scholarly journals Novel, Oxygen-Insensitive Group 5 [NiFe]-Hydrogenase in Ralstonia eutropha

2013 ◽  
Vol 79 (17) ◽  
pp. 5137-5145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caspar Schäfer ◽  
Bärbel Friedrich ◽  
Oliver Lenz

ABSTRACTRecently, a novel group of [NiFe]-hydrogenases has been defined that appear to have a great impact in the global hydrogen cycle. This so-called group 5 [NiFe]-hydrogenase is widespread in soil-living actinobacteria and can oxidize molecular hydrogen at atmospheric levels, which suggests a high affinity of the enzyme toward H2. Here, we provide a biochemical characterization of a group 5 hydrogenase from the betaproteobacteriumRalstonia eutrophaH16. The hydrogenase was designated an actinobacterial hydrogenase (AH) and is catalytically active, as shown by thein vivoH2uptake and by activity staining in native gels. However, the enzyme does not sustain autotrophic growth on H2. The AH was purified to homogeneity by affinity chromatography and consists of two subunits with molecular masses of 65 and 37 kDa. Among the electron acceptors tested, nitroblue tetrazolium chloride was reduced by the AH at highest rates. At 30°C and pH 8, the specific activity of the enzyme was 0.3 μmol of H2per min and mg of protein. However, an unexpectedly high Michaelis constant (Km) for H2of 3.6 ± 0.5 μM was determined, which is in contrast to the previously proposed lowKmof group 5 hydrogenases and makes atmospheric H2uptake byR. eutrophamost unlikely. Amperometric activity measurements revealed that the AH maintains full H2oxidation activity even at atmospheric oxygen concentrations, showing that the enzyme is insensitive toward O2.

2018 ◽  
Vol 84 (17) ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiu Meng ◽  
Yijuan Sun ◽  
Haichun Gao

ABSTRACT Nitric oxide (NO) is a radical gas that reacts with various biological molecules in complex ways to inhibit growth as a bacteriostatic agent. NO is nearly ubiquitous because it can be generated both biotically and abiotically. To protect the cell from NO damage, bacteria have evolved many strategies, with the production of detoxifying enzymatic systems being the most efficient. Here, we report that c-type cytochromes (cytochromes c) constitute a primary NO protection system in Shewanella oneidensis, a Gram-negative environmental bacterium renowned for respiratory versatility due to its high cytochrome c content. By using mutants producing cytochromes c at varying levels, we found that the content of these proteins is inversely correlated with the growth inhibition imposed by NO, whereas the effect of each individual cytochrome c is negligible. This NO-protecting system has no effect on nitrite inhibition. In the absence of cytochromes c, other NO targets and protective proteins, such as NnrS, emerge to show physiological influences during the NO stress. We further demonstrate that cytochromes c also play a similar role in Escherichia coli, albeit only modestly. Our data thus identify the in vivo function of an important group of proteins in alleviating NO stress. IMPORTANCE It is widely accepted that the antibacterial effects of nitrite are attributable to nitric oxide (NO) formation, suggesting a correlation of bacterial susceptibilities to these two chemicals. However, compared to E. coli, S. oneidensis is highly sensitive to nitrite but resistant to NO, implying the presence of robust NO-protective systems. Here, we show that c-type cytochromes (cytochromes c) play a main role in protecting S. oneidensis against damages from NO but not from nitrite. In their absence, impacts of proteins that promote NO tolerance and that are targets of NO inhibition become evident. Our data thus reveal the specific activity of cytochromes c in alleviating the stress caused by NO but not nitrite.


