1
|
Strenkert D, Schmollinger S, Hu Y, Hofmann C, Holbrook K, Liu HW, Purvine SO, Nicora CD, Chen S, Lipton MS, Northen TR, Clemens S, Merchant SS. Zn deficiency disrupts Cu and S homeostasis in Chlamydomonas resulting in over accumulation of Cu and Cysteine. Metallomics 2023; 15:mfad043. [PMID: 37422438 PMCID: PMC10357957 DOI: 10.1093/mtomcs/mfad043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
Growth of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii in zinc (Zn) limited medium leads to disruption of copper (Cu) homeostasis, resulting in up to 40-fold Cu over-accumulation relative to its typical Cu quota. We show that Chlamydomonas controls its Cu quota by balancing Cu import and export, which is disrupted in a Zn deficient cell, thus establishing a mechanistic connection between Cu and Zn homeostasis. Transcriptomics, proteomics and elemental profiling revealed that Zn-limited Chlamydomonas cells up-regulate a subset of genes encoding "first responder" proteins involved in sulfur (S) assimilation and consequently accumulate more intracellular S, which is incorporated into L-cysteine, γ-glutamylcysteine, and homocysteine. Most prominently, in the absence of Zn, free L-cysteine is increased ∼80-fold, corresponding to ∼2.8 × 109 molecules/cell. Interestingly, classic S-containing metal binding ligands like glutathione and phytochelatins do not increase. X-ray fluorescence microscopy showed foci of S accumulation in Zn-limited cells that co-localize with Cu, phosphorus and calcium, consistent with Cu-thiol complexes in the acidocalcisome, the site of Cu(I) accumulation. Notably, cells that have been previously starved for Cu do not accumulate S or Cys, causally connecting cysteine synthesis with Cu accumulation. We suggest that cysteine is an in vivo Cu(I) ligand, perhaps ancestral, that buffers cytosolic Cu.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Strenkert
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Stefan Schmollinger
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Yuntao Hu
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology, Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryBerkeley CAUSA
| | | | - Kristen Holbrook
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Helen W Liu
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Samuel O Purvine
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, US Department of Energy, Richland, WA 99352, USA
| | - Carrie D Nicora
- Biological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, US Department of Energy, Richland, WA 99352, USA
| | - Si Chen
- Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL 60439, USA
| | - Mary S Lipton
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, US Department of Energy, Richland, WA 99352, USA
| | - Trent R Northen
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology, Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryBerkeley CAUSA
- Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley CAUSA
| | - Stephan Clemens
- Department of Plant Physiology, University of Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Sabeeha S Merchant
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology, Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryBerkeley CAUSA
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
- Department of Molecular & Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Is Genetic Engineering a Route to Enhance Microalgae-Mediated Bioremediation of Heavy Metal-Containing Effluents? MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27051473. [PMID: 35268582 PMCID: PMC8911655 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27051473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Contamination of the biosphere by heavy metals has been rising, due to accelerated anthropogenic activities, and is nowadays, a matter of serious global concern. Removal of such inorganic pollutants from aquatic environments via biological processes has earned great popularity, for its cost-effectiveness and high efficiency, compared to conventional physicochemical methods. Among candidate organisms, microalgae offer several competitive advantages; phycoremediation has even been claimed as the next generation of wastewater treatment technologies. Furthermore, integration of microalgae-mediated wastewater treatment and bioenergy production adds favorably to the economic feasibility of the former process—with energy security coming along with environmental sustainability. However, poor biomass productivity under abiotic stress conditions has hindered the large-scale deployment of microalgae. Recent advances encompassing molecular tools for genome editing, together with the advent of multiomics technologies and computational approaches, have permitted the design of tailor-made microalgal cell factories, which encompass multiple beneficial traits, while circumventing those associated with the bioaccumulation of unfavorable chemicals. Previous studies unfolded several routes through which genetic engineering-mediated improvements appear feasible (encompassing sequestration/uptake capacity and specificity for heavy metals); they can be categorized as metal transportation, chelation, or biotransformation, with regulation of metal- and oxidative stress response, as well as cell surface engineering playing a crucial role therein. This review covers the state-of-the-art metal stress mitigation mechanisms prevalent in microalgae, and discusses putative and tested metabolic engineering approaches, aimed at further improvement of those biological processes. Finally, current research gaps and future prospects arising from use of transgenic microalgae for heavy metal phycoremediation are reviewed.
