Complementary roles of SufA and IscA in the biogenesis of iron–sulfur clusters in Escherichia coli

Biogenesis of iron–sulfur clusters requires a concerted delivery of iron and sulfur to target proteins. It is now clear that sulfur in iron–sulfur clusters is derived from L-cysteine via cysteine desulfurases. However, the specific iron donor for the iron–sulfur cluster assembly still remains elusive. Previous studies showed that IscA, a member of the iron–sulfur cluster assembly machinery in Escherichia coli, is a novel iron-binding protein, and that the iron-bound IscA can provide iron for the iron–sulfur cluster assembly in a proposed scaffold IscU in vitro. However, genetic studies have indicated that IscA is not essential for the cell growth of E. coli. In the present paper, we report that SufA, an IscA paralogue in E. coli, may represent the redundant activity of IscA. Although deletion of IscA or SufA has only a mild effect on cell growth, deletion of both IscA and SufA in E. coli results in a severe growth phenotype in minimal medium under aerobic growth conditions. Cell growth is restored when either IscA or SufA is re-introduced into the iscA−/sufA− double mutant, demonstrating further that either IscA or SufA is sufficient for their functions in vivo. Purified SufA, like IscA, is an iron-binding protein that can provide iron for the iron–sulfur cluster assembly in IscU in the presence of a thioredoxin reductase system which emulates the intracellular redox potential. Site-directed mutagenesis studies show that the SufA/IscA variants that lose the specific iron-binding activity fail to restore the cell growth of the iscA−/sufA− double mutant. The results suggest that SufA and IscA may constitute the redundant cellular activities to recruit intracellular iron and deliver iron for the iron–sulfur cluster assembly in E. coli.

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Iron-binding activity of human iron–sulfur cluster assembly protein hIscA1

Biochemical Journal ◽

10.1042/bj20100122 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 428 (1) ◽

pp. 125-131 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Jianxin Lu ◽

Jacob P. Bitoun ◽

Guoqiang Tan ◽

Wu Wang ◽

Wenguang Min ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cell Growth ◽

Iron Binding ◽

Cluster Assembly ◽

Visible Absorption ◽

Iron Sulfur Cluster ◽

Sulfur Cluster ◽

E Coli ◽

Mononuclear Iron ◽

Iron Sulfur

A human homologue of the iron–sulfur cluster assembly protein IscA (hIscA1) has been cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli cells. The UV–visible absorption and EPR (electron paramagnetic resonance) measurements reveal that hIscA1 purified from E. coli cells contains a mononuclear iron centre and that the iron binding in hIscA1 expressed in E. coli cells can be further modulated by the iron content in the cell growth medium. Additional studies show that purified hIscA1 binds iron with an iron association constant of approx. 2×1019 M−1, and that the iron-bound hIscA1 is able to provide the iron for the iron–sulfur cluster assembly in a proposed scaffold protein, IscU of E. coli, in vitro. The complementation experiments indicate that hIscA1 can partially substitute for IscA in restoring the cell growth of E. coli in the M9 minimal medium under aerobic conditions. The results suggest that hIscA1, like E. coli IscA, is an iron-binding protein that may act as an iron chaperone for biogenesis of iron–sulfur clusters.

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In vivo evidence for the iron-binding activity of an iron–sulfur cluster assembly protein IscA in Escherichia coli

Biochemical Journal ◽

10.1042/bj20101507 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 432 (3) ◽

pp. 429-436 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

Wu Wang ◽

Hao Huang ◽

Guoqiang Tan ◽

Fan Si ◽

Min Liu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Growth Conditions ◽

Binding Activity ◽

Anaerobic Growth ◽

Iron Binding ◽

Cluster Assembly ◽

Iron Sulfur Cluster ◽

Sulfur Cluster ◽

E Coli ◽

Iron Sulfur

IscA is a key member of the iron–sulfur cluster assembly machinery in prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms; however, the physiological function of IscA still remains elusive. In the present paper we report the in vivo evidence demonstrating the iron-binding activity of IscA in Escherichia coli cells. Supplement of exogenous iron (1 μM) in M9 minimal medium is sufficient to maximize the iron binding in IscA expressed in E. coli cells under aerobic growth conditions. In contrast, IscU, an iron–sulfur cluster assembly scaffold protein, or CyaY, a bacterial frataxin homologue, fails to bind any iron in E. coli cells under the same experimental conditions. Interestingly, the strong iron-binding activity of IscA is greatly diminished in E. coli cells under anaerobic growth conditions. Additional studies reveal that oxygen in medium promotes the iron binding in IscA, and that the iron binding in IscA in turn prevents formation of biologically inaccessible ferric hydroxide under aerobic conditions. Consistent with the differential iron-binding activity of IscA under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, we find that IscA and its paralogue SufA are essential for the iron–sulfur cluster assembly in E. coli cells under aerobic growth conditions, but not under anaerobic growth conditions. The results provide in vivo evidence that IscA may act as an iron chaperone for the biogenesis of iron–sulfur clusters in E. coli cells under aerobic conditions.

