Deacetylation of Fungal Exopolysaccharide Mediates Adhesion and Biofilm Formation

ABSTRACTThe moldAspergillus fumigatuscauses invasive infection in immunocompromised patients. Recently, galactosaminogalactan (GAG), an exopolysaccharide composed of galactose andN-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc), was identified as a virulence factor required for biofilm formation. The molecular mechanisms underlying GAG biosynthesis and GAG-mediated biofilm formation were unknown. We identified a cluster of five coregulated genes that were dysregulated in GAG-deficient mutants and whose gene products share functional similarity with proteins that mediate the synthesis of the bacterial biofilm exopolysaccharide poly-(β1-6)-N-acetyl-d-glucosamine (PNAG). Bioinformatic analyses suggested that the GAG cluster geneagd3encodes a protein containing a deacetylase domain. Because deacetylation ofN-acetylglucosamine residues is critical for the function of PNAG, we investigated the role of GAG deacetylation in fungal biofilm formation. Agd3 was found to mediate deacetylation of GalNAc residues within GAG and render the polysaccharide polycationic. As with PNAG, deacetylation is required for the adherence of GAG to hyphae and for biofilm formation. Growth of the Δagd3mutant in the presence of culture supernatants of the GAG-deficient Δuge3mutant rescued the biofilm defect of the Δagd3mutant and restored the adhesive properties of GAG, suggesting that deacetylation is an extracellular process. The GAG biosynthetic gene cluster is present in the genomes of members of thePezizomycotinasubphylum of theAscomycotaincluding a number of plant-pathogenic fungi and a single basidiomycete species,Trichosporon asahii, likely a result of recent horizontal gene transfer. The current study demonstrates that the production of cationic, deacetylated exopolysaccharides is a strategy used by both fungi and bacteria for biofilm formation.IMPORTANCEThis study sheds light on the biosynthetic pathways governing the synthesis of galactosaminogalactan (GAG), which plays a key role inA. fumigatusvirulence and biofilm formation. We find that bacteria and fungi use similar strategies to synthesize adhesive biofilm exopolysaccharides. The presence of orthologs of the GAG biosynthetic gene clusters in multiple fungi suggests that this exopolysaccharide may also be important in the virulence of other fungal pathogens. Further, these studies establish a molecular mechanism of adhesion in which GAG interacts via charge-charge interactions to bind to both fungal hyphae and other substrates. Finally, the importance of deacetylation in the synthesis of functional GAG and the extracellular localization of this process suggest that inhibition of deacetylation may be an attractive target for the development of novel antifungal therapies.

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Identification of the kinanthraquinone biosynthetic gene cluster by expression of an atypical response regulator

Bioscience Biotechnology and Biochemistry ◽

10.1093/bbb/zbaa082 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 85 (3) ◽

pp. 714-721

Author(s):

Risa Takao ◽

Katsuyuki Sakai ◽

Hiroyuki Koshino ◽

Hiroyuki Osada ◽

Shunji Takahashi

Keyword(s):

Heterologous Expression ◽

Gene Cluster ◽

Secondary Metabolite ◽

Response Regulator ◽

Bac Library ◽

Gene Clusters ◽

Biosynthetic Gene Cluster ◽

Gene Organization ◽

Biosynthetic Gene ◽

Streptomyces Sp

ABSTRACT Recent advances in genome sequencing have revealed a variety of secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters in actinomycetes. Understanding the biosynthetic mechanism controlling secondary metabolite production is important for utilizing these gene clusters. In this study, we focused on the kinanthraquinone biosynthetic gene cluster, which has not been identified yet in Streptomyces sp. SN-593. Based on chemical structure, 5 type II polyketide synthase gene clusters were listed from the genome sequence of Streptomyces sp. SN-593. Among them, a candidate gene cluster was selected by comparing the gene organization with grincamycin, which is synthesized through an intermediate similar to kinanthraquinone. We initially utilized a BAC library for subcloning the kiq gene cluster, performed heterologous expression in Streptomyces lividans TK23, and identified the production of kinanthraquinone and kinanthraquinone B. We also found that heterologous expression of kiqA, which belongs to the DNA-binding response regulator OmpR family, dramatically enhanced the production of kinanthraquinones.

