A force awakens: exploiting solar energy beyond photosynthesis

In recent years, efforts to exploit sunlight, a free and abundant energy source, have sped up dramatically. Oxygenic photosynthetic organisms, such as higher plants, algae, and cyanobacteria, can convert solar energy into chemical energy very efficiently using water as an electron donor. By providing organic building blocks for life in this way, photosynthesis is undoubtedly one of the most important processes on Earth. The aim of light-driven catalysis is to harness solar energy, in the form of reducing power, to drive enzymatic reactions requiring electrons for their catalytic cycle. Light-driven enzymes have been shown to have a large number of biotechnological applications, ranging from the production of high-value secondary metabolites to the development of green chemistry processes. Here, we highlight recent key developments in the field of light-driven catalysis using biological components. We will also discuss strategies to design and optimize light-driven systems in order to develop the next generation of sustainable solutions in biotechnology.

Pausing of Chloroplast Ribosomes Is Induced by Multiple Features and Is Linked to the Assembly of Photosynthetic Complexes

Many mRNAs contain pause sites that briefly interrupt the progress of translation. Specific features that induce ribosome pausing have been described; however, their individual contributions to pause-site formation, and the overall biological significance of ribosome pausing, remain largely unclear. We have taken advantage of the compact genome of chloroplasts to carry out a plastid genome-wide survey of pause sites, as a basis for studying the impact of pausing on posttranslational processes. Based on ribosomal profiling of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) chloroplast mRNAs, we demonstrate that a combination of factors-mRNA secondary structure, internal Shine-Dalgarno sequences, and positively charged amino acids in the nascent peptide chain-explains 95% of the major pause sites on plastid mRNAs, whereas codon usage has little impact. The distribution of the pause sites is nonrandom and conforms to distinct patterns in the vicinity of sequences coding for transmembrane domains, which depend on their orientation within the membrane as well as being next to sequences coding for cofactor binding sites. We found strong indications that the mechanisms causing ribosomal pausing and at least some of the ribosomes pause sites are conserved between distantly related plant species. In addition, the positions of features that cause pausing are well conserved in photoautotrophic plants, but less so in their nonphotosynthetic, parasitic relatives, implying that the synthesis and assembly of photosynthetic multiprotein complexes requires localized ribosome pausing.

Prediction of natalizumab anti-drug antibodies persistency

Background:

Anti-drug antibodies (ADA) against natalizumab develop early during treatment. ADA persistency is defined by two consecutive positive results as performed by the current qualitative ELISA assay (positive/negative). Very little is known about the magnitude of the natalizumab ADA response and persistency.

Design/methods:

We developed a highly sensitive natalizumab ADA titration assay on the Meso Scale Discovery (MSD) platform and a pharmacokinetic (PK) assay. We included 43 patients with a positive ELISA-ADA result within 6 months of treatment initiation (baseline) of whom a follow-up serum sample was available 12–30 months after treatment start. MSD-ADA titres and drug levels were measured.

Results:

Median MSD-ADA titre at baseline was 4881 and 303 at follow-up. A titre of >400 at baseline had a 94% sensitivity and 89% specificity to predict ADA persistency. Reversion to ADA negativity occurred in 10 patients with mean drug levels of 10.8 μg/mL. The median trough drug level in ADA-positive samples was 0 µg/mL. PK levels and ADA titres correlated strongly negatively ( r = −0.67).

Conclusion:

High baseline natalizumab ADA titres accurately predict persistency. Despite continuous treatment, the majority of patients with persistent ADA had no detectable drug levels indicating loss of efficacy in line with phase 3 study results.

Photosynthetic fuel for heterologous enzymes: the role of electron carrier proteins

Plants, cyanobacteria, and algae generate a surplus of redox power through photosynthesis, which makes them attractive for biotechnological exploitations. While central metabolism consumes most of the energy, pathways introduced through metabolic engineering can also tap into this source of reducing power. Recent work on the metabolic engineering of photosynthetic organisms has shown that the electron carriers such as ferredoxin and flavodoxin can be used to couple heterologous enzymes to photosynthetic reducing power. Because these proteins have a plethora of interaction partners and rely on electrostatically steered complex formation, they form productive electron transfer complexes with non-native enzymes. A handful of examples demonstrate channeling of photosynthetic electrons to drive the activity of heterologous enzymes, and these focus mainly on hydrogenases and cytochrome P450s. However, competition from native pathways and inefficient electron transfer rates present major obstacles, which limit the productivity of heterologous reactions coupled to photosynthesis. We discuss specific approaches to address these bottlenecks and ensure high productivity of such enzymes in a photosynthetic context.