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Identification of an Intermediate Form of Ferredoxin That Binds Only Iron Suggests That Conversion to Holo-Ferredoxin Is Independent of the ISC System in Escherichia coli

Applied and Environmental Microbiology ◽

10.1128/aem.03153-20 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 87 (10) ◽

Author(s):

Xiaojun Ren ◽

Feng Liang ◽

Zhengfen He ◽

Bingqian Fan ◽

Zhirong Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Escherichia Coli ◽

Cold Stress ◽

Stress Conditions ◽

Iron Binding ◽

Cluster Assembly ◽

Iron Sulfur Cluster ◽

Content Type ◽

Sulfur Cluster ◽

E Coli ◽

Iron Sulfur

ABSTRACT Escherichia coli [2Fe-2S]-ferredoxin and other ISC proteins encoded by the iscRSUA-hscBA-fdx-iscX (isc) operon are responsible for the assembly of iron-sulfur clusters. It is proposed that ferredoxin (Fdx) donates electrons from its reduced [2Fe-2S] center to iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis reactions. However, the underlying mechanisms of the [2Fe-2S] cluster assembly in Fdx remain elusive. Here, we report that Fdx preferentially binds iron, but not the [2Fe-2S] cluster, under cold stress conditions (≤16°C). The iron binding in Fdx is characterized by a unique absorption peak at 320 nm based on UV-visible spectroscopy. In addition, the iron-binding form of Fdx could be converted to the [2Fe-2S] cluster-bound form after transferring cold-stressed cells to normal cultivation temperatures above 25°C. In vitro experiments also revealed that Fdx could utilize bound iron to assemble the [2Fe-2S] cluster by itself. Furthermore, inactivation of the genes encoding IscS, IscU, and IscA did not limit [2Fe-2S] cluster assembly in Fdx, which was also observed by inactivating the isc or suf operon, indicating that iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis in Fdx arose from a unique pathway in E. coli. Our results suggest that the intracellular assembly of [2Fe-2S] clusters in Fdx is susceptible to environmental temperatures. The iron binding form of Fdx (Fe-Fdx) is a precursor during its maturation to a cluster binding form ([2Fe-2S]-Fdx), and reassembly of the [2Fe-2S] clusters during temperature increases is not strictly reliant on other specific iron donors and scaffold proteins within the Isc or Suf system. IMPORTANCE Fdx is an electron carrier that is required for the maturation of many other iron-sulfur proteins. Its function strictly depends on its [2Fe-2S] center that bonds with the cysteinyl S atoms of four cysteine residues within Fdx. However, the assembly mechanism of the [2Fe-2S] clusters in Fdx remains controversial. This study reports that Fdx fails to form its [2Fe-2S] cluster under cold stress conditions but instead binds a single Fe atom at the cluster binding site. Moreover, when temperatures increase, Fdx can assemble clusters by itself from its iron-only binding form in E. coli cells. The possibility remains that Fdx can effectively accept clusters from multiple sources. Nevertheless, our results suggest that Fdx has a strong iron binding activity that contributes to the assembly of its own [2Fe-2S] cluster and that Fdx acts as a temperature sensor to regulate Isc system-mediated iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis.

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Multiple Sense and Antisense Promoters Contribute to the Regulated Expression of the isc-suf Operon for Iron-Sulfur Cluster Assembly in Rhodobacter

Microorganisms ◽

10.3390/microorganisms7120671 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 7 (12) ◽

pp. 671 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Xin Nie ◽

Bernhard Remes ◽

Gabriele Klug

Keyword(s):

Rhodobacter Sphaeroides ◽

Photosynthetic Electron Transport ◽

Regulatory Proteins ◽

Cluster Assembly ◽

Iron Sulfur Cluster ◽

Iron Sulfur Clusters ◽

Sulfur Cluster ◽

Iron Sulfur ◽

Photosynthetic Complexes ◽

The One

A multitude of biological functions relies on iron-sulfur clusters. The formation of photosynthetic complexes goes along with an additional demand for iron-sulfur clusters for bacteriochlorophyll synthesis and photosynthetic electron transport. However, photooxidative stress leads to the destruction of iron-sulfur clusters, and the released iron promotes the formation of further reactive oxygen species. A balanced regulation of iron-sulfur cluster synthesis is required to guarantee the supply of this cofactor, on the one hand, but also to limit stress, on the other hand. The phototrophic alpha-proteobacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides harbors a large operon for iron-sulfur cluster assembly comprising the iscRS and suf genes. IscR (iron-sulfur cluster regulator) is an iron-dependent regulator of isc-suf genes and other genes with a role in iron metabolism. We applied reporter gene fusions to identify promoters of the isc-suf operon and studied their activity alone or in combination under different conditions. Gel-retardation assays showed the binding of regulatory proteins to individual promoters. Our results demonstrated that several promoters in a sense and antisense direction influenced isc-suf expression and the binding of the IscR, Irr, and OxyR regulatory proteins to individual promoters. These findings demonstrated a complex regulatory network of several promoters and regulatory proteins that helped to adjust iron-sulfur cluster assembly to changing conditions in Rhodobacter sphaeroides.