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Blocks in the pseudouridimycin pathway unlock hidden metabolites in the Streptomyces producer strain

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-84833-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Marianna Iorio ◽

Sahar Davatgarbenam ◽

Stefania Serina ◽

Paolo Criscenzo ◽

Mitja M. Zdouc ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gene Clusters ◽

Biosynthetic Gene Cluster ◽

Systematic Investigation ◽

Biosynthetic Gene ◽

Wild Type ◽

Bacterial Rna ◽

Soil Isolate ◽

Mutant Strains ◽

In The Wild ◽

Polymerase Inhibitor

AbstractWe report a metabolomic analysis of Streptomyces sp. ID38640, a soil isolate that produces the bacterial RNA polymerase inhibitor pseudouridimycin. The analysis was performed on the wild type, on three newly constructed and seven previously reported mutant strains disabled in different genes required for pseudouridimycin biosynthesis. The results indicate that Streptomyces sp. ID38640 is able to produce, in addition to lydicamycins and deferroxiamines, as previously reported, also the lassopeptide ulleungdin, the non-ribosomal peptide antipain and the osmoprotectant ectoine. The corresponding biosynthetic gene clusters were readily identified in the strain genome. We also detected the known compound pyridindolol, for which we propose a previously unreported biosynthetic gene cluster, as well as three families of unknown metabolites. Remarkably, the levels of most metabolites varied strongly in the different mutant strains, an observation that enabled detection of metabolites unnoticed in the wild type. Systematic investigation of the accumulated metabolites in the ten different pum mutants identified shed further light on pseudouridimycin biosynthesis. We also show that several Streptomyces strains, able to produce pseudouridimycin, have distinct genetic relationship and metabolic profile with ID38640.

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Identification of Putative Biosynthetic Gene Clusters for Tolyporphins in Multiple Filamentous Cyanobacteria

Life ◽

10.3390/life11080758 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. 758

Author(s):

Xiaohe Jin ◽

Yunlong Zhang ◽

Ran Zhang ◽

Kathy-Uyen Nguyen ◽

Jonathan S. Lindsey ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gene Cluster ◽

Gene Clusters ◽

Biosynthetic Gene Cluster ◽

Filamentous Cyanobacterium ◽

Biosynthetic Gene ◽

Filamentous Cyanobacteria ◽

Biosynthetic Gene Clusters ◽

Common Component ◽

Homology Searching ◽

Similar Gene

Tolyporphins A–R are unusual tetrapyrrole macrocycles produced by the non-axenic filamentous cyanobacterium HT-58-2. A putative biosynthetic gene cluster for biosynthesis of tolyporphins (here termed BGC-1) was previously identified in the genome of HT-58-2. Here, homology searching of BGC-1 in HT-58-2 led to identification of similar BGCs in seven other filamentous cyanobacteria, including strains Nostoc sp. 106C, Nostoc sp. RF31YmG, Nostoc sp. FACHB-892, Brasilonema octagenarum UFV-OR1, Brasilonema octagenarum UFV-E1, Brasilonema sennae CENA114 and Oculatella sp. LEGE 06141, suggesting their potential for tolyporphins production. A similar gene cluster (BGC-2) also was identified unexpectedly in HT-58-2. Tolyporphins BGCs were not identified in unicellular cyanobacteria. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA and a common component of the BGCs, TolD, points to a close evolutionary history between each strain and their respective tolyporphins BGC. Though identified with putative tolyporphins BGCs, examination of pigments extracted from three cyanobacteria has not revealed the presence of tolyporphins. Overall, the identification of BGCs and potential producers of tolyporphins presents a collection of candidate cyanobacteria for genetic and biochemical analysis pertaining to these unusual tetrapyrrole macrocycles.

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Blocking of Bacterial Biofilm Formation by a Fish Protein Coating

Applied and Environmental Microbiology ◽

10.1128/aem.00279-08 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 74 (11) ◽

pp. 3551-3558 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Rebecca Munk Vejborg ◽

Per Klemm

Keyword(s):