Tat proteins as novel thylakoid membrane anchors organize a biosynthetic pathway in chloroplasts and increase product yield 5-fold

Photosynthesis drives the production of ATP and NADPH, and acts as a source of carbon for primary metabolism. NADPH is also used in the production of many natural bioactive compounds. These are usually synthesized in low quantities and are often difficult to produce by chemical synthesis due to their complex structures. Some of the crucial enzymes catalyzing their biosynthesis are the cytochromes P450 (P450s) situated in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), powered by electron transfers from NADPH. Dhurrin is a cyanogenic glucoside and its biosynthesis involves a dynamic metabolon formed by two P450s, a UDP-glucosyltransferase (UGT) and a P450 oxidoreductase (POR). Its biosynthetic pathway has been relocated to the chloroplast where ferredoxin, reduced through the photosynthetic electron transport chain, serves as an efficient electron donor to the P450s, bypassing the involvement of POR. Nevertheless, translocation of the pathway from the ER to the chloroplast creates other difficulties, such as the loss of metabolon formation and intermediate diversion into other metabolic pathways. We show here that co-localization of these enzymes in the thylakoid membrane leads to a significant increase in product formation, with a concomitant decrease in off-pathway intermediates. This was achieved by exchanging the membrane anchors of the dhurrin pathway enzymes to components of the Twin-arginine translocation pathway, TatB and TatC, which have self-assembly properties. Consequently, we show 5-fold increased titers of dhurrin and a decrease in the amounts of intermediates and side products in Nicotiana benthamiana. Further, results suggest that targeting the UGT to the membrane is a key factor to achieve efficient substrate channeling.

Responses of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 to heterologous biosynthetic pathways

Background

There are an increasing number of studies regarding genetic manipulation of cyanobacteria to produce commercially interesting compounds. The majority of these works study the expression and optimization of a selected heterologous pathway, largely ignoring the wholeness and complexity of cellular metabolism. Regulation and response mechanisms are largely unknown, and even the metabolic pathways themselves are not fully elucidated. This poses a clear limitation in exploiting the rich biosynthetic potential of cyanobacteria.

Results

In this work, we focused on the production of two different compounds, the cyanogenic glucoside dhurrin and the diterpenoid 13R-manoyl oxide in Synechocystis PCC 6803. We used genome-scale metabolic modelling to study fluxes in individual reactions and pathways, and we determined the concentrations of key metabolites, such as amino acids, carotenoids, and chlorophylls. This allowed us to identify metabolic crosstalk between the native and the introduced metabolic pathways. Most results and simulations highlight the metabolic robustness of cyanobacteria, suggesting that the host organism tends to keep metabolic fluxes and metabolite concentrations steady, counteracting the effects of the heterologous pathway. However, the amino acid concentrations of the dhurrin-producing strain show an unexpected profile, where the perturbation levels were high in seemingly unrelated metabolites.

Conclusions

There is a wealth of information that can be derived by combining targeted metabolite identification and computer modelling as a frame of understanding. Here we present an example of how strain engineering approaches can be coupled to ‘traditional’ metabolic engineering with systems biology, resulting in novel and more efficient manipulation strategies.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12934-017-0757-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Development and Validation of an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for the Detection of Binding Anti-Drug Antibodies against Interferon Beta

Objective

To develop and validate a method for the detection of binding anti-drug antibodies (ADAs) against interferon beta (IFN-β) in human serum as part of a European initiative (ABIRISK) aimed at the prediction and analysis of clinical relevance of anti-biopharmaceutical immunization to minimize the risk.

Method

A two-tiered bridging enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) format was selected and validated according to current recommendations. Screening assay: ADA in serum samples form complexes with immobilized IFN-β and biotinylated IFN-β, which are then detected using HRP labeled Streptavidin and TMB substrate. Confirmation assay: Screen “putative positive” samples are tested in the presence of excess drug (preincubation of sera with 0.3 µg/mL of soluble IFN-β) and percentage of inhibition is calculated.

