Intermediates in the transformation of phosphonates to phosphate by bacteria

PhnK: Another Piece of the Carbon-Phosphorus Lyase Puzzle

Despite the fact that carbon-phosphorus lyase activity was first documented more than 50 years ago, we are yet to completely understand the details of how this enzyme system functions or what it looks like. In this issue of Structure, Yang et al. (2016) now provide a step forward with a view of how PhnK fits into the bigger picture of carbon-phosphorus lyase.

C3'-Deoxygenation of Paromamine Catalyzed by a Radical S-Adenosylmethionine Enzyme: Characterization of the Enzyme AprD4 and Its Reductase Partner AprD3

C3'-deoxygenation of aminoglycosides results in their decreased susceptibility to phosphorylation thereby increasing their efficacy as antibiotics. However, the biosynthetic mechanism of C3'-deoxygenation is unknown. To address this issue, aprD4 and aprD3 genes from the apramycin gene cluster in Streptomyces tenebrarius were expressed in E. coli and the resulting gene products were characterized in vitro. AprD4 is shown to be a radical S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) enzyme, catalyzing homolysis of SAM to 5'-deoxyadenosine (5'-dAdo) in the presence of paromamine. [4'-(2) H]-Paromamine was prepared and used to show that its C4'-H is transferred to 5'-dAdo by AprD4, during which the substrate is dehydrated to a product consistent with 4'-oxolividamine. In contrast, paromamine is reduced to a deoxy product when incubated with AprD4/AprD3/NADPH. These results show that AprD4 is the first radical SAM diol-dehydratase and, along with AprD3, is responsible for 3'-deoxygenation in aminoglycoside biosynthesis.

Spectroscopic and Electrochemical Characterization of the Iron-Sulfur and Cobalamin Cofactors of TsrM, an Unusual Radical S-Adenosylmethionine Methylase

TsrM, an annotated radical S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) enzyme, catalyzes the methylation of carbon 2 of the indole ring of L-tryptophan. Its reaction is the first step in the biosynthesis of the unique quinaldic acid moiety of thiostrepton A, a thiopeptide antibiotic. The appended methyl group derives from SAM; however, the enzyme also requires cobalamin and iron-sulfur cluster cofactors for turnover. In this work we report the overproduction and purification of TsrM and the characterization of its metallocofactors by UV-visible, electron paramagnetic resonance, hyperfine sublevel correlation (HYSCORE), and Mössbauer spectroscopies as well as protein-film electrochemistry (PFE). The enzyme contains 1 equiv of its cobalamin cofactor in its as-isolated state and can be reconstituted with iron and sulfide to contain one [4Fe-4S] cluster with a site-differentiated Fe(2+)/Fe(3+) pair. Our spectroscopic studies suggest that TsrM binds cobalamin in an uncharacteristic five-coordinate base-off/His-off conformation, whereby the dimethylbenzimidazole group is replaced by a non-nitrogenous ligand, which is likely a water molecule. Electrochemical analysis of the protein by PFE indicates a one-electron redox feature with a midpoint potential of -550 mV, which is assigned to a [4Fe-4S](2+)/[4Fe-4S](+) redox couple. Analysis of TsrM by Mössbauer and HYSCORE spectroscopies suggests that SAM does not bind to the unique iron site of the cluster in the same manner as in other radical SAM (RS) enzymes, yet its binding still perturbs the electronic configuration of both the Fe/S cluster and the cob(II)alamin cofactors. These biophysical studies suggest that TsrM is an atypical RS enzyme, consistent with its reported inability to catalyze formation of a 5'-deoxyadenosyl 5'-radical.

