scholarly journals Genetic Investigation of the Catabolic Pathway for Degradation of Abietane Diterpenoids by Pseudomonas abietaniphilaBKME-9

2000 ◽  
Vol 182 (13) ◽  
pp. 3784-3793 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincent J. J. Martin ◽  
William W. Mohn

ABSTRACT We have cloned and sequenced the dit gene cluster encoding enzymes of the catabolic pathway for abietane diterpenoid degradation by Pseudomonas abietaniphila BKME-9. Thedit gene cluster is located on a 16.7-kb DNA fragment containing 13 complete open reading frames (ORFs) and 1 partial ORF. The genes ditA1A2A3 encode the α and β subunits and the ferredoxin of the dioxygenase which hydroxylates 7-oxodehydroabietic acid to 7-oxo-11,12-dihydroxy-8,13-abietadien acid. The dioxygenase mutant strain BKME-941 (ditA1::Tn5) did not grow on nonaromatic abietanes, and transformed palustric and abietic acids to 7-oxodehydroabietic acid in cell suspension assays. Thus, nonaromatic abietanes are aromatized prior to further degradation. Catechol 2,3-dioxygenase activity of xylEtranscriptional fusion strains showed induction of ditA1and ditA3 by abietic, dehydroabietic, and 7-oxodehydroabietic acids, which support the growth of strain BKME-9, as well as by isopimaric and 12,14-dichlorodehydroabietic acids, which are diterpenoids that do not support the growth of strain BKME-9. In addition to the aromatic-ring-hydroxylating dioxygenase genes, thedit cluster includes ditC, encoding an extradiol ring cleavage dioxygenase, and ditR, encoding an IclR-type transcriptional regulator. Although ditR is not strictly required for the growth of strain BKME-9 on abietanes, aditR::Kmr mutation in aditA3::xylE reporter strain demonstrated that it encodes an inducer-dependent transcriptional activator of ditA3. An ORF with sequence similarity to genes encoding permeases (ditE) is linked with genes involved in abietane degradation.

2005 ◽  
Vol 71 (11) ◽  
pp. 6538-6544 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karolina Nordin ◽  
Maria Unell ◽  
Janet K. Jansson

ABSTRACT Arthrobacter chlorophenolicus A6, a previously described 4-chlorophenol-degrading strain, was found to degrade 4-chlorophenol via hydroxyquinol, which is a novel route for aerobic microbial degradation of this compound. In addition, 10 open reading frames exhibiting sequence similarity to genes encoding enzymes involved in chlorophenol degradation were cloned and designated part of a chlorophenol degradation gene cluster (cph genes). Several of the open reading frames appeared to encode enzymes with similar functions; these open reading frames included two genes, cphA-I and cphA-II, which were shown to encode functional hydroxyquinol 1,2-dioxygenases. Disruption of the cphA-I gene yielded a mutant that exhibited negligible growth on 4-chlorophenol, thereby linking the cph gene cluster to functional catabolism of 4-chlorophenol in A. chlorophenolicus A6. The presence of a resolvase pseudogene in the cph gene cluster together with analyses of the G+C content and codon bias of flanking genes suggested that horizontal gene transfer was involved in assembly of the gene cluster during evolution of the ability of the strain to grow on 4-chlorophenol.


2001 ◽  
Vol 67 (10) ◽  
pp. 4603-4609 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. J. Hickey ◽  
G. Sabat ◽  
A. S. Yuroff ◽  
A. R. Arment ◽  
J. Pérez-Lesher

ABSTRACT We have identified in Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain JB2 a novel cluster of mobile genes encoding degradation of hydroxy- and halo-aromatic compounds. Nineteen open reading frames were located and, based on sequence similarities, were putatively identified as encoding a ring hydroxylating oxygenase (hybABCD), an ATP-binding cassette-type transporter, an extradiol ring-cleavage dioxygenase, transcriptional regulatory proteins, enzymes mediating chlorocatechol degradation, and transposition functions. Expression ofhybABCD in Escherichia coli cells effected stoichiometric transformation of 2-hydroxybenzoate (salicylate) to 2,5-dihydroxybenzoate (gentisate). This activity was predicted from sequence similarity to functionally characterized genes,nagAaGHAb from Ralstonia sp. strain U2 (S. L. Fuenmayor, M. Wild, A. L. Boyes, and P. A. Williams, J. Bacteriol. 180:2522–2530, 1998), and is the second confirmed example of salicylate 5-hydroxylase activity effected by an oxygenase outside the flavoprotein group. Growth of strain JB2 orPseudomonas huttiensis strain D1 (an organism that had acquired the 2-chlorobenzoate degradation phenotype from strain JB2) on benzoate yielded mutants that were unable to grow on salicylate or 2-chlorobenzoate and that had a deletion encompassinghybABCD and the region cloned downstream. The mutants' inability to grow on 2-chlorobenzoate suggested the loss of additional genes outside of, but contiguous with, the characterized region. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis revealed a plasmid of >300 kb in strain D1, but no plasmids were detected in strain JB2. Hybridization analyses confirmed that the entire 26-kb region characterized here was acquired by strain D1 from strain JB2 and was located in the chromosome of both organisms. Further studies to delineate the element's boundaries and functional characteristics could provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying evolution of bacterial genomes in general and of catabolic pathways for anthropogenic pollutants in particular.