2015 ◽  
Vol 82 (3) ◽  
pp. 910-921 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonie Wenning ◽  
Nadine Stöveken ◽  
Jan Hendrik Wübbeler ◽  
Alexander Steinbüchel

ABSTRACTCysteine dioxygenases (Cdos), which catalyze the sulfoxidation of cysteine to cysteine sulfinic acid (CSA), have been extensively studied in eukaryotes because of their roles in several diseases. In contrast, only a few prokaryotic enzymes of this type have been investigated. InRalstonia eutrophaH16, two Cdo homologues (CdoA and CdoB) have been identified previously.In vivostudies showed thatEscherichia colicells expressing CdoA could convert 3-mercaptopropionate (3MP) to 3-sulfinopropionate (3SP), whereas no 3SP could be detected in cells expressing CdoB. The objective of this study was to confirm these findings and to study both enzymes in detail by performing anin vitrocharacterization. The proteins were heterologously expressed and purified to apparent homogeneity by immobilized metal chelate affinity chromatography (IMAC). Subsequent analysis of the enzyme activities revealed striking differences with regard to their substrate ranges and their specificities for the transition metal cofactor, e.g., CdoA catalyzed the sulfoxidation of 3MP to a 3-fold-greater extent than the sulfoxidation of cysteine, whereas CdoB converted only cysteine. Moreover, the dependency of the activities of the Cdos fromR. eutrophaH16 on the metal cofactor in the active center could be demonstrated. The importance of CdoA for the metabolism of the sulfur compounds 3,3′-thiodipropionic acid (TDP) and 3,3′-dithiodipropionic acid (DTDP) by further converting their degradation product, 3MP, was confirmed. Since 3MP can also function as a precursor for polythioester (PTE) synthesis inR. eutrophaH16, deletion ofcdoAmight enable increased synthesis of PTEs.


2016 ◽  
Vol 82 (16) ◽  
pp. 4975-4981 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorena Rodríguez-Rubio ◽  
Hans Gerstmans ◽  
Simon Thorpe ◽  
Stéphane Mesnage ◽  
Rob Lavigne ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTBacteriophage-encoded endolysins are highly diverse enzymes that cleave the bacterial peptidoglycan layer. Current research focuses on their potential applications in medicine, in food conservation, and as biotechnological tools. Despite the wealth of applications relying on the use of endolysin, little is known about the enzymatic properties of these enzymes, especially in the case of endolysins of bacteriophages infecting Gram-negative species. Automated genome annotations therefore remain to be confirmed. Here, we report the biochemical analysis and cleavage site determination of a novelSalmonellabacteriophage endolysin, Gp110, which comprises an uncharacterizeddomain ofunknownfunction (DUF3380; pfam11860) in its C terminus and shows a higher specific activity (34,240 U/μM) than that of 14 previously characterized endolysins active against peptidoglycan from Gram-negative bacteria (corresponding to 1.7- to 364-fold higher activity). Gp110 is a modular endolysin with an optimal pH of enzymatic activity of pH 8 and elevated thermal resistance. Reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) analysis coupled to mass spectrometry showed that DUF3380 hasN-acetylmuramidase (lysozyme) activity cleaving the β-(1,4) glycosidic bond betweenN-acetylmuramic acid andN-acetylglucosamine residues. Gp110 is active against directly cross-linked peptidoglycans with various peptide stem compositions, making it an attractive enzyme for developing novel antimicrobial agents.IMPORTANCEWe report the functional and biochemical characterization of theSalmonellaphage endolysin Gp110. This endolysin has a modular structure with an enzymatically active domain and a cell wall binding domain. The enzymatic activity of this endolysin exceeds that of all other endolysins previously characterized using the same methods. A domain of unknown function (DUF3380) is responsible for this high enzymatic activity. We report that DUF3380 hasN-acetylmuramidase activity against directly cross-linked peptidoglycans with various peptide stem compositions. This experimentally verified activity allows better classification and understanding of the enzymatic activities of endolysins, which mostly are inferred by sequence similarities. Three-dimensional structure predictions for Gp110 suggest a fold that is completely different from that of known structures of enzymes with the same peptidoglycan cleavage specificity, making this endolysin quite unique. All of these features, combined with increased thermal resistance, make Gp110 an attractive candidate for engineering novel endolysin-based antibacterials.


