Matej Skočaj

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.