scholarly journals Role of an Archaeal PitA Transporter in the Copper and Arsenic Resistance of Metallosphaera sedula, an Extreme Thermoacidophile

2014 ◽  
Vol 196 (20) ◽  
pp. 3562-3570 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. McCarthy ◽  
C. Ai ◽  
G. Wheaton ◽  
R. Tevatia ◽  
V. Eckrich ◽  
...  
2009 ◽  
Vol 75 (15) ◽  
pp. 5064-5073 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liping Wang ◽  
Byeonghwa Jeon ◽  
Orhan Sahin ◽  
Qijing Zhang

ABSTRACT Arsenic is commonly present in the natural environment and is also used as a feed additive for animal production. Poultry is a major reservoir for Campylobacter jejuni, a major food-borne human pathogen causing gastroenteritis. It has been shown that Campylobacter isolates from poultry are highly resistant to arsenic compounds, but the molecular mechanisms responsible for the resistance have not been determined, and it is unclear if the acquired arsenic resistance affects the susceptibility of Campylobacter spp. to other antimicrobials. In this study, we identified a four-gene operon that contributes to arsenic resistance in Campylobacter. This operon encodes a putative membrane permease (ArsP), a transcriptional repressor (ArsR), an arsenate reductase (ArsC), and an efflux protein (Acr3). PCR analysis of various clinical C. jejuni isolates indicated a significant association of this operon with elevated resistance to arsenite and arsenate. Gene-specific mutagenesis confirmed the role of the ars operon in conferring arsenic resistance. It was further shown that this operon is subject to regulation by ArsR, which directly binds to the ars promoter and inhibits the transcription of the operon. Arsenite inhibits the binding of ArsR to the ars promoter DNA and induces the expression of the ars genes. Mutation of the ars genes did not affect the susceptibility of C. jejuni to commonly used antibiotics. These results identify the ars operon as an important mechanism for arsenic resistance and sensing in Campylobacter.


2004 ◽  
Vol 186 (10) ◽  
pp. 3187-3194 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gejiao Wang ◽  
Sean P. Kennedy ◽  
Sabeena Fasiludeen ◽  
Christopher Rensing ◽  
Shiladitya DasSarma

ABSTRACT The genome sequence of Halobacterium sp. strain NRC-1 encodes genes homologous to those responsible for conferring resistance to arsenic. These genes occur on both the large extrachromosomal replicon pNRC100 (arsADRC and arsR2M) and on the chromosome (arsB). We studied the role of these ars genes in arsenic resistance genetically by construction of gene knockouts. Deletion of the arsADRC gene cluster in a Halobacterium NRC-1 Δura3 strain resulted in increased sensitivity to arsenite and antimonite but not arsenate. In contrast, knockout of the chromosomal arsB gene did not show significantly increased sensitivity to arsenite or arsenate. We also found that knockout of the arsM gene produced sensitivity to arsenite, suggesting a second novel mechanism of arsenic resistance involving a putative arsenite(III)-methyltransferase. These results indicate that Halobacterium sp. strain NRC-1 contains an arsenite and antimonite extrusion system with significant differences from bacterial counterparts. Deletion analysis was facilitated by an improved method for gene knockouts/replacements in Halobacterium that relies on both selection and counterselection of ura3 using a uracil dropout medium and 5-fluoroorotic acid. The arsenite and antimonite resistance elements were shown to be regulated, with resistance to arsenic in the wild type inducible by exposure to a sublethal concentration of the metal. Northern hybridization and reverse transcription-PCR analyses showed that arsA, arsD, arsR, arsM, arsC, and arsB, but not arsR2, are inducible by arsenite and antimonite. We discuss novel aspects of arsenic resistance in this halophilic archaeon and technical improvements in our capability for gene knockouts in the genome.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amandeep Kaur ◽  
Rekha Rana ◽  
Tanu Saroha ◽  
Prabhu B. Patil

