Lipoprotein SmpA is a component of the YaeT complex that assembles outer membrane proteins in Escherichia coli

Joseph G. Sklar, Tao Wu, Luisa S. Gronenberg, Juliana C. Malinverni, Daniel Kahne, Thomas J. Silhavy

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

243 Scopus citations

Abstract

A major role of the outer membrane (OM) of Gram-negative bacteria is to provide a protective permeability barrier for the cell, and proper maintenance of the OM is required for cellular viability. OM biogenesis requires the coordinated assembly of constituent lipids and proteins via dedicated OM assembly machineries. We have previously shown that, in Escherichia coli, the multicomponent YaeT complex is responsible for the assembly of OM β-barrel proteins (OMPs). This complex contains the OMP YaeT and three OM lipoproteins. Here, we report another component of the YaeT complex, the OM lipoprotein small protein A (SmpA). Strains carrying loss-of-function mutations in smpA are viable but exhibit defects in OMP assembly. Biochemical experiments show that SmpA is involved in maintaining complex stability. Taken together, these experiments establish an important role for SmpA in both the structure and function of the YaeT complex.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)6400-6405
Number of pages6
JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Volume104
Issue number15
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 10 2007

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General

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