Oxidation of reduced inorganic sulfur compounds by bacteria: emergence of a common mechanism?

A structural study towards the understanding of the interactions of SoxY, SoxZ, and SoxB, leading to the oxidation of sulfur anions via the novel global sulfur oxidizing (sox) operon

Microbial redox reactions of inorganic sulfur compounds, mainly the sulfur anions, are one of the vital reactions responsible for the environmental sulfur balance. These reactions are mediated by phylogenetically diverse prokaryotes, which also take part in the extraction of metal ions from their sulfur containing ores. The sulfur oxidizing gene cluster (sox) of alpha-Proteobacteria comprises of at least 16 genes, forming two transcriptional units, viz., soxSRT and soxVWXYZABCDEFGH. SoxY is known to be a sulfur covalently binding protein, which binds sulfur anions (such as sulfate) to form SoxY-thiocysteine-S-sulfate, the first covalently bound sulfur adduct in the novel global sulfur anion oxidation cycle. SoxZ, a sulfur compound chelating protein, binds to SoxY forming a complex to which SoxB, a sulfate thiol-esterase, binds and ultimately cleaves the sulfur adduct. We employed homology modeling to construct the three-dimensional structures of the SoxY, SoxZ, and SoxB from Paracoccus pantotrophus. With the help of docking and molecular dynamics studies we have identified the residues of SoxY, SoxZ, and SoxB involved in the interaction. The probable mechanisms of the binding of SoxY with sulfate as well as the removal of sulfate from the SoxYZ complex are also established. Our study provides a rational basis to illustrate the molecular mechanism of the biochemistry of sulfur anion oxidation reactions by these industrially important organisms.

Prokaryotic sulfur oxidation

Recent biochemical and genomic data differentiate the sulfur oxidation pathway of Archaea from those of Bacteria. From these data it is evident that members of the Alphaproteobacteria harbor the complete sulfur-oxidizing Sox enzyme system, whereas members of the beta and gamma subclass and the Chlorobiaceae contain sox gene clusters that lack the genes encoding sulfur dehydrogenase. This indicates a different pathway for oxidation of sulfur to sulfate. Acidophilic bacteria oxidize sulfur by a system different from the Sox enzyme system, as do chemotrophic endosymbiotic bacteria.

Structural insight into SoxC and SoxD interaction and their role in electron transport process in the novel global sulfur cycle in Paracoccus pantotrophus

Microbial oxidation of reduced inorganic sulfur compounds mainly sulfur anions in the environment is one of the major reactions of the global sulfur cycle mediated by phylogenetically diverse prokaryotes. The sulfur oxidizing gene cluster (sox) of alpha-Proteobacteria comprises of at least 16 genes, which form two transcriptional units, viz., soxSRT and soxVWXYZABCDEFGH. Sequence analysis reveals that soxD gene product (SoxD) belongs to the di-heme cytochrome c family of electron transport proteins whereas soxC gene product (SoxC) is a sulfur dehydrogenase. We employed homology modeling to construct the three-dimensional structures of the SoxC and SoxD from Paracoccus pantotrophus. SoxD protein is known to interact with SoxC. With the help of docking studies we have identified the residues involved in the interaction of SoxC and SoxD. The putative active site geometries of these two proteins as well as the structural basis of the involvements of these proteins in electron transport process during the oxidation of sulfur anions are also investigated.

Identification of core active site residues of the sulfur oxygenase reductase fromAcidianus ambivalensby site-directed mutagenesis

The sulfur oxygenase reductase (SOR) is the initial enzyme in the sulfur oxidation pathway of Acidianus ambivalens. The SOR is composed of 308 aa residues, three of which are cysteines, and contains a mononuclear non-heme iron site. Mutations of the suspected iron-binding residues H86, H90 and E114 to alanine resulted in inactive enzyme with no iron incorporated, whereas an E114D mutant showed 1% of wild type activity. The mutation of C31 to alanine and serine caused inactivity of the enzyme, however, the iron content was the same as in the wild type. C101A, C104S/A, and C101/104S/A double mutants caused a decrease in specific activity to 10-43% of the wild type while the C101S mutant showed only 1% activity of the wild type. The drop in activity of the C101S and E114D mutants was accompanied with a proportional decrease in iron content. In all cases the oxygenase and reductase partial reactions were equally affected. It was concluded that the Fe site with H86, H90 and E114 as ligands and C31 constitute the core active site whereas C101 and C104 optimize reaction conditions.

Characteristics and adaptability of iron- and sulfur-oxidizing microorganisms used for the recovery of metals from minerals and their concentrates

Microorganisms are used in large-scale heap or tank aeration processes for the commercial extraction of a variety of metals from their ores or concentrates. These include copper, cobalt, gold and, in the past, uranium. The metal solubilization processes are considered to be largely chemical with the microorganisms providing the chemicals and the space (exopolysaccharide layer) where the mineral dissolution reactions occur. Temperatures at which these processes are carried out can vary from ambient to 80 degrees C and the types of organisms present depends to a large extent on the process temperature used. Irrespective of the operation temperature, biomining microbes have several characteristics in common. One shared characteristic is their ability to produce the ferric iron and sulfuric acid required to degrade the mineral and facilitate metal recovery. Other characteristics are their ability to grow autotrophically, their acid-tolerance and their inherent metal resistance or ability to acquire metal resistance. Although the microorganisms that drive the process have the above properties in common, biomining microbes usually occur in consortia in which cross-feeding may occur such that a combination of microbes including some with heterotrophic tendencies may contribute to the efficiency of the process. The remarkable adaptability of these organisms is assisted by several of the processes being continuous-flow systems that enable the continual selection of microorganisms that are more efficient at mineral degradation. Adaptability is also assisted by the processes being open and non-sterile thereby permitting new organisms to enter. This openness allows for the possibility of new genes that improve cell fitness to be selected from the horizontal gene pool. Characteristics that biomining microorganisms have in common and examples of their remarkable adaptability are described.