AbstractArsenic (As) is highly toxic element to all forms of life and is a major environmental contaminant. Understanding acquisition, detoxification, and adaptation mechanisms in bacteria that are associated with host in arsenic-rich conditions can provide novel insights into dynamics of host-microbe-microenvironment interactions. In the present study, we have investigated an arsenic resistance mechanism acquired during the evolution of a particular lineage in the population of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo), which is a serious plant pathogen infecting rice. Our study revealed the horizontal acquisition of a novel chromosomal 12kb ars cassette in Xoo IXO1088 that confers high resistance to arsenate/arsenite. The ars cassette comprises several genes that constitute an operon induced in the presence of arsenate/arsenite. Transfer of cloned ars cassette to Xoo BXO512 lacking it confers arsenic resistance phenotype. Further, the transcriptional response of Xoo IXO1088 under arsenate/arsenite exposure was analyzed using RNA sequencing. Arsenic detoxification and efflux, oxidative stress, iron acquisition/storage, and damage repair are the main cellular responses to arsenic exposure. Our investigation has provided novel insights in to how a pathogenic bacterium is coping with arsenic-rich unique micro-environments like seen in rice growing in submerged water conditions.Impact statementArsenic accumulation in rice is a serious and unique agronomic issue. Arsenic contaminated groundwater used for irrigation purposes is adding to the accumulation of arsenic in rice. Submerged conditions in the paddy fields further induce the prevalence of toxic inorganic arsenic species in the environment. Our genomics and transcriptomics-based study reveals how a rice pathogen is coping with the lethal concentrations of arsenic by acquiring a novel resistance cassette during diversification into lineages. Acquisition of such detoxification mechanisms can provide a selective advantage to the bacterial population in avoiding toxicity or enhancing virulence and to their on-going evolutionary events. While there are numerous studies on plant-pathogen-environment interactions, our study highlights the importance of systematic studies on the role of unique micro-environmental conditions on the evolution of host-adapted pathogens/microbes.


2005 ◽  
Vol 187 (20) ◽  
pp. 6991-6997 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hung-Chi Yang ◽  
Jiujun Cheng ◽  
Turlough M. Finan ◽  
Barry P. Rosen ◽  
Hiranmoy Bhattacharjee

ABSTRACT We report a novel pathway for arsenic detoxification in the legume symbiont Sinorhizobium meliloti. Although a majority of ars operons consist of three genes, arsR (transcriptional regulator), arsB [As(OH)3/H+ antiporter], and arsC (arsenate reductase), the S. meliloti ars operon includes an aquaglyceroporin (aqpS) in place of arsB. The presence of AqpS in an arsenic resistance operon is interesting, since aquaglyceroporin channels have previously been shown to adventitiously facilitate uptake of arsenite into cells, rendering them sensitive to arsenite. To understand the role of aqpS in arsenic resistance, S. meliloti aqpS and arsC were disrupted individually. Disruption of aqpS resulted in increased tolerance to arsenite but not arsenate, while cells with an arsC disruption showed selective sensitivity to arsenate. The results of transport experiments in intact cells suggest that AqpS is the only protein of the S. meliloti ars operon that facilitates transport of arsenite. Coexpression of S. meliloti aqpS and arsC in a strain of E. coli lacking the ars operon complemented arsenate but not arsenite sensitivity. These results imply that, when S. meliloti is exposed to environmental arsenate, arsenate enters the cell through phosphate transport systems and is reduced to arsenite by ArsC. Internally generated arsenite flows out of the cell by downhill movement through AqpS. Thus, AqpS confers arsenate resistance together with ArsC-catalyzed reduction. This is the first report of an aquaglyceroporin with a physiological function in arsenic resistance.


mBio ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Gallo ◽  
Ioannis Mougiakos ◽  
Mauricio Bianco ◽  
Miriam Carbonaro ◽  
Andrea Carpentieri ◽  
...  

We here describe the discovery of an unknown protein by using a proteomic approach with a functionally related protein as bait. Remarkably, we successfully obtained a novel type of enzyme through the interaction with a transcription regulator controlling the expression of this enzyme.


JAMA ◽  
1966 ◽  
Vol 195 (12) ◽  
pp. 1005-1009 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. J. Fernbach
Keyword(s):  

JAMA ◽  
1966 ◽  
Vol 195 (3) ◽  
pp. 167-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. E. Van Metre

2018 ◽  
Vol 41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Winnifred R. Louis ◽  
Craig McGarty ◽  
Emma F. Thomas ◽  
Catherine E. Amiot ◽  
Fathali M. Moghaddam

AbstractWhitehouse adapts insights from evolutionary anthropology to interpret extreme self-sacrifice through the concept of identity fusion. The model neglects the role of normative systems in shaping behaviors, especially in relation to violent extremism. In peaceful groups, increasing fusion will actually decrease extremism. Groups collectively appraise threats and opportunities, actively debate action options, and rarely choose violence toward self or others.


2018 ◽  
Vol 41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Arceneaux

AbstractIntuitions guide decision-making, and looking to the evolutionary history of humans illuminates why some behavioral responses are more intuitive than others. Yet a place remains for cognitive processes to second-guess intuitive responses – that is, to be reflective – and individual differences abound in automatic, intuitive processing as well.


2020 ◽  
Vol 43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefen Beeler-Duden ◽  
Meltem Yucel ◽  
Amrisha Vaish

Abstract Tomasello offers a compelling account of the emergence of humans’ sense of obligation. We suggest that more needs to be said about the role of affect in the creation of obligations. We also argue that positive emotions such as gratitude evolved to encourage individuals to fulfill cooperative obligations without the negative quality that Tomasello proposes is inherent in obligations.


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