scholarly journals Glucose-1,6-bisphosphate, a key metabolic regulator, is synthesized by a distinct family of α-phosphohexomutases widely distributed in prokaryotes

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niels Neumann ◽  
Simon Friz ◽  
Karl Forchhammer

AbstractThe reactions of α-D-phosphohexomutases (αPHM) are ubiquitous, key to primary metabolism and essential for several processes in all domains of life. The functionality of these enzymes relies on an initial auto-phosphorylation step which requires the presence of α-D-glucose-1,6-bisphosphate (Glc-1,6-BP). While well investigated in vertebrates, the origin of this activator compound in bacteria is unknown. Here we show that the Slr1334 protein from the unicellular cyanobacterium Synechocysitis sp. PCC 6803 is a Glc-1,6-BP-synthase. Biochemical analysis revealed that Slr1334 efficiently converts fructose-1,6-bisphosphate and α-D-glucose-1-phosphate/α-D-glucose-6-phosphate into Glc-1,6-BP and also catalyzes the reverse reaction. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the slr1334 product belongs to a primordial subfamily of αPHMs that is present especially in deeply branching bacteria and also includes human commensals and pathogens. Interestingly, the homologue of Slr1334 in the human gut bacterium Bacteroides salyersiae catalyzes the same reaction, suggesting a conserved and essential role for the members of this αPHM subfamily.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kateryna Kukil ◽  
Pia Lindberg

Abstract Background Phenylpropanoids represent a diverse class of industrially important secondary metabolites, synthesized in plants from phenylalanine and tyrosine. Cyanobacteria have a great potential for sustainable production of phenylpropanoids directly from CO2, due to their photosynthetic lifestyle with a fast growth compared to plants, and the ease of generating genetically engineered strains. This study focuses on photosynthetic production of the first compounds in the phenylpropanoid pathway, trans-cinnamic acid and p-coumaric acid, in the unicellular cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 (Synechocystis). This was achieved firstly via heterologous overexpression of a selected set of phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) enzymes from different organisms in Synechocystis. The resulting strains were evaluated for productivity to find the best performing candidate. Secondly, in order to further improve the titer of target compounds, we evaluated the use of stronger expression cassettes for increasing PAL protein levels, as well as knock-out of the laccase gene slr1573, as this was previously reported to prevent degradation of the target compounds in the cell. Finally, to investigate the effect of growth conditions on the production of trans-cinnamic acid and p-coumaric acid from Synechocystis, cultivation conditions promoting rapid, high density growth were tested. Results Results of comparative expression of PALs showed that the highest specific titer was achieved for the strain AtC, expressing a PAL from Arabidopsis thaliana, while a subsequent increase of protein level did not improve the productivity. In contrast to previous reports, the production of target compounds in strains where the slr1573 laccase had been knocked out was found to be lower compared to strains with wild type background. Additionally, the Δslr1573 strains exhibited a strong phenotype of slower growth rate and lower pigment content. The application of a high-density cultivation system for the growth of production strains allowed reaching the highest total titers of trans-cinnamic acid and p-coumaric acid reported so far, at around 0.8 and 0.4 g/L, respectively, after 4 days. Conclusions The production of trans-cinnamic acid, unlike that of p-coumaric acid, is not limited by the protein level of heterologously expressed PAL in Synechocystis. High density cultivation led to higher titres of both products, while knocking out slr1573 did not have a positive effect on production. This work contributes to capability of exploiting the primary metabolism of cyanobacteria for sustainable production of plant phenylpropanoids.


2022 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kateryna Kukil ◽  
Pia Lindberg

Abstract Background Phenylpropanoids represent a diverse class of industrially important secondary metabolites, synthesized in plants from phenylalanine and tyrosine. Cyanobacteria have a great potential for sustainable production of phenylpropanoids directly from CO2, due to their photosynthetic lifestyle with a fast growth compared to plants and the ease of generating genetically engineered strains. This study focuses on photosynthetic production of the starting compounds of the phenylpropanoid pathway, trans-cinnamic acid and p-coumaric acid, in the unicellular cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 (Synechocystis). Results A selected set of phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) enzymes from different organisms was overexpressed in Synechocystis, and the productivities of the resulting strains compared. To further improve the titer of target compounds, we evaluated the use of stronger expression cassettes for increasing PAL protein levels, as well as knock-out of the laccase gene slr1573, as this was previously reported to prevent degradation of the target compounds in the cell. Finally, to investigate the effect of growth conditions on the production of trans-cinnamic and p-coumaric acids from Synechocystis, cultivation conditions promoting rapid, high density growth were tested. Comparing the different PALs, the highest specific titer was achieved for the strain AtC, expressing PAL from Arabidopsis thaliana. A subsequent increase of protein level did not improve the productivity. Production of target compounds in strains where the slr1573 laccase had been knocked out was found to be lower compared to strains with wild type background, and the Δslr1573 strains exhibited a strong phenotype of slower growth rate and lower pigment content. Application of a high-density cultivation system for the growth of production strains allowed reaching the highest total titers of trans-cinnamic and p-coumaric acids reported so far, at around 0.8 and 0.4 g L−1, respectively, after 4 days. Conclusions Production of trans-cinnamic acid, unlike that of p-coumaric acid, is not limited by the protein level of heterologously expressed PAL in Synechocystis. High density cultivation led to higher titres of both products, while knocking out slr1573 did not have a positive effect on production. This work contributes to capability of exploiting the primary metabolism of cyanobacteria for sustainable production of plant phenylpropanoids.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maki Nishii ◽  
Shoki Ito ◽  
Noriaki Katayama ◽  
Takashi Osanai