SoxRS-mediated regulation of chemotrophic sulfur oxidation in Paracoccus pantotrophus

Paracoccus pantotrophus GB17 requires thiosulfate for induction of the sulfur-oxidizing (Sox) enzyme system. The soxRS genes are divergently oriented to the soxVWXYZA–H genes. soxR predicts a transcriptional regulator of the ArsR family and soxS a periplasmic thioredoxin. The homogenote mutant GBΩS carrying a disruption of soxS by the Ω-kanamycin-resistance-encoding interposon expressed a low thiosulfate-oxidizing activity under heterotrophic and mixotrophic growth conditions. This activity was repressed by complementation with soxR, suggesting that SoxR acts as a repressor and SoxS is essential for full expression. Sequence analysis uncovered operator characteristics in the intergenic regions soxS–soxV and soxW–soxX. In each region a transcription start site was identified by primer extension analysis. Both regions were cloned into the vector pRI1 and transferred to P. pantotrophus. Strains harbouring pRI1 with soxS–soxV or soxW–soxX expressed the sox genes under heterotrophic conditions at a low rate, indicating repressor titration. Sequence analysis of SoxR suggested a helix–turn–helix (HTH) motif at position 87–108 and uncovered an invariant Cys-80 and a cysteine residue at the C-terminus. SoxR was overproduced in Escherichia coli with an N-terminal His6-tag and purified to near homogeneity. Electrophoretic gel mobility shift assays with SoxR retarded the soxS–soxV region as a single band while the soxW–soxX region revealed at least two protein–DNA complexes. These data demonstrated binding of SoxR to the relevant DNA. This is believed to be the first report of regulation of chemotrophic sulfur oxidation at the molecular level.

Key role of cysteine residues in catalysis and subcellular localization of sulfur oxygenase-reductase of Acidianus tengchongensis

Analysis of known sulfur oxygenase-reductases (SORs) and the SOR-like sequences identified from public databases indicated that they all possess three cysteine residues within two conserved motifs (V-G-P-K-V-C(31) and C(101)-X-X-C(104); numbering according to the Acidianus tengchongensis numbering system). The thio-modifying reagent N-ethylmaleimide and Zn(2+) strongly inhibited the activities of the SORs of A. tengchongensis, suggesting that cysteine residues are important. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to construct four mutant SORs with cysteines replaced by serine or alanine. The purified mutant proteins were investigated in parallel with the wild-type SOR. Replacement of any cysteine reduced SOR activity by 98.4 to 100%, indicating that all the cysteine residues are crucial to SOR activities. Circular-dichroism and fluorescence spectrum analyses revealed that the wild-type and mutant SORs have similar structures and that none of them form any disulfide bond. Thus, it is proposed that three cysteine residues, C(31) and C(101)-X-X-C(104), in the conserved domains constitute the putative binding and catalytic sites of SOR. Furthermore, enzymatic activity assays of the subcellular fractions and immune electron microscopy indicated that SOR is not only present in the cytoplasm but also associated with the cytoplasmic membrane of A. tengchongensis. The membrane-associated SOR activity was colocalized with the activities of sulfite:acceptor oxidoreductase and thiosulfate:acceptor oxidoreductase. We tentatively propose that these enzymes are located in close proximity on the membrane to catalyze sulfur oxidation in A. tengchongensis.

A recombinant diheme SoxAX cytochrome - Implications for the relationship between EPR signals and modified heme-ligands

The multiheme SoxAX proteins are notable for their unusual heme ligation (His/Cys-persulfide in the SoxA subunit) and the complexity of their EPR spectra. The diheme SoxAX protein from Starkeya novella has been expressed using Rhodobacter capsulatus as a host expression system. rSoxAX was correctly formed in the periplasm of the host and contained heme c in similar amounts as the native SoxAX. ESI-MS showed that the full length rSoxA, in spite of never having undergone catalytic turnover, existed in several forms, with the two major forms having masses of 28687 +/- 4 and 28718 +/- 4 Da. The latter form exceeds the expected mass of rSoxA by 31 +/- 4 Da, a mass close to that of a sulfur atom and indicating that a fraction of the recombinant protein contains a cysteine persulfide modification. EPR spectra of rSoxAX contained all four heme-dependent EPR signals (LS1a, LS1b, LS2, LS3) found in the native SoxAX proteins isolated from bacteria grown under sulfur chemolithotrophic conditions. Exposure of the recombinant SoxAX to different sulfur compounds lead to changes in the SoxA mass profile as determined by ESI while maintaining a fully oxidized SoxAX visible spectrum. Thiosulfate, the proposed SoxAX substrate, did not cause any mass changes while after exposure to dimethylsulfoxide a +112 +/- 4 Da form of SoxA became dominant in the mass spectrum.