2013 ◽  
Vol 57 (6) ◽  
pp. 2603-2612 ◽  
Author(s):  
Narutoshi Uda ◽  
Yasuyuki Matoba ◽  
Takanori Kumagai ◽  
Kosuke Oda ◽  
Masafumi Noda ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTWe have recently cloned a DNA fragment containing a gene cluster that is responsible for the biosynthesis of an antituberculosis antibiotic,d-cycloserine. The gene cluster is composed of 10 open reading frames, designateddcsAtodcsJ. Judging from the sequence similarity between each putative gene product and known proteins, DcsC, which displays high homology to diaminopimelate epimerase, may catalyze the racemization ofO-ureidoserine. DcsD is similar toO-acetylserine sulfhydrylase, which generatesl-cysteine usingO-acetyl-l-serine with sulfide, and therefore, DcsD may be a synthase to generateO-ureido-l-serine usingO-acetyl-l-serine and hydroxyurea. DcsG, which exhibits similarity to a family of enzymes with an ATP-grasp fold, may be an ATP-dependent synthetase convertingO-ureido-d-serine intod-cycloserine. In the present study, to characterize the enzymatic functions of DcsC, DcsD, and DcsG, each protein was overexpressed inEscherichia coliand purified to near homogeneity. The biochemical function of each of the reactions catalyzed by these three proteins was verified by thin-layer chromatography (TLC), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and, in some cases, mass spectrometry. The results from this study demonstrate that by using a mixture of the three purified enzymes and the two commercially available substratesO-acetyl-l-serine and hydroxyurea, synthesis ofd-cycloserine was successfully attained. Thesein vitrostudies yield the conclusion that DcsD and DcsG are necessary for the syntheses ofO-ureido-l-serine andd-cycloserine, respectively. DcsD was also able to catalyze the synthesis ofl-cysteine when sulfide was added instead of hydroxyurea. Furthermore, the present study shows that DcsG can also form other cyclicd-amino acid analogs, such asd-homocysteine thiolactone.


1999 ◽  
Vol 181 (19) ◽  
pp. 6214-6219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosario Muñoz ◽  
Marta Mollerach ◽  
Rubens López ◽  
Ernesto García

ABSTRACT The complete nucleotide sequence of the capsular gene cluster (cap8) responsible for the biosynthesis of the capsular polysaccharide of Streptococcus pneumoniae type 8 has been determined. The cap8 gene cluster, located between the genes dexB and aliA, is composed of 12 open reading frames. A 14.7-kb DNA fragment embracing the cap8genes was sufficient to transform an unencapsulated type 3 S. pneumoniae strain to a strain with the type 8 capsule. A possible scenario for the evolution of pneumococcal types 2 and 8 is outlined.


2008 ◽  
Vol 190 (15) ◽  
pp. 5190-5198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariëlle J. H. Moonen ◽  
Nanne M. Kamerbeek ◽  
Adrie H. Westphal ◽  
Sjef A. Boeren ◽  
Dick B. Janssen ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The catabolism of 4-hydroxyacetophenone in Pseudomonas fluorescens ACB is known to proceed through the intermediate formation of hydroquinone. Here, we provide evidence that hydroquinone is further degraded through 4-hydroxymuconic semialdehyde and maleylacetate to β-ketoadipate. The P. fluorescens ACB genes involved in 4-hydroxyacetophenone utilization were cloned and characterized. Sequence analysis of a 15-kb DNA fragment showed the presence of 14 open reading frames containing a gene cluster (hapCDEFGHIBA) of which at least four encoded enzymes are involved in 4-hydroxyacetophenone degradation: 4-hydroxyacetophenone monooxygenase (hapA), 4-hydroxyphenyl acetate hydrolase (hapB), 4-hydroxymuconic semialdehyde dehydrogenase (hapE), and maleylacetate reductase (hapF). In between hapF and hapB, three genes encoding a putative intradiol dioxygenase (hapG), a protein of the Yci1 family (hapH), and a [2Fe-2S] ferredoxin (hapI) were found. Downstream of the hap genes, five open reading frames are situated encoding three putative regulatory proteins (orf10, orf12, and orf13) and two proteins possibly involved in a membrane efflux pump (orf11 and orf14). Upstream of hapE, two genes (hapC and hapD) were present that showed weak similarity with several iron(II)-dependent extradiol dioxygenases. Based on these findings and additional biochemical evidence, it is proposed that the hapC and hapD gene products are involved in the ring cleavage of hydroquinone.