Results

The assay is precise, and the sensitivity of the assay was confirmed to be 26 ng/mL using commercially available polyclonal rabbit antihuman IFN-β in human sera as the positive control.

Conclusion

An ultrasensitive ELISA for IFN-β-binding ADA testing has been validated. This will form the basis to assess anti-biopharmaceutical immunization toward IFN-β with regards to its clinical relevance and may allow for the development of predictive tools, key aims within the ABIRISK consortium.

Fusion of Ferredoxin and Cytochrome P450 Enables Direct Light-Driven Biosynthesis

Cytochrome P450s (P450s) are key enzymes in the synthesis of bioactive natural products in plants. Efforts to harness these enzymes for in vitro and whole-cell production of natural products have been hampered by difficulties in expressing them heterologously in their active form, and their requirement for NADPH as a source of reducing power. We recently demonstrated targeting and insertion of plant P450s into the photosynthetic membrane and photosynthesis-driven, NADPH-independent P450 catalytic activity mediated by the electron carrier protein ferredoxin. Here, we report the fusion of ferredoxin with P450 CYP79A1 from the model plant Sorghum bicolor, which catalyzes the initial step in the pathway leading to biosynthesis of the cyanogenic glucoside dhurrin. Fusion with ferredoxin allows CYP79A1 to obtain electrons for catalysis by interacting directly with photosystem I. Furthermore, electrons captured by the fused ferredoxin moiety are directed more effectively toward P450 catalytic activity, making the fusion better able to compete with endogenous electron sinks coupled to metabolic pathways. The P450-ferredoxin fusion enzyme obtains reducing power solely from its fused ferredoxin and outperforms unfused CYP79A1 in vivo. This demonstrates greatly enhanced electron transfer from photosystem I to CYP79A1 as a consequence of the fusion. The fusion strategy reported here therefore forms the basis for enhanced partitioning of photosynthetic reducing power toward P450-dependent biosynthesis of important natural products.

Extending the biosynthetic repertoires of cyanobacteria and chloroplasts

Chloroplasts in plants and algae and photosynthetic microorganisms such as cyanobacteria are emerging hosts for sustainable production of valuable biochemicals, using only inorganic nutrients, water, CO2 and light as inputs. In the past decade, many bioengineering efforts have focused on metabolic engineering and synthetic biology in the chloroplast or in cyanobacteria for the production of fuels, chemicals and complex, high-value bioactive molecules. Biosynthesis of all these compounds can be performed in photosynthetic organelles/organisms by heterologous expression of the appropriate pathways, but this requires optimization of carbon flux and reducing power, and a thorough understanding of regulatory pathways. Secretion or storage of the compounds produced can be exploited for the isolation or confinement of the desired compounds. In this review, we explore the use of chloroplasts and cyanobacteria as biosynthetic compartments and hosts, and we estimate the levels of production to be expected from photosynthetic hosts in light of the fraction of electrons and carbon that can potentially be diverted from photosynthesis. The supply of reducing power, in the form of electrons derived from the photosynthetic light reactions, appears to be non-limiting, but redirection of the fixed carbon via precursor molecules presents a challenge. We also discuss the available synthetic biology tools and the need to expand the molecular toolbox to facilitate cellular reprogramming for increased production yields in both cyanobacteria and chloroplasts.

Manganese Deficiency in Plants: The Impact on Photosystem II

Manganese (Mn) is an essential plant micronutrient with an indispensable function as a catalyst in the oxygen-evolving complex (OEC) of photosystem II (PSII). Even so, Mn deficiency frequently occurs without visual leaf symptoms, thereby masking the distribution and dimension of the problem restricting crop productivity in many places of the world. Hence, timely alleviation of latent Mn deficiency is a challenge in promoting plant growth and quality. We describe here the key mechanisms of Mn deficiency in plants by focusing on the impact of Mn on PSII stability and functionality. We also address the mechanisms underlying the differential tolerance towards Mn deficiency observed among plant genotypes, which enable Mn-efficient plants to grow on marginal land with poor Mn availability.