Homology Modeling of a Transcriptional Regulator SoxR of the Lithotrophic Sulfur Oxidation (Sox) Operon in α-Proteobacteria

Microbial oxidation of reduced inorganic sulfur compounds in the environment is one of the major reactions of the global sulfur cycle mediated by phylogenetically diverse prokaryotes. The sulfur oxidizing gene cluster (sox) of alpha-Proteobacteria comprises of at least 15 genes, which form two transcriptional units, viz soxSRT and soxVWXYZABCDEFGH. Sequence analysis reveals that SoxR belongs to the ArsR family of helix-turn-helix DNA binding proteins. Although SoxR proteins do not contain the conserved metal-binding box, ELCVCDL, but there are a number of well conserved residues present throughout the sequence that are previously identified in the known ArsR family proteins. We employed homology modeling to construct the three-dimensional structure of the SoxR from chemolithotrophic alpha-Proteobacteria Pseudaminobacter salicylatoxidans KCT001. The predicted homology model of SoxR shows an overall structural similarity with winged helix-turn-helix family proteins. Since dimerization is essential for DNA binding and repression by the ArsR family proteins we have generated the dimeric model of SoxR that enables us to predict the DNA binding residues of the protein as well as the interaction of SoxR with the predicted promoter region of sox gene cluster.

The sulfur oxygenase reductase from Acidianus ambivalens is an icosatetramer as shown by crystallization and Patterson analysis

The sulfur oxygenase reductase (SOR) is the initial enzyme in the aerobic sulfur metabolism of the thermoacidophilic and chemolithoautotrophic crenarchaeote Acidianus ambivalens. Single colorless polyhedral crystals were obtained under two crystallization conditions from SOR preparations heterologously overproduced in Escherichia coli. They belonged to space-group I4 and diffraction data were collected up to 1.7 A resolution. Their Patterson symmetry shows additional 4-, 3- and 2-fold non-crystallographic symmetry rotation axes, characteristic of the point group 432. Taking into account the molecular mass of SOR, the crystal unit cell volume, the non-crystallographic symmetry operators and previous electron microscopy studies of the SOR, it was deduced that the quaternary structure of the functionally active enzyme is an icosatetramer with 871 kDa molecular mass.

Dissimilatory oxidation and reduction of elemental sulfur in thermophilic archaea

The oxidation and reduction of elemental sulfur and reduced inorganic sulfur species are some of the most important energy-yielding reactions for microorganisms living in volcanic hot springs, solfataras, and submarine hydrothermal vents, including both heterotrophic, mixotrophic, and chemolithoautotrophic, carbon dioxide-fixing species. Elemental sulfur is the electron donor in aerobic archaea like Acidianus and Sulfolobus. It is oxidized via sulfite and thiosulfate in a pathway involving both soluble and membrane-bound enzymes. This pathway was recently found to be coupled to the aerobic respiratory chain, eliciting a link between sulfur oxidation and oxygen reduction at the level of the respiratory heme copper oxidase. In contrast, elemental sulfur is the electron acceptor in a short electron transport chain consisting of a membrane-bound hydrogenase and a sulfur reductase in (facultatively) anaerobic chemolithotrophic archaea Acidianus and Pyrodictium species. It is also the electron acceptor in organoheterotrophic anaerobic species like Pyrococcus and Thermococcus, however, an electron transport chain has not been described as yet. The current knowledge on the composition and properties of the aerobic and anaerobic pathways of dissimilatory elemental sulfur metabolism in thermophilic archaea is summarized in this contribution.

Haloalkaliphilic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria in soda lakes

The existence of chemolithoautotrophic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) capable of growth in an extremely alkaline and saline environment has not been recognized until recently. Extensive studies of saline, alkaline (soda) lakes located in Central Asia, Africa and North America have now revealed the presence, at relatively high numbers, of a new branch of obligately autotrophic SOB in these doubly extreme environments. Overall more than 100 strains were isolated in pure culture. All of them have the potential to grow optimally at around pH 10 in media strongly buffered with sodium carbonate/bicarbonate and cannot grow at pH<7.5 and Na(+) concentration <0.2 M. The majority of the isolates fell into two distinct groups with differing phylogeny and physiology, that have been described as two new genera in the Gammaproteobacteria; Thioalkalimicrobium and Thioalkalivibrio. The third genus, Thioalkalispira, contains a single obligate microaerophilic species T. microaerophila. The Thioalkalimicrobium group represents a typical opportunistic strategy, including highly specialized, relatively fast-growing and low salt-tolerant bacteria, dominating in hyposaline steppe soda lakes of Central Asia. The genus Thioalkalivibrio includes mostly slowly growing species better adapted to life in hypersaline conditions and with a more versatile metabolism. It includes denitrifying, thiocyanate-utilizing and facultatively alkaliphilic species.

Identification of 42 possible cytochrome C genes in the Shewanella oneidensis genome and characterization of six soluble cytochromes

Through pattern matching of the cytochrome c heme-binding site (CXXCH) against the genome sequence of Shewanella oneidensis MR-1, we identified 42 possible cytochrome c genes (27 of which should be soluble) out of a total of 4758. However, we found only six soluble cytochromes c in extracts of S. oneidensis grown under several different conditions: (1) a small tetraheme cytochrome c, (2) a tetraheme flavocytochrome c-fumarate reductase, (3) a diheme cytochrome c4, (4) a monoheme cytochrome c5, (5) a monoheme cytochrome c', and (6) a diheme bacterial cytochrome c peroxidase. These cytochromes were identified either through N-terminal or complete amino acid sequence determination combined with mass spectroscopy. All six cytochromes were about 10-fold more abundant when cells were grown at low than at high aeration, whereas the flavocytochrome c-fumarate reductase was specifically induced by anaerobic growth on fumarate. When adjusted for the different heme content, the monoheme cytochrome c5 is as abundant as are the small tetraheme cytochrome and the tetraheme fumarate reductase. Published results on regulation of cytochromes from DNA microarrays and 2D-PAGE differ somewhat from our results, emphasizing the importance of multifaceted analyses in proteomics.