Bacterial Mobilization of Nutrients From Biochar-Amended Soils

Soil amendments with biochar to improve soil fertility and increase soil carbon stocks have received some high-level attention. Physical and chemical analyses of amended soils and biochars from various feedstocks are reported, alongside some evaluations of plant growth promotion capabilities. Fewer studies investigated the soil microbiota and their potential to increase cycling and mobilization of nutrients in biochar-amended soils. This review is discussing the latest findings in the bacterial contribution to cycling and mobilizing nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur in biochar-amended soils and potential contributions to plant growth promotion. Depending on feedstock, pyrolysis, soil type, and plant cover, changes in the bacterial community structure were observed for a majority of the studies using amplicon sequencing or genetic fingerprinting methods. Prokaryotic nitrification largely depends on the availability of ammonium and can vary considerably under soil biochar amendment. However, denitrification to di-nitrogen and in particular, nitrous oxide reductase activity is commonly enhanced, resulting in reduced nitrous oxide emissions. Likewise, bacterial fixation of di-nitrogen appears to be regularly enhanced. A paucity of studies suggests that bacterial mobilization of phosphorus and sulfur is enhanced as well. However, most studies only tested for extracellular sulfatase and phosphatase activity. Further research is needed to reveal details of the bacterial nutrient mobilizing capabilities and this is in particular the case for the mobilization of phosphorus and sulfur.

Glyphosate acetylation as a specific trait of Achromobacter sp. Kg 16 physiology

The growth parameters of Achromobacter sp. Kg 16 (VKM B-2534 D), such as biomass and maximum specific growth rate, depended only on the source of phosphorus in the medium, but not on the carbon source or the presence of growth factors. With glyphosate as a sole phosphorus source, they were still 40-50 % lower than in media supplemented with orthophosphate or other organophosphonate-methylphosphonic acid. At the first time process of glyphosate acetylation and accumulation of acetylglyphosate in culture medium were revealed in this strain. Acetylglyphosate isolated from cultural liquid was identified by mass spectroscopy; its mass spectrum fully corresponded with that of chemically synthesized acetylglyphosate. Even poorer growth was observed in media with acetylglyphosate: although the strain was able to utilize this compound as a sole source of phosphorus, the maximum biomass was still 58-70 % lower than with glyphosate. The presence of acetylglyphosate in culture medium could also hinder the utilization of glyphosate as a phosphorus source. Therefore, the acetylation of glyphosate may be a specific feature of Achromobacter sp. Kg 16 responsible for its poor growth on this compound.

Structures of the Carbon-Phosphorus Lyase Complex Reveal the Binding Mode of the NBD-like PhnK

The carbon-phosphorus (C-P) lyase complex is essential for the metabolism of unactivated phosphonates to phosphate in bacteria. Using single-particle cryo-electron microscopy, we determined two structures of the C-P lyase core complex PhnG2H2I2J2, with or without PhnK. PhnG2H2I2J2 is a two-fold symmetric hetero-octamer. Its two PhnJ subunits provide two identical binding sites for PhnK. Only one PhnK binds to PhnG2H2I2J2 due to steric hindrance. PhnK is homologous to the nucleotide-binding domain (NBD) of ATP-binding cassette transporters. The α helices 3 and 4 of PhnK bind to α helix 6 and a loop (residues 227-230) of PhnJ, in a different mode from the binding of NBDs to their transmembrane partners. Moreover, binding of PhnK exposes the active site residue, Gly32 of PhnJ, located near the interface between PhnJ and PhnH. This structural information provides a basis for further deciphering of the reaction mechanism of the C-P lyase.

Structural insights into the bacterial carbon-phosphorus lyase machinery

Phosphorous is required for all life and microorganisms can extract it from their environment through several metabolic pathways. When phosphate is in limited supply, some bacteria are able to use organic phosphonate compounds, which require specialised enzymatic machinery for breaking the stable carbon-phosphorus (C-P) bond. Despite its importance, the details of how this machinery catabolises phosphonate remain unknown. Here we determine the crystal structure of the 240 kDa Escherichia coli C-P lyase core complex (PhnGHIJ) and show that it is a two-fold symmetric hetero-octamer comprising an intertwined network of subunits with unexpected self-homologies. It contains two potential active sites that likely couple organic phosphonate compounds to ATP and subsequently hydrolyse the C-P bond. We map the binding site of PhnK on the complex using electron microscopy and show that it binds to PhnJ via a conserved insertion domain. Our results provide a structural basis for understanding microbial phosphonate breakdown.