AbstractA unicellular cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 possesses a unique tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, wherein the intracellular citrate levels are approximately 1.5–10 times higher than the levels of other TCA cycle metabolite. Aconitase catalyses the reversible isomerisation of citrate and isocitrate. Herein, we biochemically analysed Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 aconitase (SyAcnB), using citrate and isocitrate as the substrates. We observed that the activity of SyAcnB for citrate was highest at pH 7.7 and 45 °C and for isocitrate at pH 8.0 and 53 °C. The Km value of SyAcnB for citrate was higher than that for isocitrate under the same conditions. The Km value of SyAcnB for isocitrate was 3.6-fold higher than the reported Km values of isocitrate dehydrogenase for isocitrate. Therefore, we suggest that citrate accumulation depends on the enzyme kinetics of SyAcnB, and 2-oxoglutarate production depends on the chemical equilibrium in this cyanobacterium.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Divjot Kaur ◽  
Christophe Corre ◽  
Fabrizio Alberti

Isoprenoid quinones are bioactive molecules that include an isoprenoid chain and a quinone head. They are traditionally found to be involved in primary metabolism, where they act as electron transporters, but specialized isoprenoid quinones are also produced by all domains of life. Here, we report the engineering of a baker's yeast strain, Saccharomyces cerevisiae EPYFA3, for the production of isoprenoid quinones. Our yeast strain was developed through overexpression of the shikimate pathway in a well-established recipient strain (S. cerevisiae EPY300) where the mevalonate pathway is overexpressed. As a proof of concept, our new host strain was used to overproduce the endogenous isoprenoid quinone coenzyme Q6, resulting in a final four-fold production increase. EPYFA3 represents a valuable platform for the heterologous production of high value isoprenoid quinones. EPYFA3 will also facilitate the elucidation of isoprenoid quinone biosynthetic pathways.


2018 ◽  
Vol 84 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Heidi Doden ◽  
Lina A. Sallam ◽  
Saravanan Devendran ◽  
Lindsey Ly ◽  
Greta Doden ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTBile acids are important cholesterol-derived nutrient signaling hormones, synthesized in the liver, that act as detergents to solubilize dietary lipids. Bile acid 7α-dehydroxylating gut bacteria generate the toxic bile acids deoxycholic acid and lithocholic acid from host bile acids. The ability of these bacteria to remove the 7-hydroxyl group is partially dependent on 7α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSDH) activity, which reduces 7-oxo-bile acids generated by other gut bacteria. 3α-HSDH has an important enzymatic activity in the bile acid 7α-dehydroxylation pathway. 12α-HSDH activity has been reported for the low-activity bile acid 7α-dehydroxylating bacteriumClostridium leptum; however, this activity has not been reported for high-activity bile acid 7α-dehydroxylating bacteria, such asClostridium scindens,Clostridium hylemonae, andClostridium hiranonis. Here, we demonstrate that these strains express bile acid 12α-HSDH. The recombinant enzymes were characterized from each species and shown to preferentially reduce 12-oxolithocholic acid to deoxycholic acid, with low activity against 12-oxochenodeoxycholic acid and reduced activity when bile acids were conjugated to taurine or glycine. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that 12α-HSDH is widespread amongFirmicutes,Actinobacteriain theCoriobacteriaceaefamily, and human gutArchaea.IMPORTANCE12α-HSDH activity has been established in the medically important bile acid 7α-dehydroxylating bacteriaC. scindens,C. hiranonis, andC. hylemonae. Experiments with recombinant 12α-HSDHs from these strains are consistent with culture-based experiments that show a robust preference for 12-oxolithocholic acid over 12-oxochenodeoxycholic acid. Phylogenetic analysis identified novel members of the gut microbiome encoding 12α-HSDH. Future reengineering of 12α-HSDH enzymes to preferentially oxidize cholic acid may provide a means to industrially produce the therapeutic bile acid ursodeoxycholic acid. In addition, a cholic acid-specific 12α-HSDH expressed in the gut may be useful for the reduction in deoxycholic acid concentration, a bile acid implicated in cancers of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.


2016 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
pp. 236-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhen Chen ◽  
Li-Hong Zhan ◽  
Hai-Feng Hou ◽  
Zeng-Qiang Gao ◽  
Jian-Hua Xu ◽  
...  

InEscherichia coli, the Omp85 protein BamA and four lipoproteins (BamBCDE) constitute the BAM complex, which is essential for the assembly and insertion of outer membrane proteins into the outer membrane. Here, the crystal structure of BamB in complex with the POTRA3–4 domains of BamA is reported at 2.1 Å resolution. Based on this structure, the POTRA3 domain is associated with BamBviahydrogen-bonding and hydrophobic interactions. Structural and biochemical analysis revealed that the conserved residues Arg77, Glu127, Glu150, Ser167, Leu192, Leu194 and Arg195 of BamB play an essential role in interaction with the POTRA3 domain.


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