The sulphur oxygenase reductase from Acidianus ambivalens is a multimeric protein containing a low-potential mononuclear non-haem iron centre

The SOR (sulphur oxygenase reductase) is the initial enzyme in the sulphur-oxidation pathway of Acidianus ambivalens. Expression of the sor gene in Escherichia coli resulted in active, soluble SOR and in inclusion bodies from which active SOR could be refolded as long as ferric ions were present in the refolding solution. Wild-type, recombinant and refolded SOR possessed indistinguishable properties. Conformational stability studies showed that the apparent unfolding free energy in water is approx. 5 kcal x mol(-1) (1 kcal=4.184 kJ), at pH 7. The analysis of the quaternary structures showed a ball-shaped assembly with a central hollow core probably consisting of 24 subunits in a 432 symmetry. The subunits form homodimers as the building blocks of the holoenzyme. Iron was found in the wild-type enzyme at a stoichiometry of one iron atom/subunit. EPR spectroscopy of the colourless SOR resulted in a single isotropic signal at g=4.3, characteristic of high-spin ferric iron. The signal disappeared upon reduction with dithionite or incubation with sulphur at elevated temperature. Thus both EPR and chemical analysis indicate the presence of a mononuclear iron centre, which has a reduction potential of -268 mV at pH 6.5. Protein database inspection identified four SOR protein homologues, but no other significant similarities. The spectroscopic data and the sequence comparison led to the proposal that the Acidianus ambivalens SOR typifies a new type of non-haem iron enzyme containing a mononuclear iron centre co-ordinated by carboxylate and/or histidine ligands.

Coupling of the pathway of sulphur oxidation to dioxygen reduction: characterization of a novel membrane-bound thiosulphate:quinone oxidoreductase

Thiosulphate is one of the products of the initial step of the elemental sulphur oxidation pathway in the thermoacidophilic archaeon Acidianus ambivalens. A novel thiosulphate:quinone oxidoreductase (TQO) activity was found in the membrane extracts of aerobically grown cells of this organism. The enzyme was purified 21-fold from the solubilized membrane fraction. The TQO oxidized thiosulphate with tetrathionate as product and ferricyanide or decyl ubiquinone (DQ) as electron acceptors. The maximum specific activity with ferricyanide was 73.4 U (mg protein)(-1) at 92 degrees C and pH 6, with DQ it was 397 mU (mg protein)(-1) at 80 degrees C. The Km values were 2.6 mM for thiosulphate (k(cat) = 167 s(-1)), 3.4 mM for ferricyanide and 5.87 micro M for DQ. The enzymic activity was inhibited by sulphite (Ki = 5 micro M), metabisulphite, dithionite and TritonX-100, but not by sulphate or tetrathionate. A mixture of caldariella quinone, sulfolobus quinone and menaquinone was non-covalently bound to the protein. No other cofactors were detected. Oxygen consumption was measured in membrane fractions upon thiosulphate addition, thus linking thiosulphate oxidation to dioxygen reduction, in what constitutes a novel activity among Archaea. The holoenzyme was composed of two subunits of apparent molecular masses of 28 and 16 kDa. The larger subunit appeared to be glycosylated and was identical to DoxA, and the smaller was identical to DoxD. Both subunits had been described previously as a part of the terminal quinol:oxygen oxidoreductase complex (cytochrome aa3).

Effects of inhibitors and NaCl on the oxidation of reduced inorganic sulfur compounds by a marine acidophilic, sulfur-oxidizing bacterium, Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans strain SH

The effect of NaCl and the pathways of the oxidation of reduced inorganic sulfur compounds were studied using resting cells and cell-free extracts of Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans strain SH. This isolate specifically requires NaCl for growth. The oxidation of sulfur and sulfite by resting cells was strongly inhibited by 2-heptyl-4-hydroxyquinoline-N-oxide. Carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenyl-hydrazone and monensin were also relatively strong inhibitors. Thiosulfate-oxidizing activity was not inhibited by these uncouplers. Valinomycin did not inhibit the oxidation of sulfur compounds. NaCl stimulated the sulfur- and sulfite-oxidizing activities in resting cells but not in cell-free extracts. The tetrathionate-oxidizing activity in resting cells was slightly stimulated by NaCl, whereas it did not influence the thiosulfate-oxidizing activity. Sulfide oxidation was biphasic, suggesting the formation of intermediate sulfur. The initial phase of sulfide oxidation was not affected by NaCl, whereas the subsequent oxidation of sulfur in the second phase was Na+-dependent. A model is proposed for the role of NaCl in the metabolism of reduced sulfur compounds in A. thiooxidans strain SH.