Subunit Interactions within the Carbon-Phosphorus Lyase Complex from Escherichia coli

Phosphonates are a large class of organophosphorus compounds with a characteristic carbon-phosphorus bond. The genes responsible for phosphonate utilization in Gram-negative bacteria are arranged in an operon of 14 genes. The carbon-phosphorus lyase complex, encoded by the genes phnGHIJKLM, catalyzes the cleavage of the stable carbon-phosphorus bond of organophosphonates to the corresponding hydrocarbon and inorganic phosphate. Recently, complexes of this enzyme containing five subunits (PhnG-H-I-J-K), four subunits (PhnG-H-I-J), and two subunits (PhnG-I) were purified after expression in Escherichia coli ( Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., U. S. A. 2011 , 108 , 11393 ). Here we demonstrated using mass spectrometry, ultracentrifugation, and chemical cross-linking experiments that these complexes are formed from a PhnG2I2 core that is further elaborated by the addition of two copies each of PhnH and PhnJ to generate PhnG2H2I2J2. This complex adds an additional subunit of PhnK to form PhnG2H2I2J2K. Chemical cross-linking of the five-component complex demonstrated that PhnJ physically interacts with both PhnG and PhnI. We were unable to demonstrate the interaction of PhnH or PhnK with any other subunits by chemical cross-linking. Hydrogen-deuterium exchange was utilized to probe for alterations in the dynamic properties of individual subunits within the various complexes. Significant regions of PhnG become less accessible to hydrogen/deuterium exchange from solvent within the PhnG2I2 complex compared with PhnG alone. Specific regions of PhnI exhibited significant differences in the H/D exchange rates in PhnG2I2 and PhnG2H2I2J2K.

Non-canonical active site architecture of the radical SAM thiamin pyrimidine synthase

Radical S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) enzymes use a [4Fe-4S] cluster to generate a 5'-deoxyadenosyl radical. Canonical radical SAM enzymes are characterized by a β-barrel-like fold and SAM anchors to the differentiated iron of the cluster, which is located near the amino terminus and within the β-barrel, through its amino and carboxylate groups. Here we show that ThiC, the thiamin pyrimidine synthase in plants and bacteria, contains a tethered cluster-binding domain at its carboxy terminus that moves in and out of the active site during catalysis. In contrast to canonical radical SAM enzymes, we predict that SAM anchors to an additional active site metal through its amino and carboxylate groups. Superimposition of the catalytic domains of ThiC and glutamate mutase shows that these two enzymes share similar active site architectures, thus providing strong evidence for an evolutionary link between the radical SAM and adenosylcobalamin-dependent enzyme superfamilies.

Selective binding and extraction of aqueous dihydrogen phosphate solutions via three-armed thiourea receptors

A three-armed thiourea host that strongly and selectively binds H₂PO₄⁻and extracts HPO₄²⁻from water into chloroform.

Methane production by phosphate-starved SAR11 chemoheterotrophic marine bacteria

The oxygenated surface waters of the world's oceans are supersaturated with methane relative to the atmosphere, a phenomenon termed the 'marine methane paradox'. The production of methylphosphonic acid (MPn) by marine archaea related to Nitrosopumilus maritimus and subsequent decomposition of MPn by phosphate-starved bacterioplankton may partially explain the excess methane in surface waters. Here we show that Pelagibacterales sp. strain HTCC7211, an isolate of the SAR11 clade of marine α-proteobacteria, produces methane from MPn, stoichiometric to phosphorus consumption, when starved for phosphate. Gene transcripts encoding phosphonate transport and hydrolysis proteins are upregulated under phosphate limitation, suggesting a genetic basis for the methanogenic phenotype. Strain HTCC7211 can also use 2-aminoethylphosphonate and assorted phosphate esters for phosphorus nutrition. Despite strain-specific differences in phosphorus utilization, these findings identify Pelagibacterales bacteria as a source of biogenic methane and further implicate phosphate starvation of chemoheterotrophic bacteria in the long-observed methane supersaturation in oxygenated waters.