1998 ◽  
Vol 64 (9) ◽  
pp. 3140-3146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christoph Heidrich ◽  
Ulrike Pag ◽  
Michaele Josten ◽  
Jörg Metzger ◽  
Ralph W. Jack ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Epicidin 280 is a novel type A lantibiotic produced byStaphylococcus epidermidis BN 280. During C18reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography two epicidin 280 peaks were obtained; the two compounds had molecular masses of 3,133 ± 1.5 and 3,136 ± 1.5 Da, comparable antibiotic activities, and identical amino acid compositions. Amino acid sequence analysis revealed that epicidin 280 exhibits 75% similarity to Pep5. The strains that produce epicidin 280 and Pep5 exhibit cross-immunity, indicating that the immunity peptides cross-function in antagonization of both lantibiotics. The complete epicidin 280 gene cluster was cloned and was found to comprise at least five open reading frames (eciI, eciA, eciP,eciB, and eciC, in that order). The proteins encoded by these open reading frames exhibit significant sequence similarity to the biosynthetic proteins of the Pep5 operon ofStaphylococcus epidermidis 5. A gene for an ABC transporter, which is present in the Pep5 gene cluster but is necessary only for high yields (G. Bierbaum, M. Reis, C. Szekat, and H.-G. Sahl, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 60:4332–4338, 1994), was not detected. Instead, upstream of the immunity gene eciI we found an open reading frame, eciO, which could code for a novel lantibiotic modification enzyme involved in reduction of an N-terminally located oxopropionyl residue. Epicidin 280 produced by the heterologous host Staphylococcus carnosus TM 300 after introduction of eciIAPBC (i.e., no eciO was present) behaved homogeneously during reverse-phase chromatography.


1998 ◽  
Vol 180 (17) ◽  
pp. 4466-4474 ◽  
Author(s):  
Becky M. Bundy ◽  
Alan L. Campbell ◽  
Ellen L. Neidle

ABSTRACT Acinetobacter sp. strain ADP1 can use benzoate or anthranilate as a sole carbon source. These structurally similar compounds are independently converted to catechol, allowing further degradation to proceed via the β-ketoadipate pathway. In this study, the first step in anthranilate catabolism was characterized. A mutant unable to grow on anthranilate, ACN26, was selected. The sequence of a wild-type DNA fragment that restored growth revealed theantABC genes, encoding 54-, 19-, and 39-kDa proteins, respectively. The deduced AntABC sequences were homologous to those of class IB multicomponent aromatic ring-dihydroxylating enzymes, including the dioxygenase that initiates benzoate catabolism. Expression of antABC in Escherichia coli, a bacterium that normally does not degrade anthranilate, enabled the conversion of anthranilate to catechol. Unlike benzoate dioxygenase (BenABC), anthranilate dioxygenase (AntABC) catalyzed catechol formation without requiring a dehydrogenase. In Acinetobacter mutants,benC substituted for antC during growth on anthranilate, suggesting relatively broad substrate specificity of the BenC reductase, which transfers electrons from NADH to the terminal oxygenase. In contrast, the benAB genes did not substitute for antAB. An antA point mutation in ACN26 prevented anthranilate degradation, and this mutation was independent of a mucK mutation in the same strain that prevented exogenous muconate degradation. Anthranilate induced expression of antA, although no associated transcriptional regulators were identified. Disruption of three open reading frames in the immediate vicinity ofantABC did not prevent the use of anthranilate as a sole carbon source. TheantABC genes were mapped on the ADP1 chromosome and were not linked to the two known supraoperonic gene clusters involved in aromatic compound degradation.


