scholarly journals D-Ribose Catabolism in Archaea: Discovery of a Novel Oxidative Pathway in Haloarcula Species

2019 ◽  
Vol 202 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulrike Johnsen ◽  
Jan-Moritz Sutter ◽  
Andreas Reinhardt ◽  
Andreas Pickl ◽  
Rui Wang ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The Haloarcula species H. marismortui and H. hispanica were found to grow on d-ribose, d-xylose, and l-arabinose. Here, we report the discovery of a novel promiscuous oxidative pathway of pentose degradation based on genome analysis, identification and characterization of enzymes, transcriptional analysis, and growth experiments with knockout mutants. Together, the data indicate that in Haloarcula spp., d-ribose, d-xylose, and l-arabinose were degraded to α-ketoglutarate involving the following enzymes: (i) a promiscuous pentose dehydrogenase that catalyzed the oxidation of d-ribose, d-xylose, and l-arabinose; (ii) a promiscuous pentonolactonase that was involved in the hydrolysis of ribonolactone, xylonolactone, and arabinolactone; (iii) a highly specific dehydratase, ribonate dehydratase, which catalyzed the dehydration of ribonate, and a second enzyme, a promiscuous xylonate/gluconate dehydratase, which was involved in the conversion of xylonate, arabinonate, and gluconate. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the highly specific ribonate dehydratase constitutes a novel sugar acid dehydratase family within the enolase superfamily; and (iv) finally, 2-keto-3-deoxypentanonate dehydratase and α-ketoglutarate semialdehyde dehydrogenase catalyzed the conversion of 2-keto-3-deoxypentanonate to α-ketoglutarate via α-ketoglutarate semialdehyde. We conclude that the expanded substrate specificities of the pentose dehydrogenase and pentonolactonase toward d-ribose and ribonolactone, respectively, and the presence of a highly specific ribonate dehydratase are prerequisites of the oxidative degradation of d-ribose in Haloarcula spp. This is the first characterization of an oxidative degradation pathway of d-ribose to α-ketoglutarate in archaea. IMPORTANCE The utilization and degradation of d-ribose in archaea, the third domain of life, have not been analyzed so far. We show that Haloarcula species utilize d-ribose, which is degraded to α-ketoglutarate via a novel oxidative pathway. Evidence is presented that the oxidative degradation of d-ribose involves novel promiscuous enzymes, pentose dehydrogenase and pentonolactonase, and a novel sugar acid dehydratase highly specific for ribonate. This is the first report of an oxidative degradation pathway of d-ribose in archaea, which differs from the canonical nonoxidative pathway of d-ribose degradation reported for most bacteria. The data contribute to our understanding of the unusual sugar degradation pathways and enzymes in archaea.

2017 ◽  
Vol 83 (23) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cui-Wei Chu ◽  
Bin Liu ◽  
Na Li ◽  
Shi-Gang Yao ◽  
Dan Cheng ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Thiobencarb is a thiocarbamate herbicide used in rice paddies worldwide. Microbial degradation plays a crucial role in the dissipation of thiobencarb in the environment. However, the physiological and genetic mechanisms underlying thiobencarb degradation remain unknown. In this study, a novel thiobencarb degradation pathway was proposed in Acidovorax sp. strain T1. Thiobencarb was oxidized and cleaved at the C—S bond, generating diethylcarbamothioic S-acid and 4-chlorobenzaldehyde (4CDA). 4CDA was then oxidized to 4-chlorobenzoic acid (4CBA) and hydrolytically dechlorinated to 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (4HBA). The identification of catabolic genes suggested further hydroxylation to protocatechuic acid (PCA) and finally degradation through the protocatechuate 4,5-dioxygenase pathway. A novel two-component monooxygenase system identified in the strain, TmoAB, was responsible for the initial catabolic reaction. TmoA shared 28 to 32% identity with the oxygenase components of pyrimidine monooxygenase from Agrobacterium fabrum, alkanesulfonate monooxygenase from Pseudomonas savastanoi, and dibenzothiophene monooxygenase from Rhodococcus sp. TmoB shared 25 to 37% identity with reported flavin reductases and oxidized NADH but not NADPH. TmoAB is a flavin mononucleotide (FMN)-dependent monooxygenase and catalyzed the C—S bond cleavage of thiobencarb. Introduction of tmoAB into cells of the thiobencarb degradation-deficient mutant T1m restored its ability to degrade and utilize thiobencarb. A dehydrogenase gene, tmoC, was located 7,129 bp downstream of tmoAB, and its transcription was clearly induced by thiobencarb. The purified TmoC catalyzed the dehydrogenation of 4CDA to 4CBA using NAD+ as a cofactor. A gene cluster responsible for the complete 4CBA metabolic pathway was also cloned, and its involvement in thiobencarb degradation was preliminarily verified by transcriptional analysis. IMPORTANCE Microbial degradation is the main factor in thiobencarb dissipation in soil. In previous studies, thiobencarb was degraded initially via N-deethylation, sulfoxidation, hydroxylation, and dechlorination. However, enzymes and genes involved in the microbial degradation of thiobencarb have not been studied. This study revealed a new thiobencarb degradation pathway in Acidovorax sp. strain T1 and identified a novel two-component FMN-dependent monooxygenase system, TmoAB. Under TmoAB-mediated catalysis, thiobencarb was cleaved at the C—S bond, producing diethylcarbamothioic S-acid and 4CDA. Furthermore, the downstream degradation pathway of thiobencarb was proposed. Our study provides the physiological, biochemical, and genetic foundation of thiobencarb degradation in this microorganism.