Collapse
|
3
|
Vingiani GM, Gasulla F, Barón-Sola Á, Sobrino-Plata J, Henández LE, Casano LM. Physiological and Molecular Alterations of Phycobionts of Genus Trebouxia and Coccomyxa Exposed to Cadmium. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2021; 82:334-343. [PMID: 33452613 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-021-01685-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Several studies on aeroterrestrial microalgae are unravelling their resistance mechanisms to different abiotic stressors, including hazardous metals, pointing to their future role as bioremediation microorganisms. In the present study, physiological and molecular alterations of four phycobionts of genus Trebouxia (T. TR1 and T. TR9) and Coccomyxa (C. subellipsoidea and C. simplex) exposed to Cd were studied. Cd accumulation and subcellular distribution, cell wall structure, production of biothiols (GSH and phytochelatins), reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, expression of key antioxidant genes and ROS-related enzymes were evaluated to determine the physiological differences among the four microalgae, with the aim to identify the most suitable microorganism for further biotechnological applications. After 7 days of Cd exposure, Coccomyxa algae showed higher capacity of Cd intake than Trebouxia species, with C. subellipsoidea being the highest Cd accumulator at both intracellular and, especially, cell wall level. Cd induced ROS formation in the four microalgae, but to a greater extent in both Coccomyxa algae. Trebouxia TR9 showed the lowest Cd-dependent oxidative stress probably due to glutathione reductase induction. All microalgae synthetized phytochelatins in response to Cd but in a species-specific and a dose-dependent manner. Results from this study agree with the notion that each microalga has evolved a distinct strategy to detoxify hazardous metals like Cd and to cope with oxidative stress associated with them. Coccomyxa subellipsoidea and Trebouxia TR9 appear as the most interesting candidates for further applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giorgio Maria Vingiani
- Department of Life Sciences, Universidad de Alcalá, 28805 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
- Marine Biotechnology Department, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, 80121, Naples, Italy
| | - Francisco Gasulla
- Department of Life Sciences, Universidad de Alcalá, 28805 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ángel Barón-Sola
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Department Biology/Research Centre for Biodiversity and Global Change, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Sobrino-Plata
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Department Biology/Research Centre for Biodiversity and Global Change, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis E Henández
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Department Biology/Research Centre for Biodiversity and Global Change, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - Leonardo M Casano
- Department of Life Sciences, Universidad de Alcalá, 28805 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Danouche M, El Ghachtouli N, El Arroussi H. Phycoremediation mechanisms of heavy metals using living green microalgae: physicochemical and molecular approaches for enhancing selectivity and removal capacity. Heliyon 2021; 7:e07609. [PMID: 34355100 PMCID: PMC8322293 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Heavy metal (HM) contamination of water bodies is a serious global environmental problem. Because they are not biodegradable, they can accumulate in food chains, causing various signs of toxicity to exposed organisms, including humans. Due to its effectiveness, low cost, and ecological aspect, phycoremediation, or the use of microalgae's ecological functions in the treatment of HMs contaminated wastewater, is one of the most recommended processes. This study aims to examine in depth the mechanisms involved in the phycoremediation of HMs by microalgae, it also provides an overview of the prospects for improving the productivity, selectivity, and cost-effectiveness of this bioprocess through physicochemical and genetic engineering applications. Firstly, this review proposes a detailed examination of the biosorption interactions between cell wall functional groups and HMs, and their complexation with extracellular polymeric substances released by microalgae in the extracellular environment under stress conditions. Subsequently, the metal transporters involved in the intracellular bioaccumulation of HMs as well as the main intracellular mechanisms including compartmentalization in cell organelles, enzymatic biotransformation, or photoreduction of HMs were also extensively reviewed. In the last section, future perspectives of physicochemical and genetic approaches that could be used to improve the phytoremediation process in terms of removal efficiency, selectivity for a targeted metal, or reduction of treatment time and cost are discussed, which paves the way for large-scale application of phytoremediation processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Danouche