Differential protein expression during growth of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans on ferrous iron, sulfur compounds, or metal sulfides

A set of proteins that changed their levels of synthesis during growth of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans ATCC 19859 on metal sulfides, thiosulfate, elemental sulfur, and ferrous iron was characterized by using two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. N-terminal amino acid sequencing and mass spectrometry analysis of these proteins allowed their identification and the localization of the corresponding genes in the available genomic sequence of A. ferrooxidans ATCC 23270. The genomic context around several of these genes suggests their involvement in the energetic metabolism of A. ferrooxidans. Two groups of proteins could be distinguished. The first consisted of proteins highly upregulated by growth on sulfur compounds (and downregulated by growth on ferrous iron): a 44-kDa outer membrane protein, an exported 21-kDa putative thiosulfate sulfur transferase protein, a 33-kDa putative thiosulfate/sulfate binding protein, a 45-kDa putative capsule polysaccharide export protein, and a putative 16-kDa protein of unknown function. The second group of proteins comprised those downregulated by growth on sulfur (and upregulated by growth on ferrous iron): rusticyanin, a cytochrome c(552), a putative phosphate binding protein (PstS), the small and large subunits of ribulose biphosphate carboxylase, and a 30-kDa putative CbbQ protein, among others. The results suggest in general a separation of the iron and sulfur utilization pathways. Rusticyanin, in addition to being highly expressed on ferrous iron, was also newly synthesized, as determined by metabolic labeling, although at lower levels, during growth on sulfur compounds and iron-free metal sulfides. During growth on metal sulfides containing iron, such as pyrite and chalcopyrite, both proteins upregulated on ferrous iron and those upregulated on sulfur compounds were synthesized, indicating that the two energy-generating pathways are induced simultaneously depending on the kind and concentration of oxidizable substrates available.

Sulfur oxidation in Paracoccus pantotrophus: interaction of the sulfur-binding protein SoxYZ with the dimanganese SoxB protein

The central protein of the sulfur-oxidizing enzyme system of Paracoccus pantotrophus, SoxYZ, formed complexes with subunits associated and covalently bound. In denaturing SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) SoxY migrated at 12 and SoxZ at 16kDa. SDS-PAGE of homogeneous SoxYZ without reductant separated dimeric complexes of 25, 29, and 32kDa identified by the N-terminal amino acid sequences as SoxY-Y, SoxY-Z, and SoxZ-Z, and subunit cleavage by reduction suggested their linkage via protein disulfide bonds. SoxYZ was reversibly redox active between -0.25 and 0.2V, as monitored by a combined electrochemical and FTIR spectroscopic approach. The dimanganese SoxB protein (58.611Da) converted the covalently linked heterodimer SoxY-Z to SoxYZ with associated subunits which in turn aggregated to the heterotetramer Sox(YZ)(2). This reaction depended on time and the SoxB concentration, and demonstrated the interaction of these two Sox proteins.

Complete genome sequence of the metabolically versatile photosynthetic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas palustris

Rhodopseudomonas palustris is among the most metabolically versatile bacteria known. It uses light, inorganic compounds, or organic compounds, for energy. It acquires carbon from many types of green plant-derived compounds or by carbon dioxide fixation, and it fixes nitrogen. Here we describe the genome sequence of R. palustris, which consists of a 5,459,213-base-pair (bp) circular chromosome with 4,836 predicted genes and a plasmid of 8,427 bp. The sequence reveals genes that confer a remarkably large number of options within a given type of metabolism, including three nitrogenases, five benzene ring cleavage pathways and four light harvesting 2 systems. R. palustris encodes 63 signal transduction histidine kinases and 79 response regulator receiver domains. Almost 15% of the genome is devoted to transport. This genome sequence is a starting point to use R. palustris as a model to explore how organisms integrate metabolic modules in response to environmental perturbations.

Cytochrome c551 from Starkeya novella: characterization, spectroscopic properties, and phylogeny of a diheme protein of the SoxAX family

Cytochromes from the SoxAX family have a major role in thiosulfate oxidation via the thiosulfate-oxidizing multi-enzyme system (TOMES). Previously characterized SoxAX proteins from Rhodovulum sulfidophilum and Paracoccus pantotrophus contain three heme c groups, two of which are located on the SoxA subunit. In contrast, the SoxAX protein purified from Starkeya novella was found to contain only two heme groups. Mass spectrometry showed that a disulfide bond replaced the second heme group found in the diheme SoxA subunits. Apparent molecular masses of 27,229 +/- 10.3 Da and 20,258.6 +/- 1 Da were determined for SoxA and SoxX with an overall mass of 49.7 kDa, indicating a heterodimeric structure. Optical redox potentiometry found that the two heme cofactors are reduced at similar potentials (versus NHE) that are as follows: +133 mV (pH 6.0); +104 mV (pH 7.0); +49 (pH 7.9) and +10 mV (pH 8.7). EPR spectroscopy revealed that both ferric heme groups are in the low spin state, and the spectra were consistent with one heme having a His/Cys axial ligation and the other having a His/Met axial ligation. The His/Cys ligated heme is present in different conformational states and gives rise to three distinct signals. Amino acid sequencing was used to unambiguously assign the protein to the encoding genes, soxAX, which are part of a complete sox gene cluster found in S. novella. Phylogenetic analysis of soxA- and soxX-related gene sequences indicates a parallel development of SoxA and SoxX, with the diheme and monoheme SoxA sequences located on clearly separated branches of a phylogenetic tree.