Biofilm Formation ◽

Fish Muscle ◽

Physicochemical Characteristics ◽

Economic Problem ◽

Bacterial Attachment ◽

Bacterial Biofilm ◽

Adhesive Properties ◽

Muscle Extract ◽

Wide Range ◽

Inert Surfaces

ABSTRACT Bacterial biofilm formation on inert surfaces is a significant health and economic problem in a wide range of environmental, industrial, and medical areas. Bacterial adhesion is generally a prerequisite for this colonization process and, thus, represents an attractive target for the development of biofilm-preventive measures. We have previously found that the preconditioning of several different inert materials with an aqueous fish muscle extract, composed primarily of fish muscle α-tropomyosin, significantly discourages bacterial attachment and adhesion to these surfaces. Here, this proteinaceous coating is characterized with regards to its biofilm-reducing properties by using a range of urinary tract infectious isolates with various pathogenic and adhesive properties. The antiadhesive coating significantly reduced or delayed biofilm formation by all these isolates under every condition examined. The biofilm-reducing activity did, however, vary depending on the substratum physicochemical characteristics and the environmental conditions studied. These data illustrate the importance of protein conditioning layers with respect to bacterial biofilm formation and suggest that antiadhesive proteins may offer an attractive measure for reducing or delaying biofilm-associated infections.

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Draft Genome Sequence of Streptomyces sp. TP-A0874, a Catechoserine Producer

Genome Announcements ◽

10.1128/genomea.01163-16 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 4 (5) ◽

Author(s):

Hisayuki Komaki ◽

Akira Hosoyama ◽

Natsuko Ichikawa ◽

Yasuhiro Igarashi

Keyword(s):

Genome Sequence ◽

Cell Invasion ◽

Draft Genome ◽

Gene Clusters ◽

Bioinformatic Analysis ◽

Biosynthetic Gene Cluster ◽

Tumor Cell Invasion ◽

Draft Genome Sequence ◽

Biosynthetic Gene ◽

Streptomyces Sp

We report the draft genome sequence of Streptomyces sp. TP-A0874 isolated from compost. This strain produces catechoserine, a new catecholate-type inhibitor of tumor cell invasion. The genome harbors at least six gene clusters for polyketide and nonribosomal peptide biosyntheses. The biosynthetic gene cluster for catechoserines was identified by bioinformatic analysis.

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Refactoring the formicamycin biosynthetic gene cluster to make high-level producing strains and new molecules

10.1101/2020.09.15.275776 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Rebecca Devine ◽

Hannah McDonald ◽

Zhiwei Qin ◽

Corinne Arnold ◽

Katie Noble ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gene Cluster ◽

Large Scale ◽

Liquid Culture ◽

Gene Clusters ◽

Biosynthetic Gene Cluster ◽

Resistant Bacteria ◽

Drug Resistant ◽

Biosynthetic Gene ◽

Biosynthetic Genes

AbstractThe formicamycins are promising antibiotics with potent activity against Gram-positive pathogens including VRE and MRSA and display a high barrier to selection of resistant isolates. They were first identified in Streptomyces formicae KY5, which produces the formicamycins at low levels on solid agar but not in liquid culture, thus hindering further investigation of these promising antibacterial compounds. We hypothesised that by understanding the organisation and regulation of the for biosynthetic gene cluster, we could rationally refactor the cluster to increase production levels. Here we report that the for biosynthetic gene cluster consists of 24 genes expressed on nine transcripts. Seven of these transcripts, including those containing all the major biosynthetic genes, are repressed by the MarR-regulator ForJ which also controls the expression of the ForGF two-component system that initiates biosynthesis. A third cluster-situated regulator, ForZ, autoregulates and controls production of the putative MFS transporter ForAA. Consistent with these findings, deletion of forJ increased formicamycin biosynthesis 5-fold, while over-expression of forGF in the ΔforJ background increased production 10-fold compared to the wild-type. De-repression by deleting forJ also switched on biosynthesis in liquid-culture and induced the production of two novel formicamycin congeners. By combining mutations in regulatory and biosynthetic genes, six new biosynthetic precursors with antibacterial activity were also isolated. This work demonstrates the power of synthetic biology for the rational redesign of antibiotic biosynthetic gene clusters both to engineer strains suitable for fermentation in large scale bioreactors and to generate new molecules.ImportanceAntimicrobial resistance is a growing threat as existing antibiotics become increasingly ineffective against drug resistant pathogens. Here we determine the transcriptional organisation and regulation of the gene cluster encoding biosynthesis of the formicamycins, promising new antibiotics with activity against drug resistant bacteria. By exploiting this knowledge, we construct stable mutant strains which over-produce these molecules in both liquid and solid culture whilst also making some new compound variants. This will facilitate large scale purification of these molecules for further study including in vivo experiments and the elucidation of their mechanism of action. Our work demonstrates that understanding the regulation of natural product biosynthetic pathways can enable rational improvement of the producing strains.