Transfer of the cytochrome P450-dependent dhurrin pathway from Sorghum bicolor into Nicotiana tabacum chloroplasts for light-driven synthesis

Plant chloroplasts are light-driven cell factories that have great potential to act as a chassis for metabolic engineering applications. Using plant chloroplasts, we demonstrate how photosynthetic reducing power can drive a metabolic pathway to synthesise a bio-active natural product. For this purpose, we stably engineered the dhurrin pathway from Sorghum bicolor into the chloroplasts of Nicotiana tabacum (tobacco). Dhurrin is a cyanogenic glucoside and its synthesis from the amino acid tyrosine is catalysed by two membrane-bound cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYP79A1 and CYP71E1) and a soluble glucosyltransferase (UGT85B1), and is dependent on electron transfer from a P450 oxidoreductase. The entire pathway was introduced into the chloroplast by integrating CYP79A1, CYP71E1, and UGT85B1 into a neutral site of the N. tabacum chloroplast genome. The two P450s and the UGT85B1 were functional when expressed in the chloroplasts and converted endogenous tyrosine into dhurrin using electrons derived directly from the photosynthetic electron transport chain, without the need for the presence of an NADPH-dependent P450 oxidoreductase. The dhurrin produced in the engineered plants amounted to 0.1-0.2% of leaf dry weight compared to 6% in sorghum. The results obtained pave the way for plant P450s involved in the synthesis of economically important compounds to be engineered into the thylakoid membrane of chloroplasts, and demonstrate that their full catalytic cycle can be driven directly by photosynthesis-derived electrons.

Development and validation of cell-based luciferase reporter gene assays for measuring neutralizing anti-drug antibodies against interferon beta

Neutralizing anti-drug antibodies (NAbs) against therapeutic interferon beta (IFNβ) in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) are measured with cell-based bioassays. The aim of this study was to redevelop and validate two luciferase reporter-gene bioassays, LUC and iLite, using a cut-point approach to identify NAb positive samples. Such an approach is favored by the pharmaceutical industry and governmental regulatory agencies as it has a clear statistical basis and overcomes the limitations of the current assays based on the Kawade principle. The work was conducted following the latest assay guidelines. The assays were re-developed and validated as part of the "Anti-Biopharmaceutical Immunization: Prediction and analysis of clinical relevance to minimize the risk" (ABIRISK) consortium and involved a joint collaboration between four academic laboratories and two pharmaceutical companies. The LUC assay was validated at Innsbruck Medical University (LUCIMU) and at Rigshospitalet (LUCRH) Copenhagen, and the iLite assay at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm. For both assays, the optimal serum sample concentration in relation to sensitivity and recovery was 2.5% (v/v) in assay media. A Shapiro-Wilk test indicated a normal distribution for the majority of runs, allowing a parametric approach for cut-point calculation to be used, where NAb positive samples could be identified with 95% confidence. An analysis of means and variances indicated that a floating cut-point should be used for all assays. The assays demonstrated acceptable sensitivity for being cell-based assays, with a confirmed limit of detection in neat serum of 1519 ng/mL for LUCIMU, 814 ng/mL for LUCRH, and 320 ng/mL for iLite. Use of the validated cut-point assay, in comparison with the previously used Kawade method, identified 14% more NAb positive samples. In conclusion, implementation of the cut-point design resulted in increased sensitivity to detect NAbs. However, the clinical significance of these low positive titers needs to be further evaluated.

Heterologous expression of the isopimaric acid pathway in Nicotiana benthamiana and the effect of N-terminal modifications of the involved cytochrome P450 enzyme

Background

Plant terpenoids are known for their diversity, stereochemical complexity, and their commercial interest as pharmaceuticals, food additives, and cosmetics. Developing biotechnology approaches for the production of these compounds in heterologous hosts can increase their market availability, reduce their cost, and provide sustainable production platforms. In this context, we aimed at producing the antimicrobial diterpenoid isopimaric acid from Sitka spruce. Isopimaric acid is synthesized using geranylgeranyl diphosphate as a precursor molecule that is cyclized by a diterpene synthase in the chloroplast and subsequently oxidized by a cytochrome P450, CYP720B4.