2010 ◽  
Vol 54 (3) ◽  
pp. 1132-1139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takanori Kumagai ◽  
Yusuke Koyama ◽  
Kosuke Oda ◽  
Masafumi Noda ◽  
Yasuyuki Matoba ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT In the present study, we successfully cloned a 21-kb DNA fragment containing a d-cycloserine (DCS) biosynthetic gene cluster from a DCS-producing Streptomyces lavendulae strain, ATCC 11924. The putative gene cluster consists of 10 open reading frames (ORFs), designated dcsA to dcsJ. This cluster includes two ORFs encoding d-alanyl-d-alanine ligase (dcsI) and a putative membrane protein (dcsJ) as the self-resistance determinants of the producer organism, indicated by our previous work. When the 10 ORFs were introduced into DCS-nonproducing Streptomyces lividans 66 as a heterologous host cell, the transformant acquired DCS productivity. This reveals that the introduced genes are responsible for the biosynthesis of DCS. As anticipated, the disruption of dcsG, seen in the DCS biosynthetic gene cluster, made it possible for the strain ATCC 11924 to lose its DCS production. We here propose the DCS biosynthetic pathway. First, l-serine is O acetylated by a dcsE-encoded enzyme homologous to homoserine O-acetyltransferase. Second, O-acetyl-l-serine accepts hydroxyurea via an O-acetylserine sulfhydrylase homolog (dcsD product) and forms O-ureido-l-serine. The hydroxyurea must be supplied by the catalysis of a dcsB-encoded arginase homolog using the l-arginine derivative, N G-hydroxy-l-arginine. The resulting O-ureido-l-serine is then racemized to O-ureido-d-serine by a homolog of diaminopimelate epimerase. Finally, O-ureido-d-serine is cyclized to form DCS with the release of ammonia and carbon dioxide. The cyclization must be done by the dcsG or dcsH product, which belongs to the ATP-grasp fold family of protein.


2016 ◽  
Vol 198 (9) ◽  
pp. 1393-1400 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guangyu E. Chen ◽  
Andrew Hitchcock ◽  
Philip J. Jackson ◽  
Roy R. Chaudhuri ◽  
Mark J. Dickman ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTThe major photopigment of the cyanobacteriumAcaryochloris marinais chlorophylld, while its direct biosynthetic precursor, chlorophylla, is also present in the cell. These pigments, along with the majority of chlorophylls utilized by oxygenic phototrophs, carry an ethyl group at the C-8 position of the molecule, having undergone reduction of a vinyl group during biosynthesis. Two unrelated classes of 8-vinyl reductase involved in the biosynthesis of chlorophylls are known to exist, BciA and BciB. The genome ofAcaryochloris marinacontains open reading frames (ORFs) encoding proteins displaying high sequence similarity to BciA or BciB, although they are annotated as genes involved in transcriptional control (nmrA) and methanogenesis (frhB), respectively. These genes were introduced into an 8-vinyl chlorophylla-producing ΔbciBstrain ofSynechocystissp. strain PCC 6803, and both were shown to restore synthesis of the pigment with an ethyl group at C-8, demonstrating their activities as 8-vinyl reductases. We propose thatnmrAandfrhBbe reassigned asbciAandbciB, respectively; transcript and proteomic analysis ofAcaryochloris marinareveal that bothbciAandbciBare expressed and their encoded proteins are present in the cell, possibly in order to ensure that all synthesized chlorophyll pigment carries an ethyl group at C-8. Potential reasons for the presence of two 8-vinyl reductases in this strain, which is unique for cyanobacteria, are discussed.IMPORTANCEThe cyanobacteriumAcaryochloris marinais the best-studied phototrophic organism that uses chlorophylldfor photosynthesis. Unique among cyanobacteria sequenced to date, its genome contains ORFs encoding two unrelated enzymes that catalyze the reduction of the C-8 vinyl group of a precursor molecule to an ethyl group. Carrying a reduced C-8 group may be of particular importance to organisms containing chlorophylld. Plant genomes also contain orthologs of both of these genes; thus, the bacterial progenitor of the chloroplast may also have contained bothbciAandbciB.


2007 ◽  
Vol 73 (8) ◽  
pp. 2491-2497 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephan Bathe ◽  
Paul R. Norris

ABSTRACT Genes of Sulfolobus metallicus that appeared to be upregulated in relation to growth on either ferrous iron or sulfur were identified using subtractive hybridization of cDNAs. The genes upregulated during growth on ferrous iron were found in a cluster, and most were predicted to encode membrane proteins. Quantitative reverse transcription-PCR of cDNA showed upregulation of most of these genes during growth on ferrous iron and pyrite compared to results during growth on sulfur. The highest expression levels observed included those for genes encoding proteins with similarities to cytochrome c oxidase subunits and a CbsA-like cytochrome. The genes identified here that may be involved in oxidation of ferrous iron by S. metallicus are termed fox genes. Of three available genomes of Sulfolobus species (S. tokodaii, S. acidocaldarius, and S. solfataricus), only that of S. tokodaii has a cluster of highly similar open reading frames, and only S. tokodaii of these three species was also able to oxidize ferrous iron. A gene encoding sulfur oxygenase-reductase was identified as the source of the dominant transcript in sulfur-grown cells of S. metallicus, with the predicted protein showing high identities to the previously described examples from S. tokodaii and species of Acidianus.


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