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Multigenome analysis implicates miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements (MITEs) in metabolic diversification in eudicots

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.1721318115 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 115 (28) ◽

pp. E6650-E6658 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Alexander M. Boutanaev ◽

Anne E. Osbourn

Keyword(s):

Transposable Elements ◽

Inverted Repeat ◽

Cluster Formation ◽

Gene Clusters ◽

Biosynthetic Gene Cluster ◽

Terpene Synthase ◽

Biosynthetic Gene ◽

Biosynthetic Gene Clusters ◽

Systematic Analysis ◽

Plant Genomes

Plants produce a plethora of natural products, including many drugs. It has recently emerged that the genes encoding different natural product pathways may be organized as biosynthetic gene clusters in plant genomes, with >30 examples reported so far. Despite superficial similarities with microbes, these clusters have not arisen by horizontal gene transfer, but rather by gene duplication, neofunctionalization, and relocation via unknown mechanisms. Previously we reported that two Arabidopsis thaliana biosynthetic gene clusters are located in regions of the genome that are significantly enriched in transposable elements (TEs). Other plant biosynthetic gene clusters also harbor abundant TEs. TEs can mediate genomic rearrangement by providing homologous sequences that enable illegitimate recombination and gene relocation. Thus, TE-mediated recombination may contribute to plant biosynthetic gene cluster formation. TEs may also facilitate establishment of regulons. However, a systematic analysis of the TEs associated with plant biosynthetic gene clusters has not been carried out. Here we investigate the TEs associated with clustered terpene biosynthetic genes in multiple plant genomes and find evidence to suggest a role for miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements in cluster formation in eudicots. Through investigation of the newly sequenced Amborella trichopoda, Aquilegia coerulea, and Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi genomes, we further show that the “block” mechanism of founding of biosynthetic gene clusters through duplication and diversification of pairs of terpene synthase and cytochrome P450 genes that is prevalent in the eudicots arose around 90–130 million years ago, after the appearance of the basal eudicots and before the emergence of the superrosid clade.

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Screening of tenuazonic acid production-inducing compounds and identification of NPD938 as a regulator of fungal secondary metabolism

Bioscience Biotechnology and Biochemistry ◽

10.1093/bbb/zbab143 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Takayuki Motoyama ◽

Tomoaki Ishii ◽

Takashi Kamakura ◽

Hiroyuki Osada

Keyword(s):

Secondary Metabolism ◽

Gene Clusters ◽

Biosynthetic Gene Cluster ◽

Biosynthetic Gene ◽

Tenuazonic Acid ◽

Cellular Functions ◽

Biosynthetic Gene Clusters ◽

Chemical Library ◽

Tea Production ◽

Fungal Secondary Metabolism

Abstract The control of secondary metabolism in fungi is essential for the regulation of various cellular functions. In this study, we searched the RIKEN Natural Products Depository (NPDepo) chemical library for inducers of tenuazonic acid (TeA) production in the rice blast fungus Pyricularia oryzae and identified NPD938. NPD938 transcriptionally induced TeA production. We explored the mode of action of NPD938 and observed that this compound enhanced TeA production via LAE1, a global regulator of fungal secondary metabolism. NPD938 could also induce production of terpendoles and pyridoxatins in Tolypocladium album RK99-F33. Terpendole production was induced transcriptionally. We identified the pyridoxatin biosynthetic gene cluster among transcriptionally induced secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters. Therefore, NPD938 is useful for the control of fungal secondary metabolism.

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Identification and distribution of gene clusters required for synthesis of sphingolipid metabolism inhibitors in diverse species of the filamentous fungus Fusarium

BMC Genomics ◽

10.1186/s12864-020-06896-1 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Hye-Seon Kim ◽

Jessica M. Lohmar ◽

Mark Busman ◽

Daren W. Brown ◽

Todd A. Naumann ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Polyketide Synthase ◽

