Components of ice nucleation structures of bacteria

Abstract

Nonprotein components attached to the known protein product of the inaZ gene of Pseudomonas syringae have been identified and shown to be necessary for the most efficient ice nucleation of supercooled H2O. Previous studies have shown that cultures of Ina+ bacteria have cells with three major classes of ice-nucleating structures with readily differentiated activities. Further, some cells in the culture have nucleating activities intermediate between those of the different classes and presumably have structures that are biosynthetic intermediates between those of the different classes. Since these structures cannot be readily isolated and analyzed, their components have been identified by the use of specific enzymes or chemical probes, by direct incorporation of labeled precursors, and by stimulation of the formation of specific classes of freezing structures by selective additions to the growth medium. From these preliminary studies it appears that the most active ice nucleation structure (class A) contains the ice nucleation protein linked to phosphatidylinositol and mannose, probably as a complex mannan, and possibly glucosamine. These nonprotein components are characteristic of those used to anchor external proteins to cell membranes of eucaryotic cells and suggest that a similar but not identical anchoring mechanism is required for efficient ice nucleation structure. The class B structure has been found to contain protein presumably linked to the mannan and glucosamine moieties but definitely not to the phosphatidylinositol. The class C structure, which has the poorest ice nucleation activity, appears to be the ice nucleation protein linked to a few mannose residues and to be partially imbedded in the outer cell membrane.