1967 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 760-768 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joan Harrison ◽  
A J W Hitchman ◽  
J M Finlay

Abstract Published reports of a fraction of blood calcium that does not equilibrate with a tracer has created a controversy that challenges the validity of much calcium kinetic data. To resolve this controversy, calcium specific-activity measurements were made on blood and urine samples in vitro and in vivo. The experiments were designed to provide maximal sensitivity for demonstrating non exchangeable calcium. A new and accurate method for urine calcium determinations was used. The results demonstrated complete equilibration between tracer and stable blood calcium. We suggest that published evidence of non exchangeable calcium in blood and urine is erroneous due to inaccurate urine calcium determinations.


2012 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 1503-1511 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michele Saliola ◽  
Angela Tramonti ◽  
Claudio Lanini ◽  
Samantha Cialfi ◽  
Daniela De Biase ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTIn the yeastKluyveromyces lactis, glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) is detected as two differently migrating forms on native polyacrylamide gels. The pivotal metabolic role of G6PDH inK. lactisled us to investigate the mechanism controlling the two activities in respiratory and fermentative mutant strains. An extensive analysis of these mutants showed that the NAD+(H)/NADP+(H)-dependent cytosolic alcohol (ADH) and aldehyde (ALD) dehydrogenase balance affects the expression of the G6PDH activity pattern. Under fermentative/ethanol growth conditions, the concomitant activation of ADH and ALD activities led to cytosolic accumulation of NADPH, triggering an alteration in the oligomeric state of the G6PDH caused by displacement/release of the structural NADP+bound to each subunit of the enzyme. The new oligomeric G6PDH form with faster-migrating properties increases as a consequence of intracellular redox unbalance/NADPH accumulation, which inhibits G6PDH activityin vivo. The appearance of a new G6PDH-specific activity band, following incubation ofSaccharomyces cerevisiaeand human cellular extracts with NADP+, also suggests that a regulatory mechanism of this activity through NADPH accumulation is highly conserved among eukaryotes.


2004 ◽  
Vol 186 (16) ◽  
pp. 5292-5302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katja Otto ◽  
Karin Hofstetter ◽  
Martina Röthlisberger ◽  
Bernard Witholt ◽  
Andreas Schmid

ABSTRACT Pseudomonas sp. VLB120 uses styrene as a sole source of carbon and energy. The first step in this metabolic pathway is catalyzed by an oxygenase (StyA) and a NADH-flavin oxidoreductase (StyB). Both components have been isolated from wild-type Pseudomonas strain VLB120 as well as from recombinant Escherichia coli. StyA from both sources is a dimer, with a subunit size of 47 kDa, and catalyzes the enantioselective epoxidation of C═C double bonds. Styrene is exclusively converted to S-styrene oxide with a specific activity of 2.1 U mg−1 (k cat = 1.6 s−1) and Km values for styrene of 0.45 ± 0.05 mM (wild type) and 0.38 ± 0.09 mM (recombinant). The epoxidation reaction depends on the presence of a NADH-flavin adenine dinucleotide (NADH-FAD) oxidoreductase for the supply of reduced FAD. StyB is a dimer with a molecular mass of 18 kDa and a NADH oxidation activity of 200 U mg−1 (k cat [NADH] = 60 s−1). Steady-state kinetics determined for StyB indicate a mechanism of sequential binding of NADH and flavin to StyB. This enzyme reduces FAD as well as flavin mononucleotide and riboflavin. The NADH oxidation activity does not depend on the presence of StyA. During the epoxidation reaction, no formation of a complex of StyA and StyB has been observed, suggesting that electron transport between reductase and oxygenase occurs via a diffusing flavin.