Results

We transiently expressed the isopimaric acid pathway in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves and enhanced its productivity by the expression of two rate-limiting steps in the pathway (providing the general precursor of diterpenes). This co-expression resulted in 3-fold increase in the accumulation of both isopimaradiene and isopimaric acid detected using GC-MS and LC-MS methodology. We also showed that modifying or deleting the transmembrane helix of CYP720B4 does not alter the enzyme activity and led to successful accumulation of isopimaric acid in the infiltrated leaves. Furthermore, we demonstrated that a modified membrane anchor is a prerequisite for a functional CYP720B4 enzyme when the chloroplast targeting peptide is added. We report the accumulation of 45–55 μg/g plant dry weight of isopimaric acid four days after the infiltration with the modified enzymes.

Conclusions

It is possible to localize a diterpenoid pathway from spruce fully within the chloroplast of N. benthamiana and a few modifications of the N-terminal sequences of the CYP720B4 can facilitate the expression of plant P450s in the plastids. The coupling of terpene biosynthesis closer to photosynthesis paves the way for light-driven biosynthesis of valuable terpenoids.

Linking chlorophyll biosynthesis to a dynamic plastoquinone pool

Chlorophylls are essential cofactors in photosynthesis. All steps in the chlorophyll pathway are well characterized except for the cyclase reaction in which the fifth ring of the chlorophyll molecule is formed during conversion of Mg-protoporphyrin IX monomethyl ester into Protochlorophyllide. The only subunit of the cyclase identified so far, is AcsF (Xantha-l in barley and Chl27 in Arabidopsis). This subunit contains a typical consensus di-iron-binding sequence and belongs to a subgroup of di-iron proteins, such as the plastid terminal oxidase (PTOX) in the chloroplast and the alternative oxidase (AOX) found in mitochondria. In order to complete the catalytic cycle, the irons of these proteins need to be reduced from Fe(3+) to Fe(2+) and either a reductase or another form of reductant is required. It has been reported that the alternative oxidase (AOX) and the plastid terminal oxidase (PTOX) utilize the di-iron center to oxidise ubiquinol and plastoquinol, respectively. In this paper, we have used a specific inhibitor of di-iron proteins as well as Arabidopsis and barley mutants affected in regulation of photosynthetic electron flow, to show that the cyclase step indeed is directly coupled to the plastoquinone pool. Thus, plastoquinol might act as an electron donor for the cyclase reaction and thereby fulfil the role of a cyclase reductase. That would provide a functional connection between the redox status of the thylakoids and the biosynthesis of chlorophyll.

Biotechnological exploitation of microalgae

Microalgae are a diverse group of single-cell photosynthetic organisms that include cyanobacteria and a wide range of eukaryotic algae. A number of microalgae contain high-value compounds such as oils, colorants, and polysaccharides, which are used by the food additive, oil, and cosmetic industries, among others. They offer the potential for rapid growth under photoautotrophic conditions, and they can grow in a wide range of habitats. More recently, the development of genetic tools means that a number of species can be transformed and hence used as cell factories for the production of high-value chemicals or recombinant proteins. In this article, we review exploitation use of microalgae with a special emphasis on genetic engineering approaches to develop cell factories, and the use of synthetic ecology approaches to maximize productivity. We discuss the success stories in these areas, the hurdles that need to be overcome, and the potential for expanding the industry in general.

Heat-washout measurements compared to distal blood pressure and perfusion in orthopaedic patients with foot ulcers

Distal blood pressure and local skin perfusion pressure were compared to measurement of blood flow rate (BFR) measured by the heat-washout method in orthopaedic patients with and without diabetes, all with a foot ulcer in one foot, compared to healthy controls. The correlation was good between heat-washout and distal blood pressure in patients with diabetes with and without an ulcer (P = 0·024 and 0·059, respectively). The correlation was weak in patients without diabetes with and without an ulcer, most probably due to power problems (P = 0·118 and 0·116, respectively). The correlation in the healthy controls was poor (P = 0·333 and 0·685 for right and left 1. Toe, respectively) probably because not all measurements were performed under optimal conditions with maximally dilated arterioles and warm hands and feet. The patients already have maximally dilated arterioles to extract the maximal amount of oxygen from the surrounding tissue, and therefore, measurements are easier made in these subjects. BFR in the first toe increased significantly in all patients when the foot was moved from heart level to 50 cm below heart level (P = between 0·03 and 0·05) as previously seen in patients with claudication. There was no statistical difference in the healthy controls, consistent with previous findings. These results may indicate that the heat-washout method can be used as an alternative to strain gauge blood pressure in the evaluation of peripheral artery disease and wound healing potentials. Furthermore, the heat-washout measurements can be used bedside.