Antibodies to PhnD inhibit staphylococcal biofilms

Biofilm formation on central lines or peripheral catheters is a serious threat to patient well-being. Contaminated vascular devices can act as a nidus for bloodstream infection and systemic pathogen dissemination. Staphylococcal biofilms are the most common cause of central-line-associated bloodstream infections, and antibiotic resistance makes them difficult to treat. As an alternative to antibiotic intervention, we sought to identify anti-staphylococcal biofilm targets for the development of a vaccine or antibody prophylactic. A screening strategy was devised using a microfluidic system to test antibody-mediated biofilm inhibition under biologically relevant conditions of shear flow. Affinity-purified polyclonal antibodies to target antigen PhnD inhibited both Staphylococcus epidermidis and S. aureus biofilms. PhnD-specific antibodies blocked biofilm development at the initial attachment and aggregation stages, and deletion of phnD inhibited normal biofilm formation. We further adapted our microfluidic biofilm system to monitor the interaction of human neutrophils with staphylococcal biofilms and demonstrated that PhnD-specific antibodies also serve as opsonins to enhance neutrophil binding, motility, and biofilm engulfment. These data support the identification of PhnD as a lead target for biofilm intervention strategies performed either by vaccination or through passive administration of antibodies.

Crystal structure of PhnZ in complex with substrate reveals a di-iron oxygenase mechanism for catabolism of organophosphonates

The enzymes PhnY and PhnZ comprise an oxidative catabolic pathway that enables marine bacteria to use 2-aminoethylphosphonic acid as a source of inorganic phosphate. PhnZ is notable for catalyzing the oxidative cleavage of a carbon-phosphorus bond using Fe(II) and dioxygen, despite belonging to a large family of hydrolytic enzymes, the HD-phosphohydrolase superfamily. We have determined high-resolution structures of PhnZ bound to its substrate, (R)-2-amino-1-hydroxyethylphosphonate (2.1 Å), and a buffer additive, l-tartrate (1.7 Å). The structures reveal PhnZ to have an active site containing two Fe ions coordinated by four histidines and two aspartates that is strikingly similar to the carbon-carbon bond cleaving enzyme, myo-inositol-oxygenase. The exception is Y24, which forms a transient ligand interaction at the dioxygen binding site of Fe2. Site-directed mutagenesis and kinetic analysis with substrate analogs revealed the roles of key active site residues. A fifth histidine that is conserved in the PhnZ subclade, H62, specifically interacts with the substrate 1-hydroxyl. The structures also revealed that Y24 and E27 mediate a unique induced-fit mechanism whereby E27 specifically recognizes the 2-amino group of the bound substrate and toggles the release of Y24 from the active site, thereby creating space for molecular oxygen to bind to Fe2. Structural comparisons of PhnZ reveal an evolutionary connection between Fe(II)-dependent hydrolysis of phosphate esters and oxidative carbon-phosphorus or carbon-carbon bond cleavage, thus uniting the diverse chemistries that are found in the HD superfamily.

Utilization of glyphosate as phosphate source: biochemistry and genetics of bacterial carbon-phosphorus lyase

After several decades of use of glyphosate, the active ingredient in weed killers such as Roundup, in fields, forests, and gardens, the biochemical pathway of transformation of glyphosate phosphorus to a useful phosphorus source for microorganisms has been disclosed. Glyphosate is a member of a large group of chemicals, phosphonic acids or phosphonates, which are characterized by a carbon-phosphorus bond. This is in contrast to the general phosphorus compounds utilized and metabolized by microorganisms. Here phosphorus is found as phosphoric acid or phosphate ion, phosphoric acid esters, or phosphoric acid anhydrides. The latter compounds contain phosphorus that is bound only to oxygen. Hydrolytic, oxidative, and radical-based mechanisms for carbon-phosphorus bond cleavage have been described. This review deals with the radical-based mechanism employed by the carbon-phosphorus lyase of the carbon-phosphorus lyase pathway, which involves reactions for activation of phosphonate, carbon-phosphorus bond cleavage, and further chemical transformation before a useful phosphate ion is generated in a series of seven or eight enzyme-catalyzed reactions. The phn genes, encoding the enzymes for this pathway, are widespread among bacterial species. The processes are described with emphasis on glyphosate as a substrate. Additionally, the catabolism of glyphosate is intimately connected with that of aminomethylphosphonate, which is also treated in this review. Results of physiological and genetic analyses are combined with those of bioinformatics analyses.