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Zinc Toxicity and Iron-Sulfur Cluster Biogenesis inEscherichia coli

Applied and Environmental Microbiology ◽

10.1128/aem.01967-18 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 85 (9) ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Jianghui Li ◽

Xiaojun Ren ◽

Bingqian Fan ◽

Zhaoyang Huang ◽

Wu Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Binding Activity ◽

Zinc Toxicity ◽

Cluster Assembly ◽

Intracellular Zinc ◽

Iron Sulfur Cluster ◽

Content Type ◽

Sulfur Cluster ◽

E Coli ◽

Iron Sulfur ◽

Assembly Proteins

ABSTRACTWhile zinc is an essential trace metal in biology, excess zinc is toxic to organisms. Previous studies have shown that zinc toxicity is associated with disruption of the [4Fe-4S] clusters in various dehydratases inEscherichia coli. Here, we report that the intracellular zinc overload inE. colicells inhibits iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis without affecting the preassembled iron-sulfur clusters in proteins. Among the housekeeping iron-sulfur cluster assembly proteins encoded by the gene clusteriscSUA-hscBA-fdx-iscXinE. colicells, the scaffold IscU, the iron chaperone IscA, and ferredoxin have strong zinc binding activity in cells, suggesting that intracellular zinc overload inhibits iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis by binding to the iron-sulfur cluster assembly proteins. Mutations of the conserved cysteine residues to serine in IscA, IscU, or ferredoxin completely abolish the zinc binding activity of the proteins, indicating that zinc can compete with iron or iron-sulfur cluster binding in IscA, IscU, and ferredoxin and block iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis. Furthermore, intracellular zinc overload appears to emulate the slow-growth phenotype of theE. colimutant cells with deletion of the iron-sulfur cluster assembly proteins IscU, IscA, and ferredoxin. Our results suggest that intracellular zinc overload inhibits iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis by targeting the iron-sulfur cluster assembly proteins IscU, IscA, and ferredoxin inE. colicells.IMPORTANCEZinc toxicity has been implicated in causing various human diseases. High concentrations of zinc can also inhibit bacterial cell growth. However, the underlying mechanism has not been fully understood. Here, we report that zinc overload inEscherichia colicells inhibits iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis by targeting specific iron-sulfur cluster assembly proteins. Because iron-sulfur proteins are involved in diverse physiological processes, the zinc-mediated inhibition of iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis could be largely responsible for the zinc-mediated cytotoxicity. Our finding provides new insights on how intracellular zinc overload may inhibit cellular functions in bacteria.

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The Role of CyaY in Iron Sulfur Cluster Assembly on the E. coli IscU Scaffold Protein

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0021992 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 6 (7) ◽

pp. e21992 ◽

Cited By ~ 35

Author(s):

Clara Iannuzzi ◽

Salvatore Adinolfi ◽

Barry D. Howes ◽

Ricardo Garcia-Serres ◽

Martin Clémancey ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Scaffold Protein ◽

Cluster Assembly ◽

Iron Sulfur Cluster ◽

Sulfur Cluster ◽

E Coli ◽

Iron Sulfur

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Biogenesis and Transfer of Iron-Sulfur Clusters from Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.825.198 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 825 ◽

pp. 198-201 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jian She Liu ◽

Lin Qian ◽

Chun Li Zheng

Keyword(s):

Acidithiobacillus Ferrooxidans ◽

Binding Protein ◽

Cluster Assembly ◽

Cysteine Desulfurase ◽

Iron Sulfur Cluster ◽

Iron Sulfur Clusters ◽

Sulfur Cluster ◽

Iron Sulfur ◽

Iron Sulfur Proteins

Iron-sulfur (Fe-S) proteins are ubiquitous and participate in multiple essential functions of life. However, little is currently known about the mechanisms of iron-sulfur biosynthesis and transfer in acidophilic microorganisms. In this study, the IscS, IscU and IscA proteins from Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans were successfully expressed in Escherichia coli and purified by affinity chromatography. The IscS was a cysteine desulfurase which catalyzes desulfurization of L-cysteine and transfer sulfur for iron-sulfur cluster assembly. Purified IscU did not have an iron-sulfur cluster but could act as a scaffold protein to assemble the [2Fe-2S] cluster in vitro. The IscA was a [4Fe-4S] cluster binding protein, but it also acted as an iron binding protein. Further studies indicated that the iron sulfur clusters could be transferred from pre-assembled scaffold proteins to apo-form iron sulfur proteins, the reconstituted iron sulfur proteins could restore their physiological activities.

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