Metal Binding in Photosystem II Super- and Subcomplexes from Barley Thylakoids

Metals exert important functions in the chloroplast of plants, where they act as cofactors and catalysts in the photosynthetic electron transport chain. In particular, manganese (Mn) has a key function because of its indispensable role in the water-splitting reaction of photosystem II (PSII). More and better knowledge is required on how the various complexes of PSII are affected in response to, for example, nutritional disorders and other environmental stress conditions. We here present, to our knowledge, a new method that allows the analysis of metal binding in intact photosynthetic complexes of barley (Hordeum vulgare) thylakoids. The method is based on size exclusion chromatography coupled to inductively coupled plasma triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry. Proper fractionation of PSII super- and subcomplexes was achieved by critical selection of elution buffers, detergents for protein solubilization, and stabilizers to maintain complex integrity. The applicability of the method was shown by quantification of Mn binding in PSII from thylakoids of two barley genotypes with contrasting Mn efficiency exposed to increasing levels of Mn deficiency. The amount of PSII supercomplexes was drastically reduced in response to Mn deficiency. The Mn efficient genotype bound significantly more Mn per unit of PSII under control and mild Mn deficiency conditions than the inefficient genotype, despite having lower or similar total leaf Mn concentrations. It is concluded that the new method facilitates studies of the internal use of Mn and other biometals in various PSII complexes as well as their relative dynamics according to changes in environmental conditions.

A laser ablation ICP-MS based method for multiplexed immunoblot analysis: applications to manganese-dependent protein dynamics of photosystem II in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

Manganese (Mn) constitutes an essential co-factor in the oxygen-evolving complex of photosystem II (PSII). Consequently, Mn deficiency reduces photosynthetic efficiency and leads to changes in PSII composition. In order to study these changes, multiplexed protein assays are advantageous. Here, we developed a multiplexed antibody-based assay and analysed selected PSII subunits in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). A selection of antibodies were labelled with specific lanthanides and immunoreacted with thylakoids exposed to Mn deficiency after western blotting. Subsequently, western blot membranes were analysed by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), which allowed selective and relative quantitative analysis via the different lanthanides. The method was evaluated against established liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) methods, based on data-dependent acquisition (DDA) and selected reaction monitoring (SRM). Manganese deficiency resulted in a general decrease in PSII protein abundances, an effect that was shown to be reversible upon Mn re-supplementation. Specifically, the extrinsic proteins PsbP and PsbQ showed Mn-dependent changes in abundances. Similar trends in the response to Mn deficiency at the protein level were observed when comparing DDA, SRM and LA-ICP-MS results. A biologically important exception to this trend was the loss of PsbO in the SRM analysis, which highlights the necessity of validating protein changes by more than one technique. The developed method enables a higher number of proteins to be multiplexed in comparison to existing immunoassays. Furthermore, multiplexed protein analysis by LA-ICP-MS provides an analytical platform with high throughput appropriate for screening large collections of plants.

Expression and membrane-targeting of an active plant cytochrome P450 in the chloroplast of the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

The unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii has potential as a cell factory for the production of recombinant proteins and other compounds, but mainstream adoption has been hindered by a scarcity of genetic tools and a need to identify products that can be generated in a cost-effective manner. A promising strategy is to use algal chloroplasts as a site for synthesis of high value bioactive compounds such as diterpenoids since these are derived from metabolic building blocks that occur naturally within the organelle. However, synthesis of these complex plant metabolites requires the introduction of membrane-associated enzymes including cytochrome P450 enzymes (P450s). Here, we show that a gene (CYP79A1) encoding a model P450 can be introduced into the C. reinhardtii chloroplast genome using a simple transformation system. The gene is stably expressed and the P450 is efficiently targeted into chloroplast membranes by means of its endogenous N-terminal anchor domain, where it is active and accounts for 0.4% of total cell protein. These results provide proof of concept for the introduction of diterpenoid synthesis pathways into the chloroplast of C. reinhardtii.