Phosphate-independent utilization of phosphonoacetic acid as sole phosphorus source by a psychrophilic strain of Geomyces pannorum P15

A psychrophilic fungal strain of Geomyces pannorum P15 was screened for its ability to utilize a range of synthetic and natural organophosphonate compounds as the sole source of phosphorus, nitrogen, or carbon. Only phosphonoacetic acid served as a phosphorus source for microbial growth in phosphate-independent manner. Substrate metabolism did not lead to extracellular release of inorganic phosphate. No phosphonate metabolizing enzyme activity was detectable in cell-free extracts prepared from Geomyces biomass pregrown on 2 mmol/L phosphonoacetic acid.

Microbial ecology of an Antarctic hypersaline lake: genomic assessment of ecophysiology among dominant haloarchaea

Deep Lake in Antarctica is a cold, hypersaline system where four types of haloarchaea representing distinct genera comprise >70% of the lake community: strain tADL ∼44%, strain DL31 ∼18%, Halorubrum lacusprofundi ∼10% and strain DL1 ∼0.3%. By performing comparative genomics, growth substrate assays, and analyses of distribution by lake depth, size partitioning and lake nutrient composition, we were able to infer important metabolic traits and ecophysiological characteristics of the four Antarctic haloarchaea that contribute to their hierarchical persistence and coexistence in Deep Lake. tADL is characterized by a capacity for motility via flagella (archaella) and gas vesicles, a highly saccharolytic metabolism, a preference for glycerol, and photoheterotrophic growth. In contrast, DL31 has a metabolism specialized in processing proteins and peptides, and appears to prefer an association with particulate organic matter, while lacking the genomic potential for motility. H. lacusprofundi is the least specialized, displaying a genomic potential for the utilization of diverse organic substrates. The least abundant species, DL1, is characterized by a preference for catabolism of amino acids, and is the only one species that lacks genes needed for glycerol degradation. Despite the four haloarchaea being distributed throughout the water column, our analyses describe a range of distinctive features, including preferences for substrates that are indicative of ecological niche partitioning. The individual characteristics could be responsible for shaping the composition of the haloarchaeal community throughout the lake by enabling selection of ecotypes and maintaining sympatric speciation.

Overexpression of β-expansin gene GmEXPB2 improves phosphorus efficiency in soybean

Soybean (Glycine max) is an important oil crop in agricultural production, but low phosphorus (P) availability limits soybean growth and production. Expansin is a family of plant cell wall proteins and involved in a variety of physiological processes, including cell division and enlargement, root growth and leaf development. To test the potential effects of expansins on crop production, we have developed soybean transgenic plants overexpressing a soybean β-expansin gene GmEXPB2, which was significantly induced by phosphate (Pi) starvation. The results indicated that constitutive overexpression of GmEXPB2 promoted leaf expansion, sequentially stimulated root growth and consequently resulted in improved P efficiency in the transgenic plants under P-limited conditions in hydroponics. In particular, when tested in calcareous (CS) and acid soils (AS), the two GmEXPB2 transgenic soybean lines showed above 25 and 40% increases in plant dry weight and P content, respectively to wild-type plants in low-P CS, but not in AS. To our knowledge, this is the first report in which improvement of P efficiency could be achieved through constitutive overexpression of an endogenous EXPB gene in soybean. These findings suggest that genetic modification of root and leaf traits might be a suitable strategy for improving crop production in low-P soils.