A generalized transducing thiophage (TPC-1) of a facultative sulfur chemolithotrophic bacterium,Bosea thiooxidansCT5, of α-Proteobacteria, isolated from Indian soil

We have isolated and characterized a double-stranded DNA bacteriophage (TPC-1) of Bosea thiooxidans, a facultative sulfur chemolithotrophic bacterium. The name 'thiophage' is introduced for phage(s) infecting sulfur chemolithotrophic bacteria. Electron micrographs showed the phage particle with an icosahedral head and a very short wedge-like tail. TPC-1 is classified as the C1 morphotype of the Podoviridae family. Restriction map and terminal ends detection by end fill labeling of the TPC-1 genomic DNA showed that the genome is linear with 5' protruding cohesive termini. Contour length mapping of the DNA genome also revealed it to be a linear fragment with size ( approximately 44 kb) corresponding with the size estimated from restriction fragment analyses and proved the non-redundant nature of the linear genome topology. In colorless sulfur chemolithotrophic microorganisms, TPC-1 is the first report of a generalized transducing thiophage.

The sulfane sulfur of persulfides is the actual substrate of the sulfur-oxidizing enzymes from Acidithiobacillus and Acidiphilium spp

To identify the actual substrate of the glutathione-dependent sulfur dioxygenase (EC 1.13.11.18) elemental sulfur oxidation of the meso-acidophilic Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans strains DSM 504 and K6, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans strain R1 and Acidiphilium acidophilum DSM 700 was analysed. Extraordinarily high specific sulfur dioxygenase activities up to 460 nmol x min(-1) (mg protein)(-1) were found in crude extracts. All cell-free systems oxidized elemental sulfur only via glutathione persulfide (GSSH), a non-enzymic reaction product from glutathione (GSH) and elemental sulfur. Thus, GSH plays a catalytic role in elemental sulfur activation, but is not consumed during enzymic sulfane sulfur oxidation. Sulfite is the first product of sulfur dioxygenase activity; it further reacted non-enzymically to sulfate, thiosulfate or glutathione S-sulfonate (GSSO(-3)). Free sulfide was not oxidized by the sulfur dioxygenase. Persulfide as sulfur donor could not be replaced by other sulfane-sulfur-containing compounds (thiosulfate, polythionates, bisorganyl-polysulfanes or monoarylthiosulfonates). The oxidation of H(2)S by the dioxygenase required GSSG, i.e. the disulfide of GSH, which reacted non-enzymically with sulfide to give GSSH prior to enzymic oxidation. On the basis of these results and previous findings a biochemical model for elemental sulfur and sulfide oxidation in Acidithiobacillus and Acidiphilium spp. is proposed.

Insights into the stress response and sulfur metabolism revealed by proteome analysis of a Chlorobium tepidum mutant lacking the Rubisco-like protein

A significant fraction of the proteome of Chlorobium tepidum is altered in a mutant strain of the green sulfur bacterium C. tepidum (Omega::RLP) lacking the Rubisco-like protein (RLP). Additionally, a number of stress proteins display altered abundance or migration in strain Omega::RLP, including a thioredoxin, a putative Hsp20 family chaperonin, and GroEL. Changes in protein abundance are closely correlated to mRNA abundance in the case of two other stress proteins, a thiol-specific antioxidant protein homolog (Tsa/AhpC) and an iron only superoxide dismutase (Fe-SOD). Strain Omega::RLP is more resistant to hydrogen peroxide exposure than strain WT2321, providing evidence that the stress proteins are functional. Strain Omega::RLP is also defective in thiosulfate oxidation, but is able to oxidize sulfide as well as the wild-type strain. Based on studies with periplasm-enriched extracts of strain Omega::RLP, the loss of thiosulfate oxidation capability correlates with undetectable levels of the Sox Y protein, a component of the predicted thiosulfate oxidation complex. These results provide further indications that sulfur oxidation capacity and the response to stress are linked in C. tepidum, with the RLP playing a major role.

Discovery and characterization of electron transfer proteins in the photosynthetic bacteria

Research on photosynthetic electron transfer closely parallels that of other electron transfer pathways and in many cases they overlap. Thus, the first bacterial cytochrome to be characterized, called cytochrome c (2), is commonly found in non-sulfur purple photosynthetic bacteria and is a close homolog of mitochondrial cytochrome c. The cytochrome bc (1) complex is an integral part of photosynthetic electron transfer yet, like cytochrome c (2), was first recognized as a respiratory component. Cytochromes c (2) mediate electron transfer between the cytochrome bc (1) complex and photosynthetic reaction centers and cytochrome a-type oxidases. Not all photosynthetic bacteria contain cytochrome c (2); instead it is thought that HiPIP, auracyanin, Halorhodospira cytochrome c551, Chlorobium cytochrome c555, and cytochrome c (8) may function in a similar manner as photosynthetic electron carriers between the cytochrome bc (1) complex and reaction centers. More often than not, the soluble or periplasmic mediators do not interact directly with the reaction center bacteriochlorophyll, but require the presence of membrane-bound intermediates: a tetraheme cytochrome c in purple bacteria and a monoheme cytochrome c in green bacteria. Cyclic electron transfer in photosynthesis requires that the redox potential of the system be delicately poised for optimum efficiency. In fact, lack of redox poise may be one of the defects in the aerobic phototrophic bacteria. Thus, large concentrations of cytochromes c (2) and c' may additionally poise the redox potential of the cyclic photosystem of purple bacteria. Other cytochromes, such as flavocytochrome c (FCSD or SoxEF) and cytochrome c551 (SoxA), may feed electrons from sulfide, sulfur, and thiosulfate into the photosynthetic pathways via the same soluble carriers as are part of the cyclic system.