Genetic polymorphisms of dsRNA ligating pattern recognition receptors TLR3, MDA5, and RIG-I. Association with systemic lupus erythematosus and clinical phenotypes

This study aimed to demonstrate possible associations between genetic polymorphisms in Toll-like receptor 3, interferon induced with helicase C domain 1 (IFIH1) and DEAD (Asp-Glu-Ala-Asp) box polypeptide 58 and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), including the phenotypes lupus nephritis and malar rash, as well as the presence of autoantibodies against nucleic acid-containing complexes. Genotyping was carried out in two Danish cohorts [Copenhagen (CPH) and Odense (ODE)] totaling 344 patients and was compared with 641 previously genotyped healthy controls. In the ODE cohort, the patients were only genotyped for the rs1990760 polymorphism of IFIH1. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were determined by a multiplex bead-based assay (CPH cohort) or real-time PCR (ODE cohort). Associations were investigated using the Cochran-Armitage trend test. The odds ratio (OR) for minor allele homozygotes versus major allele homozygotes suggested a protective effect of the IFIH1 rs1990760 SNP for SLE in the ODE cohort [OR 0.52, 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CI) 0.31-0.88, Pcorr. = 0.05] but not in the CPH cohort, although the OR suggested a trend in the same direction, and when combining the two patient cohorts, ORs were 0.57, 95 % CI 0.37-0.88. None of the other investigated polymorphisms showed any association with SLE. Regarding phenotypes, we found a statistically significant association between rs1990760 and malar rash in the CPH cohort, with ORs suggesting a protective effect (OR 0.28, 95 % CI 0.13-0.62 for heterozygotes and OR 0.11, 95 % CI 0.03-0.41 for homozygotes, Pcorr. = 0.0001). There were no significant associations between rs1990760 and presence of anti-dsDNA, anti-U1RNP, or anti-Smith antibodies. Our study supports previous findings of an association between the rs1990760 polymorphism of IFIH1 and SLE and indicates that this SNP may also be associated with malar rash in SLE patients although this finding needs confirmation.

Anchoring a plant cytochrome P450 via PsaM to the thylakoids in Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002: evidence for light-driven biosynthesis

Plants produce an immense variety of specialized metabolites, many of which are of high value as their bioactive properties make them useful as for instance pharmaceuticals. The compounds are often produced at low levels in the plant, and due to their complex structures, chemical synthesis may not be feasible. Here, we take advantage of the reducing equivalents generated in photosynthesis in developing an approach for producing plant bioactive natural compounds in a photosynthetic microorganism by functionally coupling a biosynthetic enzyme to photosystem I. This enables driving of the enzymatic reactions with electrons extracted from the photosynthetic electron transport chain. As a proof of concept, we have genetically fused the soluble catalytic domain of the cytochrome P450 CYP79A1, originating from the endoplasmic reticulum membranes of Sorghum bicolor, to a photosystem I subunit in the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002, thereby targeting it to the thylakoids. The engineered enzyme showed light-driven activity both in vivo and in vitro, demonstrating the possibility to achieve light-driven biosynthesis of high-value plant specialized metabolites in cyanobacteria.

Chloroplast evolution, structure and functions

In this review, we consider a selection of recent advances in chloroplast biology. These include new findings concerning chloroplast evolution, such as the identification of Chlamydiae as a third partner in primary endosymbiosis, a second instance of primary endosymbiosis represented by the chromatophores found in amoebae of the genus Paulinella, and a new explanation for the longevity of captured chloroplasts (kleptoplasts) in sacoglossan sea slugs. The controversy surrounding the three-dimensional structure of grana, its recent resolution by tomographic analyses, and the role of the CURVATURE THYLAKOID1 (CURT1) proteins in supporting grana formation are also discussed. We also present an updated inventory of photosynthetic proteins and the factors involved in the assembly of thylakoid multiprotein complexes, and evaluate findings that reveal that cyclic electron flow involves NADPH dehydrogenase (NDH)- and PGRL1/PGR5-dependent pathways, both of which receive electrons from ferredoxin. Other topics covered in this review include new protein components of nucleoids, an updated inventory of the chloroplast proteome, new enzymes in chlorophyll biosynthesis and new candidate messengers in retrograde signaling. Finally, we discuss the first successful synthetic biology approaches that resulted in chloroplasts in which electrons from the photosynthetic light reactions are fed to enzymes derived from secondary metabolism.