Structure and function of phosphonoacetaldehyde dehydrogenase: the missing link in phosphonoacetate formation

Phosphonates (C-PO₃²⁻) have applications as antibiotics, herbicides, and detergents. In some environments, these molecules represent the predominant source of phosphorus, and several microbes have evolved dedicated enzymatic machineries for phosphonate degradation. For example, most common naturally occurring phosphonates can be catabolized to either phosphonoacetaldehyde or phosphonoacetate, which can then be hydrolyzed to generate inorganic phosphate and acetaldehyde or acetate, respectively. The phosphonoacetaldehyde oxidase gene (phnY) links these two hydrolytic processes and provides a previously unknown catabolic mechanism for phosphonoacetate production in the microbial metabolome. Here, we present biochemical characterization of PhnY and high-resolution crystal structures of the apo state, as well as complexes with substrate, cofactor, and product. Kinetic analysis of active site mutants demonstrates how a highly conserved aldehyde dehydrogenase active site has been modified in nature to generate activity with a phosphonate substrate.

Chiral phosphinate degradation by the fusarium species: scope and limitation of the process

Biodegradable capacities of fungal strains of Fusarium oxysporum (DSMZ 2018) and Fusarium culmorum (DSMZ 1094) were tested towards racemic mixture of chiral 2-hydroxy-2-(ethoxyphenylphosphinyl) acetic acid—a compound with two stereogenic centres. The effectiveness of decomposition was dependent on external factors such as temperature and time of the process. Optimal conditions of complete mineralization were established. Both Fusarium species were able to biodegrade every isomer of tested compound at 30°C, but F. culmorum required 10 days and F. oxysporum 11 days to accomplish the process, which was continuously monitored using the ³¹P NMR technique.

Metatranscriptomic and functional metagenomic analysis of methylphosphonate utilization by marine bacteria

Aerobic degradation of methylphosphonate (MPn) by marine bacterioplankton has been hypothesized to contribute significantly to the ocean's methane supersaturation, yet little is known about MPn utilization by marine microbes. To identify the microbial taxa and metabolic functions associated with MPn-driven methane production we performed parallel metagenomic, metatranscriptomic, and functional screening of microcosm perturbation experiments using surface water collected in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre. In nutrient amended microcosms containing MPn, a substrate-driven microbial succession occurred. Initially, the addition of glucose and nitrate resulted in a bloom of Vibrionales and a transcriptional profile dominated by glucose-specific PTS transport and polyhydroxyalkanoate biosynthesis. Transcripts associated with phosphorus (P) acquisition were also overrepresented and suggested that the addition of glucose and nitrate had driven the community to P depletion. At this point, a second community shift occurred characterized by the increase in C-P lyase containing microbes of the Vibrionales and Rhodobacterales orders. Transcripts associated with C-P lyase components were among the most highly expressed at the community level, and only C-P lyase clusters were recovered in a functional screen for MPn utilization, consistent with this pathway being responsible for the majority, if not all, of the methane accumulation we observed. Our results identify specific bacterioplankton taxa that can utilize MPn aerobically under conditions of P limitation using the C-P lyase pathway, and thereby elicit a significant increase in the dissolved methane concentration.

Discovery of a cyclic phosphodiesterase that catalyzes the sequential hydrolysis of both ester bonds to phosphorus

The bacterial C-P lyase pathway is responsible for the metabolism of unactivated organophosphonates under conditions of phosphate starvation. The cleavage of the C-P bond within ribose-1-methylphosphonate-5-phosphate to form methane and 5-phospho-ribose-1,2-cyclic phosphate (PRcP) is catalyzed by the radical SAM enzyme PhnJ. In Escherichia coli the cyclic phosphate product is hydrolyzed to ribose-1,5-bisphosphate by PhnP. In this study, we describe the discovery and characterization of an enzyme that can hydrolyze a cyclic phosphodiester directly to a vicinal diol and inorganic phosphate. With PRcP, this enzyme hydrolyzes the phosphate ester at carbon-1 of the ribose moiety to form ribose-2,5-bisphosphate, and then this intermediate is hydrolyzed to ribose-5-phosphate and inorganic phosphate. Ribose-1,5-bisphosphate is neither an intermediate nor a substrate for this enzyme. Orthologues of this enzyme are found in the human pathogens Clostridium difficile and Eggerthella lenta. We propose that this enzyme be called cyclic phosphate dihydrolase (cPDH) and be designated as PhnPP.