2017 ◽  
Vol 199 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
William A. Hendrick ◽  
Mona W. Orr ◽  
Samantha R. Murray ◽  
Vincent T. Lee ◽  
Stephen B. Melville

ABSTRACT The Gram-positive pathogen Clostridium perfringens possesses type IV pili (TFP), which are extracellular fibers that are polymerized from a pool of pilin monomers in the cytoplasmic membrane. Two proteins that are essential for pilus functions are an assembly ATPase (PilB) and an inner membrane core protein (PilC). Two homologues each of PilB and PilC are present in C. perfringens, called PilB1/PilB2 and PilC1/PilC2, respectively, along with four pilin proteins, PilA1 to PilA4. The gene encoding PilA2, which is considered the major pilin based on previous studies, is immediately downstream of the pilB2 and pilC2 genes. Purified PilB2 had ATPase activity, bound zinc, formed hexamers even in the absence of ATP, and bound the second messenger molecule cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP). Circular dichroism spectroscopy of purified PilC2 indicated that it retained its predicted degree of alpha-helical secondary structure. Even though no direct interactions between PilB2 and PilC2 could be detected in vivo or in vitro even in the presence of c-di-GMP, high levels of expression of a diguanylate cyclase from C. perfringens (CPE1788) stimulated polymerization of PilA2 in a PilB2- and PilC2-dependent manner. These results suggest that PilB2 activity is controlled by c-di-GMP levels in vivo but that PilB2-PilC2 interactions are either transitory or of low affinity, in contrast to results reported previously from in vivo studies of the PilB1/PilC1 pair in which PilC1 was needed for polar localization of PilB1. This is the first biochemical characterization of a c-di-GMP-dependent assembly ATPase from a Gram-positive bacterium. IMPORTANCE Type IV pili (TFP) are protein fibers involved in important bacterial functions, including motility, adherence to surfaces and host cells, and natural transformation. All clostridia whose genomes have been sequenced show evidence of the presence of TFP. The genetically tractable species Clostridium perfringens was used to study proteins involved in polymerizing the pilin, PilA2, into a pilus. The assembly ATPase PilB2 and its cognate membrane protein partner, PilC2, were purified. PilB2 bound the intracellular signal molecule c-di-GMP. Increased levels of intracellular c-di-GMP led to increased polymerization of PilA2, indicating that Gram-positive bacteria use this molecule to regulate pilus synthesis. These findings provide valuable information for understanding how pathogenic clostridia regulate TFP to cause human diseases.


2006 ◽  
Vol 393 (3) ◽  
pp. 789-795 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrii Domanskyi ◽  
Katja T. Virtanen ◽  
Jorma J. Palvimo ◽  
Olli A. Jänne

ARIP4 [AR (androgen receptor)-interacting protein 4] is a member of the SNF2-like family of proteins. Its sequence similarity to known proteins is restricted to the centrally located SNF2 ATPase domain. ARIP4 is an active ATPase, and dsDNA (double-stranded DNA) and ssDNA (single-stranded DNA) enhance its catalytic activity. We show in the present study that ARIP4 interacts with AR and binds to DNA and mononucleosomes. The N-terminal region of ARIP4 mediates interaction with AR. Kinetic parameters of the ARIP4 ATPase are similar to those of BRG-1 and SNF2h, two members of the SNF2-like protein family, but the specific activity of ARIP4 protein purified to >90% homogeneity is approximately ten times lower, being 120 molecules of ATP hydrolysed by an ARIP4 molecule per min in contrast with approx. 1000 ATP molecules hydrolysed per min by ATP-dependent chromatin remodellers. Unlike other members of the SNF2 family, ARIP4 does not appear to form large protein complexes in vivo or remodel mononucleosomes in vitro. ARIP4 is covalently modified by sumoylation, and mutation of six potential SUMO (small ubiquitin-related modifier) attachment sites abolished the ability of ARIP4 to bind DNA, hydrolyse ATP and activate AR function. We conclude that, similar to its closest homologues in the SNF2-like protein family, ATRX (α-thalassemia, mental retardation, X-linked) and Rad54, ARIP4 does not seem to be a classical chromatin remodelling protein.