Chlorobium tepidum: insights into the structure, physiology, and metabolism of a green sulfur bacterium derived from the complete genome sequence

Green sulfur bacteria are obligate, anaerobic photolithoautotrophs that synthesize unique bacteriochlorophylls (BChls) and a unique light-harvesting antenna structure, the chlorosome. One organism, Chlorobium tepidum, has emerged as a model for this group of bacteria primarily due to its relative ease of cultivation and natural transformability. This review focuses on insights into the physiology and biochemistry of the green sulfur bacteria that have been derived from the recently completed analysis of the 2.15-Mb genome of Chl. tepidum. About 40 mutants of Chl. tepidum have been generated within the last 3 years, most of which have been made based on analyses of the genome. This has allowed a nearly complete elucidation of the biosynthetic pathways for the carotenoids and BChls in Chl. tepidum, which include several novel enzymes specific for BChl c biosynthesis. Facilitating these analyses, both BChl c and carotenoid biosynthesis can be completely eliminated in Chl. tepidum. Based particularly on analyses of mutants lacking chlorosome proteins and BChl c, progress has also been made in understanding the structure and biogenesis of chlorosomes. In silico analyses of the presence and absence of genes encoding components involved in electron transfer reactions and carbon assimilation have additionally revealed some of the potential physiological capabilities, limitations, and peculiarities of Chl. tepidum. Surprisingly, some structural components and biosynthetic pathways associated with photosynthesis and energy metabolism in Chl. tepidum are more similar to those in cyanobacteria and plants than to those in other groups of photosynthetic bacteria.

Structural basis for the oxidation of thiosulfate by a sulfur cycle enzyme

Reduced inorganic sulfur compounds are utilized by many bacteria as electron donors to photosynthetic or respiratory electron transport chains. This metabolism is a key component of the biogeochemical sulfur cycle. The SoxAX protein is a heterodimeric c-type cytochrome involved in thiosulfate oxidation. The crystal structures of SoxAX from the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodovulum sulfidophilum have been solved at 1.75 A resolution in the oxidized state and at 1.5 A resolution in the dithionite-reduced state, providing the first structural insights into the enzymatic oxidation of thiosulfate. The SoxAX active site contains a haem with unprecedented cysteine persulfide (cysteine sulfane) coordination. This unusual post-translational modification is also seen in sulfurtransferases such as rhodanese. Intriguingly, this enzyme shares further active site characteristics with SoxAX such as an adjacent conserved arginine residue and a strongly positive electrostatic potential. These similarities have allowed us to suggest a catalytic mechanism for enzymatic thiosulfate oxidation. The atomic coordinates and experimental structure factors have been deposited in the PDB with the accession codes 1H31, 1H32 and 1H33.

SoxV, an orthologue of the CcdA disulfide transporter, is involved in thiosulfate oxidation in Rhodovulum sulfidophilum and reduces the periplasmic thioredoxin SoxW

Proteins of the CcdA/DsbD family have previously been found to be involved in the protein disulfide isomerase and cytochrome c maturation pathways of bacteria. SoxV is a CcdA homologue encoded by a genetic locus involved in lithotrophic thiosulfate oxidation in Rhodovulum sulfidophilum. Mutagenesis studies demonstrate an essential and specific role for SoxV in thiosulfate oxidation. Another protein encoded by the same locus, SoxW, is a periplasmic thioredoxin. SoxW was found to be in the reduced state during growth of R. sulfidophilum in the presence of thiosulfate. Maintenance of SoxW in the reduced state was shown to require SoxV. Nevertheless, SoxW was found to be dispensible for thiosulfate oxidation suggesting that SoxV reduces more than one periplasmic partner protein.

The cytochrome complex SoxXA of Paracoccus pantotrophus is produced in Escherichia coli and functional in the reconstituted sulfur-oxidizing enzyme system

The heterodimeric c-type cytochrome complex SoxXA of Paracoccus pantotrophus was produced in Escherichia coli. The soxX and soxA genes, separated by two genes in the sox gene cluster of P. pantotrophus, were fused with ribosome binding sites optimal for E. coli and combined to give soxXA in pRD133.27. The cytochrome complex SoxXA was produced in E. coli M15 containing pRD133.27, pREP4 encoding the Lac repressor and plasmid pEC86, carrying essential cytochrome c maturation genes. SoxX and SoxA were formed in a ratio of about 2.5:1. SoxA appeared to be unstable when not complexed with SoxX. The cytochrome complex SoxXA, purified to homogeneity from periplasmic extracts of E. coli M15 (pRD133.27, pREP4, pEC86), exhibited identical biochemical and biophysical properties as compared to SoxXA of P. pantotrophus. Moreover, this cytochrome complex was shown to be equally catalytically active with respect to rates and reactivity with different sulfur substrates in the reconstituted sulfur-oxidizing enzyme system using homogeneous Sox-proteins of P. pantotrophus. Homogeneous SoxX was catalytically inactive.

The complete genome sequence of Chlorobium tepidum TLS, a photosynthetic, anaerobic, green-sulfur bacterium

The complete genome of the green-sulfur eubacterium Chlorobium tepidum TLS was determined to be a single circular chromosome of 2,154,946 bp. This represents the first genome sequence from the phylum Chlorobia, whose members perform anoxygenic photosynthesis by the reductive tricarboxylic acid cycle. Genome comparisons have identified genes in C. tepidum that are highly conserved among photosynthetic species. Many of these have no assigned function and may play novel roles in photosynthesis or photobiology. Phylogenomic analysis reveals likely duplications of genes involved in biosynthetic pathways for photosynthesis and the metabolism of sulfur and nitrogen as well as strong similarities between metabolic processes in C. tepidum and many Archaeal species.