2012 ◽  
Vol 78 (23) ◽  
pp. 8254-8263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Weiss ◽  
Karin Denger ◽  
Thomas Huhn ◽  
David Schleheck

ABSTRACTComplete biodegradation of the surfactant linear alkylbenzenesulfonate (LAS) is accomplished by complex bacterial communities in two steps. First, all LAS congeners are degraded into about 50 sulfophenylcarboxylates (SPC), one of which is 3-(4-sulfophenyl)butyrate (3-C4-SPC). Second, these SPCs are mineralized. 3-C4-SPC is mineralized byComamonas testosteroniKF-1 in a process involving 4-sulfoacetophenone (SAP) as a metabolite and an unknown inducible Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenase (BVMO) to yield 4-sulfophenyl acetate (SPAc) from SAP (SAPMO enzyme); hydrolysis of SPAc to 4-sulfophenol and acetate is catalyzed by an unknown inducible esterase (SPAc esterase). Transcriptional analysis showed that one of four candidate genes for BVMOs in the genome of strain KF-1, as well as an SPAc esterase candidate gene directly upstream, was inducibly transcribed during growth with 3-C4-SPC. The same genes were identified by enzyme purification and peptide fingerprinting-mass spectrometry when SAPMO was enriched and SPAc esterase purified to homogeneity by protein chromatography. Heterologously overproduced pure SAPMO converted SAP to SPAc and was active with phenylacetone and 4-hydroxyacetophenone but not with cyclohexanone and progesterone. SAPMO showed the highest sequence homology to the archetypal phenylacetone BVMO (57%), followed by steroid BVMO (55%) and 4-hydroxyacetophenone BVMO (30%). Finally, the two pure enzymes added sequentially, SAPMO with NADPH and SAP, and then SPAc esterase, catalyzed the conversion of SAP via SPAc to 4-sulfophenol and acetate in a 1:1:1:1 molar ratio. Hence, the first two enzymes of a complete LAS degradation pathway were identified, giving evidence for the recruitment of members of the very versatile type I BVMO and carboxylester hydrolase enzyme families for the utilization of a xenobiotic compound by bacteria.


2013 ◽  
Vol 80 (3) ◽  
pp. 1082-1090 ◽  
Author(s):  
Willem P. Dijkman ◽  
Marco W. Fraaije

ABSTRACTIn the search for useful and renewable chemical building blocks, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) has emerged as a very promising candidate, as it can be prepared from sugars. HMF can be oxidized to 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), which is used as a substitute for petroleum-based terephthalate in polymer production. On the basis of a recently identified bacterial degradation pathway for HMF, candidate genes responsible for selective HMF oxidation have been identified. Heterologous expression of a protein fromMethylovorussp. strain MP688 inEscherichia coliand subsequent enzyme characterization showed that the respective gene indeed encodes an efficient HMF oxidase (HMFO). HMFO is a flavin adenine dinucleotide-containing oxidase and belongs to the glucose-methanol-choline-type flavoprotein oxidase family. Intriguingly, the activity of HMFO is not restricted to HMF, as it is active with a wide range of aromatic primary alcohols and aldehydes. The enzyme was shown to be relatively thermostable and active over a broad pH range. This makes HMFO a promising oxidative biocatalyst that can be used for the production of FDCA from HMF, a reaction involving both alcohol and aldehyde oxidations.