Potent inhibition of the C-P lyase nucleosidase PhnI by Immucillin-A triphosphate

The C-P lyase complex in bacteria catalyzes the transformation of phosphonates to orthophosphate under conditions of phosphate starvation. The first committed step in the C-P lyase-catalyzed reaction is the displacement of adenine from MgATP by phosphonate substrates, yielding ribose-1-phosphonate-5-triphosphate. In the C-P lyase complex, this reaction is catalyzed by the nucleosidase PhnI and modulated by the addition of PhnG, PhnH, and PhnL. Here we describe the synthesis of Immucillin-A triphosphate, a mimic of the transition state structure for the nucleosidase reaction catalyzed by PhnI. This compound inhibits PhnI with a dissociation constant of 20 nM at pH 7.5.

Phosphonate biosynthesis and catabolism: a treasure trove of unusual enzymology

Natural product biosynthesis has proven a fertile ground for the discovery of novel chemistry. Herein we review the progress made in elucidating the biosynthetic pathways of phosphonate and phosphinate natural products such as the antibacterial compounds dehydrophos and fosfomycin, the herbicidal phosphinothricin-containing peptides, and the antimalarial compound FR-900098. In each case, investigation of the pathway has yielded unusual, and often unprecedented, biochemistry. Likewise, recent investigations have uncovered novel ways to cleave the CP bond to yield phosphate under phosphorus starvation conditions. These include the discovery of novel oxidative cleavage of the CP bond catalyzed by PhnY and PhnZ as well as phosphonohydrolases that liberate phosphate from phosphonoacetate. Perhaps the crown jewel of phosphonate catabolism has been the recent resolution of the longstanding problem of the C-P lyase responsible for reductively cleaving the CP bond of a number of different phosphonates to release phosphate. Taken together, the strides made on both metabolic and catabolic fronts illustrate an array of fascinating biochemistry.

Reaction of HppE with substrate analogues: evidence for carbon-phosphorus bond cleavage by a carbocation rearrangement

(S)-2-hydroxypropylphosphonic acid ((S)-2-HPP) epoxidase (HppE) is an unusual mononuclear non-heme iron enzyme that catalyzes the oxidative epoxidation of (S)-2-HPP in the biosynthesis of the antibiotic fosfomycin. Recently, HppE has been shown to accept (R)-1-hydroxypropylphosphonic acid as a substrate and convert it to an aldehyde product in a reaction involving a biologically unprecedented 1,2-phosphono migration. In this study, a series of substrate analogues were designed, synthesized, and used as mechanistic probes to study this novel enzymatic transformation. The resulting data, together with insights obtained from density functional theory calculations, are consistent with a mechanism of HppE-catalyzed phosphono group migration that involves the formation of a carbocation intermediate. As such, this reaction represents a new paradigm for biological C-P bond cleavage.

Organophosphonates revealed: new insights into the microbial metabolism of ancient molecules

Organophosphonates are ancient molecules that contain the chemically stable C-P bond, which is considered a relic of the reducing atmosphere on primitive earth. Synthetic phosphonates now have a wide range of applications in the agricultural, chemical and pharmaceutical industries. However, the existence of C-P compounds as contemporary biogenic molecules was not discovered until 1959, with the identification of 2-aminoethylphosphonic acid in rumen protozoa. Here, we review advances in our understanding of the biochemistry and genetics of microbial phosphonate metabolism, and discuss the role of these compounds and of the organisms engaged in their turnover within the P cycle.

Catabolism and detoxification of 1-aminoalkylphosphonic acids: N-acetylation by the phnO gene product

