Probing the structural role of an alpha beta loop of maltose-binding protein by mutagenesis: heat-shock induction by loop variants of the maltose-binding protein that form periplasmic inclusion bodies

The maltose-binding protein (MBP) of Escherichia coli is the periplasmic receptor of the maltose transport system. Previous studies have identified amino acid substitutions in an alpha/beta loop of the structure of MBP that are critical for the in vivo folding. To probe genetically the structural role of this surface loop, we generated a library in which the corresponding codons 32 and 33 of malE were mutagenized. The maltose phenotype, which correlates with a biologically active structure of MBP in the periplasm, indicated a considerable variability in the loop residues compatible with a correct in vivo folding pathway of the protein. By the same genetic screens, we characterized loop-variant MBPs associated with a defective periplasmic folding pathway and aggregated into inclusion bodies. Heat-shock induction with production of misfolded loop variants was examined using both lon-lacZ and htrA-lacZ fusions. We found that the extent of formation of inclusion bodies in the periplasm of E. coli, from misfolded loop variant MBPs, correlated with the level of heat-shock response regulated by the alternate heat-shock sigma factor, sigma 24.