Gene Clusters ◽

Biosynthetic Gene Cluster ◽

Sphingolipid Metabolism ◽

Biosynthetic Gene ◽

Biosynthetic Gene Clusters ◽

Dehydrogenase Gene ◽

Food And Feed ◽

Feed Safety

Abstract Background Sphingolipids are structural components and signaling molecules in eukaryotic membranes, and many organisms produce compounds that inhibit sphingolipid metabolism. Some of the inhibitors are structurally similar to the sphingolipid biosynthetic intermediate sphinganine and are referred to as sphinganine-analog metabolites (SAMs). The mycotoxins fumonisins, which are frequent contaminants in maize, are one family of SAMs. Due to food and feed safety concerns, fumonisin biosynthesis has been investigated extensively, including characterization of the fumonisin biosynthetic gene cluster in the agriculturally important fungi Aspergillus and Fusarium. Production of several other SAMs has also been reported in fungi, but there is almost no information on their biosynthesis. There is also little information on how widely SAM production occurs in fungi or on the extent of structural variation of fungal SAMs. Results Using fumonisin biosynthesis as a model, we predicted that SAM biosynthetic gene clusters in fungi should include a polyketide synthase (PKS), an aminotransferase and a dehydrogenase gene. Surveys of genome sequences identified five putative clusters with this three-gene combination in 92 of 186 Fusarium species examined. Collectively, the putative SAM clusters were distributed widely but discontinuously among the species. We propose that the SAM5 cluster confers production of a previously reported Fusarium SAM, 2-amino-14,16-dimethyloctadecan-3-ol (AOD), based on the occurrence of AOD production only in species with the cluster and on deletion analysis of the SAM5 cluster PKS gene. We also identified SAM clusters in 24 species of other fungal genera, and propose that one of the clusters confers production of sphingofungin, a previously reported Aspergillus SAM. Conclusion Our results provide a genomics approach to identify novel SAM biosynthetic gene clusters in fungi, which should in turn contribute to identification of novel SAMs with applications in medicine and other fields. Information about novel SAMs could also provide insights into the role of SAMs in the ecology of fungi. Such insights have potential to contribute to strategies to reduce fumonisin contamination in crops and to control crop diseases caused by SAM-producing fungi.

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Genomic analysis of siderophore β-hydroxylases reveals divergent stereocontrol and expands the condensation domain family

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.1903161116 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 116 (40) ◽

pp. 19805-19814 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Zachary L. Reitz ◽

Clifford D. Hardy ◽

Jaewon Suk ◽

Jean Bouvet ◽

Alison Butler

Keyword(s):

Predictive Power ◽

Genome Mining ◽

Genomic Analysis ◽

Gene Clusters ◽

Biosynthetic Gene Cluster ◽

Biosynthetic Gene ◽

Biosynthetic Gene Clusters ◽

Peptide Synthetase ◽

Condensation Domain

Genome mining of biosynthetic pathways streamlines discovery of secondary metabolites but can leave ambiguities in the predicted structures, which must be rectified experimentally. Through coupling the reactivity predicted by biosynthetic gene clusters with verified structures, the origin of the β-hydroxyaspartic acid diastereomers in siderophores is reported herein. Two functional subtypes of nonheme Fe(II)/α-ketoglutarate–dependent aspartyl β-hydroxylases are identified in siderophore biosynthetic gene clusters, which differ in genomic organization—existing either as fused domains (IβHAsp) at the carboxyl terminus of a nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) or as stand-alone enzymes (TβHAsp)—and each directs opposite stereoselectivity of Asp β-hydroxylation. The predictive power of this subtype delineation is confirmed by the stereochemical characterization of β-OHAsp residues in pyoverdine GB-1, delftibactin, histicorrugatin, and cupriachelin. The l-threo (2S, 3S) β-OHAsp residues of alterobactin arise from hydroxylation by the β-hydroxylase domain integrated into NRPS AltH, while l-erythro (2S, 3R) β-OHAsp in delftibactin arises from the stand-alone β-hydroxylase DelD. Cupriachelin contains both l-threo and l-erythro β-OHAsp, consistent with the presence of both types of β-hydroxylases in the biosynthetic gene cluster. A third subtype of nonheme Fe(II)/α-ketoglutarate–dependent enzymes (IβHHis) hydroxylates histidyl residues with l-threo stereospecificity. A previously undescribed, noncanonical member of the NRPS condensation domain superfamily is identified, named the interface domain, which is proposed to position the β-hydroxylase and the NRPS-bound amino acid prior to hydroxylation. Through mapping characterized β-OHAsp diastereomers to the phylogenetic tree of siderophore β-hydroxylases, methods to predict β-OHAsp stereochemistry in silico are realized.

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