2011 ◽  
Vol 78 (1) ◽  
pp. 134-143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anisha Goel ◽  
Filipe Santos ◽  
Willem M. de Vos ◽  
Bas Teusink ◽  
Douwe Molenaar

ABSTRACTKnowledge of how the activity of enzymes is affected underin vivoconditions is essential for analyzing their regulation and constructing models that yield an integrated understanding of cell behavior. Current kinetic parameters forLactococcus lactisare scattered through different studies and performed under different assay conditions. Furthermore, assay conditions often diverge from conditions prevailing in the intracellular environment. To establish uniform assay conditions that resemble intracellular conditions, we analyzed the intracellular composition of anaerobic glucose-limited chemostat cultures ofL. lactissubsp.cremorisMG 1363. Based on this, we designed a new assay medium for enzyme activity measurements of growing cells ofL. lactis, mimicking as closely as practically possible its intracellular environment. Procedures were optimized to be carried out in 96-well plates, and the reproducibility and dynamic range were checked for all enzyme activity measurements. The effects of freezing and the carryover of ammonium sulfate from the addition of coupling enzymes were also established. Activities of all 10 glycolytic and 4 fermentative enzymes were measured. Remarkably, mostin vivo-like activities were lower than previously published data. Yet, the ratios ofVmaxover measuredin vivofluxes were above 1. With this work, we have developed and extensively validated standard protocols for enzyme activity measurements forL. lactis.


2020 ◽  
Vol 86 (21) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominik K. Haja ◽  
Chang-Hao Wu ◽  
Olena Ponomarenko ◽  
Farris L. Poole ◽  
Graham N. George ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Arsenate is a notorious toxicant that is known to disrupt multiple biochemical pathways. Many microorganisms have developed mechanisms to detoxify arsenate using the ArsC-type arsenate reductase, and some even use arsenate as a terminal electron acceptor for respiration involving arsenate respiratory reductase (Arr). ArsC-type reductases have been studied extensively, but the phylogenetically unrelated Arr system is less investigated and has not been characterized from Archaea. Here, we heterologously expressed the genes encoding Arr from the crenarchaeon Pyrobaculum aerophilum in the euryarchaeon Pyrococcus furiosus, both of which grow optimally near 100°C. Recombinant P. furiosus was grown on molybdenum (Mo)- or tungsten (W)-containing medium, and two types of recombinant Arr enzymes were purified, one containing Mo (Arr-Mo) and one containing W (Arr-W). Purified Arr-Mo had a 140-fold higher specific activity in arsenate [As(V)] reduction than Arr-W, and Arr-Mo also reduced arsenite [As(III)]. The P. furiosus strain expressing Arr-Mo (the Arr strain) was able to use arsenate as a terminal electron acceptor during growth on peptides. In addition, the Arr strain had increased tolerance compared to that of the parent strain to arsenate and also, surprisingly, to arsenite. Compared to the parent, the Arr strain accumulated intracellularly almost an order of magnitude more arsenic when cells were grown in the presence of arsenite. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) results suggest that the Arr strain of P. furiosus improves its tolerance to arsenite by increasing production of less-toxic arsenate and nontoxic methylated arsenicals compared to that by the parent. IMPORTANCE Arsenate respiratory reductases (Arr) are much less characterized than the detoxifying arsenate reductase system. The heterologous expression and characterization of an Arr from Pyrobaculum aerophilum in Pyrococcus furiosus provides new insights into the function of this enzyme. From in vivo studies, production of Arr not only enabled P. furiosus to use arsenate [As(V)] as a terminal electron acceptor, it also provided the organism with a higher resistance to arsenate and also, surprisingly, to arsenite [As(III)]. In contrast to the tungsten-containing oxidoreductase enzymes natively produced by P. furiosus, recombinant P. aerophilum Arr was much more active with molybdenum than with tungsten. It is also, to our knowledge, the only characterized Arr to be active with both molybdenum and tungsten in the active site.


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