2012 ◽  
Vol 56 (8) ◽  
pp. 4450-4458 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Veleba ◽  
Paul G. Higgins ◽  
Gerardo Gonzalez ◽  
Harald Seifert ◽  
Thamarai Schneiders

ABSTRACTTranscriptional regulators, such as SoxS, RamA, MarA, and Rob, which upregulate the AcrAB efflux pump, have been shown to be associated with multidrug resistance in clinically relevant Gram-negative bacteria. In addition to the multidrug resistance phenotype, these regulators have also been shown to play a role in the cellular metabolism and possibly the virulence potential of microbial cells. As such, the increased expression of these proteins is likely to cause pleiotropic phenotypes.Klebsiella pneumoniaeis a major nosocomial pathogen which can express the SoxS, MarA, Rob, and RamA proteins, and the accompanying paper shows that the increased transcription oframAis associated with tigecycline resistance (M. Veleba and T. Schneiders, Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 56:4466–4467, 2012). Bioinformatic analyses of the availableKlebsiellagenome sequences show that an additional AraC-type regulator is encoded chromosomally. In this work, we characterize this novel AraC-type regulator, hereby called RarA (Regulator of antibiotic resistance A), which is encoded inK. pneumoniae,Enterobactersp. 638,Serratia proteamaculans568, andEnterobacter cloacae. We show that the overexpression ofrarAresults in a multidrug resistance phenotype which requires a functional AcrAB efflux pump but is independent of the other AraC regulators. Quantitative real-time PCR experiments show thatrarA(MGH 78578 KPN_02968) and its neighboring efflux pump operonoqxAB(KPN_02969_02970) are consistently upregulated in clinical isolates collected from various geographical locations (Chile, Turkey, and Germany). Our results suggest thatrarAoverexpression upregulates theoqxABefflux pump. Additionally, it appears thatoqxR, encoding a GntR-type regulator adjacent to theoqxABoperon, is able to downregulate the expression of theoqxABefflux pump, where OqxR complementation resulted in reductions to olaquindox MICs.


2014 ◽  
Vol 80 (22) ◽  
pp. 6879-6887 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pin Yu ◽  
Shui-Ping Liu ◽  
Qing-Ting Bu ◽  
Zhen-Xing Zhou ◽  
Zhen-Hong Zhu ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTDetailed mechanisms ofWhiB-like (Wbl) proteins involved in antibiotic biosynthesis and morphological differentiation are poorly understood. Here, we characterize the role of WblAch, aStreptomyces chattanoogensisL10 protein belonging to this superfamily. Based on DNA microarray data and verified by real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR), the expression ofwblAchwas shown to be positively regulated by AdpAch. Gel retardation assays and DNase I footprinting experiments showed that AdpAchhas specific DNA-binding activity for the promoter region ofwblAch. Gene disruption and genetic complementation revealed that WblAchacts in a positive manner to regulate natamycin production. WhenwblAchwas overexpressed in the wild-type strain, the natamycin yield was increased by ∼30%. This provides a strategy to generate improved strains for natamycin production. Moreover, transcriptional analysis showed that the expression levels ofwhigenes (includingwhiA,whiB,whiH, andwhiI) were severely depressed in the ΔwblAchmutant, suggesting that WblAchplays a part in morphological differentiation by influencing the expression of thewhigenes.


