producing mushrooms code also for proteins containing the membrane attack complex/perforin (MACPF)-domain. The combinations of lipid-sensing aegerolysins and MACPF protein partners are lytic for cells harboring the aegerolysin membrane lipid receptor and can be used as ecologically friendly bioinsecticides. In this work, we have recombinantly expressed four novel aegerolysin/MACPF protein pairs from the mushrooms Heterobasidion irregulare, Trametes versicolor, Mucidula mucida, and Lepista nuda, and compared these proteins with the already studied aegerolysin/MACPF protein pair ostreolysin A6–pleurotolysin B from P. ostreatus. We show here that most of these new mushroom proteins can form active aegerolysin/MACPF cytolytic complexes upon aegerolysin binding to membrane sphingolipids. We further disclose that these mushroom aegerolysins bind also to selected glycerophospholipids, in particular to phosphatidic acid and cardiolipin; however, these interactions with glycerophospholipids do not lead to pore formation. Our results indicate that selected mushroom aegerolysins show potential as new molecular biosensors for labelling phosphatidic acid.

• Language: English
• Keywords: aegerolysins, MACPF, membranes, lipids, fungi, pore, phosphatidic acid, cardiolipin
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty; FKKT - Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2024
• Number of pages: 23 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 16, iss. 3, art. 143
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-165012
• UDC: 577
• ISSN on article: 2072-6651
• DOI: 10.3390/toxins16030143
• COBISS.SI-ID: 188299011
• Publication date in RUL: 20.11.2024

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Toxins
• Shortened title: Toxins
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 2072-6651
• COBISS.SI-ID: 517594649

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: egerolizini, MACPF, membrane, lipidi, glive, pore, fosfatidna kislina, kardiolipin