An exported rhodanese-like protein is induced during growth of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans in metal sulfides and different sulfur compounds

By proteomic analysis we found a 21-kDa protein (P21) from Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans ATCC 19859 whose synthesis was greatly increased by growth of the bacteria in pyrite, thiosulfate, elemental sulfur, CuS, and ZnS and was almost completely repressed by growth in ferrous iron. After we determined the N-terminal amino acid sequence of P21, we used the available preliminary genomic sequence of A. ferrooxidans ATCC 23270 to isolate the DNA region containing the p21 gene. The nucleotide sequence of this DNA fragment contained a putative open reading frame (ORF) coding for a 23-kDa protein. This difference in size was due to the presence of a putative signal peptide in the ORF coding for P21. When p21 was cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli, the signal peptide was removed, resulting in a mature protein with a molecular mass of 21 kDa and a calculated isoelectric point of 9.18. P21 exhibited 27% identity and 42% similarity to the Deinococcus radiodurans thiosulfate-sulfur transferase (rhodanese; EC 2.8.1.1) and similar values in relation to other rhodaneses, conserving structural domains and an active site with a cysteine, both characteristic of this family of proteins. However, the purified recombinant P21 protein did not show rhodanese activity. Unlike cytoplasmic rhodaneses, P21 was located in the periphery of A. ferrooxidans cells, as determined by immunocytochemical analysis, and was regulated depending on the oxidizable substrate. The genomic context around gene p21 contained other ORFs corresponding to proteins such as thioredoxins and sulfate-thiosulfate binding proteins, clearly suggesting the involvement of P21 in inorganic sulfur metabolism in A. ferrooxidans.

Enzymology and molecular biology of prokaryotic sulfite oxidation

Despite its toxicity, sulfite plays a key role in oxidative sulfur metabolism and there are even some microorganisms which can use it as sole electron source. Sulfite is the main intermediate in the oxidation of sulfur compounds to sulfate, the major product of most dissimilatory sulfur-oxidizing prokaryotes. Two pathways of sulfite oxidation are known: (1) direct oxidation to sulfate catalyzed by a sulfite:acceptor oxidoreductase, which is thought to be a molybdenum-containing enzyme; (2) indirect oxidation under the involvement of the enzymes adenylylsulfate (APS) reductase and ATP sulfurylase and/or adenylylsulfate:phosphate adenylyltransferase with APS as an intermediate. The latter pathway allows substrate phosphorylation and occurs in the bacterial cytoplasm. Direct oxidation appears to have a wider distribution; however, a redundancy of pathways has been described for diverse photo- or chemotrophic, sulfite-oxidizing prokaryotes. In many pro- and also eukaryotes sulfite is formed as a degradative product from molecules containing sulfur as a heteroatom. In these organisms detoxification of sulfite is generally achieved by direct oxidation to sulfate.

The shxVW locus is essential for oxidation of inorganic sulfur and molecular hydrogen by Paracoccus pantotrophus GB17: a novel function for lithotrophy

The shxVW genes of Paracoccus pantotrophus were identified to be essential for lithotrophic oxidation of sulfur and hydrogen. shxV predicts a membrane protein which is 42% identical to CcdA of P. pantotrophus essential for cytochrome c biogenesis. shxW predicts a periplasmic thioredoxin. Disruption of shxV by an Omega-kanamycin interposon disabled the resulting mutant GB(Omega)V to grow with thiosulfate or molecular hydrogen and to express ShxW while cytochrome c formation was not affected. Mixotrophic growth with succinate and thiosulfate of strain GB(Omega)V revealed 2% of the thiosulfate-dependent oxygen uptake rate as compared to the wild-type while antigens of proteins essential for sulfur oxidation were present in both strains. Mixotrophic growth of strain GB(Omega)V with succinate and molecular hydrogen revealed neither hydrogenase activity nor antigens. Complementation analysis with plasmid pBHP6 carrying the shxVW genes revealed the wild-type phenotype of strain GB(Omega)V(pBHP6).

The cysteine residue of the SoxY protein as the active site of protein-bound sulfur oxidation of Paracoccus pantotrophus GB17

Four proteins of Paracoccus pantotrophus are required for hydrogen sulfide-, sulfur-, thiosulfate- and sulfite-dependent horse heart cytochrome c reduction. The lack of free intermediates suggested a protein-bound sulfur oxidation mechanism. The SoxY protein has a novel motif containing a cysteine residue. Electrospray ionization and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry of the SoxYZ protein revealed one mass for SoxZ and different masses for SoxY, indicating native SoxY (10977 Da) and SoxY with additional masses of +32, +80, +112 and +144 Da, suggesting addition of sulfur, sulfite, thiosulfate and thioperoxomonosulfate. Reduction of SoxY removed the additional masses, indicating a thioether or thioester bond. N-Ethylmaleimide inhibited thiosulfate-oxidation and the kinetics suggested a turn-over-dependent mode of action. These data were evidence that the sulfur atom to be oxidized was covalently linked to the thiol moiety of the cysteine residue of SoxY and the active site of sulfur oxidation.