- Green Biotechnology Center, Moroccan Foundation for Advanced Science, Innovation and Research (MAScIR), Rabat, Morocco
- Microbial Biotechnology and Bioactive Molecules Laboratory, Sciences and Technologies Faculty, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez, Morocco
| | - Naïma El Ghachtouli
- Microbial Biotechnology and Bioactive Molecules Laboratory, Sciences and Technologies Faculty, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez, Morocco
| | - Hicham El Arroussi
- Green Biotechnology Center, Moroccan Foundation for Advanced Science, Innovation and Research (MAScIR), Rabat, Morocco
- AgroBioScience (AgBS), Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), Benguerir, Morocco
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Toxicity, Physiological, and Ultrastructural Effects of Arsenic and Cadmium on the Extremophilic Microalga Chlamydomonas acidophila. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17051650. [PMID: 32138382 PMCID: PMC7084474 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17051650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
The cytotoxicity of cadmium (Cd), arsenate (As(V)), and arsenite (As(III)) on a strain of Chlamydomonas acidophila, isolated from the Rio Tinto, an acidic environment containing high metal(l)oid concentrations, was analyzed. We used a broad array of methods to produce complementary information: cell viability and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation measures, ultrastructural observations, transmission electron microscopy energy dispersive x-ray microanalysis (TEM-XEDS), and gene expression. This acidophilic microorganism was affected differently by the tested metal/metalloid: It showed high resistance to arsenic while Cd was the most toxic heavy metal, showing an LC50 = 1.94 µM. Arsenite was almost four-fold more toxic (LC50= 10.91 mM) than arsenate (LC50 = 41.63 mM). Assessment of ROS generation indicated that both arsenic oxidation states generate superoxide anions. Ultrastructural analysis of exposed cells revealed that stigma, chloroplast, nucleus, and mitochondria were the main toxicity targets. Intense vacuolization and accumulation of energy reserves (starch deposits and lipid droplets) were observed after treatments. Electron-dense intracellular nanoparticle-like formation appeared in two cellular locations: inside cytoplasmic vacuoles and entrapped into the capsule, around each cell. The chemical nature (Cd or As) of these intracellular deposits was confirmed by TEM-XEDS. Additionally, they also contained an unexpected high content in phosphorous, which might support an essential role of poly-phosphates in metal resistance.
Collapse
|
6
|
Houneida B, Berrebah H, Berredjem M, Djebar MR. Effect of novel phosphoramidate on growth and respiratory metabolism of Paramecium aurelia. J Nat Sci Biol Med 2012; 3:48-51. [PMID: 22690051 PMCID: PMC3361778 DOI: 10.4103/0976-9668.95949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The continuous increase in the number of new chemicals as well as the discharges of solid and liquid wastes triggered the need for simple and inexpensive bioassays for routine testing. In recent years, there has been increasing development of methods (particularly rapid tests) for testing environmental samples. This paper describes the quick toxic evaluation of a novel synthetic compound: Phosphoramidate derivative B at different concentrations (2, 4 and 8 μM) for 72 h on Paramecium aurelia. We showed that B concentrations affect the growth of Paramecium in concentration- dependent manner; also it decreases the growth rate and increases response percentage in concentration- dependent manner. The value of LC50 obtained for these protozoa was estimated at 4.9693 μM after 24 hours of exposure. The respiratory metabolism of protozoan is perturbed at three concentrations, noting that the oxygen consumption was significantly increased at high concentrations after 18 hours of exposure. The results indicate that the Paramecium toxicity assay could be used as a complementary system to rapidly elucidate the cytotoxic potential of insecticides. The major advantages associated with these tests are: inexpensive, simple, rapid and seem to be attractive alternatives to conventional bioassays
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Benbouzid Houneida
- Laboratory of Cell Toxicology, General Direction of Scientific Research and Technological Development, Algeria
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|