In Escherichia coli uptake and catabolism of organophosphonates are governed by the phnCDEFGHIJKLMNOP operon. The phnO cistron is shown to encode aminoalkylphosphonate N-acetyltransferase, which utilizes acetylcoenzyme A as acetyl donor and aminomethylphosphonate, (S)- and (R)-1-aminoethylphosphonate, 2-aminoethyl- and 3-aminopropylphosphonate as acetyl acceptors. Aminomethylphosphonate, (S)-1-aminoethylphosphonate, 2-aminoethyl- and 3-aminopropylphosphonate are used as phosphate source by E. coli phn⁺ strains. 2-Aminoethyl- or 3-aminopropylphosphonate but not aminomethylphosphonate or (S)-1-aminoethylphosphonate is used as phosphate source by phnO strains. Neither phn⁺ nor phnO strains can use (R)-1-aminoethylphosphonate as phosphate source. Utilization of aminomethylphosphonate or (S)-1-aminoethylphosphonate requires the expression of phnO. In the absence of phnO-expression (S)-1-aminoethylphosphonate is bacteriocidal and rescue of phnO strains requires the simultaneous addition of d-alanine and phosphate. An intermediate of the carbon-phosphorus lyase pathway, 5′-phospho-α-d-ribosyl 1′-(2-N-acetamidoethylphosphonate), a substrate for carbon-phosphorus lyase, was found to accumulate in cultures of a phnP mutant strain. The data show that the physiological role of N-acetylation by phnO-specified aminoalkylphosphonate N-acetyltransferase is to detoxify (S)-1-aminoethylphosphonate, an analog of d-alanine, and to prepare (S)-1-aminoethylphosphonate and aminomethylphosphonate for utilization of the phosphorus-containing moiety.

Radical SAM enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of purine-based natural products

The radical S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM) superfamily is a widely distributed group of iron-sulfur containing proteins that exploit the reactivity of the high energy intermediate, 5'-deoxyadenosyl radical, which is produced by the reductive cleavage of SAM, to carry-out complex radical-mediated transformations. The reactions catalyzed by radical SAM enzymes range from simple group migrations to complex reactions in protein and RNA modification. This review will highlight three radical SAM enzymes that catalyze reactions involving modified guanosines in the biosynthesis pathways of the hypermodified tRNA base wybutosine; secondary metabolites of 7-deazapurine structure, including the hypermodified tRNA base queuosine; and the redox cofactor F(420). This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Radical SAM enzymes and Radical Enzymology.

The genes and enzymes of phosphonate metabolism by bacteria, and their distribution in the marine environment

Phosphonates are compounds that contain the chemically stable carbon–phosphorus (C–P) bond. They are widely distributed amongst more primitive life forms including many marine invertebrates and constitute a significant component of the dissolved organic phosphorus reservoir in the oceans. Virtually all biogenic C–P compounds are synthesized by a pathway in which the key step is the intramolecular rearrangement of phosphoenolpyruvate to phosphonopyruvate. However C–P bond cleavage by degradative microorganisms is catalyzed by a number of enzymes – C–P lyases, C–P hydrolases, and others of as-yet-uncharacterized mechanism. Expression of some of the pathways of phosphonate catabolism is controlled by ambient levels of inorganic P (Pi) but for others it is Pi-independent. In this report we review the enzymology of C–P bond metabolism in bacteria, and also present the results of an in silico investigation of the distribution of the genes that encode the pathways responsible, in both bacterial genomes and in marine metagenomic libraries, and their likely modes of regulation. Interrogation of currently available whole-genome bacterial sequences indicates that some 10% contain genes encoding putative pathways of phosphonate biosynthesis while ∼40% encode one or more pathways of phosphonate catabolism. Analysis of metagenomic data from the global ocean survey suggests that some 10 and 30%, respectively, of bacterial genomes across the sites sampled encode these pathways. Catabolic routes involving phosphonoacetate hydrolase, C–P lyase(s), and an uncharacterized 2-aminoethylphosphonate degradative sequence were predominant, and it is likely that both substrate-inducible and Pi-repressible mechanisms are involved in their regulation. The data we present indicate the likely importance of phosphonate-P in global biogeochemical P cycling, and by extension its role in marine productivity and in carbon and nitrogen dynamics in the oceans.

Discovery and biosynthesis of phosphonate and phosphinate natural products

The P-C bonds in phosphonate and phosphinate natural products endow them with a high level of stability and the ability to mimic phosphate esters and carboxylates. As such, they have a diverse range of enzyme targets that act on substrates containing such functionalities. Recent years have seen a renewed interest in discovery efforts focused on this class of compounds as well as in understanding their biosynthetic pathways. This chapter focuses on current knowledge of these biosynthetic pathways as well as tools for phosphonate discovery.