2010 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 1650-1660 ◽  
Author(s):  
Encarnación Dueñas-Santero ◽  
Ana Belén Martín-Cuadrado ◽  
Thierry Fontaine ◽  
Jean-Paul Latgé ◽  
Francisco del Rey ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT In yeast, enzymes with β-glucanase activity are thought to be necessary in morphogenetic events that require controlled hydrolysis of the cell wall. Comparison of the sequence of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae exo-β(1,3)-glucanase Exg1 with the Schizosaccharomyces pombe genome allowed the identification of three genes that were named exg1 + (locus SPBC1105.05), exg2 + (SPAC12B10.11), and exg3 + (SPBC2D10.05). The three proteins have different localizations: Exg1 is secreted to the periplasmic space, Exg2 is a membrane protein, and Exg3 is a cytoplasmic protein. Characterization of the biochemical activity of the proteins indicated that Exg1 and Exg3 are active only against β(1,6)-glucans while no activity was detected for Exg2. Interestingly, Exg1 cleaves the glucans with an endohydrolytic mode of action. exg1 + showed periodic expression during the cell cycle, with a maximum coinciding with the septation process, and its expression was dependent on the transcription factor Sep1. The Exg1 protein localizes to the septum region in a pattern that was different from that of the endo-β(1,3)-glucanase Eng1. Overexpression of Exg2 resulted in an increase in cell wall material at the poles and in the septum, but the putative catalytic activity of the protein was not required for this effect.


2017 ◽  
Vol 85 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy Ellis ◽  
Alexis Balgeman ◽  
Mark Rodgers ◽  
Cassaundra Updike ◽  
Jaime Tomko ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Nonhuman primates can be used to study host immune responses to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Mauritian cynomolgus macaques (MCMs) are a unique group of animals that have limited major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genetic diversity, such that MHC-identical animals can be infected with M. tuberculosis. Two MCMs homozygous for the relatively common M1 MHC haplotype were bronchoscopically infected with 41 CFU of the M. tuberculosis Erdman strain. Four other MCMs, which had at least one copy of the M1 MHC haplotype, were infected with a lower dose of 3 CFU M. tuberculosis. All animals mounted similar T-cell responses to CFP-10 and ESAT-6. Two epitopes in CFP-10 were characterized, and the MHC class II alleles restricting them were determined. A third epitope in CFP-10 was identified but exhibited promiscuous restriction. The CFP-10 and ESAT-6 antigenic regions targeted by T cells in MCMs were comparable to those seen in cases of human M. tuberculosis infection. Our data lay the foundation for generating tetrameric molecules to study epitope-specific CD4 T cells in M. tuberculosis-infected MCMs, which may guide future testing of tuberculosis vaccines in nonhuman primates.


2011 ◽  
Vol 80 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chen Li ◽  
Kurniyati ◽  
Bo Hu ◽  
Jiang Bian ◽  
Jianlan Sun ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTThe oral bacteriumPorphyromonas gingivalisis a key etiological agent of human periodontitis, a prevalent chronic disease that affects up to 80% of the adult population worldwide.P. gingivalisexhibits neuraminidase activity. However, the enzyme responsible for this activity, its biochemical features, and its role in the physiology and virulence ofP. gingivalisremain elusive. In this report, we found thatP. gingivalisencodes a neuraminidase, PG0352 (SiaPg). Transcriptional analysis showed thatPG0352is monocistronic and is regulated by a sigma70-like promoter. Biochemical analyses demonstrated that SiaPgis an exo-α-neuraminidase that cleaves glycosidic-linked sialic acids. Cryoelectron microscopy and tomography analyses revealed that thePG0352deletion mutant (ΔPG352) failed to produce an intact capsule layer. Compared to the wild type,in vitrostudies showed that ΔPG352 formed less biofilm and was less resistant to killing by the host complement.In vivostudies showed that while the wild type caused a spreading type of infection that affected multiple organs and all infected mice were killed, ΔPG352 only caused localized infection and all animals survived. Taken together, these results demonstrate that SiaPgis an important virulence factor that contributes to the biofilm formation, capsule biosynthesis, and pathogenicity ofP. gingivalis, and it can potentially serve as a new target for developing therapeutic agents againstP. gingivalisinfection.


2015 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 1818-1821 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luicer A. Ingasia ◽  
Hoseah M. Akala ◽  
Mabel O. Imbuga ◽  
Benjamin H. Opot ◽  
Fredrick L. Eyase ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTThe prevalence of a genetic polymorphism(s) at codon 268 in the cytochromebgene, which is associated with failure of atovaquone-proguanil treatment, was analyzed in 227Plasmodium falciparumparasites from western Kenya. The prevalence of the wild-type allele was 63%, and that of the Y268S (denoting a Y-to-S change at position 268) mutant allele was 2%. There were no pure Y268C or Y268N mutant alleles, only mixtures of a mutant allele(s) with the wild type. There was a correlation between parasite 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) and parasite genetic polymorphism; mutant alleles had higher IC50s than the wild type.


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